The Project Gutenberg EBook of A History of England, Period III., by Rev. J. Franck Bright This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license Title: A History of England, Period III. Constitutional Monarchy Author: Rev. J. Franck Bright Release Date: December 26, 2014 [EBook #47759] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HISTORY OF ENGLAND, PERIOD III. *** Produced by Stephen Hope, Jane Robins and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net A HISTORY OF ENGLAND CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY 1689-1837 A HISTORY OF ENGLAND. By the Rev. J. Franck Bright, M.A., Fellow of University College, and Historical Lecturer in Balliol, New, and University Colleges, Oxford; late Master of the Modern School in Marlborough College. With numerous Maps and Plans. New Editions. Crown 8vo. This work is divided into three Periods of convenient and handy size, especially adapted for use in Schools, as well as for Students reading special portions of History for local and other Examinations. Period I.—Mediæval Monarchy: The Departure of the Romans, to Richard III. From A.D. 449 to A.D. 1485. 4s. 6d. Period II.—Personal Monarchy: Henry VII. to James II. From A.D. 1485 to A.D. 1688. 5s. Period III.—Constitutional Monarchy: William and Mary to the Present Time. From A.D. 1689 to A.D. 1837. 7s. 6d. [All rights reserved.] A History of England BY THE REV. J. FRANCK BRIGHT, M.A. FELLOW OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, AND HISTORICAL LECTURER IN BALLIOL, NEW, AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGES, OXFORD; LATE MASTER OF THE MODERN SCHOOL IN MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE PERIOD III. CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY William and Mary to William IV. 1689-1837 With Maps and Plans RIVINGTONS WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON Oxford and Cambridge MDCCCLXXX [Third Edition] A LIST OF SOME USEFUL AUTHORITIES. General Histories. Macaulay's History of England, 1600-1702. Macaulay's Essays. Mahon's History of England, 1713-1783. Massey's History of England, 1745-1802. Martineau's History of the Peace, 1800- 1848. Erskine May's Constitutional History, 1760-1860. Ralph's History of England, 1689-1727. Pauli's Geschichte Englands, from 1814. Books of General Reference. Cobbett's Parliamentary History, to 1803. Hansard's Debates, from 1803. The Monthly Mercury, from 1690. The Annual Register, from 1758. State Tracts. Anderson's History of Commerce. Maculloch's Commercial Dictionary. Eden's State of the Poor. Howell's State Trials. Macpherson's State Papers, 1688-1714. Hardwicke's State Papers, to 1727. Foreign Histories. Documens inédits sur l'Histoire de France (for the Spanish succession). Sismondi or Martin's Histoire de France, to 1789. Von Sybel's French Revolution. Lanfrey's Histoire de Napoleon. Ranke's History of Prussia. Bancroft's History of the United States. Mill's History of India. Grant Duff's History of the Mahrattas. The Despatches of Wellesley and Cornwallis. Froude's The English in Ireland, to 1800. William III. Burnet's History of his Own Time, 1660-1713. Kennett's History of England, vol. iii. Defoe's Works are instructive as to the state of England at this time. Anne. Stanhope's Reign of Queen Anne. Coxe's Life of Marlborough. Marlborough's Letters and Despatches, 1702-1712. Bolingbroke's Correspondence. Life of Sacheverel. George I. Swift's Drapier's Letters, etc. The Stuart Papers, edited by Glover. Coxe's Life of Walpole. Boyer's Political State of Great Britain. George II. Hervey's Memoirs of the Reign of George II., 1727-1742. Horace Walpole's Memoirs of the Reign [5] [6] of George II., 1751-1760. Doddington's Diary, 1749-1761. Waldegrave's Memoirs, 1754-1758. Southey's Life of Wesley. Philip's Life and Times of Whitfield. Johnstone's Memoirs of the Rebellion of 1745. George III. Horace Walpole's Memoirs of the Reign of George III., 1760-1771. The Letters of Junius. The Grenville Papers. The Bedford Correspondence. Buckingham's Memoirs of the Court and Cabinet of George III. Russell's Life of Fox. Thackeray's Life of Chatham. Stanhope's Life of Pitt. Wilberforce's Life. Malmesbury's Diary and Correspondence. The Cornwallis Correspondence, 1770-1805. Napier's Peninsula War. Life of Bamford the Radical. Lord Dudley's Letters, 1814- 1823. Bell and Stapleton's Lives of Canning. It is not, however, necessary to give a detailed list of authorities, which would be little more than a catalogue of the lives, letters, and memoirs of most of the important men of the time. Of these the number is constantly being augmented, and it is from them and the contemporary tracts, monographs, pamphlets, and fugitive writings that the details of the History must be drawn. CONTENTS. [7] WILLIAM AND MARY. 1689-1702. PAGE 1689 The Declaration of Right, 806 Character of the Revolution, 806 Personal unpopularity of William, 807 Discontent of the clergy and the army, 807 The Convention turned into a Parliament, 808 William's difficulties in forming a ministry, 808 Settlement of the revenue, 810 Settlement of the Church, 810 Oaths of allegiance and supremacy, 811 The European war breaks out, 811 Devastation of the Palatinate, 812 State of Ireland, 812 Panic among the Englishry, 813 Londonderry and Enniskillen garrisoned, 813 Negotiations with Tyrconnel, 813 James goes to Ireland, 814 Character of the Irish Jacobites, 814 Siege of Londonderry, 815 Wild legislation of the Irish Parliament 815 Its effect on the English Jacobites, 816 Battle of Newton Butler, 816 Character of the Revolution in Scotland, 817 Contrast of the letters from James and William, 818 Highland politics, 819 Dundee in the Highlands, 820 Battle of Killiecrankie, 820 Mackay concludes the war, 821 Factions of the English Parliament, 821 William threatens to leave England, 824 1690 William dissolves Parliament, and undertakes the Irish war, 824 Tory reaction in the new Parliament, 824 Cause of the venality of Parliament, 824 Settlement of the revenue, 825 The Act of Grace, 825 Discovery of a Jacobite plot, 825 Battle of Beachy Head, 826 Battle of the Boyne, 827 James's flight from Ireland, 828 Siege of Limerick, 828 William returns to England, 828 1691 Siege of Athlone, 829 Battle of Aghrim, 830 Second siege of Limerick, 830 End of the Irish war, 830 [8] The Revolution completed in Scotland, 830 Jacobite plots in England, 831 William's successful policy abroad, 831 First crisis of the war over, 832 James's hopes upheld by the treason of the ministry, 832 1692 Marlborough, suspected of treason, deprived of his offices, 833 The Queen's quarrel with her sister, 834 Massacre of Glencoe, 834 Threatened invasion of England, 836 Battle of La Hogue, 837 Second crisis of the war over, 838 Fall of Namur, 838 Battle of Steinkirk, 838 The discontent of Parliament, 839 1693 Montague's financial measures, 839 Disastrous campaign, 840 Battle of Landen, 841 Loss of the Smyrna fleet, 841 Factions in Parliament necessitate the gradual formation of a united Whig ministry, 842 1694 Establishment of the Bank of England, 843 The Triennial Act passed, 844 Death of Queen Mary, 844 1695 Expulsion of Trevor and Caermarthen for venality, 845 1694 Success abroad, 846 Treachery of Marlborough at Brest, 846 1695 Campaign in Flanders, 847 Surrender of Namur, 848 William's triumphant return, 848 New Whig Parliament, 848 1696 Re-establishment of the currency, 848 William's want of money, 851 Failure of the Land Bank scheme, 851 The Bank of England supplies the money, 852 The credit of England restored, 853 The Assassination plot, 853 Trial of Sir John Fenwick, 855 1697 Complete triumph of the Whigs, 856 Treaty of Ryswick, 858 The Parliament reduces the standing army, 859 1698 Coalition of the rival East India Companies, 861 William's attention directed to the Spanish succession, 862 First Partition Treaty, 863 The Country Party in the new Parliament, 864 1699 William's grief at the dismissal of the Dutch guards, 864 Rivalry between the two Houses, 865 [9] The Darien scheme, 865 Question of Irish forfeitures, 868 1700 The Resumption Bill passed, 868 Second Partition Treaty, 869 Unpopularity of William and the ministry, 870 New Tory ministry, 870 1701 New Parliament, 870 The Succession Act, 871 Impeachments against the Whigs, 871 The Kentish Petition, 872 The Legion Memorial, 872 The Grand Alliance, 873 Death of James II., 873 Louis rouses English patriotism by acknowledging the Pretender, 873 1702 New Parliament and changes in the ministry, 874 Death of William, 874 ANNE. 1702-1714. PAGE Marlborough's power 875 Work of the first Parliament, 876 Tory ministry, 876 Beginning of the war 877 Marlborough's first campaign, 878 Position of Holland, 878 1703 Savoy and Portugal join the coalition, 880 1704 Critical position of Austria, 882 Battle of Blenheim, 885 Progress of the war in Spain, the Cevennes, and Italy, 887 1705 Failure of Marlborough's plans, 888 Peterborough's success in Spain, 889 1706 Battle of Ramillies, 892 Results of the victory, 893 French disasters make Louis desire peace, 894 Marlborough rejects his terms, 894 1707 The tide of victory turns, 895 1708 Threatened invasion of Scotland, 896 Battle of Oudenarde, 898 Siege of Lille, 900 Capture of Port Mahon, 901 1709 Louis offers to negotiate, 902 He rejects the high demands of the allies, 903 Battle of Malplaquet, 903 1702 Summary of political parties, 905 Marlborough seeks the support of all parties for the war, 905 Tory Parliament, 906 1703 Dismissal of Rochester, 906 Occasional Conformity Bill rejected, 906 The Methuen Treaty, 907 1704 Disputes on the Aylesbury election, 908 Dismissal of Nottingham, Jersey, and Seymour, 908 1705 Gradual introduction of Whig ministers, 910 1707 Weakness of the composite ministry, 911 Harley's intrigues against Marlborough, 911 1708 Harley and his colleagues resign, 912 A Whig ministry, 913 1709 Insecurity of Marlborough's position, 913 1710 Fall of the Whigs, 914 Dr. Sacheverell's sermons, 914 Dismissal of Sunderland and Godolphin, 914 Harley's Tory ministry, 915 Conference at Gertruydenberg, 915 The war in Spain, 915 [10] Harley's policy, 916 1711 Peace negotiations, 917 Attack on Marlborough in Parliament, 919 1712 Ormond given command of the army, 920 1713 Peace of Utrecht, 921 Conduct of Harley and Bolingbroke on the succession question, 922 1714 New Tory Parliament, 922 Jacobite intrigues, 923 The Queen's death, 924 1702 Lengthened negotiations for the Union of England and Scotland, 924 1707 The Union completed, 928 GEORGE I. 1714-1727. PAGE 1714 Probability of a restoration of the Stuarts, 929 Council of Regency, 930 Peaceful accession of the King, 930 New Whig ministry, 931 The Hanoverian succession a Whig triumph, 931 Riots in the country, 931 1715 Impeachment of the late ministers, 932 The Jacobite rebellion, 932 Disaffection in Scotland, 933 Failure of the Jacobite hopes of French help, 933 Mar organizes the insurrection in Scotland, 934 Vigorous measures of the Government, 935 Mar's success in the Highlands, 935 Forster defeated at Preston, 936 Mar defeated at Sheriffmuir, 937 1716 The Pretender arrives, but shortly withdraws again, 937 Punishment of the rebels, 938 The Septennial Act, 938 First signs of the disruption of the ministry, 940 George goes to Hanover with Stanhope, 940 Negotiations with France, 940 Hanover threatened by Charles XII., 941 Dismissal of Townshend, 942 1717 The Triple Alliance, 942 Stanhope's ministry, 942 Threatening state of Europe, 942 Danger to England from Charles XII., 943 And from Alberoni, 944 1718 The Quadruple Alliance, 945 1719 Fall of Alberoni, 946 1720 European peace, 946 1717 Stanhope's home policy, 946 Constant opposition of Walpole, 946 Trial of Oxford, 947 1719 Repeal of the Schism Act, 947 Rejection of the Peerage Bill, 947 1720 Strength of the ministry. Walpole joins it, 948 The South Sea Bubble, 949 1711 Formation of the South Sea Company, 950 1720 The South Sea Scheme, 950 Competition of other companies, 951 The rage for stock-jobbing, 952 Bursting of the bubble, 953 1721 Punishment of the directors, 953 [11] Supremacy of Walpole, 953 Revival of Jacobite hopes, 954 1722 Bishop Atterbury's plot, 954 1723 Quarrel between Carteret and Walpole, 956 1724 Excitement in Ireland, 957 1725 Disturbances in Scotland, 957 Spanish difficulties, 958 Intrigues of Ripperda, 959 Treaty of Vienna, 960 The secret treaty, 960 1726 The Treaty of Hanover, 961 Excitement of Europe, 961 1727 Preliminaries of peace signed at Paris, 962 Opposition to Walpole headed by Bolingbroke, 962 The King's death, 963 Review of the reign, 963 Increased importance of England abroad, 963 Private and public immorality, 963 Influence of the Hanoverian courtiers, 964 [12] GEORGE II. 1727-1760. PAGE Walpole retains his position, 966 Increase of the Civil List, 966 Influence of the Queen, 967 Character of Walpole's ministry, 967 Character of the Opposition, 967 Strength of the Government, 969 Depression of the Jacobites, 969 European complications, 970 1729 Congress at Soissons, 970 Treaty of Seville, 971 Disappointment of the Emperor, 971 1731 Second Treaty of Vienna, 971 Complete supremacy of Walpole, 972 1730 Rejection of the Pension Bill, 972 1731 Retirement of Townshend, 972 Walpole's home government, 973 1733 His financial measures, 973 His pacific foreign policy, 975 1734 Refuses to join in the new European war, 975 1738 Definitive Peace of Vienna, 976 1734 Increasing opposition to Walpole, 976 Wyndham's speech against him, 977 1735 Prince of Wales head of the Opposition, 978 1737 Quarrel of George with his son, 979 Death of the Queen, 980 Walpole retains his influence with the King, 980 1738 The Opposition attacks his pacific policy, 980 George desires war, 981 1739 Negotiations with Spain, 982 Walpole declares war rather than resign, 982 1740 Increased vigour of the Opposition, 983 Ill success of the war, 984 1742 Walpole resigns, 985 Review of Walpole's ministry, 985 The new ministry under Wilmington, 987 1743 Pelham succeeds Wilmington, 988 The question of the Austrian succession, 989 Ambition of Prussia, 989 Position of Maria Theresa, 990 England supports Austria, 991 The English army in Flanders, 991 Battle of Dettingen, 992 Effect of the victory, 994 Negotiations for peace, 994 [13] Treaty of Worms, 995 1744 League of Frankfort, 995 Threatened invasion of England, 995 Progress of the war, 996 Changes in the ministry, 996 1745 German subsidies granted, 997 Campaign in Flanders, 998 Battle of Fontenoy, 998 Charles Edward lands in Scotland, 999 Cope marches against him, 1001 Charles avoids him, and gains Edinburgh, 1001 Battle of Prestonpans, 1002 Indifference of England, 1002 Charles marches to Derby, 1003 He retreats to the relief of Government, 1004 1746 Charles besieges Stirling, 1005 Battle of Falkirk, 1005 Cumberland takes command of the army, 1006 He defeats Charles at Culloden, 1007 He cruelly suppresses the rebellion, 1008 Charles escapes to France, 1008 Ministerial crisis, 1009 1747 Effect of the rebellion on the continental war, 1010 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1011 Results of the war, 1011 Pelham's conciliatory government, 1012 1750 His financial measures, 1012 Increase of wealth and of trade, 1013 1751 Reform of the Calendar, 1014 1753 Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act, 1015 Decay of the Church, 1015 1730 Rise of the Wesleyans, 1016 1754 Pelham's death gives the Government to Newcastle, 1018 Approaching danger from India and America, 1018 Newcastle tries to confine the war to the colonies,; 1019 George's anxiety for Hanover, 1020 1755 His subsidiary treaties against Prussia, 1020 1756 The French capture Minorca, 1021 Newcastle resigns, 1021 1757 Pitt's vigorous government, 1022 1754 Europe prepares for war, 1023 1756 The Seven Years' War begins, 1023 Alliance between England and Prussia, 1023 Frederick's first campaign, 1023 Foreign policy of the various parties in England, 1024 1757 Disasters of the year, 1025 [14] 1758 Change of generals, 1026 Success in America, 1026 Victory of Creveld, 1027 Expeditions to Cherbourg and St. Malo, 1027 1759 Naval victories of Lagos and Quiberon, 1028 Capture of Quebec, 1029 Victory of Minden, 1031 1760 Frederick's campaign, 1032 Battle of Torgau, 1033 Pre-eminence of Pitt, 1033 Death of the King, 1033 GEORGE III. 1760-1820. PAGE Bute's influence over the young King, 1035 George's view of royalty, 1036 1761 Signs of a change of ministry, 1037 The campaign of 1761 produces a desire for peace, 1037 Negotiations between France and England, 1038 Pitt, suspecting the Family Compact, opposes peace, 1038 Pitt resigns. Bute becomes Premier, 1039 1762 War with Spain, 1039 Peace with France concluded, 1040 1763 Close of the Seven Years' War, 1041 Attack on the Whigs, 1041 Bute resigns, 1041 The Triumvirate ministry, 1042 The Bedford ministry, 1042 The trial of Wilkes, 1043 Origin of the American provinces, 1045 Restrictions on colonial trade, 1046 1764 Suppression of smuggling, 1047 1765 The Stamp Act, 1047 1765 The King's illness, 1048 The Regency Bill, 1048 Negotiations for a change of ministry, 1049 Pitt retires into private life, 1050 Ministry of the Whig Houses, 1050 The question of American taxation, 1051 1766 Return of Pitt and his declaration of views, 1051 The Stamp Act repealed, 1052 Weakness of the Government, 1052 Pitt becomes Lord Chatham and Prime Minister, 1053 His comprehensive plans, 1054 1767 His illness and mental failure, 1054 Townshend's financial measures, 1054 1768 Corruption of Parliament, 1055 Wilkes elected for Middlesex, 1055 1769 Increase of American difficulties, 1056 The Letters of Junius, 1057 Weakness of the ministry, 1057 1770 Camden, Granby, and Grafton resign, 1058 North's ministry. Triumph of the King's policy, 1059 Grenville's reform of election petitions, 1060 Increased irritation in America, 1061 Affair of the Falkland Islands, 1062 1771 The liberty of reporting Parliamentary debates, 1062 [15] North's ministry gathers strength, 1063 1772 Royal Marriage Law, 1064 Fate of the Queen of Denmark, 1064 Division of Poland, 1065 Constitution of Poland, 1065 1773 Organized opposition in America, 1067 1774 Dunning's petition rejected, 1068 1772 The India Company's difficulties, 1069 1774 Boston Port Bill, 1070 Massachusetts Government Bill, 1070 Crisis of the quarrel, 1070 Acts of the General Congress, 1071 1775 Chatham's motions for reconciliation, 1071 Skirmish at Lexington, 1072 The Canada Bill, 1072 The Congress assumes sovereign authority, 1073 Washington commander-in-chief, 1073 Battle of Bunker's Hill, 1073 The Olive Branch Petition, 1075 Attack on Canada, 1075 1776 Howe retires to Halifax, 1076 Fresh offers of conciliation rejected, 1076 Declaration of Independence, 1077 Battle of Brooklyn, 1077 1777 Washington recovers New Jersey, 1079 Threefold plan of the English, 1079 Howe's expedition against Philadelphia, 1080 Battle of Germanstown, 1080 Washington reorganizes the army, 1081 Burgoyne's disasters, 1081 1776 Effect of American affairs in Parliament, 1082 1777 Increase of the Civil List, 1082 France acknowledges the independence of America, 1084 Chatham's energy in Parliament, 1084 1778 North's Conciliation Bill, 1085 Rupture with France 1085 Death of Chatham, 1086 Laws against Roman Catholics repealed, 1087 America rejects North's conciliatory offers, 1087 Effect of the alliance between America and France, 1088 Weakness of North's ministry, 1088 1779 Difficulties in Ireland, 1090 1780 Motions for economical reform, 1091 The Lord George Gordon riots, 1092 Rodney's victory, 1094 Capture of Charleston, 1095 [16]