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I hope you will confider the Condition I am in, in danger of pafling, in the Cenfure of the World, for a vicious Perfon, and a betrayer of my Country I have ever had the Misfortune to bear the blame of other Mens Faults. I know the revealing the King's Councils, and correfponding with the King's Enemies, which are laid againft me; but I hope for your Pardon if I fpeak Truth for myfelf. I told you Yefterday, if the Triple League had any Advantage in it (I speak it without Vanity) I had as great a Hand in it as any Man. Then, upon the Inftance of the French Ambaffador, I was fent into France upon the fad Subject of Condoling the Death of Madam, where I urg'd for the Service of the King, that the French ought not to endeavour to make themfelves confiderable at Sea, of whom we had reason to be more jealous than of the Dutch, because the French then would have power to conquer us. When I return'd, I found all Demonftrations that the French had no fuch Thoughts, but that the King of England fhould be Master at Sea. I do not pretend to judge whether I or other Men were in the right, I leave the Judgment of that to this Honourable House. At this time my Lord Shaftsbury and myself advifed not to begin a War without the Advice of the Parliament, and the Affections of the People, (for I look upon the King, at the Head of his Parliament, to be the greateft Prince in the World;) this was my Lórd Shafts

Shaftsbury's Opinion and Mine, but not my Lord Arlington's. My next Advice was, not to make ufe of French Ships, half their value in Money would have been more ferviceable. I alledged, they would be of no ufe to us, by reafon of their want of Experience in our Seas, and there would be great danger in their learning the use of them, which Advice my Lord Arlington oppofed, notwithstanding the King was fo defirous of avoiding a Breach with France, that he fent me to Dunkirk, and my Lord Arlington to Utretcht, where I still endeavoured to get Money inftead of Ships. At my first Audience the King of France was willing to comply, but after fome Returns. and Letters from hence he was alter'd; but I make no Reflections upon Perfons, but barely ftate Matters of Fact. Then it was my Lord Shaftsbury's Advice and Mine, so to order the War, as that the French fhould deliver us fome Towns of their Conquefts into our Hands: a ufeful Precaution in former Times. My Lord Arlington would have no Towns at all for one Year. And here is the Caufe of the Condition of our Affairs. We fet out a Fleet with Intention to land Men in order to the taking of Towns. The French Army go on Conquering and get all, and we get nothing, nor agree for any. Pray confider who it was that was fo often lockt up with the French Ambaffador. My Spirit moves me to tell you, that when we were to confider what

to do, we were to advise with the French Ambaffador. I will not trouble you with Reports, but pray look not upon me as a Peer, but an honeft English Gentleman, who has fuffered much for my Love to my Country, I had a Regiment given me, which was Sir Edward Scott's, I gave him 160cl. for it. There is no Papift Officer in it, nor Irish Man. I fhall fay nothing of my extraordinary Gains, I am fure I have loft as much Eftate as fome Men have gotten; (and that is a big Word.) I am Honest, and when I appear otherwise, I defire to Die. I am not the Man that has gotten by all this; yet after all this I am a Grievance: I am the cheapest Grievance this House ever had; and fo I humbly ask the Pardon of the Houfe for the Trouble I have given.

The Speaker then proceeded to ask the Duke the following Questions, by Order of the House.

Question I.

Whether any Perfons declared to your Grace any ill Advices againft the Liberties and Privileges of this Houfe, or to alter the Government, who they were, and what they Advifed?

Duke of Buckingham's Answer.

There is an old Proverb, Mr. Speaker, Over Boots over Shoes. This reflects upon one that is now living, and fo I defire Pardon for faying any thing farther, fearing it may

be

be thought a malicious Invention of mine, the Perfon being Dead. I have faid nothing yet but what I can justify, but this I cannot. Question II.

Some Words fell from your Grace Yesterday, wherein you were pleased to say fome had gotten 3, 4, 5000col. The Houfe would know who they were, and by what means they had gotten fuch Sums.

Duke of Buckingham's Answer.

I am not well acquainted by what means they got fo much, being not at all acquainted with the ways of getting Money. What the Duke of Ormond has got is upon Record, being about 500000l. my Lord Arlington has not got fo much, but has got a great deal.

Question III.

By whofe Advice was the Army raifed, and Monfieur Schomberg made General?

Duke of Buckingham's Anfwer.

I cannot fay by whofe Advice, but upon my Honour, not by mine. I was told by a Man that's dead, that my Lord Arlington sent for him, and it will be easily proved.

Question IV.

By whofe Advice was this Army brought up to awe the Debates and Refolutions of the Houfe of Commons?

Duke's Answer.

I must make to this the fame Anfwer as I did before; it was a Difcourfe from a Man dead, of one now living. If I had deferv'd

the Honour, I think I might have had the Command of that Army before him; but Schomberg was told, my Lord Arlington would have the Government by an Army.

Question V.

Who made the French League ?
Duke's Anfwer.

My Lord Arlington and myfelf were only employ'd to Treat, and finding the danger we were in of being Cheated, we preffed the Ambaffadors to Sign before they had Power and tho''twas an odd Requeft, yet they did Sign.

Question VI.

Who made the firft Treaty with France, by which the Triple Alliance was broken?

Duke's Anfwer.

I made that Treaty.

Queftion VII.

By whofe Advice was the Exchequer shut up, and the order of Payment there broken? Duke's Anfwer.

I was not the Advifer, I am fure I loft 3000l. by it..

Question VIII.

Who advifed the Declaration in matter of Religion?

Duke's Answer.

I do not difown that I advised it; being always of Opinion, that fomething was to be done in that Nature in matters of Confcience, but no farther than the King might do by Law.

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