A. D. 1689. 635 



As nothing tends more to the advancement of commerce and induf- 

 try than giving eafe to fcrupulous confciences in the exercife of their 

 religion, an a6t was palled, for exempting all their majefties proteftant 

 fubjeds, of the feveral denominations diflcnting from the church of 

 England, from the penalties of certain laws : which, as its preamble fets 

 forth, might be an effedual means to unite their majefties' proteftant 

 fvibjeds in intereft and affeftion. [i Gul. et Mar. c. 18] This legal to- 

 leration, fome wicked party meafures at certain times excepted, has 

 generally anfwered the wife and good ends propofed by that law. 



The ftatute [^Hen. IV, c. 4] againft the multiplying of gold and filver was 

 repealed; becaufe ' fince the making of the laid ftatute men are arrived to 

 ' great flcill and perfedion in the ai't of refining of metals, and of extrad- 

 ' ing gold and filver therefrom ; but yet dare not exercife their ikill, for 

 ' fear of incurring the felony of that ftatute ; but do therefor exercife 

 ' their flcill in foreign parts, to the great detriment of the realm : pro- 



* vided, however, that all the gold and filver fo to be extraded from 

 ' other metals, be employed for coinage in the king's mint, and no 

 ' other way. Provided, alfo, that henceforth no mine of copper, tin, 



* iron, or lead, fliall hereafter be adjudged to be a royal mine, even 

 ' although gold or filver may be extraded out of the fame.' [i Gul. et 

 Mnr. c. 30.] 



Louis XIV, by his great injuftice and violences againft England, 

 Germany, Spain, and Holland, brought about a grand alliance of thofe 

 four potentates this year, for reducing that lawlefs monarch to reafon ; 

 the confequence whereof was an immediate declaration of war, by each 

 of them. That of King William of England, dated the 7th of May, 

 1689, after reciting Louis's unjuft invafion and ravaging of the terri- 

 tories of his ally, the emperor and empire, as fur as is relative to com- 

 mercial concerns, was fummarily as follows, viz. 



I) ' That although it was not long before, that the French took out 

 ' licences from the Englifti governor of Newfoundland, to filh on 

 ' that coaft, paying tribute for fuch licences, as an acknowlegement of 

 ' the fole right of the crown of England to that iflatid ; yet, of late, 

 ' their encroachments on that ifland, and our fubjeds trade and fifti- 

 ' ery, have been more like the invafions of an enemy, than becom-' 

 ' ing friends, who enjoyed the advantages of that trade only by per- 

 ' mifllon.' 



II) ' But that the French king fiiould invade our Caribbee iflands, 

 '' (St. Chriftophers, &c) and poflefs himfelf of our territories in New- 

 ' York and Hudfon's bay, in an hoftile manner ; imprifoning fome and 

 ' murdering others of our fubjeds ; burning their houles and feizing on 

 ' their effeds ; are adions even not becoming an enemy. Yet at that 

 ' very time, Louis, far from declaring himfelf fo, was, by his miniftei-s 



4 L 2 



