1695. William besieged and captured Namur, in Belgium (Aug. 26). Statute passed for regulating trials for high treason.
Prisoners were to be allowed counsel; and two witnesses were required to prove each overt act.
1697. A bill of attainder passed against Sir John Fenwick, for participation in a plot for assassinating the king, and he was executed accordingly. He was the last person condemned by bill of attainder. Treaty of Ryswick, between England, France, Spain, Holland, and the emperor of Germany (Sept. 20).
By this treaty William was acknowledged king of England; and nearly all the places in the Spanish dominions conquered by France were to be restored.
1698. First partition treaty between William and Louis for dividing the Spanish dominions on the death of Charles II., king of Spain. A second treaty was concluded in 1700.
The purpose of these private treaties was to prevent the disarrangement of the balance of power which would ensue in case the whole of the Spanish dominions fell into the hands of Louis’ son, the dauphin. By the first treaty they were to be divided between the electoral prince of Bavaria, the Dauphin, and the archduke Charles, all of whom had pretensions to the Spanish throne. On the death of the electoral prince (in 1699) they were to be divided between the survivors. Charles, on his death, left the whole to Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis, who determined, in spite of his agreement with William, to support his grandson; and hence ensued the war in the next reign.
1700. Death of the duke of Gloucester, son of the Princess Anne, and heir presumptive to the throne.
1701. ACT OF SETTLEMENT passed. William formed a grand alliance against France in behalf of the Archduke Charles, whom the allies recognised as king of Spain. Death of James II., whose son James was acknowledged king of England by Louis XIV.
By the Act of Settlement, Anne was to succeed William; and if she died without issue, the heirs of William were to succeed: in failure of these, the Electress Sophia (granddaughter of James I.), the next in succession who held the Protestant faith, was to become sovereign. Several provisions were inserted which were to take effect from the accession of the new line:—1. The sovereign must join in communion with the Church of England. 2. The nation shall not be obliged to go to war for the defence of any dominions not belonging to the English crown. 3. No English sovereign shall leave the kingdom without consent of parliament. 4. All important matters of state are to be transacted in the privy council, and all resolutions adopted signed by such of the privy council as shall advise and consent to the same. 5. No foreigner shall hold any office, civil or military, or receive any grant from the crown. 6. No person, holding any office or place of profit under the crown, and receiving a pension therefrom, shall be capable of sitting in the house of commons. 7. Judges shall hold office during good behaviour, but they may be removed on address of both houses of parliament. 8. No pardon under the great seal shall be pleadable to an impeachment by the Commons. The third provision was repealed in the first year of George I.’s reign.
Anne.