Earl Coningsbie's History of Parties; presented to King George the First.[1]
I begin this Tract with a state of our unhappy divisions, factions, and circumstances, from the last year of King William 3d to the death of the late Queen; and shall then proceed to shew how the passions, animosities, and private interests and views of the chief actors upon the publick stage at that time have influenc'd every part of affairs, from the death of the Queen (wch deliver'd us from immediate ruin) to the happy day when his sacred Majesty King George the 1st landed in England, and from that day to the sitting down of this the best dispos'd Parliament for the true interest of Britain that ever was elected.
From the opening the Parliament, the 17th of March,[2] till their recess from business by their first ajournment.
From their first ajournment to the taking of the rebels at Preston, and from thence to the meeting of the Parliament ye 9th January.
And lastly, from the said 9th January, when his Majesty open'd this 2d part of yt sessions, to the prorogation of it in June, when his Majesty went to Hanover.
And in the severall periods of time aforesd I shall mention some few of the most notorious mismanagements (whether voluntary or involuntary) that have been run into by those who have call'd themselves the Ministry, and the malignant consequences yt have happen'd from such their corrupt or unskilfull administration; and such farther mischiefs (even to make the support of ye very Government it self impracticable) yt must follow, unless wiser, steadier, and less corrupt measures are taken for ye future by those who are employ'd at ye helm of affairs.
The Church Party, in revenge to King James for invading their power and property by seizing Magdalen College in Oxford for his Popish priests, and imprisoning ye seven bishops in ye Tower, having (tho' directly contrary to their establish'd principles of passive obedience and hereditary right) been the chief instruments in bringing about the late happy Revolution, oblig'd K. William upon the first entrance on his government to make the Duke of Shrewsbury (a new convert from Popery, tho' then for his pretended zeal for the Revolution the declar'd head of the Whig Party) and my Lord Nottingham (chief of ye Tory faction) Secretaries of State; which employments are the two principal wheels wch turn the whole administration in these kingdoms.
The Duke of Shrewsbury continued in his post but 'till the year 1690; when,
