The commissioner was importuned to give it the royal assent; but declined answering their entreaties till the tenth day of September.

Then he made a speech in parliament, giving them to understand that he had received the queen's pleasure, and was empowered to give the royal assent to all the acts voted in this session, except the act for the security of the kingdom.

A motion was made to solicit the royal assent in an address to her majesty; but the question being put, it was carried in the negative by a small majority.

On the sixth day of the same month, the earl of Marchmont had produced a bill to settle the succession on the house of Hanover.

At first the import of it was not known; but when the clerk in reading it mentioned the princess Sophia, the whole house was kindled into a flame.