Chapter II: The Reign of George I

Peaceful Accession of George I.--His Arrival--Triumph of the
Whigs--Dissolution and General Election--The Address--Determination
to impeach the late Ministers--Flight of Bolingbroke and
Ormonde--Impeachment of Oxford--The Riot Act--The Rebellion
of 1715--Policy of the Regent Orleans--Surrender of the
Pretender's Ships--The Adventures of Ormonde and Mar--The
Highlands declare for the Pretender--Mar and Argyll--Advance
of Mackintosh's Detachment--Its Surrender at Preston--Battle
of Sheriffmuir--Arrival of the Pretender--Mutual
Disappointment--Advance of Argyll--Flight of the Pretender to
France--Punishment of the Rebels--Impeachment of the Rebel
Lords--The Septennial Act--The King goes to Hanover--Impossibility
of Reconstructing the Grand Alliance--Negotiations with
France--Danger of Hanover from Charles XII.--And from Russia--Alarm
from Townshend--Termination of the Dispute--Fresh Differences
between Stanhope and Townshend--Dismissal of the Latter--The
Triple Alliance--Project for the Invasion of Scotland--Detection
of the Plot--Dismissal of Townshend and Walpole--They go into
Opposition--Walpole's Financial Scheme--Attack on Cadogan--Trial of
Oxford--Cardinal Alberoni--Outbreak of Hostilities between Austria
and Spain--Occupation of Sardinia--Alberoni's Diplomacy--The
Quadruple Alliance--Byng in the Mediterranean--Alberoni deserted by
Savoy--Death of Charles XII.--Declaration of War with Spain--Repeal
of the Schism Act--Rejection of the Peerage Bill--Attempted
Invasion of Britain--Dismissal of Alberoni--Spain makes
Peace--Pacification of Northern Europe--Final Rejection of the
Peerage Bill--The South Sea Company--The South Sea Bill--Opposition
of Walpole--Rise of South Sea Stock--Rival Companies--Death
of Stanhope--Punishment of Ministry and Directors--Supremacy
of Walpole--Atterbury's Plot--His Banishment and the Return
of Bolingbroke--Rejection of Bolingbroke's Services--A Palace
Intrigue--Fall of Carteret--Wood's Halfpence--Disturbances in
Scotland--Punishment of the Lord Chancellor Macclesfield--The
Patriot Party--Complications Abroad--Treaty of Vienna--Treaty
of Hanover--Activity of the Jacobites--Falls of Ripperda and of
Bourbon--English Preparations--Folly of the Emperor--Attack on
Gibraltar--Preliminaries of Peace--Intrigues against Walpole--Death
of George I. 24