HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

VOL. IX.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The rejoicings, by which London, on the second of ciiap.

xxm.

December 1697, celebrated the’return of peace and pro- min.sperity, continued till long after midnight. On the fol-lowing morning the Parliament met; and one of the mostlaborious sessions of that age commenced.

Among the questions which it was necessary that the standing

armies.,

Houses should speedily decide, one stood forth preeminentin interest and importance. Even in the first transports ofjoy with which the bearer of the treaty of Eyswick hadbeen welcomed to England, men had eagerly and an-xiously asked one another what was to be done with thatarmy which had been famed in Ireland and Belgium, whichhad learned, in many hard campaigns, to obey and toconquer, and which now consisted of eighty seven thousandexcellent soldiers. Was any part of this great force to beretained in the service of the State? And, if any part, xvhatpart? The last two kings had, without the consent of thelegislature, maintained military establishments in time of

Macaulay, History. IX. 1