His Majesty's MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH To both Houses of PARLIAMENT, On Friday the Ninth Day of December, 1698.  
LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceased; Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1698.   

His Majesty's MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH To both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
I Have no Doubt but you are Met together, with Hearts fully disposed to do what is Necessary for the Safety, Honour and Happiness of the Kingdom; and that is all I have to Ask of you.  
In order to this, Two things seem Principally to Require your Consideration.  
The One is, What Strength ought to be Maintained at Sea, and what Force kept up at Land for this Year; all I shall Observe to you upon this Head, is, That the Flourishing of Trade, The Supporting of Credit, and the Quiet of People's Minds at Home, will Depend upon the Opinion they have of their Security; and to Preserve to England the Weight and Influence it has at present on the Counsels and Affairs Abroad, it will be Requisite, Europe should see, you will not be Wanting to yourselves.  
The Second thing I shall mention to you as of great Consequence, is the making some further Progress towards Discharging the Debts, which the Nation has Contracted by reason of the Long and Expensive War. In this the Public Interest, as well as Justice is Concerned; and I think an English Parliament can never make such a Mistake, as not to hold Sacred all Parliamentary Engagements.  

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,  
I do Earnestly Recommend these things to you, that you may Provide such Supplies, as you shall Judge Necessary for these several Occasions.   

My Lords and Gentlemen,  
I think it would be Happy, if some effectual Expedient could be found for Employing the Poor, which might tend to the great Increase of Our Manufactures, as well as remove a heavy Burden from the People.  
I hope also you will Employ your Thoughts about some good Bills for the Advancement of Trade, and for the further Discouraging of Vice and Profaneness.  
The things I have mentioned to you being of common Concern, I cannot but hope for Unanimity and Dispatch.   
FINIS.