6th Parliament of William III

Its composition was 248 Whigs, 240 Tories and 24 others; Robert Harley, the member for Radnor, was re-elected Speaker of the House of Commons.

The French king had made plain his expansionist aims in Europe with the threat that posed to English interests and public opinion was now in favour of war.

On 9 January 1702 the House of Commons received the text of the Grand Alliance between the King, the Emperor and the United Provinces.

Both parties co-operated to fulfil the king's requests and by the end of February the ways and means arrangements were almost complete.

3. c. 15) Parliament continued to meet for the next two months to enable the new queen and her ministers to finalise the essential war measures.