MONTAGUE (Charles), earl of Halifax, fourth son of George Montague of Harton in Northamptonshire, Esq; son of Henry the first earl of Manchester, was born in 1661. He was educated at Westminster-school and Cambridge, showed very early a most pregnant genius, and quickly made great progress in learning. In 1684, he wrote a poem on the death of King Charles II. in which he displayed his genius to such advantage, that he was invited to London by the earl of Dorset: and upon his coming thither he soon increased his fame, particularly by a piece which he wrote in conjunction with Prior, published at London in 1687, under the title of, "The Hind and the Panther transferred to the Story of the Country-mouse and the City-mouse." Upon the abdication of King James II. he was chosen one of the members of the convention, and recommended by the earl of Dorset to King William, who immediately allowed him a pension of 500l. per annum. Having given proofs of his great abilities in the house of commons, he was made one of the commissioners of the treasury, and soon after chancellor of the exchequer: in which post he brought about that great work of recoining all the current money of the nation. In 1698, he was appointed first commissioner of the treasury; and in 1699 was created a peer of England, by the title of Baron Halifax in the county of York. In 1701, the house of commons impeached him of six articles, which were dismissed by the house of Lords. He was attacked again by the house of commons in 1702, but without success. In 1705, he wrote, An Answer to Mr Bromley's Speech in relation to the occasional Conformity-bill. In 1706, he was one of the commissioners for the Union with Scotland; and upon passing the bill for the naturalization of the illustrious house of Hanover, and for the better security of the succession of the crown in the Protestant line, he was made choice of to carry that act to Hanover. Upon the death of Queen Anne, when the king had taken pos-
session of his throne, his lordship was appointed first Montague, commissioner of the treasury, and created earl of Halifax and knight of the garter. He died in 1715. His lordship wrote several other pieces besides those above-mentioned; all which, with some of his speeches, were published together in 1716 in an octavo volume.