hoftilities that broke out; that he advifed the contrary; that he took no part therein, and declared, in the moft folemn manner, that he would not be concerned in the fame; and, in fine, that he would confine himself to the employing of all his forces, and bending all his care, to keep foreign troops at a diftance from his country and the territories adjacent, and to fecure his German dominions from the danger they were threatened with. In this ftrain did his Majesty speak by his ministers at Vienna, Ratisbon, and every where else: this was the fole end of his deliberations, and of the measures he took, without concerning himself with what was then doing in Saxony and Bohemia. It was in confequence of the fame motives that the King voted for the mediation of the empire, and for reftoring the tranquillity of Germany, when the affair was laid before the diet; because his Majefty was convinced, that this measure was the easiest and the fitteft to bring about the reftitution of Saxony and the countries depending on it, and perhaps indemnifications too; whereas the other means that prevailed have produced nothing (as dire experience hath fhewn) but a horrible effufion of blood, with the devaftation and ruin of many ftates and innocent fubjects; nor can we yet foresee when there will be an end of thefe dreadful calamities. It is true, that a neutrality was propofed to the King; partly immediately from the court of Vienna, and partly by the mediation of Denmark. But fuch conditions were tacked to this neutrality, as rendered the acceptance of it impoffible. They would have had his Majefty give the French troops a free paffage through his dominions: they wanted him to furnish those troops with provifions, forage, and waggons, for almoft nothing; and this too at a time when his Majefty could fcarcely guard his fubjects against a famine: they infifted upon his putting the fortrefs of Hamelen into their hands: they wanted him to confine his troops within a narrow circle in his own dominions; they infifted, forsooth, that they should be kept there almoft like prifoners of war: in fhort, they would have deprived him of the liberty of marching a fingle man from one place to another, without the consent of the crown of France. During the negotiation relative to this neutrality, France not only marched the fuccour of 24,coo men ftipulated by her treaty with the Emprefs-Queen, but alfo fent directly into Weftphalia an army of 80,000 men. The King's army remained till the end of April in quarters of cantonment along the Wefer; but the French, by exorbitant demands of provifions and waggons, which far exceeded the faculties of the country, having ruined the county of Bentheim, pitched upon the city of Munster for a place of arms, marched from all parts towards that city, and thereby evinced their defign upon his Majefty's electoral dominions. He then caufed the army of observation, commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, to cross the Wefer, and to advance as far as Rittberg, Bielefeld, and Hervoerden. Nevertheless the King caufed the moft folemn declarations to be given every where, that he was very far from intending to act offenfively against any of his co-eftates of the empire, or even against the crown of France; and that he had no other views than to fe cure from invasion, with the help of the Almighty, his own dominions, and the territories of the neighbouring princes, his allies. [244] The events that followed are too well known, and too recent ftill, to need a recital here. The principality of Eaft Friefland, about which his Majefty has a fuit depending in the aulic council against the King of Pruffia, has been attacked and conquered, and its inhabitants obliged to fwear allegiance to the EmprefsQueen. The countries of Heffe Caffel have been invaded by a body of 15 or 20,000 men, and wrefted from their lawful mafter, who has been conftrained to take refuge in Hamburg. At the fame time another body of French troops made an irruption on the 5 C 2 Upper Upper Wefer; took Munden, Gottingen, Nordheim, Hardegfen, Hedemunden, Uflar, and Eimbeck; caufed allegiance to be fworn every where to the King of France; lodged their fick in the best churches; extorted an immenfe quantity of provifions and waggons, on the leaft delay plundered whole villages, maltreated the magiftrates, and (to give a fketch of French military execution) reduced other villages to afhes, wafted or burnt the fields, and thereby deprived the wretched inhabitants of the very hope of the rich crop the land promifed. In the mean time the main body of the French army paffed the Wefer in feveral places, reaffembled again, and then drew near the King's army of obfervation; which, on account of the enemy's fuperiority in numbers, was obliged to retire into the countries of Bremen and Verden. The town of Hamelen fell into the enemy's hand; and Hanover, in fine, fhared the fame fate: fince which time the French army arbitrarily exact contributions, provifions, forage, waggons, &c. with a high hand; they feize upon all the revenues and all the public money; in a word, they difpofe of the whole country just as they pleafe, excepting that part of it which is ftill covered by the army of observation. The territories of Wolffenbuttle have in like manner been invaded and occupied, and they have left the Duke's family nothing but the caftle of Blankenburg to refide in. It is clear from this narration, which may be proved by the most authentic pieces, that the King did not affemble his troops, nor those of his allies, with a view to act offenfively against any power whatever; but that his Majefty's fole aim was, to fecure, as far as it fhould be poffible, his dominions, and thofe of his allies, from violence and every unjuft pretenfion. And though divine providence has not been pleased to second fuch juft and equitable views, the King has yet the confolation of being perfuaded, that the steps he has been obliged to take will be approved by every impartial man and by pofterity. His Majefty also flatters himself, that his co-eftates of the empire, and the powers that have at heart the restoration of the Germanic tranquillity, and the fupport of the fyftem of the empire, will think of applying the fpeedieft remedies to proceedings equally harsh and undeferved, and putting an end to an oppreffion which menaces Germany and all Europe with the most difmal confequences; and that they will at the fame time endeavour to procure the King fatiffaction adequate to the damages he has fuffered. According to private letters from Nice in the King of SARDINIA's dominions, the French are raifing magazines, and making all the neceffary preparations, for affembling, fo foon as the seafon will permit, an army of 60 or 70,000 men in Provence; with a view, as is apprehended, to fupport thofe extraor dinary alterations that have been concerted in regard to the new fyftem, and which, it is affured, are very difagreeable to the Italian ftates. His Sardinian Majefty has fent troops to the fron tiers on the fide of Liguria, and the GENOESE have caused fome defile the fame way. Advices from Genoa of Nov. 20. intimate, that the malecontents of Corfica were again affembling themselves, and that, from all their motions, there was reafon to fufpect they were meditating fome important enterprife, On the 9th of September, Father Moreyra, confeffor to their PORTUGUESE Majefties, Father Olivegra, preceptor and confeffor to the Princeffes, and Father da Cofta, confeffor to the Infant Don Pedro, all three Jefuits, received orders to quit the court, and never more to appear at it. The Infants Don Antonio, and Don Emanuel, also dismissed the Fathers Campos and Aracejo, their confeffors. The places of those removed were fupplied by perfons of other orders. Two days after, the society of Jefuits fent deputies to the King, to befeech him that he would let them know the motives of fo fudden and remarkable a difgrace; but they were ill received, and were told once for all, that they muft muft retire. They tell us, that it is not at Lisbon alone, that the Jefuits find their credit leffened; at which fome exprefs their furprise, because they had great influence in the miniftry; while Others intimate their fufpicions, that what has happened is owing to the practices of the fociety at Paraguay in South America. [xvii. 607. xviii. 461.] Some flight fhocks of an earthquake were felt at Lisbon and in the adjacent places on the 10th of October and the 11th of November; and at Cafcaes, and all its neighbourhood, fhocks were felt daily for fome time. On the 28th of October, and for a confiderable number of days afterwards, many fucceffive shocks of an earthquake were felt along the coaft of Normandy and Britany in FRANCE. Preceding fome of them a hollow fubterranean noife was heard, not unlike the roaring of thunder at a distance. The fea, in many parts on the coaft, was observed to be very much agitated. Little da mage was done; but fuch a terror was fpread, that many of the inhabitants fled to the inland towns for fafety.] On the 8th of November, M. de la Clue put to fea from Toulon, with a fquadron of fix men of war of the line and three frigates. Its deftination was variously talked of, but in fact was not known by the public. According to late accounts, it had put into Malaga in Spain, and Adm. Ofborne was watch ing at and about Gibraltar, with a British fquadron, in order to prevent its get ting into the ocean. On the 23d of November, the Count de la Mothe's fleet from Louifburg, confifting of 16 men of war of the line, and a fhip of 50 guns as an hofpital, arrived at Breft. Col. Yorke, the British minister at the Hague, prefented to the STATES GENERAL, Nov. 28. a memorial, couched in very ftrong terms, in order to excite their attention to the confequences of Oftend and Nieuport being in the hands of the French, in violation of the 14th article of the treaty of Utrecht, and the ift article of the barrier-treaty. According to letters from Charlestown, SOUTH CAROLINA, dated Sept. 1. there had been exported from that town, of the country-produce, fince Nov. 1. 1756, Barrels of rice 54,150, half-barrels 3700, bags 579, butts 38, hogfheads 5; pounds of indigo 757,016; hogfheads of fkins 281, bundles 103, tierce 1, barrels 2, loofe 823; barrels of pitch 5067 of common tar 2120; of green tar 397; of turpentine 339; of pork 443; of beef 86; bufhels of corn 7327; of peafe 6335; fides of leather 4560; fhingles 665,100; ftaves 91,747; feet of fcantling, plank, and boards, 236,403. ENGLAND. The royal affent was given to the following bills; to the firft, Dec. 9. by commiffion; and to the reft, Dec. 23. by the King. the laft feffion of parliament, for prohibiting the An act for continuing certain laws made in exportation of corn, malt, meal, flour, bread, bifcuit, and ftarch; and for prohibiting the making of low wines and spirits from wheat, barley, malt, or any other fort of grain, or from meal or flour; and to allow the transportation of wheat, barley, oats, meal, and flour, to the isle of Man, for the ufe of the inhabitants there; and for reviving and continuing an act made in, the fame feffion, for difcontinuing the duties upon corn and flour imported, and upon corn, grain, meal, bread, biscuit, and flour, taken from the and flour into G. Britain and Ireland, in neutral enemy; and to permit the importation of corn hips; and to authorise his Majefty, with the advice of his privy council, to order and permit the exportation of fuch quantities of the commodities aforefaid as may be neceffary for the fuftentation of any forces in the pay of G. Britain, or of thofe of his Majefty's allies, acting in fupport of the common caufe; and to prohibit the payment of any bounty upon the exportation of any of the faid commodities to be made during the continuance of this act. [The acts to prohibit the exportation of corn, &c. and the making of fpirits from grain, &c. [151. 255. & xviii. 583.] are continued till the 24th of December 1758; and the act to difcontinue the duties upon corn, &c. imported, or taken from the enemy [57], is revived, and to be in force till the faid 24th of December 1758; the claufes, allowing the exportation of 2500 quarters, to be exported, one moiety from Southampton, and the other from Exeter, to the ifle of Man, and allowing the importation of corn and flour into G. Britain and Ireland in fhips belonging to any ftate in amity with his Majefty [60. 61.], are re-enacted; and, in cafe of exigency, the King, with the advice of his privy council, council, is impowered, during the continuance The Earl of Warrington gave the following public notice to his farmers and tenants, dated from his feat at Dunham in Cheshire, Nov. 28. 1757. pafled, iffued orders for its being forthwith intimated to the diftillers all over Scotland; many of whom had fet to work early on Monday Dec. 12. According to a letter from Glasgow, 10,000 bolls of grain and meal had been confumed by the diftillers in that city and neighbourhood before the intimation reached them.] An act for continuing and granting to his Majefty certain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and perry, for the fervice of the year 1758. An act for granting an aid to his Majefty, by a land-tax [4 s. in the pound] to be raised in G. Britain, for the fervice of the year 1758, and for inforcing the payment of the rates to be affeffed upon Somerfet-house in the Strand. An act for allowing the importation of fuch fine Italian organzine filk into this kingdom, from any port or place whatsoever, as fhall have been Thipped on or before the day therein mentioned. And to one private bill. A court-martial, for the trial of Lt. Gen. Sir John Mordaunt, met at the cockpit, Dec. 14. and proceeded to the trial [626.] The Admirals Hawke and Bofcawen, with feveral men of war, from the bay, arrived at Portsmouth, Dec. 15. A confiderable fquadron is left in the bay. At a fale at London, in the beginning of December, of the late Mr Simon's collection of coins, the following scarce ones fold as under, viz. A filver groat of K. Richard III. o L. 8 10 A Queen Anne's farthing 2 17 2 6 A fmall gold Greek coin of Matilda 06 poor are now very great, as well thro' the fcarcity of work, as the high price of corn, which has been, and ftill is, artificially kept up, by the policy of farmers, and dealers in corn, flour, and meal, to the great oppreffion of the public, and more efpecially of the lower ranks of people, who are obliged to buy all their bread, or bread-corn, at the fhops on the worft terms; therefore I recommend it to all my farmers and tenants, who have any corn or other eatables to difpofe of, that they gradually up their corn, fupply the wants of their poor neighbours, and afterwards bring what they have to fpare to be fold in the public markets on reasonable terms; which I hope will be a means to filence and put a stop to all future riots and difturbances: and fuch of my farmers and tenants as fhall disoblige me in this reafonable request, are not to expect any thresh more favour from me. WARRINGTON. In the beginning of December was caught, by angling, in the Severn, near Worcester, a falmon weighing fifty-two pounds, and measuring in length a yard and five inches. About the fame time was taken in Gravefend-reach, an eel, weighing fortyfix pounds, and measuring five feet and a half in length, and two feet three inches round. When opened, five mackerel were found in its stomach. They write from Aberfwyth in North Wales, that lately a large grampus drove out of the fea upon the beach near twenty yards from the water, and remained • there till the inhabitants fecured and killed him, which was done with great difficulty and danger. He measured upwards of forty feet, and produced twenty hogfheads of oil. A filver penny of Henry I. A CHARACTER of Mr Sec. PITT. !From Smoliet's biflory of England, vol. 4. WILLIAM PITT, Efqs was appoint ed vice-treasurer of Ireland, and foon foon promoted to the place of paymafter-general of the forces; at the fame time the King declared him a privy counfellor. This gentleman had been originally defigned for the army, in which he actually bore a commiffion; but fate referved him for a more important ftation. In point of fortune, he was barely qualified to be elected member of parliament, when he obtained a feat in the houfe of Commons, where he foon outfhone all his compatriots. He difplayed a furprifing extent and precifion of political knowledge, an irrefiftible energy of argument, and fuch power of elocution, as ftruck his hearers with astonishment and admiration. It flafhed like the lightning of heaven against the minifters and fons of corruption, blafting where it fmote, and withering the nerves of oppofition. But his more fubftantial praise was founded upon his difinterefted conduct, his incorruptible heart, his unconquerable fpirit of independence, and his invariable attachment to the intereft and liberty of his country. The proceffion was from the Prince's chamber through old palace-yard to the south-eaft door of Westminster-abbey. At the entrance within the church, the Dean and Prebendaries, attended by the choir, received the body, and fell into the proceffion just before the Officer of Arms who preceded the Lord Steward and Lord Chamberlain; and fo proceeded into K. Henry VII.'s chapel, where the body was deposited on treffels, the head towards the altar; the coronet and cushion being laid upon the coffin, and the cano py held over it; the ladies of the bedchamber, and bedchamber-women, placing themselves at the head of the corpfe; and others on each fide. being read by the Dean, the corpfe was depofited in the vault, the Dean having the Subdean on his right hand, and Garter on his left, standing at the lower end of the opening of the vault. The part of the fervice before the interment The corpfe being interred, the Dean went on with the office of burial: which ended, Garter King of Arms proclaimed her Royal Highness's ftyle, which ended the ceremony. The proceffion began about ten in the evening. At eight o'clock St Paul's bell began to toll; and at ten the Park and Tower guns began to fire, and fired every minute till the funeral was over. A copy of her Royal Highness's will. Leave my fifter Amelia all I have in poffeffion, and make her my fole executrix, excepting these few legacies. To my dear fifter P. S. The ceremonial of the private interment of Anne, an enamelled cafe, and two bottles of the the Princess CAROLINE, Jan. 5. fame fort. To my dear fifter Mary, my emerald fet with diamonds, and the brilliant drops hanging to it, and my ruby ring with the Queen's hair. To my dear fifter Louife, my diamond ear-rings, and all my rings. To my brother William, my enamelled watch. This is my laft will, writ with my own hand. St James's, April 18. 1741.. |