Geo. II. As it was now evident to all the well-meaning part of 1744. the nation, that the clamour against the Hanover troops had

Marlbo

rough return into his majesty's fervice.

been the chief inducement for the French to meditate an inEarl of Stair vasion of Great Britain, the earl of Stair and the duke of an duke of Marlborough fèt a noble example of duty and affection to his majefty, by offering him their fervices in any station he pleafed to command. They were accordingly accepted of, and the earl of Stair was appointed commander in chief of all the forces in South Britain. Many other noblemen of the greatest diftinction likewife offered their fervices upon this occafion, to raise regiments of horfe and foot, and the zeal of the duke of Montague was gratified, by being permitted to raise a complete regiment of 400 horfe, which he did, in Northamptonshire.

Other evi

dence of the

invafion de

Notwithstanding the late daring attempt of the French, many of even the well-meaning fubjects of England, and all figned by the the difaffected, appeared to be incredulous as to the bugbear pretender's of the young pretender, which was the term made use of. eldeft fon. But to convince them of the reality of his attempt, captain

Addrefs to

from the

Ridley, mafter of a pacquet-boat, which had been for fome time detained at Calais, where the French embarkation was going forward, made an affidavit, "That during his detention, he heard of great preparations for a defcent on Great Britain, for which an army of near 20,000 men lay ready, with a confiderable number of tranfports; that he faw the general, accompanied by a tall young gentleman, of about 24 years of age, who was reported by the French to be the eldeft fon of the pretender; and that another young man was in their company, who was faid to be his brother: that an embargo was laid on the fhipping; and even the British meffenger and an agent were fearched and detained by the commandant of Calais."

When those papers were communicated by his majesty, his majesty on the 24th of February, to both houfes of parliament, the parliament, house of commons prefented to him a very loyal address, "Befeeching his majefty, that he would, in that dangerous and critical conjuncture of affairs, augment his forces by fea and land in fuch a manner, as he fhould think proper and neceffary; and to affure his majefly, that the house would make good all fuch expences as he fhould be at, for the defence of his facred perfon, and for the fecurity of his kingdoms."

Proceedings between the

When matters began to be very ferious in France between Great Britain and that crown, the earl of Waldegrave England and the British minifter there, returned to England, and left his

courts of

France.

chap

chaplain, Mr. Thompson, charged with the British affairs, Geo. II. there. As foon as the arrival of the young pretender in 1744. France was known, his grace the duke of Newcastle, fecretary of ftate, fent Mr. Thompson orders immediately to repair to M. Amelot, demanding, that in purfuance of treaties, the faid perfon fhould be obliged to quit the French king's territories. Amelot's anfwer to Mr. Thompson, when he communicated to him those orders, was, that he must see the king his mafter, before he could give him any reply. It is certain that many great debates arofe in the cabinet of the French king upon this fubject, and a refolution was upon the point of being taken, pursuant to his Britannic majefty's demand. But the relations and agents of the name of Stuart, having received fresh affurances from their friends in Great Britain, made fuch intereft, that it was refolved to evade the demand, though they could not prevail with his moft Chriftian majefty abfolutely to reject it. M. Amelot's anfwer therefore to Mr. Thompfon, was, "That engagements entered into by treaties, were not binding, any further than those treaties were religioufly obferved by the contracting powers on all fides. That when the king of England fhould have caufed fatisfaction to be given, upon the repeated complaints that have been made to him, of the infractions of thofe very treaties, of which he then demanded the performance, which violations were committed by his orders, his moft Chriftian majesty would then explain himself upon the present demand made by Mr. Thompson, in the name of his Britannic majefty.'

land difp

vered.

Upon this answer being communicated by Mr. Thompson to his court, there was no longer any doubt that mutual declarations of war would foon follow. All parties feemed now to be swallowed up in duty and attachment to his majesty's perfon and government. Notwithstanding this, it is incredible with what delufions the adherents of the houfe of Stuart mifled themselves, and endeavoured to mislead others. As Plot in Eng. a proof of this, they endeavoured to introduce to the duke of Argyle, who was then near his end, a letter, wrote by the old pretender, thanking him, (as if in all his oppofition he had meant only to restore the family of Stuart,) and promifing him his own terms if he was reftored. grace very prudently communicated this letter to the privycouncil, declaring at the fame time, he had it from the earl of Barrymore. This nobleman was an Irish earl, poffeffed of a great eftate, and generofity of any kind was far from being amongst his virtues, fo that his love of money made

His

Geo. II. it the more unlikely, that he would venture upon fo hazard1744. ous a scheme. On the other hand, it was publicly known,

War declar

ed by France,

that he had an attachment to the exiled duke of Ormond, and he had been raised by his intereft and that of the tories to the rank of a general-officer in the reign of queen Anne; fo that he was now very far advanced in years. Being charged with leaving the letter at the duke's apartment, he could not deny it, but faid, he had it from one Beaufort, a doctor of phyfick, another very old decrepid man, who charged it upon colonel Cecil, who was as old as either, and all of them were fecured by warrants from the secretary of State. Some other persons of an inferior rank were seized, but it appearing, upon examination, that the earl of Barrymore was ignorant of the contents of the letter, no fevere proceedings were held against them; and as soon as the apprehenfions of an invafion were over, they were all of them discharged.

It was the 20th of March, before the French, irritated as they were, by their repeated loffes and difgraces, declared war against Great Britain. As the declaration contains fome hiftorical facts, the reader will find it in the notes 2. This declaration was preceded by feveral conferences between Mr. Thompson and the French miniftry, who gave him warning to retire from France.

The French king's declara

tion of war.
By the KING.
Upon the breaking out of the
troubles after the death of the
emperor Charles the fixth, the
king took all opportunities of
fhewing, that his majefty defired
nothing more earnestly than to
fee them fpeedily concluded, by
an equitable accommodation be-
tween the parties in war.

The conduct which his ma-
jelty has ever fince obferved, has
fufliciently demonftrated, that he
conftantly perfifted in the fame
cifpofitions; and his majefty,
no being defirous of forming any
pretenfions for himself, which
might in the leaft obftruct the
re-establishment of the tranquil

On

lity of Europe, had no notion of being obliged to take part in the war, otherwife than in fupplying his allies with the fuccours which he was engaged to give them.

Such difinterefted views wou'd foon have reflored peace, if the court of London had thought with as much equity and moderation, and if it had confulted nothing but the welfare and advantage of the English nation; but the king of England, elector of Hanover, had very oppofite intentions, which, as it was foon perceived, aimed at nothing lefs than kindling a general war. Not ftisfied with diffuading the court of Vienna from entertaining any notion of a reconciliation, and with nourishing its animofity by

the

On the 31st of March war was proclaimed with the ufual Geo. II. formalities at London, on the part of Great Britain. This 1744.

the most violent councils, it has taken all opportunities of irritating France, by every where disturbing her maritime commerce, in contempt of the law of nations, and the moft folemn treaties.

The convention of Hanover, in October 1741, feemed at least to have affured his majefty of the difcontinuance of fuch exceffes. The king of England, during the ftay he made in his German dominions, appeared to liften to the complaints which were made to him on this occafion, and to perceive the justice of them; he gave his royal word that he would cause them to ceafe, and he formally engaged himself not to disturb the allies of the king in the purfuit of their rights; but fcarce was he returned to London, before he forgot all his promiles; and as foon as he was certain that the king's army had entirely quitted Weftphalia, he caufed it to be declared by his minifters, that the convention no longer fubfifted, and that he looked upon himself as difengaged from it.

pro

against their infults. The Eng-
lifh have at length dared to block
up the port of Toulon, to ftop
all fhips, to feize upon the mer-
chandize which they carried, and
to take even the recruits and
ammunition which his majefty
was fending into his ftrong
places.

So many repeated injuries and
outrages have at last tired the
patience of his majesty, who can
no longer bear with them, with-
out failing in the protection
which he owes his own fubjects,
in the affiftance he owes his al-
lies, in the defence of himself,
his honour and glory. Thefe
are the juft motives that no
longer permit his majesty to keep
within the bounds of modera-
tion which he had prefcribed to
himself, and which conftrain him
to declare war, as he does by
thefe prefents, against the king
of England, elector of Hanover,
both by fea and land.

His majesty ordains and enjoins all his fubjects, vaffals and fervants, to fail upon the fubjects of the king of England, elector of Hanover; forbids He then thought there was no them in the mout expreis manner longer neceflity to act with cir- from hereafter having any comcumfpection being himself a munication, commerce, or intelperfonal enemy of France, he ligence with them, on pain of feemed to have no other views death; and confequently his than to raise up fuch every where majesty hath from henceforward against her: this became the revoked, and does revoke all principal point in the inftruc- permiffions, paffports, fafeguards, tions of his minifters in all the and fafe-conducts, which may courts of Europe. The piracies have been given by himself, or of the English men of war en- by his lieutenant-generals, and creafed with cruelty and barba- other his officers, contrary to rity; even the ports of the king- these presents, and hath declared dom were no longer an afylum them, and does declare them

null,

and Eng

land.

Geo. II. proclamation being a kind of an answer to that of France, 1744. the reader will likewife find it in the notes *.