with every possible civility and reparation. The English Government, however, warmly resented this insult to an English subject, and it was for some time doubtful whether the squadron of Admiral Byng should not be directed to avenge it.

In the summer of 1719 Lord Peterborough was at Paris; and though neither employed nor trusted by his government, resolved to play some part in their affairs. He contrived to enter into confidential correspondence with the Duke of Parma, whom it was of great importance to detach from the cause of Alberoni, in order to prevail through the Duke upon his niece, the Queen of Spain. To prevent suspicion, Peterborough refused to proceed in person to the Duke's Court, but undertook to meet an accredited agent from Parma at Novi, in the Piedmontese States.* There a conference was accordingly held; and there Peterborough, exerting his usual skill and meeting his usual success, obtained that letters should be immediately despatched to Queen Elizabeth Farnese, earnestly pressing for Alberoni's removal. At nearly the same time, Marquis Scotti having been gained by a present of fifty thousand crowns from the Regent, returned to Madrid to counterwork his late employer, and to use his personal influence over the mind of the Queen.

All these little rills of intrigue, when they flowed together, produced an irresistible torrent. On the evening of the 4th of December, Alberoni had transacted business as usual with the King, and seen no change in His Majesty; but next morning there was put into his hands a Royal Decree dismissing him from all his employments,

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"before the Lords Justices, their Excellencies ordered that he should immediately be discharged out of His Majesty's service, and pro"ceeded against with the utmost severity."

* Earl of Peterborough to Earl Stanhope, Novi, Nov. 20. 1719. Appendix, vol. ii. According to San Phelipe, Lord Peterborough had been requested by the Regent to begin this negotiation, but it seems, on the contrary, to have proceeded solely from himself. Dubois writes to Stanhope (October 20. 1719, Hardwicke Papers, vol. xxxviii.), “My Lord Peterborough est en liaison avec toute sorte "'de gens. Il peut faire peu de bien et beaucoup plus de mal. "J'y prendrai garde sans l'effaroucher. Je rends très humbles graces à V. Exc. de la bonté qu'elle a eu de m'avertir de ses indisછે. 66 crétions."

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1719.

DISGRACE OF ALBERONI.

351

and commanding him to leave Madrid in eight days, and the Spanish territories in twenty-one. All his endeavours to obtain an audience of the King or Queen were in vain; and, though permitted to write, he found his letter unheeded. He was compelled to set out within the time appointed, and had the further mortification of being overtaken at Lerida by an officer sent to search for papers which were missing from the public offices, and which were discovered in the Cardinal's baggage. It was, however, some consolation to him before his departure, to receive the visits and hear the condolences of larger and more splendid levees than had ever flocked around him in the meridian of his power. Many who had hitherto stood aloof, or even opposed him, now forgot his errors, and hastened to acknowledge his services. Such conduct the Cardinal himself calls a riddle*: but it is familiar to the Spaniards: their noble character seldom bends before the mighty, and never turns aside from the fallen!

Cardinal Alberoni pursued his journey to Italy, where he passed the remainder of his long and checkered life; at first in exile and concealment, at length in Papal confidence and favour. He survived till 1752, and I shall hereafter have occasion to mention him again as fomenting the discords in the Pretender's family. His attempt against the little Republic of San Marino was still more unworthy; and even had it been successful, would have brought no advantage commensurate to its disgrace. But Alberoni could never remain tranquil. It would seem, in fact, as if superior talents were often conjoined by nature with a certain restlessness which compels them to seek out for themselves some employment. Few men who could be useful in action are happy in retirement.

It was hoped by the Court of Madrid that the dismissal of Alberoni would appease the Allied Powers, and obtain more favourable terms of peace. In reply to the States-General, Philip still continued to insist on the proposals lately made by his Minister, and to refuse his accession to the Quadruple Treaty. Under these circumstances both Stanhope and Dubois saw the necessity of renewed exertions. Stanhope undertook another journey

* See his Apology, Hist. Register, 1722, p. 209.

But

to Paris, and concerted his measures with the French and the Imperial Ministers; and on the 19th of January, 1720, was signed by these three statesmen a declaration, binding themselves not to admit any conditions contrary to the Quadruple Alliance. Immediately afterwards Stanhope despatched Schaub, his confidential secretary, to carry a duplicate of this declaration to Madrid*, while Dubois, on his part, sent directions to Marquis Scotti, Father d'Aubenton, and others in the French interest, to unite their exertions with Schaub's, and use their influence over Elizabeth. The struggle was arduous, from the difficulty of prevailing with the Queen; but that point once gained, it was more easy for her to prevail with her husband. Some difficulties that could not then be overcome were eluded by referring them to be discussed at a future Congress, to be held at Cambray. on the 26th of January Philip issued a decree, announcing his accession to the Quadruple Alliance, and declaring that he gave peace to Europe at the expense of his rights and possessions. He also renewed his renunciations of the French Crown, and promised to evacuate Sicily and Sardinia within six months- a condition which he punctually performed. It is remarkable that the orders to the Marquis de Lede arrived just as the two armies, drawn out in front of Palermo, were in motion against each other, and on the point of engaging in a great and decisive battle. Thus was that unnecessary bloodshed successfully averted; and thus, by the firmness, skill, and union of the French and English Governments, and especially of Stanhope and Dubois, were laid the foundations of a solid and happy peace for Europe, which endured for upwards of twelve years.

In the affairs of the North the union of England and France was no less salutary. On the death of the King of Sweden, the new Queen had been glad to conclude a peace with George the First, and to yield to him the duchies of Bremen and Verden. Poland was satisfied with the acknowledgment of King Augustus. Prussia also, after much negotiation, agreed to a suspension of

*This duplicate, with the original signatures, is preserved in the Hardwicke Papers, vol. xxxvii.

1719.

AFFAIRS OF THE NORTH.

353

arms, accepting Stettin and some other Swedish territory. But the Czar and the King of Denmark, seeing Sweden drained of men and money, and even of provisions *, and deprived of her military ruler, were not to be appeased with moderate concessions, and sought for the total ruin of that monarchy. In this state of things, the Cabinet of St. James's combined with that of the Palais Royal to offer, and if necessary to enforce, their mediation between the warring powers. Lord Carteret, a young statesman of the highest promise, was sent ambassador to Stockholm; and Sir John Norris, with eleven men-of-war, sailed for the Baltic. Neither the Ambassador nor the The Russian fleet

Admiral could, at first, prevail. ravaged the coasts of Sweden with dreadful havoc, burning above a thousand villages, and the town of Nykoping, which, next to Stockholm and Gothenburg, was reckoned the most considerable in the kingdom. Remonstrances and threats were used in vain; and at length Stanhope, then at Hanover, sent orders to Norris to treat the Russian fleet as Byng had the Spanish.† The Admiral consequently effected his junction with the Swedish men-ofwar at Carlscroon, and was proceeding in search of their enemy, when the Czar, alarmed at this combination, and finding the intention serious, hastily recalled his fleet. Still, however, he brooded over future victories, and entertained no thoughts of peace. The Danes, being weaker, appeared more reasonable. They had already taken Marstrand, and threatened Gothenburg, when the interference of England forced them to desist, and to conclude a treaty, accepting a sum of money as an equivalent for their conquests. And thus, in 1720, of the five

* "Outre l'épuisement d'argent où les Suedois se trouvent, ils "manquent aussi de vivres, et l'on nous mande qu'ils n'en ont que pour trois ou quatre mois pour tout le Royaume." (Stanhope to Dubois, Hanover, July 31. 1719. Hardwicke Papers, vol. xxxix.)

"La Suède n'a donc plus d'autre ressource que notre escadre et "elle en convient. Avec les quatre vaisseaux qui doivent incessam"ment joindre notre Amiral il en aura quinze, et pourvu que la Suède en ait 6 ou 8 nous hasarderons un combat, quoique nous ne soyons 66 pas sans appréhension que les Danois ne viennent au secours des "Russes." (Stanhope to Dubois, July 31. 1719.)

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"S. M. Danoise qui n'a pas un ducat pour défrayer ses besoins, "est il encore capable de refuser de bonnes sommes ? Si on augVOL. I.

A A

Powers leagued against Sweden, none except the Czar remained in arms.

It is not to be supposed that these negotiations, either with Spain or Sweden, were carried on without frequent rubs and jars from the Hanoverian faction A letter of Craggs at this period lifts up a corner of the veil which the loyalty of the Ministers hung over the frailties of the favourites. He inveighs most severely against the undue power and selfish views of Bernsdorf, and the extreme rapacity of all the Germans. "It is incredible,” he adds, "what prejudice all these sales of offices do to the "King's service; for, to complete our misfortunes, I have "remarked that there is no distinction of persons or circumstances―Jacobites, Tories, Papists, at the Ex"change or in the Church, by land or by sea, during the "Session or in the Recess; nothing is objected to, provided "there is money. You see that at the rate we are

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now going on, Lord Stanhope is on the point of resign"ing every day. It is possible that his friends may con"tinue in out of pure respect to the King, but without 'hoping to do the least good."* There is certainly much passion and exaggeration in this picture; but still Lord Chesterfield's bitter sarcasm was not quite without some pretext, when he said some years afterwards, "If we have a mind effectually to prevent the Pretender from ever obtaining this crown, we should make him Elector of "Hanover, for the people of England will never fetch "another King from thence!"†

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King George arrived in London from his German states on the 14th of November, and opened Parliament in person nine days afterwards. The first and most im

portant measure of the Session was the celebrated Peerage Bill, which had already been brought forward in the previous winter; but which I have not noticed till now, in order to present a more clear and connected account of it.

The creation of twelve Peers to establish a majority for the Court had been justly reprobated in Lord Oxford's administration, and had formed an article in his impeach

"mente la dose je ne le croirai jamais!" (Craggs to Schaub Oct. 13. 1719. Hardwicke Papers, vol. xxxvii.)

* Secretary Craggs to Mr. Schaub, June 30. 1719. Appendix. † H. Walpole's Letters to Sir H. Mann, December 9. 1742.