ftrong affurances of unanimity and temper in the dispatch of public business, and in establishing the peace of that kingdom, by discountenancing the restlefs endeavours of thofe factious fpirits, who attempted to fow jealoufies and raise groundless fears in the minds of her majesty's people. The queen's answer to the addrefs of the commons was a mere echo of the address of the lords, which plainly fhewed how ftrongly her majesty sided with the latter against the former. Both houfes of convocation warmly efpoufed the cause of the chancellor: they wished her majefty might never want a fervant of equal courage, uprightness, and abilities, and that church and nation never be without fuch a friend for the fuppreffion of vice, schisin, and faction, and for the support of the royal prerogative as well as the rights and liberties of the subject. The lords had also presented an addrefs to the queen, to juftify and clear the chancellor of the reproaches and calumnies of one Nuttal, who had traduced him as having been a promoter of the diffentions, that had lately happened in that kingdom: to which her majefty answered, that she had always looked upon the lord chancellor as a faithful fervant to the crown, a true lover of the conftitution in church and state, and was therefore extremely pleased to find, that the lords concurred in the fame opinion of him.

Many circumstances concur to prove, that the queen herself was indifpofed to the Hanover fucceffion, and that the great object of her laft ministry was to reconcile the nation to a favourable reception of her brother. The Whigs were indefatigable in thwarting those efforts, which the minifters never dared to avow or openly to make.. The queen was perfonally indecifive, and wanted firmness to carry any important refolution into effect. Whatever harth measures were forced upon her by the Whigs, fuch as the attainder of her brother, the proclamation for a reward of 50,000l. for apprehending him, and the feveral proclamations and declarations in fupport of the Hanover fucceffion, are reported to have preyed ftrongly upon her mind;* as did alfo

the

*The fecret intentions and views of the last miniftry of Queen Ann have never been hitherto clearly laid open. The whole tranfaction however of the Duke of Cambridge's obtaining his writ of fummons to parliament, loudly speaks the difinclination of the queen to that favourite measure of the zealots for the Hanover fucceflion. It was not in fact flattering to the feelings of the queen, that a prince of the houfe of Hanover fhould be provided with a house, revenue, and proper officers in England, and enjoy a feat in the British fenate; where his influence with those, who

the failure of Leflie's miffion, who was fent over to Lorrain to convert him. to the Proteftant faith: as it was well understood, that the horror of Popery

was

were ever ready to adore the rifing fun, might powerfully refift the interest of the crown. This, it was urged by the queen's friends, was fetting her coffin before her eyes. The duke had sent over the following petition to the queen.

SHEWETH,

The Humble Petition of George Auguftus Duke of Cambridge,

That your majefty having of your great goodness created your petitioner a duke and peer of Great Britain, and it being the conftitution, that every peer hath a right and privilege to fit and vote in parliament, your petitioner humbly prays your majefty to grant him his writ of fummons to call him to fit and vote in the present parliament.

This petition was figned on the 17th of March, 1713-4, and on the 11th of the following April, Baron Schutz, envoy extraordinary from the court of Hanover, convened a meeting of the moft zealous Whigs, lords, and gentlemen at Lord Halifax's houfe in Westminster; where it was artfully concerted, that the baron fhould not prefent the petition to the queen, apprehending that her majefty might have denied the writ, or delayed or eluded the petitioner: and therefore they advised the baron to apply to the Lord Chancellor Harcourt, and demand of him the writ of fummons, as being the proper officer to cause the same to be made out, and delivered: for which proceeding, this reafon was then given; that if the lord chancellor refused to deliver the writ, the House of Lords, then fitting, had a jurisdiction and power, to enquire into, and immediately cenfure the denial, and to order the writ to be made out and delivered. But the fudden transport and joy of those lords fo convened caused them to forget, that Baron Schutz might have done both, viz. if the queen were averfe, he might immediately refort to the lord chancellor, and make the demand.

However, the lords advised the baron to keep his orders ftrictly secret, and appear at court the next day, when the lords were to wait on, and present to the queen their address about the proclamation, and the removing the Pretender out of Lorrain; and to apply himself to the lord chancellor, (as in private and in a corner) and acquaint him, that he (the baron) had a message to his lordship from Hanover, and that he defired an hour, when he should wait on, and deliver it to him.

The lord chancellor told the baron, he should be proud to receive any meffage from his court; and appointed that very afternoon, between five and fix, to receive it at his house in Lincolns Inn Fields.

When the baron came, and (after fome compliments) told his lordship, that he, by order of his highness the Duke of Cambridge, did request his lordship, to make out, and deliver to him the writ for the duke; the lord chancellor was at first much surprised: but after a fhort pause, he asked the baron, whether the matter had been opened to the queen; To which the baron answering, no: his lordship faid, this demand is of fuch importance that I can do nothing in it, till I have the queen's directions; and I will forthwith acquaint her majesty with it: but laying his hand on the baron's shoulder, defired him to remember he did not refuse the writ: to which the baron fmartly replied, and defired his lordship to remember, he had requested of him the writ for the Duke of Cambridge.

A cabinet

was the only objection which a great part of the nation had to his being called to fucceed his fifter. Circumftanced however as the Pretender was,

his

A cabinet council was instantly called, and fate that evening from nine of the clock till after eleven; where the queen being present, had the disappointment to find her minifters fo little firm to their former profeffions, as to endeavour to perfuade her majefty, that the writ could not be denied. (they may have hinted that the promises of France did not yet justify the refufal). This defection had fuch an accidental and unexpected influence upon her majesty's perfon, as fubjected her to an infirmity, that could not be removed, for at the end of three months and nineteen days fhe demifed, but upon the minifter's fhrinking, the writ was ordered to be made out, and was delivered to Baron Schutz on Saturday the 17th of April, 1714.

This demand being the next day (Tuesday) whispered in the court of requests, cast a damp on the court party, which they could not diffemble.

The minifters had the vexation to fee, on the four last days, viz. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the street called Pall Mall, crouded with a vaft concourse of coaches, and multitudes of people to congratulate Baron Schutz, and Monf. Koninberg (at whose house the baron lodged) upon the demand of the writ, and the hopes of the speedy arrival of the Duke of Cambridge: that although the writ was at the end of five days, viz. on Saturday the 17th of June, 1714, delivered to Baron Schutz, yet the queen in her anger to fee the people fo generally run to worship the rifing. fun, caused Baron Schutz, on the next day, being Sunday the 18th of April, 1714, to be forbidden the court, and injunctions to be laid on all her minifters, not to have any intercourse or correfpondence with him and the minifters gave out this pretence for that outrage, viz. because the baron had demanded the writ of the lord chancellor, without having first acquainted her majesty with his orders, and applying to her for it.

It appears probable, that the minifters applied at this time to France for affiftance, and received an agreeable answer: but at that time the French king was engaged to attend the negotiations at Rastadt, in regard the peace with the Emperor was not yet concluded. But the urgency of the cafe was, that if the Duke of Cambridge, fhould forthwith land, as he might, and as the people expected, the ministers measures would be firft intirely difconcerted, and then the French affistance would come unfeasonably. The minifters, in order to remove their fears, and to obviate the disappointment, on the 19th of May, 1714, being within one month after Baron Schutz was forbidden the court, in the queen's name, fent three letters to Hanover, all figned with her majefty's own hand.

One of these letters was directed to Her Royal Highness the Princess Sophia, in which the queen declared," that difaffected perfons had entered into measures, to fix a prince of her highnefs's blood "in her majefty's dominions, even whilft fhe was living, that the (the queen) for her part, never "thought fuch a project could have entered into her highness's mind; but now the perceived, her "electoral highness was come into that fentiment: and therefore the (the queen) declared, that "fuch a proceeding would infallibly endanger the fucceffion itself."

Another of these letters was directed to His Highness the Elector of Brunswick; and in that it was declared, "that if his electoral highness's fon (the Duke of Cambridge) prefumed to come "within the queen's estate (i. e. her dominions), fhe would oppose him with all her power."

his caufe was abetted by many in England, and recruiting for his fervice had become fo public and general, that Lord Bolingbroke brought in a bill, which afterwards paffed into a law, that made it high treafon to be enlisted for any foreign prince: a caution which was not at this time found neceffary to be had in Ireland, notwithstanding the inordinate propenfity of the Irith parliament to harafs and opprefs the Catholics with penal ftatutes. Now for the first time their loyalty was above fufpicion: and a Stuart paffed by an opportunity of punishing them. The queen died on the 1ft of August, 1714.

And the third letter was directed to the Electoral Prince (then Duke of Cambridge), and therein it was declared to him, "that his defign of coming into her majesty's kingdom, ought to be first "opened to her, and to have had her permiffion; and that therefore nothing could be more dan"gerous to the right of fucceffion in his line, than fuch a proceeding." From the complexion of these transactions it will be readily admitted, that the queen must have been disgusted with the indelicate and compulsory means used by the Whigs of that day, to ensure the Hanover fucceffion during her life: the workings of nature on behalf of her brother, upon whofe head she was forced by the Whigs to proclaim a reward, together with the many thwarting and humiliating inftances of oppofition to her will from the Whig party, render it more than probable, that the either originally was, or that she became at last infincere in her profeffions, promises, and exertions to promote the establishment.

CHAP

CHAPTER III.

THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE FIRST.

IT is foreign from the purpose of this work to analyze the political views of the leading men in power upon the demife of Queen Ann. The Jacobites looked up with more confidence to Lord Bolingbroke, than to the Earl of Oxford, for fincerity in favor of the abdicated family. If Oxford, as must be prefumed, of moft of the Tories, of that day, were against the Hanover intereft, his conduct was referved, myfterious, and equivocal; by which he loft the confidence of his own party, without gaining that of the other. Bolingbroke was univerfally fuppofed to favor the heir of blood, and was known to be a moft determined and implacable enemy of the Whigs. The Jacobites relied much upon his affections, but more upon his refentment. The Tory party preponderated in the landed intereft of the country; the Whigs had acquired a majority in the privy council; the Tories were without a head, difpirited, diftracted, and confequently irrefolute: the Whigs, flushed with their afcendancy, acted with concert, energy and effect: they brought into action the principles they had always avowed, and by them they feated the Elector of Hanover on the thrones of Great Britain and Ireland: he was proclaimed and acknowledged king without oppofition.* The Tories, as they had every reafon to expect, were difmiffed from his councils, and the whole management of public affairs was committed to the Whigs.

The parliament of Ireland, convened in November, 1715, was prominently confpicuous in manifefting their zeal for the Hanover fucceffion, and the Whig administration. They paffed acts for recognizing the king's title; for the fecurity of his perfon and government; for fetting a price (50,000l.) upon the Pretender's head; and for attainting the Duke of Ormond: and they voted the fupplies without murmur or oppofition. It is to be re

* Viz. By the A&t of Settlement, as George the First, son of Erneft Auguftus, Elector of Brunfwick, and of Sophia, grand daughter of King James the First.