reported by the Commissioners for conducting that Inquiry, to have been not fully answered; they embody her Majesty's defence against those charges. But the documents contained in No. II. are of incalculable moment, and demand the most serious attention from all classes of his Majesty's subjects. They have never before been presented to public notice; and they ought to be carefully perused by all who would form a just estimate of the charges against her Majesty, which constituted the basis of the late Inquiry into her conduct, before the House of Peers. While they cannot fail to excite the surprise of some, they will administer to others corresponding delight.

But the Author hastens to release his Readers from these preliminary observations, which chiefly regard himself, and shall consider himself abundantly recompensed for all his toil and anxiety, if, after the perusal of this work, it should be admitted, that he has succeeded in providing an antidote for the shafts of malevolence, and rescuing from reproach and obloquy, the character of this illustrious female.

London,

November 30, 1821.

MEMOIR.

CHAPTER I.

HISTORY OF THE ANCESTORS OF HER MAJESTY, FROM ERNEST THE CONFESSOR, 1497, TO THE DEATH OF CHARLES, DUKE OF WOLFENBUTTLE, 1780.-BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF HER FATHER, CHARLES WILLIAM FERDINAND, DUKE OF WOLFENBUTTLE.-ACCOUNT OF HER MOTHER, PRINCESS AUGUSTA.

ERNEST, the Confessor, distinguished for his attachment to the Protestant Religion, was born June 26, 1497. He was the second son of Henry the younger Duke of Brunswick Lunenburg, and of Margaret daughter of Ernest, elector of Saxony. He was educated at the university of Wittemburg, where he attended the prelections of Luther. He had two brothers, Otho and Francis, and with the former he reigned over that duchy, from 1521 until 1527. In the latter year, Otho consented to superintend, solely, the government of HARBURG, and to resign his right in favour of Ernest. Francis, who had then attained the age of maturity, now occupied the place of Otho, and together they reigned till the year 1539; when the brothers judged it expedient, yet further, to

divide the duchy. Francis now received GIFHORN, and resigned the chief government to Ernest, who from that time reigned alone and at Celle. When Henry, his father, was put to the ban of the empire, Otho, as his eldest son, should have succeeded to the government of Lunenburg, but the act of Otho in ceding it to Ernest, was the unanticipated cause of events the most important to the Protestant faith.

In 1521, the celebrated Diet of Worms was convened. The Emperor Charles V. had summoned Luther to attend and account for his conduct; Ernest was present, was additionally convinced by his oration, of the truth and purity, not only of the motives and conduct of Luther, but of the reformed religion; and immediately set about the work of introducing it into his dominions. He was the intimate friend and constant companion of the great Elector of Saxony. In the furtherance of that important object he was diligent and zealous. His brother, impressed by his example, and persuaded by his arguments, alike embraced the Protestant Religion, although worldly interest and political advantage would have indicated that the opposite course was that which they should pursue.

In the Diet at Augsburgh his voice had a powerful influence in persuading the Princes to support the cause they had adopted, and to reject the flattering and tempting promises of the Emperor; and in the second mutiny at Smalkalde, he ably

supported the exhortations of Luther, and was amongst the first to propose the league for their mutual defence against all aggressors, and by which the Protestant States of the Empire were formed into one regular body. At his suggestion, they resolved to apply to the Kings of England and France, to implore them to protect the new confederacy. Both these Sovereigns were well disposed to any measure that could weaken the power of their ambitious rival; but Henry was so much engaged in the negociations for effecting his divorce from his Queen, that he had no leisure for foreign affairs, and all they could obtain was a small supply of money; and Francis having received no provocation, could not violate a treaty of peace which he had himself so lately solicited. Yet, the King of France listened with the greatest eagerness to the complaints of the Protestant Princes, and determined secretly to cherish those sparks of political discord which might be afterwards kindled into a flame. Ernest was also one of the leading members in the negociations which ended in the pacification that was agreed upon at Nuremberg, in 1531, and ratified by the Diet at Ratisbon; and he accompanied the Elector of Saxony, and Landgrave of Hesse, with a considerable body of troops when they took the field against Henry of Brunswick, and his cousin compelled him to raise the siege of Goslar and afterwards drove him from his dominions. He was one of the first subscribers to the Confession of Augs