About this time, a naval expedition against Rochfort was undertaken, on which occafion, Sir John Ligonier made the following obfervation at a cabinet-council: "If I am rightly informed, the great point his majesty has in view, by this expedition, and the alarming the coasts of France, is the hopes of making a powerful diverfion in favor of his Royal Highnefs the DUKE, as well as the king of Pruffia, who defires and preffes much this very measure." However, that attempt was unsuccessful, though Sir Edward Hawke commanded the fleet, as admiral in chief, affifted by vice-admiral Knowles and rearadmiral Broderick; and the troops were commanded by Sir John Mordaunt as general and commander in chief, affifted by the right honorable major-general Cornwallis. In fact, the general returned to England, without making any attempt to land on the coast of France! and fo me over-refined politicians pretended to discover, in the backwardness of this attempt, a tenderness for Hanover, and a connexion with the convention of Stade.

The king of Pruffia wrote a letter to his Britannic majefty on the convention, wherein he says, "I repent not of my treaty with your majefty; but do not shamefully abandon me to the mercy of my enemies, after having brought upon me all the powers of Europe."

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The king of Great Britain, in answer to this letter, ordered a declaration to be communicated to all foreign ministers refiding at the British court, on the fixteenth of September, wherein his majefty declared, that "the king of Pruffia might affure himself that the British crown would continue to fulfil, with the greatest punctuality, it's engagements with his Pruffian majefty, and to fupport him with firmness and vigor."

The

The DUKE of CUMBERLAND returned to London, where he met with a cool reception from the king his father, whofe Hanoverian minifters had brought difgrace upon his electoral arms, and ruin to the whole electorate. Marshal Richlieu paid no regard to the terms of the convention, in which he was encouraged by the French ministry, who changed the very form of government in Hanover, and plundered the whole country. The British nation became determined to fupport the Hanoverians, and the army of obfervation was re-affembled under the command of prince Ferdinand of Brunfwic, to whom marshal Richlieu wrote, that if this army << committed any act of hoftility, he should push matters to the last extremity; that he should set fire to all the palaces, royal houses, and gardens; he should fack all the towns and villages, without fparing the fmalleft cabin; in fhort, the whole country fhould feel the horrors of war." He justified his threats by his acts; but prince Ferdinand affembled the army of observation at Stade, and marched against the French, whom he obliged to evacuate Hanover and retire to Zell, where they entrenched themselves until the feverity of the season obliged prince Ferdinand to take up his winter-quarters in Luxemberg, after which marshal Richlieu returned to Hanover, and confiscated all the effects of those who had taken up arms*.

His Britannic majefty, in a speech to his parliament, on the firft of December, 1757, "in particular recommended it to them, that his good brother and ally the king of Pruffia, might be supported in fuch a manner as his magnanimity and active zeal for the common caufe deferved;" in which both houfes of parliament chearfully concurred; they granted his Pruffian majefty fix hundred

and

and seventy thousand pounds, and also granted four hundred and fixty three thousand pounds for maintaining thirty-eight thousand hired troops in Germany, where a large body of British troops were fent, and the war was continued with great spirit and animofity.

The French obferved on this occafion, that "if the DUKE of CUMBERLAND afked to capitulate, it was becaufe he found himself in a critical pofition, and juftly feared that, fhould the marshal de Richlieu attack him, he would ruin the Hanoverian army irretrievably, and make himself mafter of the town of Stade, and of the depofitum lodged there. Had not this fituation been fo dangerous in every refpect, can it be fuppofed that a prince whofe courage all Europe has beheld, would have asked to capitulate at the head of forty thousand men, under the cannon of the town, and in a poft of difficult access and well intrenched? But this prince, whofe capacity gave him to perceive, that no retreat remained for him in cafe he should be beaten, preferred the glory of faving the king his father's troops, and thofe of his allies, to the vain honor of fighting the king's army, without any grounded hope of fuccefs. The more of his felf-love he had by this ftep facrificed to the good of mankind, and the interest of the king his father, the more facred and inviolable did the capitulation become to him. It is unquestionable in the rules of honor and war, that a capitulation is never to be afked of an enemy until at an extremity; but when reduced to it, it is not lawful to employ thofe arms against him, which by promife were to be laid down. Honor would look on fuch a procedure with indignation; and if private perfons deteft a treachery of this nature, is it not fill more unworthy of fovereigns, who are the protectors

of

of good faith, and who are more concerned than private perfons to preferve their glory and reputation? Accordingly the DUKE of CUMBERLAND, by laying down his military employments, was for faving himself the infamy of breaking fuch facred engagements; he has proved by that step, that he is is incapable of being so far wanting to himself; but in sheltering his own honor, why has he not been afraid of expofing that of the king his father ?*”

Prince Ferdinand expelled the French from Hanover, and pursued them over the Rhine. The king of Pruffia exerted an invincible spirit against all his numerous enemies. The French fettlements in the West Indies fubmitted to the British arms, by the vigor of which Quebec was reduced, and all Canada conquered. Colonel Clive and admiral Pocock were victorious in the Eaft-Indies: while the French navy was destroyed in Europe.

Admiral Boscawen defeated M. de Clue off Lagos; and on the twentieth of November, 1759, Sir Edward Hawke defeated M. de Conflans near Belleifle, for which fignal service he received the thanks of parliament; the DUKE of CUMBERLAND appeared at court to congratulate his majefty on fo glorious an event, which protected the kingdom from an invafion, and totally deftroyed the maritin.e power of France.

Ferdinand VI. king of Spain, died on the tenth of Auguft, 1759, in the forty-fixth year of his age, and was fucceeded by his brother-in-law Charles III. king of the two Sicilies, who foon after formed the family-compact with France, whereby all the branches of the house of Bourbon made the quarrel of each the common caufe of

Manifefto published by authority at Paris, and dated at Versailles the 30th of December, 1757.

all.

all. The British nation was then victorious over the French in all parts of the world, but his Britannic majefty did not live to fee all his endeavors crowned with a glorious peace, This great and illuftrious monarch expired early in the morning on the twenty-fifth of October 1760, at Kensington: this fatal accident was occafioned by the bursting of the right ventricle of his heart. His majesty was seventy-fix years of age; and was in the thir ty-fourth year of his reign: he lived greatly beloved, and died univerfally lamented.

CHAP. XII.

The acceffion of king GEORGE III; his marriage: coronation in 1761. Minifterial transactions: Mr. PITT refigns. War between GREAT BRITAIN and SPAIN. The reduction of the HAVANNAH, and alfo of MANILA. Conduct of lord BUTE. Peace concluded at PARIS the tenth of February, 1763. Minifterial and parliamentary proceedings. Conduct of the DUKE of CUMBERLAND: his death; and his character.

G

EORGE II. was fucceeded by his grandfon

George III, who was then in the twenty-third year of his age, and was proclaimed king the day after his grandfather's death. The young monarch, on the eighth of September, 1761, married the princefs Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who was in the eighteenth year of her age. The DUKE of CUMBERLAND was present at the nuptials, when he gave the princefs away to the king; and this marriage was followed by the coronation of their majesties on the twenty-fecond; foon afterwards Mr.