A Museum for Young Gentlemen and Ladies Part 2

The crown of England was disputed between him and the house of York; which occasioned such civil wars in England as made her bleed for 84 years, when all the Princes of York and Lancaster were either killed in battle or beheaded. The French laying hold of this favourable opportunity, shook off the English yoke, and recovering their liberty in five years, placed the young Dauphin upon the throne, who was then Charles VII. The crown of England was now settled by Parliament upon the House of York and their heirs, after the death of King Henry, whose heirs were excluded for ever. This Prince pa.s.sed through various changes of life, and was at last stabbed to the heart by Richard Duke of Gloucester, who had before murdered Edward, the only son of this unfortunate King.

_The House of York, called the_ WHITE ROSE.

EDWARD IV. who had dispossessed Henry VI. in 1460, was the first King of the line of York, and n.o.bly maintained his right to the crown by mere dint of arms; till at last subduing the party which opposed him, he was crowned at Westminster June 28, 1461. In this King's reign the ART OF PRINTING was first brought into England. At this time also the King of Spain was presented with some Cotswold sheep, from whose breed, 'tis said, came the fine Spanish wool, to the prejudice of England. Edward reigned 22 years, and was buried at Windsor in 1483.

EDWARD V. eldest son of Edward IV. succeeded his father when only twelve years old; but his b.l.o.o.d.y uncle, Richard Duke of Gloucester, caused both him and his brother to be smothered in their beds in the Tower of London, in the second month of his reign, and before his coronation.

RICHARD III. having dispatched his two nephews, succeeded to the crown, and was the last King of the House of York. He was an usurper, and his cruelty had incensed the Duke of Buckingham, his favourite, to such a degree, that he contrived his ruin, and offered the crown to Henry Earl of Richmond, the only surviving Prince of the House of Lancaster, then at the court of France, on condition that he would marry Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Edward IV. in order to unite the Houses of York and Lancaster -- Richard being informed of the affair, ordered the Duke to be instantly beheaded without a trial. However, this did not discourage Henry, who had accepted the offer. He came over with a small force, and landed in Wales, where he was born, his army increasing as he advanced. At length having collected a body of 5000 men, he attacked King Richard in Bosworth field, in Leicesters.h.i.+re, in 1485. Richard fought bravely till he was killed in the engagement, which made way for Henry to the crown of England.

THE _MODERN HISTORY OF ENGLAND._ CHAP. IV.

We shall divide this branch of English history into four periods, namely: 1. The Kings of the House of Tudor. 2. The Kings of the Stuart family. 3. King William of the House of Orange, and Queen Anne. 4. The Kings of the House of Hanover.

_The House of_ TUDOR.

HENRY VII. succeeded Richard III. in 1485: he obtained the crown by force of arms, tho' he pretended a tight to it by birth; being of the House of Lancaster. The name of his father was Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond; and he married Elizabeth, the daughter of King Edward IV. by which marriage the Houses of York and Lancaster were united. This Prince had great sagacity, but was very cruel and unjust. Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, and the last Prince of the House of York, was beheaded by him for attempting his escape, after being imprisoned from nine years old; for which cruel act Henry's name will be hated for ever. As he grew old, he grew covetous, and to increase his treasure, he caused all penal laws to be put in execution. His chief instruments herein were Empsom and Dudley, who afterwards paid dear for their extortion. He built the chapel at Westminster which is at this day called Henry the Seventh's. The 48 gentlemen of the privy chamber, and the band of gentlemen pensioners, were first settled in his reign. He died at the palace of Richmond, which he built, and left in ready money to his successor 1,800,000l. having reigned 24 years.

HENRY VIII. born at Greenwich, in 1491, the only surviving son of Henry VII. came to the crown in the 18th year of his age, and in 1509. He reigned for some years with great applause; but being vitiated by Cardinal Woolsey, luxury and cruelty obscured his virtues, and stained his former glory. He had six wives, of whom he divorced two, and caused two to be publicly beheaded. In his reign began the reformation; and the King was by act of parliament, declared supreme head of the church of England. Before he fell off from the Pope, he wrote a book against Luther. On this account Pope Leo honoured him with the t.i.tle of defender of the faith; which the parliament made hereditary to all succeeding Kings of England. His government was more arbitrary and severe than that of any of his predecessors since William the Conqueror. He reigned about 38 years, died Jan. 28, 1547, and was buried in Windsor chapel.

EDWARD VI. only son of Henry VIII. succeeded his father at ten years old; and in the six years during which he reigned, he, by the indefatigable zeal of Archbishop Cranmer, made a great progress in the reformation. This good Prince founded our two famous hospitals, called Christchurch and St. Thomas, one in the city of London, the other in the suburbs. This reign is memorable for the discovery of the north-east pa.s.sage to Archangel, made by Richard Chalinour, till then unknown, and since become the common pa.s.sage from Asia into Europe. Edward reigned but six years, and was buried at Westminster.

MARY, eldest daughter of Henry VIII. by his first wife, succeeded her half brother Edward VI. She restored the Roman Catholic Bishops, and commenced a hot persecution against the protestants; in which Archbishop Cranmer, and six other Bishops, were burnt alive.

In her reign, Calais was taken by the French, after it had been in our possession 200 years; and the same year, which was 1558, she died of grief for the loss of that city. With her life ended a reign, begun, continued, finished in blood, and happy in nothing but its short duration. She was buried at Westminster.

ELIZABETH, daughter of Henry VIII. by Anna Bullen, his second wife, succeeded her half-sister Mary. She proved an excellent Queen, the glory of her s.e.x, and admiration of the age she lived in. She was crowned at Westminster, Jan. 15, 1558. In her time the protestant religion was again restored. She humbled the pride of Spain, both in Europe and America. Memorable is the year 1588, for the Spanish invasion attempted by King Philip, with his invincible armada; the greatest part of which was destroyed by the English fires.h.i.+ps and a providential storm. The very names of our chief commanders, Howard, Norris, Ess.e.x, Drake, and Raleigh, struck a terror in her enemies.

They took and burnt several places in Spain, particularly Cadiz and the Groyne; intercepted their plate fleets, and reduced that haughty monarch so low, that he has never since recovered it. This Queen quelled the two rebellions of O'Neal and Tir-Owen in Ireland. She protected the new republic of Holland, and the protestants of France. She commanded the ocean, which spread her fame around the globe, and made her name respected every where. With much reluctance she signed the dead warrant [sic] for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, charged with high treason. She grieved much for the death of the Earl of Ess.e.x, whose fall was owing to her favour, and survived him only two years. In her reign the two English inquisitions were erected, I mean the Star-Chamber, and the High Commission Court, which grew oppressive, and the judges so arbitrary, that they were suppressed by an act of Charles I. She had a peculiar taste for learning, which flourished in her reign.

She spoke five or six different languages, translated several books from the Greek and French, and took great pleasure in the study of mathematics, geography, and history. She died in 1603, in the 45th year of her reign, and the 70th year of her age, leaving her kinsman James VI. of Scotland, her successor.

_The_ STUART FAMILY.

JAMES I. of England, arrived at London May 7, 1603, and the feast of St. James following was fixed for his coronation. In 1604, Nov. 5, the powder plot was discovered, the memory whereof has been hitherto religiously observed. Among the remarkable things of this reign, may be reckoned the two visits his Majesty received from Christian IV. King of Denmark, whose sister Ann was King James's consort: the creation of a new order called Baronets, next to a Baron, and made hereditary: the fall of Lord Chancellor Bacon, and of Sir Walter Raleigh, at the instigation of the Spanish Amba.s.sador: the office of the master of the ceremonies was first established. As to the character of this Prince, it must be confessed, that he was too much of a scholar, and too little of the soldier. Though he was brought up in the Scotch presbytery, he thought episcopacy so necessary for the support of his crown, that he often used to say, _No Bishop, No King_. He died at Theobalds, March 27, 1625, in the 23rd year of his reign, and 59th year of his age. Thus ended a peaceable but inglorious, a plentiful but luxurious reign, to make room for another more turbulent and tragical.

CHARLES I. the only son of King James, succeeded next: he was born at Dumferling, in Scotland, 1600, and crowned at Westminster, 1625.

His crown may be called a crown of thorns, as his reign ended in blood. He married Henrietta, daughter to Henry IV. King of France, who was bigotted to the catholic religion, and gained the ascendancy over him. His wonderful compliance with the Queen caused him to act in many respects contrary to the laws of the kingdom, and his unbounded favour to the Duke of Buckingham, incensed the people to that degree, that this favourite was afterwards stabbed by Felton, merely for the public good. These, and such like weaknesses, made him continually at variance with the parliament, which at last broke out into a civil war. Several battles were fought between the royalists and republicans or rumps. The King was taken prisoner by the Scots, who sold him to the parliament for 200,000l. Hereupon the parliament erected a high court of justice, and gave them power to try the King; and though the generality of the people were against such arbitrary proceedings, yet they arraigned him of high-treason. The King maintained his dignity, and refusing to acknowledge the authority of these pretended judges, had sentence of death pa.s.sed upon him, and was accordingly beheaded on a scaffold erected for that purpose, before the palace, Jan. 30, 1648. In this reign two great ministers, viz. Archbishop Laud, and the Earl of Strafford, were beheaded.

CROMWELL, one of the most considerable members of the high court who condemned King Charles, was now sent to subdue Ireland. After which he marched against the Scots, who had taken up arms in favour of the late King. The Dutch also, who had sent a fleet to a.s.sist the King, having met with many losses and disappointments, sued for peace, which Cromwell sold them at an exorbitant price. Now Cromwell was made Lord Protector to the British dominions, and acted with the same authority as if he had been King. He was a terror both to France and Spain, and died Sept. 3, 1658. His son indeed succeeded to that high station, which his father filled with universal applause; but having neither an equal share of ambition, nor a head turned for government, modestly resigned to the right heir CHARLES II. son of Charles I. succeeded his father, but was kept from the crown above eleven years, during which time England was reduced to a commonwealth. The King was at the Hague when his father was beheaded. But on his yielding to some conditions imposed on him by the kirk of Scotland, he was received by the Scots, and being crowned at Sc.o.o.n, they sent an army with him into England to recover that kingdom; which being totally defeated at Worcester, he wandered about for six weeks, and made his escape to France, then to Spain, but without any hopes of restoration, till the death of Oliver Cromwell: when a free parliament, having met in April 1660, voted the return of King Charles II. as lawful heir to the crown.

The power of the Rump Parliament, by the conduct and courage of General Monk, had been on the decline for some time, and the King's interest greatly increased, especially in the city of London, where he was proclaimed May 8. He landed at Dover, and made a most magnificent entry, May 29, 1660, being his birthday; and the 23d [sic] of April following, being St. George's day, he was crowned at Westminster with great state and solemnity. Among the remarkable things of this reign, we may reckon the parting with Dunkirk to France for a paltry sum; the blowing up Tangier in the Streights, after immense sums had been expended to repair and keep it; the shutting up the Exchequer when full of loans, to the ruin of numerous families; the two Dutch wars, which ended with no advantage on either side, but served only to promote the French interest; the great plague with which this nation was visited during the first Dutch war; the fire of London that happened soon after; and the Popish plot, for which many suffered death. On the 2d of Feb. 1684, the King fell sick of an apoplexy; he died four days after, in the 37th year of his reign, and was privately buried at Westminster.

JAMES II. succeeded his brother Charles, but proved very unfortunate to himself and his people, on account of his zeal for the Romish religion. He invaded the rights of the universities, and made Magdalen College in Oxford a prey to his violence. He sent seven bishops as criminals to the tower, who upon trial were honourably acquitted. Father Peters, a Jesuit, and several Popish Lords, sat in the Privy Council, and some Popish Judges on the bench. The Pope sent a Nuncio from Rome, who was suffered to make his public entry in defiance of our const.i.tution. These barefaced practices made the Protestant party think it high time to check the growth of popery. Hereupon the Prince of Orange was requested to vindicate his consort's right, and that of the three nations. In the beginning of this reign the Duke of Monmouth was proclaimed King in the West, in opposition to King James; but his party being defeated, he was beheaded July 15, 1685. Judge Jeffries was afterwards sent by the King to try those who had a.s.sisted the Duke, of whom he hanged no less than 600, glorying in his cruelty, and affirming, that he had hanged more than all the Judges since William the Conqueror. The Chevalier St. George was born July 10, 1688, two days after the bishops were imprisoned. The Prince of Orange landed at Torbay Nov. 5, and King James abdicated the crown, and went over to France, Dec. 23. Hereupon an interregnum ensued till the 13th of February, 1688-9, when William and Mary, Prince and Princess of Orange, were offered the Crown, and accepted it.

_The House of_ ORANGE.

WILLIAM III. and MARY II. succeeded James II. upon the vote of the Convention. The day after their arrival in London, which was Feb.

13, 1688-9, they were seated under a canopy of state in the Banqueting-house, and both Houses of Convocation waited upon them, proffering them the crown in the names of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, a.s.sembled at Westminster: Accordingly they were proclaimed King and Queen of Great-Britain the following day, and solemnly crowned at the Abbey on the 21st of April.

Several plots were formed against the King, but all of them proved abortive. He carried out a war with France, and with King James's party in Ireland, for nine years successively, till at last France was obliged to acknowledge him lawful King of Great-Britain, in the peace of Ryswic, 1697. He died March 8, 1701, aged 51, after he had survived his consort Mary Stuart, daughter to James II. five years, who died Dec. 21, 1696, and whose funeral was performed with great elegance and solemnity. July 2, 1700, William Duke of Gloucester, the only surviving issue of Princess Anne of Denmark, departed this life at Windsor, aged twelve years. And King James died at St.

Germains in Sept. 1721.

ANNE, second daughter to James II. succeeded King William, whose death was joy to France, but a great misfortune to England. Anne was born Feb. 6, 1664, and married George Prince of Denmark, who was High Admiral of England, and a happy a.s.sistant to her in steering the s.h.i.+p of state. She was crowned Queen of Great-Britain April 23, 1702. On the 4th of May following war was proclaimed at London, Vienna, and the Hague, against France and Spain. The success of this war is worthy admiration [sic], and almost incredible. The conquest of the Spanish Guelderland, the Electorate of Cologn [sic], and the Bishopric of Liege; the prodigious victory over the French and Bavarians at Blenheim, under the surprising conduct of the Duke of Marlborough; the retaking of Landau; the conquering all the estates of the Duke of Bavaria in Germany; the forcing the French and Bavarians out of their lines in Brabant, which was deemed a thing impracticable; the battle of Ramillies; the victory at Oudenard; the taking of Lisle and Tournay; the defeat of the French army at Blarenies; the reducing of Mons, &c. &c. are such events as will render her Majesty's reign famous to all posterity. If we look towards Spain, how bold and successful was our attempt upon Vigo, where we took and destroyed their whole plate fleet, both men of war and others, to the amount of 38 sail, of which not one escaped: Did we not also take Gibraltar with a small force in one morning, and keep possession of it against the joint strength of France and Spain? Barcelona likewise being taken by the English and Dutch, under the conduct of the Earl of Peterborough, was soon after besieged by King Philip with a great army, which was soon forced to a shameful retreat into France. Hereupon Catalonia, Arragon, Valencia, and other provinces, submitted to Charles III. by the influence of her Majesty's arms. Who could have expected the dismal turn of the affairs of France and Italy, which happened in 1707, by the powerful interest of England? A numerous army of French and Spaniards were destroyed before the walls of Turin, by the Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene. Thus Piedmont was abandoned, the Mantuan, the Milanese, the Modenese, Parmasan, and Montferrat, yielded up.

This Queen also brought about the strict union between England and Scotland, after sundry fruitless attempts of the same kind for a century past. In short, the successes of her reign justly denominate her one of the most triumphant Monarchs of former ages, and her piety and virtue will ever be acknowledged by the British nation. The four last years of Queen Anne's reign were attended with much perplexity, which was owing to her Ministers, who prevailed upon her to consent to the peace of Utrecht; and, 'tis said, her death was occasioned by her ill conduct, which she laid too much to heart. She died Aug. 1, 1714; and in her the succession of the Stuart line ended.

_The House of_ HANOVER.

GEORGE I. who was heir-apparent to the crown of Great-Britain on the death of Queen Anne, and which had been confirmed to him some years before by various Acts of Parliament, and by a special article in the peace of Utrecht, was born 1666, and proclaimed King the very day Queen Anne expired. He landed at Greenwich Sept. 18, 1714, and was crowned Oct. 20. A thorough change in the ministry was made on his accession, wherein he distinguished his friends from his enemies. Among the latter the chief were the Duke of Ormond, the Earl of Oxford, and the Viscount Bolingbroke, who were deemed to be firmly attached to the interest of the Pretender. In 1715 a plot was supposed to be brooding in the West, where several gentlemen were suspected of having a design to bring in the Pretender, and to place him on the throne of his ancestors. He had already been proclaimed King of Scotland, by the Earl of Mar, against whom the Duke of Argyle marched. On the 13th of November they came to a decisive battle near Dumblain, where the rebels were defeated, and put to flight. At the same time a body of 5000 rebels a.s.sembled at Preston in Lancas.h.i.+re, headed by the Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter, of whom General Wills, who commanded some of his Majesty's troops on the borders of Scotland, being informed, he marched directly against them, and obliged them to surrender prisoners of war. They were afterwards sent up to London, and many of the ringleaders tried and condemned. Among these were the Earls of Derwent.w.a.ter and Kenmure, who were beheaded on Tower-Hill; several others were executed at Tyburn, and the remainder pardoned. Some other conspiracies were formed against the King's person; but, by timely discovery, prevented from being carried into execution. Aug. 2, 1718, the quadruple alliance was signed between their Imperial, Christian, and Britannic Majesties; and the Spanish fleet was destroyed in the Mediterranean by the English. In 1720 Spain acceded to the quadruple alliance, and a fleet was sent into the Baltic in favour of Sweden. This year was also remarkable for the South-Sea scheme, by which many families were deluded and entirely ruined; and the government was obliged to interpose, to prevent the ill consequences of the people's despair. On enquiry into the affair it appeared, that besides stock-jobbers and directors some persons of distinction were concerned in it. This fatal stroke to the British trade was in some measure remedied by the a.s.siento contract, concluded at Madrid in 1722. In the same year, the funeral of the Duke of Marlborough, who, since the accession of King George, had been restored to the honours he so justly deserved, was solemnized with great pomp. In 1723, a conspiracy for raising an insurrection was discovered; hereupon the Duke of Norfolk, Lord North and Grey, the Bishop of Rochester, and Counsellor Layer, were taken into custody; after a long trial the Bishop was banished, and Layer was hanged. In 1724, the Ostend East-India Company was established. In 1725 the Hanover treaty was agreed to, between France, Great-Britain, and Prussia.

June 11, 1727, George I. died at Osnaburgh, in the very chamber where he was born, in the 67th year of his age, and the 13th year of his reign.

GEORGE II. was proclaimed as soon as as the news of his father's death came to London, and his coronation was solemnized in October following. The new Parliament met on the 2d of January, and chose for their Speaker Arthur Onslow, Esq. and loyal and affectionate addresses were presented to the King by both houses. The land forces were fixed at 22,950 men, and the number of seamen at 15,000. An enquiry was made into the state of the public gaols, and from this it appeared that great cruelties and oppressions had been exercised on the prisoners, particularly on Sir William Rich, Baronet, who was found in the fleet prison loaded with irons, by order of the Warden. For these and the like barbarities, Thomas Bambridge, the Warden, and several of his accomplices, were committed to Newgate. In May, 1729, his Majesty declared his intentions of visiting his German dominions, and leaving the Queen as Regent. His design in going to Germany was to compromise some differences that had lately arisen between the Regency of Hanover and the King of Prussia; and about this time the Duke of Mecklenburgh was deposed by the Emperor, for his cruelty, tyranny, and oppression. By the fall of Emperors and Kings it is that we learn the Omnipotence of the Almighty, whose arm strengthens and supports the crown of the righteous and takes away the kingdom from unjust Princes. About this time great licentiousness prevailed among all ranks of people, particularly among those of the lower cla.s.s, who indulged themselves in every kind of wickedness; and among other methods of injuring their fellow subjects, circulated incendiary letters, demanding sums of money of certain individuals, on pain of reducing their houses to ashes; this species of villainy had never been known before in England. In the course of the summer seven Indian Chiefs were brought over to England. In 1731 a duel was fought in the Green Park, between Sir William Pulteney and Lord Hervey, on account of a remarkable political pamphlet. Lord Hervey was wounded, and narrowly escaped with his life. The Latin tongue was abolished in all law proceedings, which were ordered for the future to be in English. Rich. Norton, Esq. of Southwick, in Hamps.h.i.+re, left his estate of 600l. per annum, and a personal estate of 60,000l. to be disposed of in charitable uses by the Parliament.

One Smith, a book-binder, and his wife, being reduced to extreme poverty, hanged themselves at the same time, and by common consent, after having made away with their only child.

On the 27th of April, 1736, his Royal Highness Frederic, Prince of Wales, espoused Augusta, sister to the Duke of Saxe Gotha. In the course of this year a remarkable riot happened at Edinburgh, occasioned by the execution of one Wilson, a smuggler. Porteus, captain of the city guard, a man of a brutal disposition, and abandoned morals, being provoked by the insults of the mob, commanded his soldiers to fire upon the crowd, by which precipitate orders several innocent persons were killed; Porteus was tried and condemned to die, but obtained a reprieve from the Queen, who was then Regent. The mob, however, were [sic] determined to execute the sentence; they accordingly rose in a tumultuous manner, forced open the prison doors, dragged forth Porteus, and hanged him on a dyer's pole; after which they quietly dispersed. On the 24th of May, 1738, the Princess of Wales was delivered of a Prince, who was christened by the name of George, now our most gracious Sovereign.

One Buchanan, a sailor, who had been condemned for murder, was cut down from the gallows by his companions, who actually brought him to life, and carried him off in triumph.

War was declared in form against Spain, at London and Westminster, Oct. 23, 1739. The same year Admiral Vernon destroyed Porto Bello, and the March following demolished Fort Chagre. In 1740 there was a severe and lasting frost, which extended all over Europe, and occasioned a fair to be kept on the River Thames. In 1741 Admiral Vernon, with a strong fleet, joined with General Wentworth, who had a considerable number of forces under his command, made an unsuccessful attempt on Carthagena [sic]; the greater part of the land forces being either killed or cut off by an epidemical distemper. In 1742, Captain Middleton made a fruitless attempt to discover the North West pa.s.sage into the South Seas. The year following the battle of Dettingen was fought. There was also this year a b.l.o.o.d.y engagement before Toulon, between the English fleet and that of the French and Spaniards; when that brave commander Captain Cornwall was killed in the Marlborough, after a most resolute and surprising resistance. Commodore Anson returned to England, having made a voyage round the globe; and war was mutually declared between England and France.

In 1745 the battle of Fontenoy was fought, in which the French had the advantage, which was followed by the taking of Tournay. A rebellion broke out in Scotland; the rebels defeated Sir John Cope, at Preston Pans, came forward into England, took Carlisle, and marched to Derby, from whence they were obliged to make a precipitate retreat, being closely pursued by the Duke of c.u.mberland, who retook Carlisle. When the rebels were returned into Scotland, they defeated the King's forces under General Hawley, near Falkirk, and laid siege to Stirling, but raised it on the Duke's approach. This year Cape-Breton was taken by Admiral Warren. In 1746 the memorable battle of Culloden, in Scotland, was fought, wherein the rebels were totally destroyed: The Earls of Balmerino and Kilmarnock, with Mr. Ratcliff, brother to the late Earl of Derwent.w.a.ter, were taken prisoners, and beheaded on Tower-Hill; as was Lord Lovat in the year following. Now also the French took all Dutch Flanders, and there was a battle between them and part of the allied army, after which the latter retreated under the cannon of Maestricht. Admirals Anson and Warren, after a hot engagement, took several French men of war in the Mediterranean, among which was the s.h.i.+p in which their Admiral sailed. In 1748 a Congress was held at Aix-la-Chapelle for a general pacification, and the articles of peace therein agreed to were signed in April.

A Bill was pa.s.sed for the encouragement of the British herring fishery; and a proclamation issued for inciting disbanded soldiers and sailors to settle in Nova Scotia. Mr. Pelham now lowered the interest of money in the funds, first to three and a half per cent.

afterwards to three. The importation of iron from America was allowed; and the African trade laid open.

In the year 1752, the French spirited up the Indians against our colonies of Nova Scotia, and built a chain of forts on the back of our American settlements. This occasioned a new war, carried on with great cruelty in those parts. Monckton drove the French from their encroachments in Nova Scotia; and General Johnson gave them a defeat; but Braddock, through his own rashness, was defeated and slain. The English took many s.h.i.+ps from the enemy, without declaring war.

In 1756, the Hessians and Hanoverians were brought over, to the number of ten thousand. Presently after Minorca was taken by the French; and Admiral Byng was shot at Portsmouth for not having relieved it. On the 17th of May, war was declared in form, and the King entered into a treaty with the Empress of Russia for the security of Hanover; and afterwards into an alliance with Prussia.

This was followed by an unnatural [sic] treaty between France and the Queen of Hungary, to which the Empress of Russia acceded. And a war was kindled by the intrigues of France between Prussia and Sweden; while the Elector of Saxony favoured the Austrians. The King of Prussia therefore entered Saxony, and obliged the Saxon troops at Pirna to surrender prisoners of war. He invaded Bohemia, defeated the Austrian General, and gained another victory near Prague. But attacking the Austrians at a disadvantage near Kolin, he was defeated, and obliged to raise the siege of Prague.

The French now pa.s.sed the Weser, and drove the Hanoverians before them. They made a stand however at Hastenbeck, under the Duke of c.u.mberland, where they were attacked, and forced to retreat towards Stade, and laid down their arms in consequence of the treaty of Closterseven.

In the East-Indies we were also successful; for, by Colonel Clive's vigilance and courage, the province of Arcot was cleared of the enemy, the French general taken prisoner, and the favourite Nabob, whom we supported, was reinstated in his government. But some months after, the Viceroy of Bengal declared against the English, and took Calcutta by a.s.sault. Here one hundred and forty-six persons were crowded into a narrow prison, called the Black-Hole, where they were suffocated for want of air, only twenty-three surviving; several of whom died by putrid fevers, after they were set free.

The Dutch at Batavia now dispatched seven armed s.h.i.+ps to Bengal, having eleven hundred land forces, with orders strongly to fortify their settlement at Chincura, and secure the salt-petre trade to themselves. But the s.h.i.+ps were all taken by three English East-India s.h.i.+ps, which were in the river, and their troops were totally defeated at land by Colonel Ford.

Colonel Coote also took the city of Wandewash, reduced the fortress of Carangoly, and defeated Lally. This was followed by the surrender of the city of Arcot. Pondicherry now sustained a siege in turn, and the French therein were reduced to feed on dogs and cats. Eight crowns were given for the flesh of a dog. At length the English took possession of the place. And this conquest terminated the power of France in India.

Mr. Pitt was at the head of the English Ministry, when Louisbourg in Cape Breton was besieged by General Amherst, and surrendered by capitulation. The French lost a fine navy in the harbour. Fort Du Quesne also was taken. But the operations against Crown Point and Ticonderoga miscarried.

The year 1759 was remarkable for the conquest of Canada. The French deserted Crown Point and Ticonderoga, which were possessed by General Amherst. Sir William Johnson defeated them, and became master of the Fort of Niagara. And the Admirals Saunders, Holmes, and Durel, sailed for Quebec, attended by a land army, under General Wolfe. In the battle which ensued, both Wolfe and Montcalm, the chief commanders on each side, were slain, and Quebec surrendered.

In 1760 the French forces endeavoured to recover Quebec, but the place was relieved by an English fleet under Lord Colvill.

Montreal submitted to General Amherst, and that extensive country fell totally under the power of Great Britain; a larger territory than ever was subject to the Roman empire. The prodigious march of Amherst, on this occasion, can be compared only to that of Jenghiz Can, or Tamerlane, who over-ran all Asia with their Tartars.

In Europe the operations of war were astonis.h.i.+ng, and the great efforts of the King of Prussia secured his safety beyond all human expectation. Almost the whole power of the Continent was united against him. The King of Great Britain, his only ally, seemed inclined to forsake him. In this terrible situation he relied on his natural subjects, and still adhered to his fort.i.tude. Yet he expostulated warmly, and his expostulations at last succeeded.

The French forces, and those of the Imperialists, had made a successful campaign in the summer; yet seemed determined that the rigour of the winter should not interrupt their proceedings. In the depth of it, they laid siege to Leipsic, and were confident of carrying that important city. This greatly alarmed his Prussian Majesty. He contrived his measures so artfully, as to appear before the place when he was least expected. Vanquished as he was, the terror of his arms raised the siege. The French army, though greatly superior in number, rose and retreated with precipitation.

His Prussian Majesty, not satisfied with having raised the siege of Leipsic, followed the French army, whose fears, he imagined, would befriend him. He came up with them near a little village, called Rosbach. An action came on, and he obtained one of the most signal victories recorded in history. Had not the night saved them, their whole army had been devoted to destruction.

In another part of the empire the Austrians were again victorious, and took the Prince of Bevern, the King of Prussia's Generalissimo, prisoner. The King himself, in the depth of winter, made a march of two hundred miles, and engaged the enemy in the neighbourhood of Breslau, the capital of Silesia. He was much inferior in strength, but his forces were disposed with such admirable judgment [sic], that he gained a compleat [sic] victory, in which he took fifteen thousand prisoners. Breslau itself, after the battle, surrendered to the Conqueror, tho' it had a garrison of ten thousand men. These successes disheartened his enemies, and raised the spirit of his friends.

The magnanimous King of Prussia now began to fight with his enemies upon more equal terms. He attacked them every where, was attended for the most part with remarkable success, and rarely met with any considerable disadvantage. He carried on the campaign throughout the winter, escaped many dangers, was exhausted by no fatigues, nor terrified by any numbers.

England is so happily situated, that she has little need to concern herself with the disturbances on the Continent. Yet the people in general at this time seemed in a disposition to encourage and a.s.sist the German subjects of their King.