which for flight causes cannot be diffolved, without the highest impiety, and moft fhocking injuftice. And it is for fuch caufes that you feek to perfuade this nation to rebel against their King now reigning, by hereditary right; though you complain of injuftice done to your grandfather by the nation's expelling him for the many capital and effential miscarriages above mentioned. Is not this, Sir, to spy the mote in the eye of your brother, whilst you are infenfible of the beam in your own? In short, Sir, the title of a King is one thing, and his behaviour is another. It is the political creed of this nation, "That a King may forfeit his title by grofs mifbehaviour." If this propofition be not true, you have no occafion to tell us of the mifcarriages in the late or prefent reign; but tell us roundly, that how good foever the government has been, it is an unlawful one, and your father has the only title.-But if this be too grofs to be fwallowed by this nation, the other queflion must be confidered in the fame manner, as if all the flue, not only of King James II. but all the other iffue of King Charles I. were at this moment naturally dead, in which cale King George II. would be the lineal, as well as the parliamentary heir of the Royal Family; = and then we thould only have to confi der, whether there are now fubfifting fuch grievances and oppreffions under his government, as ought to ftir us up to make a new revolution? A queftion to ab. furd, that I could almost venture to trust to your own understanding for an answer in the negative. Thus, Sir, before we proceed to quell by force the rebellious infurrection you have excited, (which I trust in the goodnefs of God we fhall be able to do), I have been at pains to convince myself, and my fellow-lubjects, of the goodness of our caufe, by endeavouring to expole the weakness of what you have alledged in fup. port of yours; and I think I have demonftrated,- That you promile to restore what we are already poffeffed of; That you do not promife in plain and exprefs terms to pay the public debts contracted fince the revolution, but exprefsly threaten to hold the union of the kingdoms as diffolved; - That inconfiftently you admit mi carriages committed by your grandfather, and rights and liberties competent to the fubjects of this kingdom, and at the fame time affert that his expulfion or abdication was unlawful, and all the acts of go vernment invalid for thefe fifty-feven years paft; and, laftly, when you object mifcarriages to the prefent government, in order to excite a rebellion against it, you argue upon the very principle of the late revolution, which you deny; and in the application of that principle, argue moft unjustly, by labouring to excite a change of government, for reasons that were perhaps not fufficient to bring about a change of ministry. And for all thele reafons — you must excufe me, when I fubfcribe myself as being, in your affumed public character, SIR, Nov. 5. 1745. your generous adversary, BRITANNICUS. [An anonymous correfpondent has made remarks [ix. 531.], on two of the arguments infifted on in the preceding pamphlet.] 4 letter from Sir AMYES POULET, to Lord BUR EIGH; containing the fubftance of a conference between him and MARY Queen of Scots, on the receipt of a letter from his Lordship, advifing her to refign her intereft in the crown of Scotland to her fon, as the only means of obtaining her liberty: A letter the more curious, as it shows the true character of Sir A. YES, which has been variously reprefented by hiftorians. He feems to have been courteous and civil toartful and vigilant spy over all her actions. wards his prifoner, but at the fame time an My very good Lord, HAving deliveryd to this Queen your Lord hip's meffage, mentyoned yn your letters of the 22d of the last (month), The allowed thereof as dutyful to your prynce and country, and friendly towards her; and takyng the fame yn very thankful part, toke occafyon to ufe long expreffyons in commendation of your Lordthip; faving, that her Majeftie was happie to be fervyd by fo greate and favthful a councellour, and termyng your Lordhip the father of your country, with many other wordes of greate favour, expreffyng her good affectyon towards your Lordhip; and as well at that point, as yn another conference thortly after, feemyd to deale more confidently and more ynward, ly with me than yn tyme paft, which no doute proceedyd from no other cause than that by the delivery of this meflage the conceivyd fome earneft oppynyon of your Lordship's favour towards me, whereof the was not fully perfwadyd before, although the dyd not greatlye doute yt. Withyn fower or fyve dayes after, the 4 X 2 receyvyd receyvyd letters from Maubiffien, by the which he wryteth that your. Lordship advyfed thys Queen to refygne her intereft in the crowne of Scotland to her fonne, as the readyeft meane to detyver her out of the troubles of thys tyme; and that then, perchaunce, (this word was much notyd), the myght be permytted to retourne ynto Scotland, or to be reftoryd to fome other lybertye. TheQ. toke thys fo much at the hearte, as fhe would not be quyet untyll he had fent for me to come unto her, and then acquayntyng me wyth thys advertysement from Maubilien [the French ambassador], affyrmed wyth great paffyon, that yf you had ftryken her to the hearte wyth a dagger, you could not have offended her more than wyth thys meflage; and then, wyth many teares, and much fobbyng, fayed, that he had refufed the friend hypp of fome others in England for your fake, and for the efpecyall account fhe made of youe, for dyvers forrain prynces had been yncenfyd agaynft youe, but by her endeavour dyd nowe conceave honourablye of youe; yet was afrayd that bokes fhould have bene fett furthe to dyfcredyt your Lordship's doyngs yn manye thyngs, whych fhe would not perinyt, but ftayed them, for the love the dyd beare unto youe. Your Lordfhyp had wrytten long fythens, that you had the devyll yn fast bandes, (meaning herfelf), and that you would not lett hym loofe untyll hys lybertye might do good, which the had forgotten, and trodden under foote, and dyd not thinke to have called yt agayne to remembrance: and ys thys my recompenfe, fayeth fhe, to perfuade me to dyfpoffeffe myfelf from my crowne, and then perchaunce? &c. concludyng that the would not difhonour herself fo hyghly, and wold never be inducyd unto yt by anye English perfwafyons whatfoever. Her fonne dyd hold yt, and myght hold yt as an ufurper, but fhould not hold yt by authority from her, untyll he deferved it better. I told her, I was very forry to fee her fo much grieved upon fo flender a caufe, and wyth a matter whych the could not fo fuddenlye found to the bottom. I fayd, that councellours dyd not always fpeake to the ambaffadors of other prynces playnlye as they thought, and that your Lordihyp myght perchaunce faye thus much to Maubillien, for no other caufe than that he should report your oppynyon to others rather than to her; but that you dyd fpeake it in plain meanynge with vntent that hold be deliveryd over unto her, then the ought to believe that fome cause unknown to her moved you thereunto, and that you wold velde fuffycyent reason for what you had fayd when you were yn place to aunfwer for yourself. Manye wordes paflyd at that tyme betweene her and me, but her paffyon was fovebement as nothing could appease her, and I left her yn thys dyfcontentment, departyng from her not well contentyd of my parte. Fortnight after, or thereabouts, a woman who had fervyd Mrs Perpont manye yeres, and was out of the E of Shrew fburye' houfe not long before the departure of the Q. from thence, came to thys caftle-gate praying to fpeake with Mrs Perpont; whereof beyng denyed, the defyred to see her onlye; whych was alfo denyed. Then the prayed to fend her fome needle workes, whych she sayd the had made for thys Q. She was an fweryd, that the hold not reveale or delyver any thyng here, and therefore wylled to depart, and conveyed her out of the town by one of my warders. I had not yet forgotten the greetyng which I had from my Lord of Leycefter yn the lyke cause. Thys was taken unkyndlye, and hereupon I was requyred to come to thys Q. chamber, where he tolde me that he had conceavyd a very honourable oppynyon of me, (I use her owne termes), and therefore founde yt ftrange that I wold deale thus hardlye wyth her. After fome words paffed to and fro, and that her heate was now over-ruled with rea fon, I told her, I could not hope that her good opynyon of me could have any long continueance, when, upon fo flyght oc cafyons, fhe was fo readye to conceave hardlye of a Lord Treasurer, who, by hys credyt yn councyl, was able to ftand her in better ftede than twenty fuch as I was. Yes, (fayth the), I dyd repofe my comfort upon future thynges: I knowe ne myghte do me pleasure; but I am old through fyckneffe, lame yn my lynes, and out of all hope of long lyfe; and what fhall I do wyth a cawdell when I am dead alreadye? I holde thofe my good fryends who do theyr endeavours to get me fome fatysfactyon yn thys my ympryfonment, and are not unwyllyng that my fonae fhold reconcyle hymfelf unto me, my whole defyre and contentment restyng upon thefe two poynts. Do your not knowe, Madame, (fayd F), that the Lord Trea furer ys but one councellour among manye? do youe thynke that he can doe yn all thyngs as he would ? do youe not remember that youe have tolde me manye tymes, 40 tymes, that (you) have myghtie enemys nere to her Majeftye, and yet when youe have not full fatysfactyon yn all thyngs whych youe defyre, voue ympute the faulte to the Lord Treasurer, as though hys worde myght over-rule all things? No, (fayeth fhe), not fo; but I expect that my good fryends fhold employe theyr beft meanes to gyve me fome caufe of contentation among fo many troubles wherewyth I am overwhelmyd on every fyde; and then fell ynto a long dyfcourfe of her manyfeld myferyes, whych fhe = myngled with many teares, concludyng, that although the motyon made by your Lord- byp to Maubiffien touchyng her fonne dyd gryeve her greatlye, yet the dyd not cease to thynk honourably of youe. She feared (no doubt) left I had alreadye adverty fed your -Lordthyp of her fharpe fpeeches, and therefore asked me yf I had heard of late from your Lordfhyp. I answered, No; and that I had not wrytten one worde to youre Lordyp of that whych had passed between her and me yn these thyngs, as yndeed I had not, although I had forborne vt for no other cause then for want of a fayth ful meffenger. When my fervant departed from hens with my last letter to your Lord/hyp, I was somewhat grieved yn one of my hands, fo as I was not able to wryte, and therefore beyng unwyllyng to commyt thefe thyngs to any other man's penue, I have forborne untill thys prefent tyme, and now these letters come to your Lordfhyp by one of my owne fervants. God graunt unto your Lord hyp yn good health, a long and happye lyfe, and after lyfe everlaftynge. From Tutburye, the xth of Oct. 1585. A. POULET. This "His pamphlet contains an ample difplay of Mr Legge's abilities and conduct both in his public and private capacity, to the time of his death. Towards the conclufion of it we are told, that * Mr Legge being anxiously defirous, the world thould know, that he was not turned out for any blemish in his private or public character, he thought it the most fatisfactory method of fecuring his pofthumous reputation, to publish the few papers which explain his cafe. He apprehended himself intitled to do this, in his own vindication, as the papers contain no lecrets, either of state, or of private friendship. They are, agreeably to his defire, here laid before the world, in their original form, with only a previous fhort narrative of the tranfaction which occafioned them. Upon the prefent Duke of Bolton's accellion to his title, in the year 1759, Mr Legge was folicited to fucceed his Grace as one of the reprefentatives of the county of Southampton, his own feat in parliament chancing at that time to be vacant. He could not well have been im portuned to an undertaking more unpleafant to him; and he declined it more than once, without referve. The buftle of a popular election was unnatural to his liberal mind and manners; and a relation of that kind to a large county, in which he refided, might appear inconvenient to him, whofe hands were at that time filled with public business. But he was prevailed with to accept the offer, by the repeated intreaties of his friends: which were inforced by the plea, that his fortune and character would do credit to a party, which had all his life been countenanced by government, and with which he had ever acted uniformly, though with undiffembled moderation and good humour towards the other party. And he had the farther encouragement of hoping, from the intereft the crown exerted in his favour, in conjunction with that of the then prevailing party in the coun ty, as well as with his own personal intereft, which was very confiderable, that his election would not be contested. However, he fell into the difagreeable work of a conteft. His competitor was Mr Stuart, now Sir Simeon Stuart; and he found Mr Stuart's interest adopted by a Noble Lord, with whom Mr Legge was not at variance, who had no apparent relation of any kind to the county; whom therefore Mr Legge did not think of confulting, before he refolved to comply with the defire of his friends. After this county had been canvaffed on both sides, Mr Stuart thought fit to decline, and Mr Legge received the following letter. "Dear Sir, Downing Street, Nov. 25. Lord Bute fent to me this morning, and told me, that having an op portunity of faving you, he had embraced it, and done you an act of friendfhip; for that Mr Stuart having been with him for his advice, whether to leave or pursue the election, as fome of Mr Stuart's friends thought this critical fea fon of an invafion hanging over the king dom to be a very improper time for parliamentary contefts, his Lor fhp had determined the point for relinquishing the purfuit; in confequence of which Mr Stuart was to acquaint you with his refolution of declining a poll. Lord B. added, that neither he, nor the greater per fon, whofe name hath been ufed during the competition, would ever treat you with the more coldness for what bath happened; your part having been taken under an ignorance of their views and in tentions that Lord B.. expected, how ever, as he had a claim upon you, in right of friendship, that you will concur with him, and give your aid to the perfon he fhall recommend, at a future election. I answered to the laft point, that I knew not how far you would think your felf bound in honour to act with the body of Whigs on fuch an occafion; but if this confideration did not hinder, I was fure you would be happy, to give him that or any other evidence of your refpect for him You will be pleafed therefore to confider well, and (if you please) with the advice of your friends, before you give an anfwer on this head, that may tie you down; for on that answer, you plainly fee, very much will depend. I am. &c. S. M." To this letter Mr Legge returned the following anfwer. "Dear M. Holte, Dec. 5. 1759. I return you many thanks for your letter. Since I received it, I have had an opportunity of feeing a little more of the fpirit and temper of the county, and can answer it better, than I could have done fooner. Lr He do me great juftice in fuppofing I was totally ignorant of their concerning them felves at all in the Hampshire election, at the time my engagements were taken. I am obliged to Lord B. for any intentions he had to fave me, by the advice he gave to drop the oppofition; but if Mr Stuart, or his friends, had accepted the offer I made, with the concurrence of my friends, at the beginning, and as foon as I difcovered what, turn the elec. Lion might take, every with of Mr Stuart's had been fecured, the peace of the county never been interrupted, little lefs than 50col. a-piece faved to us both, and what is full of more confequence, a month's fern entations of parties been en tirely prevented, which never fails to turn them all four. Many of these good confequences had likewife been obtained, if the gentlemen had confulted, and enabled Lord B. to put an end to the con teft, before I left London, when you know how unwilling I was to push it to extremity. As to the event of the election, there was not the leaft doubt about it. The county was thoroughly canvaffed, and upon as exact returns as, I believe, ever are or can be made in a case of this kind, I could have given Mr Stuart all the doubtful ones and all the neuters, in addition to his own poll, and yet have carried the election by a majority of 1400. I did not come into a single town, (except Alton), where it was not expected every day, that the opposition would be given up, and where almost any odds would not have been laid, that it never came to a poll. Nor do I think, any confultation would have been held about dropping the affair, if all the money fubfcribed against me, and more, had not been expended, and all probability of carrying the point entirely vanished. This is my own firm opinion and belief; and yet, whoever reads my advertisement will fee, that I have acted with the utmoft candor, and given my opponents credit for fuch motives of retreat, as I am fure do them no difhonour. The expence indeed would have been enormous, if the difpute had been carried through: and fo far I own there is a saving to us both; for I am convinced it would have amounted to above 20,000 l. a piece. This is a fum I fhould have felt severely ; and yet, after my offer to compromise had been rejected, I must and would have spent it; and could have done it, without mortgaging my eftate. I leave you to judge, what effect it would have had on Mr Stuart's. After faying thus much, I am very far from having any perfonal diflike to Mr Stuart; on the contsary, I think he has been cruelly treated by some of his friends; and if the prevailing party in this county will receive him without oppofition, I thall be very well fatisfied and glad of it. But if the Whigs and Diffenters, who are very numerous in this county, will make a point of oppofing him, it will be impoffible for me to declare for him, and abandon thofe who have fupported me, to take part with those against whom they have fupported me. This would not only put my own election in jeopardy, but be › ungrateful and fo difreputable a on this anfwer, Mr Legge received which melige a categorical answer required; and Mr Legge fent the folig, in writing, on the fame day. Legge understanding it to be exd, that he (who never had engaged in the county of Southampton, if ntentions of L-r H had been in communicated to him) fhall not only e to be chofen himself at the next ral election, but allift Lord Carnarand Mr Stuart, in oppofition to thofe have fupported Mr Legge at the late ion, is determined to fubmit to any quences rather than incur fo great grace." As Mr Legge flatters himself this confideration will induce the P of W to forgive his entering into engagements. with the county of Southampton, he is certain, that his RHwill not condemn his adhering to thofe engage, ments, when entered into. God forbid, Mr Legge fhould be fufpested of triumphing over the P of W inclinations! The contrary was fo muth his intention, that from the moment he dilcovered which way thofe inclinations lay, there was no endeavour he did not ufe, to avoid the difpute with honour; nor did Mr Legge exert him-. felf, eitner in point of expence or perfonal application, till all compromife being rejested, he had no other part left to act. Mr Legge is obliged to Lord B. for the friendship he exprefles towards him. Surely his Lordship cannot doubt but that Mr Legge thould be extremely glad, if he could find himself in fuch a fituation, as would permit him to have the honour of obeying the Pof W's commands, and feconding his wifhes, without breaking the faith he has openly and publicly pledged to the county of Southampton. This if he were to do, he should forfeit all title to the P of W- -'s countenance and protection, as certainly as he knows he fhould forfeit his R-H-'s pri vate good opinion." rd B. fent a reply the fame day, which wrote down from his mouth, in ollowing words. "The inftant Mr je reprefents himself as bound in ho- Here the correspondence ended. His not to decline standing for Hamp- late Majefty died the year following, at the next general election, Lord and at the end of the first feffion of parfirmly perfuaded, that the Pliament after his prefent Majefty's acby no means defire it of him; but he ceffion, Mr Legge was difmiffed, or, as , out of real friendship to Mr Legge, he chofe to exprefs it, turned out, after ech him to confider very ferioully, having ferved the crown and the public, ther, after triumphing over the P-'s in his department, during that feffion, with nations at prefent, Lord B. has any his ufual ability and fidelity. r method left of removing prejudices the late unhappy occurrences have A comparison between ALEXANDER, HANgly imprefled the P- with, than NIBAL, SCIPIO, and CESAR. eing enabled to affure him, that Mr ge will, as far as fhall be in his power, perate with his RH's wishes he next general election." Ir Legge returned the following final WHen Minos paffes judgment, in Lu cian, between thefe great generals, and places Alexander first, then Scipio, and laft of all Hannibal, I cannot agree with him, any more than with Appian, who has been of the fame opinion, in his treatife on the wars of the Romans in Syria. It appears that they have judged of the merits of thofe heroes by their enterprifes, and the confequences that have attended them; and not, as they should have done, by their actions feparately confidered, and by the conjunctures and difpofitions of time and place. If they had carried their reflections thus far, they ought, |