1757. immediately; and that was, the petty constables absolutely refused to draw them, as they said if they did, they should subject themselves to be knocked on the head on their return to their respective parishes.

Since my beginning this letter, I have received an account from the Secretary at War, that two troops of horse guards now quartered at Uxbridge and Hillingdon are ordered to Biggleswade.*

I am, &c.

BEDFORD.

DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

My Lord,

Newcastle House, October 3. 1757.

The King has commanded me to write to your Grace in the greatest confidence, upon an affair on which his Majesty is desirous to know as soon as possible your Grace's thoughts. Your Grace is acquainted with the very unhappy situation

*This letter relates to the disturbances that took place on the new militia bill. Mr. Potter, who then resided at Ridgmount in Bedfordshire, now the property of the Duke of Bedford, thus writes to Mr. Pitt:- "The Duke of Bedford has acted as became him, and has shown a great spirit and activity, joined to great prudence and consideration. On Friday last he met the deputy lieutenants and magistrates at Bedford: great apprehensions were entertained by the timid of the violence to be committed that day; and there were found men of rank who confined themselves to their houses, lest by coming to the meeting they should be the objects of resentment."-Chatham Correspondence, vol. i. p. 260.

of the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel, drove from his
own country by the French, which country has been
and is possessed by the French. This greatly in-
creases the distressed situation which her Royal
Highness the Princess of Hesse, the King's daughter,
and the princes her children, are in. Her Royal
Highness has, in the most dutiful manner, applied
to the King for his Majesty's protection and support,
and that he would of his great goodness make some
separate allowance for her and the princes her
children in the Irish establishment. The King is
sensible how much that establishment is loaded, and
is therefore very unwilling to lay any further en-
cumbrance upon it. His Majesty is at the same
time, from his paternal affection, very desirous to as-
sist his royal daughter, if there was an opportunity
of doing it. No permanent provision, your Grace
knows, can be made upon the civil list of England;
the King would therefore be glad to know your
Grace's opinion, whether a pension of six thousand
pounds per annum, for the life of her
ness the Princess of Hesse, and for

Royal High

her children afterwards, till they or any of them shall succeed to the landgravate of Hesse Cassel, might be granted on the Irish establishment, without prejudice to his Majesty's service in that kingdom; and in that casc, the King would leave entirely to your Grace the time and manner of doing it, and the carrying it or not into execution, till the business of your session shall be over. The King is thoroughly persuaded that your Grace's zeal for his service, and

1757.

1757.

regard for his royal family are such, that if you find this can be done without great inconvenience, your Grace will be glad to concert the carrying these his Majesty's wishes into execution. I hope soon to hear of your Grace's safe arrival in Ireland; and am, &c. &c.

HOLLES NEWCASTLE.

DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE.

My Lord,

Dublin Castle, October 13. 1757.

I am honoured with your Grace's letter of the 3d instant, with his Majesty's commands to report my opinion whether a pension of 60007. a year for the life of H. R. H. the Princess of Hesse Cassel, and afterwards for the princes her children till they or any of them shall succeed to the landgravate of Hesse Cassel, might be granted on the Irish establishment without prejudice to his Majesty's service in that kingdom. As it will very little become me to suggest difficulties that may in any degree operate towards restraining his Majesty's liberality, more especially in this case, where his royal daughter and her children are so essentially concerned, I shall presume to do no more than to lay before your Grace for his Majesty's information the present state of the pension list, compared with what it was at the King's accession to the throne,

as likewise the increase on the whole charge of the civil establishment of Ireland from that period to the present year. The pension list, as made up at midsummer, 1727, amounted but to 37,9947. 10s.; whereas the present annual charge amounts to 55,2537. 15s., and makes an increase of 17,2591. 5s. per annum. But it is right to observe in this place, that by deaths of the French pensioners since 1727 a reduction of 11,2407. 14s. 2d. is made in the pensions formerly granted them by the crown, and that 6247., part of a sum formerly granted by Queen Anne to the Palatines, and at that time a charge upon the establishment, is now entirely ceased, by which means the gross list of pensions doth not exceed what it was in 1727 but a little more than 50000. per annum. Upon comparing the whole civil establishment as it is at present, viz. 92,2937.7s. 11d., with what it was in 1727, viz. 80,3467. Os. 11d., the increase will be 11,9477. 7s. per annum, occasioned by the additional salaries that have been given to the judges, &c., and some other incidental charges. Besides the concordatum fund of 50000. does never near answer the demand upon it, and the deficiency is constantly made up out of the ordinary revenue. Having as succinctly as possible laid before your Grace for his Majesty's information the exact state of the civil establishment of Ireland, and the increase of it within these last thirty years, I have only to add now, that I fear the revenue is at least in an equal degree decreasing, both customs and excise necessarily sinking during a time of war.

1757.

1757.

When his Majesty shall have considered the present state of this country, which I think the duty of my place obliges me to lay thus fully before him, he will be the best judge how well it can bear a farther drain of 6000l. per annum, and whether the pension list will not be rather overloaded by this additional charge upon it, especially as I fear it will be unavoidably necessary, in order to carry on with smoothness his Majesty's business here, to give occasionally some small pensions to those whose indigent circumstances make it necessary for them to ask, and whose connection with considerable persons here make it difficult for me to refuse. However, I can with great truth assure his Majesty that I will not, unless I find it absolutely necessary for his service, apply to him for pensions on this establishment whilst the list shall continue so overloaded.

I have thus, in discharge of my duty, laid before the King my thoughts on the point on which his Majesty has ordered me to give my opinion, humbly submitting it to him, that in case the Parliament of Great Britain could be prevailed on to grant 60007. per annum to H. R. H. the Princess of Hesse for her life and of the princes her children (which I think ought to be done, considering the landgrave is drove out on account of his alliance with Great Britain), it would be a much more desirable way than the taking it from this establishment; but as I must leave that to his Majesty's superior wisdom, and the conduct of his ministers on your side the water, I have only to add, that in case the King shall think