proper to have the 6000l. taken out out of this establishment, I will use my utmost endeavours to make it as little unpalatable to the nation here as possible, and by the utmost frugality of the public revenue strive to make it able to bear this additional weight upon it.

1757.

I am, &c.

BEDFORD.

MR. FOX TO THE DUKE OF Bedford.

Holland House, Wednesday, Oct. 12. 1757.

My dear Lord,

I will begin by a message to your Grace just given me by the Duke.* H. R. H. bids me tell your Grace, that he can justify himself in every respect of honour to the entire satisfaction of your Grace, who are so nice and so good a judge of it; and that he always intended to let your Grace know so much as soon as he arrived, lest the usage he meets with, and the reports that are spread, should (though he flatters himself nothing could) stagger your good opinion of him, on which he sets the highest value. I am now to tell your Grace all that has passed since he arrived. I went to

The Duke of Cumberland, after the convention of ClosterSeven, returned at once to England. For an account of the

treatment he met with from the
King, see Walpole's Memoirs, vol.
ii. p. 247.

1757.

him as soon as he arrived last night, to give him information (of which I had collected all I could). He came into the room to Windham, Napier, Sir E. Fawkner, and myself. When I kissed his hand, he said, "You see me as well as ever I was in my life, both in body and in mind.” I said I had heard with great pleasure that he had quite recovered his health, but I feared I should not have seen him well in mind. "You have always mistaken me, Mr. Fox. With respect to the King, I am perfectly easy; I have the King's orders in writing for what I have done, and I have done better for him than I thought the exigency would have allowed of." He then dressed while we stood by; and then talked military to Napier, till the King came to the Princesses, when he went to his Majesty. This morning early H. R. H. sent for me, and told me he saw I came last night to speak to him, for which he thanked me; but that he was resolved to see no man alone, or hear anybody's opinion, till he had seen the King, and taken his step. He saw H. M. for a few minutes, when he left us. His reception was bad (of which he entered into no particulars).* He then went to the card-playing, and after the King retired desired Lady Yarmouth, in the most respectful and most submissive manner, to let the King know that he had it not in his power to serve H. M. any longer, and that he

* Walpole tells us that the King, when playing at cards, said

aloud, "Here is my son, who has

ruined me, and disgraced himself."

had no favour left to ask, but leave to quit. Lady Yarmouth desired him to take no resolution. He answered, that his resolution was not now to take; he had had time to reflect on his own conduct, which was irreproachable, and on the impossibility of his showing due regard to his own honour by any other method than what he now pursued. She asked him if he was determined? He said, yes; and that he only spoke to her as the person who could with most ease and least offence let the King know it. I told H. R. H. that your Grace expressed your dread of this step, and that it was likewise the Duke of Devonshire's and Lord Waldegrave's opinion that it would add greatly to the distress and danger of this country, already in a deplorable situation. He said a point of honour was in question, on which nobody should ask advice. His submission, his duty, his regard to the King, were without bounds on ahy other subject; but, dear as the King was to him, his own honour was dearer to him even than the King. He is not only in temper, but cheerful, and at ease to such a degree as I have seldom known him. He is a little vexed, he says, to be obliged, as he must own himself to be, to Mr. Pitt for his very honourable behaviour on this occasion. The King sent Munckhausen (who, by the way, must be mad, for he has treated the convention to the whole world, and even General Napier, as infâme, indigne, lâche, &c.). The King sent this Munckhausen to the conciliabulum, to show the letters which were to prove that H. R. H. had acted without orders, and

1757.

1757.

these letters proved the contrary to the conviction
of
minister present.
every
"I must," says Pitt,
"as a man of honour and a gentleman, allow every
where that H. R. H. had full powers to do what he
has done." Your Grace knows that before this
H. M. wrote a cruel letter to the Duke, and had it
translated into French, and shown to every foreign
minister, and disclaimed the treaty to the King of
Prussia in particular, and I believe to almost every
court in Europe. H. R. H. this morning showed
me the King's letters, which are not full powers
only, but directions to prevent the army from
becoming prisoners of war at any rate, and to
sign a treaty for that purpose if necessary, without
waiting for any formality, or further directions
from hence whatever; and Munckhausen told M.
D'Abreu* the amount of this treaty, as what would
be concluded, four days before it came.
But now

I will tell your Grace what I take to be the cause
of all this anger. Steinburg, by the King's order,
sent the King of Prussia word that he was treating.
The King of Prussia represented immediately
against it, and strongly here. The English mi-
nisters, who knew nothing of this negotiation,
pressed Michel's memorial. H. M. said his hands
were tied as elector, and gave that answer which
your Grace has seen in the papers signed by Lord
Holdernesse, and dated September the 16th.
Whether by their arguments, or promises what

* Spanish minister to the court of St. James.

they would do for the electorate if the elector did not treat, the English ministers brought his Majesty to wish that no treaty might be concluded, and on the 16th he wrote to that effect. But on the 17th the convention comes. His Majesty in a rage would have persuaded everybody, and himself too, that it was neither necessary, nor by his authority; disclaims the treaty, and disclaims his son, and that in such opprobrious terms as are beyond belief, as well as beyond excuse. Let me add, that the Duke and all his officers say that Staadt was not tenable for a day. The army could not be in the place, and whenever M. Richelieu should attack the lines he

must conquer.

The Duke of Devonshire is just come hither from court. The King has sent his cabinet council to make their bows to the Duke. H. R. H. was remarkably civil to Pitt, and very properly took no notice of Holdernesse. His Majesty, upon receiving the Duke's message, bid Lady Yarmouth send the Duke of Devonshire to him; but his Grace did not get to court time enough to see the King to-day. Lady Yarmouth conjured his Grace to try to alter the Duke's determination; but the Duke told him that he could not ask, or even advise the King to what would be necessary to clear his reputation (I suppose he means contradicting himself to every court in Europe), and therefore he must take the only step that was in his own power to clear it. The Duke of Devonshire sees him to-morrow morning again, and then the King. Your Grace shall by

1757.