1757.

the post know the result. The Duke does not know my opinion; he has been so kind as not to ask it. But to your Grace I will own that from the moment I knew his Majesty had disavowed the Duke publicly, I thought this the only step H. R. H. had to take. If this country is to be fought for here, H. R. H. may and will come from Windsor to command. Sir John Mordaunt is in an ugly scrape; his Majesty and his ministers are equally and excessively angry with him. Vernon will bring your Grace a pamphlet, all of which I believe is true, except that there were such batteries as those as are there mentioned. Sir John Mordaunt says they know nothing of what was on the shore. The delays from the 23rd to the 29th, the embarking them in boats to land, and laying all thoughts of landing aside afterwards, give room for questions that can never all be answered. Bad news, too, from America. Indeed, my Lord, we seem so pushed and so disgraced on every side, that I cannot guess how we shall extricate ourselves.

Pitt is sole minister (and I am glad of it), not by having gained the King, but by the entire submission of Lord Hardwicke and the Duke of Newcastle to him. I hear he is determined to push the King of Prussia's cause to the utmost, and not to talk of what war shall cost next year. I am very much obliged by your Grace's goodness. I think I barely asked it, and at a great distance, when I thought it

* Commander of the expedition against Rochfort.

would please the Duke of Bolton; but if your Grace has any reason for thinking that to prefer Doyne will please the Marquis of Winchester, I really hope your Grace will never do it.

Give me leave to beg my best respects to all within the castle. I shall have little time to write either to Lord Digby or to Rigby. Be so good as to impart to them as much of the news I send your Grace as you think proper.

I am, &c.

1757.

H. Fox.

DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE TO THE DUKE OF

My Lord,

BEDFORD.

Devonshire House, Oct. 15. 1757.

I have received a letter from Lord Tullamore*, desiring me to mention to your Grace what passed between him and me relative to an earldom, and I hope your Grace will excuse me troubling you on this account. His lordship applied to me to make him an earl. I told him it was usual they should rise regularly, and offered to recommend him to be a viscount two years ago; he declined it, but desired I would upon a future occasion endeavour to get him made an earl, which I gave him reason to hope for. When your Grace was made lord-lieutenant

* Charles Moore, second Lord ral in Ireland; created Earl of Tullamore, Muster-master-gene- Charleville 16th September, 1758.

1757.

he desired me to mention the state of the case to your Grace, which I promised to do; but at the same time told him I could not interfere, for that every lord-lieutenant must judge for himself, and recommend those he thought most proper. As this was the whole that passed, I was desirous your Grace should know it.

I know Mr. Fox has given you an account of the situation of our affairs here; they are as gloomy as possible. I find by the Duke of Newcastle that there are letters from Spain, the contents of which are very bad. The proposition was made by Keene to Wall, who received it very ill, refused even to mention it, and threw out almost threats of taking part against us. I am informed, though, from another channel, that there is no danger of that; and should hope that Wall's manner of speaking was in some measure owing to the bad terms that he and Sir Benjamin are on. on. My intelligence, which is not bad, is that Spain will stick to her neutrality.

I have been employed as a negotiator between the King and the Duke,—a very disagreeable office. As soon as I saw no good was to be done, the Duke desired leave to retire; the King with reluctance consented to his giving up the command of the army, but wished him to keep the regiment of Guards. H. R. H. desired to be excused; the King would not accept it, but ordered me to go again and press him to keep it. I have been, without effect. He has leave to come to the King whenever

he pleases, and is returned now just as if nothing had happened. I believe we think we were too hasty. The Duke goes to Windsor to-morrow after court, and proposes coming up of a Sunday as usual.

Great noise made upon the return of the expedition without having attempted any thing. Almost every body is in the dark, for all the letters have been stopped -two from Mr. Conway to me have never come to hand. I doubt it will I doubt it will prove that this expedition was undertaken upon very slender information of the real strength of the place, or the nature of the coast; for in the first council of war, sea and land agreed unanimously that the attacking the town of Rochfort was neither advisable nor practicable. Time will, I suppose, clear up this affair to us; in the interim it produces clamour and discontent. I most sincerely wish your Grace an easy and quiet session, and am with great regard,

1757.

My Lord, &c.

DEVONSHIRE.

Sir,

DUKE OF BEDFORD TO THE DUKE OF

CUMBERLAND.

Carton, October 20. 1757.

Having just now received a letter from Mr. Fox, with your Royal Highness's most kind message to me, in relation to the part you have been obliged

1757.

to take in consequence of the unfortunate situation of his Majesty's affairs in Germany, and feeling your goodness and condescension to me in informing me that you can justify yourself in every respect of honour in all that you have done, I cannot omit taking the first opportunity of assuring your Royal Highness, that I am most firmly convinced of your having done every thing in your power for the service of the King that the circumstances of affairs would permit, and upon the same principles of honour with which you have always acted. Give me leave, at the same time, to return my most sincere thanks for the justice you have done me in believing that no usage your Royal Highness may meet with, nor reports that may be spread, shall ever stagger me in the great opinion I have of your honour, abilities, and zeal for his Majesty's service. The unfortunate situation of affairs, both at home and abroad, makes me more particularly at this time regret the loss the King and the nation suffer by the cruel necessity which obliges you to quit his service for the present; but as I am sure whenever the defence of his kingdoms shall make it necessary for your Royal Highness to quit your retirement you will be ever ready to do it, I feel this satisfaction, that in that time of distress (which may possibly come too soon upon us) your Royal Highness will be at hand to take that command which alone, under God, can save us.

I am, &c.

BEDFORD.