turned out at all events, and so thinks to secure a little popularity? Fox has sent me word to expect such a sessions of Parliament as I have never seen; that there is like to be bustle enough to satisfy even me, but I cannot be so sanguine myself. I have seen so many clouds gathered and blown over, that I despair of a storm: however, I cannot help hoping, I have so much of the Pall Mall in me still. I am ever your Grace's, the Duchess of Bedford's, and the whole House of Woburn's Most faithful &c. 1755. RICHARD RIGBY. LORD GOWER TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. My dear Lord, London, Oct. 14. 1755, eleven o'clock. The enclosed letter I have just received from Mr. Fox, and think I cannot possibly give an answer to it without communicating the entire contents to your Grace. I take the reason of this letter being sent to me to be, that if your Grace does not approve of the terms proposed, you may not be put to the disagreeable necessity of giving a refusal or his Majesty of receiving it. I must own that I am glad to find that his Grace of N. seems to be entirely out of the present transactions, and that though his downfall is not immediate, every 1755. political step seems to portend it. I intend setting out for Stratton on Thursday, unless your Grace's determination upon this measure should make my continuance in London necessary. I am your Grace's most obliged MR. FOX TO LORD GOWER. GOWER. October 14. 1755. My Lord, H. R. H. the Duke approves, and therefore your Lordship will allow of my taking this liberty. I make it my humble request to your Lordship that if in your opinion it is not improper, you would sound the Duke of Bedford, to know whether, if H. M. should send to ask his Grace's assistance to quell the spirit that is rising against the subsidiary treaties entered into for the defence of H. M.'s electoral dominions, and should express that for this purpose he should think it for his service that his Grace should immediately take the Privy Seal, whether, I say, his Grace would receive the message in such manner as H. M. would wish, and come and take the Seal accordingly. I need not tell your Lordship that I would not propose this without your knowing that such a message might be procured, and it is as little necessary to say to one of your Lordship's rank and understanding, that no such message must be procured till the reception it would meet with is certainly known. I How much the King, the public, and (which is of little consequence) my future situation is concerned in the event of this matter will no doubt occur to your Lordship, and even the last may, flatter myself, have some little weight. Should your Lordship's answer be such as I most earnestly wish it may, who would be the proper messenger directly from the King to the Duke of Bedford? I think your Lordship, as it would be doing the Duke of Bedford more honour, and perhaps would please the King better than sending it either by the Duke of Grafton or Lord Waldegrave.* I am, &c. H. Fox. * Mr. Fox's great point was to signalise his preferment by the accession of the Duke of Bedford and his party. The faction were sufficiently eager for such a junction, the Duke himself most averse to it, especially as the very band of concord was to be an approbation of the treaties; the tenor of his opposition had run against such measures; these were certainly not more of English stamp. When the Duchess and his connection could not prevail on him to give up his humour and his honour, to gratify their humour and necessities, Mr. Fox and Lord Sandwich employed Lord Fane, whom the Duke of Bedford esteemed as the honestest man in the world, to write him a letter, advising his Grace to vote for the treaties; and they were careful to prevent his conversing with Mr. Pitt, which he wished, or with any other person, who might confirm him in a jealousy of his honour; indeed, he did not want strong sensations of it; they drew tears from him before they could draw compliance. Fox would have engaged him to accept the Privy Seal, which he had prepared the Duke of Marlborough to cede, but the Duke of Bedford had resolution enough to refuse any Brother-in-law to Lord Sandwich; the letter is in the collection of MSS. at Woburn Abbey. 1755. THE DUKE OF BEDFORD TO LORD GOWER. Woburn Abbey, Oct. 15. 1755. Your servant has this moment brought me your letter, with an account of what you had heard in relation to my coming again into employment: it gives me great concern that I cannot at present be of any utility to his Majesty in this critical situation of affairs, not only as I have ever determined since my resigning the Seals, upon no account to enter into public business whilst the Duke of N. should continue at the head of affairs, but also that the affair of these late subsidiary treaties (of which I know no more than what the Dutch Gazettes inform me) seems to me to be calculated more to bring on a war on the Continent of Europe than for the sole defence of his Majesty's electoral dominions, which doubtless can be in no imminent danger from any aggressor, as being under the protection and part of the Roman empire, besides the necessity this country will be ever under of causing ample satisfaction to be made to his Majesty for any losses he or his German subjects may have sustained en haine, for what he may have done as King of Great Britain. I hope you will be now convinced that what I now do does not proceed either from want of duty to his employment for himself. Ac- seen at the conclusion of the year.- Walpole's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 404. Majesty, or from any dislike to any number of people now employed. My duty to the King will carry me as far as my duty to my country will allow me, to the support of his dominions abroad; but what I owe to myself will not permit me again to enter into the King's service whilst the person who has once deceived me is so high, if not at the head of the administration. Let me add one word before I conclude, that no one can have a more dutiful regard than myself for the great person mentioned in the beginning of the account you sent me, nor a greater desire of obeying his commands, as far as I can consistently with my former actions and my present opinion of the state of things; and I must likewise desire the favour of your Lordship to assure the person who wrote to you that no one can wish him better than myself, and that I am heartily sorry it is not in my power to do what I perceive would be agreeable to him. 1755. I am, &c. BEDFORD. MR. RIGBY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. My dear Lord Duke, Arlington Street, Nov. 26. 1755. Had we not to-day voted away some hundred pounds of your Grace's money, by granting four shillings in the pound land tax, there would not have happened an occurrence for me to have |