CCCCXLIII.

ADDRESS

TO THE KING*.

To the KING's Moft Excellent MAJESTY. The humble Addrefs of the Right Honourable

the Earl of Clare, Lord Lieutenant, and the Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Middlefex, and City and Liberty of Westminster.

WE

'E your Majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Lord Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenants of the county of Middlesex, and city and liberty of Westminster, beg leave, upon our first public meeting, to congratulate your Majefty upon your fafe and peaceable acceffion to your undoubted right. We receive the invaluable bleffing with all the proper fentiments of undiffembled joy, affection, and zeal.

"April 7, 1715, the Deputy Lieutenants for the county of Middlefex, and city and liberty of Westminster, gave a moft magnificent and fplendid entertainment to the Right Honourable the Earl of Clare, their Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Viscount Townshend, General Stanhope, the Earl of Lincoln, and several other perfons of diftinction. At this meeting the Lord Lieute nant and Deputy Lieutenants agreed upon an addrefs drawn up by Richard Steele, Efquire, one of their body; which, the next day, the Earl of Clare, at the head of his Deputy Lieutenants, being introduced by the Lord Viscount Townshend, presented to his Majefty. His Majefty, as a mark of his fpecial favour, was pleated, on this occafion, to beftow the honour of knighthood on three of the deputy lieutenants, viz, Robert Thornhill, Richard Steele, and George Cooke, Efquires." Political State, vol. IX. p. 273.

Ff4

Our

Our joy is the joy of men whofe past fears heighten their present satisfaction: fears which have no other proof that they were imaginary, but that Providence hath been much more merciful to us than we could in reason expect.

:

The liberty and happiness of mankind was the glorious caufe, and the glorious end, of that Revolution which tranfmitted to us our present fecurity a tranfaction which, fince your Majefty's acceffion to the crown, fhines with redoubled luftre, and bears upon it fuch characters of glory as they, who have not hitherto been able or willing to fee, cannot escape enjoying in its influences upon the public welfare.

This happiness appears confirmed to us when we behold a British parliament once more anxious for the British honour, equally difpofed to enquire into the behaviour of those who diminifhed it, and to refcue the injured reputation of the illuftrious men by whofe councils and actions it was once raised to the highest pitch of greatness.

From these concurring circumftances we affure ourselves, that the time is now come, wherein integrity and uprightness fhall no longer be diftinguished from true policy; wherein cunning fhall no longer pass for wisdom, nor deceitfulnefs for prudence; but the measures of a wife, juft, beneficent, and steady administration, shall establish the prosperity of these realms, by a

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strict alliance with those powers, the abandoning of whom has fo manifeftly appeared fatal to

them and ourselves.

On this occafion permit us further to congratulate your Majefty, in that we cannot but daily obferve numbers of your Majefty's fubjects act according to their real fentiments, and to extricate themselves from the ill impreffions under which they were mifled by artful men, to make choice of fuch as favoured defigns destructive of the liberties of that very conftitution which they were elected to preferve and defend.

As for us, whom your Majefty has entrusted with the militia of this county, we folemnly promife, that we will faithfully execute the truft repofed in us; that we will be fo far from encouraging or conniving at any of those riots and disorders which your Majefty has juftly complained of, as the reproach of fome late years, that no endeavours, on our part, shall be wanting, to prevent and fupprefs the least tendency to any commotion.

We flatter ourselves that our latest pofterity fhall enjoy thofe bleffings we now do in your Majesty's reign, from the eminent virtues of the Prince of Wales, and the pleafing profpect of his numerous iffue: which that they may do, are the fincere prayers of your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects.

[To

[To which his Majefty was pleased to return the following moft gracious answer:] "I thank you for your very loyal and duti "ful addrefs."

LETTER

CCCCXLIV*.

To the Earl of CLARE t.

MY LORD,

THE

[1715].

HE following papers were written to confront daring and wicked men in the profecution of purposes deftructive to their country. The honeft intention of them was what firft recommended me to your Lordship's friendship, and I hope you will forgive me that I cannot

* Prefixed to Steele's "Political Writings, 1715.”

+ Thomas Lord Pelham, the adopted heir to his uncle John, Duke of Newcastle, was born Aug. 1, 1693; became Baron Pelham, Feb. 23, 1711-12; was created Earl of Clare, and Viscount Houghton, O&. 26, 1714; made Cuftos Rotulorum of the county of Middlesex, Nov. 10, and of Westminster, Dec. 28, 1714; and the fame year Steward of Sherwood Foreft; created Marquis and Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne, Aug. 2, 1715; elected a Knight of the Garter, July 22, 1718. On refigning the poft of Lord Chamberlain, April 2, 1724, he was appointed Secretary of State; chofen Recorder of Nottingham in April, 1726; High Steward of Cambridge in July, 1737; Chancellor of that university, 1749; First Lord of the Treasury, on the death of his brother, 1754, a post which he held with a fmall interval until the year 1762, when he refigned it; was created Duke of Newcastle under Line, Nov. 13, 1756; appointed Lord Privy Seal, July 15, 1765, but continued fo only about one year. He died Nov. 17, 1768.

conceal

conceal a circumftance fo advantageous to the fame of them as that of your Lordship's approbation.

The painful ftruggle under fo great a difficulty, as explaining with a miniftry in open contradiction to their proceedings, is what can be supported by nothing less than the teftimony of a good confcience, and an heart pure from a vicious ambition. And thefe are fuch fupports as will keep a man from languishing in difcontent, fhould he, amidst the profperities of the cause he has endeavoured to ferve, live to find zeal for the publick, of all human virtues, the most exposed to the cool comfort of being its own reward; and that which was undertaken against the inclinations to mirth and pleasure, out of a fenfe of duty and honour, to have little other effect than to become a man's characteriftick, and by that means to give a turbulent air to all his other pretenfions, and even to fink the agreeableness of the friend and companion, by the appearance of fomewhat fuppofed to be demanding in the patriot.

But why do I mention these things here? All the world is witnefs, that it hath been your Lordship's early inclination to find out and encourage the lovers of your country, to comfort them under the neglect of their friends, and fupport them against the refentment of their enemies.