the treaty of the Pyrenees, negociated in 1659, when Louis XIV. was married to the Infanta Maria Theresa, daughter of Philip IV. as I shall afterward have occasion more particularly to relate. In the mean time we must make a pause.

END OF THE FIRST PART.

OF

MODERN EUROPE.

PART II.

FROM THE PEACE OF WESTPHALIA, IN 1648, TO THE PEACE OF PARIS, IN 1763.

LETTER I.

ENGLAND AND IRELAND, FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES I, TO

THE MURDER OF SIR THOMAS OVERBURY, AND THE FALL OF SOMERSET, IN 1615.

IN bringing down the general transactions of Europe to the peace of Westphalia, when a new

A. D. 1603.

epoch in Modern History commences, I excused myself from carrying the affairs of England lower than the death of Elizabeth.

This arrangement, my dear Philip, was suggested by the nature of the subject. The accession of the family of Stuart to the throne of England forms a memorable æra in the history of Great-Britain. It gave birth to a struggle, between the king and parliament, that repeatedly threw the whole island into convulsions, and which was never fully composed, until the final expulsion of the royal family. To make you acquainted

acquainted with the rise and progress of this important struggle, while your mind is disengaged from other objects, and before I again lead you into the great line of European politics, with which it had little connexion, shall now be my business. By entering upon it sooner, I should have disjointed the continental story, have withdrawn your attention from matters of no less moment, and yet have been obliged to discontinue the subject, when it became most interesting.

The English throne being left vacant by the death of Elizabeth, who with her latest breath had declared, that she wished to be succeeded by her nearest kinsman, the king of Scots, or who in her dying moments had made signs to that purpose, James was immediately proclaimed king of England by the lords of the privy-council. He was great-grandson of Margaret, eldest daughter of Henry VII. so that on the failure of the male line of the house of Tudor, his hereditary title remained unquestionable. The crown of England therefore passed from the family of Tudor to that of Stuart, with as much tranquillity as ever it was transmitted from father to son. People of all ranks forgetting their ancient hostilities with Scotland, and their aversion against the dominion of strangers, testified their satisfaction with louder acclamations than were usual at the accession even of their native princes. They foresaw greater advantages resulting from a perpetual alliance with Scotland, than inconveniencies from submitting to a sovereign of that kingdom. And by this junction of its whole collective force, Great-Britain has risen to a degree of power and consequence in Europe, which Scotland and England, destined by their position to form one vigorous monarchy, could never have attained as separate and hostile kingdoms.

Dazzled with the glory of giving a master to their rich and powerful rivals, and relying on the partiality of their native prince, the Scots expressed no less joy than the English, at this increase of their sovereign's dignity; and as his

presence

presence was necessary in England, where the people were impatient to see their new king, James instantly prepared to leave Edinburg, and set out for London without delay. In his journey, crowds of his English subjects every where assembled to welcome him; great were the rejoicings, and loud and hearty the salutations that resounded from all sides. But James, who wanted that engaging affability by which Elizabeth had captivated the hearts of her people: and who, although social and familiar among his friends and courtiers, could not bear the fatigue of rendering himself agreeable to a mixed multitude; James, who, though far from disliking flattery, was still fonder of ease, unwisely issued a proclamation forbidding such tumultuous resorts'. A disadvantageous comparison between his deportment and that of his illustrious predecessor was the consequence: and if Elizabeth's frugality in conferring honours had formerly been repined at, it was now justly esteemed, in consequence of that undistinguishing profusion with which James bestowed them2.

The king's liberality, however, in dispensing these honours, it may be presumed, would have excited less censure in England, had they not been shared out, with other advanta ges, in too unequal proportions to his Scottish courtiers, a numerous train of whom accompanied him to London. Yet it must be owned, in justice to James, whose misfortune it was through his whole reign, to be more guided by temper and inclination than by the rules of political prudence, that he left all the great offices of state in the hands of Elizabeth's ministers, and trusted the conduct of public affairs, both foreign and domestic, for a time, to his English subjects. Among these secretary Cecil, with whom he had held a private correspondence during the latter years

1. Kennet.

2. Within six weeks after his entrance into England, he is said to have bestowed knighthood on two hundred and thirty-seven persons, many of whom were utterly unworthy of such an honour,

of

of the reign of Elizabeth, and who had smoothed his way to the throne, was regarded as his prime minister, and chief counsellor. As this correspondence had been carried on with the most profound secrecy, Cecil's favour with the king created general surprize: it being well known to the nation, that his father, lord treasurer Burleigh, had been the principal cause of the tragical death of the queen of Scots, and that he himself had hastened the fate of Essex, the warm friend of the family of Stuart. But the secretary's services had obliterated his crimes; and James was not so devoid of prudence or of gratitude, as to slight the talents of a man, who was able to give stability to that throne which he had helped him to ascend, nor so vindictive as to persecute him from resentment of a father's offences; on the contrary, he loaded him with honours! creating him successively lord Effingdon, viscount Cranbourn, and earl of Salsbury. The earl of Southampton and the young earl of Essex were restored to their titles; while Sir Walter Raleigh, lord Grey, and lord Cobham, Cecil's former associates, were dismissed from their employments3. This disgrace, however, was not so much occasioned by their hostile conduct, and violent opposition against the king's family during the life of Elizabeth, as by an ineffectual attempt which they had made, after her death, to prescribe certain conditions to the declared successor, whom they found they wanted power to set aside, before he should ascend the throne4.

James and his new ministers had soon an opportunity of exercising their political sagacity. Ambassadors arrived from almost all the princes and states in Europe, in order to congratulate him on his accession to the crown of England, and to form new treaties and alliances with him, as the head of the two British kingdoms. Among others, Henry Frederic of Nassau, assisted by Barneveldt, the pensionary of Holland, represented the United Provinces. But the envoy who most

3. Kennet, p. 663.

4. Winwood's Memorials, vol. ii. excited