"on my throne, having no other view but the happiness and Geo. 1. 1716-17. "profperity of my people" (b).

an intended

The king being withdrawn, and the commons returned to their house, Mr. fecretary Stanhope laid before them Scheme of copies of the letters which paffed between count Gyllenburg, invafion and the barons Gortz and Sparre, and others, relating to a defign rebellion. of raising a rebellion in Great Britain, to be fupported by an invafion from Sweden. By thefe letters it appeared, that a defign was formed to dethrone king George, and conducted Artful pain fuch a manner, as almost to warrant fuccefs. pers were published to foment and increase discontent and divifion; the apparent tranquillity enjoyed in Great Britain, was to be an occafion of requiring and obtaining the reduction of the national, and difmiffion of the foreign forces; fhips, bought at different places, were to affemble at Gottenburg by the end of March, when the east winds ufually blow, on board of which eight thousand foot, and four thousand horse, were to embark, with artillery, ammunition, and arms for fifteen thousand men. The great number of the difaffected had been fo far relied on, that the secret of the negotiation had been trufted in England but to very few perfons; nothing was tranfacted in writing; no treaty was made; the mutual concern for the fuccefs of the undertaking

(b) Befides the treaty of commerce with Spain (by which the three articles tacked to the treaty of Utrecht were revoked, and all other grievances in trade removed) and the triple alliance between Great Britain, France, and the States, the king had concluded another treaty with the emperor,May 16,1716, which he did not think fit to mention to the parliament. By this treaty there was to be perfect unity between them, and each was to reckon the advantages and loffes of the other as his own. They were to defend one another in the poffeffion of all their prefent kingdoms, provinces, and rights, and, in cafe either of them was attacked, the other was to affift with eight

thoufand foot, and four thou-
fand horse, or with fhips in pro-
No prince was to be
portion.
admitted without common con-
fent; but the States were to be
admitted, and even invited with-
out delay, to accede to it. By
a feparate article this treaty was
not to extend to the emperor's
wars with the Turks.

The defign of this alliance
was to rouze the jealousy of
France, and incline the regent
to haften a treaty with England.
Accordingly, when he heard of
this treaty, he refolved to enter
into an alliance with Great Bri-
tain and Holland, and the treaty
(as hath been faid) was conclu-
ded at Hanover the beginning
of the next year.

Geo. I. was, as it were, the warrant for the promises that were 1716-17.given.

This method of treating prolonged the negotiation, but withal was a fecurity against the ill confequences of a discovery. Both fides were equally defirous of being concealed. The king of Sweden abfolutely refused to appear in the affair, till the time of execution; and the pretender's friends, with whom count Gyllenburg treated at London, would not engage for any thing till they had his mafter's word. They did not care to labour in vain; but, as foon as they should have the affurance of his affiftance, money should not be wanting, nor means to fupport the affair. Upon this, baron Gortz spoke out more plainly. He fent word, he had done nothing but upon the knowledge of his master's intentions, and had lately been impowered in form to profecute the enterprize. He fent a copy of his full powers, which were unlimited, and it was vifible they were fo extenfive, only because there might be no occafion to mention the affair, which was to be concealed from the minifters at Stockholm.

This affurance removed all uneafinefs and irrefolution; money was given; views were explained; means of fubfifting the foreign troops were particularifed; a perfon was procured, who was perfectly acquainted with the coafts where it was refolved they should land; fhips of war were provided, from fixty to feventy guns; merchant-men, that were to carry corn to Gottenburg, were to ferve for tranfports. The fcheme was well laid, and the execution feemed infallible; eipecially, if the army had been reduced, and the Dutch forces fent home. Twelve thousand chofen Swedes, in a condition to receive those that were ready to join them, would have quickly formed a powerful army: Encouraged by such an army, the people would have rien on all bides: The Highlanders would have all been in arms: The torrent would have increased without ceating, and a battle would have decided the affair. Thus much is certain, the proiect was infalsely better concerted than the last year's: The cootrual motions of the Swedish forces would have ferved to cover the true dela, 2 x would have been too late to oprek it; a few days ced to convey them into Scotland or England. But a timer & Covery confounded all these mea Mes, and chaalbed king George on the throne C

Tze

The letters, being read in both houses, raised the utmost Geo. I. indignation in all the well-affected to the government, and 1716-17. addreffes were prefented, full of the moft lively expreffions of loyalty and zeal, and of refentment against the proceedings of the late miniftry. The lords, in their addrefs, faid, 'We

The firft letter is from baron Sparre, to count Gyllenburg, dated at Paris, September 25, 1716; in which the baron acquaints the count, That, three days before, he was informed, that he [count Gyllenburg] had entered upon bufinefs with fome lords of the chief of the pretender's party: That, they took it for granted, he was authorifed to do fo, by the king of Sweden; and, in a word, that he was inclined to believe, that his Swedish majesty would efpouse the interests of that prince. In the first place, adds the baron, I will tell you, that I shall be charmed with it; and then, that it is not from a motive of curiofity, that I afk, whether what I have heard be true; but, that I may co-operate with you, though indirectly, till I have powers like yours, with which, you know, we are obliged to proceed very cautiouily. Do me the friendship to let me know, what there is in this matter, as foon as poffible. I flatter myself you will find

your account in it.' The next is a letter from count Gyllenburg to baron Gortz, dated London, Sept. 29, O. S. Octob. 9, N. S. 1716; which, being very material, deferves to be inferted at length. • In answer to your excellency's letter (fays the count) of the 22d pait, I now do myfelf the

are

honour to acquaint you, that
every body here is of opinion,
that either France is extremely
weak, or elfe, that the regent
aims at the throne, and is defi-
rous to purchase it of king
George, at any rate; for, other-
wife, it is thought impoffible,
that France could condefcend
to make fo ignominious a facri-
fice, as the does, of a work
[Mardyke] which coft her fo
much, and for which the late
king would have undergone a
People go fo
ten years war.
far here, as to lay wagers, that
the young king of France will
be difpatched, before a certain
time, to make room for his un-
cle. But, if the report, which
is current at prefent, proves
true, that the young king is
fallen ill of the fmall pox, it is
very poffible, that providence
may confound his vaft projects,
which, among other things,
tend to set up the court of Ha-
nover to ferve France, in our
ftead, as a balance against the
power of the emperor: And it
was with this view, that France
already offered, laft fpring, to
confent to guaranty to the Ha-
noverians the poffeffion of the
duchy of Bremen. If the em-
peror confiders well the time, at
which France takes these steps,
and England is fo forward to
answer them, he will find, that
his laft advantage over the
Turks has begot a jealousy in

D4

thofe

Geo. I. are fenfible, that the grofs defects and pernicious confe1716-17. quences of the late treaty of Utrecht could not have been remedied, but by your majefty's unwearied application for the

good of your fubjects, and by that juft regard, which is paid Geo. I. by foreign potentates to your known wifdom and integrity. 1716-17.