given him the moft fenfible pleasure to have been able to communicate to you, that his fincere endeavours to promote a general pacification had met with more fuitable returns before this time. His majefty, in conjunction with his good brother and ally the king of Pruffia, chofe to give their enemies proofs of this equitable difpofition, in the midft of a series of glorious victories; an opportunity the most proper to do it with dignity, and to manifeft to all Europe the purity and moderation of his views. After fuch a conduct, his majefty has the comfort to reflect, that the further continuance of the calamities of war cannot be imputed to him, or his allies; and trufts in the bleffing of Heaven upon the juftice of his arms, and upon thofe ample means, which your zeal, in fo good a caufe, has wifely put into his hands, that his future fucceffes in carrying on the war will not fall fhort of the past; and that, in the event, the public tranquillity will be restored on folid and durable foundations. We are further commanded to acquaint you, that his majesty has taken the most effectual care to augment the combined army in Germany; and, at the fame time, to keep up fuch a force at home, as may fruftrate any attempts of the enemy to invade thefe kingdoms, which have hitherto ended only in their own confufion. The royal navy was never in a more flourishing and refpectable condition; and the fignal victory obtained laft winter over the French fleet, on their own coafts, as it has added luftre to his majefty's armis, has given fresh fpirit to the maritime forces, and reduced the naval ftrength of France to a very low ebb. His majefty has difpofed his fquadrons in fuch a manner as may best conduce to the annoyance of his enemies; to the defence of his dominions both in Europe and America; and to the preferving and purfuing his conquefts, as well as to the protection of the trade of his fubjects, which he has extremely at heart. Gentlemen of the house of Commons, Nothing could relieve his majefty's royal mind, under the anxiety which he feels for the burdens of his faithful fubjects, but the publicfpirited chearfulness with which you have granted him fuch large fupplies, and his conviction that they are neceffary for the fecurity and effential interefts of his kingdoms. The king has enjoined us to return you his hearty thanks for them; and to affure you of their due application to the purposes for which they have been given. My Lords and Gentlemen, We have nothing further in command from his majefty, but to recommend to you the continuance and improvement of that union and good harmony which he has obferved with fo much pleasure, and from which he has derived fuch important effects. Make it your study to promote these desirable objects; to fupport the king's government, and the good order of your refpective counties; and to confult your own real happinefs and profperity. This behaviour, his majefty gracioufly affures you, will be the most acceptable demonftration of your duty to him. After which the lord keeper said! My Lords, and Gentlemen, "It is his majesty's royal will and pleasure; that this parliament be prorogued to Thurfday the feven teenth So fudden and momentous an event, in this very critical juncture; would indeed be feverely felt by Great Britain, and her magnanimous ally, had not the goodness of Almighty God placed her fcepter in the hands of a prince, who, by his firft declaration in council, has moft graciously confirmed all the pleafing hopes which had been early entertained of his virtue, wisdom, and fortitude, as well as of his tender affection to this his native country, and regard for her moft excellent conftitution, both in church and fate. It is, therefore, with the fincer aft and warmest love and veneration, that we congratulate your majefty's moft happy acceffion to the government of a free, loyal, and united people. And although we are fenfible how To the KING's Moft Excellent painful it must be to your majefty, Majefty. The humble addrefs of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the city of London, in common-council affembled. Moft Gracious Sovereign, E, your majefty's moft duti to find your kingdoms engaged in a bloody and expenfive war, we doubt not but your majefty, jealous of the honour of your crown, and attentive to the rights and commercial interefts of your people, will ftedfaitly pursue the wifdom and fpirit of thofe councils, by which that war hath hitherto been so fuc Wful and faithful fubjects, the cefsfully conducted, until your raa Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the city of London, in common-council affembled, moft humbly approach your royal prefence, to condole with your majefty the unexpected and affecting lofs which your majefty and the nation have fuftained, by the death of your illuftrious grandfather, whofe gentle and equal rule will be gratefully remembered by the prefent age, and whofe wife and profperous reign will be honoured by fucceed ing generations. jefty fhall be enabled, by the divine affittance, the tried and well regulated ardour of your fleets and armies, and the inexhauftible affection of all your subjects, to establifh peace upon a juft, honourable, and folid foundation. May your majefty graciously accept this earneft of our duty and inviolable attachment to your facred perfon and government, and our humble affurances, that as it will be our conftant prayer to the great ruler of princes, that your majefty's reign may may long continue over us, fo it fhall be always our study and endeavour, by every act of zeal, gratitude, and obedience, to render it happy-and glorious to your majesty. Signed by order of court, JAMES HODGES. To which addrefs his majefty was pleased to return this moft gracious answer. "I take very kindly your early and warm affurances of affection for my perfon and government, and I give you my cordial thanks. Firmness of councils, fupported by fuch generous efforts of a free and united people, and feconded by fuch intrepidity and conduct in my fleets and armies, will, I trust, under the bleffing of the Almighty, lead my kingdoms, in conjunction with my faithful allies, to a juft, honourable, and lafting peace. My good city of London fhall ever experience my watchful care for their liberties, commerce, and happi nefs." careful, above all other things, to preferve and advance the honour and fervice of Almighty God, and to difcourage and fupprefs all vice, profanenefs, debauchery, and immorality, which are fo highly dif pleafing to God, fo great a reproach to our religion and government, and (by means of the frequent ill examples of the practices thereof) have fo fatal a tendency to the corruption of many of our loving fubjects, otherwife religioufly and virtuoufly difpofed, and which (if not timely remedied) may juftly draw down the divine vengeance on us and our kingdoms: We alfo humbly acknowledging, that we cannot expect the bleffing and goodness of Almighty God (by whom kings reign, and on which we entirely rely) to make our reign happy and profperous to ourfelf and to our people, without a religious obfervance of God's holy laws to the intent therefore that religion, piety, and good-manners may (according to our moft hearty defire) flourish and increase under our administration and government, we have thought fit, by the advice of our privy council, to iffue this our royal proclamation, and do hereby declare our royal purpose and refolution to discountenance and punishall manner of vice, profanenefs, and immorality, in all perfons of whatfoever degree or quality, within this our realm, and particularly in fuch as are employed near our royal perfon; and that for the encouragement of religion and morality, we will, upon all occafions, diftinguish perfons of piety and vir tue, by marks of our royal favour. And we do expect and require that all perfons of honour, or in place of authority, will give good example by their own virtue and piety, other diffolute, immoral, or diforderly practices; and that they take care alfo effectually to fupprefs all public gaming-houíes and places, and other lewd and diforderly houses, and to put in execution the ftatute made in the twentyninth year of the reign of the late king Charles the Second, intituled, "An act for the better obferva"tion of the Lord's day, common"ly called Sunday:" and alfo an act of parliament made in the ninth year of the reign of the late king William the Third, intituled, piety, and to their utmoft contribute to the discountenancing perfons of diffolute and debauched lives, that they, being reduced by that means to fhame and contempt, for their loose and evil actions and behaviour, may be thereby alfo enforced the fooner to reform their ill habits and practices, and that the vifible difpleasure of good men towards them may (as far as it is poffible) fupply what the laws (probably) cannot altogether prevent. And we do hereby ftrictly enjoin and prohibit all our loving fubjects of what degree or quality foever, "An act for the more effectual from playing on the Lord's day at " fuppreffing of blafphemy and dice, cards, or any other game what-"prophanenefs;" and all other laws ever, either in public or private houses, or other places whatsoever; and we do hereby require and command them, and every of them, decently and reverently to attend the worship of God on every Lord's day, on pain of our higheft difpleasure, and of being proceeded againft with the utmost rigour that may be by law. And for the more effectual reforming all fuch perfons, who by reafon of their diffolute lives and converfations are a fcandal to our kingdom, our further pleasure is, and we do hereby ftrictly charge and command all our judges, mayors, fheriffs, juftices of the peace, and all other our officers and minifters, both ecclefiaftical and civil, and all other our fubjects, whom it may concern, to be very vigilant and ftrict in the difcovery, and the effectual profecution and punishments of all perfons who fhall be guilty of exceffive drinking, blafphemy, profane fwearing and curfing, lewdnefs, profanation of the Lord's day, or now in force for the punishing and fuppreffing any of the vices aforefaid; and alfo to fupprefs and prevent all gaming whatfoever in public or private houfes on the Lord's day; and likewife, that they take effectual care to prevent all perfons keeping taverns, chocolate-houses, coffee-houfes, or other public houses whatsoever, from felling wine, chocolate, coffee, ale, beer, or other liquors, or receiving or permitting guefts to be or remain in fuch their houfes in the time of Divine fervice on the Lord's day, as they will answer it to Almighty God, and upon pain of our highest difpleasure. And for the more effectual proceeding herein, we do hereby direct and command all our judges of affizes and juftices of the peace, to give strict charges at their refpective aflizes and feffions, for the due profecution and punishment of all perfons that fhall prefume to offend in any of the kinds aforefaid; and alfo of all perfons, that, contrary to their duty, thall be remifs or or negligent in putting the laws in Copy of a Letter from the Bishop of execution; and that they do, at their refpective affizes and quarter feffions of the peace, caufe this our royal proclamation to be publicly read L-n to the King. SIRE, Nov. 1, 1760. Midft the congratulations that in open court immediately before A furround the throne, permit the charge is given. And we do hereby further charge and command every minifter in his refpective parish church or chapel, to read, or caufe to be read, this our proclamation, at least four times in every year, immediately after divine fervice, and to incite and ftir up their respective auditors to the practice of piety and virtue, and the avoiding of all immorality and profanenefs. And to the end that all vice and debauchery may be prevented, and religion and virtue practifed by all officers, private foldiers, mariners, and others, who are employed in our service by fea and land, we do hereby ftrictly charge and command all our commanders and officers whatfoever, that they do take care to avoid all profanenefs, debauchery, and other immoralities, and that by their own good and virtuous lives and converfations, they do fet good examples to all fuch as are under their care and authority; and likewife take care of and inspect the behaviour of all fuch as are under them, and punish all thofe who fhall be guilty of any offences aforefaid, as they will be anfwerable for the ill confequences of their neglect herein. Given at our court at Leicefterhouse the 31ft day of October 1760, and in the first year of our reign. GOD fave the KING. me to lay before your majefty a heart, which, thongh oppreffed with age and infirmity, is no ftranger to the joys of my country. When the melancholy news of the late king's demife reached us, it naturally led us to confider the lofs we had fuftained, and upon what our hopes of futurity depended. The first part excited grief, and put all the tender paffions into motion; but the fecond brought life and fpirit with it, and wiped away the tears from every face. Oh! how gracioufly did the providence of God provide a fucceffor, able to bear the weight of government in that unexpected event. You, Sir, are the perfon whom the people ai dently defire; which affection of theirs is happily returned, by your majefty's declared concern for their profperity, and let nothing difturb this mutual confent. Let there be but one contest between them, whether the king loves the people beft, or the people him: and may it be a long, a very long conteft; may it never be decided, but let it remain doubtful; and may the paternal affection on the one fide, and the filial obedience on the other, be had in perpetual remembrance. This will probably be the laft time I fhall ever trouble your majefty. I beg leave to exprefs my warmeft wishes and prayers on your behalf. May the God of heaven and earth have you always under his protection, and direct you to feek his honour and glory in all |