An History of England, in a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to His Son (Volume 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1788 Excerpt: ... Was to put the kingdom in a proper posture of defence, and he wanted money to execute these purposes. To furnish the proper supplies he again had recourse to loans, and to granting protections to the papists, for stipulated sums of money: such as refilled had soldiers billeted upon them, contrary to the customs of England; and even some were enrolled for soldiers themselves. Persons of birth and rank were summoned to appear before the council, and upon their persisting in a refusal, were put into confinement. We now once more perceive the seeds of discord beginning to shoot forth: we now see, as in every other civil war, both parties guilty of injustice, yet on either side that injustice arising from principles of virtue; the one actuated by the inherent liberties of mankind, the other by the prescriptive privileges of the crown. Such is the general lot of humanity, to have their actions degenerate from the producing motives. The king, now finding that nothing but the prospect of immediate danger could induce some future parliament to provide necessary supplies, was resolved to make a rupture with France, a war. f, against which had ever been an expedient of producing unanimity at home. With this view he sent out Buckingham with a fleet to relieve Rochelle, a maritime town in that kingdom, which had long enjoyed its privileges independent of the French king, and which he was now actually preparing to deprive them of. This expedition was equally fruitless with that to the coasts of Spain: the duke knew nothing of the art of war, and consumed his time in btsieging a little fort in the Hie of Re, from whence he was driven with the loss of half his army. The bad success of this served to render the unfortunate duke still more obnoxious, and the king mor...