ordered to make as foon as poffible. But, to give Mr. Hop fatisfaction, in regard to his reprefentation of the danger to which thofe fhips would be exposed in the Downs, in cafe of ftormy weather, the admiralty has given orders for bringing them up into the river Medway. by the lift that has been delivered of their cargoes, it appears, that most of them are laden with falt, wine, brandy, fugar, and bale goods; and that there is only one (the Golden Wolf, John Brevilt mafter) which was going from Riga to Breft with mafts and thip-timber. We have thought it neceffary to lay this tranfaction before the public, as well as the ultimate Refolutions taken by the States of Holland and Weft Friezeland on the 22d of April with regard to the memorial prefented to the States General on the 13th of Feb, by Mr. York, demanding the ftipulated fuccours of 6000 men, and to the reply of the French court delivered to the States General on the 14th of March, by M. d' Affry, concerning the faid fuccours and the neutrality of the republic; which arefolution was as follows: HAT it is the opinion of the to be taken in the affembly of the States General, to give for antwer, at a conference. to Mr. York, That ever fince his Britannic majefty was pleafed to communicate to their high mightineffes the state of affairs in relation to Aimerica, they have been extremely uneafy, left the differences that have arifen fhould not be confined to that part of the world, but be foon extended to Europe; and that their high mightineffes having nothing more at heart than the true intereft of his majefty's facred perfon and thofe of his illuftrious family, ant. of his kingdoms, have beheld with the deepest concern, not only their prediction verified, but themselves reduced to an embarrafling dilemma, whilft on one fide his Britannic majefty, whose friendship is of the highest value to their high mightineffes, demands fuccours in virtue of their engagements; and on the other hand it is maintained, on the part of his most chriftian majefty, that the republic is not bound by treaties to furnish fuccours in the prefent cafe, and exprefs intimati tion given, that the furnishing them will be regarded as a taking part in the quarrel, and as an act of boftility. That the republic, being by this means reduced to the neceflity of defiring to be excufed furnishing the fuccours, or, by a contrary conduct at a time when her fidelity in fulfilling her treaties hath exhausted her finances; and her barrier, not thro' her fault, has been ruined, and remains demolifhed, expofing herself to the refentment of his most chriftian majefty, whofe friendship is of value to her, to an unexpected attack in her own territories, and to the greatest danger of being drawn into irreparable ruin, hath tried every proper expedient to extricate herfelf from her embaraffment; but all her efforts for that purpose being ineffectual, nothing could have been more agreeable to their high mightineffes than to learn, by a pofte envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiry of his Britannic majefty, in his mafter's name, to her royal highnefs Madam the princefs regent, that he had received orders not to infift farther in requiring from the state the fuccour of 6000 men. "That their high mightineffes look upon this declaration as a new teftimony and proof of his majefly's affection for the republic, by which the is delivered from the crifis fhe was in; putting up at the fame time the most fervent prayers, that the apprehended invalion may not be attempted, and the differences which actually fubfit may be terminated to his majesty's fatisfaction by a speedy accommodation. "That furthermore their high mightineffes, to give convincing proofs of a conflant conftant difpofition on their part to cultivate more and more that good harmony, and strengthen those bonds of ftrict friendship, which have happily fubfifted for many years between his Britannic majesty and the reph lic, and to make a return at the fame time, for the confidence whicn his jefty hath profeffed, on different occafions, to place in their high mightineffes, have judged, that they could not better fatisfy thofe views, than by communicating to him, in confidence, the definitive answer which the state, on the ulterior reprefentations of the count d'Affry, hath refolved to give him, viz. "That it is the opinion of the ftates, that a refolution ought to be taken in the affembly of the States General to give for anfwer to the memoral prefented to their High Mightineffes on the 14th of March, by M. d'Affry. HAT their high mightineffes quiry whether the conjuncture of 1733 quadrates with the prefent circumftances, or not; but that that their high mightineffes entertain a just expectation, that his moft chriftian majefty's good fente will comprehend, with them, that this affurance ought to prove the principal, and even the only fecurity of the republick, a war between powerful princes being always to be dreaded by neighbouring ftates, even if they have no part therein. "That, in order to anfwer his moft chriftian majetty's expectation, that their high mightineffes would explain themselves with more precif on on the part they purposed to act in the prefent circumftances, they have refolved to deciare, that as their high mightineffes have not hitherto taken any part in the troubles or differences concerning the territories in America, nor in their confequences, nor have intermeddled in them di "The then higrein with great rectly or indirectly; fp they have pleasure the repeated affurances of his moft chriftian majefty's readiness to enter into all measures, the particular objet whereof fhall be the fecurity, the tranquillity, and the profperity of the republic. "That to arrive at thefe ends, it hath been judged proper to add to their high mightineffes declaration, 1 hat they were far from engaging in a war for an object which did not oblige them thereto, delivered to M. the Count d' Affry on the 9th of February, That they flattered themfelves his moft chriftian majefty would be plealed to affure them, under the benefit of the aforefaid declaration, that not only the territory of the republic, but allo that of the Auftrian netherlands, which ferves them for a barrier, fhould be exempted from any menace or any attack by his majefty's forces. "That their high mightineffes will not undertake to enter into a strict en no intention to intermeddle in them or in the confequences that may hereafter refult from them; but that, on the contrary, they propofe to obferve an exact neutrality in relation thereto; without prejudice, however, to the alliances the republic hath contracted, from which the doth not mean to derogate in any The Account of Mr. Bower's Controver with Sir Henry Bedingfield, con"tinued from p. 541. V our laft p. 540. line 53. inftead of "Mr. Bower having waited from the publication of this advertifement to the 5th of June without receiving any letter or meffage from Sir Henry concerning the five letters, publifhed in the Evening Advertifer of that date a long advertisement, &c." read "Mr. Bower having waited from the 14th of February to the 25th of May without receiving any letter or meffage from Sir Henry, did on the 31st of the fame month make a long affidavit in the court of King's Bench, which he published in the Evening Advertiser of the 5th of June." On the 2d of June, Mr. Bower fent by a gentleman of credit, a copy of this affidavit to Sir Henry, with a letter claiming copies of the letters, upon his promife to give them, provided fuch an affidavit fhould be made to this letter Sir Henry answered, that neither the letters nor any copies of them were in his poffeffion, but that he would wait immediately on his counfel, and would either fend to Mr. Bower, or to the gentleman who brought his letter, before the end of the week. Accordingly on the 4th of June, two days afterwards, Sir Henry did fend for the gentleman, and by him fent to Mr. Bower a verbal meffage to this effect. "That if Mr. Bower will drink a difh of chocolate with Sir Henry Bedinfield tomorrow morning, he will deliver to him the copies agreeable to his promife; but if Mr. Bower does not chufe to do him that favour, he will fend the copies by the notary; that he did not know but that he might have the copies ready that night," and added," that he should throw the affidavits into his bureau; that things of this fort would happen; that it was only a paper war between gentle men; that he was going out of town, and by that time it would be forgot." He alto the fame evening fent a meffage of the fame tenor in writing, and Mr. Bower by his anfwer, defired the copies might be fent to him; and that a gentleman on his behalf might be permitted to examine them with the originals. The next day, June the 5th at 10 in the morning, Mr. Havers of Grays Inn, follicitor in chancery, came with Mr. Lewis of Covent Garden, bookfeller, from Sir Henry Bedingfield to Mr. Bower's lodgings, and delivered him copies of the letters in queftion, with an atteftation by Mr. Bonnet, a notary publick, that the letters themfelves were on the 4th of June produced to him by Sir Henry Bedingfield; and after due examination returned to Sir Henry again. The originals were not however produced to Mr. Bower, but Mr. Havers faid that Sir Henry would have fent the originals to be examined by Mr. Bower, but that they were either fealed up with other papers of confequence in the hands of his lawyer who was out of town, or elfe were in a bureau of which he could not find the key, but that they fhould be produced to Mr. Bower when found, A memorandum of this tranfaction was then drawn up, and read to Mr. Havers, and Mr. Lewis, who acknowledged it to be true, but refufed to fign it, because they would not become evidences in the lifpute. Mr. Lewis alfo declared that he met Mr. Havers by chance, and as he knew where Mr. Bower lived, came to thew him the way. Mr. Bower remarks that there is an inconfiftency between the notary's atteftation, which imports that on the 4th of June he left the original letters in Sir Henry's hands, and Sir Henry's meffage on the 5th, that they were either at his lawyers fealed up, or in a bureau of which the key could not be found. Mr. 40 Mr. Bower having now obtained attefted copies of the letters, caufed them to be printed with his affidavit already mentioned, a narrative of what had paffed between him and Sir Henry Bedingfield on the occafion; another affidavit of their not having been written by him, and fome obfervations to prove that they were fpurious. This pamphlet, from which this account hitherto is taken, was advertised the 26th of June before any other printed copy of the letters had been advertifed, but on the 30th of June, before Mr. Bower had publifhed his pamphlet, the letters were published with the following title. Six Letters from Ad Br to Father Sheldon, provincial of the Jefuits in England; illuftrated with feveral remarkable Facts tending to afcertain the authenticity of the faid Letters, and true Character of the Writer. As the letters themfelves are the first charge upon Bower's character we shall exhibit them first. We fhall then give the substance of Mr. Bower's remarks, intended to fhew that they are fpurious, and afterwards relate the feveral facts and obfervations that are intended to prove them to be genuine, which Mr. Bower in a pofticript to his pamphlet has promifed to refute at a proper time. I FIRST LETTER. of the fun that is owing to you, Write this last on the day of my re- ap The ex Mr. Retz. As for myself, I fhall name no place to him, but fubmit myfelf entirely to his will; for I am how, thank God, quite indifferent as to places, and am well perfuaded that what place fhall be thought by you or by him the most proper, will be the most proper. I fhall conclude his letter with begging you to forgive the trouble, and to affure yourself that I want nothing fo much as an opportunity to fhew by actions and conduct how fincerely I am, Dear Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant A. B. Mr. Carteret was fometime chaplain to Sir Henry Bedingfield, afterwards fucceeded Sheldon as provincial in England, and died in that ftation at London, March 1756. Retz was general of the Jesuits and refided at Rome. unhappy fituation, tho' at this prefent time you have it in your power to deliver me from it, leaves me no room to expect any relief from you, I think myfelf obliged to apply to Mr. Retz and lay my cafe before him. This step, however neceffary, I would not take without acquainting you before hand with it. Dear Sir, I repofed an entire confidence in you, and am greatly concerned to find myself, in an affair of fuch infinite confequence, thus difappointed. But as it was my duty fo to do, that, I hope, will justify me, and at the fame time procure me ftrength to withstand the dangers, to which you leave me expofed, till I receive an answer from our common friend, who, I am confident, will pity my cafe, and find fome means to deliver me from my prefent unhappy fituation. Excufe the trouble. I am, your most obedient humble Servant, A. B. P. S. The money being now ready and your confent alone wanting, as I fhall write to Mr. Retz, I with you would at the same time let him know upon what motive you refuse it, or let me know it, that he (1) may acquaint him with it, if you are not at leifure to write. impatience and earnest defire of being delivered at once from my prefent moft heavy tribulation, transported me beyond the bounds of my duty, and prompted me to write in a manner very unbecoming one who would plead nothing for himself but pure charity and compaffion. Dear Sir, if repentance can repair a fault, I do affure you I am heartily forry for what I have done, and mot humbly beg your pardon, which I hope you will grant me, notwithftanding the juft provocation my ingratitude may have given you, Irely entirely upon you; in you alone, after God, I put all my confidence; and therefore fhall from you alone expect my deliverance. The woman with her child is turned upon my hands; I am obliged to vifit her frequently; the often preffes me either to keep her company, as I did before, or return her the money; and I find it a very difficult talk to keep her in humour without doing either. Dear Sir, as I am not infenfible, the temptation is great. I am afraid of myfelf, and have, I affure you. fhed many tears in reflecting on my dangerous fituation. But it is no worfe than I deferve, and therefore I have no reafon to complain, I fhall ftrive to bear my tribulation chearfully till it pleafes God to deliver me from it. I thank you for your kind regard to me in writing to Mr. Retz. I fhall write to him this week, as you defire, to beg his pardon, and acquaint him with the fincerity of my intentions. As your letter has given me great concern, I fhall be very uneafy till I hear from you. If you abandon me I am quite undone; but the goodness you have hitherto fhewn me believe you never will, notwithstanding the provocation I have given you; for which I again ask your pardon, fincerely wifhing it were in my power to attone for it. I am, dear Sir, your most obedient Humble Servant. A. B. FOURTH |