islands in the West Indies, have been conquered; the Havannah, a place of the utmost importance to Spain, is in my poffeffion; and with it great treafures, and a very confiderable part of the navy of Spain, are fallen into our hands. I cannot mention these atchievements, which reflect fuch honour on my crown, without giving my public teftimony to the unwearied perfeverance, and unparallelled bravery of my officers and private men, by fea and land, who, by repeated proofs, have fhewn, that no climate, no hardships, no dangers can check the ardour, or refift the valour, of the British arms. Next to the affistance of Almighty God, it is owing to their conduct and courage, that my enemies have been brought to accept of peace on fuch terms, as, I trust, will give my parliament entire fatisfaction. Preliminary articles have been figned by my minifter, with thofe of France and Spain, which I will order in due time to be laid before you. The conditions of thefe are fuch, that there is not only an immenfe territory added to the empire of Great Britain, but a solid foundation laid for the increase of trade and commerce; and the utmost care has been taken to remove all occafions of future difputes between my fubjects and thofe of France and Spain, and thereby to add fecurity and permanency to the bleffings of peace. While I carefully attended to the effential interefts of my own kingdoms, I have had the utmoft regard to the good faith of my crown, and the interest of my allies. I have made peace for the king of Portugal, fecuring to him all his domi nions; and all the territories of the king of Pruffia, as well as my other allies in Germany, or elsewhere, occupied by the armies of France, are to be immediately evacuated. Gentlemen of the boufe of com mons, I have ordered the proper eftimates to be laid before you; and fhall, without delay, proceed to make reductions to the utmost extent, wherever they may be found confiftent with wifdom and found policy. It is the greatest afflicton for me to find, that, though the war is at an end, our expences cannot immediately be fo much leffened as I defire; but as nothing could have carried us through the great and arduous difficulties furrounding us, but the most vigorous and expenfive efforts, we muft expect for fome time, to feel the confequences of them to a confiderable degree. My lords and gentlemen, It was impoffible to execute what this nation has fo gloriously performed in all parts of the world, without the lofs of great numbers of men. When you confider this lofs, whether on the principles of policy or humanity, you will fee one of the many reafons which induced me to enter early into negotiation, so as to make a confiderable progrefs in it, before the fate of many operations was determined; and now to haften the conclufion of it, to prevent the neceffity of making preparations for another campaign. As by this peace my territories are greatly augmented, and new fources opened for trade and manufactures, it is my earnest defire, that you would confider of fuch methods in the fettlements of our new acquifitions, as fhall moft effectually tend to the fecurity of those thofe countries, and to the improvement of the commerce and navigation of Great Britain. I cannot mention our acquifitions, without carnestly recommending to your care and attention my gallant fubjects by whofe valour they were made. We could never have carried on this extensive war, without the greateft union at home. You will find the fame union peculiarly neceffary, in order to make the best use of the great advantages acquired by the peace; and to lay the foundation of that œconomy which we owe to ourfelves, and to our pofterity, and which can alone relieve this nation from the heavy burthens brought upon it by the neceffities of this long and expenfive war. WE 7E you majesty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majesty our humble thanks for your most gracicus fpeech from the throne. Permit us, fir, to take this earliest opportunity, to entreat your majefty to accept our moft fincere and fervent congratulations on the birth of an heir to your crown, which adds to your majesty's domeftic happinefs, and endears your royal confort to the people of these realms ; and promifes, that, under a prince formed to the arts of government by your majesty's royal example, the civil and religious liber ties, the glory, the commerce, and the power of Great Britain, will be tranfmitted to posterity. It is with the utmost gratitude that we acknowledge your majesty's unwearied attention to the profperity and happiness of your people; which made your majesty conftantly follicitous, even amidst the glory of your victories, to deliver them from the burthens of war, by a juft and honourable peace. At the fame time, we cannot but admire the wifdom, which pointed out to your majesty the most vigorous efforts, as the fureft means of procuring this [bleffing for your people. We beg leave to offer your majefty our humble congratulations on the fignal fucceffes, which have attended your majefty's arms in the courfe of the prefent year; on the reduction of the strong island of Martinico; on the conqueft of the Havannah, the bulwark of the Spanish colonies, and on the acquifition of fo much treasure, and of fo great a part of the Spanish marine; on the many advantages obtained in Germany over the arms of France, although fuperior in numbers, by the able conduct of your majefty's general prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick, and by the valour of the troops under his command; and on the prefervation of Portugal from the dangers which threatened inftantly to overwhelm that kingdom, and which could not have been fo long withstood, but by the firmness of its fovereign, by the military talents of the reigning count La Lippe, and by the valour of the troops employed in that fervice. Thefe atchievements must be acknowledged to be equal to whatever has been performed in any former year, even [N] 3 of of this profperous war; though a new enemy neceffarily made our military operations more extenfive, and added new difficulties to thofe we ftruggled with before: atchievements which reflect the highest hohonour on the councils that planned them, on the commanders who car ried them into execution, and on the fleets and armies, whofe intrepidity no dangers could difmay. . of our fellow-fubjects, by which the national ftrength is fo much impaired. We cannot fufficiently admire that wifdom, which feized the fortunate hour of reaping the advantages of our victories, while we were yet on the fummit of our glory, and before we had experienced any reverse of fortune. In. grateful return of thofe many blefsings, which your majefty's royal wisdom and fortitude have procured for us, your majefty may depend on our warmeft zeal, on our conftant endeavours to promote that unanimity your majesty recommends in all our proceedings, and on our attention to thofe meafures of ceconomy, which are the peculiar bufinefs of times of peace, and which alone can relieve your majesty's faithful people from the oppreffive burthens of fo long and fo expenfive Allow us to exprefs, in the moft fervent and grateful manner, our joy and congratulations, that, by thefe repeated efforts, your majefty has at length compelled your enemies to confent to terms of peace; as well as to offer to your majefty our fincere thanks, for your having informed your parliament, that the preliminary articles are already figned by your majesty's minifter, and by thofe of France and Spain; for your majefty's most gracious affurances, that you will caufe these articles in due time to be laid be- His majesty's most gracious anfwer. fore them; and for the lights your majefty has been pleafed to give concerning the conditions of them, which afford to your people the faireft profpect of future happiness, profperity, and fecurity. Your majefty may be affured, that we will not fail on our part, to take, as foon as poffible, into our confideration, the proper methods for the fettlement of our new ac quifitions; for improving their commerce, and thereby rendering them ufeful to the mother-country. Truly fenfible of the merits of thofe gallant men, by whofe valour thefe acquifitions have been made, we fhall be ready to concur in every reasonable propofitions for rewarding them; lamenting at the fame time, as we do, the lofs of fo many a war. My lords, THIS very affectionate and loyal addrefs gives me the trueft fatisfaction. I thank you heartily for it; as well as for your congratulations on the birth of the prince, my fon; and for the regard you exprefs, on this accafion, for the queen. The chearful and steady support of my parliament throughout the war, has been attended with uninterrupted Success: and the ratification of the preliminary articles will, I trust, foon be followed by the completion of peace on fafe and honourable conditions, My only wish is, and ever will be, to promote the lafting happiness, profperity, and fecurity of my faithful. people. The The humble address of the house of firmness and refolution of its fove commons to the king. Moft gracious Jovereign, WE your majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majefly the most humble and hearty thanks of this house, for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne. Permit us, at the fame time, to congratulate your majefty on the aufpicious birth of his royal highnefs the prince of Wales, and the recovery of your royal confort, endeared to this country not only by this important event, but by her own perfonal virtues. We acknowledge, with the utmoft gratitude, your majetty's great attention to the welfare of your people in the vigorous profecution of the war, and congratulate your majesty on that happy effect of it, the profpect of fuch a peace as may give ftability and permanency to the bleffings we promife ourselves under your majefty's moft aufpicious reign. We affure your majefty, that your faithful commons are truly fenfible of the wisdom with which your plans have been concerted, as well as of the fuccessful zeal with which they have been carried into execution by your fleets and armies. of y The refolution and intrepidity f your majefty's army in Germany, and the military skill and diftin guished activity of your general prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, which have obtained fo many fignal advantages over an enemy fo fuperior in numbers, are objects of - our higheft admiration. The ftop ping the progrefs of the French and Spanish arms in Portugal, and the prefervation of that kingdom, by the reign, and by the fuperior talents and able conduct of the reigning count La Lippe, feconded by the valour of the troops under his command, are events of the highest importance to this nation and its commerce. The reduction of Martinico, fo glorious to your majefty's arms, and the fill more glorious and important conqueft of the Havannah, by which great treasure, and a very confiderable part of the navy of Spain, are fallen into your majefty's hands, fpeak the wifdom of your councils, and the valour of thofe employed in the execution of these great commands, and fill our hearts with gratitude and fatisfaction. The public teftimony which your majefty has, therefore, gracioufly given to the unwearied perfverance, and unparalleled bravery of your officers and private men, by fea and land, to which, under God, thefe glorious atchievements are to be attributed, is a no lefs honourable than deferved reward of their fer vices, and must be an additional recommendation of them to the efteem and gratitude of their country. And Allow us, fir, to thank your majefty for having promised to direct the preliminary articles of the peace to be laid before us. we receive with the greateft fatisfaction the information which your majefty has condefcended, in the mean time, to afford us; from which we promife ourselves, that, with your majefty's dominions, our trade will be increased; and that, all occafions of future difputes being removed, the bleffings of peace will be thereby rendered permanent and fecure. We return your majesty our most fincere and humble thanks for your [N] 4 great great goodness and tender regard for the welfare of your fubjects, in preceeding without delay to the conclufion of the negotiation of peace, fo expedient for this country; and for your gracious intentions, as foon as it shall be concluded, to reduce the public expences. Your majefty may be affured, that your faithful commons will chearfully affift in the fupport of fuch expences, as may be ftill neceffary, with due regard to that economy, which your majefty recommends to us, as far as may be confiftent with wifdom and true policy. We will not fail to confider of the most effectual methods of fettling our new acquifitions, of fecuring those countries to us, and of improving our commerce and navigation. And, lamenting the lofs of thofe many brave men who have fallen in this glorious war, we will pay all due attention to the fervices of those who yet remain, by whofe valour thofe acquifitions have been made. And we will continue to cultivate that union to which we greatly owe the fucceffes of the war, in order thereby to make the best advantages of peace, and lay the foundation of that economy, which we own to ourselves and to our pofterity. as may be ftill necessary, afford me the highest fatisfaction; and the ratification of the preliminary articles gives me the pleafing hope of foon eafing my faithful fubjects, by a fafe, honourable, and permanent peace, of the heavy, but unavoidable burdens they have fo chearfully born during the war. The address of the archbishop, bishops, Meft gracious fovereign, your majesty's most loyal and dutiful fubjects, the archbishop, bishops and clergy of the province of Canterbury in convocation affembled, beg leave to take the firft occafion of jointly congratulating your majefty on the bleffing, for which we have separately offered up our fervent thanksgivings to God, of his vouchfafing, and that fo early, to you and your excellent confort the queen, a fon to inherit the crown of these realms. We feel a very fenfible pleasure from the increafe of your majefty's domeftic felicity, in the addition of paternal to conjugal tenderness. But our views extend much further; and, as we owe to your auguft houfe the prefervation of every His majesty's most gracious answer. thing dear to us as men or chriftians, and have found each of your illuftrious ancestors faithful guardians of all thofe diftinguished advantages, which we enjoy to the height under your majefty's gracious government; fo we truft, that Providence hath defigned us as a pledge of the perpetuity of our happiness, in giving us a prince defcended from fuch progenitors. For we know, that |