Their majefties with the royal family retired directly after their repait, to the council chamber, where they had their tea. In the mean time every thing was removed; and the huftings, where they had dined, the floor of which had been covered with rich carpeting, was again covered afrefh, and prepared for the ball, which was to enfue. On the return of their majefties, and as foon as they were feated under their canopy, the ball was opened by the duke of York and lady mayorefs. Other minuets fucceeded, by the younger branches of the royal family with ladies of diftinction. It was now about 12 o'clock, when his majefty fignified his intentions of going; and the hurry and confufion without doors, in bringing up the carriages, rendering it impoffible for the royal family to obferve the fame order in returning as in coming to the city, the proceffion back was confequently irregular. Their majefties waited half an hour before their coach could be got up, and after their departure the princefs dowager was feveral minutes in the temporary paffage, (nor could he be prevailed on to return into the hall) waiting for her's. The rest of the royal family follow ed them as fast as their coaches could be brought up; the lord mayor, with the fword of state carried before him, the fheriffs and gentlemen of the committee, conducting them to the hall-gate. Their majefties did not reach St. James's till two. In going under the gate way one of the glaffes of their coach was broke by the roof of a centry box, but happily no mifchief fol

lowed.

VOL. IV.

His majefty and the queen were pleased to do fingular honour to Sir Samuel Fludyer, lord mayor, at their departure, as well as to the lady mayorefs.

The reft of the company did not feparate till after three, and the whole was concluded with the utmost regularity and decorum.

The queen's eafy, elegant, and condefcending behaviour made an impreffion on the whole company, and the joy of feeing our young and beloved fovereign fo completely happy in his royal confort might eafily be read in every countenance.

Upon the whole, it must be confeffed that this entertainment at Guildhall, as well for the magnificence and profufion that attended it, as for the regularity and decorum with which it was conducted, did great honour to the metropolis. Champagne, Burgundy, and other valuable wines were to be had every where, and nothing was fo fcarce as water. Even the ladies in the gal leries had an elegant collation provided for them, to go to as they pleafed, in a feparate apartment. His majesty himself was pleased to declare, that, to be elegantly entertained, he must come into the city. The foreign minifters in general expreffed their wonder; and one of them faid in French, that this entertainment was fit only for one king to give to another.

The houses were illuminated in all the ftreets, both in the city and Weftminster, leading to St. James's; and fome of them were adorned with curious tranfparent devices of the initial letters of their majesties names, and of lamps fo difpofed as to reprefent a crown, particularly Mr. Adams's, his majefty's optician, but all manner of danger

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rous or noify fire-works were strictly forbidden.

You will hardly believe, that the crowd in fome places was very near as great at the return of the royal family as at their coming. Mr. Pitt too was attended with the fame acclamations all along quite to his own houfe.

Before I conclude, I cannot but in justice take notice of the excellent difcipline obferved by the citymilitia, who were drawn out more for ornament than ufe on this occafion. I do not hear of any lofs that they fuftained, except that fome of them were disabled by drinking too plentifully on account of their hard duty. The officers made a fine fhow, having exchanged their ufual bobs, and full-bottoms, for queues, ramilies, and majors. My neighbour, Mr. Hofkins the cheesemonger, I hardly knew again, his head was fo metamorphorfed.

By looking over the number of Lofts, (among which was a militiaman's mufquet) in the Daily Advertifer of next day, I find all the mob did not come merely to fee the show. Some accidents, you may fuppofe, muft have happened.

A man was killed by a large coping stone, which fome perfons on the roof of a houfe happened to pufh out, as they were leaning against it.

Underneath you have the bill of fare ferved up at the royal table. I remain, &c.

Bill of Fare, as ferved up at the Royal Table in Guildhall, on Lord Mayor's Day, by Meffrs.

Horton and Birch.

KING and QUEEN.
Each four fervices and removes.

Confifting of vegetable and made difhes, green peafe, green morrelles, green truffles, cardoons, &c. Eleven dishes.

Fourth service. Curious ornaments in pastry, jel lies, blomonges, cakes, &c. Nine dishes.

Eight of the ROYAL FAMILY. Four on the right hand of the king, and four on the left. Each four fervices before them, as follows:

First service. Confifting of venifon, turtle, foups, fifh of every fort, viz. dorys, mullets, turbots, bets, tench, foals, &c. Seven difhes.

Second fervice. Ortolans, teals, quails, ruffs, fnipes, partridges, pheafants, &c. Seven dishes.

His majesty's most gracious Speech to both houfes of parliament, March 3d, 1761, recommending a law for making the commiffions of the judges perpetual, during their good be haviour, notwithstanding any future demife of the crown, &c. My lords and gentlemen,

U

Pon granting new commiffions to the judges, the prefent ftate of their offices fell naturally under confideration.

In confequence of the act paffed in the reign of my late glorious predeceffor king William III. for fettling the fucceffion of the crown in my family, their commiffions have been made during their good behaviour; but, notwithstanding that wife provifion, their offices have determined upon the demife of the crown, or at the expiration of fix months afterwards, in every inftance of that nature, which has happened.

I look upon the independency and uprightnefs of the judges of the land, as effential to the impartial administration of juftice; as one of the beft fecurities to the rights and liberties of my loving fubjects; and as moft conducive to the honour of the crown; and I come now to recommend this interefting object to the confideration of parliament, in order that fuch farther provifion may be made for fecuring the judges in the enjoyment of their offices, during their good behaviour, notwithstanding any fuch demife, as fhall be moft expedient.

Gentlemen of the house of commons,
I muft defire of you, in particular,

that I may be enabled to grant, and establish, upon the judges falaries as I fhall think proper, fo as to be abfolutely fecured to them, during the continuance of their commiffions. My lords and gentlemen,

I have nothing to add, but my thanks for the great unanimity and application with which you have hitherto carried on the public bufinefs; and to defire you to proceed with the fame good difpofition, and with fuch dispatch, that thas feffion may foon be brought to a happy conclufion.

To this fpeech the lords made the following addrefs : Moft gracious fovereign,

WE

E, your majefty's most duti ful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal, in par liament affembled, return your majefty our humble thanks for your most gracious fpeech from the throne.

The tender concern which your majefty is pleafed to exprefs for the rights and liberties of your people, and for the impartial adminiftration of juftice, fills our minds with the fincereft gratitude. We look upon your wife and juft fentiments, concerning the independency and uprightnefs of the judges of the land, as the ftrongeft proof of what your majefty has formerly declared to us, in words the most affectionate that ever came from the throne, that the civil and religions rights of your fubjects are equally dear to you with the most valuable of your royal pre[R] 2 rogatives.

rogative. At the fame time, nothing can be a nobler inftance of your true greatnefs of mind, than to efteem these principles, as they truly are, the most conducive to the honour of the crown.

We will not fail to take into our confideration this important object of the continuance of the judges, notwithstanding any demife of the crown; and to do every thing, on our part, to make your majefty's public fpirited intentions effectual: happy in having an opportunity to do this by your majesty's free and voluntary recommendation; and forming the most ardent vows, that the event, wherein the effect of fuch a provifion will be experienced, may, by the goodnefs of providence to thefe kingdoms, be removed for a long courfe of years.,

Permit us, on this occafion, to renew to your majefty the moft unfeigned affurances of our inviolable duty and affection; and to exprefs our thankful acknowledgments for your gracious approbation of our proceedings hitherto. Nothing can equal our zeal for your majefty's fupport; nor fhall any thing be wanting, that depends upon us, to bring this feffion to a speedy and happy conclufion, answerable to your majesty's juft expectations. His majesty's most gracious anfwer. My lords,

which this houfe has of his majefty's attention to an object fo interesting to his people as the impartial adminiftration of justice, and the integrity and independency of the judges of the land; and to affure his majefty, that his faithful commons fee, with joy and veneration, the warm regard and concern, which animate his royal breaft, for the fecurity, laws, liberties, and properties, of his fubjects; and that this houfe will immediately proceed upon the important work, recommended by his majefty with fuch tender care of his people; and will enable his majefty to eftablish the falaries of the judges, in fo permanent a manner, that the fame may be enjoyed, during the continuance of their cómmiffions.

To return his majesty the fincere acknowledgments of this houfe, for his gracious acceptance of the fervices of his faithful commons, and to affure his majefty, that they will proceed with unanimity and difpatch to finish the remaining bufinefs of this feffion of parliament.

On the 4th of March this addrefs was prefented, to which his majefty was pleased to give this moft gracious anfwer:

Gentlemen of the house of commons,

"I thank you for this dutiful and unanimous addrefs. The fenfe you exprefs of my fincere intention to do what is for the good of my people, gives me the highest fatisfaction."

His majesty's most gracious Speech to both houses of parliament, March 19, 1761, on putting an end to the Seffion.

My lords and gentlemen,

Cannot put an end to this feffion, without declaring my entire fatisfaction in your proceedings

during

reduction of Pondicherry, which hath in a manner annihilated the French power in the East Indies. In other parts, where the enemy's numbers were greatly fuperior, their principal designs and projects have been generally difappointed, by a conduct which does the highest honour to the diftinguished capacity of my general prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, and by the valour of my troops. The magnanimity and a"bility of the king of Pruffia have eminently appeared, in refifting fuch numerous armies, and furmounting fo great difficulties,

In this fituation, I am glad to have an opportunity of receiving the trueft information of the fenfe of my people, by a new choice of their reprefentatives. I am fully perfuaded you will agree with me in opinion, that the fteady exertion of our most vigorous efforts, in every part where the enemy may ftill be attacked with advantage, is the only means that can be productive of fuch a peace, as may with reafon be expected from our fucceffes. It is therefore my fixt refolution, with your concurrence and fupport, to carry on the war in the most effectual manner for the intereft and advantage of my kingdoms; and to maintain, to the utmost of my power, the good faith and honour of my crown, by adhering firmly to the engagements entered into with my allies. In this I will perfevere, until my enemies, moved by their own losses and diftreffes, and touched with the miseries of fo many nations, fhall yield to the equitable conditions of an honourable peace; in which cafe, as well as in the pro

fecution of the war, I do affure you no conûderation whatever fhall make me depart from the true interefts of thefe my kingdoms, and the honour and dignity of my

crown.

Gentlemen of the boufe of commons,

I am heartily forry, that the ne ceffity of large fupplies appears fo clearly from what has already been mentioned. The proper eftimates for the fervices of the enfuing year fhall be laid before you; and I defire you to grant me fuch fupplies, as may enable me to profecute the war with vigour, and as your own welfare and fecurity, in the present critical conjuncture, require; that we may happily put the laft hand to this great work. Whatsoever you give, fhall be duly and faithfully applied.

I dare fay your affectionate regard for me and the queen, makes you go before me in what I am next to mention: the making an adequate and honourable provifion for her fupport, in cafe fhe fhould furvive me. This is what not only her royal dignity, but her own merit calls for; and I earneftly recommend it to your confideration

My lords and gentlemen,,

I have fuch a confidence in the zeal and good affections of this parliament, that I think it quite fuperfluous to ufe any exhortations to excite you to a right conduct. I will only add, that there never was a fituation in which unanimity, firmness, and dispatch were more neceffary for the fafety, honour, and true intereft of Great Britain.

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