tations, though he soon renounced this employment. This
was rather a change of men than of measures, and turned out to the ease
and advantage of the sovereign; for his views were no longer thwarted
by an obstinate opposition in parliament. The session was opened on
the twenty-eighth day of November, in the usual manner. The commons
unanimously granted about six millions and an half for the service
of the ensuing year, to be raised by the land, the malt, and the salt
taxes, the sinking fund, and an additional duty on wines. In January,
the earl of Chesterfield set out for the Hague, with the character of
ambassador-extraordinary, to persuade, if possible, the states-general
to engage heartily in the war. About the same time a treaty of quadruple
alliance was signed at Warsaw, by the queen of Hungary, the king of
Poland, and the maritime powers. This was a mutual guarantee of the
dominions belonging to the contracting parties; but his Polish majesty
was paid for his concurrence, with an annual subsidy of one hundred and
fifty thousand pounds, two-thirds of which were defrayed by England, and
the remainder was disbursed by the United Provinces.*

* Robert earl of Orford, late prime minister, died in March,
after having for a very short time enjoyed a pension of four
thousand pounds granted by the crown, in consideration of
his past services. Though he had for such a length of time
directed the application of the public treasure, his
circumstances were not affluent: he was liberal in his
disposition, and had such a number of rapacious dependents
to gratify, that little was left for his own private
occasions.

{1745}

The business of the British parliament being discussed, the session was
closed in the beginning of May; and, immediately after the prorogation,
the king set out for Hanover. The death of the emperor Charles VII.
hich happened in the month of January, had entirely changed the face of
affairs in the empire, and all the princes of Germany were in commotion.
The grand-duke of Tuscany, consort to her Hungarian majesty, was
immediately declared a candidate for the Imperial crown; while his
pretensions were warmly opposed by the French king and his allies. The
court of Vienna, taking advantage of the late emperor's death, sent
an army to invade Bavaria in the month of March, under the conduct
of general Bathiani, who routed the French and Palatine troops at
Psiffenhoven