the time arrived, when, by his sudden elevation, he was to attract the notice of the world. When Florida Blanca had requested that the revenues of the dutchy of Alcudia should be reserved for national improvements, he found himself thwarted in his purposes, and lamented to hear that this extensive territory was destined for a Gardé de Corps, attendant on the queen, who was to be created a grandee of Spain.

This he strenuously opposed in council, as illegal, and for a time prevailed. But finally, in spite of his remonstrances, the grant took place. To vindicate these grants the count de la Canada was employed, who had no difficulty in proving to the satisfaction of the court, that the family of Godoy was most illustrious; and, as such, justly entitled to the grandeeship in Spain. For this service he was created governour of the council of Castile, and thus the way was made plain for the triumph of the favourite. In the meantime, the people openly expressed their dissatisfaction; and on the 26th Feb, 1792, at night, the mob marked their indignation by attacking the house of the Guarde de Corps, which they are said to have totally demolished. The next day, at two o'clock in the morning, count Florida Blanca received orders to depart immediately from Madrid, and to retire within the precincts of his own estate. He was, however, permitted, at his particular request, to take up his abode in a convent of monks at Ellin, a small village in Murcia, where he remained four months, at the end of which term, he was conveyed as a state prisoner to the castle of Pampe luna.

Thus every obstacle having been removed, Manuel Godoy was created a grandee of the first class, and duke de la Alcudia, with a territory of about twenty thousand a year, to support his dignity. It was not thought expedient to make him the immediate successour to so intelligent a minister as Florida Blanca.

Count d'Aranda, was therefore, recalled from Paris, where he had been some years in honourable banishment, as ambassadour from the court of Spain.

On his elevation to this office of high dignity and power, his sagacity soon discovered that he was only locum tenens to another; and that other he endeavoured to remove. He took occasion, therefore, to extol the superiour talents of his rival, lamented the disadvantages he had laboured under in his youth, and recommended that he should travel for some years in Europe, after which he would return with such a stock of political wisdom as might qualify him for the highest employments in the state. The confidential friends of the young man were too much practised in the intrigues of courtiers to let him fall into this snare. Count d'Aranda was dismissed, and the duke of Alcudia became prime minister. Splendid honours were heaped upon his head, and every power of the state was put into his hands. He became Sargento Mayor, that is, inspector of the body guard, chamberlain and private secretary to the queen, commander in chief of all the forces, &c. From royal munificence he received coaches, horses, and jewels, of inestimable value; and whenever the king had a child born to him, the duke of Alcudia received some fresh token of his regard.

On one occasion, when the accoucheur had delivered the queen, and was retiring, he saw displayed upon a table a quantity of gold, which filled him with astonishment because he could scarcely conceive that such a recompense was designed for him. In fact, it was not designed for him, but for the favourite, that he might participate in his sovereign's joy on this occasion. The sum was 80,000 ducats. At one of these seasons, the duke received the Cortijo, or royal farm, near Aranjuez, which I have particularly de scribed in my travels, and which cost

the old king more than 200,000l. At the same time, to this was added, the best encomienda of Santiago, which required a vow of perpetual celibacy and chastity. Such gifts as these excited indignation, and the enraged multitude expressed the general sentiment in the subsequent placard, which was found on the walls of the palace at Madrid:

Si la Reyna tiene otro parto
Se queda sin corona Carlos quarto.

Should the queen have another son, Charles IV. will remain without a crown. This indignation and disgust was not confined within the narrow limits of Madrid.

Whilst the duke of Alcudia displayed his omnipotence at court, every department in the state was occupied by some one of his creatures, whose chief recommendation, was attachment to his person.

For twenty years the queen had for her confessor a man of inflexible integrity, to whom, as a reward for his fidelity, was given a bishoprick, but with obligation to constant residence in his diocese. This he resigned that he might return to Marid, where, however, he was not permitted to remain, being commanded to retire into the Asturias, his native country, that he might there enjoy tranquillity for the remainder of his days. On his retreat he was succeeded by Muzquiz, a confessor of distinguished talents, and much attached to the new favourite.

Acuna, a low bred ecclesiastick of neither talents nor literature, but a fortunate gambler, who occasionally lent money to Godoy, was first rewarded by a canonry of Santiago, one of the greatest dignities in Spain, and then appointed minister of grace and justice, an office which not only 'controls all the tribunals in the kingdom but governs the whole ecclesiastical system of the realm.

In November, 1792, the duke of Alcudia became prime minister, and

a few months after this, he took Don Antonio Barradas for his minister of war. This man had served with him as guarde de corps, and became the confidential friend of Charles IV. Godoy, well aware of his influence, cultivated his friendship. Immediately on the death of Charles III. Barradas was rapidly promoted to be brigadier-general, then marshal, and knight of the order of Charles III. He received a gold key, and his wife became lady of honour to the queen. This man had acquired the friendship of the king, while prince of Asturias, by submitting with good humour when, as frequently happened, he was exposed to laughter by impertinent jokes and vulgar tricks upon his person, and by attending fairs to purchase horses for him whenever his services in the capacity of groom were wanted. By such base servility he ingratiated himself, and being a convenient person to the duke, he was amply rewarded for his fidelity. to the confidence reposed in him; for without one good quality, which could recommend him to the office, he was appointed minister of war.

With such ministers as these, we must not be surprised, that Spain was unable to withstand the shock of revolutionary troops. All their armies were defeated, and the French generals were marching to Madrid.

The minister of war attributed their rapid progress, not to his own neglect, not to deficiency of men, nor to their want of spirit, but to his absolute inability to arm them. Barcelona, the Birmingham of Spain, was in the occupation of the enemy; and 50,000 stand of arms, which had been purchased in England, had been seized by the English minister, and sent to La Vendée, where they soon fell into the hands of Robespierre.

Unfortunately for the common cause, the facts were precisely as stated by the minister of war. I saw a letter from an officer in the Span

ish army to my Spanish friend, then on a visit at my house, in which he lamented the want of arms; and the late sir Archibald Dixon informed me that he had landed, in La Vendée, 30,000 of the muskets which had been purchased by the Spanish minister in England.

In these circumstances the duke of Alcudia complained, that Spain was betrayed by her ally, and, no longer able to resist, he advised his sovereign to quit the coalition, and to make peace with France.

On this occasion splendid illumina tions in every city testified the universal joy, and on the frontiers, bo tween the contending armies, the populace, assembling, made bonfires with the implements of war.

This opportunity of acquiring popularity for the favourite was not to be neglected. The king, therefore, immediately granted him fresh h nours, and, to coincide with the general sentiment of the nation, the title of the Prince of the Peace was fixed upon. To keep up a perpetual remembrance of this event, and to remind succeeding generations of the motives which induced the king to grant such a title to his minister, his majesty was pleased to send the subsequent mandate to the council of Castile:

"In consideration of the exalted qualities of Don Manuel Godoy Alverez de Faria, Prince of the Peace, Duke of Alcudia, Grandee of Spain of the first class, Knight of the Orders of the Golden Fleece, of Charles III. of Malta, and of Santiago, Captain-General of the Royal Armies, Inspector of the Guarde de Corps, Counsellor and First Secretary of State, Chamberlain and Secretary to my beloved wife the queen, having in view the rank of his ancestors, his high employments, the distinguished services he has rendered me, the antiquity of his illustrious house, and the merit of his having established peace between this crown and the French nation; it was my pleasure, by my royal proclamation,

the 4th of this present month, to honour him with the dignity of Prince of the Peace, which title is to continue, and to be transmitted to his heirs and successours.

"Anxious to give him a fresh proof of the satisfaction with which I regard his incessant attention to my service, it is my royal will and pleasure that his coat of arms shall acquire new dignity, by adding above his ducal coronet, the image of Janus, whose two faces are the symbol of his consummate wisdom in the present circumstances of publick affairs, a symbol of the prudent man, who, with native sagacity, examines the past, foresees the future, discerns the principles, causes, and connexions of things, anticipates effects, compares, with a discerning eye, times and events, penetrates the most recondite political secrets, discovers things before unknown, and reaches to the highest pinnacle of human understanding for the happiness of nations.

"Now as Janus is the symbol of Peace, it is my royal will and pleasure that the bust of this false divinity shall indicate the title of the Prince of the Peace.

"This image shall bear on its head the civick crown, with which the Romans rewarded merit to the preservers of peace.

"It is also my royal will and pleasure that two other allegorical figures shall be added to his coat of arms, annulling, in the present case, whatever laws of heraldry appear to be contrary to this innovation. The figure on the right side shall be allegorical of Spain, whose left arm shall embrace the ducal coronet, and whose right hand shall bear a blue standard, with the arms of Castile and Leon.

"The figure on the left side of the coat of arms, shall be a page, such as in former times, attended illustrious knights, carrying their coats of arms to the tournaments, houses of high distinction, and places of festivity. This

armour-bearer shall have upon his breast, the coat of arms of the barony of Godoy; and in his left hand a spear with a pendant, in which the different arms of the alliances of the house of Godoy, shall be represented. It is my royal will and pleasure, that the Prince of the Peace, on all publick occasions, shall be preceded by an armour-bearer, either on foot, on horseback, or in a coach. And for this office, the Prince of the Peace shall choose a person whose rank and character shall not disgrace the splendour of his arms.

"And although the supporters granted to noblemen are not hereditary, yet it is my royal will and pleasure that the supporters, which by these presents, are granted to the Prince of Peace, shall descend with his titles, and be used by his successours. St. Ildefonso, 12th October, 1795. I, the King.

"To the Bishop Governour of

the Council of Castile." This curious proclamation I received from a Spanish friend of high connexions, in whose veracity I have the most perfect confidence.

What has been already stated, is sufficient to demonstrate, that the fond affection of the king for the Prince of the Peace, knew no limits. In the mean time, the people held him in supreme contempt. For, whilst he was thus rising to the highest pinnacle of power, they continued to paste their placards on the palace gates. Among these inscriptions was observed the following:

La Reyna lo quiere; el Rey tambien,
El Pueblo lo sufre, arriba con el.

ings, the royal family disgraced itself to the last degree, in the eyes of the whole nation, by going on pilgrimage to Badajoz, the place of Godoy's nativity.

A very intimate friend of mine was in their suite, and from him I learn, that the persons attendant on this expedition, were no fewer than 4,000, passing through a country where ten travellers could scarcely find subsistence. However, on this occasion, some little degree of modesty, some slight attention to the publick feeling, was observed, by declaring this pilgrimage was to the bones of S. Ferdinand of Seville.

We have seen this favourite rising from the condition of Guarde de Corps, to the highest offices of trust and power. We are next to view him as allied to royalty.

I have transiently mentioned, in my Spanish travels, that I met with the first cousin of Charles IV. at Toledo. The history of this family is most remarkable.

The Infant Don Louis, brother to Charles III. in consequence of a system observed in the royal family of Spain, as being a younger brother,

was

not permitted to marry, but was compelled, contrary to his inclination, to become an ecclesiastick, and that he might never think of abandoning this profession, the king, his brother, conferred on him the archbishopricks of Seville and Toledo. In order to bind him still more closely to the church, the pope created him a cardinal. But, as these dignities could not change his disposition, nor change the propensities of nature, he for a length of time, resisted being ordained a

less so

The King. The people submit to this:
Up with him.

An expression this, which children make use of on Good Friday, when they toss Judas in a blanket.

Not satisfied with disgusting all good subjects by such mad proceed

church, he determined to give both his mitres and his hood in exchange for a wife. But although he repeatedly solicited permission of the king to marry, this favour was constantly denied him. Wearied at last by the restraint which this opposition imposed upon him, he assumed a resolute tone, to which the

king replied, that he should be permitted to marry, on condition, that he should not connect himself with any female who was either of the royal family, or allied to a grandee. Don Louis, without loss of time, sent to the king a list of names of such ladies as were not prohibited; adding, that he accepted the permission with which his majesty indulged him, and that he would marry any one of those ladies whom his majesty should name. The king viewed this list with the utmost indignation, when he beheld the first name to be Mallabriga. For this young lady, celebrated for the beauty of her person, was daughter to a captain of infantry. In consequence of this indignation, the Infant Don Louis was banished for ever from the court, despoiled of all his honours, and deprived of authority even over his own domesticks. He obeyed in silence, wrote to the young lady, and, having received her consent to marry him, he left the palace the next day, and retired to Villaviciosa, where he had a palace, and where he resided fourteen years. Here he formed his curious cabinet of natural history, which occupied his time, and made him soon forget the society he left behind him at Toledo.

After his death, his children, a son and two little daughters, were taken from their mother and lodged in the palace of his successor, in the archbishoprick of Toledo, where I had the happiness to meet with them. The young prince appeared amiable, but had a certain degree of gloom upon his countenance, which only served to render him more interesting. He was just arrived from Villaviciosa, and was about twelve years of age. His sisters were lodged in a convent of nuns. The young prince was compelled to sign himself Mallabriga, and was not permitted to retain the name of Bourbon. Meek in his appearance, this youth was not destitute of spirit; and, therefore, whenever his attend

VOL. III.

ants at any time addressed him by the name of Mallabriga, he was apt to expostulate, and say that his name was the same with that of the kings of Spain and Naples.

He did me the honour to notice me, and was more particular in his attentions, because he was disposed to trace in me some personal resemblance to his father, and because he understood that my pursuits were the same with his.

After the death of Charles III. it was imagined that his son would have relaxed in the severity of treatment towards the children of his uncle; but his conduct was perfectly the reverse of this, being determined that this branch of his family should perish. In consequence of such a resolution, the young prince has been compelled to accept the archbishoprick of Toledo.

Who would ever have imagined, that one of these princesses should have been taken from a convent, and have been married to the prince of the peace!

This connexion, by opening views of boundless ambition, has proved his ruin, and may terminate in the extinction of that family which Louis XIV. seated on the throne.

Amidst the numerous evils which this favourite has brought upon the state, we must not overlook one service which may ultimately compensate for them all.

By immemorial custom, the king's confessor had been either a monk or an inquisitor, who, undoubtedly, were the most improper keepers of the royal conscience. When Jesuits were confessors to most of the crowned heads in Europe, every one conversant with history, well knows the political intrigues they cherished, and the persecutions they promoted.

The union of these two characters of inquisitor and confessor, by establishing an absolute dominion over the conscience of the monarch, gave the most firm support to the inquisitorial power in Spain. The