1805.) 
the Queen herfelf, was the only obftacle ; 
and for this Manuel was deemed the moft 
proper perfon. This he performed coz 
—acerto*®, Her majelty received the memo- 
rial mof graciouily, but was more truck 
with the young, bold; and brawny figure 
that prefented it, than with the plaintive 
tale of an inamorato long fince enjoyed. 
The Queen, after appointing a more con- 
venient hour to take the matter into con- 
fideration, and to converfe with him perfo- 
nally, difmified Manuel with a prefent, 
which at once indicated her private féel- 
ings and perfonal attachment. From this 
period fortune feems to have borne him on 
her wings to the temple of Honour, as his 
advancement was as rapid as the {miles of 
fiat fickle goddsfS%.  Luis’s exile was 
terminated, and he received a colonel’s 
commiffion in the Guards. Buta new office 
was created for Manuel, adjutant-general 
of the Life-guards, with the rank of ma- 
Jor-general in the army. He had not he'd 
thefe fituations long, till he fucceeded, 
through the confummate addrefs of the 
Queen, in ingratiating himfelf with the 
King, and was fhortly after made a lieute- 
nant-general in the army, and called upon 
to be one of his Majefly’s minifiers, in the 
capacity of firtt fecretary of Rate. It was 
at this period that he acquired fuch a com- 
plete afcendency over the King’s mind, by 
doing every thing as he thought proper, 
Without inquiring for his Majefty’s appro- 
bation. This was fo flattering to the 
King’s natural indolence, which hates po- 
litical affairs, that he refolved never after 
to have another minifter; and that he fhould 
govern and direct the helm of the flate as 
might be agreeable to his particular views. 
His Majefty felt grateful to.the man who 
had thus relieved bim from the burden of 
government, and he continued pouring 
honours and wealth upon his head. It 
was now,that Manuel was to be ennobled, 
and it muft be conteffed, that he evinced 
addrefs, in claiming nobility from his an- 
celtors, rather than for his perfonal merit. 
Don Manuel Godoy de Alvarez was creat, 
ed a grandee of Spain of the firft clafs, 
under the title of Duke of Alcadia: the 
king beftowing on him the royal domain of 
Alcadia, and alio the sevenues of four.of 
the moft wealthy military orders, which 
mult have been rather above than below 
100,000]. tterling a year. The now Duke 
of Alcadia found his. power uulimited ; 
his moft diftant relatives all placed ia the 
moi lucrative offices; the mott trifling 
| *_ We haveno-word in Englith fo’emphatic 
as tHe above to exprefs with effe€, 
Monrury Mac, No 126. 
Memoirs of the Prince of Peace, M41 
favours of the court not to be obtained 
Without his permiflion 5: and the ancieht 
prandées of Spain paying their court to 
him, and attending his levees with equal 
affiduity as thofe of the King’s. ‘The 
Queen’s liberality to him, ar leaft in her 
perfonal favours, was unremitting ; and 
their amours now became fo common, {a 
public, and fo much in defiance of all de- 
cency or decorum, that I fhould be forry ta 
abufe the language in adeicription of their 
wanton excefles. The period of the war 
with France arrived, ia which the Duke of 
Aleadia evinced more power than political 
fagacitye The Grand Council of Cattille 
was fummoned, which was thea pirited, 
iberal, and independent. body. This 
‘council, with the brave Count de Aranda 
at its: head, decided:in favour of defenfive 
meafures, contrary to thofe of the duke. 
Their timidity or prudence greatly incenfed 
the Duke of Alcadia, who, determined on 
ofenfive meafures and cn plunder, diflolved 
the council with great <indignation, and 
banifhed the worthy Count de Aranda te 
Sarragoza, where he furvived. juft. long 
encugh to witnefs the difgrace. and downs | 
fall of his country. » Thus was the moft 
noble and moft ancient council in Europe 
annihilated by the puerile frenzy of a mufh- 
room duke; acouncil inftitutea by Alonzo 
XI. and the conquerors of the Moors ia 
the end of the aoth or beginning of the 
13th century 3; a council too from whofe 
bofom fprung fome of the wifeft and moft 
falutary laws, conceived in a genuine {pirit | 
of ‘humanity, jufiice, and I would fay tie 
berty, were the word intelligible. This 
ancient council, which pointedly admo- 
nifhed the emperor Charles V. and which 
repeatedly checked the fanguinary ambi- 
tion of the Philips, isnmow no-more. True, 
another under the famename has been called 
into exiftence, but it ferves only to embla- 
zon the fhield of the Prince of Peace, and 
not tq proteét the rights and immunities of 
the nation. The war with France com- 
menced,: and during the time that the 
Spanifh foldiers continued advancing into 
the French territories, they bebaved with 
uncommon bravery, often fighting and 
conquering with two to three. The dif- 
cordancy in the cabinet councils occafion= 
ed them to receivg orders to retire imme- 
diately into’ the Spanifh‘territory, and to 
att for the future on the defenfive only. 
This order ffruck a panic through: the 
whole army; and they conceived them- 
felves infulted and betrayed, and never 
after fought either with inclination or 
courage. “ The frontier tuwns fell before 
the French almof on their approach; and 
there 
SSS 
