Bedford, Duchess of, her political ascendency over the Duke, i. 186; her ingenious _ruse_ to draw the Duke again into politics, 242; her vice-regal state in Ireland, during the Duke’s government, iii. 66. Berkeley, Earl of, political anecdote, i. 98. Berlin captured by the Austrians and Russians, iii. 295. Bernis, Cardinal de, political disgrace, iii. 158. Besborough, Lord, his share in Irish politics, ii. 19. Bishops, Bench of, their inactivity on the marriage clause of the Regency Bill, i. 146; their characters, 148, 149. Blackbourn, Archbishop, curious anecdote of, i. 87. Blackiston, a spurious patriot and Jacobite, and why, i. 36. Blakeney, General, defence of Minorca, ii. 226; gets a red riband, 275. Board of Trade, attempt of Lord Halifax to subject the West Indian Colonies to that Board, i. 199. Bolingbroke, Lord, tortuous politics of, at the Prince of Wales’s court, i. 73; his death, character, and anecdotes of him, 220; ingratitude towards Sir Robert Walpole, 220; political ingenuity and infamy, 222, 223; courtly anecdote, 223; contrasted with Walpole, 225. Boscawen, Admiral, character and political rise, i. 194; extraordinary conduct during Byng’s trial, ii. 286; defeats the French fleet under De la Clue, off Lagos, iii. 211. Boscawen family, their contest with the Sandwich interests in Cornwall first led to the formation of a Tory party, for general purposes, ii. 13. Boyle, Mr. (Speaker of the Irish House of Commons), his character and politics, i. 279. Braddock, General, his unfortunate expedition, ii. 31. Bribery Oath, motion for its repeal, i. 369. Brick Tax proposed, but dropped, ii. 178. Bristol, extraordinary surrender of election liberties to the King, i. 355. Broglio, Marshal, affair of Minden, iii. 199. Brown, Marshal, the Austrian General, defeated by the King of Prussia, iii. 14. Bruhl, Count, his politics and magnificence, ii. 234; his political character, 404-407. Brunswick, Duchess of, anecdote of her birth, i. 73. Burdett, Sir Robert, a Tory member; extreme kindness of the Whigs to, on a breach of privilege, i. 95. Burgundy, Duke of: born, an important event to France, i. 203. Bute, Lord, his political debut, i. 47; anecdotes of his favouritism at Leicester House, ii. 221-3, et seq.; vide _Wales_. Butler, Bishop, political and ecclesiastical character, i. 148.