She was commissioned and formally brought into service in 1755 and put under command of Captain Michael Everitt who sailed her to the Mediterranean with Admiral John Byng's fleet.

Immediately after the battle command passed to Captain Edward Pratten who took her to the Leeward Islands immmedialy after repairs at Chatham.

On 3 November 1758, Buckingham under the command of Richard Tyrell joined with HMS Weazel to engage three French warships off the coast of Montserrat, the 74-gun Florissant and two frigates (Egrette and Atalante),[2] carrying 38 and 28 guns.

American Revolution: On 15 April 1778 she sailed from Newport, Rhode Island taking General John Burgoyne and some of his Officers back to England, arriving in early May.

[4] Command passed in October 1778 to George Anson Byron, she sailed for Jamaica on 26 December 1778 to resupply the Royal Navy garrison.