there; he says 'tis much taken notice of. Boyer has writ you all the currant news, so I have the less to trouble you with. Call him not my B—— for I never spoke a word to him in my life, but what he writ you concerning this quadurable League has been all the talk of town, and I have been told by those that pretend to have it from some of the Lords justices, that when my Lord B was ask't about it he owned there was such a project and that it then lay before you, upon wch 'twas said, the lords writ to you to lay before the King how far you had proceeded therein. The Duke of Shrewsbury was for having you come over but was over ruled by the rest. They say too there was a bundle of Papers that the Queen gave to the Dutchess of Summerset seal up, wch she desired might be burnt without looking into; she gave it to the Lords acquainting them with the Queen's desire and they did after some Debate burn them, without reading them. Dear Brother, LONDON, August 20, 1714. I have made it my business to tell about the king's Gracious letter to you, wch has had this good effect that it has stopt the impertinence of a great many mouths that were ready to be open'd against all they suppose were going out of favour, and you were one in the City that was supposed to be declining, but I hope better things now. Your French news letter will tell you all the news that's stiring so that I have very little to writ. Some people think this delay is a politick of the King's, that what alterations that are to be made, in Acts that are restraints to him, may be done by the Parliament before he comes, but that can't be, because they say the Lords justices will prorogue the Parliament till the 20th September, next week. The Queen's corps was to have been remov'd from Kingsenton to-morrow night, but upon an Express they have received from the King 'tis put off till Tuesday next, and the Ladies that are to walk at the Funeral are to have their Mourning deliver'd them from the Ward Robe, upon wch I hear some ladies will go that had excused themselves before. LONDON, August 20, 1714. Dear Brother, I can't say I am sorry I have little news to writ to you because that happens from having every thing going on so peaceably and quietly. At present the striff is who shall show themselves the most Zealous for the Present King George, wch is some disappointment to the leading Whigs, for they did expect some opposition in the manner of granting the Civil List, wch the less experienced Tories were ready to give, but they were better advised by the wiser, who are for proposing every thing that's for the honour and dignity of the Crown, so much that some people out of doors of both Partys begin to fear that we shall have the rights and Libertys of Englishmen complymented away, but those reflections are made by people that are of opinion that we have a Prince that's ready to catch at them. I must do this French news writer justice that he has never mist you a post, for they come every post to my house and if I am not at home Mr. Somners carries them to the office or sends them, but of late they have been very neglegent there. Boyer gives you a true recital of the words of the Act of Parliament, and the judges and lawyers are devided in their opinion concerning the said Clause, the Major part are of opinion that the enacting words imply no retrospection. I hear My Lord Chancelor is of that opinion, but what reasons they suppose it with I know not, unless it be from the meaning and intention of the Law wch is to prevent any encroachment of foreigner upon us. But th' others that argue for the letter of the Law say the Parliament have sufficiently declar'd there meaning to be, that none after the Demise of Queen Ann, that are not born of English Parents notwithstanding naturalisation, shall be incapable of any employment Militairy or Civil, for by a subsequent act wherein they empower'd the Queen to leave Kingsenton house to Prince George, they say that notwithstanding any thing contain'd in the former Act against Foreigners setting in either house or having Employ Civil or Military he, was in this Act excepted. I hope the resolution you have taken of staying to see the King first will prove for the best, and am glad to find you have had the same thoughts of the bedchamber as I, but if you don't bring it about I shall despair of it, for the Duke of Shrewsbury has so many people flocking about him, that there's no speaking to him now, I have been to see yet but four of the Kings, Shrewsbury, Kent, Halifax, and Abington; the two or three others I intend to wait upon is Argile, Dartmouth, and Somerset. If I may be of the Bedchamber they will have a Querry to dispose of. If it be my hard Fate only to continue Querry I shall loss the Pension the Queen wou'd have continued to me till she had given me some thing else better, for all the Querrys had some other Place. I am not at liberty to deliberate wch is best, to go over or stay here for the Arrival of the King, for by Act of P-- all her Late Majesty's servants are obliged to take the oath of office to the King, wch I have done. 'Tis expected that we shou'd attend the funeral wch is thought will be within a fortnight, all the servants are order'd to wait as they did in her life time till she's under ground. My sister A[rundell] has had much setting up and has behaved herself with much more decency after the Breath was out of the Queen's Body then any of the bedchamber women. She's well spoken on by every body, I have heard it mention'd by people that did not know me. Lady Masham, Mrs. Hill and Danvers are cry out upon for their behaviour; tho' they roar'd and cry'd enough whilst there was life, but as soon as there was none they took care of themselves. Mons Bothmar has been all over Lady Masham's lodgings in St. James's and I hear her goods are to be removed very soon. . . . [LORD BERKELEY OF STRATTON.] August 31, 1714. I am asham'd to have let a post goe, tho' but one, without my thanks for your Lordship's kind letter of the 31st new Lordship hath receiv'd stile, where I am glad to see your such gracious letters from our King. your friends are nettled at the favours you mention in your memorial to the States. The world continues very quiet here, and it is wonderfull that there hath not been soe much as an indiscretion. The whigs are really peevish to have the lye soe handsomly given them. There was an opinion that this parliament would have been made use of, to doe the business of the year in the time they are allow'd to sit, but now they say we must expect a dissolution, and tear one another's throats at elections. You can best tell when we shall have our King, but they tell us not till next week. I have been surpris'd at the change I have perceiv'd in Mr. Hill's discourse ever since the Queen fell ill. That mystery is now disclos'd, for I hear he puts in for the bishoprick of Ely. I am afraid of living to be old, for that age, most suitable one would think to quiet and retirement, is more set upon the world, and more tormented with ambition, then the time of day when it would be more excusable. There was a report some time agoe that the D. of M- had a Commission of Captain General sent him, but one hears noe more of it. Now they will have it that he hath such a Commission dormant in case of any commotion. I hope he will not have that occasion to produce it. I am glad to enjoy a little air at Richmond till the King comes, for I would be in town at that time, tho' I doe not expect to be long detain'd there.* [PETER WENTWORTH.] August 31, 1714. This day my Lord Bullingbrook was told that the King had no more accasion for his service, and that Lord T—— and Lord Cooper went with him from St. James to the Cockpit to seal up all his papers. Mons' Guildenberg mett me to * On August 31, Lady Wentworth writes to her son :-" Al hear are in great rapturs of the King, and say he is the Wysist and Richis Princ in Yoarup; I hope he will prove soe." day in the park, and told me 'twas reported in town that all the answere you had from the king to some or all your letters was Mi Lord, j'ay receu votre lettre, George Roy. I assured him that was false, for I knew you had received several very obliging letters from him, with which he was sattisfied and seem'd pleased. We have report in town that there's three new commissions from the King, the first the Duke of Marleborough as General, th' other Lord Cooper as Chancelour, the last to Lord Orford as Admiral. Dear Brother, LONDON, September 17, 1714. I am always glad to receive letters from you, but have never been better pleased a great while then with yours of the 25, wch gave me an opportunity to-day to contradict a knot of Marchants at St. James, that were talking of the news of the day, wch was that Lord Townsend was declar'd secretary of State in the room of Lord Bullingbrook, and that the Duke of M--wou'd be declar'd general as soon as the King came over, and that General Cadogan was to go Plenypo to the Hague, and that Lord Strafford was recall'd. Tho' I did not know the Gentlemen I took the liberty to inform them right, that Lord T was secretary of State, in the room of Lord B—— and that Cadogan was to go to Brussells for the affairs of Flanders, but I cou'd assure them Lord Strafford was not recalled. I saw General Wade to-day who tells me he has mett with that ridiculous report of the short answer the King gave you to the letter he received by him, and he had taken pains to undeceive a great many wch he can very well do, for you did him the Honour and favour to show him the King's answere, wch was in as obliging terms as a sovereign cou'd writ to a subject and contain'd a full sheet of paper. I was sorry you did not come over with the King, but I don't know what to think now, whether 'tis not best you don't; if the reports has any influence, 'twill quash all that, but your not being here will give advantage to have stories raised that can't be so soon contradicted. I hope all will turn for the best. I am just |
