Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/137

 C H R O T

fend two, or three, hundred pound bank notes, the next day, by the penny-poft. E.xert not your curio- fity too early ; it is in your power to make me grateful on certain terms. I have friends who are faith- ful, but they do not bark before they bite, I am. Sec. F."

The Duke was pleafed to attend a fecond time, at the place and hour appointed, and walkea five or fix minutes in the Abbey before he faw any body that he fufpecleJ. He then faw the fan^e perfon whom he had feen before in Hyde Park. He came in with a good looking man, who had the appearance of a fubftantial tradefman,and theywent about, looking on the monuments. After fome time the Granger went into the choir, ard the perfon whom he had feen before, turned back, and came towards the Duke. The Duke then afked him, if he had any thing to fay to him, or any commands for him ? and he re- plied, * Nc, my Lord, I have not.' The Duke then faid, * Sure you ' have?' But he replied again with the fame words, * No, my LorJ.' The Duke then left him, and as he continued to walk up and down one fiue of the ifle, his Grace walked Lpanddown the other, to give hm a iitrle more time; but he did not fpeak. TheDuicf had then feve- ral perfons difguifed in the Abbey, who were to have taken up the per- fon he was to meet, if the lignal had been given ; but the Duke did not give it, becaufe, tnoogh he was veryfure the perfon he had fpoke to was the fame he had feen in. the Park, yet he chcfe rather to run a further rifk him- felf, than to take up an innocent man.

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Verv foon after this rii? Grace received a third letter, as follows.

To his Grace the Duke of Marl- boroLigh.

" My LoSo,

I am fully convinced yo-j had a companion on Sunday, i interpret it as owing to the weaknefs of hu- man nature; bur fach proceeding is far from being ingenuous, and may produce bad eifec:?, whiiil it is impoflible to r.nfwer the end pro- pcfed. You will iee me again loon, as it were by accident, and may eafilv find where I go to ; in con- feqiience of which, by being fent to, I fhall wait on your Grace, but expedl to be quite alone, and to converfe in whifpers ; you will jike- wife give your honour, upon meet- ing, ihat no part of the converfa- tion fh 111 tranfpire. Thefe, and the fwrmer terms complied with, enfure your fafety : my revenge in cafe of non-compliance (or any fcheme to expofe me) will be flower, but not lefs fure; and Itrong fufpicion, the utmoil that can pofiioly enfue upon it: while the chances would be tenfold againit you. You will pof- fibly be in doubt after meeting, but it is quite necelTary the out- fide (hould be a ma(k to the ig. The family of the Bloods is_noE iextindl, though tkey are.,not in my fchem.e."

This letter, by the exprei'^^n «' you will fee me again foon, .^^ it timate, that the writer had not only feen the Duke but that the Duke had feen the writer fo as to know and remember him ; for how elfe could his Grace fee him "as it " were by accident," (o as to note him, and find out whither be went?
 * • were by accident," feems to in-

His