Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/124

 I08 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.

as hearty and sincere in using their Interest, as we wou'd have them 'tis now too late, we have daily stores told which shows that interest is much sunk of Late. 'Twas observed

that the Dutchess of M did not make her appearance

at Chappel with the Qveen her Birth day, wch most of the Ladys of the Bed Chamber did, there was a drawing room at night, but every body in as deep morning as ever.

This Story I am a going to tell you, tho' told by Lord Harford him self, wou'd not be so generally received for truth were it not attended by other circumstances. Lord Hartford

was at the Duke of M levee and he beckinged him from

behind the crowd to come speak to him. The Duke told him he had heard he had given himself a liberty of speaking very freely of him, and in such rude terms that if he was in Flanders he wou'd break him for't. Lord Hartford says he reply'd he cou'd not do that without a Counsil of War, and demanded what he had said. The Duke told him, he heard he shou'd say he pist backwards {sic) and had deny'd to the Queen his having any designe to stir the Commons up to address the Queen to remove Mrs. Masham. I hear his Lordship makes his brags that he answere his Grace very pertly to't, but what surprises me more is what follows, as that

the next day the Duke of M mett the Duke of Som-

merset and told him he must make a complaint to him of Lord Hartford who had served him very ill — how, my Lord,

says the Duke of S, serv'd ill, I have it under your hand

by two letters that he serve very well, — the Duke of M

says, my Lord you mistake me, I say serv'd me very ill, and so tell what Lord Hartford had said of him — is that all .? says

the Duke of S, I do assure you he said no more then

what he heard me say that you and your friend did sollicite to have an address to that purpose, and that you had with

many asseverations deny'd so doing to the Q. The

circumstance to make the first part of the Story be beleived is that the Duke did some time agoe reproach Duke Desnee*

Withers, commonly called " Duke " from his habit of using the exclama-
 * Colonel Disney, the friend and constant companion of General

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