Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/149

 in Scotland, and Grig's intelligence with France happened at the same time, which gave great advantage to his enemies against him, but he kept quiet and well with Mrs. Masham till he brought about this change, cunningly pretending only to clip the power of those two Lords by bringing moderate people on both sides, that he got most of the whigs to join with him only out of hatred to those Lords. He put Lord Shrewsbury in to help his designs, and though now he passes for a tory he was formerly a great dissenter. He did govern

all till Lord Rochester and the crowd of tories came in upon him, how I don't yet know.

Mr. Benson is of no extraction. His father was an attor- ney and no great character for an honest man, and I think concerned in the affairs of Oliver Cromwell. He left him a good estate in Yorkshire of about 1 500/. a year, and an old seat just by Wakefield. This gentleman has been a very good manager and has saved 5 or 6000 pounds or more. He has lived very handsomely in the country without being a drinker, though very gallant amongst the ladies. He had travelled in Italy where he had the good fortune to strike up a friendship with my Lord Dartmouth, by whose means he married a daughter of Lord Guernsey's, which marriage and Lord Dartmouth's friendship procured him this em- ployment [at the Treasury.] By the means of Lord Dart mouth as I take it he first came over to the Tory party, though he has been very moderate. He is always elected a burgess for the city of York, where he used to go constantly every assizes, and is building a house 12 or 14 miles from thence.

Sir Thomas Mansel is of Wales, a neighbour of Mr. Harley's, had always a good estate but a very violent tory, refused to sign the association in King William's time and chose rather to leave his seat in Parliament than do it, though the next Parliament after it was passed into a law he signed it and has ever since been chosen in Parliament. He was made Con- troller of the Household upon the remove of Sir Edward

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