Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/202

 1 86 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.

and St. Johns had made of his correspondence with France. He answered the questions they made him with equivocation, so they sent him out into the next room whilst they con- sidered whether they shou'd show him a letter under his own hand he had writ to one Mauroe. In that room it seems there lay a Pen knife upon a table wch he stole off, and when he was called in again, Mr. Harley ask't if he did not know the name of Maureau, at wch he turn'd pale. Mr. St. Johns said if he had nothing to say for himself they must call in the Messenger to take him into Custody. He ask't if he might not have his liberty upon Parole, wch was deny'd him. Then he said he had something to say to Mr. St. Johns in Perticular, he said what he had to say he must say it aloud before the lords ; then he ask't to speak in private with Mr. Harley who gave him the same answere Mr. St. John did. Upon wch he drew out his pen knife and stabt Mr. Harley in the breast wch at the first stab broak, so his repeting the blow did no harm. It seem'd as if he did not know 'twas broak for he was striking at all that were next him, who drew their swords, and 'tis said 'twas Mr. St. Johns that run him thro' the belly. They say the Duke of Buckingham got up a stool and threw at him. Guiscard has two wounds, and if the Duke of Ormond and some other lord had not prevented he had been kill'd when down. After they took him out and bound him he desired he might speak with Duke of Ormond, who went to him and the Duke of Argile stood at the door and heard him ' why, my Lord, had you not the goodness to lett me be killed.' He said he did not intend to have stabed Mr. Harley but he did intend to stab Mr. St. Johns, who had used him very ill, as had the Duke of Marlborough, who he had sent a challenge to but he had treatd him like a foot man and wou'd not answere him, and if he had had an oppor- tunity before he went he wou'd have stab'd him. The Duke of Ormond said that for these four or five days he heard he had been desirous to have a private audience of the Queen, he hoped he had no ill intentions to her. He said no, she was a Good Woman, and had always treated him very civilly. The Duke of Argile was not in Council at the examination of

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