Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/257

 LETTERS OF PETER WENTWORTH. 24I

majesties desire cspiciall when she had given them so good a reason as that she had matter of importance to communicate to both houses. They call'd out for the question, and for adjourning were sixty three, against it forty nine. The Whigs call'd out for the proxys, but they did not get much by that neither, for one side had 19 and t'other 18, vvch was I have forgot now. We People that are not let into the secreet do suppose, from the Duke of Marlborough's being turn'd out, and the Queen's being ready to communicate to her Parlia- ment matters of importance, that a Peace is not far off.

In one of yours you desire to hear what people say of you. I was yesterday in the city with a relation of my wife's, and there came up a marchant to us and told us for news that Mons. Hensius had intercepted two of your letters going to Mons. Torcy and thereby had discover'd secreets that were not to be known to the Dutch, and was going to tell how Mons. Hensius had pumpt and made you deny you had writ any such thing, and then pull'd out of his pocket a copy of your letter, wch you deny'd to be your hand, but you were whole confounded when he puU'd out an original letter of your own. But my cozen Palmer told him I was your brother, so I could hear no more of him. To day I saw Sir John Lambert* and he told me that in the city they had for this week spread about this ridiculous story, and that you was so disagreeable to the Dutch that they had desired you might be recall'd, and he offer'd to lay any of them in Garroway's coffee house a 100 guineas there was not a word of truth in either of the stories, Tho' they wou'd lay no wagers they had it from several of their correspondence as they said, you behaved yourself very haughtily to the Dutch, and was very imperious in your way to them ; and then they made a dia- loge between you and Prince Eugene, that when you was to perswade him from going into England you told him when the mob was up nobody cou'd answere for the mischeif they did, his reply was he that had done so much for the liberty

��* A wealthy merchant whom Harley had knighted for his pecuniary services to the Government.

R

�� �