Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/332

 3l6 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.

concern'd, therefore cannot omit telling you that several! whigs grumble much at the Emperour's not having Stras- burgh, and the separate cessation of arms just after My Lord Strafford, the Duke of Ormond, and before that Mr. Lumley, had assur'd the States that the war would be push't on with vigour; that if this comes into parliament, they cannot be soe regardless of truth, as to give their approbation to such a behaviour to allies, tho' never soe faulty. For my part I must always be for the peace so necessary and in which I am sure you have acted with soe much sincerity, but you know we have always whimsicall people amongst us hard to be pleas'd. Many of the gentlemen are alsoe angry at the parliaments soe often put off. There is a story goes about, which tho' I believe nothing of, yet I cannot help sending you, that Lord Sussex and his son in law,* lately come from France, went to one Mr. Lewis, a gentleman of a good estate, with compli- ments from My Lord Melfort and the Pretender, for the good inteligence constantly sent them, but, seeing him surpris'd, ask't him if he was not in My Lord Dartmouth's office, and that this gentleman told this before 20 people in the choco- late house ; but if there was any thing of this, we should certainly hear that that Lord and his son would be taken. They say the countrey gentlemen will take it very ill if there is not at least two shil. taken from the land, and some will have that the whole four will be taken off, supplied by a lottery or by taxing the funds, which will I doubt be cry'd out upon as a breach of publick faith. You have heard that the Marocco ambassadour was seis'd here for reprisals of what they had taken of our ships, which was occasion'd by our neglect in resenting the truce now expir'd and will cost much dearer then the presents that must have been given for that renewall. Duke d'Aumonts house was yesterday burnt down to the ground with two of his neighbours. You have heard of Lord Carbery's death, whose daughter is they say to marry My Lord Hartford.f

of Sussex, married Charles Skehon, a General in the French service, t A letter of Ralph Palmer to Viscount Fermanagh of this date in
 * Barbara, daughter of Thomas Lennard, Lord Dacre, created Earl

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