Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/38

 22 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.

assurances I could desire of her satisfaction and inclination to recompense me. The two things I desired were indeed but feathers, and one a sort of a right, which was to be a Privy Councillor, which no ambassador was ever refused ; and tho' both the Queen and Lord Treasurer promised it me when the embassy was ended, yet I own I had much rather it had been done then, which was all I writ to the Duke about that matter ;. . . . but the other, of being made Earl of Strafford, is what a word's speaking may get done for me now, and with being the head of the Wentworth family, who has so much deserved the keeping of that title in it, I have a very good pretension to ask it ; since the Duke's only objection formerly was that I had not estate eno' to support it, and that I have now 4,000/. a year of my own, I think this is no more an objection. Nay, I have bought a pretty estate very nigh him who the late Lord Strafford made his heir, which with what I had before in that country, I have almost as much land in Yorkshire as he has, and am sure I have a much better interest in that country ; nor can I think the consideration of him can be any bar to me, since he can have no pretensions like mine, and is one that has been and ever will be against the court and the ministry, let

them do what they can for him

" I know 'tis thought by many that I have a fine post here, but I am weary of it. I grow old in a strange country, and am forgot by my friends in England ; besides, I lose my interest in the House of Lords, where I might say, without vanity, I had more interest when I came away than any young lord in England. And what do I get here } I spend more than the Queen's pay, and see no prospect of getting out honourably. My Lord Duke takes no notice of designing me one of the plenipotentiaries at the general peace, to which I have all the right imaginable. In England all the good places are given as soon as they fall, that an absent man can get nothing ; and in the army the Duke seems not inclined to let me come again, tho' I would subscribe to anything he should propose, if he would let me serve again. Here I want all your friendship ; for God's sake, counsel me what I

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