Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/409

Rh 100,000l. would make the funds which they had raised for her Maj. fall short; but he was answered that if once the Pretender was brought to justice, such a sum as that might soon be retrieved; and at last 100,000l. reward was carried without a Division. On the same day there was hot work in the House of Lords upon what the H. of Commons had let drop, viz. the preventing raising forces for the French King's or the Pretender's Service. Lord Bolingbroke was at Dinner with Sir Wm. Windham, and being informed what the House was upon hurried thither as fast as he could, but in his hast put on Sir Wm's coat instead of his own, and did not discover his mistake till he came almost to the House, when feeling for some Papers which he should have occasion for there, and by that finding out his mistake, he was forced to drive back again for his own coat, and return'd to the House. When he came he said, he could not but think that the proposal was a very good one but that he had one to offer which he hoped they would think better; which was to prevent the raising any forces in her Majesty's dominions for the Service of any Foreign Prince without her Majesty's own seal manual, which Proposal of his past the House, in which Lord Bolingbrook's friends glory. Those of the other Party say he was very roughly treated in some of the speeches, but of the particulars I cannot inform your Lordship. We have found out a person who according to your Lordship's desire will write you a letter every Post; he requires a guinea a month. The person is Mons. Boyer; Mons. Durett spoke to him, who did not acquaint him that it was your Lordship whom he was to write to, but he said it was what he had of several Persons who were abroad, whom he wrote to after the same manner. He sends your Lordship two for a sample in the last of which you will see how the Queen's fourth part of the Assiento is disposed. I think in some of our former letters we informed your Lordship how Mr. Walpool bantered the benefit of the Assiento, proposing that it might come into aid of some of the funds, as not being worth about 2000l. or 3000l.; but passing from that and setting an higher value upon it they address'd her Majesty to give it the Publick, supposing it would go to some