Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/462

 444 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.

may enjoy that, and that you might not care to remove your family so far as Stainborough. lUl say nothing of Colston Bassett, but only that I wish itt stood in Boughton Park, or if you cou'd spare itt I shou'd have thank'd you to have lett me have had itt att Richkings. I shou'd have been very well satisfied with itt there, and itt wou'd have sav'd me some money ; but I don't know how you can call itt a seat, unless you mean that itt is a proper place to sitt down att in the way to Stainborough. My notion of a good seat is where there is great parks, fine woods, and plantations, and an extensive command for all kinds of country sports in a dry soil. I think any house good enough to sleep in, and the only magnificence the country neighbours have a notion off is your strong beer and beef J

After having writt all this stuff I need not tell your lord- ship that I have no manner of news to send you, itt wou'd have been inexcusable to have fill'd a letter in this manner if one had had anything else to have said in itt, but after begging your pardon for detaining you so long to so little purpose I will conclude as shortly as sincerely that I am, &c.

��September 28, 17 17. My Dear Lord,

I troubled you the last time with a long letter without any news, and therefore think myself oblig'd to take the first opportunity to send you what I can learn. Itt is not unlikely the story relating to my Lord Peterborough may be in the Public papers that come out to night, but being uncertain of that I will not leave itt out. I was in town last Thursday and was told there were letters from abroad giving an account that Lord Peterborough was seiz'd att Bologna upon pretence that he had a design to murder the Pretender. The mob of the town when they heard what was the occasion of his being taken up had an inclination to fall upon him and pull him to pieces ; this I suppose is incerted to show that the Pretender is very popular in Italy. The letters mention some particulars of his having Bills found about him to the value of 14,000/.,

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