Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/561

 he did not drink punch as long as the duke did. Yesterday we was surprized by the arrival of Mr. Powell from Bath ; he told us no news, except that he travell'd up to town with my Lady Townsend and Miss Edwin and always dined and supped with them on the road. ]\ly Lord Effingham has been very ill, but is now quite recover'd. I hear Mr. Handcll has borrow'd of the Duke of Argylle a pair of the largest kettle-drums in the Tower, so to be sure it will be most excessive noisy with a bad set off singers ; I doubt it will not retrieve his former losses. They say the Parliment will not meet a Thursday unless the convention with Spain comes a Monday, but I assure your Lordship I do not affirm my news in the least, my author was Lord Deerhurst this morning at Foubert's. The Prince and Princess of Wales has there drawing rooms of Wedensdays as usual, but they have very few coaches. Lord Darnley is very constant, his equipage makes a show in the Square, but I am sure his person makes none in the drawing-room. My cousin Went- worth came to town last night and lay at the Tower, and I

believe is not yet come to this end of the town The

weather of late has been very good and the weather glass is still very high, so I flatter myself the fine weather will hold till your lordship, which will make your journey quite pleasant. I hope your two companions Leapy and Fly behave well, and do not at all entertain themselves with Suffolk sheep, tho' I think Leapy has no objection to raw UiUtton. Fatima is vastly mended since your lordship left her and is almost recover'd ; all the rest of the horses are in parfait health. I am sure your Lordship is by this time very much tired of this long letter, so I will conclude.

��ADDITIONAL NOTES.

Lady Wentworth.

Isabella, Lady Wentworth, was a lady of the bedchamber to the Queen of James II. at the time of the disputed birth of the Prince of Wales, afterwards known as the Pretender. From a note to tho O-xford edition

�� �