Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 15.djvu/282

274 The bill for limiting members of parliament to have but so many places passed the house of commons, and will pass the house of lords, in spite of the ministry; which you know is a great lessening of the queen's power. Four of the new lords voted against the court in this point. It is certainly a good bill in the reign of an ill prince; but I think things are not settled enough for it at present. And the court may want a majority at a pinch. Night dear little rogues. Love Pdfr.

March 1. I went into the city, to inquire after poor Stratford, who has put himself a prisoner into the Queen's Bench, for which his friends blame him very much, because his creditors designed to be very easy with him. He grasped at too many things together, and that was his ruin. There is one circumstance relative to lieutenant general Meredith, that is very melancholy: Meredith was turned out of all his employments last year, and had about 10000l. left to live on. Stratford, upon friendship, desired he might have the management of it for Meredith, to put it into the stocks and funds for the best advantage; and now he has lost it all. You have heard me often talk of Stratford; we were class-fellows at school and university. I dined with some merchants, his friends, to day, and they said they expected his breaking this good while. I gave him notice of a treaty of peace, while it was a secret, of which he might have made good use, but that helped to ruin him; for he gave money, reckoning there would be actually a peace for this time, and consequently stocks rise high. Ford narrowly escaped losing 500l. by him, and so did I too. Night, my two dearest lives MD.

2. Morning. I was wakened at three this ing,