Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/281

Rh pleaſed with this reſolution, and every body conſidered this courſe as the moſt prudent, that in ſuch circumſtances could be taken. But in this the world was deceived, for he went abroad from no ſuch prudent motive, oeconomy being a virtue of which he never had the leaſt notion in any part of his life. His buſineſs at Vienna was to execute a private commiſſion, not in favour of the Engliſh miniſtry, nor did he ever ſhine to greater advantage, as to his perſonal character, than at the Imperial court.

From Vienna his grace made a tour to the court of Spain, where his arrival alarmed the Engliſh miniſter ſo much, that two expreſſes were ſent from Madrid to London, upon the apprehenſion that his grace was received there in the character of an ambaſſador, upon which the duke received a ſummons under the Privy Seal to return home. His behaviour on this occaſion was a ſufficient indication that he never deſigned to return to Englaad, whilſt affairs remained in the ſame ſtate, and the adminiſtration in the ſame hands they then were in. This he often declared from his going abroad the ſecond time, which, no doubt, was the occaſion of his treating that ſolemn order with ſo much indignity, and endeavouring to enflame the Spaniſh court, not only againſt the perſon who delivered the warrant, buy againſt the court of Great Britain itſelf, for exerciſing an act of power, as he was pleaſed to call it, within the juriſdiction of his Catholic Majeſty. After this he acted openly in the ſervice of the Pretender, and appeared at his court, where he was received with great marks of favour.

While his grace was thus employed abroad, his ducheſs, who had been neglected by him, died in England, on the 14th of April 1726, and left no iſſue behind her. The lady’s death gave the duke no great ſhock. He was diſencumbered of her annuity.