to secure this great point of saving the Parliament but my going that afternoon to Kensington, and desiring a private audience of the Queen, wch he would prepare her to allow me, and after laying before her Majesty the fatal consequences to the publick credit, and especially to her Civil List, that must follow the dissolution of the Parliament at that time, to give her Majesty the like assurances Mr. Boyle and Mr. Smith had done, viz. that I was ready to act in conjunction with my countryman Harley, who I understood her Majesty was resolved to employ.
But my Ld told me, that since this happy expedient for saving the Parliament had been carried on between Harley and his Ldp by my Ld Halifax, he desir'd I would go first, and immediately from him, to his Ldp , who expected me that morning, and was then able to give me a farther light into this matter, and better instructions for carrying it on than he could do.
And tho' I plainly saw by this strange discourse that Ld Godolphin's treaty with the Tories was broken off; that Ld Shrewsbury had brought him into a treaty with Harley; that Ld Halifax and Ld Sommers had deserted the rest of the Junto Lords, and were likewise engaged with them; and that Harley, finding, by the offer the High Church had made Ld Godolphin in the aforesaid broken treaty, what aversion they had to act under his directions, in order to bring that set of men to their wits, who, he well knew, would only come in to carry on his wicked designs against his country, had given these false hopes to the abovesaid Lords; and Ld Godolphin that he, upon the approaching turn of affairs, wch he knew could no longer be withstood, might fall easy, and be screen'd from any fatal consequences by impeachment, &c. (and that he might likewise make the best terms for his particular friends, relations, and dependants), wch fears his natural timorousness suggested to him; and my Lords Sommers and Halifax, in order to secure themselves, their friends, and relations, in their pensions and imployments, and at the same time to gratifie their hatred against my Lord Marlborough, were willing (tho' their eyes were open) to be deluded by him; yet, after I had laid before my Lord Godolphin my reasons why Harley was never to be trusted, I went to my Lord Halifax (who I then understood had kissed the King's hand to go Embassadour into Holland in the room of Lord Townshend,) immediately, as he desired, and to the Queen in the afternoon.
And upon a very short discourse with Ld Halifax, I saw so plainly into the dreadfull and dangerous consequences of their horrid engagements, that, when I came to the Queen, instead of giving her any assurances of acting in concert with Harley, I began with laying before her the inevitable dangers that must attend her making any such change in her Ministry (till after a peace with
