128 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.
��[Peter Wentworth.]
4 August, 1 710.
Dear Brother,
There is still no certain truth to be learn't in this town, for one sett of People are full of hopes and assurances there will be a new Parliament, th' other say 'tis so bold a stroke that it can't be with any safty to the advisers, but for all their bulling and the many pamphlets that are writ against, they seem to fear twill be brought about. I have been told again that Lord Halifax has had several meetings with Mr. Harley so much that it gave the high Church a jealousie that he was making terms for himself and to drop them, but now they seem to be satisfied that those two can't agree in their Politicks. Lord Halifax is said to be employ'd as a mediator having no place but for life, so what he said wou'd seem more from principle then interest.
What is said of Mr. Boil I don't know how to make agree for 'tis said positively by some he's to be made an earle, others that he has declared he will stand for Knight of the Shire for York, against S"^ W^^ Strickland.
The Death of Mr. Cresset was a great disappointment to some people and reported by way of jest that he was poissoned by the Whigs, he was certainly to go with some very secreet instructions to Hannover, and I was told that Mr. Harley went the next day to offer it to Mr. Pooley who refuses to go, wch is deny'd by my friend, but says he believes if it had been ofifer'd he wou'd not have accepted it because he very much att his easie, and he has heard him say formerly he wou'd go abroad no more.
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The Duke of Summerset is a great favourite, and is said to govern in concert with th' other Duke and Harley. I begin to think things are at some stand, for Lord T. had a great levy yesterday were I was, tho' of late his lordship has not been so much at Kingsinton, as he was about the time of Lord Sunderland's being out. The Duke of Shrewsbery was above
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