London, February i, 17 12. Dear Brother,
The house of Lords met yesterday, and my LorJ North complain'd of the sermont that was preach't by th:
Bishop of N the Martyrdom day ; he owned he was not
there but wished lords that was there would recollect thiir memory. Lord Abington said he was there but cou'd not remember the very words, but the drift of the sermon seem'd to be calculated to extenuate the crimes of the rebellion, by reminding his audience that the Ro}-al Martyr was the occasion of it by the prosecution of the ship money, &c. The Bishop of Sarum thanked God he was there and professt he never heard a better, and that there was nobody cou'd find fault Avith it, but those that were against the late happy revolu- tion. Upon that the lords call'd out " to the bar," the Bishop rise in confussion and profest to God he did not mean any lord in that house, for sure it cou'd not be thought he cou'd be so indiscreet ; there was very few lords at the Sermon, but a very full congregation of other people. His excuse was taken and then the Duke of Bolton said the Lords cou'd not judge of his sermon without they would order it to be printed, so the business, for those that thought it an ill sermon wou'd not be for publishing it. They had a division [that] day upon passing a Bill sent up by the Commons to repeal the Act of Naturalisation ; the Scots lords to a man went out of the house and would not vote one way or another, but 'twas carried by 18; which some people that are very good friends with the Queen and court was very glad it happen'd so, for without them they cou'd have carried it by two, and it seems they give themselves airs as to whatever side they shall go to 'twill make a majority, and for that reason they think they are to be deny'd nothing they shall ask of the court
[Lady Strafford.]
St. James's Square, February 8, 17 12.
- Tis a hard task my Dearest life for me to be allmost three
weeks and not hear from you, tho' I hope to have a good
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