270 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.
for Saturday by one voice ; tho' 'twas a trifle the Whigs bragg they have a majority in the house of lords notwith- standing the new lords.
When the commons were upon the troops they were to pay, my lord Hartford called for the treaty that my lord Strafford signed with the Dutch for the paying the Palatine troops. Tho' the court was willing that shou'd be allow'd of, yet they cou'd not make the October men comprehend the matter, some of them mistaking it so much as to say they had an enough of the Palatine, and they knew nothing they were good for but to bring plague and poverty ; but others that were wiser and understood what they were upon, argued against, that they might be consistant Avith themselves who had voted the day before they had paid more than their quotas for these several years. When the managers found they cou'd not have this matter go as they wou'd have it, they got it adjourn'd till another day. Tho' this treaty was call'd for as signed by you, 'twas found not to be signed by you, as Sir Harry Johnson told me. They say there will come out a history of all the merits of all the pedegree of the new lords. 'Twas said by one — when they were talking of the reasons why none of the lords had preambules to their
Patents, but my lord M , 'twas for want of time — that
was not the true reason, for the only reason of a Preabule is for service done and these were created for service to be done, and therefore cou'd have no Praables {sic). They lay wagers in the city ten to one that the King of France is dead.
[Lady Strafford.]
St. James's Square, February 25, 17 12.
I have no news for I think there is nothing talked of but the death of Prince Eugene's nephu. He dy'd of the small pox, but most peaple sayes he had more destempers then won, and they say he never went to bed sober sence he came, and he was a great admirer of Ladys ; besides they say Prince Eugene is not much troubled for him. I hear Lord Treasurer is very uneasy about the Duchess of Somerset for they say
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