288 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.
Peace the court need not use their endeavours to alter this resolution, for 'tis said there's already mony enough to dis- band and pay off. The week I was at my father's in Oxford- shire I went over to see Lord Harcourt who lives but two miles off, and when his letters came in that brought the news of the resolution of the house of commons to lay a farther duty upon stamp paper, in leiu of bricks and mortar, and the tack to the mony Bill, he said he believed those gentlemen did not mean to complyment my Lord Godolphin and the late ministry, but they acted as if they were advised by them. . . .
[Lord Berkeley of Stratton.]
May 6, 17 12.
Tho' I thought myself extreamly happy, when I had longer letters from your Lordship, the short ones I now and then receive give me such assurances of your friendship, that I am infinitly satisfied with them, for the business of Utrecht would be alone sufficient to employ you, but I perceive a good deal of your time is spent upon the road between that place and the Hague. How in the midst of all this, you can think of an old friend, would be incomprehensible to one that lov'd you less then I doe. An expectation was rais'd last week that something would be imparted to the parliament relating to the peace, but it was more from a fancy then any just grounds they had for it, it being only from an order to call over the house last thursday which is put off for a week longer. Some warm men had contriv'd to tack a bill of enquiry into the grants, to the lottery bill, which would have made a convulsion in the house of Lords. This was thought to be neglected at first by the court, but they say these two things are to be sent up single. I am sorry your Lordship is con- cern'd in one of them, but it is but a distant fear. The chief aim is at My Lord Portland, who hath provok'd a set of people by his over meddling in elections for the sake of those who would give him up at the first opportunity. The quakers are in great alarm upon the account of a bill to prevent the
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