304 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.
but to this hower I never knew whether it was received. I doubt not of it the person belonging to the Secretary, soe I conckide they thought me a busie body and not worth thanking. I writ to my Lord Treasurer few Hues of con- gratulation and had the same return. I beg your Excellencie's pardon a thousand times for this long digression. You are pleased to honour me with your frendship, and my heart is too full not to vent it, and to one I know that abounds with honour and generosity. To tell you the truth, this what I have related and the Queen's desire formerly that I woulld not think of coming over until the peace, makes me resolve to stay in these parts, where I am suffered by all that are most esteemed here. I live as comfortably as I can under a severe melancholly, and with but an indifferent health. I can live handsomely for half of what I can in England — my fortune being soe impaired by my long banishment, not being permitted to come into England onely for a month or two on my son's coming to age and on his marriage, to my unspeak- able preiudice and never to be repaired. All these considera- tions makes me resolve to live here rather then live in England as a suspected person. I own 'tis very hard, my heart is brim full, but now I have had the satisfaction to open my self to a person I esteem soe much, and for soe many and great reasons, I find my selfe more at ease.*
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��[Lady Strafford.]
St. James's Square, November it), 1712. C My brothere Arundell has got the small-pox, and Mr. St. Amand thinks he cant live, which maks me deferr making my men's surtout coats tell I see whethere he lives or dy's ; for^ for a brother's morning all peaple put there servants
- On June 5, 1713, Lord Ailesbury writes from St. Amand that he
had gone there for his health, the waters there having wrought a perfect cure on him 14 years before, from an illness " contracted during my cruel confinement in the Tower, with the addition of a most just grief that there attended me." He had been imprisoned on suspicion by William 1 1 1., an event which hastened the death of his first wife. On his release he was allowed to reside at Brussels.
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