358 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.
cern'd. Others may be much surpris'd at this action, but she is a lady that never had but a low room in my esteem. I should scruple detaining your Lordship any longer, tho' I had many more things to say, since I am soe near a better opportunity of opening to your Lordship the heart of your most faithful, &c*
[Peter Wentworth.]
London, March 2, 17 14. Dear Brother,
- * * *
The best and only news I have to tell you is that the Queen really grows better every day, and since she has come to town has been often publickly seen. The day we came from Windsor to Hampton Court, Dr. Alburtenhead {sic, Arbuthnot }) read a letter to a matter of ten of us that was
at table, that Sir Thomas H was unanimously choose
speaker, but that Mr. Steel blunder'd so in his first speech that he was the jest of the house, and that he made so ill a beginning that he wou'd for ever after be the standing jest of the house whenever he rise up to speak, like Sir Geofifry Geoffrys.f This letter the Dr. did not then tell us who it came from, but yesterday I was in company with one that told me the Dr. had show'd him a letter he told him he had
from Lord T , with this wit upon Steel. I laught at the
jest, but did not seem to have ever heard anything of it before, and for want of news I writ it you for your diversion.
London, March 5, 17 14. Dear Brother,
The first thing the lords did after thanking the queen
for her speech was to condemn a Pamphleet call'd the Spirit
- Lord Strafford came over to England early in November this year,
and did not return to the Hague till February, 17 14.
t Or Jeffreys, of St. Mary Axe, London, and Brecknock Priory. He represented Brecon borough for some years before his death, at Bath, October 27, 1709. In September of that year Sir Samuel Garrard and he had been nominated for the office of Lord Mayor, when the former was chosen. His estates came through his daughter to the present Marquis Camden*
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