brib of 300/. to expedite a Bill that was to be brought into that house ; the Person is order'd to be taken into Custody. I shall send you some Papers by the Passage boat as you desire.
[Lord Berkeley of Stratton.]
March 16, 17 14.
I have forebore till now troubling your Lordship with my letters^ conscious of my inability either to inform or divert you, but after the favour you have express'd to me in soe kind and soe long a letter, it is impossible to be silent. I could not have believ'd your Lordship soe much master of french, as I see you are. It is soe long since I writ in that language, that I am sure I could not approach you in choice of words, and clearness of expression I did hear something of a Servant of your's running distracted, but not of his being a Spye. I am glad Bothmar had the mortification you gave him about it. I am much pleas'd with what the Electrice says to you of her having the names of Whigs and tories, invented only by ill designing people, but ought to be detested by all honest men, as well as by Princes, who should be above listing themselves in any. It is spoke like a great Princess. Notwithstanding the aspersions that have been thrown there is such an aversion to popery, that I believe in my conscience, the generality thinks of nothing after the Queen, but the house of Hanover. As for Scotland I doubt the case is a little different. The house of Lords hath been taken up with a book call'd the publick Spirit of the Whigs, where the Scotch are most unsuffcrably abus'd, but doe not shew half the resentment that other people shew. Much bustle hath been made to find the Author to noe purpose It 7- is imagin'd to be Swift, who hath more wit then judg- ment. 1 They say this will occasion an examination of other pamphlets who are soe bold as to attack the Queen and her ministers. It would be happy if it would occasion some restraint of the intolerable liberty of the press. The Com- mons were on Saturday upon Mr. Steele who hath been very
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