LETTERS OF PETER WENTWORTH. IJ-J
that was that some sort of people ought to have good memorys and bantered the saying of Hensius that he that was against a Peace was a traitor to his country ; that might be true if spoke against Peace in general, but he that was for any Peace was much more a Traitor. Mr. Bromley answer'd him and defended the Narrative, but not so well as the other had rediculed it. Mr. Stanhope only spoke to one point, as to the Duties we were to pay in Spain, wch he said by the three Explanatory articles were left at large, and insteed of being at a certainty of ten p.c, it wou'd amount to i8 p.c, wch he appealed to Mr. Moor whether the Duties of the Alcavalos, Scientos, and Mellones were not to be paid besides the Duties of lo p.c. Mr. Moor's Answer left it upon the uncertainty that if they were paid in king C.'s time at what the Duties were 1 5 at the lowest, it was to be under- stood to be now paid, wch Mr. Stanhope afifirm'd wou'd amount to a prohibition. Mr. Hasilby* was very spart and witty, he begun with a design'd blunder, by saying the two noble lords that mov'd to have the blank filled — then his own friend behind him set up a great laugh, he acted a confussion, and owned he had mistaken, but he was led into it by the thought of the Blank Patents of Peers that was to be filled up at least with one of their names. He play'd much upon the Asciento, but when he came to the affair of the Catalains he seem'd to be serious. A people, that the Queen had said she thought herself obliged in honour and conscience to see they had their just rights and privelidges, scandalously abandon'd, but a Reverend Divine that was intimate with the Ministry had let them into the secreet, how it happen'd ; for in his Spirit of the Whigs, he treats them as a Parcel of rebells, and as such not fitt to be trusted with the Previlcdge of giving money, wch was very apt to put Republican principle in them. If this Doctrin prevail'd it might in time be apply 'd to them of that house. He concluded if the
��* Probably John Aislabie, member for Ripon, who in the following year moved for the impeachment of Lord Strafford for his share in the Treaty of Utrecht.
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