London, July 9, 1714.
The address that was last presented by the White Staves from the Lords to the Queen was not so worded as to ask in express terms who 'twas advised her to sign the three explainatory Articles, so as I hear since her answere was home enough to that Address, and did not deserve to be resented as Lord Sunderland wou'd have had it, saying if the house was to receive such answeres from the crown they were of no use and might walk out and never come in again; but you see by the printed Representation that this heat ended very coolly, and that there's more in the title then in the thing itself. 'Twas expected that they had reserved all their fire for yesterday. They began the business of the day about two a clock and the Examinations and Debates lasted till ten. I was in the house all the time and thought then I cou'd have remember'd almost all to have writ you to day, but I find I can't perform it as well as I thought. However since you are so obliging to say you like my Letters I'll give you the relation as well as I can. Lord Halifax began by saying he rise up to propose the method they shou'd proceed in, wch shou'd be to relate matters of fact as it appear'd to him, and wou'd to the house, for as he went on he wou'd call for the papers to be read to prove the transactions of affairs to be as he set them forth, wch he wou'd do with out any reflections upon them or the persons that seem'd mostly to be concern'd, but shou'd reserve himself for that hereafter as they fell in Debate. Then he told the house the king of Spain had granted licence for four ships to trade to the South Seas, and beside a ship of five hundred tun that was to go once a year. All this was laid before the South Sea company very fairly by the Lord Treasurer, as appear'd by the minutes of company, as likewise some time after the quarter part that was reserv'd to the Queen, from whence the Difficulty arose how they cou'd trade with the crown in Partnership; the method of counting with the Exchequor wou'd meet with insuperable difficultys. Some time after Lord
