morning, he told me that the Queen had refolved to give me the Deanery of Carlisle; and he introduced me to kifs the Queen's hand for it this evening; from which I am come this moment to give your Lordship an account of it. Nothing could be further from my thoughts than fuch a preferment, which gives me an higher ftation in the world, and but very little (after the neceffary deductions made) to fupport it. However, as it is a mark of her Majesty's favour and goodness to me, I did and do accept it very thankfully. And, in the first place, I return my most humble thanks to your Lordship, for the instances of your Lordship's great generosity and kindness to me, of which I will, while I live, preferve a grateful fenfe; and to which I will own that I owe both the present and all other inftances of good fortune which shall ever attend me. From whatever other quarter obligations may be laid upon me, I beg your Lordship always to believe me to be (what your Lordship shall be fure always to find me) your Lordship's most devoted, dutiful, and thankful fervant, FR. ATTERBURY. LET I LETTER LXXVIII. To Bp. TRELAWNY. Chelfea, July 1, 1904. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, HAVE learnt from a fure hand, I think, that the iffue of the debate in the Cabinet, about which I wrote to you laft poft, was a resolution, at the next day of prorogation, to put off the Parliament till Oct. 19, in order entirely to quafh the talk of a diffolution. This, I think, may be depended on; but it is as yet fuch a fecret, that I beg your Lordship not directly to publish it, as yet, or at least not to name me as the author of it, because, if it comes round, it may raise an enquiry how I came by my intelligence But I thought it proper, that your Lordship should know it as foon as poffible. I am glad the Dean of Gloucester * takes the disappointment fo eafily. I took that matter to have been immoveably fixed for him, and was ftrangely furprized, when I found it likely to end otherwife. The author of "A Tale of a Tub" will not as yet be known; and if it be the man I guess, he hath reafon to conceal himself, because of the prophane ftrokes in that piece, which would do his reputation and interest in the world more harm than the wit can do him good. I think your Lordship hath found out a very proper employment for his pen, which he would execute very happily. Nothing can please more than that book doth here at London, I took my fhare here at a distance yesterday in the common joy of your Lordship's chapter. God preferve your Lordship long to commemorate that day*! And may not those forget it, who have reaped the benefit of it, and who owe your Lordship fo much as they do for it! For my own part, I fhall think the service of my whole life but a poor return to your Lordship and family, for the noble favours which you have been pleased to beftow on, my Lord, your Lordship's ever dutiful, and grateful, humble fervant, FR. ATTERBURY. Q. What anniversary was June 30? It could fcarcely be his Lordship's birth-day. LET LETTER LXXIX, To Bp. TRELAWN Y. London, July 8, 1904. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, D R. Newey's letter of July 3, though it came to the general post-office on July 5, (as appears by the post-mark) yet was not delivered by the penny-poft at Chelfea till July 7, at ten in the morning. What the reason of this delay was, I know not; but I have found it of late in feveral other inftances. It was the more remarkable, because your Lordship's name was on the back of the letter: however, as far as I could find, the feal was untouched. Upon the receipt of your Lordship's, I immediately, but in vain, endeavoured to find out Secretary Harley, who went out of town yesterday, and came not to his office, till towards ten in the evening. Miffing him, I went to Secretary Hedges's, and from Mr. Ellis Ellis I there learnt, that the Secretary and Mr. Tucker + were engaged for Elford; and that they apprehended your Lordship (as well as the Bishop of London ‡) had formerly put in for him, and procured a promise from the Queen on his (not on Cook's) account. I faid, I was fure this must be a mistake. However, I would foon fearch into the truth of it; for my Lord Nottingham was in town, to whom I applied myself. My Lord Nottingham referred himself to his books and papers; among which he found one letter from your Lordship, defiring him to interpofe with the Queen for Cook; another of his to your Lordship, telling you the Queen had granted it to you, and a third from your Lordship to him, thanking him for what he had done in it. All this my Lord Nottingham hath proved to Secretary Hedges very readily and kindly; and in fuch a manner as, I will prefume to fay, deferves your Lordship's particular acknowledgments; which I the rather mention, left, if your Lordship fhould be filent, iny Lord Notting * John Ellis, efq. Under-fecretary of State, uncle to the prefent Rt. Hon. Welbore Ellis. + Keeper of the Paper-office. See p. 70. Dr. Compton. ham |