7.  I was to-day at the House of Lords about a friend’s Bill.  Then I crossed the water at Westminster Stairs to Southwark, went through St. George’s Fields to the Mint, which is the dominion of the King’s[26] Bench Prison, where Stratford lodges in a blind alley, and writ to me to come to him; but he was gone to the ’Change.  I thought he had something to say to me about his own affairs.  I found him at his usual coffee-house, and went to his own lodgings, and dined with him and his wife, and other company.  His business was only to desire I would intercede with the Ministry about his brother-in-law, Ben Burton,[27] of Dublin, the banker, who is likely to come into trouble, as we hear, about spreading false Whiggish news.  I hate Burton, and told Stratford so; and I will advise the Duke of Ormond to make use of it, to keep the rogue in awe.  Mrs. Stratford tells me her husband’s creditors have consented to give him liberty to get up his debts abroad; and she hopes he will pay them all.  He was cheerfuller than I have seen him this great while.  I have walked much today.—­Night, deelest logues.

8.  This day twelvemonth Mr. Harley was stabbed; but he is ill, and takes physic to-day, I hear (’tis now morning), and cannot have the Cabinet Council with him, as he intended, nor me to say grace.  I am going to see him.  Pray read the Representation; ’tis the finest that ever was writ.  Some of it is Pdfr’s style, but not very much.  This is the day of the Queen’s accession to the Crown; so it is a great day.  I am going to Court, and will dine with Lord Masham; but I must go this moment to see the Secretary about some businesses; so I will seal up this, and put it in the post my own self.  Farewell, deelest hearts and souls, MD.  Farewell MD MD MD FW FW FW me me Lele Lele Lele Sollahs lele.

LETTER 43.[1]

London, March 8, 1711-12.

I carried my forty-second letter in my pocket till evening, and then put it in the general post.—­I went in the morning to see Lord Treasurer, who had taken physic, and was drinking his broth.  I had been with the Secretary before, to recommend a friend, one Dr. Freind,[2] to be Physician-General; and the Secretary promised to mention it to the Queen.  I can serve everybody but myself.  Then I went to Court, and carried Lord Keeper and the Secretary to dine with Lord Masham, when we drank the Queen and Lord Treasurer with every health, because this was the day of his stabbing.—­Then I went and played pools at picquet with Lady Masham and Mrs. Hill; won ten shillings, gave a crown to the box, and came home.  I met at my lodgings a letter from Joe, with a bit annexed from Ppt.  What Joe asks is entirely out of my way, and I take it for a foolish whim in him.  Besides, I know not who is to give a patent:  if the Duke of Ormond, I would speak to him; and if it come in my head I will mention it to Ned Southwell.  They have no patents that I know of for such things here, but good security is all; and to think that I would speak to Lord Treasurer for any such matter at random is a jest.  Did I tell you of a race of rakes, called the Mohocks,[3] that play the devil about this town every night, slit people’s noses, and beat them, etc.?  Nite, sollahs, and rove Pdfr.  Nite, MD.