8.  Lord Chomley (the right name is Cholmondeley) is this day removed from his employment, for his last night’s speech; and Sir Richard Temple,[5] Lieutenant-General, the greatest Whig in the army, is turned out; and Lieutenant-General Palmes[6] will be obliged to sell his regiment.  This is the first-fruits of a friendship I have established between two great men.  I dined with Lord Treasurer, and did the business I had for him to his satisfaction.  I won’t tell MD what it was. . . . [7] for zat.  The Parliament sits to-morrow for certain.  Here is a letter printed in Maccartney’s name, vindicating himself from the murder of the Duke of Hamilton.  I must give some hints to have it answered; ’tis full of lies, and will give an opportunity of exposing that party.  To morrow will be a very important day.  All the world will be at Westminster.  Lord Treasurer is as easy as a lamb.  They are mustering up the proxies of the absent lords; but they are not in any fear of wanting a majority, which death and accidents have increased this year.  Nite MD.

9.  I was this morning with Lord Treasurer, to present to him a young son[8] of the late Earl of Jersey, at the desire of the widow.  There I saw the mace and great coach ready for Lord Treasurer, who was going to Parliament.  Our Society met to-day; but I expected the Houses would sit longer than I cared to fast; so I dined with a friend, and never inquired how matters went till eight this evening, when I went to Lord Orkney’s, where I found Sir Thomas Hanmer.  The Queen delivered her speech very well, but a little weaker in her voice.  The crowd was vast.  The order for the Address[9] was moved, and opposed by Lord Nottingham, Halifax, and Cowper.  Lord Treasurer spoke with great spirit and resolution; Lord Peterborow flirted[10] against the Duke of Marlborough (who is in Germany, you know), but it was in answer to one of Halifax’s impertinences.  The order for an Address passed by a majority of thirty-three, and the Houses rose before six.  This is the account I heard at Lord Orkney’s.  The Bishop of Chester,[11] a high Tory, was against the Court.  The Duchess of Marlborough sent for him some months ago, to justify herself to him in relation to the Queen, and showed him letters, and told him stories, which the weak man believed, and was perverted.  Nite MD.

10.  I dined with a cousin in the City, and poor Pat Rolt was there.  I have got her rogue of a husband leave to come to England from Port-Mahon.  The Whigs are much down; but I reckon they have some scheme in agitation.  This Parliament-time hinders our Court meetings on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  I had a great deal of business to-night, which gave me a temptation to be idle, and I lost a dozen shillings at ombre, with Dr. Pratt and another.  I have been to see t’other day the Bishop of Clogher and lady, but did not see Miss.  It rains every day, and yet we are all over dust.  Lady Masham’s eldest boy is very ill:  I doubt he will not live, and she stays at Kensington to nurse him, which vexes us all.  She is so excessively fond, it makes me mad.  She should never leave the Queen, but leave everything, to stick to what is so much the interest of the public, as well as her own.  This I tell her; but talk to the winds.  Nite MD.