92 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.
of a secret expedition after Macartney was laid aside ; now Wills, that as he says is a younger Brigadeer then he, is made a Major General, and is to command in cheif. He has been a long time a Major G^ of King Charles making, reckon a very good officer. Where they are to go is not publicly known, some says upon the coast of France and accordingly the French are preparing for them, some says for Portugal ; where ere they go they go first to Cork to take forces from thence. La Pell is in a great hurry going down for his regi- ment is allready at Plimouth, from whence the Fleet sail.
'Tis said the Q has forgiven Mackartney, but whether
he's to go Governor of Jamaca is not yet known.
London, ij June, 1709. .... Mrs. Barry they say is married to Count Vienna the sharper ; he has declared he knews of ten thousand pounds already that she has and hopes she'll still prove worth more to him. This is all the news the town affords, at least all that's come to my knowledge.
London, i July, 1709. Dear Brother,
Yesterday the Queen went to Windsor ; she lies in the house over against the Castle, which is put in mourning, the Castle not being ....
Sir Scipio Hill with his new project of getting mony accasions some diversion and talk at White's. You may have heard for this long while he has been dicing of the . . . ; he now come abroad and look a divel, or at least a sad memento mori. He gives fourscore guineas to receive ten guineas a quarter for his life, Sir James of the Peak is his agent, and runs about offering it all that will take. Boscowen has took it, and two or three more, who are of opinion he will not live a month. Those he had made his heirs does not approve of this whim, for he's resolved to dispose of all his ready mony this way if he can find substantial fools enough to take it ; but the crack begins to run as if he may live a great while for all he looks so ill, for he has recovered his voice to a miracle.
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