Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 15.djvu/419

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JOURNAL TO STELLA.
411

and that we shall have it in three days. I believe it is pretty sure. Night, MD.

31. I thought to day onPpt when she told me she supposed I was acquainted with the steward, when I was giving myself airs of being at some lord's house. Sir Andrew Fountaine invited the bishop of Clogher and me, and some others, to dine where he did; and he carried us to the duke of Kent's, who was gone out of town; but the steward treated us nobly, and showed us the fine pictures, &c. I have not yet seen miss Ashe. I wait till she has been abroad, and taken the air. This evening lady Masham, Dr. Arbuthnot, and I, were contriving a lie for to morrow, that Mr. Noble[1] who was hanged last Saturday, was recovered by his friends, and then seized again by the sheriff, and is now in a messenger's hands at the Black Swan in Holborn. We are all to send to our friends, to know whether they have heard any thing of it, and so we hope it will spread. However, we shall do our endeavours; nothing shall be wanting on our parts, and leave the rest to fortune. Night, MD.

April 1. We had no success in our story, though I sent my man to several houses, to inquire among the footmen, without letting him into the secret; but I doubt my colleagues did not contribute as they ought. Parnell and I dined with Dartineuf to day. You have heard of Dartineuf: I have told you of Dartineuf. After dinner we all went to lord Boling-

  1. Richard Noble, an attorney at New Inn, executed at Kingston, for the murder of John Sayer, esq., whose wife, the daughter of admiral Nevill, he had seduced from her husband. In bishop Fleetwood's Works, p. 657, is a sermon on the death of Mr. Noble, printed without his name.
broke's,