work; but we shall interweave a few extracts, which will
serve to show the character of their epistolary intercourse.

"I conclude your majesty will believe my arguments upon this sub-
ject proceed chiefly from the partiality which I have for my lord Sunder-
land, though I solemnly protest that I never had any for any person to
the prejudice of what I believed your interest. And I had rather he
had any other place, or none at all, if the party that most assist you
would be satisfied without it; for, besides the very great trouble of that
office, executed as it should be, he is not of a humour to get any thing
by such an employment; and I wish from my soul that any other man
had been proposed to you, that you could not have suspected I had any
concern for. But 'tis certain that your government can't be carried on
with a part of the Tories, and the Whigs disobliged, who, when that happens,
will join with any people to torment you, and those that are your true ser-
ants. ^* I am sure it is my interest, as well as inclination, to have you
succeed by any sort of men in what is just, and that will prevent what
has been done from being thrown away. Your security and the nation's
is my chief wish, and I beg of God Almighty, as sincerely as I shall do
for His pardon at my last hour, that Mr. and Mrs. Morley may see their
errors as to this notion before it is too late; but considering how little
impression any thing makes that comes from your faithful Freeman, I
have troubled you too much, and I beg your pardon for it."

The queen was naturally irritated as much by this opposi-
tion to her will, as by the intemperance of such language.
Mistaking, or affecting to mistake, the word notion for na-
tion, she treated the observation as a studied affront, refused
to reply, and assailed Lord Godolphin with complaints against
such disrespectful behaviour. Hence the duchess was in-
duced to write an explanatory and expostulatory letter,
although she could not desist from employing the same im-
proper and indecorous style.

"August 30. -- Your majesty's great indifference and contempt in
taking no notice of my last letter, did not so much surprise me, as to
hear my lord treasurer say you had complained much of it, which makes
me presume to give you this trouble to repeat what I can be very positive
was the whole aim of the letter, and I believe very near the words. It
was in the first place, to show the reason why I had not waited upon
your majesty, believing you were uneasy, and fearing you might think I
had some private concern for Lord Sunderland. I therefore thought it
necessary to assure your majesty that I had none so great as for your
service, and to see my lord treasurer so mortified at the necessity of quit-

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