duke of Marlborough, and there the bulk of the nation will fix themselves if they may be suffered. All other expedients are very wretched things, and will end but very ill; and I dread the thoughts of running from the extreme of one faction to another, which is the natural consequence of party tyranny, and renders the government like a door which turns both ways upon its hinges, to let in each party as it grows triumphant, and in truth it is the real parent and nurse of our factions here. It is time to relieve your lordship's patience, and beg pardon for this tedious letter; and withal to desire leave to assure your lordship, that you have not a more faithful servant nor a truer or more zealous friend than myself, to the utmost of my capacity, &c.

MR. HARLEY TO LORD GODOLPHIN.

September 17, 1707.

other

I AM very sensible how much too far my zeal for the service hath carried me formerly to trouble your lordship with tedious letters. I no more will offend in that kind: If you will please to add this fault to my other errors, for I cannot forbear just telling your lordship, how uneasy I am under the charge of doing any thing. against your interest. I was provided against any attack, but this, which strikes me in a most sensible part, is a fault which both friends and enemies will acquit me. of. However, I must arm myself with patience; a little time will clear me from this aspersion; and I learn this, that it is no more in a man's power to devise the methods by which he is to be put out, than it is to foresee how he is to come in. I have done nothing; but it is a justice I owe to myself, to let your lordship

know I have told you nothing but truth. I scorn to deny any thing I have done: and if I had ever directly or indirectly, by myself or any other, recommended those two persons, I am not so mean as to deny it, which I most solemnly do. I have no more to add, but most hearty wishes for your lordship's prosperity and success. You can never have a more sincere friend and servant, though I am deemed now unprofitable and useless, &c.

MR. HARLEY TO LORD GODOLPHIN.

December 5, 1707.

I HUMRLY beg that I may have leave to wait upon your lordship this evening at your house at eight, having some account to give you, which I think, in duty to your service, I ought to acquaint you with; and I should be very glad my lord duke of Marlborough were present: I hope your lordship will this once pardon the trouble I give you, &c. &c.

"

LORD GODOLPHIN TO MR. HARLEY,

December 5, 1707, Friday Evening. I SHOULD be extremely sorry if I were capable of giving occasion to any body, and much more to you, to write me a letter in so very extraordinary a stile as yours seems to me; however, if you have any commands to me, I will be at home between eight and nine this night to receive them, and send to the duke of Marlborough to meet you there, &c. &c.

MR. HARLEY TO LORD GODOLPHIN.

January 30, 1707-8.

LAST night Mr. Attorney acquainted me that I was

fallen into your lordship's displeasure: he would not tell me any particulars. This I could not but receive with the utmost grief, and had it not been so late, I had given your lordship the trouble of a letter, to desire leave to wait upon you to clear myself. This morning my lord of Marlborough gave me permission to attend him upon a like occasion, and his grace was pleased to tell me the particulars. I know it is impossible to ward against misrepresentations or misconstructions, or the application of things said generally to a particular purpose, which was never thought of; for I do solemnly protest I never entertained the least thought derogating from your lordship, or prejudicial to your interest. I am confident in my own innocency, and I know no better way to clear myself than to desire your lordship will let me, by my actions, demonstrate the sincerity of my intentions, and my zeal and duty for your lordship's person and service, &c. &c.

LORD GODOLPHIN TO MR. HARLEY.

I HAVE received your letter, and am very sorry for what has happened, to lose the good opinion I had so much inclination to have of you; but I cannot help seeing and hearing, nor believing my senses. I am very far from having deserved it from you. God forgive you, &c. &c.

Correspondence Somerville's Appendix.

EXPEDITION OF THE PRETENDER TO

SCOTLAND.

A. D. 1708.

EARLY in the spring of the year 1708, great naval and military preparations were made by France for the purpose of transporting the Pretender into Scotland, where discontents, and even disaffection to the government, fan high, in consequence of the recent and unpopular event of the union. The chevalier de St. George, such was the appellation by which the pretended monarch was generally known, set out from St. Germain's, March 7th, in order to join the armament at Dunkirk. Louis the XIVth made him a visit on the day previous to his departure, and presenting to him a sword enriched with diamonds, desired him always to remember that. it was a French sword, repeating the compliment he had formerly paid to the late king James on a similar occasion, that he hoped never to see him again. Upon his arrival at the place of embarkation, he found very fine tents, a magnificent set of gold and silver plate, clothing for his future life-guards, &c. The expence attending this expedition was supposed to be in great part defrayed by the pope (Clement XI), to whom at this interesting and critical moment his most christian majesty addressed the following letter:

HOLY FATHER,

THE great zeal which I have always had to re-establish on the throne of England king James Stuart

III. is well known to you, though there was not hitherto a time proper for it, as well by reason of the conjuncture as by the unity of my enemies, which did not give me leave to act in so righteous a cause for our holy faith, the chief object of all our actions. We have now thought good to let him depart from our royal seat on the 7th of March, in order to embark himself on board a fleet, where every thing has been prepared for him, with sufficient forces to establish him on the throne, after he shall have been received on his arrival by the faithful people of Scotland, and proclaimed as their true and lawful king. I have thought it fit not to omit sending you this important news, that by your ardour the union of our holy mother the church may increase in that kingdom, and that God may prosper him whilst the time is favourable. It is now, holy father, your business to accompany him, by your zeal with your holy benedictions, which I also ask for myself, and I remain, holy father,

Versailles, March 9, 1708.

your most loving son,

LOUIS.

The British ministry were not wanting in vigour and activity, respecting the measures proper to be adopted, in order to dispel the impending storm. On the 4th of March Mr. secretary Boyle laid before the house of commons the advices received by her majesty, in relation to the intended invasion, upon which the house, with the concurrence of the lords, presented a most loyal address to the queen, expressing their unanimous and determined resolution, with their lives and fortunes, to maintain her majesty's undoubted right and title to the crown of these realms.