Letters addressed to Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, by Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury,...

Letters addressed to Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, by Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, Secretary of State, Lord Chamberlain, etc., 1694-1714 and undated; and (f.149) by Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbroke (1712), Secretary at War, etc., 1701-1709, with one letter undated written after the accession of George I.

The first six of the Duke of Shrewsbury's letters, 4 Oct.-20 Nov., 1694 (ff.1-10) are short and of little interest. The seventh, dat. Rome, 11 Aug., 1703, refers to the rarity of learning in Italy, where "they get more preferrment by ignorance and submission than in other countreys they do by labour and learning", etc. (f.11). Among other subjects referred to are;- on Harley's becoming Secretary of State, and his own intended return from Italy, "However in all places I assure you I am a true Englishman", 28 June, 1704 (f.15); on his marriage to an Italian widow "[Adelhida, d. of the Marchese Palleotti], who, though an Italian, I am throughly perswaded will be not only a good wife, but a good Protestant", Augsburg, 21 Sept., 1705 (f.17); expressing his belief that "the generality of the nation long for a peace" and his regrets that "some opportunitys have already been lost", 3 Nov., 1709 (f.26); "If this war in the North has been begun or encouraged by any contrivance of ours, it is certain they know not what they have done nor how bad the consequence may be", etc., 1 Dec., 1709 (f.27); of his own unfitness to be at the head of the Treasury (?):"in my mind you should be at the head, because you then come naturally into the Cabinet Council, where you are so much wanted", etc., [22 July, 1710] (f.28); on a discussion with the Queen as to an answer to the Dutch ambassador, her objection to "the expression that her Right was divine" in the city address, etc., 20 Oct., 1710. (f.34); on "a long discourse with her Majesty about the Admiralty", 10 Nov., 1710. (f.36); on the Emperor's death and the calling of a Cabinet Council, "as this is an affaire of the last importance", 17 Apr., 1711. (f.38); on a warning of a plot against the Queen and the risk to which she is exposed by case of access "by her back stairs everywhere in all her houses", 25 Apr., 1711 (f.39); on some secret negotiation, "by attempting to keep it among ourselves wee shall anger the rest of the Cabinet", 26 Apr., 1711 (f.41); on a coming interview with M. del Borgo, "what he says must at last be put in writing and communicated to the Cabinet Council", 22 May, 1711 (f.43); on some proposed resolution "Lord H. very flaming", and "the D[uke] of S[omerset] much out of humour", no date (f.45); "I hear from many hands that some thing extraordinary is designed, but cannot learn what, I hope the Q[ueen] has notice", etc., n.d. (f.46); on a discourse with the Queen, "She is convinced of the reasonableness of your arguments, but knows not how to prevail with a certain person to give way to them", etc., n.d. (f.47); on the death of the Earl of Jersey, objections to the Bishop of Bristol being made Privy Seal, etc., 27 Aug., 1711 (f.68); on the negotiations for peace and the need that France shall promise also to remove the Pretender", 27 Sept., 1711 (f.69); on Dutch objections to the articles, "if those were once over, we should have nothing more to do but treat unitedly and like friends", etc, n.d. (f.71); on the same subject, and the need for the Dutch to have a "reasonable Bariere", 28 Oct., 1711 (f.72); on his disinclination to go to Ireland [as Lord Lieutenant], 29 Mar., 1711 (f.76); on the need to secure Portmahon and especially Gibraltar, [June, 1712], (f.78); fearing that "the proposal Mr Prior came over with will not be approved, 1 Nov., 1712. (f.84); on his allowance for his embassy to Paris [? Nov., 1712] (f.89); on his negotiations at Paris, the Newfoundland fishery question, etc., 19 Jan., 13 Mar, 1713 N.S. (ff.90, 92); recommending Tho. Archer for H.M. Works, if Vanbrugh be dismissed, 6 Apr., 1713. (f.94); on the questions of the Protestant galley-slaves and the "Bona Immobilia", 13 May, 1713. (f.98); that Matthew Prior, if left at Paris, "ought to be upon some fixed establishment", 11 Aug., 1713 (f.107); that some at the French Court are "very busy in raising jealousys upon the delays in demolishing of Dunkirk", etc., 23 Aug., 1713 (f.109); on his going to Ireland as Lord Lieutenant, 9 Oct, 1713 (f.121); on a "ridiculous dispute" between the city and Council of Dublin, the death of the Archb. of Armagh, etc, Dublin, 3, 19 Nov., 1713 (ff.123, 126); on the "dismal" state of affairs in Ireland and his wish to be replaced by some one "more fitly qualifyd for this tempestuous station", 22 Dec., 1713 (f.128); on the state of parties in the Irish parliament, "The wisest of the Whiggs confess they have gone too far and too fast, but know not how to go back", 2 Feb., 1713-1714 (f.130). At ff.140, 145 are two letters from Adelaide, Duchess of Shrewsbury, 30 July, 1714 and undated.

The earlier letters of St John chiefly relate to business of his office as Secretary at War. Among other subjects referred to are:- on a Dutch proposal for the fleets to winter in Portugal, with other war news, 25 Sept., 1703 (f.150); on an affray at Meriden, co. Warw., between soldiers and country folk, with enclosures, 13 July, 1704 (f.152); on the jurisdiction of Courts Martial, 12 Aug., 1705 (f.165); complaining of being ill used in his office, 26 Oct., 1705. (f.173); reporting as to Mac Mahon, Dep. Marshal of the Savoy, and Murphy his clerk being Irish papists, 29 Apr., 1706 (f.177); on the plans of Lord Rivers and Sir Cloudesley Shovell for "attempting the Groyne", 27 July, 1706 (f.180); on the death of Sir Bevil Grenville, etc, 5 Nov., 1706 (f.182); on the Queen's solicitude for Harley's health and his own love for him, 30 Jan., 1706-1707 (f.195); on his chances of election at Cricklade or Westbury, 1 May, 1708 (f.222); on their political prospects, with a reference to a time "when we were building up the power of a faction which it was plain we should find it necessary in a short to pull down", and expressing the conviction that there is "no hope but in the Church of England", etc. (an interesting letter), 11 Oct., 1708 (f.224); expressing the opinion that "going out of employment att the time and in the manner we did was equally honest and prudent", that "no one living is able to do so much as you (Harley) towards removing our present evils", and that "the fiery tryal of affliction has made the gentlemen of the church of England more prepared to form such a party" as he proposes, etc., 8 Nov., 1708 (f.227); congratulating Harley on the marriage of his daughter, 14 Aug., 1709 (f.234); "I intend to go to Lavington; my hounds and horses are already there, my books will soon follow", 17 Sept., 1709 (f.236); "In this obscure and private life I am perfectly easy, and shall with the same case return to the noise and business of an active publick life, whenever the service of my country or of my friends calls me forth", etc, 21 Sept., 1709 (f.238)

Quarto; ff.241.