eighty-one.

26 See Letter 26, note 10.

27 See Letter 7, note 21.

28 L'Estrange speaks of "a whiffling fop" and Swift says, "Every
whiffler in a laced coat, who frequents the chocolate-house, shall talk
of the Constitution."

29 Prior's first visit to France with a view to the secret negotiations
with that country which the Ministers were now bent on carrying
through, had been made in July, when he and Gaultier reached Calais in
a fishing-boat and proceeded to Fontainbleau under assumed names. He
returned to England in August, but was recognised at Dover, whence the
news spread all over London, to the great annoyance of the Ministers.
The officer who recognised Prior was John Macky, reputed author of those
Characters upon which Swift wrote comments. Formerly a secret service
agent under William III., Macky had been given the direction of the
Ostend mail packets by Marlborough, to whom he communicated the news of
Prior's journey. Bolingbroke threatened to hang Macky, and he was thrown
into prison; but the accession of George I. again brought him favour and
employment.

30 See Letter 12, note 7.

LETTER 29.

1 See Letter 3, note 4.

2 See Letter 6, note 4.

3 Edward Villiers (1656-1711), created Viscount Villiers in 1691, was
made Earl of Jersey in 1697. Under William III. he was Lord Chamberlain
and Secretary of State, but he was dismissed from office in 1704. When
he died he had been nominated as a plenipotentiary at the Congress of
Utrecht, and was about to receive the appointment of Lord Privy Seal.
Lord Jersey married, in 1681, when she was eighteen, Barbara, daughter
of William Chiffinch, closet-keeper to Charles II.; she died in 1735.

4 Lord Paisley was the Earl of Abercorn's eldest surviving son (see
Letter 17, note 7).

5 The Hon. John Hamilton, the Earl's second surviving son, died in 1714.

6 Dr. John Robinson (1650-1723) had gone out as chaplain to the Embassy
at the Court of Sweden in 1682, and had returned in 1708 with the double
reputation of being a thorough Churchman and a sound diplomatist. He was
soon made Dean of Windsor, and afterwards Bishop of Bristol. He was now
introduced to the Council Board, and it was made known to those in
the confidence of Ministers that he would be one of the English
plenipotentiaries at the coming Peace Congress. In 1713 Dr. Robinson was
made Bishop of London.

7 John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1675-1732), who was attainted for his
part in the Rebell