deelest MD, rove Pdfr.

28. I was to-day at Court, where the Spanish Ambassador talked to me as
if he did not suspect any design in burning d'Aumont's house: but Abbe
Gaultier, Secretary for France here, said quite otherwise; and that
d'Aumont had a letter the very same day to let him know his house should
be burnt, and they tell several other circumstances too tedious to
write. One is, that a fellow mending the tiles just when the fire broke
out, saw a pot with wildfire(7) in the room. I dined with Lord Orkney.
Neither Lord Abercorn nor Selkirk will now speak with me. I have
disobliged both sides. Nite dear MD.

29. Our Society met to-day, fourteen of us, and at a tavern. We now
resolve to meet but once a fortnight, and have a Committee every other
week of six or seven, to consult about doing some good. I proposed
another message to Lord Treasurer by three principal members, to give a
hundred guineas to a certain person, and they are to urge it as well as
they can. We also raised sixty guineas upon our own Society; but I made
them do it by sessors,(8) and I was one of them, and we fitted our tax
to the several estates. The Duke of Ormond pays ten guineas, and I the
third part of a guinea; at that rate, they may tax as often as they
please. Well, but I must answer oor rettle, ung oomens: not yet; 'tis
rate now, and I can't tind it. Nite deelest MD.

30. I have drank Spa waters this two or three days; but they do not
pass, and make me very giddy. I an't well; faith, I'll take them no
more. I sauntered after church with the Provost to-day to see a library
to be sold, and dined at five with Lord Orkney. We still think there was
malice in burning d'Aumont's house. I hear little Harrison(9) is come
over; it was he I sent to Utrecht. He is now Queen's Secretary to the
Embassy, and has brought with him the Barrier Treaty, as it is now
corrected by us, and yielded to by the Dutch, which was the greatest
difficulty to retard the peace. I hope he will bring over the peace a
month hence, for we will send him back as soon as possible. I long
to see the little brat, my own creature. His pay is in all a thousand
pounds a year, and they have never paid him a groat, though I have
teased their hearts out. He must be three or four hundred pounds in debt
at least, the brat! Let me go to bed, sollahs.--Nite dee richar MD.

31. Harrison was with me this morning: we talked three hours, and then
I carried him to Court. When we went down t