upon the bone, and otherwise obftructed by a thick embroidered waistcoat, broke fhort at the handle, which Guiscard ftill grasped, and redoubled his blow. The confufion upon this accident is easier conceived than defcribed: The refult was, that the Marquis, whether by the wounds given him by fome of the Lords, or the bruises he received from the meffengers while they were feizing him, or the neglect of his furgeon; or, that being unwilling to live, he induftriously concealed one of his wounds; he died in a few days after. But Mr, Harley, after a long illness, and frequent ill-fymptoms, had the good fortune

to recover.

Guifcard was the younger brother of the Count of that name, a very honourable and worthy perfon, formerly Governor of Namur. But this Marquis was a reproach to his family, prostitute in his morals, impious in religion, and a traitor to his Prince: As to the rest, of a very poor understanding, and the moft tedious, trifling talker, I ever converfed with. He was grown needy by fquandering upon his vices, was become contemptible both here and in Holland, his regiment taken from him, and his penfion retrenched; the defpair of

which first put him upon his French correfpondence; and the discovery of that drove him into madnefs. I had known him fome years; and, meeting him upon the Mall a few hours before his examination, I obferved to a friend then with me, that I wondered to fee Guifcard pafs fo often by without taking notice of me. But although, in the later part of his life, his countenance grew cloudy enough, yet I confefs I never fufpected him to be a man of resolution, or courage, fufficient to bear him out in so desperate an attempt.

I have fome very good reasons to know, that the first misunderstanding between Mr. Harley and Mr. St. John, which afterwards had fuch unhappy confequences upon the publick affairs, took it's rife during the time that the former lay ill of his wounds, and his recovery doubtful. Mr. St. John affected to fay in feveral companies, that Guiscard intended the blow against him; which, if it were true, the confequence muft be, that Mr. St. John had all the merit, while Mr. Harley remained with nothing but the danger and the pain. But, I am apt to think, Mr. St. John was either miftaken, or mifinformed: However, the matter was thus

repre

represented in the weekly paper called the Examiner, which Mr. St. John perused before it was printed, but made no alteration in that paffage.

This management was looked upon, at leaft, as a piece of youthful indifcretion in Mr. St. John; and, perhaps, was represented in a worse view to Mr. Harley: Neither am I altogether fure, that Mr. St. John did not entertain fome profpect of fucceeding as first minister, in cafe of Mr. Harley's death; which, during his illness, was frequently apprehended. And, I remember very well, that, upon vifiting Mr. Harley, as foon as he was in a condition to be feen, I found feveral of his nearest relations talk very freely of fome proceedings of Mr. St. John; enough to make me apprehend, that their friendship would not be of any long continuance.

Mr. Harley, foon after his recovery, was made an Earl, and Lord Treafurer; and Lord Keeper, a Baron.

PREFACE

TO THE

HISTORY

OF THE

Four laft Years of Queen ANNE's Reign.

H

AVING written the following History at Windsor, in the happy reign of her Majesty Queen Anne, of ever glorious, bleffed and immortal memory; I refolved to publish it for the fatisfaction of my fellow fubjects in the year 1713; but being under a neceffity of going to Ireland, to take poffeffion of the Deanry of St. Patrick's, Dublin; I left the original with the ministers; and having staid in that kingdom not above a fortnight, I found at my return, that my Lord Treasurer Oxford, and the Secretary my Lord Bolingbroke, who were then unhappily upon very ill terms with each other, could not agree upon pu blishing it, without fome alterations which I would not fubmit to. Whereupon I kept it by me until her Majefty's death, which happened about a year after.

I have ever fince preferved the original very fafely; too well knowing what a turn the world would take upon the German Family's fucceeding to the crown; which indeed was their undoubted right, having been established folemnly by the act of an undisputed parliament, brought into the House of Commons by Mr. Harley, who was then speaker.

But, as I have faid in another discourse, it was very well understood fome years before her Majesty's death, how the new King would act immediately upon his entrance in the choice of thofe (and those alone) whom he refolved to truft; and confequently what reports would industriously be raised, as well as spread, to expose the proceedings of her Majefty herself, as well as of her fervants; who have been ever fince blafted as enemies to the prefent eftablishment, by the moft ignorant and malicious among mankind.

Therefore, as it was my lot to have been daily converfant with the persons then in power; never abfent in times of bufinefs or converfation, until a few weeks before her Majefty's death; and a witnefs of almoft every step they made in the course of their adminiftration; I must have been