tell you presently in its place:  it was well, and of infinite consequence-so far I tell you now.  Our recess finished last Monday, and never at school did I enjoy holidays so much-but, les voil`a finis jusqu’au printefps!  Tuesday (for you see I write you an absolute journal) we sat on a Scotch election, a double return; their man was Hume Campbell,(415) Lord Marchmont’s brother, lately made solicitor to the Prince, for being as troublesome, as violent, and almost as able as his brother.  They made a great point of it, and gained so many of our votes, that at ten at night we were forced to give it up without dividing.  Sandys, who loves persecution, even unto the death, moved to punish the sheriff; and as we dared not divide, they ordered him into custody, where by this time, I suppose, Sandys has eaten him.

On Wednesday, Sir Robert Godschall, the Lord Mayor, presented the Merchant’s petition, signed by three hundred of them, and drawn up by Leonidas Glover.(416) This is to be heard next Wednesday.  This gold-chain came into parliament, cried up for his parts, but proves so dull, one would think he chewed opium.  Earle says, “I have heard an oyster speak as well twenty times.”

Well, now I come to yesterday:  we met, not expecting much business.  Five of our members were gone to the York election, and the three Lord Beauclercs (417) to their mother’s funeral at Windsor; for that old beauty St. Albans (418) is dead at last.  On this they depended for getting the majority, and towards three o’clock, when we thought of breaking up, poured in their most violent questions:  one was a motion for leave to bring in the Place Bill to limit the number of placemen in the House.  This was not opposed, because, out of decency, it is generally suffered to pass the Commons, and is thrown out by the Lords; only Colonel Cholmondeley (419) desired to know if they designed to limit the number of those that have promises of places, as well as of those that have places now.  I must tell you that we are a very conclave; they buy votes with reversions of places on the change of the ministry.  Lord Gage was giving an account in Tom’s coffeehouse of the intended alterations:  that Mr. Pultney is to be chancellor of the exchequer, and Chesterfield and Carteret secretaries of state.  Somebody asked who was to be paymaster?  Numps Edwin,(420) who stood by, replied, “We have not thought so low as that yet.”  Lord Gage harangues every day at Tom’s, and has read there a very false account of the King’S message to the Prince.(421) The Court, to show their contempt of Gage, have given their copy to be read by Swinny.(422) This is the authentic copy, which they have made the bishop write from the message which he carried, and as he and Lord Cholmondeley agree it was given.