it is at last settled that Lords gower,(616) Cobham, and Bathurst (617) are to come in.  The first is to be privy-seal, and was to have kissed hands last Friday, but Lord Hervey had carried the seal with him to Ickworth; but he must bring it back.  Lord Cobham is to be field-marshal, and to command all the forces in England.  Bathurst was to have the Gentleman-pensioners, but Lord Essex,(618) who is now the Captain, and was to have had the Beef-eaters, will not change.  Bathurst is to have the Beef-eaters; the Duke of Bolton (619) who has them, is to have the Isle of Wight, and Lord lymington,(620) who has that, is to have—­nothing!

The Secret Committee are in great perplexities about Scrope:(621) he would not take the oath, but threatened the Middlesex justices who tendered it to him “Gentlemen,” said he, “have you any complaint against Me? if you have not, don’t you fear that I will prosecute you for enforcing oaths?” However, one of them began to read the oath—­“I, John Scrope,”—­“I John Scrope:"said he; “I did not say any such thing; but come, however, let’s hear the oath;”—­“do promise that I will faithfully and truly answer all such questions as shall be asked me by the Committee of Secrecy, and—­” they were going on, but Scrope cried out, “Hold, hold! there is more than I can digest already.”  He then went before the committee, and desired time to consider.  Pitt asked him abruptly, if he wanted a quarter of an hour:  he replied, “he did not want to inform either his head or his heart, for both were satisfied what to do; but that he would ask the King’s leave.”  He wants to fight Pitt.  He is a most testy little old gentleman, and about eight years ago would have fought Alderman Perry.  It was in the House, at the time of the excise:  he said we should carry it:  Perry said he hoped to see him hanged first.  “You see me hanged, you dog, you!” said Scrope, and pulled him by the nose.  The committee have tried all ways to soften him, and have offered to let him swear to only what part he pleased, or only with regard to money given to members of parliament.  Pultney himself has tried to work on him; but the old gentleman is inflexible, and answered, “that he was fourscore years old, and did not care whether he spent the few months he had to live (622) in the Tower or not; that the last thing he would do should be to betray the King and next to him the Earl of Orford.”  It remains in suspense.  The troops continue going to Flanders, but slowly enough.  Lady Vane has taken a trip thither after a cousin (623) of Lord Berkeley, who is as simple about her as her own husband is, and has written to Mr. Knight at Paris to furnish her with what money she wants.  He says she is vastly to blame; for he was trying to get her a divorce from Lord Vane, and then would have married her himself.  Her adventures(624 arc worthy to be bound up with those of my good sister-in-law, as the German Princess, and Moll Flanders.