this, so noble is his nature, that he professes himself ready to show
kindness and pity to Mr. Montagu on any occasion. My Lord told me of his
presenting Sir H. Bennet with a gold cupp of L100, which he refuses, with
a compliment; but my Lord would have been glad he had taken it, that he
might have had some obligations upon him which he thinks possible the
other may refuse to prevent it; not that he hath any reason to doubt his
kindness. But I perceive great differences there are at Court; and Sir H.
Bennet and my Lord Bristol, and their faction, are likely to carry all
things before them (which my Lord's judgment is, will not be for the
best), and particularly against the Chancellor, who, he tells me, is
irrecoverably lost: but, however, that he will not actually joyne in
anything against the Chancellor, whom he do own to be his most sure
friend, and to have been his greatest; and therefore will not openly act
in either, but passively carry himself even. The Queen, my Lord tells me,
he thinks he hath incurred some displeasure with, for his kindness to his
neighbour, my Lady Castlemaine. My Lord tells me he hath no reason to
fall for her sake, whose wit, management, nor interest, is not likely to
hold up any man, and therefore he thinks it not his obligation to stand
for her against his own interest. The Duke and Mr. Coventry my Lord says
he is very well with, and fears not but they will show themselves his very
good friends, specially at this time, he being able to serve them, and
they needing him, which he did not tell me wherein. Talking of the
business of Tangier, he tells me that my Lord Tiviott is gone away without
the least respect paid to him, nor indeed to any man, but without his
commission; and (if it be true what he says) having laid out seven or
eight thousand pounds in commodities for the place; and besides having not
only disobliged all the Commissioners for Tangier, but also Sir Charles
Barkeley the other day, who, speaking in behalf of Colonel Fitz-Gerald,
that having been deputy-governor there already, he ought to have expected
and had the governorship upon the death or removal of the former governor.