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"share which he had in the public affairs. This "condition Mr. Pulteney utterly rejected, and in "two or three days the same noble persons came to Mr. Pulteney again with a second

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message from the King, signifying that the "offer made to him, as mentioned before, should "be made good without that condition. He con "sulted his friends, and by their advice accepted "of what his Majesty had so graciously offered

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to him, declaring at the same time, that he was "determined to fill no post himself, but to serve "his friends in recommending to his Majesty

such of them as he thought proper to be placed "in the great departments of the administration,

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only he desired to have the honor of being one "of the Cabinet Council. Accordingly Sir Ro "bert resigned all, and some of Mr. Pulteney's "friends were nominated to the chief of the great "employments in government, he himself being ❝contented to be one of the Cabinet Council. It " is well known how he lost all his weight as a "Minister of State within a few months." Afterwards speaking of Lord Bath's decease he expresses himself thus. "Thus died that great and "worthy man, William Pulteney Earl of Bath, "descended from a very ancient family (the De "Pulteneys, who, I think came to England with "the Norman Duke William.) He was by in"heritance and prudent economy possessed of a

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very large estate, out of which he yearly bestowed, contrary to the opinion of those who

were less acquainted with him, in charities and "benefactions more than a tenth part of his "whole income. He was a firm friend to the "established religion of his country, and free " from all the vices of the age even in his youth. "He constantly attended the public worship of "God, and all the offices of it in his parish "church, while his health permitted it; and "when his great age and infirinities prevented "him from so doing, he supplied that defect by "daily reading over the morning service of the

church before he came out of his bed-chamber. "That he had quick and lively parts, a fine head

and sound judgment, the many things, which "he published occasionally, sufficiently testify. "He had twice chiefly by his own personal 66 weight, overturned the ministry, viz. 1741 and 1745, though he kept not in power long at "each of those great events, which was occasioned by his adhering to his resolution of not filling any place of profit or honor in the administra"tion, and by some other means less creditable 46 to his associates than to himself; which the "writer of this account is well acquainted with."

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As Bishop Pearce had some knowlege of these and other transactions, so Dr. Douglas, by conversing several years almost daily with Lord

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Bath,

Bath, had frequent opportunities of informing him self of many particulars, and having collected sufficient materials for the purpose, is well qualified to draw the just character, and to complete the true history of his noble patron, a debt which he owes to his memory, and it is hoped will one time or other fully discharge, so that conformably to the rule in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

But to return from this long, but it is hoped not unuseful nor unentertaining digression. In the spring of 1744, Mr. Newton through the interest of the Earl of Bath was preferred to the rectory of St. Mary le Bow in Cheapside, so that he was forty years old before he obtained any living. This living is properly three rectories. united, St. Mary le Bow, St. Pancras, Soaper Lane, and Allhallows Honey Lane, the first and the last of which are in the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the second in that of the Grocer's company, and in turn they present once, and the Archbishop collates twice; but this turn was in the King's presentation upon the promotion of Dr. Lisle the former incumbent to a bishopric. It is a church of note and eminence, being the principal of the Archbishop's peculiars, and the court of the Dean of the Arches, and the church where the Archbishop and all the Bishops in the province of Canterbury are confirmed. It

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was likewise esteemed a fortunate living, the two former rectors Dr. Lisle and Dr. Bradford having been made Bishops, and it did not fail to the third in succession. Upon this preferment he quitted the chapel in Spring Garden. His fellowship also became vacant, and at the commencement in 1745 he took his degree of Doctor in divinity. The rebellion breaking out soon after, he was in all his sermons and discourses so strenuous in the cause of his King and country, that he received some threatning letters, which Lord Bath advised him to lay before the Secretary of State. One or two of his sermons upon this occasion by desire he published, as well as that which was preached on the 18th of December in the same year before the House of Commons.

In the beginning of the following spring in 1746 he was honored with fresh proofs of the friendship and confidence of the Earl of Bath, being intrusted by that Lord with the relation of some secret transactions at Court. Whether the King had reason to suspect the fidelity of any of his ministers, or whether any thing at that time had particularly offended him, or who were most disagreeable and obnoxious to him, we cannot say; but he took an opportunity of complaining to Lord Bath of the uneasiness of his situation, that he was held under the dominion of an aristocracy; that they hemmed him in on all sides, and he could

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not have those about him whom he liked; that they in a manner ingrossed all power, and in effect he could do little or nothing. He therefore asked Lord Bath whether he could not give him some assistance, whether he could not any way extricate him out of his present difficulties; and if the possibly could, conjured him by all means to break the combination, and to set him at liberty. Lord Bath replied that it would be burning his own fingers, but however to oblige his Majesty he would try what could be done; it was possible he might be able to succeed, but his success must in great measure depend upon his Majesty himself; his Majesty must be sure to stand steddy, and be true to his own interest, or otherwise as the attempt was hazardous, it would also prove vain and ineffectual. One of the first steps he took was to send for Gideon and the money'd men, to know whether they would confirm the agreement which they had made with Mr. Pelham for raising the supplies of the current year. They readily answered, that they would abide by their bargain with Mr. Pelham, for they had not made it for his sake only. But Lord Bath convinced them that in one article they had exacted more from Mr. Pelham than they should have done, and therefore insisted upon an abatement, to which after some debate they consented. At the same time Earl Granville, who was a

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