158 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 279. 



mediate orders for a vigilant watch to be kept 

 along the coast, and having thus learnt that the 

 parties had landed at Deal, on their return, he 

 hurried oif to Canterbury, and there apprehended 

 Prior, Mesnager, and the Abbe Gautier (Machys 

 Memoirs, p. xvii.). If Moore therefore went with 

 Prior, he had either been left in France, which is 

 not probable, or had returned in the boat to the 

 Thames, which is I think even less probable. 



The Whig party, however, had resolved to run 

 him down, and they charged him with offences 

 which contradict each other. Thus we have just 

 heard that the parties engaged in the secret nego- 

 tiation had conveyed money to St. Germains, and 

 now that they brought money hence, — 



" Xow Pr — r and M — r, with pistoles in great store, 

 From France are arrived at Dover." 



Another charge in a pamphlet called A Letter 



to the Honourable A r M—re, Com — ner of 



Trade and Plantations, is specific ; that when he 



was " Arbitrator between Sir T. C — ke. Sir B 



F — b — , and the East India Company," he " ex- 

 torted of the said gentlemen a bribe of above ten 

 thousand pounds in I — a Stock, for awarding and 

 procuring them a general release." 



There can be no doubt that Moore, though not 

 perhaps personally engaged in carrying on the 

 secret negotiation, was afterwards active in ar- 

 ranging the details of the commercial treaty, and 

 for that purpose went to France, probably with 

 Bolingbroke. Reference is made to this in the 

 above pamphlet : 



" We all know," saj's the writer, " that it was to your 

 ability the care of our trade was left at the late treaties, 

 and to your discerning judgment the care of the Crown's 

 property in America was recommended. The fatigues 

 you underwent in your journey to Paris, the indefatigable 

 industry and skill you have show'd in your management 

 of the late treaties, and your disinterested aims through 

 the whole course of them, are evident proofs how zealous 

 you are for the welfare of the country." 



In this pamphlet, which is satirically addressed 

 to Moore as an " honourable " friend, Moore is 

 himself therein described as a third party, mixed 

 up with Defoe, who wrote in favour of the peace, 

 and was at that time denounced by the Whigs as 

 a turncoat. We ought perhaps to infer from what 

 follows that Moore had once been condemned to 

 the pillory ; but the allusion may be figurative, or 

 refer to the official duties of the Monoghan jailer : 



" They being both the offspring of the pillory, no doubt 

 are naturally endow'd with a large portion of sincerity. 

 One of 'em, I must acquaint you, is so insolent as to in- 

 terfere in your province, and to assume the management 

 of our commerce to himself, he says he is Prime Minister 

 of Trade . . . he is a huge fellow ; and has a face 

 that strikes terror into all who approach him . . . 

 and will do unspeakable damage to our country, if you 

 do not take care to get him turn'd out. Such an impostor 

 as this ought to be sent to Newgate, and from thence 



. The man has good iinderstanding, and talks well, 



but makes a bad use of all his talents ; he has, however. 



raised himself by his genius from a mean native of the 

 town of Monoghan," &c. 



At that time, as I learn from another reference, 

 Moore resided in Bloomsbury Square, where it is 

 said Defoe, " his man Daniel," went every night 

 to consult with him. There are constant re- 

 ferences to " shim-sham projects, formed in the 

 refined air of Bloomsbury Square." Bloomsbury 

 was first named, and long popularly called, South- 

 ampton Square, and his residence there is con- 

 firmed by the following announcement : 



" There is lately imported from France, by Messieurs 



Mesnager and P r, a very neat, cheap, and fine Peace, 



truly French, which will be disposed of at the following 



places ; at . . ., at . . ., at Mr. A M.'s house 



in Southampton Square. N. B. That for the satisfaction 



of persons of quality, Mr. P r will draw himself, and 



Mr. M r will wait in his proper person." 



The references in the party squibs and songs to 

 Arthur Moore are indeed endless. I will throw 

 some of them together. The first is from a ballad 

 satirically called The Damnable Protestant Plot : 



" Large countries late given to Lewis, 

 Are owing to Marlbro's duke, 

 For of nothing comes nothing, most true is, 

 Unless he those Places first took. 



" Our statesmen, religious and wise, 



That never take trouble in vain. 

 Base lucre are known to despise, 



Pray witness the Indies and Spain. 

 Their care is our trade and increase, 



With many more blessings in store, 

 And procur'd us a plentiful peace, 



By the help of Matt. Prior and Moore." 



In another are satirically celebrated the festivi- 

 ties of a Jacobite party accustomed to meet at 

 " Daniel's, the Globe at Mile End," and amongst 

 the company are, — 



" Jolly Swankies a pair, 

 With Arthur most rare, 

 Adorers of tipple divine." 



An excellent New Ballad to a New Tune is un- 

 fortunately too broad in its humour for much 

 extract; but there Arthur is found in better 

 company : 



" A junto of statesmen were late met together, 



Lewd HaiTy and Robin, Matt, Simon, and Moore, 

 With a sanctified bishop, all birds of a feather. 

 Declaring for Perkin, the son of a " 



I cannot but believe that Arthur Moore had 

 more influence in his day than might be inferred, 

 considering the necessity we are under of hunting 

 him out from such obscure paragraphs. In an- 

 other of these squibs, a dialogue between Pasquin 

 and Marphorio, the former inquires for news 

 from England, and is joyously informed that the 

 queen is delivered from the controlling influences 

 of the junta — the church established — and the 

 honour of the nation retrieved. 



" Pasq. How came these things to be effected? 

 Marph. By a religious, wealthy, and artless commoner, 



