By the Rev. Canon 7. E Jackson, F.S.A. 285 



a good man as ever was born, is put on the list of Sheriffs for Wilts. I 

 y?* never solieite to have him excused, nor w d Mr. Pleydell desire it, was it 

 possible for him to discharge y e office but his health is so extreainly ruin'd by 

 sickness. & his mind so broken by misfortunes that it w d be an act of barbarity 

 to force him into this employment. 



" If M r . Harley c d prevail upon the Duke of Newcastle, L d Pawlet, or any 

 other Privy Counsellor to appeare for him, it w d be a never to be forgotten 

 obligation & I pawn my honour & word the excuses are true in fact. Dear Tom, 

 make my conrp 1 to all my friends & believe me ever yr H. S. J." 



3. The Same to Rt. Hon. R. Harley. 



" Bucklebury. Sep. 17 1709. 



" I send this note to express my concern y l I am not able to wait on you att 

 Oxford as Mr. Granville & I had proposed to do. 



" You can have nothing to communicate to me w h will not be so far welcome 

 that it comes from you. But I begin to expect neither peace abroad nor good 

 order att home. 



" I wish you perfect health & good weather, two articles of no small importance 

 to y e satisfaction & joy of life. In 3 weeks time I intend to go to Lavington. 

 My Hounds & Horses are already there, my Books will soon follow. In that 

 retreat, if I may hear sometimes y* you & y e few friends w h I have in y e world 

 are well, all will be well with me. I am ever Dear Sir 



"faithfully yours." 



4. The Same to Rt. Hon. R. Harley. 



" Bucklebury. Sep. y e 21 st 1709 



" Having an opport y of sending a letter safely to Oxford, & Stratford having 

 formerly told me that he had a very sure way of conveying anything to you, I 

 transmit this to him. 



" I sh d have been very glad to have known y e particulars of this noble project, 

 since it's hard to imagine what air of probability c d be given to any story cal- 

 culated for such a purpose. But there is an ill-nature in y e world w h makes 

 men incapable of submitting to y e laws of friendship themselves & of patiently 

 seeing it prevail among others. 



" I thank you for those kind comprehensive wishes w h you bestow upon me. 

 In this obscure & private life I am perfectly easy, & shall with y e same ease 

 return to y e noise & business of an active publick life, whenever y e service of my 

 country or of my friends calls me forth. 



" Since you are so indifferent as not to trouble yrself either about y e peace, or 

 ab* y e measures w h our Governours at home will pursue, my indifference will 

 increase upon me, & I will likewise wait with patience for that something wh. is 

 not much expected. 



" Adieu, D r S r , may you still continue involv'd in y r virtue & shielded by y c 

 innocence, ^safe from every dart of malice. May all y r designs for y e good of y r 

 country prosper, & every other blessing light upon you 



" Sic vovet 



"H. S." 



(To be Continued.) 



