ployed people privately to observe me, as one of them after his death told me himself. I little suspected any such thing; but so it was. They gave him accounts from time to time how I behaved myself, either upon public occasions, or in the course of my life; how natural affection had indeed engaged me too far in the affairs of my brothers, but that I had in great measure repaired that fault, and extricated myself; how much industry and humility (two qualities that my cousin loved) were visible in my conduct; and the like-from all which he concluded that what had been suggested in my prejudice was without foundation, and the machinations of some people that I omit to name unjust. At last God in mercy directed and fixed his inclinations toward me. He revokes his late settlement, and makes his last will, as it now stands, with the first opportunity he could find of doing it privately. In August following he fell sick, and sent secretly to me by night, to come over to him the next day, as if I came of my own accord, without any notice of his illness. This was an indication of something considerable, and the first manifest discovery of his kindness intended, though the messenger, Mr. M. had no directions to tell me any thing of that. Accordingly I went, and staid five days with him; during which time he could get no opportunity to say any thing to me in private, though I saw he desired it earnestly. He then appearing to be something better, I begged leave to go home, to take care of my affairs, and to return again the Monday following. This was upon a Thursday. On Sunday a messenger came in haste for me, and told me that his distemper was increased, and that he was in a dangerous condition. I made what speed I could to him; but he had been dead seven or eight hours before I came. It was August 19, 1688, when he died, in the 65th year of his age. He had been for many years afflicted afflicted with a sort of strangury, that confined him to his house and gardens, or adjacent places, and at last died of a tumor near his navel, which, being. opened, was mortified. So I understood his case. He had academical education, and had lived many years in the Temple, yet had made no great proficience in learning: but he knew the world, could discern men, and was discreet. He was hasty, and would be now and then transported; but good-natured after his passion; very indulgent to his wife and children; and in short a good relation,anda goodman. His will gave a new and great turn to my affairs, since by it I found myself entitled to a noble estate; for which I desire ever to adore the Divine goodness; humbly praying, that what God hath been pleased by his Providence to give me, unexpected and undeserved, he would be pleased also to continue, and prosper by his blessing to me and mine. Such a sudden alteration every nature could not have borne with moderation; but I cannot charge myself with many transgressions in that respect. Yet I did some things, and omitted some, which I should not do or omit now, with the experience and knowledge that I have acquired since, merely through a defect of that advice and assistance which was necessary, but in my case not to be had. Those that I had most reason to trust were either angry, because disappointed, or incapable; some envied me; and so that which gets most people friends deprived me of mine, such as they were; others, thinking I had more by much than really I had, at least at present, formed to themselves designs upon me, and, when they could not succeed, were displeased; and lawyers, even he whom I relied upon most, as I have found to my cost, were apt to betray me. The first thing I applied myself to was, to know what the estate was. And here, though I desired a sight of my cousin's rentals and accounts, I could never obtain that privilege. Something perhaps might have been picked out of the deeds and writings belonging to it with labour, but they were not in my custody. I rode about to the several places where it lay; but tenants were shy, and full of tricks, and it was impossible to fish out things that way without much time, so I have been forced for the most part to depend on Mr. M. I hope he has not deceived me. The next thing which I turned my thoughts to were, the charges and incumbrances to which I was subject. At my cousin's death, to be sure, I was bare enough. I inherited no goods nor furniture either for house or study. There were, my bond upon which I borrowed money in Harry's business; some bonds of Tom's, &c. which it was expected I should pay immediately, with the utmost interest; there was a progress to be made through the estate, and many affairs to be settled, which could not be done without expence; there were large annuities to be paid, near 600l. a year; 3000l. was to be raised in four years; the manor of Shenton was left to the widow for life, &c. To which I may add, as aggravations, that I had no power to make a jointure for a wife; heavy taxes commenced just after this time, and have continued ever since; some relations have been exceeding burdens; bills of repairs have happened to be large, tenants have broke, through the hardness of times, &c. But one of the greatest deductions was the widow's dower. Her jointure, as I remember, was 140l. per annum, charged upon Sadington, &c.; beside which, my cousin left her for life Shenton (as is said already), an estate at Lee Grange, money, &c. Notwithstanding all this, she told me, soon after her husband's death, that she expected her thirds of the whole estate; and when I answered that I presumed her jointure was a bar to dower, she replied, that her jointure was made in form of a lease, and did not preclude her. In respect to her, who had been the the wife of my great friend, I proposed to go amicably to work, and inquire of counsel about it. This we did; and they unanimously agreed that her husband did not intend she should have her dower, but, as the case was, she might by law recover it; so I compounded the matter, without any farther assistance of counsel, or any body; and she has ever since enjoyed above 400l. per annum in my wrong. It is well known, and she herself owns it, that it - was always the firm opinion of my cousin (though he proved to be mistaken) that she had no title to dower, and no doubt he made his will accordingly. It can never be imagined that he should leave her so considerable a part of the estate, if he had in the least suspected she had already a title to the third part of the whole-not to say, that in conscience she ought not to have taken this advantage, not only in consideration of the large legacy bequeathed her upon a presumption of her no title, but also of the small fortune which she brought, that did not deserve it. This is the truth of all that affair. When I came up to London after the death of my cousin, I found my elder brother in the Fleet. His debts were too great to be paid; but I supplied him with money to support him: and because I saw that when he had it he made all the haste he could to want it again, I sent my man every Monday morning to him with money for his pocket that week. After some time I was at the charge of removing him to the King's Bench, and, a while after that, of procuring his liberty also. He carried himself not gratefully to me, as may appear by this, among other instances. But I must premise a short account, to introduce it. A little before the 3000l. charged upon my estate became due, I had advised with counsel, whether I might not fell timber to raise that money, or part of it: and it was thought I might do it; for, first, that money was charged upon the estate, and might in reason reason therefore perhaps be as well raised out of it this way as any other; especially if it be considered that the widow had wrested from me a large branch of the estate, and the great taxes were fallen upon me, both which tended to disable me, and were neither of them foreseen by my cousin. Secondly, it might be for the advantage of my successor as well as myself, not to venture the hazard of a forfeiture: for, though possibly I might not have incurred a forfeiture, or, if I had, Chancery might have relieved me upon payment of the money; yet Sir A. K. (an able Chancery-man) advised me not to depend upon that. Aud further, if the trustees, upon non-payment, had entered upon the estate, which was the least that could be; nobody can tell what the consequences might have been. And, thirdly, there lay no action of waste against me for felling timber; not from the heirs at law, because they had no immediate right after me; nor from my son, because there is an intermediate estate in trustees; nor from the trustees, because they have no inheritance, &c. Nevertheless, it was judged adviseable for me to make a present of 100 guineas apiece to Sir J. Ch.'s and Mr. W.'s ladies for their consent, lest under some pretence they might obtain an injunction against me. I submitted to this, though it was but a trick. I raised in Suffolk this way about 14001. and I think not more, all charges deducted; and about 4 or 500l. afterwards in several woods; the rest I paid out of my own pocket. And now for my brother. Just at that time when the timber lay ready to be carried off, he (for whom I had endured so much) exhibits a complaint against me in Chancery, serves the tenant at Finborough with ejectments; goes thither, and formally takes possession of the estate as if the entail had not been barred, and moves for an injunction, that the timber should not be stirred; just as if he intended to undo me, for the time of payment was near. And he contrived to serve me with the |