Transcription

Authority and Weight may be regained to Government without much Difficulty. There belongs enough of both to the Crown of England. The King said I know your opinion is for Authority in Government. You have said that more than once in the House of Commons. I have heard what you have said there. And then with a very Gracious Smile, making me a Bow to retire. He said. My Lord. I have great Regard and Kindness for you, I am glad I have done something to please you, I shall be glad to show you my Kindness for you upon all Occasions. You have done your part to Me, and to the Publick, in the House of Commons. I am persuaded you will do the same in the House of Lords upon which, I made my Bow, and retired, assuring his Majesty how sensible I was of his Goodness, and that I should be glad of any occasion to express my Duty and Acknowledgements. This, Sir, is I believe almost litterally the Conversation which his Majesty honor'd me with in that Audience, of which, as well for his Honor, as for my own Satisfaction, I gave you the other Night a Relation in Confidence. What you said to me then, that some passages particularly in that Conversation, did so much Honor [[deletion]] [[unclear]] [[/deletion]] and Justice to the Character of the King, that they ought to be preserv'd, induced me cheifly to commit this to paper. And, when I was writing, it occur'd to me to write as Introductory to this Audience, some Account of my own Conduct in Publick Life, which I had it not in my Thoughts to do 'till you suggested to me to write down what had passed in that Audience. And indeed the more I consider the Conversation which his Majesty honor'd me with, the more I think it a Justice due to the Character of the King to preserve that Conversation. In which not only what he said, and the manner of saying it. But the [[catchword]] consideration [[/catchword]]