related by Boyer, that the intention was to have joined Prior in the fame commiffion, but that Shrewsbury refused to be affociated with a man fo meanly born. Prior therefore continued to act without a title till the duke returned next year to England, and then he affumed the ftile and dignity of embaffador.

But, while he continued in appearance a private man, he was treated with confidence by Lewis, who fent him with a letter to the Queen, written in favour of the elector of Bavaria. "I fhall ex

"pect," fays he, "with impatience, "the return of Mr. Prior, whofe con"duct is very agreeable to me." And while the duke of Shrewsbury was ftill at Paris, Bolingbroke wrote to Prior B 3

thus:

thus: "Monfieur de Torcy has a con"fidence in you; make use of it, once "for all, upon this occafion, and con"vince him thoroughly, that we must

give a different turn to our parliament

"and our people, according to their re"folution at this crifis."

Prior's publick dignity and splendour commenced in Augufl 1713, and continued till the Auguft following; but I am afraid that, according to the ufual fate of greatnefs, it was attended with fome perplexities and mortifications. He had not all that is customarily given to ambas fadors: he hints to the queen, in an imperfect poem, that he had no fervice of plate; and it appeared, by the debts

which

which he contracted, that his remittances were not punctually made.

On the first of Auguft 1714, enfued the downfal of the Tories and the de gradation of Prior. He was recalled; but was not able to return, being detained by the debts which he had found it neceffary to contract, and which were not discharged before March, though. his old friend Montague was now at the head of the treasury.

He returned then as foon as he could,, and was welcomed on the 25th of March by a warrant, but was, however, fuffered to live in his own houfe, under the cuftody of the meffenger, till he was examined before a committee of the Privy Council, of which Mr. Walpole.

was chairman, and lord Coningsby, Mr. Stanhope, and Mr. Lechmere, were the principal interrogators; who, in this examination, of which there is printed an account not unentertaining, behaved with the boisteroufnefs of men elated by recent authority. They are reprefented as asking queftions fometimes vague, fometimes infidious, and writing anfwers different from those which they received. Prior, however, feems to have been overpowered by their turbulence; for he confeffes that he figned what, if he had ever come before a legal judicature, he fhould have contradicted, or explained away. The oath was administered by Boscawen, a Middlesex juftice, who, at laft was going to write

his atteftation on the wrong fide of the

paper.

They were very induftrious to find fome charge against Oxford, and afked Prior, with great earneftnefs, who was present when the preliminary articles. were talked of or figned at his house. He told them, that either the earl of Oxford or the duke of Shrewsbury was abfent, but he could not remember which; an answer which perplexed them, because it fupplied no accufation against either. "Could any thing be more ab

furd," fays he, "or more inhuman,

"than to propofe to me a queftion, by "the answering of which I might, ac"cording to them, prove myself a tray"tor? And notwithstanding their so

"lemn