broke was fent to Paris to adjust differences with less formality; Prior either accompanied him or followed him; and after his departure had the appointments and authority of an ambaffador, though no public character.

By fome mistake of the Queen's orders, the court of France had been difgufted; and Bolingbroke fays in his Letter, "Dear Mat, hide the nakednefs of thy country, and give the best turn thy fertile brain will fur"nish thee with to the blunders of thy countrymen, who are not much better politi"cians than the French are poets."

Soon after the duke of Shrewsbury went on a formal embaffy to Paris. It is 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 style and dignity of embassador.

But, while he continued in appearance a private man, he was treated with confidence

by Lewis, who fsent him with a letter to the Queen, written in favour of the elector of Bavaria. "I fhall expect," fays he, "with "impatience, the return of Mr. Prior, whose “conduct is very agreeable to me." And while the Duke of Shrewsbury was ftill at Paris, Bolingbroke wrote to Prior thus: "Monfieur de Torcy has a confidence in

you; make use of it, once for all, upon "this occafion, and convince him thoroughly, "that we must give a different turn to our "parliament and our people, according to "their refolution at this crifis."

Prior's public dignity and fplendour commenced in Auguft 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 cuftomarily given to ambaffadors: he hints to the queen, in an imperfect poem, that he had no fervice of plate; and it appeared, by the debts which he contracted, that his remittances were not punctually made.

On

On the first of August 1714, enfued the downfall of the Tories and the degradation of Prior. He was recalled; 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 house, 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 boifterousness of men elated by recent authority. They are reprefented as afking queftions fometimes vague, fometimes infidious, and writing answers different from those which they received. Prior, however, feems to have been overpowered by their turbulence; for he confeffes that he figned what, VOL. III.

C

if

if he had ever come before a legal judicature, he fhould have contradicted or explained away. The oath was adminiftered by Bofcawen, a Middlesex justice, who at last 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 earneftness, 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 supplied no accufation against either. "Could any thing be more abfurd,” fays he, "or more inhuman, than to propose to me a queftion, by the answering of "which I might, according to them, prove myself a traitor? And notwithstand

ing their folemn promife, that nothing "which I could fay fhould hurt myself, I "had no reason to truft them: for they vio"lated that promise about five hours after. However, I owned I was there prefent.

• Whether

"Whether this was wifely done or no, I friends to determine.”

❝ leave to my

When he had figned the paper, he was told by Walpole, that the committee were not fatisfied with his behaviour, nor could give fuch an account of it to the Commons as might merit favour; and that they now thought a stricter confinement neceffary than to his own house. "Here," fays he, "Boscawen played the moralift, and Co"ningsby the christian, but both very auk"wardly." The meffenger, in whose cuftody he was to be placed, was then called, and very decently afked by Coningfby, if his boufe was fecured by bars and bolts? The meffenger answered, No, with aftonishment; at which Coningsby very angrily faid, Sir, you muft fecure this prifoner; it is for the fafety of the nation: if he escape, you shall answer for it.

They had already printed their report; and in this examination were endeavouring to find proofs.

He continued thus confined for fome time; and Mr. Walpole (June 10, 1715) moved for