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6th December 1681 London.
Deare friend
You will doubtless thinke it Strange to heare that I am not
yet out of my trouble occasioned by my Ld. B. but yet I thanke
God though I move slowly I have not miscarryed in any place
but have lately gained a very great point and doe stand very
faire to Effect not only my owne but your Business alsoe
whereof I hope to be able to give a good account in a short
time and though the Character given of mee by his Lordspp
be as black as Hell yet am I not Looked upon to be soe
profligate or despicable a Rogue as hee Sets me foorth but
have mett with faire honoble and just dealing and severall Un-
expected friends and some not of the meanest Ranke. Here
is great news lately, A Grand Iury of great Eminency for
Estates and Iudgement was sworne to goe upon the Indictment
of my Lord Shaftsbury who was then in the tower the witnesses
were Turberuile Smith, Booth, Haines, Baines, and a Crew of
Irish Blades They all swore like Stoute Sinners but the quality
of the persons Improbability of the Testimony of some Contra-
diction of others and the Certaine knowledge of some of the
Iurors that a paper found amonngst Shaftesbury's writings
touching an Association upon which great Stresse was putt
was a thing don in parliament time and Concerning which
some motions had been made in the house of Commons which
if it had been a Contriveance done out of Parliament tyme might
have amounted to treason I say upon the whole matter The
Iury brought in the Bill Ignoramus The last day of the hearing
which was this day Seaven-night (The Earl of Shaftesbury, My
Lord Howard of Escrick one Mr Willmore Mr Wilson and
another all Comitted for treason were upon theire habeas
Corpus, Admitted to Bayle and suffered to goe at large there
was at the old Bayly when the bill against Shaftesbury was
brought in Ignoramus Great Rudenes by shuteing and noise
Comitted by the Comon people in the Court many Bonefires
were that night made in the Streets by the Rabble who in
Some places were too disorderly to the people that passed
forceing them to give money towards theire fires and Drinking
the Earles health which hath been very ill Resented and Com-
plained of. But it is the common opinion That if they had
found the Bill against the Earle many hundreds of the Whig-
gish party would presently have been committed to prison for
that is the tearme of distinction from the Court party called
Torys—In the Interim, Beware of that Treacherous false Lying
Swearing Deceiptfull Man Mr G Low whose false forward
foolish Affidavit against me in order to Strippe me of my office
and take away my life. I hinted to you in my last letter and
beware your Selfe and Soe I pray desire my Brother and all
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P. R. O.
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