To Lord Arlington on Jan. 17th, she writes, “Mr. Williamson, being of so eminent an ingenuity, cannot miss a Burgess-ship elsewhere.” On Jan. 25th, Arlington writes again to her on behalf of his Secretary. On Jan. 29th, George Williamson writes to his brother: “Unless the three Tuftons be taken off by Lady Thanet’s means, it is impossible for any man to oppose.... Dr. Smith fears the taking off of the old Lady, but if done, we shall be joyful.” Feb. 4th, Dan Fleming writes to Williamson about plying the Lady Pembroke: “If you cannot accomplish this, you should stay the Writ as long as you can, until you have a good account of your interest in Appleby.” The same day Dr. Smith wrote to Williamson telling him of his friend’s work: “The success of it will be seen by her answer to Lord Arlington, whereof she showed me a copy. I cannot see how it is possible to do any good unless her grandchildren be taken off.” George Williamson writes same date to his brother, that Lord Arlington had been urging Thomas Tufton to withdraw. “Neither Arlington nor the Bishop make any impression on the wilful Countess.” On Feb. 6th, Lord Arlington writes again, to whom Anne replies: “It was myself and neither my daughter of Thanet, nor any of my children, that made me attempt making one of her sons a Burgess for Appleby.” “If it should happen otherwise, I will submit with patience, but never yield my consent. I know very well how powerful a man a Secretary of State is throughout the King’s dominions, so am confident that by your Lordship’s favour and recommendation you might quickly help this Mr. Williamson to a Burgess-ship without doing wrong or discourtesy to a widow that wants but two years of fourscore, and to her grandchildren whose father and mother suffered as much in their worldly fortunes for the King, as most of his subjects did.” One can see that the spirited old lady has been kindled to white heat, and that very little more would make her say something very like what has been preserved by Walpole. As to her style, she employed a Secretary, Mr. Sedgwick. That Secretary was absent from Skipton Castle for a few days at this time. It is just possible that the young Candidate, Thomas Tufton himself, became her clerk on the occasion, and transmitted his grandmother’s words as he thought she said them, without anything of Sedgwick’s clerkly polish. On Feb. 9th George Williamson writes to his brother, enclosing a letter from Dr. Smith, “If the town be left to their own freedom, your brother will carry it, but I doubt that the Countess will never let it come to that, being resolved to present one to them. If none of her grandchildren will accept, she will pitch upon Anthony Lowther. She has been heard to say that if they all refuse, she will stand for it herself, by which you may imagine what the issue is likely to be.”