“The Queen continues very kind and obliging in her sayings to me, and gave me t’other day an opportunity to tell her of my circumstances. As we were driving by Chelsea she asked me what that walled place was called. I told her Chelsea Park, and in the time of the Bubbles ’twas designed for the silkworms.[46] She asked me if I was not in the Bubbles. With a sigh, I answered: ‘Yes, that, and my fire had made me worse than nothing’. Some time after, when I did not think she saw me, I was biting my nails. She called to me and said: ‘Oh fie! Mr. Wentworth, you bite your nails very prettily’. I begged her pardon for doing so in her presence, but said I did it for vexation of my circumstances, and to save a crown from Dr. Lamb for cutting them. She said she was sorry I had anything to vex me, and I did well to save my money. The Prince told her I was one of the most diligent servants he ever saw. I bowed and smiled as if I thought he bantered me. He understood me, and therefore repeated again that he meant it seriously and upon his word he thought that the Queen was happy in having so good a servant. I told him ’twas a great satisfaction to me to meet with his Royal Highness’s approbation. He clapped his hand upon my shoulder and assured me that I had it. “As we went to Richmond last Wednesday our grooms had a battle with a carter that would not go out of the way. The good Queen had compassion for the rascal and ordered me to ride after him and give him a crown. I desired her Majesty to recall that order, for the fellow was a very saucy fellow, and I saw him strike the Prince’s groom first, and if we gave him anything for his beating ’twould be an example to others to stop the way a purpose to provoke a beating. The Prince approved what I said, for he said much the same to her in _Dutch_, and I got immortal fame among the liverymen, who are no small fools at this Court. I told her if she would give the crown to anybody it should be to the Prince’s groom, who had the carter’s long whip over his shoulders. She laughed, but saved her crown.” “KENSINGTON, _August 14th, 1729_.