[218] William, Earl of Portland, whose embassy was of extraordinary splendour. Of intrigues there must have been plenty, for at the very moment that Louis XIV. was for the first time recognising the Prince of Orange as King of England, King James II. was residing at S. Germains, surrounded by his own Court. [219] Evelyn's _Diary_, June, no date of day. [220] Evelyn's _Diary_, Jan. 30, 1698. [221] _Documents illustrating_, etc., p. 158. [222] _Three Cathedrals_, Longman, p. 86-88. CHAPTER XIII. 1700-1708. MEMBER FOR WEYMOUTH--RISING OF THE SAP IN TREES--PRINCE GEORGE'S STATUE--JANE WREN'S DEATH--THANKSGIVING AT S. PAUL'S--LETTER TO HIS SON--SON MARRIES MARY MUSARD--DEATH OF MR. EVELYN--QUEEN ANNE'S ACT FOR BUILDING FIFTY CHURCHES--LETTER ON CHURCH BUILDING. 'The old knight turning about his head twice or thrice to take a survey of this great metropolis, bid me observe how thick the City was set with churches, and that there was scarce a single steeple on this side Temple Bar. "A most heathenish sight!" says Sir Roger; "there is no religion at this end of the town. The fifty new churches will very much mend the prospect, but church work is slow, church work is slow."'--_The Spectator_, No. 383. In 1700 Wren was returned by the boroughs of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis to a somewhat stormy Parliament. He was finishing several of the City churches by the addition of towers to some, where, as at S. Magnus, London Bridge, and S. Andrew's, Holborn, the main parts had been previously built. He gave a design for All Saints' Church, Isleworth; it was, however, reckoned too costly, and nothing was done until, in 1705, Sir Orlando Gee left a legacy of 500_l._ towards the rebuilding of the church, when Wren's design was partially adopted, and the work done by his faithful master-mason, Edward Strong.[223] With all this work, Wren yet found time to write a treatise on 'The rising of the sap in trees.' It is a short treatise, evidently copied by a copyist, though a little indian-ink drawing at the side is probably Wren's own. The question in dispute seems to have been whether this natural rising of the sap contradicted the newly discovered law of gravity.