The Virginia Gazette

ST. JAMES's September 20. I send you a Copy of a Letter I have received from Mr. Dudley, which I think merits a Place in your Paper. I am very well acquainted with the Gentleman; his Extravagancies have brought him to experience the Consequence of not listening to the Advice of a Father, who, though a Gentleman of a very genteel Fortune, is willing to punish his Son in Order that he may know the Value of what he is to inherit. He is nearly related to a certain unpopular Earl; his Brother in Law is a Member of the Irish Parliament; and himself, though wild, is endowed with a great Deal of good Sense.

Berwick Street, Soho, Tuesday Afternoon.

'Dear Sir,

There are some Paragraphs in the daily Papers which intimate that the Secretaries of State are backward in bringing the Affair of Portsmouth Dock to Light. This Assertion is false, and certainly invented by an Enemy to the Welfare of this Nation; there is no Person who is a better Judge than I am, there not being One, I believe, at present in the Kingdom, acquainted with the Particulars of the Plot but myself. Their Proceedings, in every Respect, showed their Desire of bringing the Delinquents to Justice, which as yet have proved ineffectual. I was, agreeable to my Request, sent down to Portsmouth, Plymouth, &c. to apprehend the Persons; but they were fled, in Consequence of my Discovery being made so publick. From whence it transpired I cannot say, but my Intelligence was a Secret till I had the Honour of attending at the Lord Mayor's, since which I leave you to judge the Noise it has made in the Kingdom. You may imagine I write thus being biased by either Fear or Hope of obtaining Money from the Ministry; if you form any Idea of the Kind, you are wrong. In the first Place, I am not to be awed by any Person in the Kingdom, let his Rank be what it will. As for my Expectation of receiving any Compliment from Government, I have none; nor is there any Reason I should. It is true I have given such Cautions to Persons in Power as I think highly necessary to be observed, and every Means is taken to prevent a Repetition of such another Scheme being carried into Execution. I must inform you it was four Frenchmen and two Irish Priests who set Fire to the Storehouses, but the Plan was laid by an Irish Gentleman in the French Service; they are all, I believe, by this Time, safe in France. If there had been proper Steps taken they might have been apprehended in August last, as they were at that Time on such another Scheme in Plymouth. It was not the Secretary of State's Fault, I can assure you; I was mostly the Occasion of their Escape, not being explicit enough till it was too publick. Most of your publick Intelligence concerning this Affair is false; if you honour me with a Visit I shall acquaint you with the Particulars of the Whole, and shall have no Objection to having it made publick, there not being an Action of my Life I fear being known. I expect to settle my Affairs soon; you are too well acquainted with my Connections to think my Dependence is on this Affair; I expect Nothing from it but a contented Mind, in having done my Duty to my Sovereign.

I am, dear Sir, yours most sincerely,

DUDLEY.'