Autograph letter signed : Utrecht, to The Duke of Leeds, 1708 October 19.

Sending news about the siege of Lille; writing that provisions and ammunition had been very scarce, but that a way has been found to bring in the convoys from Ostend and supply the Duke of Marlborough's army; mentioning that "Admiral Lake" (probably Admiral John Leake) is having great success in the Mediterranean, that he has taken Sardinia and Minorca, and that he is likely to winter in "Porto Mahone" (probably Maó-Mahón), "which has one of the best harbourgs [sic] in these seas, so that he will be at hand to reduce Sicily in the next Spring, where the people long to be rid of the french"; writing that Pope Clement XI, instigated by the French, seems on the verge of breaking with Emperor Joseph I; commenting that he doubts it will come to that in the end; accusing the Pope of taking an aggressive stance purely for financial ends: "this appearance of war is too advantageous for his design to enrich his family, not to take hold of the Occasion offered to him to Medle [sic] with the treasure which Sixtus the 5th left in the Castle St. Angelo, out of which he has taken, under this pretence, 500 thousand Ducates of Gold, of which sum the greatest part will go into the Coffers of Don Horatio Albani, his holiness Brother"; telling the Duke that Lady Bridget is eager to return to England and concerned to hear about the state of the Duke's health after his trip into the countryside; mentioning that the boys "Long also for the coming of the silver sword hilts, which Mr. Lambert sent word had been put into the hands of Mr. Bertie of the Custom house before your Grace went down into yorkshire, & whereof we have not heard of hitherto."