romoted from the less important but far more lucrative post of
Paymaster-General. In the new Commission of the Treasury Montagu's name
did not appear. Why Montagu was removed has not transpired; it may,
indeed, be that he resigned, for he had a strong dislike for the new
Minister. There may also have been some family sentiment in the matter,
for while Lady Mary was an intimate friend of Walpole's harum-scarum
sister, "Dolly," who was now Lady Townshend, Lady Walpole was very
decidedly her enemy. Lady Mary presently had her tit-for-tat with Lady
Walpole by "taking up" Walpole's mistress, Molly Skerritt.

It may be here mentioned that Lady Mar was at this time living with her
husband at Paris, at St. Germain, and that she remained abroad for the
rest of her life. She had left England owing to the conduct of Lord Mar
in taking an active part in the rebellion of '15. He had set up the
Pretender's standard at Braemar, had suffered defeat at Sheriffmuir, and
had been so fortunate as to escape with his master to Gravelines. In
gratitude for his services, the Pretender created Lord Mar a Duke. Mar
lived until 1732, dying at the age of fifty-seven, and he spent the
years in losing the confidence of the Jacobites and endeavouring to
ingratiate himself with the Hanoverian Kings of England--in which latter
quest he was markedly unsuccessful. His Scotch estates were confiscated,
and his title attained--the attainder of the earldom was not reversed
until 1824.

Montagu, having tasted the sweets of office, even so minor a place as
that of a Lord of the Treasury, was not content to enjoy such pleasures
as a private life could afford. He desired to be somebody. Probably he
worried the Government of the day, possibly he pointed out to the
leaders of the Whig Party that he was possessed of parts that should
not, in justice to his country, be ignored. He may even have approached
the Throne. It is not inconceivable that he made himself a nuisance to
all concerned.

Anyhow, it was ultimately decided that something must be done with him.
But what? Austria and Turkey were at war in 1716; what better than to
send Montagu as Ambassador to the Porte, with a mission to endeavour to
reconcile the protagonists? He was appointed to this post on June 5.

It was while accompanying her husband on this mission that Lady Mary
wrote her famous "Letters during the Embassy to Constantinople," which
constitute a very important document on the state of Euro