A frivolous incident served to increase the popular ferment.

The shirts allowed to the first regiment of guards, commanded by the duke of Marlborough, were so coarse that the soldiers could hardly be persuaded to wear them.

Some were thrown into the garden of the king's palace, and into that which belonged to the duke of Marlborough.

A detachment, in marching through the city, produced them to the view of the shop-keepers and passengers, exclaiming, "These are the Hanover shirts." The court being informed of this clamour, ordered those new shirts to be burned immediately; but even this sacrifice, and an advertisement published by the duke of Marlborough in his own vindication, did not acquit that general of suspicion that he was concerned in this mean species of peculation.

A reward of fifty pounds was offered by the government to any person that would discover one captain Wight, who, by an intercepted letter, appeared to be disaffected to king George; and Mr.George Jefferies was seized at Dublin with a packet directed to Dr.Jonathan Swift, dean of St.Patrick's.