The Lord BRUCE and the Lady ELIZABETH BRUCE his Wife, desire a Bill may be passed in Parliament, Relating no manner of way to the cutting off Entails, nor the selling of Land, nor in the least to the prejudice of their Children, nor any other Reversions, as by the Bill appears.  
SOME persons out of a worthy intent, desired that an Application by way of Reference might be made to my Lady Elizabeth Bruce's Mother the Duchess of Beaufort, who opposes every individual Article of the Bill, her reasons for it yet unknown.  
An Application was made, and four days spent in it, two or three Meetings each day appointed and put off to their great prejudice.  
The Lord Bruce came to this fair Proposition, That he would refer the whole business to any one person she would name, and to stand to his Award whatever it was.  
At the end of four days the Duchess of Beaufort was waited upon by the Lord Bruce and his Referee, the several particulars of the Bill were red, a general Objection to them all, with no other answer but Sic Volo sic Jubeo.  
Not any one particular of the Bill is of any advantage to the Lord Bruce, but only to rectify some omissions and make some alterations in an agreement made last year, which was consented to most unwillingly by the Lord Bruce and his Lady, being compelled thereunto, by reason of the great and uncontrollable power the Duchess of Beaufort had over the Estate, occasioned by Settlements many years since at her former Marriage, and by some obtained Settlements at the Lady Elizabeth Bruce's Marriage; which were most unwillingly consented to, it being thought very hard to be imposed on to settle half her Estate on her Brother the Earl of Worcester, who was but of the half Blood, in case she had no Children, which contingency is the only reason this unreasonable opposition is made, although it be pretended it is done for the good of the Children, the Father and Mother being conceived to be persons who wholly study the ruin of them.  
There is a Debt of 15000 l. which remains as yet unpaid, or most part of it, which is acknowledged to be a Debt contracted for the payment of the Debts and Annuities the Estate was charged with before the Marriage, this they say must be paid before any part shall be applied to the Lord Bruce's use, contrary to a promise which can be made upon Oath, that a certain yearly allowance should be consented to, until the debt was paid, but because it was not under Hand and Seal, it is thought not binding although a firm promise, it being nine years since the Marriage, and during the whole time not one Farthing of that Estate has been applied to any use but paying the Debts, &c. of John late Duke of Somerset; and the Lord Bruce has disbursed of his own proper money above 4000 l. for the same use, which is denied to be paid, and took up after above 20000 l. more at one time on his own security, to free the Estate from the Debts and Legacies, and by consequence many Law Suits which were commenced for the same, and every part of it is Confessed to be applied it s to use; and yet they refuse to have the said Debt charged on the Estate, as also to allow the Interest thereof: Which unheard of Proceedings, the Lord and Lady Bruce Humbly pray to be relieved from.