been used by judges and governors like any dog, and has suffered more by it in his health and honour, than I, with his patrimonial estate, would think it were worth. Here has been one Whittingham, in an ordination sermon, calling the clergy a thousand dumb dogs, and treating episcopacy as bad as Boyse*; yet no notice at all shall be taken of this, unless to his advantage upon the next vacant bishoprick; and wagers are laid already, whether he or one Monk will be the man. But I forget myself; and therefore shall only add, that I am, with the greatest respect and truth, my lord, Your grace's most dutiful

and most humble servant, &c.

SIR,

FROM ARCHBISHOP KING.

London, Suffolk street, Nov. 22, 1716. I READ yours of the thirteenth instant with great satisfaction. It is not only an advantage to you and me, that there should be a good correspondence between us, but also to the publick,; and I assure you I had much ado to persuade people here, that we kept any tolerable measures with one another; much less, that there was any thing of a good intelligence: and therefore you judged right, that it ought not to be said, that in so many months I had not received any letter from you.

I do a little admire, that those that should be your fastest friends, should be so opposite to acknowledge the service you did in procuring the twentieth parts and first fruits: I know no reason for it, except the zeal I showed to do you justice in that particular from the beginning. But since I only did it, as obliged to

* An eminent dissenting teacher, minister of Wood street meeting-house in Dublin, who wrote several tracts in favour of the dissenters. F.

bear testimony to the truth, in a matter which I certainly knew, and would have done the same for the worst enemy I had in the world, I see no reason why you should suffer, because I among others was your witness. But be not concerned, ingratitude is warranted by modern and ancient custom: and it is more honour for a man to have it asked, why he had not a suitable return to his merits, than why he was overpaid. Benefacere et male audire is the lot of the best If calumny or ingratitude could have put me out of my way, God knows where I should have wandered by this time.

men.

:

I am glad the business of St. Nicholas is over any way my inclination was Mr. Wall; that I might have joined the vicarage of Castle-knock to the prebend of Malahidart; which would have made a good provision for one man, served the cures better, and yielded more then to the incumbent, than it can do now, when in different hands. But I could not compass it without using more power over my clergy, than I am willing to exert. But as I am thankful to you for condescension in that affair, so I will expect your that those, with whom you have complied, should show their sense of it by a mutual return of the like compliance, when there shall be occasion. Such reciprocal kind offices are the ground of mutual confidence and friendship, and the fuel that keeps them alive: and I think nothing can contribute more to our common ease, and the publick good, than maintaining these between you and me, and with the clergy.

We have a strong report, that my lord Bolingbroke will return here, and be pardoned; certainly it must not be for nothing. I hope, he can tell no ill story of you. I add only my prayers for you, and am, sir,

Your most humble servant, and brother,

WILL. DUBLIN.

*The dean and chapter of St. Patrick's are the appropriators of that chuch, and have the right of bestowing the cure on whom they please. H.

TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN.

MY LORD,

Trim, Dec. 16, 1716. I SHOULD be sorry to see my lord Bolingbroke following the trade of an informer: because he is a person for whom I always had, and still continue, a very great love and esteem. For I think, as the rest of mankind do, that informers are a detestable race of people, although they may be sometimes necessary. Besides, I do not see, whom his lordship can inform against, except himself: he was three or four days at the court of France, while he was secretary; and it is barely possible, he might then have entered into some deep negotiation with the pretender: although I would not believe him, if he should swear it; because he protested to me, that he never saw him but once: and that was at a great distance, in publick, at an opera. As to any others of the ministry at that time, I am confident he cannot accuse them: and that they will appear as innocent with relation to the pretender, as any who are now at the helm. And as to myself, if I were of any importance, I should be very easy under such an accusation; much easier, than I am to think your grace imagines me in any danger, or that lord Bolingbroke should have any ill story to tell of He knows, and loves, and thinks too well of. me, to be capable of such an action. But I am surprised to think your grace could talk, or act, or correspond with me for some years past: while you must needs believe me a most false and vile man; declaring to you on all occasions my abhorrence of the pretender, and yet privately engaged with a ministry to bring him in; and therefore warning me too look to myself, and prepare my defence against a false brother, coming over to discover such secrets as would hang me. Had there been ever the least overture or intent of

me.

bringing in the pretender, during my acquaintance with the ministry, I think I must have been very stupid not to have picked out some discoveries or suspicions. And although I am not sure I should have turned informer, yet I am certain I should have dropped some general cautions, and immediately have retired. When people say, things were not ripe at the queen's death; they say, they know not what. Things were rotten: and had the ministers any such thoughts, they should have begun three years before; and they, who say otherwise, understand nothing of the state of the kingdom at that time.

But whether I am mistaken or not in other men, I beg your grace to believe, that I am not mistaken in myself. I always professed to be against the pretender; and am so still. And this is not to make my court (which I know is vain) for I own myself full of doubts, fears, aud dissatisfactions; which I think on as seldom as I can: yet if I were of any value, the publick may safely rely on my loyalty because I look upon the coming of the pretender as a greater evil, than any we are likely to suffer under the worst whig ministry that can be found.

I have not spoke or thought so much of party these two years, nor could any thing have tempted me to it, but the grief I have in standing so ill in your grace's opinion. I beg your grace's blessing,

And am, &c.

TO THE SAME.

JON. SWIFT.

MY LORD,

Trim, Dec. 22, 1716. I HAVE been here some days, to finish the purchase of a glebe for my country parish. I prevailed on a gentleman to alienate twenty acres ior 2007. to be

had from the trustees of the first fruits. He then sets me twenty-three acres more for 999 years. Upon these last twenty-three acres, I am, by agreement, to lay out the said 2007. in building, and to give the gentleman immediately 5 out of my own pocket, and to pay him 147. per annum, for ever, which is near the value of the whole forty acres; these last twenty-three acres, after I have built and improved, I design to leave my successors *, who will then have forty-three acres of good glebe, with house, gardens, &c. for 17. I reckon to lay out of my own money per annum. about 2507 and so to be an humble imitator of your grace, longo intervallo. This expedient was a project of Dr. Raymond, minister of this town, to deal with a Jew, who would not lessen his rent-roll to save all the churches in Christendom. Dr. Coghill, and every body else, approves the thing; since it is a good bargain to the church, a better to the gentleman, and only a bad one to myself; and I hope your grace will have the same thoughts.

Since I came down here, I received the honour of a large, and therefore an agreeable letter, from your grace, of November 22. I have reason to think myself hardly dealt with by those of the side in power, who will not think I deserve any place in your good thoughts; when they cannot but know, that, while I was near the late ministry, I was a common advocate for those they call the whigs, to a degree, that a certain great minister told me, I had always a whig in my sleeve; neither did I ever fail to interpose in any case of merit or compassion, by which means several persons in England, and some in this kingdom, kept their employ ments, for I cannot remember my lord Oxford ever refused me a request of that kind. And for the rest, your grace may very well remember, that I had the honour of corresponding with you, during the whole

* See the Dean's will, in vol. II. N.