I told Mr. Loyd my opinion: That if you could be prevailed on juft to double the rent and no more, I hoped the tenants might be able to live in a tolerable manner. For I am as much convinced as I can be of any thing human, that this wretched oppreffed country must neceffarily decline for ever. If, by a miracle, things fhould mend, you may, in a future renewal, make a moderate increase of rent; but not by fuch leaps as you are now taking: For you ought to remember the fable of the Hen who laid every fecond day a golden egg, upon which her mistress killed her to get the whole lump together. I am told that one condition in your charter is, to plant a colony of English in those parts. If that be fo, you are too wife to let it be a colony of Irish beggars. I would not have faid thus much in an affair, and about perfons to whom I am a stranger, if I had not been long affured of the poor condition those people in and about Coleraine have lain under fince that enormous raising of their rents. The bearer, whom I never faw until yesterday, feems to be a gentleman of truth and good fenfe. Yet, if he hath misreprefented this matter to me, I shall never be his advocate again.

My

My health is very indifferent: fpirits I have none left. I decline every day. I hope and hear it is better with you. May you live as long as you defire: For I have loft fo many friends without getting any new, that I muft keep you as a fample of the former. I am, my dear friend,

Your's, &c.

I

LETTER LXVIII.

To the Earl of OXFORD.

MY LORD,

June 14, 1737. HAD the honour of a letter from your Lordship, dated April the 7th, which f was not prepared to anfwer until this time. Your Lordship muft needs have known, that the History you mention of the four laft years of the Queen's reign, was written at Windfor, juft upon finishing the peace; at which time your father and my Lord Bolingbroke had a misunderstanding with each other, that was attended with very bad confequences. When I came to Ireland to take this deanry, (after the peace was made) I could not stay here above a fortnight, being recalled by an hundred

at

hundred letters to haften back, and to use my endeavours in reconciling those minifters. I left them the History you mention, which I had finished at Windfor, to the time of the peace. When I returned to England, I found their quarrels and coldness encreased. I laboured to reconcile them as much as I was able: I contrived to bring them to my Lord Masham's, St. James's: My Lord and Lady Masham left us together. I expoftulated with them both, but could not find any good confequences, I was to go to Windsor next day with my Lord Treasurer: I pretended bufinefs that prevented me; expecting they would come to fome ** t. But I followed them to Windfor; where my Lord Bolingbroke told me, that my scheme had come to nothing. Things went on at the fame rate: They grew more estranged every day. My Lord Treasurer found his credit daily declining. In May before the Queen died, I had my last meeting with them at my Lord Mafham's. He left us together, and therefore I spoke very freely to them both; and told them I would retire, for I found all was gone: Lord Boling

Here is a blank left for fome word or other; fuch as agreement, reconciliation, or the like.

broke

broke whispered me, I was in the right; your father faid, all would do well. I told him that I would go to Oxford on Monday, fince I found it was impoffible to be of any ufe. I took coach to Oxford on Monday; went to a friend in Berkshire; there ftaid until the Queen's death: And then to my ftation here; where I ftaid twelve years, and never faw my Lord your father afterwards. They could not agree about printing the History of the four last years: And therefore I have kept it to this time, when I determine to publish it in London, to the confufion of all thofe rafcals who have accused the Queen and that ministry of making a bad peace; to which that party entirely owes the Proteftant fucceffion. I was then in the greatest trust and confidence with your father the Lord Treasurer, as well as with my Lord Bolingbroke, and all others who had part in the adminiftration. I had all the letters from the fecretary's office, during the treaty of peace: Out of thofe and what I learned from the ministry, I formed that history which I am now going to publifh for the information of pofterity, and to controll the most impudent falfhoods which have been published fince. I wanted no kind of materials. I

knew

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knew your father better than you could al at that time; and I do impartially think h him the most virtuous minifter, and the t moft able that ever I remember to have t read of. If your Lordfhip has any parti cular circumftances that may fortify what I I have faid in the Hiftory, fuch as letters D or other materials, I am content they a fhould be printed at the end, by way of appendix. I loved my Lord your father better than any other man in the world, c although I had no obligation to him on the fcore of preferment, having been driven to this wretched kingdom, to which I was almoft a ftranger, by his want of power to keep me in what I ought to call my own country; although I happened to be dropt here, and was a year old before I left it: and to my forrow, did not die before I came back to it again. I am extremely glad of the felicity you have in your alliances, and desire to prefent my most humble refpects to my Lady Oxford, and your daughter the Duchefs *. As to the History, it is only of affairs which I know very well; and had all the advantages poffible to know, when you were in fome fort but a lad. One great defign of it, is to do justice to the ministry at that time, and to refute *Dutchefs of Portland,

all

a