wait on his Grace, and intended, when he had figned it, to have applied to other bishops; but he was abroad taking the air, and I could not get it until it was late, and thought it better to fign and fend it as it is, than wait for another poft. You may expect by the next a letter to his Grace of Canterbury, and another to the Archshishop of York. I apprifed them both of the bufinefs. The latter, if I remember right, spoke to herMajesty about it. I am not fure that her Majefty remembers what I faid on that fubject: but am fure fhe was pleased to feem fatisfied with it, and to fcruple only the time: I fup. pofe, not thinking it fit to confer the favour the defigned the clergy of Ireland by the hands it must then have paffed through : but faid, that in the interval of a change, or abfence of a chief governor, it fhould be done. I hope now is the proper time, and that her Majefty will rather follow the dictates of her own bountiful inclinations, than the intrigues of cunning covetous counsellors.

I thought to have troubled you with a great many things; but fuch a croud of visitors have broken in upon me before I could lock my gates, that I am forced to break off abruptly, recommending you to God's care.

I am,

&c.

WILLIAM, Dublin.

VOL. X.

LETTER

LETTER C.

and Archbishop of Dublin

to Dr. SWIFT.

The Lord Primate

SIR,

Dublin, Oct.24. 1710.

WE directed a letter to the bifhops of Offory and Killaloo laft Auguft, defiring and impowering them to follicit the affair of our firft-fruits and twentieth parts with her Majefty; which hath depended fo long, notwithstanding her Majefty's good intentions, and feveral promifes of the chief governors here to lay our addreffes before her Majefty in the best manner. We were then apprehenfive, that thofe bifhops might return from England before the bufinefs could be effected; and therefore we defired them to concern you in it; having fo good affurance of your ability, prudence, and fitness to profecute fuch a matter. We find the bishops returned before you came to London, for which we are very much concerned; and judging this the most proper time to profecute it with fuccefs, we intreat you to take the full management of it into your hands; and do commit the care of foliciting it to your diligence and prudence; defiring you to let us know from time to time what progrefs is made in it. And if any thing farther be neceffary on our part, on your intimation we fhall be ready to do what fhall be judged reafönable.

Dr. Narcius Marth,

This,

This, with our prayers for the good fuccefs of your endeavours, is all from,

SIR,

Yours, &c.

NARCISSUS, Armagh.

WILLIAM, Dublin.

LETTER CI.

The Archbishop of Dublin to Dr. SWIFT.

SIR,

THIS

Dublin, Dec. 16. 1710.

HIS is to acknowledge the receipt of your's of the 20th paft, which came not to my hands till Thursday laft, by reafon of winds that kept thé packets on the other fide.

I find the matter of our first-fruits, &c. is talked of now. I reckon on nothing certain, till her Majefty's letter comes in form; and quære, why fhould not you come, and bring it with you? It would make you a very welcome clergyman to Ireland, and be the beft means to fatisfy mankind how it was obtained, although I think that will be out of difpute. I am very well apprifed of the difpatch you gave this affair, and well pleased, that I judged better of the perfon fit to be employed than fome of my brethren. But now it is done, as I hope it is effectually, they will affume as much as their neighbours: which I fhall never contradict. Things are taking a new turn here, as well as with you; and I am of opinion, by the time you

O 2

come

come here, few will profefs themfelves Whigs. The greatest danger I apprehend, and which terrifies me more than perhaps you will be able to imagine, is the fury and indifcretion of fome of our own people, who never had any merit; but by embroiling things they did, and I am afraid will yet do mifchief.

I heartily recommend you to God's favour ;

And am, &c.

WILLIAM, Dublin.

N. B. Dr. Swift ufed his credit with the miniftry for the benefit of the church of Ireland, fo heartily and fo effectually at this critical time, that he procured a grant from the Queen for exonerating the clergy of Ireland from paying twentieth parts, dated the feventh of February one thoufand feven hundred and ten; and another grant, bearing the fame date, to Narciffus Lord Archbishop of Armagh, Sir Conftantine Phipps, Lord High Chancellor of Ireland, William Lord Archbishop of Dublin, John Lord Archbishop of Tuam, and others, of the firft fruits payable out of all ecclesiastical benefices, in trust to be for ever applied towards purchafing glebes, and building refidentiary houfes for poor-endowed vicars.

The fuccefs of which charitable fund hitherto may be feen in the printed pamphlet containing an account of the firft fruits of Ireland,

LET.

I

LETTER CII.

The ARCHBISHOP to Dr. SWIFT.

London, Suffolk-ftreet, Nov. 22. 1716.

SIR, Read yours of the 13th inftant with great fatisfaction. It is not only an advantage to you and me, that there fhould be a good correfpondence between us, but also to the public; and I affure you I had much ado to perfuade people here, that we kept any tolerable meafures with one another; much lefs, that there was any thing of a good intelligence; and therefore you judged right, that it ought not to be faid, that in fo many months I had not received any letter from you.

I do a little admire, that thofe that fhould be your fastest friends, fhould be fo oppofite to acknowlege the fervice you did in procuring the twentieth parts and firft fruits. I know no reafon for it, except the zeal I fhewed to do you juftice in that particular from the beginning. But fince I only did it, as obliged to bear teftimony to the truth, in a matter which I certainly knew, and would have done the fame for the worst enemy I had in the world; I fee no reafon why you fhould feffer, because I among others was your witnefs. But be not concerned: ingratitude is warranted by modern and ancient custom; and it is more honour for a man to have it afked, why he had not a fuitable return to his merits, than why he was overpaid? Benefacere et male audire, is the lot of the beft men. If calumny or ingratitude could have put me out of