book of the Project for the increase of morality and piety, may be of very great use to that end.

TO ARCHBISHOP KING.

MY LORD,

London, Feb. 5, 1707-8.

*

I HAVE been above a month expecting the representation your grace was pleased to promise to send me, which makes me apprehend your grace has been hindered by what you complained of, the clergy's backwardness in a point so very necessary to their service and it is time ill lost at this juncture, while my lord-lieutenant is here, and in great credit at court, and would perhaps be more than ordinarily ready to serve the church in Ireland. If I have no directions from your grace by the end of this month, I shall think of my return to Ireland against the 25th of March, to endeavour to be chosen to the living of St Nicholas, as I have been encouraged to hope; but would readily return, at a week's warning, to solicit that affair with my lordlieutenant while he stays here, or in any other manner your grace will please to direct.

Your grace knows long before this, that Dr Milles is Bishop of Waterford. The court and Archbishop of Canterbury were strongly engaged for another person, not much suspected in Ireland,

*The Earl of Pembroke.

+ Dr Thomas Milles, Bishop of Waterford, 1707-1740. Dr Thomas Tenison.

any more than the choice already made was, I believe, either here or there.

The two houses are still busy in Lord Peterborow's affair, which seems to be little more than an amusement, which it is conceived might at this time be spared, considering how slow we are said to be in our preparations; which, I believe, is the only reason why it was talked the other day about the town, as if there would be soon a treaty of peace. There is a report of my Lord Galway's death, but it is not credited. * It is a perfect jest to see my Lord Peterborow, reputed as great a whig as any in England, abhorred by his own party, and caressed by the tories. †

The great question, whether the number of men in Spain and Portugal, at the time of the battle of Almanza, was but 8600, when there ought to have been 29,600, was carried on Tuesday in the affirmative, against the court, without a division, which was occasioned by Sir Thomas Hanmer's oratory. It seems to have been no party question, there being many of both glad and sorry for it." The court has not been fortunate in their questions this session; and I hear some of both parties expressing contrary passions upon it. I tell your grace bare matters of fact, being not inclined to make reflections; and if I were, I could not tell what to make, so oddly people are subdivided.

I am, my lord, your grace's most obedient

and most humble servant,

JON. SWIFT.

* He was wounded at the battle of Almanza.

+ There was an inquiry into the Earl of Peterborow's conduct while in Spain then depending; and that gallant general was de

TO THE SAME.

London, Feb. 12, 1077-8. HAVING written what I had of business about three posts ago (whereof I wait an answer), perhaps it may be some amusement to you for a few minutes to hear some particulars about the turns we have had at court. Yesterday the seals were taken from Mr Harley, and Sir Thomas Mansel gave up his staff. They went to Kensington together for that purpose, and came back immediately, and went together into the house of commons. Mr St John † designs to lay down in a few days, as a friend of his told me, though he advised him to the contrary; and they talk that Mr Bruges, and Mr Coke the vice-chamberlain, with some others, will do the like. Mr Harley had been some time, with the greatest art imaginable, carrying on an intrigue to alter the ministry, and began with no less an

sirous it should be parliamentary. But the documents he produced before the Houses were so amply satisfactory, that all investigation was dropped before any specific resolution could be proposed.

* This letter narrates the result of the artful scheme laid by Robert Harley, afterward Earl of Oxford, with the assistance of Mrs Masham, Queen Anne's new favourite, who had succeeded to the ascendancy over her mind possessed by the Duchess of Marlborough, to displace the whig ministry under which he was secretary. It is worthy of observation with what coolness Swift writes of the failure of this project, which, when successfully renewed in 1711, formed the administration of which he was the warmest defender.

+ Swift was not acquainted with St John till after the formation of the tory ministry in 1711.

1

enterprize than that of removing the lord-treasurer, and had nearly effected it, by the help of Mrs Masham, one of the queen's dressers, who was a great and growing favourite, of much industry and insinuation. It went so far, that the queen told Mr St John a week ago, "that she was resolved to part with lord-treasurer;" and sent him with a letter to the Duke of Marlborough, which she read to him, to that purpose; and she gave St John leave to tell it about the town, which he did without any reserve; and Harley told a friend of mine a week ago, that he was never safer in favour or employment. On Sunday evening last, the lordtreasurer* and Duke of Marlborough went out of the council; and Harley delivered a memorial to the queen, relating to the emperor and the war. Upon which the Duke of Somerset rose, and said, her majesty suffered that fellow (pointing to Harley), to treat affairs of the war without advice of the general, he could not serve her;" and so left the council. The Earl of Pembroke, though in milder words, spoke to the same purpose: so did most of the lords and the next day the queen was prevailed upon to turn him out, though the seals were not delivered till yesterday. It was likewise said, that Mrs Masham is forbid the court; but this I have no assurance of. Seven lords of the whig party are appointed to examine Gregg, who lies condemned in Newgate; † and a certain lord of the

* Lord Godolphin.

if

+ Gregg was an under clerk in Harley's office, who had carried on a traitorous correspondence with France, for which he was condemned and executed. Many attempts were made to fix some degree of connivance upon Harley himself. For a full account of the matter, see Vol. IV. p. 173.

council told me yesterday, that there are endeavours to bring in Harley as a party in that business, and to carry it as far as an impeachment. All this business has been much fomented by a lord whom Harley had been chiefly instrumental in impeaching sone years ago. The secretary always dreaded him, and made all imaginable advances to be reconciled, but could never prevail; which made him say yesterday to some who told it to me, "that he had laid his neck under their feet, and they trod upon it." I am just going this morning to visit that lord, who has a very free way of telling what he cares not who hears; and if I can learn any more particulars worth telling, you shall have them. I never in my life saw or heard such divisions and complications of parties as there have been for some time: you sometimes see the extremes of whig and tory driving on the same thing. I have heard the chief whigs blamed by their own party for want of moderation, and I know a whig lord in good employment who voted with the highest tories against the court, and the ministry, with whom he is nearly allied. My Lord Peterborow's affair is yet upon the anvil, and what they will beat it out to, no man can tell. It is said that Harley had laid a scheme for an entire new ministry, and the men are named to whom the several employments were to be given. And though his project has miscarried, it is reckoned the greatest piece of court skill that has been acted these many years. I have heard nothing since morning but that the attorney* either has laid down, or will do it in a few days.

* Sir Simon Harcourt, afterwards Lord Harcourt, and chancellor in Harley's administration.