by the order of the pope, set open by dragoons, to the general content of the people. To conclude, it fell out, that one of our acquaintance* found himself, at a great table, the only unexcommunicated person by his holiness; the rest of the company eating and toasting, under anathemas, with the courage of a hardened heretic. Look upon the prose I send you. See, nevertheless, what a sneaking figure he makes at the foot of the parson. Who could expect this from him? But he thinks, resolves, and executes. If you can guess from whence this comes, address your letter to him, "à Messieurs Raffnel et Fretti Sacerdotti, Genoa." FROM LORD-TREASURER OXFORD. † Wednesday Night. I HAVE heard, that some honest men, who are very innocent, are under trouble, touching a printed pamphlet. A friend of mine, an obscure person, but charitable, puts the inclosed bill in your hands, to answer such exigencies as their case may immediately require. And I find he will do more, this * Probably the Rev. Mr George Berkeley, fellow of Dublin college, who went chaplain and secretary to the Earl of Peterborow to Sicily, at the recommendation of Dr Swift.-B. + Endorsed," Lord-Treasurer Oxford's letter to me in a counterfeit hand, with the bill when the printers were prosecuted by the house of lords for a pamphlet. Letter with bill of L. 100, Received March 14, 1713-14."-N. being only for the present. If this comes safe to your hands, it is enough. TO LORD TREASURER OXFORD. † March 18, 1713-14. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, PURSUANT to her majesty's proclamation of the fifteenth of this instant March, for discovering the author of a false, malicious, and factious libel, entitled, "The Public Spirit of the Whigs;" wherein her majesty is graciously pleased to promise a reward of three hundred pounds, to be paid by your lordship, which said discovery I can make. But your lordship, or some persons under your lordship, have got such an ill name in paying such rewards: Instance two poor men, viz. John Greenwood and John Bouch, who took and brought to justice six persons, vulgarly Mohocks; which the said two poor men never received but twenty pounds, and the latter thirty; and they had no partners *This letter was sent to Dr Swift, when the printer Barber was prosecuted by the house of lords, for "The Public Spirit of the Whigs:" a pamphlet written in answer to a tract of Sir Richard Steele's, called the Crisis, and published on the second of March 1713-14. All the Scots lords then in London went to the queen, and complained of the affront put on them and their nation by the author; upon which a proclamation was published by her majesty, offering a reward of L. 300 to discover him...See p. 382.---H. + Endorsed, "A letter to lord-treasurer, offering to discover the author of the pamphlet, called, The Public Spirit of the Whigs'." concerned with them, as appears by the attorneygeneral's reports to your Lordship; which if I should be so served, to cause any persons to be punished, and be no better rewarded, will be no encouragement for me to do it; for these two poor men being so plain a precedent for me to go by. Your lordship's most humble and inost obedient servant, L. M. HUMOROUS LINES BY LORD-TREASURER Oxford, SENT TO DR SWIFT, DR ARBUTHNOT, MR POPE, AND MR GAY. April 14, 1714. Back Stairs, past Eight. GAY. In a summons so large, which all clergy contains, I must turn Dismal's * convert, or part with my brains, Should I scruple to quit the Back-stairs for your blind ones, Or refuse your true juncto † for one of▬▬ *Dismal was Lord Nottingham.-H. + Dr Swift, Dr Arbuthnot, Mr Pope, and Mr Gay, were writing the history of Martinus Scriblerus; and these four wits in conjunction, are styled by lord-treasurer a juncto.-H. The following is their answer to his Lordship, chiefly written by the Dean. LET not the whigs our tory club rebuke, In Scribler to have had a place ; A pox on all senders For any pretenders, Who tell us these troublesome stories In their dull humdrum key, *Of Oxford.-B. + Of Marlborough.-B. The duchy of Hainault-H. The arrival of the Duke of Marlborough was generally expected, and it was supposed that his influence would completely revive amidst the dissensions of the tory ministry. § Just at this time a celebrated debate took place in a commit. tee of the whole house upon the danger of the Protestant succession in the line of Hanover. Sir Thomas Hanmer, the speaker, who had hitherto acted with Oxford's administration, made on this occasion a memorable speech, importing, "That he was sorry to see that endeavours were used to wave that question and stop their mouths; but he was of opinion that this was the proper, and perhaps the only time for patriots to speak. That a great And all his old friends would rebuke Give us but our earl, The devil may take their duke. Lay down your white staff and grey habit: Hæc olim meminisse juvabit. MORE LINES OF HUMOUR, BY THE LORD-TREASURER. April 14, 1717. I HONOUR the men, sir, Who are ready to answer, When I ask them to stand by the queen; In spite of orâtors, And blood-thirsty praters, Whose hatred I highly esteem. deal of pains were taken to screen some persons; and in order to make them overlook the dangers that threatened the queen, the nation, and the protestant succession. That, for his own part, he had all the honour and respect imaginable for her majesty's ministers; but that he owed still more to his country than to any minister. That in this debate so much had been said to prove the succession to be in danger, and so little to make out the con. trary, that he could not but believe the first. He concluded with taking notice of Sir Patrick Lawless being suffered to come over, and admitted to an audience of her majesty. This speech had a great influence on the unbiassed and unprejudiced members." Tindal's Continuation of Rapin, Lond. 1745, fol. IV. 354. |