Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 11.djvu/181

Rh (as I remember) by seventeen, acknowledging his favour about the first-fruits. I told his lordship, that some people in Ireland doubted whether the queen had granted them before the duke of Ormond was declared lieutenant: Yes, he said, sure I remembered it was immediately upon my application. I said, I heard the duke himself took no merit on that account. He answered, No, he was sure he did not, he was the honestest gentleman alive: but, said he, it is the queen that did it, and she alone shall have the merit. And I must be so free as to tell your grace that the grudging, ungrateful manner of some people, which upon several occasions I could not but give him hints of for my justification, has not been prudent. I am sure, it has hindered me from any thoughts of pursuing another affair of yet greater consequence, which I had good hopes of compassing. What can be the matter with those people? do I ask either money or thanks of them? have I done any hurt to the business? My lord treasurer told me, he had sent the letter over about the first-fruits. I never inquired into the particulars: he says he will very soon answer the bishops letter to himself, and will show me both letter and answer; but I shall not put him in mind, unless he remembers it of his own accord. Nor, with great submission to your grace, can I prevail on my own pride to desire he would make any mention of me in his answer. Your grace is convinced, that unless I write a heap of lies, the queen had granted that affair before my lord duke was named. I desire to convince nobody else; and, since the thing is done, it is not of any consequence who were instrumental in it. I could not forbear yesterday reminding my lord treasurer of what I said to Mr.