Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 11.djvu/42

30, but entirely with the queen, and therefore it was needless; upon which I said nothing of having been there. He said, he had writ lately to your grace an account of what was done; that some progress was made; that they put it off because it was a time of war, but that he had some hopes it would be done: but this is only such an account as his excellency thinks fit to give, although I send it your grace by his orders. I hope that in his letters he is fuller. My lord treasurer on the other hand assured me, he had the papers (which his excellency denied) and talked of it as a matter that had long lain before him, which several persons in great employments assure me is and must be true. Thus your grace sees that I shall have nothing more to do in this matter, farther than pursuing the cold scent of asking his excellency, once a month how it goes on; which, I think, I had as good forbear, since it will turn to little account. All I can do is, to engage my lord Sunderland's interest with my lord treasurer, whenever it is brought before him; or to hint it to some other persons of power and credit; and likewise to endeavour to take off that scandal the clergy of Ireland lie under, of being the reverse of what they really are, with respect to the revolution, loyalty to the queen, and settlement of the crown; which is here the construction of the word tory.

I design to tell my lord treasurer, that, this being a matter my lord lieutenant has undertaken, he does not think proper I should trouble his lordship; after which, recommending it to his goodness, I shall forbear any farther mention. I am sensible how lame and tedious an account this is, and humbly beg your grace's