Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 3.djvu/80

72 unsuccessful; and for her part, is ready to give them all fit encouragement, to proceed in the dispatch of such business, as properly belongs to them; and to grant them powers requisite to carry on so good a work:" in conclusion, "earnestly recommending to them to avoid disputes; and determining to do all that in her lies, to compose and extinguish them."

It is to be hoped, that this last part of her majesty's letter, will be the first she will please to execute; for, it seems, this very letter created the first dispute; the fact whereof is thus related: the upper house, having formed an address to the queen before they received her majesty's letter, sent both address and letter together to the lower house, with a message excusing their not mentioning the letter in the address, because this was formed before the other was received. The lower house returned them, with a desire that an address might be formed with a due regard and acknowledgments for the letter. After some difficulties, the same address was sent down again, with a clause inserted making some short mention of the said letter. This the lower house did not think sufficient, and sent it back again with the same request: whereupon the archbishop, after a short consultation with some of his brethren, immediately adjourned the convocation for a month; and no address at all was sent to the queen.

I understand not ecclesiastical affairs well enough to comment upon this matter; but it seems to me, that all methods of doing service to the church and kingdom, by means of a convocation, may be at any time eluded, if there be no remedy against such an incident. And, if this proceeding be agreeable to the stitution,