Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 5.djvu/415

Rh inquired for monsieur de la Bastide, the name and place, I suppose, having been before concerted. He was immediately shown unto monsieur Torcy; where, as I am informed, they were shut up for three hours together, without any refreshment, though monsieur Prior had rid post from Calais that day in a great deal of rain. The next morning I was sent for, in all haste, by monsieur de Marais, who told me, "that a person of quality, as he suspected, lately come from England, had some occasion for a secretary; and, because he knew I understood the languages, wrote a tolerable hand, had been conversant with persons of quality, and formerly trusted with secrets of importance, had been so kind to recommend me to the said gentleman, to serve him in that quality." I was immediately called up, and presented to Mr. Prior; who accosted me with great civility, and, after some conversation, was pleased to tell me, "I had fully answered the character monsieur de Marais had given me." From this time, to the day monsieur Prior left Calais in order to return to England, I may pretend to give you a faithful account of all his motions, and some probable conjectures of his whole negotiation between Boulogne and Versailles.

But perhaps, sir, you may be farther curious to know the particulars of monsieur Prior's journey to Boulogne. It is reported, that some time before the peace of Ryswick, king William did dispatch this very gentleman to Paris, upon the same account for which he now came. This possibly might be the motive (beside the known abilities of monsieur Prior) to send him a second time. The following particulars I heard in discourse between mademoiselle de Rh