ham should apprehend that I had not given a faithful account to your Lordship of his great readiness to serve you.

Notwithstanding all this, I found the matter ftuck; and learned, from good hands, that the Bishop of London was likely to gain the point; and that, befide what I had heard before, the Bishop of Bath and Wells * did affirm, that he delivered a letter to the Bifhop of London for this Elford, before ever your Lordship interpofed for Cook; from which it was inferred that the Bishop of London confequently, applying to the Queen before your Lordship, had a promise precedent to yours. I replied, "that both these "were but fuppofitions, of which there was

66

no manner of evidence; whereas the proof "of the Queen's promife to your Lordship was in writing, and every way incontef "table.

All this I urged to Mr. Secretary Hedges; who, upon this, told me, he would write to the Bishop of London this evening, and know what his Lordship had to fay in the matter; and promised me not to ftir, or move the

* Dr. Hooper.

Queen

Queen in it at all, till this matter was cleared. I began now to find that the Bishop of Bath and Wells was at the bottom of all this ор pofition, and that he now folicited the mat ter for the Bishop of London; without doubt, in hopes of defeating your Lordship ; and I have some reason to apprehend that he also moved in the matter of Broadhempfon before, wherein your Lordship's recommendation was not accepted.

I found alfo Secretary Harley this morning, and ftated the whole cafe to him; a fhort memorandum of which I faw him take down in his minutes; and he promifed me to difcourse the matter with Secretary Hedges at Windfor (whither they are both gone), and to do what he could in it. I ventured to tell him, that I thought, after fo folemn a pro mife made to your Lordship, and fo capable of being proved, it would be the highest indignity to your Lordship to let any other Bishop have the difpofal of a living in your diocefe, upon no better a reafon than the fuppofal of an antecedent promife, which did no way appear, efpecially fince my Lord of London had been lately gratified with another

7

another living in your Lordship's diocefe, for which likewise your Lordship had ineffectually applied.

Thus I have left the matter; and, upon the whole, my opinion is, in the first place, that time enough is certainly gained for your Lordship once more to lay these matters before Secretary Hedges; or, if you please, before Secretary Harley, who was very forward to espouse your Lordship's interest in it; for nothing can well be done in this matter till a fecond letter may come from your Lordship on Friday next; in which if your Lordship pleases to infift on the Queen's promife, and the evidences of it, you will at laft carry your point, notwithstanding the willingness that there is at present to gratify the Bishops of London and Bath and Wells.

is

fit to be

As to my

If your Lordship thinks fit once more to write, you will eafily judge what part of the information I have given you taken notice of, and what not. felf, no care fhall be wanting on my fide to folicit this matter here as effectually as may be; the rather, because I find it is turned into a fort of trial of intereft between

your

your Lordship and fomebody else; and it is for your Lordship's honour (as well as Mr. Cook's advantage) that you fhould

carry it. I am your Lordship's ever obliged and moft dutiful humble fervant,

FR. ATTERBURY.

I received your Lordship's letter (to the fame purpose with that from Dr. Newey) yesterday in the evening.

LETTER LXXX.

To Bp. TRELAWN Y.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,

U

Chelsea, July 10, 1704.

PON farther fearch in the Secretary's office, my Lord Nottingham's letter, informing you of the Queen's grant, is not to be found; a minute of it only being preferved, that it was of Sept. 2. So if your Lordship hath that letter by you, be pleased to tranfmit

tranfmit it to Jack Ellis *, that he may fhew it the Secretary-or, if it be at Trelawn, tó give that reafon why it cannot now be produced.

Elford is gone poft a second time down to the Bishop of London, in Effex, for his evidence, and will return to-day; but Mr. Tucker hath promised me, that nothing shall be done in the, matter till your Lordship's anfwer to this letter comes on Monday next. He hath further informed me, that the Bihop of Bath and Wells hath written a long letter to Secretary Hedges on this fubject, where he affirms, that your Lordship, in May was twelvemonth, or thereabouts, did fend a letter to him, to be conveyed to the Bishop of London, in behalf of this Elford's fucceeding in the living of Bovey Tracy; upon which the Bishop of London applied (in your Lordship's name, as well as his own) and obtained the Queen's promife fome months before the date of that promife made your Lordship in September, which (it is pleaded therefore) muft yield to a prior engagement.

* Under-fecretary of state. See p. 220. VOL. III.

This