I believe no man will dispute his lordship’s title to his estate; nor will I the jus divinum of tithes, which he mentions with some emotion.  I suppose the affirmative would be of little advantage to the clergy, for the same reason that a maxim in law hath more weight in the world than an article of faith.  And yet, I think there may be such a thing as sacrilege; because it is frequently mentioned by Greek and Roman authors, as well as described in Holy Writ.  This I am sure of; that his lordship would, at any time, excuse a parliament for not concerning itself in his properties, without his own consent.

The observations I have made upon his lordship’s discourse, have not, I confess, been altogether proper to my subject:  However, since he hath been pleased therein to offer some proposals to the House of Commons, with relation to the clergy, I hope he will excuse me for differing from him; which proceeds from his own principle, the desire of defending liberty and property, that he hath so strenuously and constantly maintained.

But the other writer openly declares for a law, empowering the bishops to set fee-farms; and says, “Whoever intimates that they will deny their consent to such a reasonable law, which the whole nation cries for, are enemies to them and the Church.”  Whether this be his real opinion, or only a strain of mirth and irony, the matter is not much.  However, my sentiments are so directly contrary to his; that I think, whoever impartially reads and considers what I have written upon this argument, hath either no regard for the Church established under the hierarchy of bishops, or will never consent to any law that shall repeal, or elude the limiting clause, relating to the real half value, contained in the act of parliament decimo Caroli, “For the preservation of the inheritance, rights and profits of lands belonging to the Church, and persons ecclesiastical”; which was grounded upon reasons that do still, and must for ever subsist.

October 21, 1723.

***** ***** ***** *****

[REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED]

TO HIS GRACE

WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF

DUBLIN, &c.

THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY

OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN.

NOTE.

Scott’s text has been collated with that given in volume eight of the quarto edition of Swift’s Works (1765).  In that edition the title is given as:  “The Representation of the Clergy of Dublin,” &c.

[T.S.]