same, submit himself to the inspection, examination,
order and comptrol of your Majesty and your commissioners
of the treasury or high-treasurer for the time being;”
the Lords of the Committee are of opinion, that your
Majesty upon this voluntary offer and proposal of
Mr. Wood, may give proper orders and directions for
the execution and due performance of such parts of
the said proposal, as shall be judged most for the
interest and accommodation of your subjects of Ireland:
In the mean time, it not appearing to their Lordships
that Mr. Wood has done or committed any act or deed,
that may tend to invalidate, or make void his letters-patent,
or to forfeit the privileges and advantages thereby
granted to him by your Majesty; It is but just and
reasonable, that your Majesty should immediately send
orders to your commissioners of the revenue, and all
other your officers in Ireland, to revoke all orders,
directions, significations, or intimations whatsoever,
that may have been given by them, or any of them,
to hinder or obstruct the receiving and uttering this
copper money, and that the halfpence and farthings
already coined by Mr. Wood, amounting to about 17,000_l_.
and such further quantity as shall make up the said
17,000_l_. to 40,000_l_. “be suffered and permitted
without any let, suit, trouble, molestation, or denial
of any of your Majesty’s officers or ministers
whatsoever, to pass, and be received as current money
by such as shall be willing to receive the same.”
At the same time, it may be advisable for your Majesty,
to give the proper orders, that Mr. Wood shall not
coin, import into Ireland, utter or dispose of any
more copper halfpence or farthings, than to the amount
of 40,000_l_. according to his own proposal, without
your Majesty’s special licence or authority,
to be had for that purpose; and if your Majesty shall
be pleased to order, that Mr. Wood’s proposal,
delivered to the Lords of the Committee, shall be
transmitted to your Majesty’s chief governor,
deputies, or other your ministers, or officers in Ireland,
it will give them a proper opportunity to consider,
Whether, after the reduction of 360 tons of copper,
being in value 100,800_l_. to 142 tons, 17 hundred,
16 pounds being in value 40,000_l_. only, anything
can be done for the further satisfaction of the people
of Ireland.
LETTER III.
TO THE NOBILITY AND GENTRY OF THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND.
NOTE.
The Drapier’s second letter was dated August 4th, 1724. A few days later the English Privy Council’s Report, dated 24th July, 1724, arrived in Dublin, and on August 25th, Swift had issued his reply to it in this third letter.