All the assistance I had were some informations from an eminent person; whereof I am afraid I have spoiled a few, by endeavouring to make them of a piece with my own productions, and the rest I was not able to manage: I was in the case of David, who could not move in the armour of Saul: and therefore I rather chose to attack this uncircumcised Philistine (Wood I mean) with a sling and a stone. And I may say, for Wood's honour as well as my own, that he resembles Goliah in many circumstances very applicable to the present purpose; for Goliah had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass; and he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders." In short, he was like Mr Wood, all over brass, and he defied the armies of the living God. Goliah's conditions of combat were likewise the same with those of Wood: " if he prevail against us, then shall we be his servants." But if it happens that I prevail over him, I renounce the other part of the condition; "he shall never be a servant of mine; for I do not think him fit to be trusted in any honest man's shop."

I will conclude with my humble desire and request, which I made in my second letter, that your lordships and worships would please to order a declaration to be drawn up, expressing in the strongest terms your firm resolution never to receive or utter any of Wood's halfpence or farthings, and forbidding your tenants to receive them that the said declaration may be signed by as many persons as possible* who have estates in this

* A declaration, pursuant to this request, was signed soon after by

kingdom, and be sent down to your several tenants aforesaid.

And if the dread of Wood's halfpence should continue until next quarter-sessions, which I hope it will not, the gentlemen of every county will then have a fair opportunity of declaring against them with unanimity and zeal. I am, with the greatest respect,

May it please your lordships and worships,

Your most dutiful and obedient servant,
M. B.

Aug. 25, 1724.

the most considerable persons of the kingdom; which was universally spread, and was of great use.-F.

Many of these resolutions are now lying before the editor, subscribed by persons of every different rank and degree, and by the various corporations of Dublin, from the most wealthy and respectable down to the flying-stationers, commonly called news-boys; who "give notice to all gentlemen, ladies, and others, who shall have occasion to buy news, poems, songs, letters, lampoons, &c. that they will not receive or offer in change any of William Wood's drossy halfpence or farthings, because they can neither get news, ale, tobacco, brandy, nor snuff, for such cursed stuff."

LETTER IV.

ΤΟ

THE WHOLE PEOPLE OF IRELAND.

[IT was in this Fourth Letter that the government of Ireland discovered matter for prosecution. The veil, indeed, which had hitherto been industriously spread over the real cause of controversy, was now hardily raised. For the letter professedly treats of the nature of the King's prerogative in coining money; and of the title assumed by the English ministry, to impose upon the independent kingdom of Ireland a contract to which her legislature were no parties; and of the various arts of secret influence, and threats of open violence, which had been employed by them to silence opposition.

Oct. 23, 1724.

MY DEAR COUNTRYMEN, HAVING already written three letters upon so disagreeable a subject as Mr Wood and his halfpence, I conceived my task was at an end; but I find that cordials must be frequently applied to weak constitutions, political as well as natural. A people long used to hardships lose by degrees the very notions of liberty. They look upon themselves as creatures at mercy, and that all impositions, laid on them by a stronger hand, are, in the phrase of the Report, legal and obligatory. Hence proceed that poverty and lowness of spirit, to which a kingdom may be subject, as well as a particular person. And

when Esau came fainting from the field at the point to die, it is no wonder that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage.

I thought I had sufficiently shewn, to all who could want instruction, by what methods they might safely proceed, whenever this coin should be offered to them; and, I believe, there has not been, for many ages, an example of any kingdom so firmly united in a point of great importance, as this of ours is at present against that detestable fraud. But, however, it so happens, that some weak people begin to be alarmed anew by rumours industriously spread. Wood prescribes to the newsmongers in London what they are to write. In one of their papers, published here by some obscure printer, and certainly with a bad design,* we are told, "That the Papists in Ireland have entered into an association against his coin," although it be notoriously known, that they never once offered to stir in the matter; so that the two Houses of Parliament, the Privy-council, the great number of corporations, the lord mayor and aldermen of Dublin, the grand juries, and principal gentlemen of several counties, are stigmatized in a lump under the name of " Papists."

This impostor and his crew do likewise give out, that, by refusing to receive his dross for sterling, we " dispute the King's prerogative, are grown ripe for rebellion, and ready to shake off the dependency of Ireland upon the crown of England." To countenance which reports, he has published a paragraph in another newspaper, to let us know, that "the Lord-lieutenant is ordered to come over immediately to settle his halfpence."

* Probably with no good.-First edit.

I entreat you, my dear countrymen, not to be under the least concern upon these and the like rumours, which are no more than the last howls of a dog dissected alive, as I hope he has sufficiently been. These calumnies are the only reserve that is left him. For surely our continued and (almost) unexampled loyalty, will never be called in question, for not suffering ourselves to be robbed of all that we have by one obscure ironmonger.

As to disputing the King's prerogative, give me leave to explain, to those who are ignorant, what the meaning of that word prerogative is.

The Kings of these realms enjoy several powers, wherein the laws have not interposed. So, they can make war and peace without the consent of Parliament-and this is a very great prerogative: but if the Parliament does not approve of the war, the King must bear the charge of it out of his own purse--and this is a great check on the crown. So, the King has a prerogative to coin money without consent of Parliament; but he cannot compel the subject to take that money, except it be sterling gold or silver, because herein he is limited by law. Some princes have, indeed, extended their prerogative farther than the law allowed them; wherein, however, the lawyers of succeeding ages, as fond as they are of precedents, have never dared to justify them. But, to say the truth, it is only of late times that prerogative has been fixed and ascertained; for, whoever reads the history of England will find, that some former Kings, and those none of the worst, have, upon several occasions, ventured to control the laws, with very little ceremony or scruple, even later than the days of Queen Elizabeth. In her reign, that pernicious counsel of sending base money hither, very narrowly failed of losing the kingdom-being