chief-justice has so quick an understanding, that he resolved, if
possible, to outdo his orders. The grand juries of the county and
city were effectually practised with, to represent the said
pamphlet with all aggravating epithets, for which they had thanks
sent them from England, and their presentments published, for
several weeks, in all the newspapers. The printer was seized, and
forced to give great bail. After his trial, the jury brought him in
not guilty, although they had been culled with the utmost industry.
The chief-justice sent them back nine times, and kept them eleven
hours, until, being perfectly tired out, they were forced to leave
the matter to the mercy of the judge, by what they call a _special
verdict_. During the trial, the chief-justice, among other
singularities, laid his hand on his breast, and protested solemnly
that the author's design was to bring in the Pretender, although
there was not a single syllable of party in the whole treatise; and
although it was known that the most eminent of those who professed
his own principles, publicly disallowed his proceedings. But the
cause being so very odious and unpopular, the trial of the verdict
was deferred from one term to another, until, upon the Duke of
Grafton's, the lord lieutenant's arrival, his grace, after mature
advice, and permission from England, was pleased to grant a _noli
prosequi_."

This Chief Justice Whitshed was the same who acted as judge on
Harding's trial for printing the fourth Drapier letter. Swift never
forgot him, and took several occasions to satirize him bitterly.

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The text of the present edition is based on the Dublin edition of