"lemn promife, that nothing which I "could fay fhould hurt myself, I had "no reafon to truft them; for they vio"lated that promise about five hours "after. However, I owned I was there "prefent. Whether this was wifely done "or no, I leave to my friends to deter"mine."

When he had figned the paper, he was told by Walpole, that the committee were not fatisfied with his behaviour, nor could give fuch an account of it to the Commons as might merit favour; and that they now thought a ftricter con, finement neceffary than to his own houfe. "Here," fays he, "Bofcawen played "the moralift, and Coningsby the chrif"tian, but both very aukwardly." The

mes

meffenger, in whofe cuftody he was to be placed, was then called, and very decently asked by Coningsby, if his house was fecured by bars and bolts? The meffenger anfwered, No, with aftonishment; at which Coningsby very angrily faid, Sir, you must fecure this prisoner; it is for the fafety of the nation: if he escape, you skall anfwer for it.

They had already printed their report; and in this examination were endeavouring to find proofs.

He continued thus confined for fome time; and Mr. Walpole (June 10, 1715) moved for an impeachment against him. What made him fo acrimonious does not appear he was by nature no thirfter for blood. Prior was a week after com

mitted

1

mitted to close cuftody, with orders that

no perfon should be admitted to fee him, without leave from the Speaker.

When, two years after, an A&t of Grace was paft, he was excepted, and

continued still in cuftody, which he had made lefs tedious by writing his Alma. He was, however, foon after difcharged. He had now his liberty, but he had nothing else. his employments might have been, he had always spent it; and at the age of 'fifty-three was, with all his abilities, in danger of penury, having yet no folid revenue but from the fellowship of his college, which, when in his exaltation he was cenfured for retaining it, he faid, he could live upon at laft.

Whatever the profit of

Being however generally known and

efteemed, he was encouraged to add other

poems to those which he had printed, and publish them by fubfcription. The expedient fucceeded by the industry of many friends, who circulated the propofals*, and the care of fome, who, it is faid, withheld the money from him, left he fhould fquander it. The price of the volume was two guineas; the whole collection was four thousand; to which lord Harley, the fon of the earl of Oxford, to whom he had invariably adhered, added an equal fum for the purchase of Downhall, which Prior was to enjoy during life, and Harley after his decease.

He had now, what wits and philofophers have often wifhed, the power of

* Swift obtained many subscriptions for him in Ireland.

paffing

paffing the day in contemplative tranquillity. But it feems that bufy men. feldom, live long in a state of quiet. It is not unlikely that his health declined. He complains of deafnefs; for, fays he,. I took little care of my ears while I was not fure if my head was my own.

Of any occurrences in his remaining life I have found no account. In a letter "treated/

to Swift, "I have," faysche,

lady Harriot at Cambridge.. A Fellow "of a College treat! and fpoke verfes "to her in a gown and cap!! What, the

plenipotentiary, fo far concerned in the "damned peace at Utrecht! the man: "that makes up half the volume of "terfe profe, that makes up the report "of the committee, fpeaking verses! "Sic eft, homo fum."

5

He