by the aid of your advice we may be enabled to settle a successful plan, and adopt the measures most conducive to the speedy termination of the discontents and jealousies upon each specific head of complaint. If those ties by which the two kingdoms have been hitherto so closely united, are to be loosened or cut asunder, is your Grace yet prepared to advise whether any and what substitutions are thought of for the preservation of the remaining connection between us? If by the proposed modification of Poynings' law so much power is taken from the two Privy Councils, as they are now constituted, are we to look for any agreement in any new institution of Council, which may answer the purposes of keeping up the appendancy and connection of Ireland to the Crown of Great Britain, and of preventing that confusion which must arise in all cases of common concern from two Parliaments acting with distinct and equal powers, and without any operating centre? In addressing these queries to your Grace I make it evidently appear that I seek for information, and do not yet hold myself competent to offer any digested plan, or propose any definitive resolution upon them. Without therefore dwelling any longer at present upon the particular force and extent of the several requisitions made by the two Houses, and upon the probable degree in which they may be induced to recede from those terms, and agree to a discussion and accommodation to mutual contentment, I can only repeat my hope of great assistance from a full communication of those opinions and ideas, which your Grace has opportunity of deriving from the parties themselves, and are yourself so entirely capable of suggesting, upon this very interesting and complicated subject. But I must with yet more earnest expression assure your Grace of my entire reliance upon your advice, with respect to the different modes in which it would be wished, or be thought most advisable for us to proceed to a disquisition of these articles of treaty (for as such I regard them) towards that final adjustment, wherein we are certainly on both sides so
