Swift had any converse with courts, and he told his friends it was the first incident that helped to cure him of vanity. The consequence of this wrong step in his majesty was very unhappy; for it put that prince under a necessity of introducing those people called Whigs into power and employments, in order to pacify them. For, although it be held a part of the king's prerogative to refuse passing a bill, yet the learned in the law think otherwise, from that expression used at the coronation, wherein the prince obliges himself to consent to all laws, quas vulgus elegerit. Mr Swift lived with him (Sir William Temple) some time, but resolving to settle himself in some way of living, was inclined to take orders. However, although his fortune was very small, he had a scruple of entering into the church merely for support, and Sir William Temple then being master of the rolls in Ireland, offered him an employ of about L. 120 a-year in that office; whereupon Mr Swift told him, that since he had now an opportunity of living without being driven into the church for a maintenance, he was recommended to the Lord Capel, then Lord Deputy, who gave him a prebend in the north, worth about I. 100 a-year, of which, growing weary in a few months, he returned to England, resigned his living in favour of a friend, and continued in Sir William Temple's house till the death of that great man, who, beside a legacy, left him the care and trust and advantage of publishing his posthumous writings. Upon this event Mr Swift removed to London, and applied by petition to King William, upon the claim of a promise his Majesty had made to Sir William Temple, that he would give Mr Swift a prebend of Canterbury or Westminster. The Earl of Romney, who professed much friendship for him, promised to second his petition; but as he was an old vicious, illiterate rake, without any sense of truth or honour, said not a word to the king. And Mr Swift, after long attendance in vain, thought it better to comply with an invitation given him by the Earl of Berkeley to attend him to Ireland, as his chaplain and private secretary; his Lordship having been appointed one of the Lords Justices of that kingdom. He attended his Lordship, who landed near Waterford, and Mr Swift acted as secretary during the whole journey to Dublin. But another per son had so insinuated himself into the earl's favour, by telling him that the post of secretary was not proper for a clergyman, nor would be of any advantage to one who only aimed at church preferments, that his Lordship, after a poor apology, gave that office to the other. In some months the deanery of Derry fell vacant; and it was the Earl of Berkeley's turn to dispose of it. Yet things were so ordered, that the secretary having received a bribe, the deanery was disposed of to another, and Mr Swift was put off with some other church livings not worth above a third part of that rich deanery, and at this present not a sixth. The excuse pretended was his being too young, although he were then thirty years old. Extract of authentic particulars respecting the Parents of Dean Swift, from Counsellor Duhigg's History of the King's Inns Dublin, 1806, p. 216. "The reader must at last be relieved from the languid dulness of King's Inns extracts, and the observations which accompany them, by an illustration of a matter which ascertains the birth of as great a genius, and as unbending a patriot as ever graced this country: it also recognizes the account given by that eminent man of his family and parentage, supported by an undoubted document of his father. In 1665, Jonathan Swift memorials the bench for the office of steward, or under-treasurer, modestly stating, that he was qualified for the employment, by being an assistant to Mr Wale, who lately filled that situation. He further set forth, that his father and whole family were loyal, and faithfully served his Majesty, as well as Charles I., by which they were great sufferers. That gentleman was admitted an attorney, and member of the King's Inns, Hilary Term 1665, in the following terms: "Jonathan Swift, gentleman, was admitted into the society of the house, and hath paid for his admission (the usual fee) 13s. 4d. on the 26th of January 1664-5.” On the 25th of January 1665-6, he was appointed steward, or under-treasurer, and afterwards authorized to receive from the members the pensions and cast commons for the benefit of Mrs Wale, widow to the preceding steward. "On the 25th of April 1667, Mr Swift's untimely death caused a similar application from his afflicted widow to the Bench, that they may authorize her brother-in-law, Mr William Swift, to collect the arrear due to her husband. Her request was acceded to with becoming promptitude. Such order had a proper effect: however, L. 12, and upwards, remained upon settlement due from her husband to the society, and L. 100 from the members of that society to Mr Swift, of which L. 76, and upwards, was due by the persons who dined at the Bench table. The legal reader will blush to hear the rule of that grave, learned, and religious body. It was not to advance the L. 100 to this unfortunate woman, nor manfully to discharge the acknowledged debt of their own defaulters, but to choose, out of the arrears due from the Bench table, a sum to balance her account of L. 12, and to recommend a further payment from the body at large. "The birth of our great countryman shall be now ascertained beyond cavil or doubt. He was born on the 30th of November 1667; and in the following month of January his mother renews a complaint of arrears to the Bench, with a pathetic representation of her necessary distress. How many contradictions were heretofore reconciled to make him a native of Leicester; his mother must be presumed to travel post, and at ease, for the purpose of appearing at the King's Inns in five weeks from her lying-in. All this is to be believed in preference to his own account, or the attestation of a respectable friend. However, fancy or falsehood must, I believe, yield to recorded truth, which would be settled beyond contradiction, if abstracts of King's Inns accounts had been printed during the Dean's life, which laudable custom has been only adopted from the year 1797. Let an integrity similar to Swift's mark future anecdotes, and the preceding circumstances ascertain his birth, the profession of his father, and honest, but unmerited adversity of the surviving parent. It was her aggravated misfortune to solicit an unfeeling groupe, whose sable records attest a more prompt disposition to support fraud and encourage tyranny, than to render justice, or to relieve with sensibility the orphan and widow's forlorn sigh. "Meantime personal distress multiplied, and deprived her illustrious offspring of maternal care; for we are told, in the life of Swift, that he was nursed by a Whitehaven woman, who was not paid by his impoverished parent, but, fecling the accustomed affection attached to her situation, carried the infant with her to England. This authentic memorial may satisfy the doubts, or remove the scepticism so artfully raised, and industriously circulated, about the time and place of his birth, or the situation of the family. Ireland is satiated with the brave, honest, and enlightened natives who have undoubtedly adorned her kalendar. had neither vanity nor meanness sufficient to deny his country. His classic and accomplished friend, Dr Sheridan, has confirmed this fact; an authority sufficient to outweigh, by character and situation, an host of venal or interested biographers." Swift Certificate of Dr Swift's Degree; taken at Dublin, and sent to Oxford*. [Swift has himself stated, in the foregoing memoir, that he was admitted to his degree in a manner little to his credit, called in that college speciali gratia. No such words appear on the following testimonia, which is not surprising, since, if I rightly understand Dr Barrett, certainly the best possible authority upon the point, the phrase per specialem gratiam is never inserted in such certificates, which barely contain the fact that the degree has been duly taken. The words used by Swift are rather perhaps to be understood historically, than literally and formally, and only mean in general, that he gained his degree rather by favour than merit, though no such entry was placed upon the register. But as Swift, during all this memoir, appears to have had his memory sufficiently accurate, as to the passages of his early life, (a circumstance very common where the memory has failed in later events,) it was impossible for a biographer to refuse his evidence respecting a particular, which no one would willingly invent respecting himself.] • Extracted from the Congregation-Book by the Rev. Mr Francis Wise, B. D. keeper of the archives of the university of Oxford and F. S. A. communicated by Richard Rawlinson, LL. D. and F. R. et Ant. S. V. P. Omnibus quorum interest salutem. Nos præpositus sociique seniores Collegii Sacro-sanctæ et Inviduæ Trinitatis juxta Dublin, testamur Jonathan Swift, die decimo quinto Februarii 1685, gradum baccalaureatûs in artibus suscepisse, præstito prius fidelitatis erga regiam majestatem juramento. Quod de predicto testimonium, subscriptis singulorum nominibus et collegii sigillo quo in hisce utimur, confirmandum curavimus. Datum die tertio Maii 1692. Robert Huntington, Præpos. L. S. Quibus in venerabiti congregatione magistorum regentium 14 die Junii 1692, habitâ publicatis Jonathan Swift (gratiâ prius petitâ et concessa) ad eundem gradum, statum, et dignitatem, admissus fuit apud Oxonienses, quibus insignitus erat apud suos Dublinienses. 10 Nov. 1753, Vera copia, Ric. Rawlinson. Jonathan Swift, M. A. Hart Hall, July 5, 1692. Lib. Convocat, ab anno 1683 ad ann. 169s. 4 Julii 1692. Whereas Thomas Swift, a complete Bachelor of arts of the university of Dublin and now of Baliol, has been incorporated and admitted to the same degree in the university, since which time he hath performed all the exercises required by the statutes for the taking the degree of Master of Arts, saving only that of determining in Lent, which he humbly prays may, by the favour of the University, be dispensed with, in regard the exercise cannot be done at this time of the year, and it will be of some concern to him to be admitted to be a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts this term; and whereas Jonathan Swift, a complete Bachelor of Arts in the university of Dublin, and now of Hart Hall, being under the same circumstances, and petitioning for the same favour; We, according to the power of the Chancellor delegated to us in that behalf, do hereby give |