The writ 'de lunatico inquirendo,' in the case of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick's : with observations / by J.T. Banks.

  • Banks, John Thomas, 1811-1908.
Date:
[1863]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The writ 'de lunatico inquirendo,' in the case of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick's : with observations / by J.T. Banks. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    must have excited much interest, and the more strange that all the facts connected with it should not be a matter of public notoriety. But we do not find that even the long and laborious research of Mr. Weld Hartstonge. obtained for his friend, Sir Walter Scott, any information on this point. It appears, also, that Scott obtained materials for his life of Swift from the Rev. Mr. Berwick, “so well known to the literary world,” and from other sources likely to be in possession of authentic infor- mation. I may mention, that Judge Berwick, son of the Rev. Mr. Berwick, to whom Sir Walter Scott expresses his obligations, is the possessor of a portrait of the Bean, which is probably the best which has ever been painted. The petitioners for the writ de lunatico inquirendo were the Rev. John Grattan and the Rev. James King, both of whom were executors of the will, and to each the Dean made a bequest. “ I bequeath to Mr. John Grattan, Prebendary of Clon- methan, my silver box in which the freedom of the City of Cork was presented; in which 1 desire the said John to keep the tobacco he usually cheweth, called pigtail.” “ I bequeath to the Rev. Mr. James King, Prebendary of Tipper, my large gilded medal of King Charles the First, and on the reverse a crown of martyrdom, with other devices.” Of the Commissioners to whom the writ was directed, the first on the list is the Right Hon. Luke Gardiner. Dr. William Cooper was Chief Examiner of the Court of Chancery. Charles Grattan is marked on the list of Swift’s friends with the letter G. All his friends were classed into grateful, ungrateful, indifferent, and doubtful. Alderman Perceval Hunt was Sheriff of Dublin in 1718, and Lord Mayor in 1755. Alexander M‘Auley was one of the executors of the will; he was Judge of the Consistory Court, and one of the first Governors of Swift’s Hospital. By the will we learn that M‘Auley was one of Swift’s most esteemed friends. He is tlius mentioned:—“ To Alexander M‘Auley I bequeath the gold box in which the freedom of the City of Dublin was presented to me, as a testimony of the esteem and love I have for him, on account of his great learn- ing, fine natural parts, unaffected piety and benevolence, and his truly honourable zeal in defence of the legal rights of the clergy in opposition to their unprovoked oppressors.” Alderman Macarel was Lord Mayor in 1788, and Aider- man Pearson was Lord Mayor, 1730.