124 



NOTES AND QUERIES. [2-^^ S. no 85., Aug. 15. '67. 



the letters of William Twysden to his brother Sir 

 Roger, while employed on his commission in Italy 

 or. elsewhere. Lambert B. Larking. 



JONATHAN SWIFT, BEAN OP ST. PATRICK B. 



Everything relating to the early life, to the re- 

 lations, friends, and probable associates of a great 

 man, are of interest. Swift himself was not very 

 communicative on this subject, and for what little 

 we know we are principally indebted to his re- 

 lation and biographer, Deane Swift. 



Swift himself has indeed told us tbat his family 

 were originally from Yorkshire, and that the 

 greater part of that branch from which he de- 

 scended removed to and settled in Ireland ; five 

 sons, certainly, of that fine old cavalier Thomas of 

 Goodrich — Godwin, Dry den, William, Jonathan, 

 and Adam, lived and died there. Godwin, it 

 appears, married a relation of the old Marchioness 

 of Ormonde ; and on that account, and the loyalty 

 and sufferings of his father, the Duke of Ormonde 

 appointed him Attorney-General in the Palatinate 

 of Tipperary. Consequent, I suppose, on the 

 success of Godwin, the other brothers followed 

 him to Ireland. Though Swift was under great 

 obligations to Godwin, he was especially attached 

 to his uncle William, whom he described as " the 

 best of his relations." Beyond these naked facts, 

 we know little of the family up to 1713, when 

 Jonathan took possession of his Deanery ; and 

 when, as his relation and biographer states, there 

 were living many of his cousins-german, the chil- 

 dren of Godwin, and one daughter, the child of 

 uncle William, and two daughters, children of 

 uncle Adam. I mention these especially, be- 

 cause what little I have to add relates to them 

 especially. 



This family, it will be seen, descendants of 

 Thomas of Goodri(!h, and the patronised of the 

 Ormondes, was of a high Tory breed ; and it is a 

 curious fact, never, 1 believe, before noticed, that 

 in 1692 a '■'■pardon" was granted to "William 

 Swift." Who this William Swift may have been 

 I shall leave, as a subject for speculation, to your 

 better informed readers ; but from date, circum- 

 stances, and antecedents, I think it not impro- 

 bable that it was Swift's favourite uncle, and that 

 the blood of old Thomas had been stirring when 

 King James fought for his last stake in Ireland. 

 It is strange, and not explained or adverted to by 

 the biographers, that, contrary to all probability, 

 our Jonathan, when he first appears, comes forth 

 a Whig, under the patronage of Temple, and con- 

 tinueji a Whig for many years. 



My especial purpose, however, is not to specu- 

 late, but draw attention to some notices of the 

 uncles William and Adam to be found in A List 

 of the Claims as they are entred with the IVustees 



at Chichester- House on College' Green^ Dublin, on 

 or before the Tenth of August, 1700. I have a 

 copy of the work with MS. notes, setting forth the 

 decisions of the Commissioners. Brief and barren 

 as these notices may be, they are not without in- 

 terest ; they show at least that these uncles were 

 living in 1700, and they may be suggestive to 

 others who are better informed. 



William Swift, of the city of Dublin, Gent., 

 appears as claimant for an estate for sixty years, 

 to commence from Christmas, 1679, held by lease 

 dated the 26th of December, 1679, being lands 

 situated on the south side of a lane in St. Francis 

 Street, called my Lord of Howth's land in 

 Dublin; Michael Chamberlain, lata proprietor. 

 This claim appears to have been allowed. 



Another claim put in is by — 



" William Swift, Gent, in behalf of himself and his 

 daughter Elizabeth Swift, a Minor, Claimant for an 

 Estate in fee, one-third to William, and to the remainder 

 during life as Tenant by the Courtesy, situated at Berry- 

 more, als. Berrj'es and Ballinlow, in the County of Kos- 

 common, held under Lease and Release dated the 29th 

 and 30th of Novemb., ltJ80, from John Campbell and 

 Priscilla his Wife. Witness, Jos. Deane, and al. late pro- 

 prietor, Laughlin Flinu, Alderman Terence McDermott, 

 and Christopher Dillon. Also for an Estate in fee to 

 Elizabeth, to the remainder of two parts after William's 

 Death, held by the Will of Claimant Elizabeth's mother 

 in the year 1684." 



It may, perhaps, be inferred from the above 

 that William Swift married the daughter of John 

 and Priscilla Campbell. 



In the following, Adam Swift appears as exe- 

 cutor : 



"John Coyne and Adam Swift, Executors of John 

 Coyne the elder. Alderman of Dublin, claimant for the 

 residue of 21 j'ears, com. 1 May after the Lease of the Poll 

 of Legwey, and three half-pottles of Killedune, in the 

 County of Cavan, held by Lease from James Dease to 

 Connor Reilly, dated the 19th of March, 1693. Late 

 Proprietor, James Dease. Also for the residue of 21 years 

 com. May after Lease of Pole of land of Callenagh, held 

 by Lease dated the 29th October, 1694, from the said 

 Dease to John Coyne. Also for Remainder of 41 years 

 comm. from the date of the Lease of a Wast plott of 

 ground in Oxmantown, Dublin, with 4 Tenements built 

 on part of the Plott, held by Lease from Christopher 

 Fagan, Esq., to Edmond Tipper, dat. the 1 of November, 

 1663. Late Proprietor Richard Fagan. Allowed." 



" Also for Remainder of 21 years com. the 1 Nov. after 

 the Lease of Cravertareen, and 8 more Poles of Land in 

 B. Clomonghan, co. Cavan, held bj' Lease dated the 20th 

 of June, 1692, from Sir Kryan O'Neile, and Dame Mary, 

 his Wife. Late Proprietor, Kryan O'Neale." 



We have also claims by Ellinor Swift, and by 

 EUinor Swift, widow and guardian, both deeds 

 witnessed by Godwin Swift : 



" Ellinor Swift, claimant for 400Z., penalty on the whole 

 Estate of Sir Edward Tyrrell, late proprietor, under a 

 Bond dated the 19th of April, 1687. Allowed and re- 

 ferred to the Master." 



"Walter Nangle, a Minor, by his Guardian Ellinor 

 Swift, Widow, Claimant for a Remainder in Tail of Kil- 

 dalkey, Neilstown, and other lands, in Q. Meatb, held by 



