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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 16/Preamble to Mr. Harley's Patent

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PREAMBLE TO Mr. HARLEY'S PATENT.


The Reasons which induced her Majesty to create the Right Honourable Robert Harley a Peer of Great Britain, being a translation of the preamble to his Patent, dated May 11, 1711, and generally supposed to have been written by Dr. Swift.


[Printed from a copy in the Harleian Miscellany.]


WHATEVER favour may be merited from a just prince, by a man born of an illustrious and very ancient family[1], fitted by nature for all great things, and by all sorts of learning qualified for greater; constantly employed in the study of state affairs, and with the greatest praise, and no small danger, exercising variety of offices in the government: so much does our well-beloved and very faithful counsellor Robert Harley[2], deserve at our hands: he, ​who in three successive parliaments was unanimously chosen speaker; and, at the same time that he filled the chair, was our principal secretary of state: in no wise unequal to either province. Places, so seemingly disagreeing, were easily reconciled by one, who knew how with equal weight and address to moderate and govern the minds of men: one who could preserve the rights of the people, without infringing the prerogative of the crown; and who thoroughly understood how well government could consist with liberty. This double task being performed; after some respite, he bore the weight of our exchequer as chancellor, and thereby prevented the farther plundering of the nation; and also provided for the settling of a new trade to the South Seas; and (by rescuing publick credit) so opportunely relieved the languishing condition of the treasury, as to deserve thanks from the parliament, blessings from the citizens, and from Us (who never separate our own interests from the publick) no small approbation. Therefore we decree to the man that has so eminently deserved of us and of all our subjects, those honours which were so long since due to him and his family; being induced thereto by our own good pleasure, and the suffrage of all Great Britain: for we take it as an admonition, that he should not in vain be preserved, whom the states of our realm have testified to be obnoxious to the hatred of wicked men, upon account of his most faithful services to us, and whom they have congratulated upon his escape from the rage of a flagitious parricide. We gladly indulge their wishes, that he, who comes thus recommended to us by so ​honourable a vote of both houses of parliament, should have his seat among the peers, to many of whom his family has been long allied; and that he, who is himself learned, and a patron of learning, should happily take his title from that city, where letters so gloriously flourish. Now know ye, &c.


  1. ↑ This noble family is descended from the ancient house of the de Harlais in France. Their common ancestors were probably a family of that name resident in Shropshire long before the Conquest.
  2. ↑ Robert Harley, esq. eldest son of sir Edward Harley, was born in London, Dec. 5, 1661. He was educated at Shilton, a private school in Oxfordshire, remarkable for producing, at the same time, a lord high treasurer (the earl of Oxford) a lord high chancellor (lord Harcourt) a lord chief justice of the common pleas (lord Trevor), and ten members of the house of commons, who were all contemporaries as well at school as in parliament.
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