C - To My Lord High Admirall. The Humble Petition of the Doctor, and the Gentlemen of Ireland

Summary

Headnote

For the Earl of Pembroke, whose appointment as Lord High Admiral in November 1708 gave rise to the nautical puns of this piece, see Headnote to ‘A Dialogue in the Castilian Language’ (Appendix A). Cf. similarly themed puns in Swift's letter of 13 June 1709 to Lord Pembroke, and an endorsement by Sir Andrew Fountaine referring to Pembroke's thanks for a ‘punnaide’, perhaps the present piece. Nautical puns also feature in a letter from Swift to Pembroke on his resignation, later in 1709. ‘The Doctor’ is Swift, ‘the Gentlemen of Ireland’ a grandiloquent reference to their shared social circle. The request, which parodies the terms of a formal petition, is that Pembroke will find time, despite his new responsibilities, to meet his old friends.

The text is taken from the autograph in the Pierpont Morgan Library. Underlining is represented as italic.

TO MY LORD HIGH ADMIRALL. THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE DOCTOR, AND THE GENTLEMEN OF IRELAND.

Humbly Sheweth,

That since Your Lordship is new Deckt for the Sea, Your Pet^rs are excluded as ig-navi or Cast-aways; whereof they cannot Fathom the Cause. The Lower Tire with attending You. Some of us are Men of War, well Timber’d andHeart of Oak, and properly under Your Command: But Your Lordship is the Doctor's peculiarGovernor; for he that is Admirall of the Fleet, must be so of the Swift. You were not used to look Stern upon Your Visitants, nor to keep abaft while we were afore. Pray My Lord have a car’-in-a new Office, not to disoblidge your old Friends; Remember, be-fore-Castle Puns You never heard any in Your Life. We are content to be used as the Second Rate, as becomes Men of our Pitch. If Tom Ash were here, he would never keep at Land, but pump hard for a new Sea Pun. I designed to have Mr. Keel-hawld to Your Lordship yesterday, but you saw no Company. Thus we are kept under Hatches, and cannot Compass our Point.