Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 8.djvu/383

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DECREE FOR A TREATY, &C.
373

privilege of sex, beauty, fortune, or quality, to the contrary notwithstanding: And whereas the said Mrs. Long, humbly acknowledging and allowing the right of the said doctor, doth yet insist upon certain privileges and exceptions, as a Lady of the Toast, which privileges, she doth allege, are excepted out of the doctor's general claim, and which she cannot betray without injuring the whole body whereof she is a member; by which impediment, the said treaty is not yet brought to a conclusion; to the great grievance and damage of Mrs. Vanhomrigh, and her fair daughter Hessy: And whereas the decision of this weighty cause is referred to us, in our judicial capacity: We, out of our tender regard to truth and justice, having heard and duly considered the allegations of both parties, do declare, adjudge, decree, and determine, That the said Mrs. Long, notwithstanding any privileges she may claim as aforesaid as a Lady of the Toast, shall, without essoin or demur, in two hours after the publishing of this our decree, make all advances to the said doctor, that he shall demand; and that the said advances shall not be made to the said doctor as un homme sans consequence, but purely upon account of his great merit. And we do hereby strictly forbid the said Mrs. Vanhomrigh, and her fair daughter Hessy, to aid, abet, comfort, or encourage, her the said Mrs. Long in her disobedience for the future. And, in consideration of the said Mrs. Long's being a Toast, we think it just

    manding that all ladles of wit, sense, merit, and quality, who had an ambition to be acquainted with me, should make the first advances at their peril."

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and