[Footnote 4:  It was reported that the author of “The Examiner” was Matthew Prior, late under-secretary of state. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 5:  To Stella Swift wrote in his “Journal,” under date February 9th:—­“The account you give of that weekly paper [i.e. ‘The Examiner,’] agrees with us here.  Mr. Prior was like to be insulted in the street for being supposed the author of it, but one of the last papers cleared him.  Nobody knows who it is, but those few in the secret.  I suppose the ministry and the printer” (vol. ii., p. 116 of present edition).]

[Footnote 6:  The Duke of Marlborough.  See “The Examiner,” No. 28, p. 177. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 7:  The Duchess of Marlborough. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 8:  Earl of Wharton, notorious for his profligacy. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 9:  This may refer to Godolphin. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 10:  Probably Earl Cowper. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 11:  This applies to the paper.  “The Examiner” had existed for six months, but Swift had written it for only three months, at this time. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 12:  Sir Simon Harcourt (1661?-1727) who was lord chancellor, 1713-14.  He was made lord keeper, October 19th, 1710, after Cowper resigned the chancellorship.  In the Sacheverell trial Harcourt was the doctor’s counsel.  He was created Baron Harcourt in 1711.  See also note on p. 213 of vol. v. of present edition. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 13:  This refers to the case of Richard, fifth Viscount Wenman, against whom Cowper, in 1709, granted a commission of lunacy.  He was under the care of Francis Wroughton, Esq., whose sister, Susannah, he had married in the early part of 1709.  His brother-in-law sued him for payment of his sister’s portion, and asked that trustees be appointed for his estate.  Cowper decided against Wenman, and the commission granted.

The case is referred to in No. 40 of “The Tatler” (July 12th, 1709).  Campbell says ("Chancellors,” iv. 330) the commission “very properly issued.”  Luttrell in his “Diary” (July 30th, 1709) notes that “the jury yesterday brought it in that he [Wenman] was no idiot” (vi. 470).  Lord Wenman died November 28th, 1729.  See also Nos. 18 and 23, ante, and note, p. 101. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 14:  Tindal dedicated to Cowper “a pious work which was not altogether orthodox” (Campbell’s “Chancellors,” iv. 330). [T.S.]]

[Footnote 15:  Laurence Hyde (1641-1711), created Earl of Rochester in 1682, was appointed lord president of the council, September 21st, 1710, succeeding Somers.  See also No. 41, post. Swift unkindly sneers at Somers’s low birth.  See note on Somers on p. 29 of vol. i. of present edition. [T.S.]]