Swift’s Gold Freedom Box
Swift’s freedom was conferred at a general assembly of the lord mayor, aldermen and Common Council. The freedom of a corporation was more than a commemorative prize: it expressed membership of an urban political community and, in many towns, was connected with trading privileges and the right to participate in civic affairs. In Swift’s case it was principally an honour. He was already one of the English-speaking world’s best-known authors, but in Dublin he was also the dean whose political writings had acquired a special local authority.