two o'clock
The Doctor was at Court every Sunday assiduously enough , a place the Colonel frequented but rarely , though he had a great inducement to go there in the person of a fair maid of honor of her Majesty 's ; and the airs and patronage Mr. Swift gave himself , forgetting gentlemen of his country whom he knew perfectly , his loud talk at once insolent and servile , nay , perhaps his very intimacy with Lord Treasurer and the Secretary , who indulged all his freaks and called him Jonathan , you may be sure , were remarked by many a person of whom the proud priest himself took no note , during that time of his vanity and triumph . 'T was but three days after the 15th of November , 1712 -LRB- Esmond minds him well of the date -RRB- , that he went by invitation to dine with his General , the foot of whose table he used to take on these festive occasions , as he had done at many a board , hard and plentiful , during the campaign . This was a great feast , and of the latter sort ; the honest old gentleman loved to treat his friends splendidly : his Grace of Ormonde , before he joined his army as generalissimo , my Lord Viscount Bolingbroke , one of her Majesty 's Secretaries of State , my Lord Orkney , that had served with us abroad , being of the party . His Grace of Hamilton , Master of the Ordnance , and in whose honor the feast had been given , upon his approaching departure as Ambassador to Paris , had sent an excuse to General Webb at two o'clock , but an hour before the dinner : nothing but the most immediate business , his Grace said , should have prevented him having the pleasure of drinking a parting glass to the health of General Webb . His absence disappointed Esmond 's old chief , who suffered much from his wounds besides ; and though the company was grand , it was rather gloomy . St. John came last , and brought a friend with him : `` I 'm sure , '' says my General , bowing very politely , `` my table hath always a place for Dr. Swift . '' Mr. Esmond went up to the Doctor with a bow and a smile : -- `` I gave Dr. Swift 's message , '' says he , `` to the printer : I hope he brought your pamphlet to your lodgings in time . ''