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AUTHOR: 
 
 HARCOURT, EDWARD 
 WILLIAM 
 
 TITLE: 
 
 THE HARCOURT PAPERS 
 
 PLACE: 
 
 OXFORD 
 
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 THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS. 
 
 ? 
 
I 
 
 THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 EDWARD WILLIAM HARCOURT, 
 
 OF STANTON HARCOURT, AND NUNEHAM COURTENAY, 
 IN THE COUNTY OF OXFORD, ESQUIRE. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 ^rlttteh Tor Jr'mnh iiratlaiiou l\i 
 
 JAMES PARKER AND CO., OXFORD. 
 
 [Oufy Fifty Copies printed.'] 
 
 \ 
 

 
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 ll. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 T^HE longer a man lives, the more com- 
 ■^ pletely he learns the lesson that life 
 IS made up of little things. What is true 
 of a man s life, is true of t>e country he lives 
 in, and is equally applicable to the history 
 of the world. What, after all, is history ? 
 it is nothing more than a systematising of 
 events, — events ordained by God, and clas- 
 sified by man. The quality of history de- 
 pends very much upon the quality of the 
 mind through which it is focused. The 
 historian is yet to be born whose appre- 
 hension is perfectly achromatic, and the pre- 
 vailing ray of his mind is Insensibly com- 
 municated to his works. 
 
 Thus the grand simplicity of an Hero- 
 dotus, the masterly genius of a Gibbon, the 
 classical polish of a Grote and a Thirlwall, 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 the judicial exactness of a Hallam, and the 
 fervour of a Macaulay, form various media, 
 throucrh which the student is enabled to 
 arrive at a more or less correct estimate 
 of what is called history. 
 
 In the following Papers facts alone are 
 presented, and the province of an historian 
 is left to be fulfilled by the intelligence of 
 the reader. 
 
 The institution of primogeniture in this 
 country, has naturally had the effect of as- 
 sembling at certain points great collections 
 of deeds and papers. It is remarkable that 
 even those who most inveigh against the 
 enormities of the institution, look with a 
 curious reverence, not to say envy, at all 
 the venerable accessories which have grown 
 up beneath its sheltering care. 
 
 The chief reason why so many manu- 
 scripts lie hidden, is, that their owners are 
 simply unaware of their existence ; and, too 
 often, the moth and the housemaid put an 
 end to records of incalculable value. The 
 importance of such treasures, however, is 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 vu 
 
 frequently more collateral than intrinsic. 
 How often we find a fact, recorded in an 
 every-day manner, and apparently very in- 
 significant in itself, which offers incontestible 
 circumstantial evidence towards the deter- 
 mination of some doubtful historical point. 
 Moreover, private letters of by-gone days 
 are the very best unintentional illustrations 
 of manners, customs, and ways of thought, 
 which, without them, would be little under- 
 stood. 
 
 A strong feeling of the duty of each Indi- 
 vidual who happens to be the ''protector 
 of the settlement," as the lawyers have it, 
 to maintain untarnished for his descendants, 
 and through them for the public, such mat- 
 ters of Interest as I have referred to ; has 
 induced me to call to my aid the efficient 
 services of Messrs. Parker, to preserve from 
 decay various family papers, some apparently 
 trivial, and others of a more solid nature. 
 
 What I have proposed to myself has been, 
 to obtain as perfect a record as was possible 
 of the branch of the Harcourt family settled 
 
Vlll 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 in England. Especially, I have endeavoured 
 to trace those descendants of Robert de 
 Harcourt and Elizabeth de Camville, who 
 have been their successors as Lords of the 
 Manor of Stanton Harcourt, during a period 
 of 700 years. 
 
 I have reprinted the Genealogical Tables 
 of Mr. Edmondson, which, although they are 
 not minutely accurate in every small par- 
 ticular, give the best general information 
 that has yet been collected, and afford a 
 very fair view, of the family descent. 
 
 Those who give themselves the pains to 
 wade through them, will find a few points of 
 discrepancy between these tables and the 
 evidences which I have collected. But I 
 have thought it best to leave Mr. Edmond- 
 son*s tables unaltered. 
 
 I have printed such letters and documents 
 as I believe to be authentic, and which I 
 consider useful in illustrating either the cha- 
 racters of individuals, or the manners of the 
 times. 
 
 I am indebted to my sister, Emily Har- 
 
 court, for having laboriously collected much 
 useful book-lore ; and to my son, Aubrey 
 Harcourt, for assisting me in transcribing 
 some of the papers. 
 
 Many of my friends have urged me to 
 publish the "Harcourt Papers;" my object, 
 however, as I have before stated, is not to 
 present a readable book to the public, but 
 to preserve documents and reminiscences in 
 extenso for those who come after me. 
 
 I frankly acknowledge, that in carrying 
 out my scheme, I have totally disregarded 
 what ordinary critics are pleased to call '* the 
 dignity of history." 
 
 Lord Macaulay has said, — 
 
 ** There is a vile phrase, of which bad historians 
 are exceedingly fond, ' the dignity of history.* . . . 
 To us the importance of events consists in the 
 value of the general truth which is to be learned 
 from them. . . . Under this head, it is as useful to 
 us to know how the young ladies of England em- 
 ployed themselves 180 years ago, how far their 
 minds were cultivated, what were their favourite 
 studies, what degree of liberty was allowed them, 
 what use they made of that liberty, what accom- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 plishments they most valued in men, and what 
 proofs of tenderness delicacy permitted them to 
 give their favoured suitors, as to know all about 
 the seizure of Franche Comt^, and the treaty of 
 Nimeguen. . . . Society is thus presented to us 
 under new aspects .... and this is the really 
 precious part of histor>^ — the corn which some 
 threshers carefully sever from the chaff, for the 
 purpose of gathering the chaff into the garner, 
 and flinging the corn into the fire." 
 
 The Frontispiece is an etching by Lady 
 Susan Harcourt, and represents the church 
 of Stanton Harcourt; the Harcourt chapel 
 is on the south side ; Pope's Tower and the 
 old kitchen are seen in the distance. 
 
 ^' 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Early History of the Harcourts 
 History of Stanton Harcourt 
 Memoir of Sir Robert Harcourt 
 Notice of Vere Harcourt 
 Memoir of Sir Simon Harcourt 
 Memoir of Sir Philip Harcourt 
 Inventory of Stanton Harcourt 
 Edmondson's Pedigree of the Harcourt 
 Family 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I 
 20 
 81 
 
 108 
 III 
 200 
 210 
 
 231 
 
I 
 
 h. 
 
 ► • 
 
 dBarliT f btorjT of llje f armtrts. 
 
 TN the early history of the human race, 
 the only names that we find employed 
 to individualise men, are what we now call 
 proper names ; and children were distin- 
 guished from their parents by the adjunct 
 of some term signifying '' the-son-of " 
 
 As families multiplied into nations, generic 
 appellations were adopted to indicate dif- 
 ferent races; and personal peculiarities sug- 
 gested a nomenclature for individuals. It 
 was not, however, till the commencement 
 of the eleventh century after Christ that 
 names or surnames became hereditary. To 
 unravel, therefore, the pedigree of a family 
 to a previous date, must always be a work 
 of labour and patience, accompanied by some 
 
 uncertainty. 
 
 In the year 1027 the name of Harcourt 
 was first adopted as a surname, by Anchetil, 
 the son of Turchetil, grandson of Torf, and 
 
 B 
 
great grandson of Bernard the Dane. The 
 name (which was also used as the war-cry 
 of the family) was said to signify *' Stout- 
 hearted," from Jiar, which meant ''strong" 
 in the Saxon tongue, and cor, which sig- 
 nified " heart." 
 
 When arms, crests, and mottoes, as well as 
 names, became hereditary, two golden bars 
 on a red shield, by way of arms, with two 
 golden lions as supporters ; a golden crown- 
 let surmounted by a peacock for a crest (the 
 tail or wing of the peacock being sometimes 
 assumed by the younger branches), and the 
 motto, "Gesta verbis pra:ivenient%" were 
 adopted by the Harcourts. 
 
 The manuscript of the Prieure du Pare, 
 which was compiled by le Sieur Boullence, 
 the Prior of the place, begins with these 
 words : — 
 
 "The nobility of every nation assumes to itself 
 the glory of having derived its origin from the 
 
 ■ This inotto was changed by the English Harcourts during 
 the civil wars, for " Le bon temps viendra," which alluded to 
 the return of the Stuarts. But still both mottoes appear to have 
 been used indiscriminately. 
 
 THE Harcourts. 
 
 Trojan race. The House of Harcourt is de- 
 scended from Antenor the Trojan, that is to say, 
 from Danne one of his children." 
 
 A second manuscript refers the Harcourt 
 orio-in to a Saxon Prince; and again, an- 
 other writer informs us that the first Prince 
 who reigned in Denmark, was called Dan, or 
 Danus, and gave his name to that country ; 
 and that from him Bernard the Dane was 
 descended. We may, however, be content 
 to abandon a descent from either Hercules 
 or Danus, and to agree with the conclusion 
 drawn by the learned compiler of the '' His- 
 toire de la Maison de Harcourt," when he 
 says, — 
 
 ''Nous devons etre satisfaits de remonter la 
 filiation de cette maison de Harcourt jusqua 
 Bernard, qui le premier de sa race embrassa le 
 Christianisme ; ceux-la qui procedent, d'ancetres 
 infidelles, estant estimes comme Melchisedec, sans 
 pure, sans mere, et sans genealogie." 
 
 Hardly less ridiculous are some of the 
 so-called records of a more modern date : 
 
Early History of 
 
 the following may be taken as an ex- 
 ample : — 
 
 Vine. No. 56, 360. "John Kinge of ffrance that 
 was taken Prisoner by prince Edward into Eng- 
 land at the Bataile of poyters hathe yssue Charles 
 King of ffraunce, PheUpe Le Hardy duke of 
 Burgoine, Grandfather to the King that now is 
 the duke of Anjoye, the duke of Barraye, the 
 which are passyd without yssue, and a daughter 
 maryed unto th'erle Harcourt of whose body came 
 all the Harcourts to Henry the Vlth, the Sonne 
 of the Erie Harcourt that was behedid at Rone 
 because he obeyed King Edward's Leaugaunce, 
 the yonger brother of the said Erie had Staun- 
 tone by Gyft of King Edward, by whom be comyn 
 all these Harcourts, the Lady Harcourt, King 
 Jhon and daughter of ffrance was sister to Charlys 
 King of ffraunce and Aunte to Charles King of 
 ffraunce that last died, father to Queue Katherin 
 Quene of England, Mother to King Henry the 
 6th that now is. By the vertue of her, as this 
 desent shewithe, all these Harcourts of this 
 Countrey ar as well of the Kings bloud of Eng- 
 land, as of the Kings blowde of ffrawnce, and 
 therefore the Harcourts beare their helme Crownyd 
 gold. This decent is trewe and lakethe nothinge 
 save the name of the Countes Harcourt daughter 
 to King John. And let a man of Lawe sett this 
 
 i 
 
 THE Harcourts. 
 
 descent in ordre eche descent before other, and 
 the understanding will be the better." 
 
 The first authentic records of the family 
 of Harcourt, are derived from the writings 
 of William Calcul, a monk, who lived in the 
 time of William the Conqueror, to whom 
 he inscribed his history. These records 
 are confirmed by manuscripts preserved in 
 the Abbey of Preaux. 
 
 In the year 876, when Charles the Simple 
 reio-ned in France, a company of Danes 
 sailed from Denmark. The cause of their 
 departure from their native country w^as 
 this : Gourin, the chief of the Danes, had 
 two sons, the one named Raoul, or RoUo, 
 the other called after his father, Gourin; 
 these two brothers engaged in a civil war, 
 in which Gourin was slain; Rollo, with 
 those who had taken his part, fled from 
 home ; he was accompanied, amongst others, 
 by his kinsman, Bernard, known in foreign 
 countries, on account of his prowess, by the 
 name of "the Dane." This company first 
 landed in England, from whence they passed 
 
to Spiers; having made Flanders their tri- 
 butary, they descended upon Harfleur, and 
 gave the name of Normandy to the country 
 they conquered. 
 
 In the year 912 a peace was conchided 
 between Charles the Simple and Rollo, the 
 former giving to the latter his daughter Gil- 
 lette in marriage. Rollo was permitted to 
 assume the title of Duke of Normandy on 
 doing homage to the king. Rollo and his 
 followers, and amongst them Bernard, were 
 at this time baptized by Francques, Arch- 
 bishop of Rouen, after having been instructed 
 in the Christian faith. Rollo changed his 
 name to Robert at his baptism; he died 
 in the year 917. He was succeeded by 
 his son William, surnamed Longsword, as 
 second duke of Normandy. The Bretons 
 took advantage of the change of govern- 
 ment to rise in revolt. William hesitated 
 about resisting them, but Bernard, who was 
 his first minister, and general of his army, 
 took the affair into his own hands, and the 
 rebellion was soon suppressed. 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 William Longsword appears to have been 
 naturally of an indolent temperament, and 
 entertained an idea of retiring into a mo- 
 nastery, to free himself from the cares of 
 state; he was only prevented from doing 
 so by the threat of Bernard to return to 
 Denmark. William, after this, undertook 
 a campaign against Helouin, Count of Mon- 
 streuil, in which he was so successful that 
 his adversary, despairing of overcoming 
 him by fair means, procured his death by 
 treachery, and caused him to be poisoned 
 by some of his own servants at Pequigny, 
 
 in the year 943. 
 
 On William's death, Bernard became by 
 the will of the late duke, regent of the 
 dukedom, and governor of the young duke, 
 Richard ''sans peur," who was a minor. 
 He immediately assembled together the 
 Barons and principal men of Normandy 
 and Brittany, and after lamenting the fate 
 of Duke William, he presented to them 
 the young duke, and obtained from them 
 a promise to serve him, and obey him in 
 
 \ 
 

 Early History of 
 
 all thincrs. In the meantime Bernard esta- 
 blished a gold coinage in the principality, 
 and acquired great credit by his love of 
 virtue and justice. 
 
 Kincr Louis, '* d'outre-mer," who thought 
 that he now saw an opportunity of recover- 
 ing his lost provinces, went to Rouen, and 
 invited the young duke of Normandy, his 
 cousin, to meet him there; when he ar- 
 rived, Louis fell on his shoulder, and wept 
 concerning the fate of his father, Duke Wil- 
 liam ; nor did he suffer him to depart for 
 three days and nights. The people sus- 
 pected treachery, and began to arm them- 
 selves. Louis in alarm sent for Bernard, 
 and desired him to take the young duke 
 in his arms, and shew himself to the people. 
 Confidence was thus restored. Louis was 
 profuse in his gratitude to Bernard, and 
 asserted his joy at having made Richard's 
 acquaintance. Bernard replied, that if Louis 
 would constitute himself Richard's protector, 
 he mieht in all things count upon the as- 
 sistance of himself and the rest of the Nor- 
 
 1 
 
 mans. Louis answered with perfidy, that 
 his only desire was to conclude with the 
 Normans an offensive and defensive alli- 
 ance. In the meantime he commanded Os- 
 mond, whom he had placed about the person 
 of Richard, to keep him in close confine- 
 ment. Nevertheless, Osmond and Yues de 
 Bellesme managed to conceal Richard in 
 a basket of herbs, and to convey him to 
 the house of Bernard the Count de Senlis, 
 his uncle. 
 
 Bernard the Dane having discovered that 
 an agreement had been come to between 
 Kine Louis and Huofues the Great, Count 
 of Paris, to attack the Normans together, 
 upon the understanding of dividing the 
 spoils ; it was decided by the Count de 
 Senlis and Bernard, that the latter should 
 feign to take the part of Louis, and de- 
 liver up Rouen to him, to save it from 
 destruction. And further, that when he 
 had obtained the confidence of Louis, he 
 should endeavour to detach him from his 
 alliance with Hugues. 
 
lO 
 
 Early History of 
 
 Louis, finding that fraud did not serve 
 his purpose, threw off the mask, and entered 
 Normandy on one side with his army, whilst 
 Huo-ues invaded it on the other. The Nor- 
 mans made a stout resistance, but the fate 
 of the country seemed sealed. 
 
 At this moment, Bernard appeared before 
 Louis, and throwing himself at his feet, did 
 him homage, and thus addressed him : 
 **Why, oh King, should you wish to carry 
 desolation into a country which is ready 
 to receive you with open arms ? True it 
 IS that the Normans have been faithful to 
 their dukes, but they are now without a 
 ruler. Let the Count de Senlis keep his 
 nephew, whom he has kidnapped, and let 
 us be ruled by a mighty king, rather than 
 by a helpless infant. Enter Rouen, which 
 is impatient to receive you ; and take the 
 kingdom which belonged to your fore- 
 fathers." King Louis yielded at once, and 
 obtained a splendid reception. 
 
 When the King was established in Rouen, 
 Bernard represented to him that it was con- 
 
 I 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 1 1 
 
 trary to reason and good government to 
 allow Hugues to ravage his Norman do- 
 minions ; and that it was impolitic to suffer 
 the presence of a Prince who acknowledged 
 no fealty to him, but was solely bent upon 
 obtaining what spoils he could for himself. 
 Louis, flattered by the words of Bernard, 
 and pleased with his easy conquest, sent 
 messengers to Hugues, desiring him to de- 
 sist from ravaging a country which already 
 belono-ed to him. Hugues had no choice 
 but to disband his army, and returned home 
 vowing vengeance against Louis. 
 
 Meanwhile, the people of Normandy, who 
 were not in the secret of Bernard, wondered 
 to see the man, who was governor of their 
 country, prostrate himself before Louis, with- 
 out offering to make any resistance. The 
 Count de Senlis, however, who was a party 
 to the plot, went at once to Hugues, and 
 proposed to him to take revenge upon 
 Louis, and to assist his nephew Richard 
 to recover his possessions. Hugues easily 
 assented. 
 
12 
 
 Early History of 
 
 King Louis remained three months at 
 Rouen. One of his courtiers advised him, 
 that although Bernard was old, yet he was 
 still quite capable of being troublesome, and 
 that the better policy would be to send him 
 back to Denmark, even if he allowed him 
 to take his wife and goods with him. 
 
 In the meantime, Bernard, who had now no 
 further fear of any union between Louis and 
 Hugues, had sent messengers to Aigrold, 
 King of Denmark, beseeching him to bring 
 an army to the succour of Richard. In 
 compliance with this request, the Danish 
 king landed with a considerable force at 
 Cherbourg, in 945. Louis assembled a large 
 army to oppose him, and the rival forces 
 came in sio^ht of each other on the confines 
 of Normandy. A parley was arranged be- 
 tween the two kings ; but one of those who 
 advanced on the side of the French, hap- 
 pened to be Helouin, Count of Monstreuil, 
 who had caused the death of William Long- 
 sword. One of the Danes perceived him, 
 and wishing to avenge the death of William, 
 
 he cut him down with his sword. The en- 
 gagement immediately became general, and 
 Louis, seeing that his troops were giving 
 way, took refuge in flight. . 
 
 After the battle, a treaty of peace was 
 concluded, on the one side by Louis, and 
 on the other by Bernard, acting for Duke 
 Richard ; by this treaty Richard was to hold 
 Normandy and Brittany, free of any homage 
 to Louis, and the boundaries of Normandy 
 were extended. 
 
 The young Duke Richard was affianced 
 to Emma, daughter of Hugues the Great, 
 and Aierold returned to Denmark. Bernard 
 the Dane here drops out of the scene, and 
 the history of France, therefore, does not 
 further concern us. He died in the year 
 955, having married, according to some 
 authors, Sprote de Bourgougne, a daughter 
 of the royal house of Burgundy. The name 
 Bernard is said to signify a ** bold baron," 
 from the Saxon words ber, *' baron," and 
 dard, 'Waliant." 
 
 Bernard was succeeded by Torf, surnamed 
 
14 
 
 Early History of 
 
 the Rich, who, with much probability, was 
 assumed to be his son. Torf was made 
 viscount or lieutenant of the kingdom under 
 Richard, Duke of Normandy, and is said 
 to have married Ertemberge de Bricquebec, 
 or Bertram, a lady of Danish origin. He 
 built Torville in the year 955. All histo- 
 rians acrree that Torf was the father of 
 Touroude and Turchetil. The elder brother, 
 Touroude, married Duceline, sister-in-law to 
 Duke Richard, and became ancestor of the 
 Lords of Veulles, Beaumont, Meullent, Lei- 
 cester, Warwick, and Neubourg. 
 
 The families of the two brothers became 
 re-united in after generations, by the marriage 
 of Sir Richard Harcourt, Lord of Stanton 
 Harcourt in Oxfordshire, with Arabella, 
 daughter of Sayer de Quincy, Earl of Win- 
 chester, and Margaret, who was lineally de- 
 scended from Robert de Beaumont, eldest 
 son of Touroude. 
 
 Turchetil, the second son of Torf, was Lord 
 of Turqueville, Turqueray, &c., and with his 
 eldest brother Touroude, was joint-guardian 
 
 THE Harcourts. 
 
 15 
 
 of Duke William of Normandy. He was 
 murdered for his attachment to this Prince. 
 He married Adeline, daughter of Toustain 
 de Montford. He had two sons and one 
 daughter. His second so.i was Walter de 
 Turqueville. His daughter Esseline was 
 married to William, Count d'Eu, second 
 son of Richard, Duke of Normandy. 
 
 In 1027, Turchetil was succeeded by his 
 eldest son, Anchetil. The name Anchetil 
 signified *^ Little-John" in the Saxon tongue. 
 He was the first who adopted the name of 
 Harcourt as a patronymic ; he married Eve 
 de Boissay, and had seven sons and one 
 daughter. Errand was the eldest son of 
 Anchetil ; he married Emma d' Estoute- 
 ville. He commanded the archer-guard on 
 the invasion of England, 1066, but returned 
 to Normandy after the coronation of Wil- 
 liam the Conqueror. 
 
 Robert, the second son of Anchetil, was 
 surnamed the Strong; he built the castle 
 of Harcourt in Normandy. He, as well 
 as his brother, went to England with the 
 
i6 
 
 Early History of 
 
 Conqueror. He married Colede d' Ar- 
 gouges, and was the first who took the title 
 of Baron dc Harcourt. He had seven 
 sons : the second son, Richard, founded the 
 Commandery of St. Stephen's at Reneville ; 
 he became a Knight Templar, Grand Prior 
 of France, and was buried at Reneville. 
 The third son, Philip de Harcourt, was 
 Dean of Lincoln, Archdeacon of York, 
 named by the King to be Bishop of Salis- 
 bury ^ and appointed Bishop of Bayeux, 
 where he was buried in 1 163. 
 
 William, the eldest son of Robert de Har- 
 court, took part with Henry the First of 
 England against his elder brother, Robert; 
 and commanded the troops which defeated 
 Walleran de Beaumont, Earl of Mellent, in 
 the battle near Bourgtouroude, in 1123. For 
 his numerous services he was rewarded with 
 large possessions in England. He married 
 Hue d' Amboise, and by her had four sons. 
 
 •• " Iste Philippus Baiocensis Episcopus, fuit Philippus de Har- 
 court, qui primo fuit Archidiac. Ebor., Decanus Lincoln., cui Rex 
 A.D. 1 140, dedit Episcopatum Salesbiris, sed legatus iion assensit." 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 n 
 
 Robert, the eldest, was surnamed the 
 Valiant ; he married in 1 1 24, by dispensa- 
 tion, his cousin Jane, daughter of Robert 
 de Beaumont, Earl of Mellent. He was 
 a great benefactor to the Church, and founded 
 several abbeys and churches ; amongst others, 
 he built in the year 1200 the chapel of 
 St. Thomas of Canterbury, near Harcourt 
 in Normandy, in memory of Thomas a 
 Becket. He took part in the wars in 
 Flanders. He accompanied Richard, King 
 of England and Duke of Normandy, in his 
 Crusade to the Holy Land, and shared that 
 monarch's captivity, when he was shut up 
 by the Duke of Austria in the year 1 194. 
 
 His name appears in most of the chief 
 records both of England and France at 
 this time. He had fifteen children; namely, 
 ten sons and five daughters ; and became 
 the ancestor of an illustrious race ; of the 
 Barons of Elbeuf, de la Saussaye, de Bri- 
 osne, de Beaumesnil, the Viscounts de St. 
 Sauveur, Chatellerant, V Islebonne, the Counts 
 of March, Harcourt, Aumalle, &c. ; of the 
 
 D 
 
i8 
 
 Early History of 
 
 Marquisses de Montmorency (i578)» Mar- 
 quisses la Motte Harcourt (i593)' of the 
 Mareschal Duke de Harcourt (1700), made 
 a peer of France 1709, and of the Har- 
 courts, Barons d' Ollonde. 
 
 Ivo", the younger brother of Robert the 
 Valiant, succeeded to his fathers English 
 possessions, and was the founder of the 
 English race of Harcourts. 
 
 Ivo had two sons. Robert de Harcourt, 
 the eldest, was sheriff of Warwick and Lei- 
 cester in the years 1199 and 1201. He 
 succeeded his father in 1202, and married 
 Isabel, daughter and heir of Richard de 
 Camville. She brought to her husband the 
 Lordship of Stanton in Oxfordshire, from 
 that time called Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Richard de Camville had married Milli- 
 cent, cousin of Queen Adeliza, second wife 
 
 ' In the Prohationes sub Henrico Sirundo, we find that : — "The 
 Earl of Warwick certifyed that Shilton in Warwickshire was part 
 of seven Knights ffees which Yvo de Harcourt then held of him, 
 which Yvo hath disposed to Robert Basset with Beatrice his sister 
 in frank marriage. Hence, probably, arose the suites which Wil- 
 liam de Harcourt had with Reginald Basset." 
 
 THE Harcourts. 
 
 19 
 
 of King Henry the First, and daughter of 
 Godfrey, Duke of Brabant. Queen Adeliza 
 gave her cousin the Lordship of Stanton 
 as a marriage portion — a gift which was 
 afterwards confirmed to her and her heirs 
 by King Stephen and King Henry the 
 Second. One of the deeds of confirmation 
 runs thus : — 
 
 " Henry, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, 
 and Earl of Anjou, to all Archbishops, Bishops, 
 Earls, Justices, Sheriffs, and all friendly and faith- 
 full men both French and English, greeting. Know 
 ye that I have, at the request and by the com- 
 mand of King Stephen, granted and confirmed 
 to Milisent, the wife of Richard de Camville, 
 and her heirs in fee and inheritance, the Vill of 
 Stanton, with its appurtenances, in like manner 
 as Queen Adeliza gave it to her on her marriage. 
 Wherefore I will, and strictly command, that she 
 and her heirs shall well, peaceably, quietly, and 
 honourably, hold of me and my heirs, the said 
 Vill with all and every its appurtenances, in woods 
 and in plains, in meadows, pastures, ways, foot- 
 paths, mills, and waters ; and all things, liberties, 
 and customes, belonging thereunto in the time 
 of King Henry my grandfather. 
 
 "Witness; Roger, Earl of Hereford; Richard 
 
20 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 de Humez, Constable; Manasser Biset, Dapier; 
 Guarin Fitzgerald, Chamberlain ; Gislebert de 
 Laci ; William de Chesseney." 
 
 One of the histories of Dover describes 
 how the Lordship of Stanton Harcourt was 
 held for the building and service of Dover 
 Castle ; and, as one of the towers in Dover 
 Castle goes to this day by the name of the 
 '' Harcourt Tower," and bears the arms of 
 Harcourt upon it, it is very probable that 
 this account is correct; although I have 
 been unable to obtain access to any deeds 
 confirmatory of the fact. 
 
 The Lordship of Stanton formed part of 
 the royal demesne of Woodstock. 
 
 ** Att a survey taken the tenth of Aprill, in the 
 fourth yeare of Edward the Sixth at Woodstocke, 
 before Thomas Denton, Vincent Tower, and James 
 Bury, Commissioners. The jury did then present 
 (amongst other things) that the Lord of Stanton 
 Harcourt must fell, make, rearc, and carry all the 
 grasse growing in one Meadow within the Parke 
 of Woodstocke, called Staunton, and in Southby 
 Mead, and the Fellers and Makers thereof have 
 used to have of custome of the King's Majesties 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 21 
 
 Charge, 6d in money or two Gallons of Ale. And 
 alsoe, that the Lords of Stanton Harcourt afore- 
 said, have used and ought to find, four Browsers 
 in Woodstocke Parke in winter time when any 
 snow shall happen to fall, and tarrye, lye, and 
 abide be the space of two days, and so to find 
 the said Browsers there browsing soe long as the 
 snow doth lye, every Browser to have to his lodg- 
 ing every night one Billett of wood the length 
 of his ax -helve, and that to carry to his lodg- 
 ing upon the edge of his ax. And the King's 
 Bayliffe of the demeasnes or of the Hundred 
 of Wootten, coming to give warning for the said 
 Browsers, shall blow his home at the Mannor Gate 
 of Stanton Harcourt aforesaid. And then the 
 said Bayliffe to have a cast of bread, a gallon of 
 Ale, and a piece of Beef, of the said Lord of 
 Stanton Harcourt aforesaid. And the said Lord, 
 or other for the time being, to have of custome 
 yearely out of the said Parke, one Buck in Sum- 
 mer and one Doe in Winter." 
 
 The last claim that was made by a Lord 
 of Stanton Harcourt for the yearly Buck 
 and Doe, was made by William Earl Har- 
 court. After citing his charter, the only 
 satisfaction he obtained from the Duke of 
 Marlborough was a promise that the Duke's 
 
 f 
 
22 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 part of the duties should be performed, if 
 Lord Harcourt would also perform his ; and 
 so the charter has on both sides fallen into 
 
 disuse. 
 
 The following is a copy of the Stanton 
 Harcourt and South Leigh Charter :— 
 
 *• Forasmuch as it appeareth by an anticnt 
 
 Survey taken in the 4th year of the reign of 
 
 King Edward the Sixth, and by divers other 
 
 surveys taken both before that time and since, 
 
 that the King's Majesty's antient demain tenants 
 
 of his Highnesses Manor of Woodstock in the 
 
 County of Oxford, amongst divers other Antient 
 
 Liberties and priviledges heretofore granted unto 
 
 them and their Heirs, Have ever heretofore been 
 
 and aUvays ought to be freed from the payment 
 
 of all Toll and Tribute in all Fairs and Markets 
 
 whatsoever within his Highnesses Realms and 
 
 dominions. And that the said Antient demain 
 
 Tenants of the said Manor of Woodstock, and 
 
 their Heirs, heretofore have been, and so always 
 
 ought to be, freed from all Pawnage, Passage, 
 
 Pontage, and Ferrage, in all parts within his 
 
 Highnesses dominions, and to have and enjoy 
 
 all such Liberties and priviledges as the Tenants 
 
 of the Antient demense Lands have used, and 
 
 the laws of this realm of England ought to have. 
 
 And, forasmuch also, as it appeareth by the said 
 Antient Surveys that the Tenants and Inha- 
 bitants of the several Townships of South Ley 
 and Stanton Harcourt within the said County of 
 Oxford, lying near unto the King's Majest^ said 
 Manor of Woodstock, are bound by Custom to 
 do and perform divers and sundry services and 
 duties by themselves and their Teems unto the 
 King's Majes^ within his Highnesses Parks and 
 Meadows belonging to the said Manor House, For 
 which they have ever heretofore been freed from 
 the pay"'' of all Toll and Tribute in all Fairs and 
 Markets whatsoever within his Highnesses Realms 
 and Dominions. These are therefore to certify 
 you to whom these presents shall come, that the 
 King's Majes' Antient demain Tenants of his 
 Highnesses said Manor of Woodstock, and the 
 said Inhabitants and Tenants of the said several 
 Townships of South Ley and Stanton Harcourt, 
 ought to have, take, and enjoy, the said Antient 
 Liberties and Priviledges belonging to the said 
 Manor of Woodstock. 
 
 '' In witness whereof I, Edmond Hiorne, deputy 
 Steward unto the Right Hon^'^'^ Earl of Pembroke 
 and Montgomery, of the most noble order of 
 y« Garter, Knight, High Steward of our Sovereign 
 Lord the King's Majesty that now is of England, 
 C. of his Highnesses said Manor of Woodstock 
 in the said County of Oxon : have hereunto set 
 
24 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 my hand and seal y' Twentieth day of February 
 Anno Regni undecim Domini Caroli Dei Grat. 
 Angli. Scot. France, et Hirbern. Regis, fid. De- 
 fensor. Anno Dom. 1635, Edmond Hiorne." 
 
 The Lordship of Stanton Harcourt has 
 remained to the Harcourts through the vi- 
 cissitudes and troubles of seven dynasties. 
 The vast possessions held by the family, 
 and acquired sometimes by royal favour, 
 sometimes through great alliances, have to 
 a great extent left only their title-deeds in 
 the muniment-room at Nuneham, to testify to 
 their existence. The great Tory Chancellor 
 of Oueen Anne, when he succeeded to his 
 father, found the inheritance of Isabel de 
 Camville alone remaining to him. To him, 
 and to his grandson, Earl Simon, it is greatly 
 owing that some of the estates have been re- 
 covered by the purse which had been lost 
 by the sword. To George Simon, the eldest 
 son of Earl Simon, and to Elizabeth his 
 wife, it is chiefly due that many of the 
 family traditions are preserved. 
 
 '* The House at Stanton Harcourt," says George 
 
 H 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 25 
 
 Simon, Earl Harcourt, "was never inhabited by 
 any of the family since the death of Sir Phillip, 
 An. 1688, when his widow, who had been his 
 second wife, and on whom the estate was settled 
 in jointure, disposed of the furniture by sale, and 
 suffered the buildings to fall into decay, from 
 neglect of the necessary repairs ; and they were 
 afterwards demolished by the late earl, (Earl 
 Simon)." 
 
 The cause of a demolition, which we may 
 now be permitted to regret, was partly to 
 save the expenses of repairs, and partly 
 because stone was required to build Nune- 
 ham, which was then in process of erection. 
 There now remain only the Lodge, the 
 Kitchen, the Chapel, the Tower, and part 
 of the old Offices. 
 
 In making alterations some ten years ago 
 to the Gate-house or Lodge, when the win- 
 dows were inserted which now look upon 
 the road, it was discovered that parts of 
 the walls were composed of fragments of 
 very elaborate carvings in white alabaster, 
 evidently portions of tombs. This points 
 to the probability of the buildings having 
 
 E 
 
I 
 
 26. 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 been erected at the time of Puritanical de- 
 molitions. 
 
 The fact of the arms of Harcourt and 
 Darrell appearing over the gateway, shews 
 that Simon Harcourt, who married a Dar- 
 rell, was its founder. 
 
 The Kitchen, which is the oldest part of 
 the building, was evidently constructed at 
 a very early period. George Simon, Earl 
 Harcourt, informs us, that it 
 
 "was, according to the conjectures of some learned 
 antiquaries, repaired, and the present windows 
 inserted, about the reign of Henry IV. In its 
 form and general appearance it bears much re- 
 semblance to the Abbot's Kitchen at Glastonbury ; 
 and yet it differs considerably from the latter, 
 which is an octagon inclosed within a square, 
 with four chimneys in the angles ; whereas this 
 building is square, both inside and out. More- 
 over it is larger, and much more lofty, and has 
 no chimney. A winding staircase in a turret 
 leads to a passage round the battlements; and 
 beneath the eaves of the roof, which is hex- 
 angular, are shutters, to give vent to the smoke, 
 according to the quarter from whence the w^ind 
 blows. The height of the walls to the bottom 
 
 of the roof, which in the centre rises 25 feet 
 more, is 39 feet, and the griffin on the point of 
 the cone is 8 feet. The turret that contains the 
 steps is square, and rises 9 feet above the other 
 walls, which are 3 feet thick, and measure on 
 the outside from east to west 33 feet, and from 
 north to south 31. 
 
 "The Abbot's Kitchen at Glastonbury is said 
 to have been erected so late as in the reign of 
 Henry VIII." 
 
 The principal apartments in the house 
 at the time of its destruction. Lord Har- 
 court tells us, — 
 
 "were the Great Hall, the Great and Little Par- 
 lour, the Queen's Chamber, (so named from its 
 having been occupied by Elizabeth, Queen of 
 Bohemia, when she made a visit there,) which, 
 with other chambers, filled the space between 
 the domestic Chapel and the Kitchen, and re- 
 mained entire within the memory of the present 
 Earl Harcourt. Some upper rooms in the small 
 remaining part of the house, adjoining the Kitchen, 
 and now inhabited by a farmer, are nearly in 
 their original state, and bear evident marks of 
 remote antiquity ; but the time when they were 
 erected is not known, nor the date of that curious 
 and remarkable building." 
 
 1 
 
) 
 
 28 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 The domestic Chapel is described thus by 
 Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 "The part immediately under the tower, where 
 
 the altar stands, is 12 feet square, and 15 feet 
 
 10 inches high in the centre. Below the spring- 
 
 ino- of the arch, on one side are the arms of Har- 
 fc> 
 
 court emblazoned on a shield, on the other those 
 of Byron. The lower part of the Chapel has 
 a flat wooden ceiling, composed of squares, with 
 red and yellow mouldings, and a blue ground, 
 with gilded stars in the middle of each compart- 
 ment. It is 17 feet 5 inches by 14 feet 8 inches 
 wide, and 1 1 feet 8 inches high. From the arms 
 of Harcourt and Byron being placed where they 
 are, it may be conjectured that the tower was 
 erected by Sir Robert in the reign of King Ed- 
 ward IV. ; yet the arch in the largest window 
 resembles more those of the time of Henry VII. 
 Had the stained glass that once filled the win- 
 dows (which having been left at the mercy, or 
 rather mischief of every idle boy, is now de- 
 stroyed), remained unbroken, the armorial bear- 
 ings might, in some measure, have ascertained 
 the date of its erection." 
 
 There is a chamber over part of the 
 Chapel, which used to be occupied by the 
 family during the celebration of the Mass, 
 
 and there was a small arch at the east end 
 of the chamber, which gave a view of the 
 altar. The domestics entered the Chapel 
 from a hall below, and were accommodated 
 in the outer space. The body of the Chapel 
 itself served as a chancel. The original 
 stone altar remains. 
 
 The Chapel and Tower, which were falling 
 into a very dilapidated condition, have lately 
 been restored. The room above the Chapel 
 had been used by the tenant to stack his 
 wool ; this had caused dry rot, and the floor 
 had fallen through. The Priest's room had 
 been turned into an apple-chamber ; and the 
 Chapel itself was used as a receptacle for 
 onions, and other abominations. The re- 
 storation has been made in strict accord- 
 ance with the original pattern. 
 
 The Tower over the Chapel contains three 
 chambers, one above the other. They are 
 all thirteen feet square. Access to them is 
 obtained by a winding stone staircase, which 
 commences from the inside of the outer 
 chapel. The lower chamber, which is called 
 
 i 
 
30 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 the Priest's room, has been made the scene 
 of one of those mythical stories, which in 
 many ancient houses have been handed 
 down by credulous retainers from medieval 
 times. It was supposed that ''Alice," a 
 dauo-hter of the house, met with a tragic 
 end in this chamber at the hands of 
 a Priest; her ''wraith" was supposed to 
 be *'laid" in the "Lady Pool," a piece of 
 water in the grounds which still bears that 
 name. If ever the Lady Pool is dry, the 
 ghost of the unfortunate lady is said to 
 wander about the grounds ; and even when 
 the water gets low, she is supposed to be- 
 come uneasy, and to pass and repass the 
 Chapel-door in the pale moonlight. There 
 are those living whose easily-excited fancy 
 makes them believe that they have seen 
 the Lady Alice in her long white robe. 
 
 The room above the Priest's room has 
 no particular history attached to it. The 
 uppermost chamber retains the name of 
 Pope's study. The great Poet passed a part 
 of two summers at Stanton Harcourt for the 
 
 ' i 
 
 sake of retirement, and he was occasionally 
 visited there by Mr. Gay, from the neigh- 
 bouring seat of Lord Harcourt ^t Cockthorp. 
 A pane of red stained-glass, upon which he 
 wrote the following inscription, has been 
 taken out of a casement in the tower- 
 chamber, and preserved as a valuable relique 
 at Nuneham : — 
 
 " In the year 17 18 
 I, Alexander Pope, 
 finished here 
 the fifth vokune of Homer." 
 
 Durincr the time that the Tower was under 
 repairs, one of the masons employed in the 
 work was an inhabitant of Witney. His 
 mother, who was a pious Methodist, ex- 
 hibited great distress at the nature of her 
 son's occupation, which, she was firmly con- 
 vinced, was no less an undertaking than 
 preparing a fit habitation for the Pope, on 
 his intended visit to England. 
 
 From the top of the Tower an extensive 
 view of the neighbouring country is ob- 
 tained; Wytham Hill, Eynsham, Oxford, 
 
32 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Wychwood, with many a distant tower and 
 spire, may be seen from thence. 
 
 The Church at Stanton Harcourt, says 
 Lord Harcourt, — 
 
 "is a very spacious and handsome buildinp;-, in 
 the form of a cross. The windows in the lower 
 part of the Tower are of Saxon ^ architecture, those 
 in the upper part of a much later date ; and it is 
 probable that the Tower itself was raised to its 
 present hei^i^ht long after the first building. The 
 ascent to the belfry is through a small turret, with 
 a conical stone roof. The nave measures, from 
 the west window to the chancel, 46 feet by 18 ; 
 the cross aisles from north to south, 75 feet by 
 21. The Harcourt Chapel, annexed to the south 
 wall of the chancel, is 28 feet by 16; and is 
 a beautiful example of the ornamented Gothic. 
 It was probably erected in the reign of King 
 Edward the Fourth. 
 
 " The principal entrance to the Church is through 
 a round-headed arch, of Saxon *^ architecture, on 
 the left side of which is a small stone basin for 
 holy water. Another lesser door, very little dis- 
 tant, is used by the women only ; as, by a custom 
 established there time immemorial, they never 
 pass through the same door with the men. The 
 
 *• Read Norman. 
 
 round-headed windows in the nave and the prin- 
 cipal entrance being in the same style, it is prob- 
 able that this part of the church is coeval with 
 the lower part of the Tower ; and there can be 
 little doubt but that the large and light west 
 window in the Gothic style, and the neat wooden 
 roof, were alterations of a later period. The side- 
 windows in the north and south transepts, are of 
 the lancet form, that prevailed in the reign of 
 Henry HI. ; and the light and airy windows 
 which terminate the transepts, are evidently of 
 a much later date. The windows in the chancel ^ 
 are all of the slender lancet shape. 
 
 " In the chancel, on the north side of the altar, 
 is a small but beautiful altar- tomb, with a rich 
 canopy over it.' 
 
 M 
 
 It has been conjectured that this is one 
 of the very few examples now met with of 
 an Easter-altar; that is to say, an altar on 
 to which the Host was moved during the 
 Holy-week, whilst the sacred body was in 
 the tomb, before the resurrection. 
 
 In the case of the use of such altars, the 
 high altar of the church was supposed to be 
 
 * They are beautiful examples of the Early English. 
 
 F 
 
1 
 
 34 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 divested of its sacred character, and many 
 grotesque customs used to mark this fact. 
 
 The canopy over this altar has evidently 
 been moved from some other place, probably 
 from a tomb adjoining that of Sir Robert 
 Harcourt, Knight of the Bath, in the Har- 
 court chapel. The arms of Blount are em- 
 blazoned upon the canopy. 
 
 " On the south side of the chancel," says Lord 
 Harcourt, "is a plain altar-tomb without any in- 
 scription, but with the impression of a cross still 
 remaining upon it ; the brass has been torn away. 
 
 "The ancient monument under the arch in the 
 south wall of the chancel, is that of Maud, daughter 
 of John Lord Grey of Rotherfield, by his second 
 wife, Avice, daughter and co-heiress of John, Lord 
 Marmion (which Maud, with her two brothers, as- 
 sumed the name and arms of Marmion), wife of 
 Sir Thomas de Harcourt, son of Sir William and 
 of Johanna, daughter of Richard, Lord Grey, of 
 Codnor. She died in the 17th year of Richard H. 
 She has the reticulated head-dress, with a narrow 
 gold binding across the forehead ; a scarlet mantle 
 lined with ermine, with a narrow gold binding 
 across the breast ; the upper part of the sleeves 
 the same ; the lower part light blue, and reach- 
 ing to the knuckles, like mittens. On the sur- 
 
 ■ 
 
 I 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 35 
 
 coat, the arms of Harcourt impaled with those 
 of Grey. Those parts both of the arms and of 
 the dress which are blue, are damasked. At her 
 feet a small dog. On the front of the monument 
 four shields, with the following arms ; namely, 
 Harcourt; Harcourt impaling Grey; Grey; Mar- 
 mion. 
 
 "On a brass in the pavement is the figure of 
 a priest in his vestments, in memory of Sir Henry 
 Dodschone, Vicar of the parish." 
 
 It is remarkable that, although this brass 
 was put down after the Reformation, an in- 
 scription upon it, in Latin, invites the piously- 
 disposed to pray for the good Vicar's soul. 
 
 "In the north transept," to continue in Lord 
 Harcourt's words, "on a small round blue marble 
 inserted in the pavement, is a brass which has 
 been described in the Gentleman's Magazine, and 
 is worthy of notice, from the manner in which 
 the arms of Beke are united to those of Harcourt. 
 Sir Richard de Harcourt, son of Sir William and 
 Hilaria, daughter of Henry, Lord Hastings, mar- 
 ried Margaret, daughter and co- heiress of John, 
 Lord Beke of Eresby ; which said Lord devised 
 by his will, made 29th of Edward 1st, the re- 
 mainder of his arms to be divided between Sir 
 Robert de Willoughby and Sir John de Har- 
 
36 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 court; and the above-mentioned stone is pro- 
 bably ip memory of Sir John, son of Sir Richard 
 de Harcourt and Margaret de Beke ; he died in 
 the year 1330." 
 
 The *' Probationes sub Edvardo Secundo," 
 from which Lord Harcourt drew the above 
 information, run thus : — 
 
 "Ex. 4 E. 2. in Com. Derb. et Sussex. An- 
 thonius Dunelmensis Episcopus obiit, cujus hae- 
 redes sunt Robertus de Willoughby et Johannes 
 de Harecourt." 
 
 "This sumptuous Bishop, Anthony Bek, dyed 
 5 Nones March, 13 10." 
 
 "John Bek of Eresby, a Baron, by his will made 
 29 E. I, devised to S^ Rob. de Willoughby and 
 S^ John de Harecourt the remainder of his arms, 
 to be divided between them, therein mentioning 
 his brother Anthony, Bishop of Durrham. Some 
 time after this Bek's son dyed, whereby Walter 
 Willoughby, son of Alice and John de Harcourt, 
 son of Margaret, daughter of the first John, became 
 his next heir." 
 
 Lord Harcourt continues : — 
 
 " In the same transept the Harcourt arms are 
 emblazoned on a shield ; but whether placed there 
 to mark the burial-place of one of that family, or 
 
 
 I 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 for what other reason, is not known. In the south 
 transept is an altar-tomb, the monument of Sir 
 Simon Harcourt, son of Sir Christopher and Jo- 
 hanna, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Miles Sta- 
 pleton. He was knighted the 2 1st year of Henry 
 the Seventh, and married Agnes, daughter of 
 Thomas Dayrell. He died 1547. At the head 
 of the tomb the arms of Harcourt ; and on either 
 side three shields, with the following arms : — 
 Harcourt and Darrell (his wife) ; Harcourt and 
 Stapleton (his mother) ; Harcourt ; Harcourt and 
 Darrell (repeated) ; Harcourt and St. Clair (his 
 grandmother) : — both heiresses. 
 
 Close to this monument is the original 
 cast of the large statue erected in St. George's 
 Chapel, Windsor, to the memory of William 
 Earl Harcourt, Field-marshal. It was a gift 
 from the artist, and placed where it now 
 stands by the present owner of Stanton 
 Harcourt. 
 
 "The font," continues Lord Harcourt, "is oct- 
 angular. On the front is a cross, with letters in 
 the Gothic character on either side of it. In each 
 of the compartments are spread quatrefoils, except 
 that on which there is a cross. Within the two 
 
 ^ 
 
 •«^- 
 
others a rose; and the remaining three contain 
 shields, with the following arms : namely, Byron ; 
 Francis impaling Harcourt ; Harcourt. By a 
 strange error, to have been committed in an age 
 when the science of heraldry was held in high 
 estimation, the arms of Francis are placed on the 
 dexter instead of the sinister side. Sir Thomas 
 Harcourt, who died in 1460, married Joan, daugh- 
 ter of Sir Robert Francis ; but no female of the 
 former family married into the latter. 
 
 " It is probable, from the style of the ornaments 
 carved upon the font, and from the arms of 
 Byron being placed upon it, that it was erected 
 by Sir Robert Harcourt, who married Margaret 
 Byron, and was son of Sir Thomas." 
 
 In the year 1843, ^1,000 were laid out 
 by Archbishop Harcourt in repairs done to 
 this church ; he also built a new porch. The 
 women's door, described by Lord Harcourt, 
 was closed at this time. Men and women 
 now enter indiscriminately at the north door, 
 and sit together in the body of the church. 
 Formerly the women were all placed in the 
 north aisle, and the men sat alone in the 
 
 nave. 
 
 The Early English wooden screen in this 
 
 l| 
 
 I 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 39 
 
 church is one of the most remarkable in 
 Eneland. The layers of blue paint with 
 which it was defaced, have lately been re- 
 moved, and vestiges of the ancient decora- 
 tion have been disclosed. The screen itself 
 is made of oak, and is pierced in some of 
 its lower parts by irregular holes, such as 
 used to be made to allow the outside kneel- 
 ing congregation a sight of the elevation 
 of the Host, when the doors of the screen, 
 which are very high, were closed^. The 
 lancet -windows in the chancel, which are 
 alluded to by Lord Harcourt, are very beau- 
 tiful ; some of them contain small portions 
 of very ancient painted-glass. 
 
 The church has lately been warmed at the 
 expense of the Rector. In digging under 
 the centre Tower to place the hot -water 
 pipes, some copper Neurenburgh tokens, 
 and some fragments of Roman glass, were 
 found. There is a very decent peal of bells 
 
 ' Another explanation may be, that such holes were cut by the 
 Puritans, with the object of disfiguring the paintings which existed 
 on the screen. 
 
40 
 
 StAx\ton Harcourt. 
 
 in the church tower, and the Stanton Har- 
 court ringers have always been famous. 
 
 The Harcourt Chapel is thus described 
 by Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " Under the east window, where the altar 
 formerly stood, is a large architectural monument 
 of marble and alabaster, gilded, to the memory 
 of Sir Philip Harcourt and his first wife, Anne, 
 daughter of Sir William Waller, the Parliament 
 general, by the Lady Anne Finch, daughter of 
 Thomas, first Earl of Winchilsea. It consists of 
 a pediment, supported by two columns of black 
 marble of the Corinthian order. At the top the 
 crest of Harcourt, and on either side two boy- 
 angels holding a drapery, in the centre of which 
 are the arms of Harcourt impaling Waller. Below 
 the cornice are two oval niches, containing the 
 bustos of Sir Philip and his wife ; and under them 
 two tablets, on which are inscriptions in Latin to 
 their memory. 
 
 "The monument on the south side is that of 
 Sir Robert Harcourt (son of Sir Thomas and 
 Joan, daughter of Sir Robert Francis), and his 
 wife Margaret, daughter of Sir John Byron, and 
 widow of Sir William Atherton. Sir Robert was 
 Sheriff of Leicester and Warwickshire in 1445 ; 
 Governor of Vernon, &c., in Normandy, 1446 ; 
 
 and elected High Steward of the University of 
 Oxford the same year ; Knight of the Garter in 
 the third year of Edward the Fourth ; Commis- 
 sioner with the Earl of Warwick, and others, for 
 the treaty between England and France, in the 
 year 1467; slain by the Staffords of the Lancas- 
 trian party, 1471. He is represented in his hair; 
 a gorget of mail, and plated armour, strapped at 
 the elbows and wrists ; a large -hilted sword on 
 the left, and a dagger on the right ; belt charged 
 with oak-leaves, and hands bare, and a kind of 
 ruffle turned back at the wrists ; shoes of scaled 
 armour ; Order of the Garter on the left leg, and 
 over all, the mantle of the Order, with a rich cape, 
 and cordon ; his head reclined on a helmet, with 
 his crest, a peacock ; at his feet a lion. ^ 
 
 "His lady is in the veiled head-dress falling 
 back ; has a mantle, and a surcoat, and cordon ; 
 long sleeves, fastened in a singular manner at the 
 wrists, and the Garter, with the motto in em- 
 bossed letters, above the elbow of the left arm ; 
 her feet partly wrapped up in her mantle. 
 
 ** On the front, four spread six-foils, containing 
 shields with the following arms ; namely, Har- 
 court impaling Byron twice, and twice Marmion ; 
 which Maud de Grey, his grandmother, bore in 
 right of her mother, heiress of the Marmions. 
 At the head of the monument two shields ; on 
 one Harcourt and Byron, encircled with the 
 
Garter ; on the other, Harcourt single. The figure 
 of this lady is extremely curious, from her being 
 represented with the Garter; and is one of the 
 only three known examples of female sepulchral 
 effigies having been decorated with the insignia 
 of that Order. According to Mr. Ashmole, Con- 
 stance, daughter of John Holland, Duke of Exeter 
 (first married to Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Nor- 
 folk, and secondly to Sir John Grey, Knight of 
 the Garter, and Earl of Tankerville in Normandy), 
 was thus represented on her tomb. 
 
 *' But the figures of the ladies upon the fine mo- 
 nument of her brother, the Duke of Exeter, in the 
 collegiate church of St. Catharine, near the Tower 
 of London, (one of which, Dr. Ducarcll supposes, 
 was intended for the said Constance,) are so mu- 
 tilated, that no such distinctive decoration can 
 be traced on either of them. 
 
 "The other similar example is the effigy of 
 Alice, daughter of Thomas Chaucer, wife of Wil- 
 liam de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, on her beautiful 
 monument at Ewelme, in the county of Oxford, 
 still in perfect preservation ; but on the last- 
 named figure, the Garter is worn above the wrist, 
 and has no motto. Of the three above-mentioned 
 monuments, fine and accurate drawings are given 
 by Mr. Gough in his ' Funeral Monuments of Great 
 Britain.' From these authorities, Mr.Anstis has 
 observed, that antiently the ladies of the Knights 
 
 Ik* 
 
 fi 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 43 
 
 of the Garter, had not only the habit of the Order, 
 which was semee of garters, but that they had 
 also the ensign of the Garter delivered to them. 
 
 *' Opposite the monument of Sir Robert Harcourt 
 and his lady, is that of Sir Robert, his grandson, 
 son of Sir John Harcourt and Anne, daughter 
 of Sir John Norris. He was standard-bearer to 
 King Henry VH. at the battle of Bosworth, 
 Knight of the Bath 1495, Knight Banneret 1497. 
 On the front of the tomb are four monks in black, 
 holding their beads, and two angels, holding each 
 a shield ; at the head, the red rose, the cognizance 
 of the House of Lancaster. He is in his hair ; 
 plated armour; gorget of mail, collar of S.S., a 
 large hilted sword, hands bare. His head re- 
 clines on a helmet, with the crest a peacock, on 
 a ducal coronet." 
 
 This monument is of white alabaster, 
 painted; it Is attached to a portion of an- 
 other tomb, which may possibly have formed 
 the base of the canopy which now stands 
 on the top of the Easter-altar. 
 
 Lord Harcourt's description continues 
 
 thus : — ' 
 
 "On a stone in the pavement are the figures 
 of two men in brass, and two shields ; on the 
 one, Harcourt impaling Atherton ; on the other 
 
1 
 
 (on the sinister side), the arms of Atherton only, 
 the impalement on the dexter having been torn 
 off. Underneath are inscribed the names of 
 Thomas Harcourt, who died the third of February, 
 1460 ; and of Nicholas Atherton, who died the 
 26th of October, 1454. And under them the 
 figures of three children ; viz., George Harcourt, 
 Alys Harcourt, Isabel Harcourt. Thomas Har- 
 court was third son of Sir Robert and Margaret 
 Byron ; and it appears, from the arms of Atherton 
 being impaled with his, that he married one of 
 that family. 
 
 "On one side of the Chapel is a large mural 
 monument of marble, ornamented with flowers, 
 to the memory of Simon, only son of Simon, first 
 Viscount Harcourt, on which is an inscription in 
 Latin, composed by Dr. Friend ; and below it the 
 well-known lines by Mr. Pope, which, however, 
 differ in some respects from those published in 
 his works. Near the head of the monument of 
 Sir Robert Harcourt and Marga-ct Byron, is 
 a Piscina. This Church, besides its several an- 
 cient and curious monuments, is distinguished by 
 two epitaphs by Mr. Pope, and one by Mr. Con- 
 greve ; viz., that inscribed on a tablet on the 
 outside north wall, to the memory of the lovers 
 killed by lightning, and that on the monument 
 of the Hon. Simon Harcourt ; and that on Robert 
 Huntingdon and his son, Esq"., by the last." 
 
 I 
 
 
 f 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 45 
 
 Since Lord Harcourt's account was writ- 
 ten, there have been some additions made to 
 the monuments in the Harcourt Chapel. In 
 the first place, an important monument to 
 himself was placed in the north-west corner 
 of the chapel, by his widow. On an altar- 
 tomb, a full-length recumbent figure is placed, 
 with the hands crossed on the breast, at the 
 feet a peacock; on the head, which rests 
 on a pillow, is a coronet ; the face was taken 
 from a cast after death ; the body is clothed 
 in peer's robes ; and a copy of verses, written 
 by Lady Harcourt, commemorates the virtues 
 of the deceased. A small wooden tablet 
 with an inscription, attached to the monu- 
 ment of her husband, Is all that records the 
 sepulchre of Elizabeth, Countess of Har- 
 court; that gifted lady, who, as she used 
 to say, was half a Harcourt before her mar- 
 riage, and who, having married her first 
 cousin, became wholly one. 
 
 Above the monument of George Simon 
 Lord Harcourt, a marble tablet has been 
 placed, to the memory of his brother Wil- 
 
46 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 liam, the last Earl. And on the opposite 
 side of the chapel is an altar-tomb, in stone, 
 to the Hon. Edward Harcourt, Archbishop 
 of York, who succeeded to the family es- 
 tates on the death of his cousin, the last 
 Lord Harcourt. This monument is in stone 
 by Noble. When first it was placed in the 
 chapel, it faced towards the west. The 
 sculptor, however, was requested to make it 
 face eastwards. This he did, with some in- 
 convenience. It is, however, probable that 
 Mr. Noble was right in the position he chose. 
 Ecclesiastics were generally interred looking 
 westward, under a notion that they should 
 face their flock at the resurrection. 
 
 The monument which Lord Harcourt de- 
 scribes, under the east window of the chapel, 
 was moved by Mr. George Harcourt into 
 the south transept. This is a great im- 
 provement, as the east window of the chapel 
 was thoroughly defaced by it. The present 
 possessor has restored the altar at the east 
 end, over which he has placed a brass 
 tablet, inscribed with the names of the 
 
 Lords of Stanton Harcourt, and their wives, 
 for thirty-seven generations^. At the foot 
 of the monument of Archbishop Harcourt 
 is a marble bust and pedestal, erected to 
 the memory of his eldest son, George Har- 
 court, by his second wife, Frances, Countess 
 of Waldegrave ^. 
 
 K The following forms the heading of the Tablet :— 
 
 "Majoribus suis, Dominis olim de Stanton Harcourt, plerisque 
 necnon in hdc ecclesia sepultis, tabulas has, pie memor, pom voluit 
 Edvardus Gulielmus Harcourt; qui, a.d. 1825 natus, a.d. 1849. 
 Susan Harriet, filiam unicam Comitis de Sheffield, iixorem duxit ; 
 de quibus descenderunt Aubrey filius, et Edith filia." 
 
 h At the time that Mary, Countess Harcourt, was buried, the 
 family vault was re-constructed. Many of the more ancient coffins 
 were buried lower down, under the floor, and fresh compartments 
 were built above. In the upper compartments are buried,— 
 
 Elizabeth, second wife of the first Lord Harcourt, died 1724. 
 
 Simon, first Lord Harcourt, died 1727. 
 
 Hon. Elizabeth, mother of the first Earl Harcourt, died 1760. 
 
 Rebecca, Countess Harcourt, died 1765. 
 
 Hon. Elizabeth, sister of the first Earl Harcourt, died 1765. 
 
 Simon, Earl Harcourt, died 1777. 
 
 George Simon, Earl Harcourt, died 1809. 
 
 Caroline, daughter of Archbishop ILarcourt, died 1815. 
 
 Elizabeth, Countess Harcourt, died 1 826. 
 
 William, Earl Harcourt, died 1830. 
 
 Lady Anne, wife of Archbishop Harcourt, died 1832. 
 
 Mary, Countess Harcourt, died 1833. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth, wife of G. G. Harcourt, died 1838. 
 
 Archbishop Harcourt, died 1847. 
 
 Leveson, third son of Archbishop Harcourt, died i860. 
 
 George, eldest son of Archbishop Harcourt, died 1861. 
 
 There are eight vacant places. 
 
48 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 A pleasant theory has been broached re- 
 specting the first building of the church at 
 Stanton Harcourt; the base of the edifice 
 is formed of the plum-pudding stone, as it 
 IS familiarly called, which is found in the 
 neighbourhood. Ancient remains, which by 
 some are imagined to be Druidical places 
 of worship, are also formed of this stone. 
 It has, therefore, been suggested that pos- 
 sibly when the land became Christianized, 
 the Druidical temples were demolished, and 
 
 the materials used for building a Christian 
 
 « 
 
 church. This is probably a fancy, but it is 
 a pleasant one. 
 
 At a short distance from the village of 
 Stanton Harcourt are some large upright 
 stones, known by the name of the Devil's 
 Quoits. The tradition in the county is, that 
 the Devil was playing at Quoits one Sunday 
 on Wytham hill, four miles distant, and that 
 these stones were the result of his play. 
 Mr. Warton has suggested that these stones 
 were erected to commemorate an engage- 
 ment, fought near Bampton in the year 6 1 4, 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 49 
 
 between the British and the Saxons; when 
 the Saxon Princes, Cynegil and Cwhicelon, 
 slew more than 2,000 Britons. Other ac- 
 counts attribute the position of these stones 
 
 to the Druids. 
 
 The situation of Stanton Harcourt is very 
 healthy. It stands at a good elevation, 
 about two miles distant from the river 
 Thames, on a gravel soil. The gravel is 
 limestone, formed of the detritus from the 
 Cotswold hills; in some places it is thirty 
 feet thick, and lies on the top of the Oxford 
 clay. The supply of water is excellent, and 
 never-failing. There is a peculiarity about 
 the soil, which would puzzle any farmer not 
 accustomed to the locality; the iron from 
 the oolite, mixing with the limestone, is 
 cemented by the action of an acid, which 
 is the produce of decayed vegetable matter ; 
 the product is a conglomerate, which in 
 places is formed into masses that defy any- 
 thing but the process of blasting to reduce 
 their substance. The plough frequently suf- 
 fers from contact with such objects, and 
 
 H 
 
50 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 the cutting of ditches is often impeded by 
 the same cause. Frost has no effect in 
 disintegrating such soil ; and the upturned 
 land is, therefore, very little benefited by 
 
 being fallowed. 
 
 The House at Stanton Harcourt was sur- 
 rounded by a moat, which on one side di- 
 lated into fish-ponds. In his '' Natural His- 
 tory of Oxfordshire," Mr. Plott writes as 
 follows : — 
 
 " I met with a contrivance for fish-ponds at the 
 Right Worshipful Sir Philip Harcourt's at Stanton 
 Harcourt, where the stews not only feed one an- 
 other, as the ponds of the Right Honorable the 
 Earl of Clarendon at Cornbury, the learned James 
 Tyrril's, Eq^^, at Shotover Forrest, and may be 
 served by letting the water of the upper ponds 
 out into the lower, but by a side-ditch cut along 
 by them, and sluices out of each, may be any of 
 them emptied without letting the water into, or 
 giving the least disturbance to, any of the rest ; 
 which being a convenience that I never met 
 with before, and perhaps unknown to many, 
 I thought good to mention." 
 
 Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his pleasant little 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 51 
 
 volume, ^'Our Old Home," published in 
 1864, speaks thus of Stanton Harcourt :— 
 
 "Stanton Harcourt is a very curious old place. 
 It was formerly the seat of the ancient family of 
 Harcourt, which now has its principal abode at 
 Nuneham Courtenay, a few miles off. The lodge 
 is a relic of the family mansion or castle, other 
 portions of whicli are close at hand ; for across 
 the garden rise two grey towers, both of them 
 picturesquely venerable, and interesting for more 
 than their antiquity. One of these towers, in its 
 entire capacity from height to depth, constituted 
 the kitchen of the ancient castle, and is still used 
 for domestic purposes, although it has not, nor 
 ever had, a chimney ; or we might rather say, it 
 is itself one vast chimney, with a hearth of thirty 
 feet square, and a flue and aperture of the same 
 size. There are two huge fireplaces within, and 
 the interior walls of the tower are blackened with 
 the smoke that for centuries used to gush forth 
 from them, and climb upward, seeking an exit 
 through some wide air-holes in the conical roof, 
 full seventy feet above. These lofty openings 
 were capable of being so arranged, with refer- 
 ence to the wind, that the cooks are said to 
 have been seldom troubled by the smoke ; and 
 here, no doubt, they were accustomed to roast 
 oxen whole, with as little fuss and ado as a 
 
52 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 modern cook would roast a fowl. The inside 
 of the tower is very dim and sombre (being no- 
 thing but rough stone walls, lighted only from 
 the aperture above-mentioned), and has still a 
 pungent odour of smoke and soot, the reminis- 
 cence of the fires and feasts of generations that 
 have passed away. Methinks the extremest range 
 of domestic economy lies between an American 
 cooking - stove and the ancient kitchen, seventy 
 dizzy feet in height, and all one fireplace, of 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 " Now — the place being without a parallel in 
 England, and therefore necessarily beyond the 
 experience of an American — it is somewhat re- 
 markable that, while we stood gazing at this 
 kitchen, I was haunted and perplexed by an idea 
 that somewhere or other I had seen just this 
 strange spectacle before. The height, the black- 
 ness, the dismal void before my eyes, seemed as 
 familiar as the decorous neatness of my grand- 
 mother's kitchen ; only my unaccountable memory 
 of the scene was lighted up with an image of lurid 
 fires blazing all round the dim interior circuit 
 of the tower. I had never before had so perti- 
 nacious an attack, as I could not but suppose it, 
 of that odd state of mind wherein we fitfully and 
 teasingly remember some previous scene or in- 
 cident, of which the one now passing appears to 
 be but the echo and reduplication. 
 
 II 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 53 
 
 " Though the explanation of the mystery did 
 not for some time occur to me, I may as well 
 conclude the matter here. In a letter of Pope's, 
 addressed to the Duke of Buckingham, there is 
 an account of Stanton Harcourt (as I now find, 
 although the name is not mentioned), where he 
 resided while translating a part of the Iliad, It 
 is one of the most admirable pieces of descrip- 
 tion in the language — playful and picturesque, 
 with fine touches of humorous pathos— and con- 
 veys as perfect a picture as was ever drawn of 
 a decayed English country-house; and among 
 other rooms, most of which have since crumbled 
 down and disappeared, he dashes off the grim 
 aspect of this kitchen, which, moreover, he peoples 
 with witches, engaging Satan himself as head-cook, 
 who stirs the infernal cauldrons that seethe and 
 bubble over the fires. This letter, and others 
 relative to his abode here, were very familiar to 
 my earlier reading, and, remaining still fresh at 
 the bottom of my memory, caused the weird 
 and ghostly sensation that came over me on be- 
 holding the real spectacle that had formerly been 
 made so vivid to my imagination. 
 
 " Our next visit was to the church, which stands 
 close by, and is quite as ancient as the remnants 
 of the castle. In a chapel or side-aisle, dedicated 
 to the Harcourts, are found some very interesting 
 family monuments, and among them, recumbent 
 
54 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 •n a tombstone, the figure of an armed knight 
 of the Lancastrian party, who was slain in the 
 Wars of the Roses. His features, dress, and ar- 
 mour are painted in colours, still wonderfully fresh, 
 and there still blushes the symbol of the Red 
 Rose, denoting the faction for which he fought 
 and died. His head rests upon an alabaster or 
 marble helmet ; and on the tomb lies the veritable 
 helmet, it is to be presumed, which he wore in 
 battle — a ponderous iron case, with the visor 
 complete, and remnants of the gilding that once 
 covered it The crest is a large peacock, not of 
 metal, but of wood. Very possibly this helmet 
 was but an heraldic adornment of his tomb ; and, 
 indeed, it seems strange that it has not been 
 stolen before now, especially in Cromweirs time, 
 when knightly tombs were little respected, and 
 when armour was in request. However, it is 
 needless to dispute with the dead knight about 
 the identity of his iron pot, and we may as well 
 allow it to be the very same that so often gave 
 him the headache in his lifetime. 
 
 "Leaning against the wall, at the foot of the 
 tomb, is the shaft of a spear, with a wofully tat- 
 tered and utterly faded banner appended to it— 
 the knightly banner beneath which he marshalled 
 his followers in the field. As it was absolutely 
 falling to pieces, I tore off one little bit, no bigger 
 than a finger-nail, and put it into my waistcoat- 
 
 St ANTON Harcourt. 
 
 55 
 
 pocket; but seeking it subsequently, it was not 
 
 to be found. 
 
 "On the opposite side of the little chapel, two 
 or three yards from this tomb, is another monu- 
 ment, on which lie, side by side, one of the same 
 knightly race of Harcourts, and his lady. The 
 tradition of the family is, that this knight was 
 standard-bearer of Henry of Richmond in the 
 battle of Bosworth Field i; and a banner, sup- 
 posed to be the same that he carried, now droops 
 over his effigy. It is just such a colourless silk 
 rag as the one already described. The knight 
 has the Order of the Garter on his knee, and the 
 lady wears it on her left arm — an odd place 
 enough for a garter ; but if worn in its proper 
 locality, it could not be decorously visible. 
 
 " The complete preservation and good condition 
 of these statues, even to the minutest adornment 
 of the sculpture, and their very noses— the most 
 vulnerable part of a marble man as of a living 
 one — are miraculous. Except in Westminster 
 Abbey, among the chapels of the kings, I have 
 seen none so well preserved. Perhaps they owe 
 it to the loyalty of Oxfordshire, diffused through- 
 out its neighbourhood by the influence of the 
 University, during the great civil war and the 
 
 ' Mr. Hawthorne has made a mistake between Sir Robert Har- 
 court and Sir Thomas Harcourt ; it was the latter, whose tomb 
 he previously described, who was at the battle of Bosworth. 
 
 iV 
 
 T 
 
f 
 
 56 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 rule of the Parliament. It speaks well, too, for 
 the upright and kindly character of this old family, 
 that the peasantry, among whom they had lived 
 for ages, did not desecrate their tombs, when it 
 might have been done with impunity. 
 
 "There are other and more recent memorials 
 of the Harcourts, one of which is the last lord, 
 who died about a hundred years ago^ ; his figure, 
 like those of his ancestors, lies on the top of his 
 tomb, clad, not in armour, but in his robes as 
 a peer. The title is now extinct, but the family 
 survives in a younger branch, and still holds this 
 patrimonial estate, though they have long since 
 quitted it as a residence. 
 
 "We next went to see the ancient fish-ponds 
 appertaining to the mansion, and which used to 
 be of vast dietary importance to the family in 
 Catholic times, and when fish was not otherwise 
 attainable. There are two or three, or more, of 
 these reservoirs, one of which is of very respect- 
 able size, — large enough, indeed, to be really a 
 picturesque object, with its grass-green borders, 
 and the trees drooping over it, and the towers of 
 the castle and the church reflected within the 
 weed-grown depths of its smooth mirror. A sweet 
 fragrance, as it were, of ancient time and present 
 quiet and seclusion was breathing all around ; the 
 
 '' This is the tomb of George Simon, the last Earl but one, 
 who died 1809. 
 
 V 
 
 sunshine of to-day had a mellow charm of an- 
 tiquity in its brightness. These ponds are said 
 still to breed abundance of such fish as love deep 
 and quiet waters ; but I saw only some minnows, 
 and one or two snakes, which were lying among 
 the weeds on the top of the water, sunning and 
 bathing themselves at once. 
 
 " I mentioned that there were two towers re- 
 maining of the old castle; the one containing 
 the kitchen we have already visited, the other, 
 still more interesting, is next to be described. It 
 is some seventy feet high, grey and reverend, but 
 in excellent repair, though I could not perceive 
 that anything had been done to renovate it. The 
 basement -story was once the family chapel, and 
 is, of course, still a consecrated spot. At one 
 corner of the tower is a circular turret, within 
 which a narrow staircase, with worn steps of stone, 
 winds round and round as it climbs upward, giving 
 access to a chamber on each floor, and finally 
 emerging on the battlemented roof. Ascending 
 this turret-stair, and arriving at the third story, 
 we enter a chamber, not large, though occupying 
 the whole area of the tower, and lighted by a 
 window on each side. It was wainscoted from 
 floor to ceiling with dark oak, and had a little 
 fireplace in one of the corners. The window- 
 panes were small and set in lead. The curiosity 
 of this room is, that it was once the residence of 
 
58 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Pope, and that he here wrote a considerable part 
 of the translation of Homer, and likewise, no 
 doubt, the admirable letters to which I have 
 
 referred above. 
 
 " The room once contained a record by himself, 
 scratched with a diamond on one of the window- 
 panes (since removed to safe keeping to Nuneham 
 Courtenay, where it was shewn me), purporting 
 that he had here finished the fifth book of the 
 Iliad, on such a day. 
 
 **A poet has a fragrance about him, such as 
 no other human being is gifted withal ; it is in- 
 destructible, and clings for evermore to every- 
 thing he has touched. I was not impressed at 
 Blenheim with any sense that the mighty Duke 
 still haunted the palace that was created for him ; 
 but here, after a century and a-half, we are still 
 conscious of the presence of that decrepit little 
 fi'rure of Oueen Anne's time, although he w^as 
 merely a casual guest in the old tower during 
 one or two summer months. 
 
 *' However brief the time and slight the connec- 
 tion, his spirit cannot be exorcised so long as the 
 tower stands. In my mind, moreover. Pope, or 
 any other person with avaikible claim, is right in 
 adhering to the spot dead or alive; for I never 
 saw a chamber that I should like better to inhabit, 
 — so comfortably small, in such a safe inaccessible 
 seclusion, and with a varied landscape from each 
 
 i 
 
 Sk 
 
 ♦ 
 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 59 
 
 window. One of them looks upon the church, 
 close at hand, and down into the green church- 
 yard, extending almost to the foot of the tower ; 
 the others have views wide and far, over a gently 
 undulating tract of country. If desirous of a loftier 
 elevation, about a dozen more steps of the turret- 
 stair will bring the occupant to the summit of the 
 tower, where Pope used to come, no doubt, in the 
 summer evenings, and peep — poor little shrimp 
 that he was ! — through the embrasures of the 
 battlement." 
 
 And now we must return to the family 
 pedigree. Robert and Isabel de Harcourt 
 had four sons and one daughter, William, 
 surnamed "the Englishman,'' his heir; 
 Oliver de Harcourt, who joined Prince 
 Louis of France and his party against King 
 John, and was made prisoner at the battle 
 of Lincoln, a.d. 1217; John de Harcourt, 
 who lived at Roledge, or Rodeley in Lei- 
 cestershire, having married Hawis, daughter 
 of Sir William Burdet ; Sir Robert de Har- 
 court, who married Dionysia, daughter and 
 co-heir of Henry Pipard, of Lap worth in 
 Warwickshire; and Alice, married first to 
 
6o 
 
 Early History of 
 
 John de Limesi, and afterwards to Walleran 
 de Newburg, Earl of Warwick. In the 
 ** Probationes sub Richardo Primo," we read, 
 that— 
 
 "Waleran, Earl of Warwick, owed the King lOO 
 marks, to marry Alice, daughter of Sir Robert 
 Harcourt, widow of John de Liniesse." 
 
 William de Harcourt, eldest son of Sir 
 Robert and Isabel, was called ** the English- 
 man," to distinguish him from others of the 
 same name; he adhered to King John 
 against Louis the Dauphin of France, and 
 the rebellious Barons, in 1 2 1 6 ; and went 
 with Sayer de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, 
 to the Holy Land, 12 18. He was present 
 at the siege of Damietta, In 1219, he was 
 made Governor of Tamworth Castle. He 
 married, by appointment of King John, Alice, 
 eldest daughter and heiress of Thomas Noel 
 of Ellenhall and Ronton. She had for her 
 portion Ellenhall, Seighford, Bridgeford, &c., 
 in Staffordshire, and Grandborough in War- 
 wickshire, &c. Her younger sister, Joane, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 61 
 
 who married William Dunston, had Ronton ; 
 which, however, afterwards reverted to the 
 descendants of Alice. From Phillip, younger 
 brother of Thomas Noel, the Earls of Gains- 
 borough are descended. William de Har- 
 court was buried in Worcester Cathedral, 
 where there is a monument to him, with 
 his legs crossed, in indication of his having 
 been a Crusader. He had two sons and 
 one daughter; Sir Richard, his heir; Sir 
 Henry, knighted in 1278; and Hellen, wife 
 of Hugh Bigot, Chief Justice of England. 
 
 The eldest son, Sir Richard, Lord of 
 Stanton Harcourt and Ellenhall, married 
 Arabella, daughter of Sayer de Quincy, 
 Earl of Winchester, Constable of Scotland ; 
 who by her mother, Margaret (sister and 
 co-heir of Robert Fitz-Parnel, Earl of Lei- 
 cester), was descended from Touroude, the 
 eldest son of Torf. She brought with her 
 the Manors of Bosworth, Aileston, and 
 Charnwood, in Leicestershire. 
 
 Sir Richard had two sons and one 
 daughter; the elder son w^as Sir William, 
 
\ 
 
 62 
 
 Eart.v History of 
 
 who succeeded him; the second son was 
 Sayer de Harcourt, who joined Simon Mont- 
 fort, Earl of Leicester, against King Henry 
 the Second, and, being taken at the battle 
 of Evesham, August 6, 1266, died in prison 
 the same year, disseized of his lands; the 
 daucrhter, Maud, married Sir Giles Peneston. 
 Sir Richard died 1258. 
 
 Sir William de Harcourt was summoned 
 by Henry the Third, in 1263, to attend him 
 at Worcester on Lammas -day (August i), 
 sufficiently furnished with horse and arms 
 to fight against Llewellyn, Prince of Wales ; 
 and again, in 1264, he was summoned to 
 join the King at Oxford, to march against 
 the same prince. Sir William was after- 
 wards seduced, as well as his younger 
 brother, Sayer, by Simon de Montfort, into 
 joining his party against the King; but, 
 after the battle of Evesham, he received 
 the Kings pardon, under the benefit of the 
 "Dictum de Kenilworth,'* Oct. 31, 1266. 
 
 Sir William married two wives; first, 
 Alice, daughter of Alan la Zouche, by whom 
 
 \ 
 
 TIIK HaRCOURTS. 
 
 63 
 
 he had two daughters, Margery, married to 
 Sir John Cantelupe, and Arabella, married 
 to Sir Fulke Pembrugge ; second, Hillaria, 
 daughter of Henry Lord Hastings, by his 
 wife Ada, daughter of the Earl of Hunting- 
 don, brother to Malcolm the Fourth and 
 William the Lion, Kings of Scotland. By 
 his second wife. Sir William had an only 
 son, Richard, who succeeded him in 1279. 
 
 Richard de Harcourt, in 1293, obtained 
 from King Edward the First a grant of the 
 fairs and markets at Bosworth, which re- 
 mained in the family till the reign of Henry 
 the Eighth ; he married Margaret, daughter 
 of Sir John Beke, of Eresby in Lincolnshire, 
 and sister and co-heir of Sir Walter Beke. 
 He had two sons, — Sir John, his successor, 
 and Nicholas, Rector of Shippey in Leices- 
 tershire. He died in 1293. 
 
 Sir John de Harcourt was knighted at 
 Whitsuntide, 1306, with Edward, Prince of 
 Wales, and served with King Edward the 
 First in Scotland. He had two wives ; first, 
 Ellen, daughter of Eudo la Zouch, and Mili- 
 
64 
 
 Early History of 
 
 cent his wife, by whom he had an only son, 
 William ; second, Alice, daughter of Peter 
 Corbet of Cans Castle in Shropshire, but 
 by her he had no issue. Sir John died 
 in 1330. 
 
 Sir William married Jane, daughter of 
 Richard Lord Grey, of Codnor ; by her he 
 had two sons. Sir Richard, the elder, and 
 Sir Thomas, the younger; he died, June 6, 
 1349. His widow survived him twenty 
 years, having married, secondly, Ralph de 
 Ferrers. 
 
 The eldest son. Sir Richard, died during 
 the lifetime of his father. He married Joan, 
 daughter and heir of Sir William Shareshull, 
 of Shareshull in Staffordshire, Lord Chief 
 J ustice of England. He left an only daughter, 
 Elizabeth, who married Thomas, second son 
 of Lord Astley, from whom he obtained 
 Newton in Leicestershire. 
 
 The younger son, Thomas, was Knight 
 of the Shire for the county of Oxford, 1376, 
 and custodian of Oxford Castle. He mar- 
 ried Maud, daughter of Lord Grey, of Ro- 
 
 . 
 
 THE Harcourts. 
 
 6^ 
 
 therfield, by his second wife, Avice, daughter 
 and co-heir of John, Lord Marmion; she 
 had Coggs' and Hardwicke assigned to her 
 
 1 The Barony of Arsic consisted of Coggs, Hardwicke, and 
 Standlake. It belonged in 1103 to Manasser Arsic, who was 
 High Sheriff of Oxon. 9th Henry II. His grandson, John Arsic, 
 married Margaret, daughter of Richard de Vernon. He had no 
 issue, and was succeeded by his brother, John Arsic, who married 
 Sibylla de Crevequer. They had two daughters, Joan de Greinvill, 
 and Alice de Haye ; who, notwithstanding that they had a half- 
 brother, Gerard, were co-heiresses ; and on the death of their 
 mother, whose dower was fixed on Coggs, made over the Barony 
 of Arsic, with the other vast possessions of their father, to Walter 
 de Grey, Archbishop of York. The Archbishop was the fifth 
 son of Henry de Grey of Codnovre, or Codnor, who lived in the 
 time of Richard the First. Henry de Grey had five sons : — 
 I. Richard de Codnovre, 2. John de Wilton and Ruthin, 3. Wil- 
 liam de Landford, 4. Robert de Rotherfield, 5. Walter, Arch- 
 bishop of York. Robert, the fourth son, received Rotherfield as 
 a gift from his younger brother, the Archbishop, who also en- 
 dowed his nephew, Walter, son of Robert, with the Barony of 
 Arsic. Walter the younger died, leaving a son, Robert, who 
 married Avice, daughter of William de St. Lice, he died seised 
 of the Barony of Arsic, by the service of keeping Dover Castle. 
 He left a son, John, twenty-four years old, who married Margaret, 
 daughter and co-heiress of William de Odingfells, she had Coggs 
 for her dower. He was succeeded by his son John, who was twice 
 married ; first, to Katherine, daughter and co-heiress of Bryan 
 Fitz-alan of Bedall ; secondly, to Avice, daughter and co-heiress 
 of John, Lord Marmion, who brought him the manor of Berewyke 
 in Sussex. He left a son, John, by his first wife, and by his 
 second wife, Avice (who had Coggs for her dower) ; he left 
 a daughter, Maud, married to John de Botetourt of Weoley, and 
 
 i 
 
 K 
 
for dower. Maud was first married to John 
 de Botetourt of Weoley. Sir Thomas was 
 knighted in 1366 by King Edward the 
 Third, by which King he was granted 
 general letters of attorney for one year, on 
 his going in his service to Milan, with 
 Lionel, Duke of Clarence. He had two 
 sons, Thomas and Richard, and died April 
 12, 141 7. He left it in his will, that he 
 should be buried by the side of his mother 
 in Ronton Abbey. 
 
 Of his two sons, Thomas, the elder, mar- 
 ried Joan, daughter of Sir Robert Francis 
 of Forwark in Derbyshire. He had five 
 sons and two daughters. He died on the 
 third of June, 1460, and was buried at Stan- 
 ton Harcourt. 
 
 Sir Robert was the eldest son, but the 
 succession, on the failure of his heirs in the 
 fourth generation, passed to the grandson 
 of his brother, Sir Richard. Sir Robert 
 
 afterwards to Thomas de Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt. When 
 the male line of Grey of Rotherfield failed, an heiress took Coggs 
 to the Lovells. Minster Lovell remains with the name of the 
 family. 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 67 
 
 was Sheriff of Leicestershire and Warwick- 
 shire in 1445. At the time when a mar- 
 riao-e was concluded between Henry the 
 Sixth, and Margaret, daughter of the King 
 of Sicily, Sir Robert Harcourt was sent 
 with others to receive her at Rouen. We 
 find a note of the Kings largess on this 
 occasion : — 
 
 "To our well -beloved Robert Harcourt, K^, 
 ;ti5 i8s. 6d. for the wages of him and 2 yeomen 
 for 30 days, being in the parties of Ffrance and 
 Normandie, attendyng upon the saveguard of oure 
 moost deere & best-beloved wyf the Queene." 
 
 He was Governor of Vernon in Nor- 
 mandy, and was also High Steward of the 
 University of Oxford. In 1463 he was 
 made a Knight of the Garter. There is 
 no account of the time of his election en- 
 tered in the Black Book of the Garter, but 
 divers manuscripts inform us that it was in 
 the 3rd of Edward the Fourth, and that he 
 succeeded Viscount Beaumont in the twelfth 
 stall on the Princes' side. That book is 
 
68 
 
 Early History of 
 
 also silent as to the offering his achieve- 
 ments after his death; but other manu- 
 scripts assure us that at St George's feast, 
 1471, which was the nth of Edward the 
 Fourth, the Duke of Gloucester and Lord 
 Berners offered the sword of Sir Robert 
 Harcourt, and that the Earl of Essex and 
 the Earl Douglas offered his helmet. The 
 Black Book of the Garter, on 29th April, 
 4th of Edward the Fourth, takes notice, 
 that Sir Robert Harcourt's attendance was 
 excused, with some others, as one of those 
 who were engaged in urgent affairs for the 
 King, and that he was afterwards present 
 at the feasts kept at Windsor on 29th April, 
 the 5th of Edward the Fourth, on the 27th 
 April, the 6th of Edward the Fourth, and 
 on the 22nd April, 7th of Edward the 
 Fourth ; which is the whole that book con- 
 tains relating to him. 
 
 In this same year there was a reward of 
 ;^300 given him by the King for the laud- 
 able service done by him at the siege of 
 Alnwicke Castle, 28 April, 1465. 
 
 
 ! 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 69 
 
 "In consideration of the great and laudable 
 service that our right wel-beloved Knight, Sir 
 Robert Harcourt, did unto us at the seige of our 
 Castle of Alnewyk, and after the getting of the 
 same in keeping therof, not only to his grete co- 
 mendation and worship, but also to his grete 
 charge and cost, we have given him CCC^. by 
 way of reward." 
 
 On the 6th of May in the same year, he 
 was sent on an embassy to King Louis XL 
 of France, in company with Richard Nevil, 
 Earl of Warwick (surnamed the King- 
 maker), to treat for peace. 
 
 The following is addressed to the Keeper 
 of the Privy Purse in the 7th of Edward 
 the Fourth : — 
 
 "We have graunted unto our trusty and well- 
 beloved Sir Robert Harcourt, one of the Knights 
 of the Garter, the some of ^^60, by way of reward 
 for the costs and expences of the sayd Robert 
 Harcourt, for the tyme of his going of late with 
 our right truste and entierly beloved cousin th'erl 
 of Warrewyk, in our ambassiade to our Cousin, 
 King Lowys of Ffrance into Normandie, his 
 abode there and comyng from thens unto us." 
 
 This is dated at Windsor. 
 
\i 
 
 70 
 
 Early History of 
 
 Sir Robert was killed by some of the 
 Staffords of the Lancastrian party on the 
 14 of Nov. 1 47 1. A deed dated 16th of 
 Edward the Fourth, declares that Margaret, 
 late wife of Sir Robert Harcourt, remitted 
 to William Stafford, late of Grafton in the 
 county of Worcester, to bastard Humphry 
 Stafford of that place, Esq., and to Thomas 
 Stafford of the same place, Esq., all actions 
 of appeal, robbery, felonies, &c. ; and prin- 
 cipally the appeal which she had brought 
 against them for the death of her said hus- 
 band. This was six years after Sir Robert's 
 death. He and his wife were buried at 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Sir Robert had four sons; the eldest, 
 John, his successor; and three younger sons, 
 Robert, Thomas, and George, who all died 
 
 without issue. 
 
 John Harcourt was twenty years old at 
 the time of his father's death ; he married 
 Anne, daughter of Sir John Norris, of Bray 
 in Berkshire, and died on the 26th of June, 
 1485, at the age of thirty-four. He was 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 71 
 
 Sheriff of Stafford ; and we find in the " Pro- 
 bationes sub Edvardo Quarto :"— 
 
 " Priv : Sis? : ffeb. 5. E. 4 to make an assign- 
 ment of 8o'.\o John Harcourt, Squyer, Sherif of 
 Stafford, out of the issues of his baillywick." 
 
 This goodly custom of reimbursing the 
 Sheriffs has long since ceased. The said 
 John was also attached to the court; we 
 read — 
 
 "John Harecourt unus generossorum Camera: 
 Regis, 18. E. 4." 
 
 He was succeeded by his only son, Sir 
 Robert Harcourt, who was standard-bearer 
 to King Henry the Seventli at the battle 
 of Bosworth, on the 22nd of August, 1485- 
 In 1495 he was made a Knight of the Bath, 
 at the same time with Henry, Duke of York, 
 afterwards King Henry the Eighth. He 
 was made a Knight Banneret on June 22nd, 
 1497, for his gallant conduct at the battle 
 of Blackheath, against James, Lord Audley, 
 and his Cornish followers. He married 
 Agnes, daughter of Thomas Lymbrake. 
 
He was buried at Stanton Harcourt; his 
 tomb is opposite that of his grandfather. 
 He was Sheriff of Oxon and Berks. 
 
 " Priv : Sig : 1 1 May 8 Hy. Whereas we have 
 odeigned our webeloved Rob. Ilarceurte, Squyer, 
 to be Shiref of our Counties of Oxon & Berks 
 for this present yere in wch. He shal susteigne 
 great losse, ye assigne him iiiiC*. 
 
 In 1 50 1, Sir Robert was by a deed of the 
 King appointed ** Steward of the Manors and 
 Lordships of Ewelme, Tackley, Swyncombe, 
 Lewknor, Newnham, Swerford, Hooknorton, 
 Kidhngton, Thorp, and Garsington, with all 
 the members and appurtenances, with the 
 Mastership of the game of the Park of 
 Ewelme, which late were of our rebel traitor, 
 Edmund, late Earl of Suffolk, and at the 
 present, by reason of his rebellion, have come 
 to our hands and disposal.'' 
 
 Sir Robert had an only son, John, who 
 died without offspring in his father's lifetime. 
 There were four daughters, who became 
 co-heiresses. The family property now went 
 back to Sir Richard s branch ; Sir Richard 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 73 
 
 had three wives, — first, Edith, daughter and 
 heir of Thomas St. Clair ; and we read that — 
 
 "the King (Edward the 4*^), in consideration of 
 the good services which Richard Harecourt, Esq., 
 had performed unto Richard Duke of York, father 
 to the King, and to himself, granted him and 
 Edith his wife, and the issue male of their two 
 bodies, the mannor of Shotswell in Warwick." 
 
 By her he had a son, Christopher, and 
 a daughter, Anne, married first to Henry 
 Fiennes, Lord Say and Sele; secondly, to 
 John, son of Simon Montfort. We read 
 that — 
 
 "Henry, who called himself Lord Say, & who 
 dyed i August, 16 E. 4, left issue by Anne his 
 wife, daughter of Sir Richard Harcourt of Stanton 
 Harcourt, a son." 
 
 Sir Richard's second wife was Eleanor, 
 daughter of Sir Roger Lewknor, of Rounton 
 in Staffordshire ; by her he had an only son, 
 John, who married Margaret, daughter of 
 William Bray, of Lembridge in Hereford- 
 shire. Sir Richard's third wife was Ca- 
 therine, widow of Sir Miles Stapleton, who 
 
74 
 
 Early History of 
 
 presented him with an only son, William. 
 Sir Richard was Sheriff of Oxon and Berks. 
 
 "Priv: Sig: 14 Nov: 5 E. 4. Whereas we have 
 appointed Richard Harcourt, K"*., to be Sheriff 
 of Oxford and Berks: for the year next coming, 
 ye pay lOoV* 
 
 The following letter was written by John 
 Paston, to Sir John Paston, Knight, dated 
 Norwich, 21st of Sept., 1472, 12th Ed- 
 ward IV. 
 
 "Letyng you wit, yK y''. desyer as for the 
 Knyghts of the Shyer was an ipossoybyl to be 
 browght a bowght, fifor my Lord of Norff, and 
 my Lord Suff, wer agreid mor then a fortnyght 
 go to have S^ Rob^ Wyngfeld, and S^ Rychard 
 Harcort." 
 
 Sir Richard died Oct. i, 1487; in the 
 
 " Probationes sub Henrico Septimo," we 
 
 find— 
 
 "in libro Logge in Curia Praerog. Cantuar., p. 204. 
 — I, Richard Harecourte, of Witham in Berks, 
 make my will this 25 Sep*., i486 .... to be buried 
 in the Church of oure Lady in the Abby of 
 Abingdon .... for the soule of Edyth, sometyme 
 my wif, and for the soule of Dame Katerine now 
 my wife, when she shall depart out of this world. 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 75 
 
 , . . . My Sonne, William Harecourte .... my 
 daughter, Isabel .... Alice, my daughter, wiff to 
 W"^. Bessillys .... Margarette, the daughter of 
 Edward Harcourt, be in the ruling of my wife . . . 
 and that Symond, and Richard his brother, be 
 likewise." 
 
 Then follows an indenture, — 
 
 "that his feoffees make an estate to Katherine 
 his wife .... and after her decease to William his 
 son, and to the heirs male of his body, and for 
 default of such, to Symond, brother of the said 
 Richard, and the heirs male of his body, and for 
 default thereof to Miles Harcourt : the remainder 
 to Anne, late wife of Henry ffenys, Lord Say, 
 and to Alice, wife of William Besiles .... to fane, 
 wife of John Hodeston, Esq., Sometime wife of 
 Christopher Harcourt, and after her decease to 
 Richard, son of the said fane . . . Symond, brother 
 to the said Richard. Probat. 25 Oct. 2 H. 7." 
 
 We also find the will of Catherine : — • 
 
 "I, Dame Katherine Harecourt, widow, make 
 my will 7 July, 1488 .... to be buried in the 
 Abby of Rowley in Oxfordshire, &c." 
 
 Sir Christopher, eldest son and heir of 
 Sir Richard, who lived at Wytham, was 
 married to Joan, daughter and heir of Sir 
 
76 
 
 ExVRLY History of 
 
 Miles Stapleton, who was father of Sir 
 Richard^s third wife. He died in 1474, in 
 his father's lifetime. He left three sons; 
 first, Richard, who had no children; his 
 will runs as follows : — 
 
 "I, Richard Harecourt, Esq., dwellyng in Abing- 
 don, 23 Janry., 15 12 .... to be buried in the 
 abbey of Rewley, on the right side of the grave 
 of Dame Agnes Harecourt, sometyme my wife. . . . 
 That Margery my wife have my land called Ley 
 ffarme, and after her decease, to the Heirs of two 
 bodies comyng, and for default thereof, to my 
 Neveu, Edmond Harcourt, the youngest of my 
 brother Symond, and for want of heirs mailes of 
 his body, to my Cosen, Richard Harecourt, my 
 Unkill William Harecourt's youngest son, of Corne- 
 bury Park .... my father, Cristofer Harecourt, 
 and Grandfather, S^ Richard Harcouite .... all 
 other my goods to my wife, I will that lytell 
 Eliz., my wif's youngest daughter, have the most 
 part to her marriage. Frobat., 15 13." 
 
 *' E Libro Holder." 
 
 We also find '' E Libro Bodfeld :"— 
 
 ** I Marery Hartcourte, of Abindon, w-iddow, 
 8 May, 1523, to be buried in the monastery of 
 Abendon, beside James Bray broke, sumtyme my 
 
 . 
 
 i 
 
 
 TIIK HaRCOUKTS. 
 
 77 
 
 husband . . . my husband Thomas Ilumfrcy . . . 
 my husband Richard Harcourt ... to my son 
 Olyver Wellysburnc, to my d"" Eliz. Bray broke 
 . . . to Olyver, Margery, Alice, J^ryget, & Mar- 
 garet, children of my daughter Margaret Ogan . . . 
 to Thomas Braybroke my son. Probat. 19 Jany., 
 
 1523- 
 
 M 
 
 Sir Simon, the second son, who succeeded 
 his father, inherited the manor of Wytham 
 from his father ; half of the manor of 
 Wytham was held of the Abbot and Con- 
 vent of Abingdon, by the payment of one 
 sack of wheat, and doing suit to the Court 
 of Cumnor. Sir Simon was twice married, 
 firstly, to Agnes, daughter of Thomas Day- 
 rell, of Scotney, in the county of Salop : and 
 secondly, to the widow of Sir Richard York. 
 By his first marriage he had two sons. John 
 and Edmond. 
 
 On the failure of the line of Sir Robert 
 Harcourt, K.G., Sir Simon inherited from 
 his cousin John Harcourt, Stanton Harcourt. 
 Ellcnhall, Ronton, and other properties. 
 He distinguished himself at the sici^es of 
 Terouenne and Tournay, and at the action 
 
A 
 
 76 
 
 Early History of 
 
 Miles Stapleton, who was father of Sir 
 Richard's third wife. He died in 1474, in 
 his father*s lifetime. He left three sons ; 
 first, Richard, who had no children ; his 
 will runs as follows : — 
 
 '' I, Richard Ilarccourt, Esq., dwellyng in Abing- 
 don, 2^ Janry., 15 12 .... to be buried in the 
 abbey of Rewley, on the right side of the grave 
 of Dame Agnes Harecourt, sometyme my wife. . . . 
 That Margery my wife have my land called Ley 
 ffarme, and after her decease, to the Heirs of two 
 bodies comyng, and for default thereof, to my 
 Neveu, Edmond Harcourt, the youngest of my 
 brother Symond, and for want of heirs mailes of 
 his body, to my Cosen, Richard Harecourt, my 
 Unkill William Harecourt's youngest son, of Corne- 
 bury Park .... my father, Cristofer Harecourt, 
 and Grandfather, S"". Richard Harcourte .... all 
 other my goods to my wife. I will that lytell 
 Eliz., my wif's youngest daughter, have the most 
 part to her marriage. Probat., 15 13." 
 " E Libro Holder." 
 
 We also find '* E Libro Bodfeld :"— 
 
 "I Marery Hartcourte, of Abindon, widdow, 
 8 May, 1523, to be buried in the monastery of 
 Abendon, beside James Braybroke, sumtyme my 
 
 husband . . . my husband Thomas Humfrey . 
 my husband Richard Harcourt ... to my son 
 Olyver Wellysburne, to my d'' Eliz. Braybroke 
 ... to Olyver, Margery, Alice, Bryget, & Mar- 
 garet, children of my daughter Margaret Ogan . . . 
 to Thomas Braybroke my son. Probat. 19 Jany., 
 1523." 
 
 Sir Simon, the second son, who succeeded 
 his father, inherited the manor of Wytham 
 from his father; half of the manor of 
 Wytham was held of the Abbot and Con- 
 vent of Abingdon, by the payment of one 
 sack of wheat, and doing suit to the Court 
 of Cumnor. Sir Simon was twice married, 
 firstly, to Agnes, daughter of Thomas Day- 
 rcll, of Scotney, in the county of Salop ; and 
 secondly, to the widow of Sir Richard York. 
 By his first marriage he had two sons, John 
 and Edmond. 
 
 On the failure of the line of Sir Robert 
 Harcourt, K.G., Sir Simon inherited from 
 his cousin John Harcourt, Stanton Harcourt, 
 Ellcnhall, Ronton, and other properties. 
 He distinguished himself at the sieges of 
 Terouenne and Tournay, and at the action 
 
M 
 
 78 
 
 Early History of 
 
 fought on August the i8th, 15 13, 5th of 
 Henry the Eighth, near Guinegate, com- 
 monly called the battle of the Spurs. He 
 was knighted for his bravery on these oc- 
 casions. He built the gate-house at Stanton 
 Harcourt, commonly called the Lodge, and 
 his arms, with those of Dayrell, appear on 
 the gateway. He died on the i6th of Jan. 
 1547, and was buried at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Sir John Harcourt, the eldest son of Sir 
 Simon, married Margaret, daughter and co- 
 heir of Sir William Barentyne, of Haselyn, 
 in Oxfordshire. By her he had six sons 
 and eight daughters; we read in the " Pro- 
 bationes sub Edvardo Sexto," that Sir John 
 Harcourt bought the lands of Harcourt in 
 Sussex. 
 
 Concerning his third daughter Ursula, we 
 read that she was 
 
 " married unto M^. Robert Gynes, Esq : of Sussex, 
 and died in ffleet S'^ within the city of London, 
 the 14^^ day of December, and was buried in 
 S*. Bride's Church, within the Chapell on the 
 north side of the same church, the 16^** day of 
 
 1 
 
 the said month of December, in the 14*^ year of 
 the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Queen Eliza- 
 beth, by the Grace of God, Queen of England, 
 ffrance, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c., 
 1 571. The afores^ M^ Robert Gynes, and Ursula 
 his wife, deceased, hath issue, Elizabeth their only 
 daughter living, being of four years of age. The 
 mourners at her fifuneral were, M^^ Mary Taverner, 
 sister to the defunct, M^^ Ridge, M^ Eliz. Knevit, 
 four brethren of the said defunct ware the black 
 Gownes, Viz* M^ Simon Harcourt of Oxford- 
 shire, Esq., M'". Robert Harcourt, Walter Harcourt, 
 and the penon was born by Henry Harcourt, 
 M"". Bedyll, preacher. Witnesseth W"^. Denthick, 
 Esq., als Yorke Herald of Arnies. Whereunto 
 the said M^ Robert Gynes hath subscribed, An** 
 et die predict. 1571." 
 
 Simon, the eldest son of Sir John, of 
 whom more hereafter, was Receiver-General 
 for the county of Hereford, in the year 1568. 
 Robert, the second son, was member for the 
 borough of Tarn worth. Michael, the third son, 
 also represented the borough of Tamworth, 
 with his brother Robert, in the year 1563. 
 Michael married Joan, heiress of John Til- 
 ney, and widow of Richard Greenaway, Esq., 
 and in her right he held the Manor of Leek- 
 
8o 
 
 Early History of 
 
 hampsted, In Bucks; and in the year 1597 
 was elected for the town of Buckingham. 
 He died 1597, and was buried there. 
 
 Sir Simon, eldest son of Sir John, had 
 three wives ; first, Mary, daughter of Ed- 
 ward Aston of Tixhall, in the county of 
 Stafford ; second, Grace, daughter of Hum- 
 phrey Fitz-Herbert of Upsal, in the county 
 of Hereford, and widow of William Robin- 
 son of Drayton - Bassett, in Staffordshire ; 
 and third, Jane, daughter of Sir William 
 Spencer of Wormleighton, in the county of 
 Warwick, (ancestor of the Duke of Marl- 
 borough), and widow of Sir Richard Bruges, 
 of Shefford in Berkshire. Sir Simon was 
 knighted by King Henry the Eighth, and 
 served the office of Sheriff for the counties 
 of Oxford and Berks : he died on the 27th 
 of July, 1577, the 19th of Elizabeth, and 
 was buried at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 He left five sons and four daughters by 
 his first wife, an only daughter by his second 
 wife, and had no children by his third wife. 
 The eldest son, Sir Walter, was knig-hted 
 
 THE HaRCOURTS. 
 
 8i 
 
 at Rouen by the Earl of Essex. He mar- 
 ried the daughter of his father's second 
 wife, namely, Dorothy, daughter of William 
 Robinson. The second son, John, mar- 
 ried Mary, daughter of Walter Jones of 
 Witney, and widow of Bryan De Cogges. 
 Sir Walter had two sons and three daugh- 
 ters, Robert, Michael, Grace, Jane, and 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 In ''Wood's Oxoniensis," 1721, which 
 purports to give an exact history of all the 
 writers and Bishops who had their educa- 
 tion at Oxford, from the year 1500 to the 
 year 1695, we read that — 
 
 " Robert Harcourt, son of Walter Harcourt, Esq., 
 of the antient and noble family of the Harcourts 
 of Staunton Harcourt, near to, and in the county 
 of Oxford, and of Ellenhall in Staffordshire, was 
 born at Ellenhall, and became a Gentleman Com- 
 moner of S^ Alban's Hall in the begining of the 
 year 1589, aged 15 years, where he continued 
 about 3 years. But the genius of this person 
 inclining him to see and to search out hidden 
 regions, he procured of King James the first, a 
 grant of letters patent, for the planting and in- 
 
 M 
 
habiting of all that tract of land, and part of 
 Guiana, between the river Amazones and Desse- 
 quebe, situated in America, under the equinoctial 
 line. Which, being so done, he began his voyage 
 in the very begining of the year 1609 '", with 23 
 landmen, (of whom his younger brother, called 
 Captain Michael Harcourt, then lately of Balliol 
 College, was one), two Indians, and 23 mariners 
 and sailors, all in a ship called the ' Rose,' a pin- 
 nace, and a shallop. After he had taken the 
 place, and had continued with his company near 
 three years, he wrote a relation of a voyage to 
 Guiana, describing the climate, situation, fertility, 
 provisions, and commodities of that country, con- 
 taining seven provinces and other seigniories 
 within that territory." 
 
 Both Collins and Edmondson make the 
 mistake of saying that Sir Robert Harcourt 
 went to Guiana with Sir Walter Raleigh ; 
 whereas Sir Walter Raleigh's voyages thither 
 took place, the one in 1595, and the other 
 in 161 7. 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt published two edi- 
 tions of a ** Relation of a Voyage to Guiana ;" 
 the first, dated 16 13, and the second 1626. 
 
 m 
 
 The exact date was March 23, 1608. 
 
 Both editions are to be found in the Library 
 at Nuneham. That published in 161 3, bears 
 the following inscription on the fly-leaf, — 
 
 " First edition, very rare, presented to the Nune- 
 ham Library, June 20, 1862. C. G. V. Harcourt ";" 
 
 and on the first page, is written, — 
 
 " Fmp*. Lond: 1689, price 6d. 
 
 ** Emp^ Lond: i860, price £S 8s. ; after a compe- 
 tition with a Commissioner for the American Go- 
 vernment, at a sale where there were many works 
 relating to America." 
 
 The Epistle Dedicatory of the first edition, 
 runs as follows : — 
 
 ** To the high and mighty Prince, Charles, Prince 
 of Great Hritaine. 
 
 " Having had tryall (most worthy Prince) of 
 your most renowned Brother Prince Henrie, his 
 many favours towardes mee, and princely further- 
 ance of my humble sute unto his Maiestie your 
 royall Father, and our dread Soveraigne, for ob- 
 tayning for mee his gracious Letters Pattents 
 for the planting and inhabiting of all that tract 
 of Land, and part of Guiana, betweene the river 
 Amazones, and Dessequebe, situate in America, 
 under the equinoctiall Line : whereof I have take 
 
 " Tenth son of Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
84 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 possession to his Maiesties use, and discovered 
 the maritime parts. I was greatly thereby in- 
 couraged to proceed in the enterprise, and had 
 (under his Maiesties favour) devoted myself unto 
 his service. But now, seeing (by God's permis- 
 sion) your excellent Brother, his princely Honour, 
 by right of succession is fallen upon your High- 
 nesse, and verily hoping, that you will not onely 
 equall, but also exceed him in vertuous exercises, 
 and advancing all honorable actios, and worthy 
 enterprises ; I have in like manner religiously 
 vowed the best fruits and effects of my in- 
 deavors unto your Highnesse service. 
 
 "And forasmuch as that part of the world 
 which wee now call America, was heretofore in 
 the yeere of our Lord 1 170, discovered, conquered, 
 and possessed by Madoc, one of the sons of Owen 
 Gwyneth, prince of North - Wales : I, therefore, 
 (in all humble reverence) present the [)rosecution 
 of this high action unto your gracious Patronage, 
 principally belonging of right unto you, being the 
 honourable, true, and worthy successor to the 
 Principality of Wales. If my travell & service 
 therin shall perform ought, woorthy of your 
 Princely regard, I shall much glory thereat, and 
 account it my happiest fortune, and greatest ho- 
 nour : and shall heartily pray unto the King of 
 kings to continue in your Hignesse a pious and 
 invincible heart ; and to give you a conquering 
 
 tif 
 
 and victorious hand ; and the dominion of many 
 rich and mighty kingdomes in this world, and in 
 the worlde to come, a Crowne of Glorie, in his 
 eternall kingdome. 
 
 ** Your Highnesse 
 " most humble devoted Servant, 
 
 *' Robert Harcourt." 
 
 The Epistle of Dedication to the second 
 edition, published 1626, thirteen years later, 
 
 is as follows, — 
 
 "To the most high and mightie Monarch, 
 Charles, by the grace of God, King of Great 
 Britaine, France and Ireland, Defender of the 
 P^aith, &c. 
 
 '• Sir, — It pleased his most excellent Ma*'% your 
 Royall heather (of happy memorie) through the 
 high favour of your most renowned brother the 
 Prince Henry, to grant his gracious Letters Patents 
 to me, and to my heires, for the Planting and in- 
 habiting (in America) of all that tract of Land, 
 & parte of Guiana, situate betweene the Rivers 
 of the Amazones, & Dessequebe : which (to my 
 great cost and expence) I had discovered, and 
 taken into Possession to his M^^^^' use ; By which 
 encouragement, I proceeded by all fitting endea- 
 vours to prosecute that enterprise, under your 
 gracious Patronage, as by the following Epistle 
 to your Highnes more fully may appeare. But 
 
86 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 it pleased our Omnipotent God (who by his in- 
 finite wisdome and divine Providence, governeth 
 and guideth all things) to suffer many crosses, & 
 grievous troubles to fall upon me, in the midst of 
 my preparations for that Action, which interrupted 
 the same, being then brought to forwardness. 
 
 "Whereupon it pleased his said Ma^'*^, for the 
 supportation & furtherance of so noble an Action, 
 to grant to a Corporation of Lords and Gentle- 
 men, all that tract of Land, and part of America, 
 between the river Wiapoco, & the said river 
 of Amazones, &c. By vertue of which grant, 
 that Ho"«'-^''i<> Gent., Roger North, Esquire, pro- 
 ceeded in the Enterprise, Transported loo. of his 
 Ma*''^^ Subjects into those parts, and settled there, 
 in the said river of the Amazones, to the advant- 
 age (at this time), both of his Country, and of 
 your Ma*'^ The happy proceeding of which Ac- 
 tion not-with-standing, was likewise diverted by 
 the opposition of the Count of Gondomar, durino- 
 his Ambassie in England. 
 
 "But the fulness of time being happily now 
 come, wherein our good God will have his worke 
 done : I, your most humble subject, am willing 
 and readie, for his Glorie, your Ma^'*^"^ service, and 
 the Publique good, in all humble Reverence, to 
 prostrate both myselfe, and my aforsaid Patent, 
 at your Ma''^« feete, to be disposed at your Royall 
 pleasure. 
 
 i 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 87 
 
 "And forasmuch as it hath graciously pleased 
 your Ma*'^ at the humble suite of the said Roger 
 North, to give Life and Motion to this suspended 
 Action, by uniting the two severall grants before 
 mentioned, by a newe grant to a Corporation ; 
 I have therefore (under your Ma^^^« favour), pre- 
 sumed the second time, to present unto your gra- 
 cious view, this following Relation of my former 
 Travelles, & Discoveries in the said Countryes : 
 whereby your Ma*^'' may partly gather, what hope- 
 full successe (through God's Blessing) may be 
 expected from the prosecution of so worthy an 
 Enterprise: First, by the glorious propogatio of 
 God's holy Church, and our Christian Religion 
 amongst those Heathen Nations, whose Hearts 
 like waxe, or white paper, are ready to receive 
 any Scale, or Impression we shall imprint in 
 them. Secondly, by the honourable enlargement 
 of your Ma*^'^ Dominions, by annexing those 
 goodly Countryes, and spacious Territories (in- 
 feriour to no other parte of the world), to the 
 crowne of England ; and Lastly, by the unspeak- 
 able benefit and profit which may redound to all 
 your Kingdomes and People, by the varietie of 
 Imployments, Commodities, and- Riches those 
 parts may plentifully afforde, and yeeld us. 
 
 " Humbly praying, that God of his infinite good- 
 nes, will vouchsafe to Blesse your Ma^^^^ Raigne, 
 with the happy and full accomplishment of this 
 
most glorious worke ; and to exalte your Ma**® 
 unto the sublime Might of all earthly Honour in 
 this world, and celestiall happines in the world 
 to come. 
 
 *' Your Maiesties 
 
 " most humble subject, 
 "and devoted servant, 
 
 " Robert Harcourt." 
 
 In his Preface, Sir Robert goes on to 
 say,— 
 
 "The Discovery of this Countrey of Guiana, was 
 heretofore attempted by S^ Walter Raleigh, who 
 made an honourable entry thereinto by the river 
 of Orenoque ; what hee then and there discovered, 
 and how great and assured his hopes were, of 
 gaining to our Countrey inestimable riches, and 
 subduing to the Crowne of England a potent 
 Empire, was effectually, and faithfully published 
 to the world by his own penne ; proceeding from 
 so wise and judiciall an Author ; who if some 
 knowne fortunes had not crossed his first inten- 
 diments, for the prosecuting of that enterprise, 
 had (in all likelihood) long before this time in- 
 creased the honour of our Nation, by the reputa- 
 tion of the most famous and rich discovery and 
 conquest that the world could afford. 
 
 " Let us herewithal observe, that before his 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 89 
 
 time it was often attempted by the Spaniards, 
 but to small effect ; for eyther by misfortune or 
 shipwrack, discention amongst the most eminent 
 persons in their Troopes, mutiny of the Souldiers, 
 mistaking of the Commanders, or violent fury of 
 the Indians (who bear an inveterate and mortall 
 hatred against them), they have ever failed of 
 their purpose ; whereof the said discourse of 
 S^ Walter Raleigh maketh particular mention 
 more at large. 
 
 "The continuall losse, and great misfortunes 
 that have followed the Spaniards from time to 
 time, in all their attempts of this discovery and 
 conquest, for the space of almost an hundred 
 years ; and the fortunate successe that most hap- 
 pily favoured the other in his first attempt thereof, 
 may bee a great presumption, and may give us 
 an assured hope, that the powerful hand of God 
 doth worke for us in his behalfe ; and hath re- 
 served the execution of this action for the honour 
 of our Nation. 
 
 "Which forcible considerations, gave me great 
 encouragement to repair the decay of so worthy 
 an enterprise, not with intent to rob him of his 
 honour, who first of all our nation (nobly with 
 great judgement and valour) gave the onset ; but 
 rather to doe him more honour, by working upon 
 his foundation, and prosecuting this project, ac- 
 cording to his first designes, which doubtlesse 
 
 N 
 
90 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 aimed at the Glory of God, his Soveraigne's ser- 
 vice, and his Countries good. 
 
 "Hereupon I made triall of my fortune in the 
 attempt, and have found the successe so prosperous 
 and hopefull (although it hath been chargeable 
 unto me), and my acceptance so free and friend'y 
 amongst the Indians, that it hath given not only 
 to myselfe, but also to the rest of my associats, 
 (who with the love and goodliking of the people, 
 have lived and remained in Guiana for the space 
 of three years), good assurance of repaying the 
 charge past with trebble recompence ; and a re- 
 solved courage to proceed in the enterprise, to 
 the prosecution whereof, we have devoted both 
 our substance and our selves. 
 
 "And because the life of this action consisteth 
 in the timely progresse thereof, and requireth the 
 assistance of many Adventurers ; I thought it 
 very needful to lay before you these former ex- 
 amples, and materiall considerations : and there- 
 withal! doe recommend unto your view this fol- 
 lowing discourse (wherein I have compiled the 
 hopefull fruites of my painfull travels), thereby 
 to move you to wipe away from your eyes the 
 cloudie incredulous blindnesse that possessed our 
 forefathers, in the days of Henry the Seventh, 
 when they rejected the offer made by Bartholomew 
 Columbus, in the behalfe of his brother, Chris- 
 topher Columbus, and thereby lost the fruition 
 
 , 
 
 . 
 
 T 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 91 
 
 of those inestimable riches in the West Indies, 
 which now we see possessed by the Spanish 
 Nation : And also doe invite and summon my 
 country-men in generall, to rouze up their valour, 
 to quicken and spurre on their endevours, to be 
 coadicutors with us in this action, both of honour 
 and profit. 
 
 " And because it may be objected to the dis- 
 couragement of such as may have otherwise a 
 desire to inhabit Guiana, that the Spaniards in- 
 habiting about Cumana, Margarita, and Trini- 
 dado, may disturb our plantation, and indanger 
 the lives of those that shall make the first settle- 
 ment there ; I thought good to resolve all such 
 as have affection to make themselves conquerors 
 of that goodly Countrey, that from the King of 
 Spaines Indies nothing can ofTend them ; for 
 Guiana being seated in the head of the Brises, 
 and to windward of al the Spanish Indies, the 
 current also of the sea setting to the West, 
 maketh it impossible for any Shipping to turne 
 it up from the forenamed places towards us. The 
 Spaniard, therefore, can no way offend us but by 
 a preparation out of Spain it selfe. And when- 
 soever he shall find him selfe at so great leisure, 
 as to send a Fleet out of Spaine to seek us out 
 upon the shallow coast of Guiana, eyther we shall 
 frustrate that attempt by raising a Fort defensible 
 for two or three months (for they must famish 
 
 . 
 
if they stay longer), or else by setting ourselves 
 above two or three of the overfalles of the Rivers, 
 where one hundred men will defend themselves 
 
 against five thousand. 
 
 "But I am persuaded that the Spaniards will 
 take great deliberation, and be well-advised of 
 all insuing accidents, before they give any attempt 
 upon us : for we doe not finde that they have yet 
 attempted anything upon Virginia, which lieth 
 in their way homeward from the West Indies, 
 albeit there have passed many years since the 
 first plantation there. And surely, if Virginia 
 had not a sharpe winter, which Guiana hath not, 
 (which country of Guiana is blest with a per- 
 petuall Summer, and a perpetuall Spring), and 
 that it had that store of victuals which Guiana 
 hath, it would in a short time grow to be a most 
 profitable place. But thus much I can avow 
 truely, that from Guiana, without any great la- 
 bour, there may be returned within the yeare, 
 good store of cotton wooU, very rich dyes, divers 
 sorts of gummes, many sorts of Fethers, all kindes 
 of rich woods, Balsamums, Jasper, and Porpherie 
 stone, waxe. Honey, and Tobacco ; and so every 
 yeare we may pay the Transportation, untill we 
 encrease in people to make Sugars, and discover 
 Mines." 
 
 Sir Robert describes the commencement 
 of his undertaking thus : — 
 
 I 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 93 
 
 " In the yeare of our Lord 1608, and the three 
 and twentieth of March, when I had furnished 
 my selfe with one ship of fourescore Tunnes called 
 the Rose ; a Pinnesse of sixe and thirtie Tunnes 
 called the Patience ; and a Shallop of nine Tunnes 
 called the Lilly, which I built at Dartmouth ; 
 and had finished my other businesse there, and 
 prepared all things in readinesse to begin my 
 voyage, the winde reasonably serving, I then im- 
 barked my companie, as followeth. 
 
 " In the Rose, I was accompanied with Captaine 
 Edward Fisher, Captaine Edward Harvey, Master 
 Edward Gifibrd, and my cosen Thomas Harcourt : 
 and besides them, I had of gentlemen and others 
 one and thirtie land-men, two Indians, and three 
 and twenty Mariners and Saylers. 
 
 " In the Patience, my brother Captain Michael 
 Harcort had with him of Gentlemen and others 
 twentie land - men, and eleven Mariners and 
 Saylers. 
 
 *' In the Lilly, Jesper Lilly the Master, had one 
 land-man, and two Saylers : so that my just num- 
 ber (too great for so few ships of no greater 
 burden) was in all foure - score and seventeen, 
 whereof three-score were land-men." 
 
 The course of the voyage appears to have 
 been as follows ; after encountering a gale, 
 in which the Shallop was nearly lost, they 
 
94 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 arrived at the Canary Islands on the 7th 
 of April, and, having taken in water at 
 Teneriff, they landed in Guiana on the nth 
 of May. When they came to the river 
 Wiapoco, the Indians came on board ; Sir 
 Robert says, — 
 
 " I used them with all curtesie, and entertained 
 them as wel as the straight roome would give 
 me leave, giving them good store of Aquavitae, 
 which they love exceedingly. I presented to 
 their view their two countrymen . . . and under- 
 standing (from their owne mouthes) how well I 
 had used them, they seemed to bee better pleased 
 with our comming. ... I brought to their re- 
 membrance the exploits performed by S'. Walter 
 Raleigh in their country, in the raigne of our late 
 Soveraigne Queene Elizabeth, when (to free them 
 from servitude) hee most worthily vanquished the 
 Spaniards at Trinidado : burned their towne : 
 tooke their Governour Don Anthonio de Berreo 
 prisoner ; delivered five of the Indian Kings im- 
 prisoned, and bound by the necke with coUers 
 of iron ; and with great labour and perill dis- 
 covered the river Orenoque, and the countryes 
 adjoyning, as far as the Province of Aromaya, 
 the Countrey of Topiawary, and the river of 
 Caroly beyond it. And that their Countreymen 
 
 -f 
 
 4 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 95 
 
 did then most willingly submit and render them- 
 selves under the subjection of the late Queene ; 
 all which they well remembered, and said that 
 S^ Walter Raleigh promised to have returned 
 unto them long since. 
 
 "Then I excused his not returning according 
 to his promise, by reason of other imployments 
 of great importance imposed upon him by the 
 late Queene. . . . Then I told them of the death 
 of the late Queene, whereby that business of 
 theirs was againe hindered. . . . That now I, and 
 the rest of these worthy gentlemen, my associats 
 and friends . . . being there arrived . . . may bee 
 fitly seated to dwell amongst them ; that if any 
 of those Nations shall attempt at any time to 
 disturb the quiet living of their neighboures, they 
 may have store of English friends at hand and 
 amongst them, that will not spare their pains to 
 appease their discords, nor their lives to defend 
 them from harm. . . . They answered, it was a 
 thing they greatly desired, and had expected 
 long, and now they made much doubt thereof, 
 and said they were but words, having heretofore 
 been promised (by S^ Walt. Raleigh, and Cap*. 
 Lee) the like, but nothing performed. 
 
 "To resolve that doubt, and make good my 
 speeches, I told them that what I had spoken 
 would certainely be performed, and to that end 
 would leave my brother in their Countrey, and 
 
96 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 some of my company with him, to dwell amongst 
 them, untill a greater supplie might be sent from 
 England for their better defence. Then they 
 seemed to give credit to my words : and so after 
 much talke, and many complements to please the 
 naked people, I gave them things which pleased 
 them well. . . . The following day I tooke land, 
 with my Companies in armes, and colours dis- 
 played. . . . The principall Indians came out to 
 us, . . . and invited us to lodge in their houses. . . . 
 I gave them many thanks, and some rewards for 
 their kind entertainment, and the disposed my 
 company in conveniet lodgings ; but yet I kept 
 a continual guard, as in time of warre. . . . 
 
 " Upon the 14 day of August, I went unto a 
 Mountaine called Gomeribo, being the uttermost 
 point of land to the Northward in the bay of Wia- 
 poco, I found the soile of it most excellet for To- 
 bacco, Maix, Cotton trees, Annoto trees, Vines, & 
 for any other thing that should be planted there ; 
 when I had taken good view of the place, and 
 found it commodious for many purposes, then, 
 in the presence of Capt. Fisher, divers gentlemen, 
 and others of my company, and of the Indians 
 also, I tooke possession of the land, by turfe and 
 twig, in the behalf of our Soveraigne Lord King 
 James : I tooke the said possession of a part, 
 in the name of the Continent of Guiana, lying 
 betwixt the rivers of Amazones and Orenoque, 
 
 1 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 97 
 
 not being actually possessed, and inhabited by any 
 other Christian Prince or State ; wherewith the In- 
 dians seemed to be well content and pleased. . . . 
 
 " Now (some time afterwards), I had a purpose 
 to perform a businesse, which might have proved 
 profitable, and honourable unto us, if I had been 
 able to have staid the time, but it was not my 
 chance to bee so fortunate : for the Master, his 
 Mates, and the Steward of my shippe, came unto 
 mee, and told me plainly, that if I made any 
 longer aboad in that Countrey, I would never in 
 those shippes returne into England. . . I was con- 
 strained (by the Master's fault) to make a vertue 
 of necessity, and prepare myselfe for England, 
 and leave my former purposes to bee accom- 
 plished hereafter ; which shall bee done (God 
 aiding mee) in time convenient. 
 
 " Then, disposing of my company, I appointed 
 my Brother, Captaine Michael Harcourt, to re- 
 maine in the Countrey, as chiefe commander in 
 my absence ; and to continue the possession on 
 the King's behalfe. ... I left with him for his 
 assistance, Captaine Harvey, above mentioned, 
 who hath nobly vowed his time and fortune to 
 bee imployed in the prosecution of this honour- 
 able action. For his Lieutenant, I appointed M^ 
 Edward Gifford, a Valiant and worthy gentleman ; 
 and I left also with him of gentlemen and others, 
 about twenty more, with all such necessaries as 
 
 O 
 
I could spare, and thought convenient for them : 
 and so commending them to God, the eighteenth 
 day of August I departed from Wiapoco, and 
 the following day arrived at Caiane. . . . The tenth 
 day of September, being Sunday, I left the main 
 of Guiana ... and upon the 1 8 day in the morn- 
 ing we arrived at Punta de Galea. . . . Upon the 
 second of October we arrived at Port de Hispania. 
 Then we steered for an Island called Meues. In 
 this Island there is an hot Bath, which I doe 
 hold for one of the best and most soveraigne in 
 the world. ... For at my coming hither, I was 
 grievously vexed with an extreame cough, which 
 I much feared would turne mee to great harme, 
 but by bathing in the Bath, and drinking of the 
 water, I was speedily cured : and ever since that 
 time, I have found the state of my body (I give 
 God thankes for it) farre exceeding what it was 
 before in strength and health. . . . Hence we de- 
 parted the sixteenth day of October. ... On the 
 thirtieth day of October there began a storm, 
 which caused our ships to lose company till the 
 fifth of November. Then the winde came faire 
 at West, and wee steered away East by North, 
 and E. N. Eastamong. 
 
 "But when we sighted Fayal, it changed, first 
 to the East by North, and then to the East 
 South-east, and became so violent and furious, 
 that for three daies space we were not able to 
 
 . 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 99 
 
 beare out saile, but did drive before the winde 
 at least three leagues, a watch out of our course ; 
 and the first land wee made was Cape Cleere, in 
 the south-west part of Ireland, where, against our 
 wils, we arrived at Crooke Haven, the twenty-nine 
 of November. . . . 
 
 "During the time of my voyage, we left but 
 one land -man, who died in Guiana: and one 
 sailer, and an Indian boy, who died at sea in our 
 returne : and during the space of these three years 
 last past since the voiage, of all the men which 
 I left in the countrey, being in number about 
 thirty, there died but six, whereof one was 
 drowned : and there was an old man of three- 
 score yeeres of age ; and another tooke his death 
 by his owne disorder ; the rest died of Sicknes, 
 as pleased God, the Giver of life ; for which small 
 losse, his holy name be blessed now and ever." 
 
 With an extract from the conditions he 
 laid down for settlers in Guiana, I must 
 conclude my quotations from Sir Robert's 
 narration. 
 
 "Forasmuch as it hath pleased his Excellent 
 Majestic, for the planting and inhabiting of all 
 parts of Guiana, or Continent of America, lying 
 betweene the river Amazones and the river Des- 
 sequebe, to grant his gracious Letters Pattentes 
 
lOO 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 to Robert Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt in the 
 County of Oxford, Esquire. . . . To have, hold, 
 possesse, and enjoy all and singular premises, to 
 the sole and proper use of the saide Robert Har- 
 court, and his heires for ever. And for that divers 
 honourable personages, Gentlemen, and others, 
 who are willing and desirous, for the Glory of 
 God, and the honour of our Nation, to give aide 
 and assistance, eyther in person, or purse, to the 
 undertaking of this worthy action, and Plantation, 
 may truly understand and know, how and in what 
 maner they shal receive benefit and profit by 
 their adventures, and travells therein ; it is thought 
 fit and necessary, for their better content and 
 satisfaction, to publish these articles insuing." 
 
 Here follow long articles, from which a 
 few are extracted. 
 
 " The meanest Adventurer in Person, shal have 
 five hundred acres as a single share. 
 
 " If a man and his wife goe, each of them shal 
 have five hundred acres. 
 
 "If a man, and his wife, and a childe of theirs 
 goe, each shal have five hundred acres. 
 
 "Every one that adventureth twelve pounds, 
 tenne shillings, shal have five hundred acres as 
 a single share; and so ratably according to the 
 adventure, be it more or less. 
 
 " The shares of Commanders, officers, and men 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 lOI 
 
 of place, and qualitie, that adventure in person, 
 are not to be rated according to single shares of 
 inferiour and common persons, that adventure in 
 person ; but according to their place, qualitie, 
 and merite, in such sort as shal be fit to give 
 them content. 
 
 " Divine preachers that wil imitate the glorious 
 examples of the apostles (who ceased not to travell 
 amongst all sorts of Heathen and savage people 
 for the plantation of the holy Gospel), are worthily 
 numbered amongst the persons of place and 
 qualitie, and shal have such worthy shares for the 
 adventure of their persons, in his service of the 
 blessed Trinitie, as shal give them good content. 
 
 " These signiorics or portions of Land shall be 
 conveyed and assured unto them in Fee simple, 
 with all such Royalties, Liberties, Priviledges, 
 Franchises, and Commodities, as shal be fit and ne- 
 cessary for the advancement of their Plantations. 
 
 " They shal yeerely pay unto such officers as 
 shal be appointed for that purpose, the fifth part 
 of all ores of gold and silver, as shall at all times 
 hereafter be found and gotten within the bounds 
 and limites of the Signiories and Lands granted 
 unto them, which fift part of oare, is by the 
 Pattent reserved to his Majestic. 
 
 " The fift part being deducted for his Majestic, 
 they shal also pay to the Patentees, or unto their 
 officers for that purpose appointed, all such rents 
 
I02 
 
 Sir Roi^ert Harcourt. 
 
 and dueties, as betwixt the said Patentees and 
 them shall be agreed upon : and also from time 
 to time shall observe, pay & performe all such 
 other customs, impositions, reservations, and li- 
 mitations, as are mentioned & expressed in the 
 said Patent. 
 
 "And for their safety and defence in all the 
 said particular Plantations, they shall be ayded, 
 protected, and defended, both by sea and land, 
 against all assaulters, invaders, and intruders, ac- 
 cording to the power and strength of the under- 
 takers of the Generall Plantation, which I hope 
 (with God's assistance), shal be sufficient to resist 
 and repell the malice of our greatest enemies." 
 
 George Simon, Earl Harcourt, in his 
 
 printed ** Description of Nuneham Courte- 
 
 nay," says, — 
 
 "Robert was eldest son of Sir Walter Harcourt, 
 and was the principal adventurer with Sir Walter 
 Raleigh in his voyage to Guiana, for which expe- 
 dition he built, and fitted out at his own expence, 
 three vessels, by which means (in addition to his 
 costly buildings at Ellen Hall, com. Stafford), he 
 dissipated a large fortune, and was reduced to 
 sell that ancient possession, as well as that of 
 Wytham in Berkshire; both of which had re- 
 mained in the family from the reign of King 
 John." 
 
 Lord Harcourt does scanty justice to the 
 memory of his distinguished ancestor, and 
 he is not quite exact in saying that Sir 
 Robert accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh ; 
 as may be gathered from Sir Robert s own 
 writinofs. 
 
 There are fine full-length portraits of Sir 
 Robert, and of his second wife, Frances de 
 Vere, in the dining-room at Nuneham, by 
 Marc Gerard, both in excellent preservation. 
 
 Wytham, which was formerly a favourite 
 residence of the Harcourts, is now the pro- 
 perty of the Earl of Abingdon. The cor- 
 nice of the dining-room there is still deco- 
 rated with the arms of Harcourt. 
 
 It is related that when Sir Robert Har- 
 court, after the sale of Ellenhall, was forced 
 to part with more of his property, to defray 
 the expenses of his expedition to Guiana, he 
 let loose a pigeon, and said he would sell 
 the land over which the pigeon flew. The 
 bird circled round the Wytham domain. 
 
 Sir Robert had two wives, the first was 
 Elizabeth, daughter of John Fitz- Herbert, 
 
I04 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 of Norbury in Derbyshire ; and the second 
 was Frances, daughter* of Geoffrey de Vere, 
 fourth son of John, Earl of Oxford, and 
 sister of Sir Francis Vere, and of Horace, 
 Lord Vere of Tilbury ; both renowned war- 
 riors. Sir Robert had no issue by his first 
 marriage, but by his second he had seven 
 children; namely, Sir Simon, his successor; 
 Francis, who died unmarried ; Vere ; Eliza- 
 beth, who died young ; Jane, married to 
 Henry, son of Sir Giles Wroughton of 
 Broad Hinton in Wiltshire; Dorothy, who 
 married Henry Chetwynd, of Highwood in 
 Staffordshire ; and Margaret, who was born 
 in 1607, and dying the same year, was 
 buried at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 We read in Burke's " Extinct Peerages," — 
 
 " Frances, married to Sir Robert Harcourt, who 
 was ancestor to the Earls of Harcourt, was daugh- 
 ter of Geoffrey de Vere, son of John, 15*^ Earl 
 of Oxford, & brother of John, i6^»' Earl. She 
 was sister to Sir Francis Vere. Of the exploits 
 of this gallant person an account appeared in 
 1657, under the title of 'the Commentaries of 
 
 Sir Francis Vere, being divers pieces of service 
 wherein he had commanded, written by himself/ 
 He died 1608, and was interred at Westminster, 
 under a splendid monument. The youngest son, 
 Sir Horatio Vere, becoming one of the most emi- 
 nent persons of that period, was elevated to the peer- 
 age for his distinguished services, by King Charles 
 the First, in the dignity of Baron Vere of Tilbury. 
 It would be in vain even to attempt to epitomize 
 the exploits of this gallant personage here. 
 
 "Fuller, in his 'Worthies,' thus characterizes 
 his Lordship: 'Horace, Lord Vere, had more 
 meekness, and as much valour as his brother ; 
 of an excellent temper,— it being true of him 
 what is said of the Caspian Sea, that it doth 
 never ebb nor flow, observing a constant tenor, 
 neither elated or depressed with success; both 
 lived in war much honoured, and died in peace 
 much lamented.' He left an only daughter (marry- 
 ing the daughter of Sir John Tracey), when the 
 barony became extinct. Horatio, Lord Vere, was 
 interred near his brother in Westminster Abbey." 
 
 We read in Somers's Tracts, p. 381, con- 
 cerning Sir Francis Vere : — 
 
 *' It may be a question whether the nobility 
 of his House, or the honour of his great atchieve- 
 ments, might most commend him ; and he brought 
 more glory to the name of Vere, than he took 
 
io6 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 of blood from the family. I flndc not that he 
 came much to the Court, for he lived almost per- 
 petually in the Campe, but when he did, no man 
 had more of the Queen's favor, and none less 
 envied, for he seldom troubled it with the noise 
 and allarmes of supplication. They report that 
 the Queen, as she loved Marshall men, would 
 court this gentleman as soon as he appeared in 
 her presence ; and, surely, he was a soldier of 
 great worth and command, 30 yeares in the ser- 
 vice of the states, and 20 yeares over the English, 
 in chiefe, as the Queen's Generall, and he that 
 hath seen the battle of Newport, might there 
 best have taken him and his noble brother, the 
 Lord of Tilbury, to the life. He was amongst 
 the Queen's swordsmen, inferior to none, but 
 superior to many, of whom it may be said, that 
 to speak much of him were the way to leave 
 out somewhat that might add to his praise, and 
 forget more that would make to his honour." 
 
 In the " Memorials of Affairs of State," 
 1725, we find the following letter from 
 Sir Francis Vere to Mr. Win wood, one of 
 the principal Secretaries of State, dated 
 April 5, 1606 : — 
 
 " I am sorry to hear the news of the French 
 king's beseiging Sedan, which, in my estimation, 
 
 
 Y 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 107 
 
 must be as pleasing to the enemies of this state, 
 for that they now see him whom they most feared, 
 engaged in a war, which in appearance must 
 draw into the neck of it another and greater, to 
 the fortifying of their party, and disabling of 
 others, and in the meantime giveth them oppor- 
 tunity to prosecute offensively these united Pro- 
 vinces with their entire power, which I do think 
 shall now be very suddenly employed, and the 
 name of Spinola be currant again, tho' I hope not 
 so much to his glory. I do long for my brother's 
 arrival, and marvcU not a little of his so long 
 stay in England, being a month since he wTote 
 me he was upon his coming over. I do conceive 
 his absence wants your favourable assistance in 
 supporting the remainder of his poor fortune, 
 which else may turn to his great hinderance. 
 You are so noble, wise, and just, that of your own 
 instinct you will not be wanting in what is fit 
 for you to do, both in regard to the Public ser- 
 vice and him, and therefore it is needless to add 
 any intreaty of mine ; only thus much I avow, 
 to be thankfull to you for any good office you 
 shall afford him, and so rest, 
 
 Yours to command, 
 
 Francis Vere." 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt's sister, Elizabeth, 
 was maid -of- honour to Anne of Denmark, 
 
io8 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 
 Consort of James the First. Pictures of 
 the King and Queen, by Mac Gerrard, and 
 of their daughter, Elizabeth, Electress Pala- 
 tine and Queen of Bohemia, by Hondthurst, 
 all presents from themselves, now hang in 
 the south corridor at Nuneham. 
 
 Sir Robert died on the 20th of May, 1631, 
 aged 57, and was buried at Stanton Har- 
 court. He was succeeded by his eldest son, 
 Simon, to whom he bequeathed an impaired 
 patrimony but high aspirations. Before, how- 
 ever, proceeding with the memoir of Sir 
 Simon, it will be well to trace the descend- 
 ants of his younger brother, Vere Harcourt. 
 
 We find that Vere Harcourt, Doctor in 
 Divinity, was Archdeacon of Nottingham, 
 and Rector of Plumtree, in that county, in 
 the year 1660; he married Lucy, daughter 
 of Roger Thornton, of Snailswell in Cam- 
 bridgeshire, by whom he had Simon, his 
 eldest son, besides another son and two 
 daughters, who died unmarried. The Arch- 
 deacon died in 1683. 
 
 His son Simon married Elizabeth, dauohtcr 
 
 •^ 
 
 Vere Harcourt. 
 
 109 
 
 and heir of Sir Richard Anderson of Pend- 
 ley, and of Elizabeth his wife, sister and co- 
 heir of Viscount Hewet of Ireland; thus, in 
 right of his wife, he became Harcourt of 
 Pendley ; he was Clerk of the Crown ; he 
 died March 30, 1724, and was buried at 
 Aldbury in Hertfordshire. He left two sons 
 and three daughters. The eldest son, Henry, 
 married Frances, only daughter and heir of 
 Nathaniel Bard, and of his wife Persiana, 
 only daughter and heir of Henry Bard, Earl 
 of Belmont in Ireland. Henry died in 1741, 
 and was buried at Aldbury. He left three 
 sons and eight daughters. The eldest son, 
 Richard Bard, married Rachel, daughter of 
 Albert Nisbet ; the third son, Henry, was Rec- 
 tor of Warbleton and Crowhurst in Sussex. 
 
 Richard had a son, Henry, who succeeded 
 him at Pendley, and a daughter, Sophia, 
 who married Amadee, Marquis of Harcourt 
 in France. By him she had three children, 
 William, George, and Mary. 
 
 Amadee was Aide-de-camp to General 
 Harcourt, who was afterwards William, third 
 
no 
 
 Vere Harcourt. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. Lord Harcourt died in 
 1830 without issue. He left St. Leonard's, 
 near Windsor, which he had become pos- 
 sessed of through the favour of George the 
 Third ; together with a large sum of money, 
 which was the private fortune he had de- 
 rived, as a younger son, from his father ; 
 to William, eldest son of Amadee ; on con- 
 dition of his resigning his French position, 
 and becoming an Englishman. Thus Wil- 
 liam, who was educated at Eton, became 
 William Harcourt, Esq., of St. Leonard's ; 
 and his younger brother, George, the present 
 accomplished Ambassador of France at the 
 Court of St. James, succeeded to the French 
 honours. 
 
 Under the will of William Lord Harcourt, 
 the St. Leonard's property was never to de- 
 scend to a Roman Catholic; consequently, 
 when William Harcourt of St. Leonard's died 
 without male issue, his younger brother, 
 George, who was not a Protestant, was de- 
 barred from succeeding. To shew, however, 
 
 i 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 II I 
 
 the vanity of such provisions, one of the 
 younger sons of Mons. George d' Harcourt, 
 who was born after Lord Harcourt's will was 
 made, obtained the St. Leonard's property 
 unconditionally, and presently sold it. 
 
 We now go back to Sir Simon, son of 
 Sir Robert Harcourt. 
 Collins says, — 
 
 *'This Sir Simon Harcourt signalized himself 
 by feats of arms, in which he was initiated against 
 the Spaniards in the Low Countries, where he 
 was Major of the regiment commanded by his 
 heroic uncle, Sir Horace Vere, Baron of Tilbury, 
 at whose seat, at Kirby-hall in Essex, were the 
 pictures of his Lordship's officers, and among 
 them this Sir Simon Harcourte, who is said to 
 be one of his Scholars, in the Epistle to the 
 reader before Sir Francis Vere's Commentaries. 
 
 "He was knighted at Whitehall, on June 26, 
 1627, 3 Car. L ; and Sir John Temple, in his Ap- 
 pendix to the History of the Irish Rebellion, p. 52, 
 gives this account of him: *The Lords Justices 
 and Council were shut up within the city of 
 Dublin, in a most miserable condition, desperately 
 threatened on every side, until the most happy 
 and welcome arrival of that truly valiant gentle- 
 
112 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 man and gallant commander, Sir Simon Har- 
 court, who being designed Governor of the city 
 of Dublin, was dispatched away by special order 
 of Parliament, with his regiment, for the preserva- 
 tion of that place ; and landed there on the last 
 day of December, 1641, to the great joy and 
 comfort of all his Majesty's Protestant & well- 
 affected subjects, and to the terror of the rebels 
 in arms.' Borlace, in his Reduction of Ireland, 
 p. 241, says, * He was a long experienced and ex- 
 cellent officer, worthy the memory of the best 
 Prince, and most grateful people ; who afterwards 
 was, by an especial order, admitted into the Privy 
 Council' On his landing at Dublin, as aforesaid, 
 with his regiment (which consisted of 1200 foot), 
 he was immediately invested with the government 
 of that city ; and on January 10 following, dis- 
 lodged the enemy from Swords, a village about 
 six miles distant, and raised the blockade. 
 
 " Of his last exploit we have this account : — * On 
 March 26, 1642, Sir Simon Harcourt, with a small 
 party, marched out of Dublin towards Wicklow, 
 and finding the rebels possessed of the castle of 
 Carrick-Main, but four miles from the city, he 
 sent back for two great guns to batter it ; but, 
 before they arrived, Sir Simon, as he was view- 
 ing the castle with 200 musketeers, received a 
 shot from the garrison, which killed him on the 
 spot. His troops wxre so enraged, that within 
 
 "fl 
 
 i 
 
 a few hours after the cannon came up, having 
 made a breach and entering the castle, under the 
 command of Colonel Gibson, they put all therein 
 to the sword, refusing quarter to those rebels who 
 had slain their beloved Colonel.' 
 
 " This valiant Knight, whose corpse was buried 
 at Dublin, espoused Anne, daughter to William 
 Lord Paget ; and by her (who was 2^'5' married 
 to Sir William Waller, of Osterly-Park, the Par- 
 liament's general), he had two sons. Sir Philip, 
 his heir, and PVederick Harcourt, who died with- 
 out issue." 
 
 Sir Simon, whose father died when he 
 was quite a young man, appears to have 
 been taken great charge of by his uncle, 
 Horace, Lord Vere. At the age of sixteen 
 he went with him as his Lieutenant to the 
 Dutch wars°, and was engaged in fighting 
 more or less for twenty years. His last 
 active work was in Ireland, where he was 
 unfortunately slain. The '* Histoire de la 
 Maison d' Harcourt " brings the English 
 
 "Sir Horace Vere commanded, in 1620, a small but gallant body 
 of English, troops, sent to aid the Prince Palatine in maintaining 
 himself in Bohemia ; but they were not supported by reinforcements, 
 and were suffered, after a single campaign, to moulder away on 
 garrison duty. 
 
114 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 Harcourts to an abrupt termination at this 
 period ; we read, p. 1931, vol. ii. : — 
 
 "Simon de Harcourt, Baron de Bosworth, 
 cherchant la guerre hors de son pays se trouva 
 au siege de Mastrick I'an 1632, depuis estant 
 passe en Irland il servait utilement Charles P, 
 Roi de la Grande Bretagne, ayant ete tue en 
 une rencontre des enemis." 
 
 ■ And Monsieur de la Roque, the author, 
 proceeds to say, — 
 
 " Aussi on nous a rapporte que cette branche 
 de Harcourt a pris fin en Angleterre en Guillaume 
 de Harcourt (fils de Simon) durant les derniers 
 mouvemens et guerres civiles arrivees en cette 
 isle. Le Pere et le fils estans morts en meme 
 saison servans la couronne contre les rebelles 
 sous le regne de Charles l\ Cette maison de 
 Harcourt estant alliee par femme de toutes ces 
 Branches Royalles, et descend en plusieurs ma- 
 nieres des anciens Roys dAngleterre." 
 
 This elaborate and expensive work is evi- 
 dently not a trustworthy authority ; a mag- 
 nificent copy, in four volumes, folio, is to 
 be found in the Nuneham Library. It was 
 presented by the Due de Harcourt to Lord 
 Chancellor Harcourt, in the year i 702. The 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 115 
 
 Lord Chancellor was the grandson of Sir 
 Simon, of whom we are now writing, and 
 was himself a living example of the incor- 
 rectness of de la Roque's statement. 
 
 In Borlase*s ** History of the execrable 
 Irish Rebellion," 1680, p. 52, we read : — 
 
 "The last of December, 1641, arriv'd at Dublin 
 (from the Parliament of England) Sir Simon Har- 
 court, with a regiment of 1200 foot; a gentleman 
 of good extraction, long bred in the low countries 
 (the school of War) under Sir Horatio, the Lord 
 Vere, that renowned and excellent person, one 
 of the most noted and eminent Commanders of 
 the late Age. 
 
 " Sir Simon was designed Governour of Dublin, 
 much to the comfort of the Protestants, and ter- 
 rour of the Rebels." 
 
 In Leland's ''History of Ireland," 1773, 
 vol. iii. p. 157, we are told that, — 
 
 " The Lords Justices were engaged by an ob- 
 ject, to them more interesting than the relief of 
 Drogheda ; the legal conviction of the Lords and 
 gentlemen engaged in the insurrection ; a mea- 
 sure previously necessary to the forfeiture of their 
 estates. The arrival of Sir Simon Harcourt from 
 England, with a regiment of eleven hundred men, 
 
ii6 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 encouraged them to a little more activity in their 
 military operations. . . . The Earl of Ormond was 
 commissioned to lead 3,000 foot, and 500 horse 
 towards the river of the Boyne, and to prosecute 
 the Rebels with fire and sword. Eight days only 
 were allowed for this expedition ; and he was 
 strictly enjoyned, on no account to pass the River. 
 Scarcely had the Justices granted this commis- 
 sion, limited with such abundant caution, when 
 they repented ; and employed their agent, but 
 in vain, to persuade the Earl to relinquish the 
 enterprize, and commit the soldiers to the guid- 
 ance of Sir Simon Harcourt." 
 
 And now to return to Borlase's History, 
 page 72 : — 
 
 "Whilst preparations were making for this ex- 
 pedition. Sir Simon Harcourt, (who lovecl always 
 to be in action), the 26'^ of March, 1642, took 
 a small party of men, and went out towards the 
 County of Wickloe, where he found the Rebels 
 had possessed themselves of the Castle of Carrick- 
 maine p, within 4 miles of Dublin ; and seeing 
 
 f We learn from the "Desiderata Curiosa Hihemica," 1772, 
 vol. ii. p. 531, that "the parish of Killgobbin is bounded on the 
 east with Carrickmaine. The parish of Killgol)bin contains "joo 
 acres, there are on the premises one castle, thatched, and the walls 
 of a Parish Church, the said buildings are valued at ;^20. They 
 belonged to Sir Adam Loflus, mortgaged to Sir Maurice Eustace, 
 Knight." 
 
 1 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 117 
 
 him draw near to it, with those small forces, and 
 finding him to have no Artillery, so as their 
 Walls were of sufficient strength to bear them 
 out against any attempts he could make, they 
 began to brave him from within, and to use re- 
 proachful signs from the top of the Castle, thereby 
 to express their contempt and scorn of him. This 
 his spirit was not well able to brook ; and con- 
 sidering the Castle was not invincible, and that 
 it would be very great advantage to the city of 
 Dublin to remove so ill a neighbour ; and that 
 with two Pieces of Battery he could take it (in 
 some few hours), he sent presently away to the 
 Lords Justices to acquaint them with his design, 
 and to desire them to send unto him two great 
 guns for the effecting of it. They very well ap- 
 proved his design, and gave present order for the 
 carrying them out, together with all necessaries 
 and provisions fitting for the service. 
 
 " In the meantime, he took special care for the 
 surrounding of the Castle, and disposing of his 
 men so, as they might prevent the rebels from 
 issuing out. In which service, Serjeant- Major 
 Berry (with 200 fire-locks, viewing the Castle) 
 was shot in his side, though he died not till 8 
 days after of a Feaver. All things being put 
 in order, whilst they attended the coming of the 
 great Peeces (now on their way), Sir Simon Har- 
 court, with some of the Commanders, laid them- 
 
selves down under the side of a little thatch'd 
 house, standing near the Castle, (which they took 
 as a shelter to keep off the enemies' bullets), from 
 whence he suddenly rose up to call the souldiers 
 to stand carefully to their Arms, and to their 
 duties in their several stations ; which one of the 
 Rebels (from within) perceiving, discharged his 
 piece at him, and shot him into his right breast, 
 under the neck-bone ; and being so wounded, he 
 was carried off, expressing his submission to the 
 good hand of God, and much joy'd to pour out 
 his last blood in the cause. 
 
 " The pain of his Wound was so great, as they 
 could not bring him to Dublin, but carried him 
 to Mirian, a house of Lord Fitz William's, where 
 the next day he died, to the great grief of the 
 English, and the prejudice of the Service. His 
 Lieutenant, Colonel Gibson, took the command of 
 that Party, and the great Guns being come, within 
 the space of a very few hours made a breach 
 sufficient for the souldiers to enter; who being 
 mightily enraged with the loss of their most be- 
 loved Colonel, entered with great fury, putting 
 all to the sword, sparing neither man, woman, or 
 child. 
 
 " The first officer that led them on in the breach, 
 was Robert Hammond, Ensign to Sir Simon Har- 
 court, who carried himself very gallantly in this 
 Service, and who afterwards, by the several ex- 
 
 % 
 
 i 
 
 1' 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 1 19 
 
 ploits he performed (in the reduction of the West 
 of England, under the command of the Parlia- 
 ment), attain'd unto great reputation, and one 
 of the Chief Commanders in their army ; and at 
 the King's coming to the Isle of Wight, was go- 
 vernour of Carisbrook Castle, and of the Isle, 
 (and upon his notice to the Parliament that the 
 King was arriv'd there), had command to attend 
 His Majesty with respect and honour, with a pro- 
 mise that nothing should be wanting to defray 
 the King's expenses ; in which service (a ticklish 
 task at that time), I do not find that he forfeited 
 his trust, or otherwise demean'd himself, then was 
 well accepted. 
 
 **At the time that Sir Simon went forth, the 
 Lords Justices and Council, finding what ill in- 
 struments the Priests continued to be, kindling 
 and fomenting the Rebellion, caused as many of 
 them as were in Town to be seized on, who 
 being put into French bottoms, were shipt into 
 France." 
 
 A picture of Sir Simon, which is described 
 in Lord Harcourt's catalogue as ''a very fine 
 and highly -finished portrait," hangs in the 
 south corridor at Nuneham ; it is painted 
 on panel. Beside it hang pictures of his 
 wife, Anna, daughter of William, fourth Lord 
 
Paget, from a miniature by Mrs. Beale "^ ; Wil- 
 liam, fifth Lord Paget, brother to Lady 
 Harcourt, by Sir Peter Lely ; Sir Philip, 
 eldest son of Sir Simon, also after a minia- 
 ture by Mrs. Beale ; Anne, first wife of Sir 
 Philip, and daughter of Sir William Waller, 
 by Lady Anne Finch, also after Mrs. Beale ; 
 and Lady Anne Finch, daughter of Thomas, 
 first Earl of Winchelsea, by Vandyk. 
 
 Under Sir Simon's picture there is hung 
 a framed and illuminated manuscript, which 
 runs as follows : — 
 
 •'Bellona's — Niobe's 
 
 or 
 
 Honours — Elegie : 
 
 written in memory of the late right Noble 
 
 and most truly Hono^^^ minded Commander, 
 
 S^ Simon Harcourt, 
 
 Knight and Colonell, 
 
 who was most unhappily slaine with 
 
 a shot from the Castle of Kilgobbin, in 
 
 persute of the Rebells, Anno Domini 1642. 
 
 " Phoenix Moriendo Reviviscit 
 Tarn Marti Quam Mercuric." 
 
 •" Mrs. Beale was born in Suffolk, 1632 ; and died 1697, aged 65. 
 Sir Peter Lely was her instructor. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 121 
 
 " What a thick night of sorrow, what a sadde 
 And silent horrour have our Hearts late hadde. 
 Those Tunes, those Fires which Aprill us'd to bring, 
 Forsake our Clymate and forget the Spring, 
 Harecourt the wise and Valiant, for to Thee, 
 The Guest and Pleasure of Eternitie, 
 Wee pay these floods and sighes which can command 
 A tempest rise, and drowne us on the Land. 
 It was thy last unminded praise, that when 
 Thou meanst to leave them thou woldst shew thy men 
 The way to Victory, and not depart 
 Till thou hadst struck Rebellion through the heart. 
 Which growling now, and vext with unseen harmes, 
 Repents she e'er tooke up disloyall armes. 
 The great experience Thou before hadst got 
 In forraigne Kingdomes where thy sword had sought 
 A way to early fame, whose trumpe doth take 
 Delight to sound for such a souldier's sake. 
 Thy skill in all the Arts, and the encrease 
 Of that rich knowledge in the t}'me of peace, 
 Thy zeale unto Religion, and thy cause 
 To serve the King, and to mayntaine his Lawes. 
 These are the Acts proclaim thee, whether by 
 Soft learnings, Palmes, or on thy Glorious Thigh 
 Thy honour'd sword must ride, and Foes must feele 
 The vengfuU edge of thy Victorious Steele. 
 Then Courage Soldiers, what Heart now can fayle. 
 Though Brasse do thunder, and though Bullets hayle ; 
 Let men stand to't, lett winged Pelletts flye, 
 Harecourt in one hath show'd all how to dye. 
 
 R 
 
 ■u 
 
122 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 O that the Fates would suffer Cowards live, 
 
 That Valour only death to men might give, 
 
 Soe as Hee marcheth through the fields of Peace, 
 
 The shaddowes stare upon Him, and encrease 
 
 Their feares by gazing, where amongst the Rest 
 
 Tirone's' Ghost wonders at this mighty Guest; 
 
 And askes who 'tis so deeply hath imbrew'd 
 
 His standard, steeming with the Irish blood. 
 
 And 'gainst such strength allmost alone did dare 
 
 Strong in his cause to stand himself a warre ? 
 
 Hee speaks and trembles, woldst thou know Him, why 
 
 'Tis noble Harecourt (Rebell), Victory 
 
 Fledde from yow to Him, and with him did fight 
 
 'Gainst bould Rebellion in defence of Right. 
 
 Who buckling on his Amies Hee would not feare 
 
 Thee, nor O' Neale, if you had both been there. 
 
 But Hee expressing Valour more than Man 
 
 Repeate, or value, or Imagine can 
 
 S\ Patrick murderd, weele not to do Him wrong 
 
 Nor yet impute more than may well belong 
 
 To second causes, for who ist will say 
 
 Unskillfull Paris did Achilles slay, 
 
 When there is none so weake who doth not know 
 
 Appollo shotte the Arrow from the Bow. 
 
 So fell our Harecourt, look not then more pale 
 
 Yee Shades for Envy in your quiet Vale ; 
 
 But give Him all such welcome shoutes, that soe 
 
 Caesar might stooping a Superiour knowe." 
 
 ■■ The first rebellion was called Tyrone's Rebellion. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 123 
 
 Epitaphium. 
 
 " Reader, burst forth in teares, for heere doth lye 
 The mappe of Honour and all Chivalry. 
 Holland first prov'd his valour, Scodand stood 
 His trembling Foe, and Ireland drank his blood. 
 In feates of Armes his unexampl'd name 
 The English cherish, and the world his fame.'* 
 
 I find in a manuscript-book in my posses- 
 sion, which was presented to George Simon, 
 Lord Harcourt, by Mr. Edmondson S Mow- 
 bray Herald extraordinary, the following ex- 
 tract from an ordinance of Parliament made 
 die Jovis, tertii Augusti, 1648 : — 
 
 "Whereas there have been several great and 
 acceptable services performed by Sir Simon Har- 
 court, K'., deceased, against the barbarous and 
 bloudy Rebels in Ireland, in which service he ad- 
 ventured and lost his Hfe honourably in the field in 
 defence of the right and interest of the Crown and 
 Kingdom of England against those bloudy Rebels. 
 The Lords and Commons in consideration thereof, 
 do order and ordain that the capital Messuage, 
 Town and Lands of Corballis in the county of 
 Dublin, late in possession of Luke Nettervill, Esq., 
 
 » Evidences collected by Mr. Austin, Garter, and Gregory King, 
 Lancaster. 
 
124 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 Dec. 8 (who was in actual rebellion in Ireland, 
 and died in the said Rebellion), & also so much 
 other his estate nearest adjacent to the said Town 
 of Corballis, as, together therewith, shall amount 
 unto ;6^400 English a - year, over & above all 
 charges & Reprises, the annual Value thereof 
 to be accounted according to the value as the 
 same were or might have been set at the usual 
 Rates within one year next before the 2^^. of 
 October, 1641, are hereby vested, adjudged, & 
 settled in the actual & real Possession & Seisin 
 of Anne, Lady Harcourt, late wife of the said 
 Sir Simon Harcourt, K"^, dec'l, and her Heirs 
 & Assigns for ever. 
 
 " Nevertheless, unto the uses herein expressed, 
 (viz.) To her use for Life ; rcmaind^ of the said 
 Corballis & so much of the other Lands as shall 
 amount to ;t200 a-year, to the use of Philip Har- 
 court, Esq., their eldest son, his Heirs & Assigns 
 for ever. And of the residue of the Premisses 
 to the use of Erederick Harcourt, their youngest 
 son, his Heirs & assigns for ever. To be holden 
 of the Chief Lord or Lords of the Ix^e, by the 
 respective Rents & Services thereout due and of 
 right accustomed — with a naturalization of the 
 said Erederick Harcourt, as if he had been 
 born of his English Parents within the Realm 
 of England." 
 
 There is a good picture of Frederick Har- 
 court by Cornelius Jansen, painted upon 
 panel, and in excellent preservation, in the 
 State bedroom at Nuneham. He was born 
 in Holland, when his father was serving 
 there, and died young. 
 
 The property conveyed by this grant ap- 
 pears to have been very soon parted with 
 by Sir Philip Harcourt, for we read in an 
 indented deed, dated July 11, 1662, — 
 
 " Sir Philip Harcourte of Stanton Harcourte, Co: 
 Oxford, K^ (Son & Heir of Sir Simon Harcourte, 
 K^ dec'l), for the sum of £^;^. 4'. sold and con- 
 veyed in fee farm to W'". Williams, Brewer, All 
 that House, Backside, & Garden, on the last 
 side of New Street, in or near the City of Dublin, 
 containing in breadth, on the fore front, 31 feet, 
 and running backwards to the Lands of S^ Sepul- 
 chre's, on the East, 178 feet; paying to Sir Philip 
 & his Heirs the yearly Rent of £2, of which 
 premisses Luke Nettervill of Corbally, Co: Dublin, 
 Esq., dec'^ was Proprietor, & being forfeited by 
 his late Rebellion, were afterwards granted to & 
 vested in Sir Philip and his Heirs." 
 
 I also find a paper docketed, in the hand- 
 
126 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 writing of Simon, Earl Harcourt, as having 
 been taken from the Auditor-General's office, 
 during the time that Lord Harcourt was 
 Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland : — 
 
 "Extract of a Patent of June lO, 1666, being 
 the iQ^i^ year of the Reign of King Charles the 2"*^., 
 granted unto James, Duke of Ormond, his Heirs 
 and Assigns for ever, of the Lands of Corballis 
 with others in the Barony of Balrothery & County 
 of Dubh'n, and also of several Houses in the City 
 
 of Dublin. 
 
 " And whereas great care is to be taken of the 
 Relict and Heirs of S^ Symon Harcourt, K^^, de- 
 ceased, upon whom His Majesty's Royal Father 
 did by His Letters under His Privy Signet, ap- 
 point that Lands to the Value of Four hundred 
 Pounds per an:, to be taken out of the Forfeited 
 Estate of Luke Netterville, should be settled, part 
 of which estate, together with certain houses in 
 Dublin, were sett out accordingly, and the Relict 
 & Heirs of S"". Symon Harcourt thereof possessed 
 at the time of His Maties late Gratious Declara- 
 tion & so still are, which Lands and Houses 
 together are, as is alledged, still short of the 
 value of Aoo per an: intended to be settled as 
 aforesaid. It is therefore explained and enacted 
 that it shall and may be lawful to and for the 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 127 
 
 said S^ Philip Harcourt, K^, Son & Heir of the 
 said S^ Symon, to hold & enjoy to him & his 
 Heirs the houses in the city of Dublin so as 
 aforesaid set out & possessed, so as the Houses 
 & Lands together do not exceed the value of 
 ^400 per an: 
 
 ** And whereas the said S^ Philip Harcourt, by 
 his deed duly perfected & executed, bearing date 
 the 8*^ day of August, 1665, for the Considera- 
 tions therein expressed, did give, Grant & Convey 
 all his Right, Title, and interest in, & to the Lands 
 & Tenements & Hereditaments hereafter men- 
 tioned, & in & by the said Clause or Proviso 
 intended & comprehended unto the said James, 
 Duke of Ormond, his Heirs & Assigns, to the 
 use of him the said James, Duke of Ormond, his 
 Heirs & Assigns for ever^" 
 
 » ''Corballis, a Conygiee Warren thereunto belonging, a Moiety 
 of Baltra, a Mansion & 4 Messuages, Contg 1 20 acres of Profitable 
 Land, & 60 acres of unprofitable Land of Plantation Measure ; 
 Killeraugh, 1 20 acres of Profitable Land ; Palmerstowne, 6 Mes- 
 suages, 300 Acres of Profit & 20 acres unprofit Land ; Jordans- 
 towne, 260 acres of Profit Land & 20 acres of unprofit Land ; 
 Cotterellstowne, 65 acres of Profit Land & 5 acres of unprofit 
 Land ; part of Grallah, 3 acres of profit Land, all plant measure, 
 lying & being the Barony of Balrotheric & County of Dublin. 
 And also one Messuage in the Town of Lusk, the Riglasse of 
 Luske, 140 Acres, together with all the Tythes belonging to the 
 said Town of Luske, lying & being in the Barony Nethercross & 
 C**. of Dublin ; Two Mesuages or Tenements in Winetavern Street, 
 with a Plott of Ground now in the Possession of W". Hughes, 
 
128 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 A common-place book of Sir Simon Mar- 
 court's, which I found at Nuneham amongst 
 a variety of musty documents, will now be 
 called upon to furnish a few extracts. 
 
 On the first page appear some lines, which 
 I do not know that Peter de Vere would 
 have thanked me for perpetuating. 
 
 2 wnst places or Tofts w*''. .1 Garden or Backside unto one of 
 them belonj;ing, one of which said Plotts is lying & being in 
 S'. Thomas Street, the other in S'. James's Street, whereon are 
 4 Tenements built, now in the Possession of Alder". Rich''. Teigh, 
 one house or Tenem*. in S*. Thomas Street, tS: one other house 
 or small Tenement thereunto adjoining in the Front Streetwards 
 80 P'oot in length, backwards 300 Foot, now in the Poss". of 
 Tho". Clarke. Sev*. parcels of ground or Garden Plotts, whereon 
 divers Houses are built, except the 2 Houses adjoining to Aid". 
 Teighs, holding (viz') one parcell of ground or Garden Plott, situ- 
 ate, lying c<v- being in S^ Francis Street, Cont. Ii Perches ^S: 17 Foot 
 in breadth in the front, ^: in length backwards 13 Perches ; one 
 other parcell of Ground or Garden Plott, lying in S'. Francis 
 Street afores'^, cont^"'. in the front in breadth 9 Perches & 13 Foot, 
 & in length !)ackwards, 14 Perches & 9 Foot, now in the Posses- 
 sion of Thomas Burton, Jolm Fletcher, John Bradock, John Stone, 
 & their Tenants, all that House backside & garden, lying and 
 being on the East side of New Street, in l^readth 31 Foot, & 
 in lengtli 178 Foot, now in the Poss". of W'". Williams Brewer, 
 and also all otlier the Houses .!v: Lands that did formerly belong 
 unto the said S'. Philip Harcourt, in the City or County of the 
 City of Dublin. 
 
 **The yearly Quit Rent, payable by the said Patent for all the 
 Lands in the County I)ul)lin amounts to ;^20 8s. 2id. ; and for 
 the Houses c^ in the City of Dublin, £2 14s." 
 
 1 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 129 
 
 *' When on this booke I looke and see 
 I thinke on him, next God mayd mee, 
 Which workes in mee such a pastion, 
 Greve troubles the minde, o great alteraction." 
 
 " This is the end of man, that wisemen spyes 
 One ou' he lives, the oder he dyes, 
 Make it so o man, what so ever 
 Once here you must dye, and then dye neber." 
 
 " S' Edwarde Vere, whom in his life toke great cear, 
 His friends he loved, his ennemies did him fear, 
 In state matters, wise, and ever just. 
 Lyes now, alas, hidden among the dust. 
 This I finde trew, just is my fere. 
 Wee hardly finde, such another Vere, 
 His planits saye : even those of pann. 
 In many adges you skaes finde such a man." 
 
 Fieter de Vere. 
 " Nossete ibsum." 
 
 Sir Simon was sent in the year 1632 to 
 take part in the expedition to Scotland, and 
 his journal gives the following particulars 
 respecting the commencement of the under- 
 taking : — 
 
 "On y« 18 of Aprill, 1632, I embarked my 
 regement, haueinge my compleate number of 1700 
 men, reckoninge Sarriants, Drumes, Corporalls ; 
 and on y*^ one and twentcth I embarked my selfe 
 
I30 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 in y'^ Henrietta Maria, commanded by S' Henry 
 Manneringe, vice-Admirall. 
 
 "On Tuesday, y' 22 of Aprill, wee sett saile 
 from Yearmouth for the Northern parts, haveinge 
 a fleete of 28 saile, under y« command of my 
 Lord Marquise Hammelton, of w^^ numbere three 
 were of y^ kinges ; 8 y^ Rainbow, in w^'' was y^ 
 Admirall S*" John Pennington ; y« Henrietta Maria, 
 y« vice-admirall, S' Henry Manneringe ; the Bone- 
 adventure, commanded by Cap. Rich: Feildeinge ; 
 the Expedission, commanded by Cap. Slingsby ; 
 y^ Rooe Bucke ; the Antelope, commanded by 
 Cap: Stradling; w*^ 20 colliers, each of w'^' trans- 
 portinge 250 sooldiers, lande-men, makinge y® 
 number of 5000 ; w*^^' were deuidcd into 3 Regi- 
 ments, haveinge each 1700 men ; & these deuided 
 into 13 companies; y*' coll company beeinge 200; 
 Lieut. Coll. 150; San maiors 150; y*' rest 120. y^ 
 Collonells, S^ Tho: Moston, S^ Nicolas Byrron, 
 & my selfe. 
 
 " On y® 24, by ten of y^ clooke, wee dis- 
 couered Flamberow headlande in Yorkshore, w*^^ 
 is y« utmost east point of lande of England, and 
 distant some 35 leages from Yearmouth : & soe 
 wee sayled all y^ daye in viewe of y'^ cost ; on 
 the 25, y^ winde became contrary & stormie, 
 beeinge Northwest, soe y* wee were constrained 
 to beate it out at sea ; not beeinge able to hould 
 our course, w'^'' was directly to y^ Northwards ; 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 131 
 
 on y*^ 26, y® winds continuinge stormy, wee were 
 forced backe againe as farr as Scarbourrow, when 
 wee came to an Ancor. 
 
 ** On Satterday, y^ 27, wee sett saile againe, 
 about 5 of the clooke, in y^ Morninge, the winde 
 beeinge south southwest, calme, but rainery wea- 
 ther, & soe continued all that day ; this day one 
 in our shipp died. 
 
 " On the 28, wee came to an anker before the 
 Holly Hand ; & one the 29, rideinge at ancor, 
 my Lord Marquise published unto us Coll: his 
 commission as Gennerall of our Army ; & on 
 the 30 we sett saile for the Forth in Scotlande. 
 
 " On the firest of May wee came to Ancor in 
 the mouth of the frith by Duglas Castle ; on y« 2 
 of May wee waiyed & ancored, about 2 leages 
 beyond the bas Hand ; & on the 3 wee came 
 before Towone of Leith, where wee ancored in 
 this manner ; on y^ 4, the Bayelies, w"' some 
 other officer of Leith, came w^^' an answere unto 
 my Lord Marquise, but what, wee knewe not, but 
 such as wee perceued well, pleased him not ; this 
 night wee helde a garde of 3 companies, com- 
 manded by Sarriant Major in Enketh Hand, w^^* 
 garde shall be contineued the time wee staye 
 here ; & this day wee receued directions from 
 y^ Gennerall in what manner wee should order 
 our new levied troopes. 
 
 " Keepinge dilligent & carefull watch in our 
 
132 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 boeats & shipp, to preuent y^ danger of fireinge, 
 if they should attempt any such thinges ; my 
 Lord Marquise this day sent one on shore to sig- 
 nify unto y*' Mayors of Lieyth & Eddenbowrroug 
 the Kinges grace & mersies to them & all per- 
 sons, from the hieghest to the lowest, y^ shale 
 submitt, & become againe his true & loyall 
 subiects, by his free pardoninge of them, w^'' he 
 would confirme & establish by act of Parlement, 
 as was alleaged ; y* night his messenger returned, 
 but w^^out answere, other then that they would 
 communicate & impart it unto the Cheefe Lords 
 of the Couenant, & soe then should be by them 
 answere returned, in conuenicnt time. 
 
 "It seemed unto us that they tooke allarum 
 at our arriuall very hottly ; for they fired all theire 
 beackens upon hills ; & all along the shore, as wee 
 approached, they marched w**^ troopes, followe- 
 inge our fleete ; & when ancorcd, they stayed ; and 
 soe keepinge their gard all alongc the shore ; the 
 night wee came to Lieyth wee discouered some 
 20 coullers, w*^'^ wee gessed to be some 2000 men 
 marchinge into the townc ; Gennerall Lashly, 
 wee understoode, bccingc there in person. On the 
 5 I receued order to lande w*'' my whole rege- 
 ment upon the Island of Inshcom, w*^^ in part 
 I did : & on the 6 day I landed the rest. 
 
 '* Since which time, untill the 13, there was 
 nothing done; on the 13 there came aborde the 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 ^33 
 
 Admirall, 2 commissioners from the couenanters ; 
 men well affected, and y* laboured to bringe mat- 
 ters to a right understandinge on both sides ; 
 about 4 of y« clooke, one Eliaser, one of y^ 
 most zelous & obstinate men of the coue- 
 nanters, brought letters unto my Lord, the con- 
 tents of w^'', we very w^ell perceiued, pleased not 
 my Lord Marquise ; conditions of peace were of- 
 fered, but sutch as stoode not w*^* honor to ax- 
 cept of; on the 20 of May, about i of the 
 clooke in the morninge, a Flemish hoye was 
 taken, brought in by our boeats. 
 
 "On the 21, wee embarked & left the Island 
 of Inchcom, naked as wee found it. 
 
 "On the 22, I receued order from my Lord 
 Marquise to sale downe w^^' my Regiment unto 
 the He of Naye, & there to water, & leye at Ancor 
 untill farther order. On the 23, I sett sayle from 
 Inchkieth Island ; on the 22, I likewise receued 
 articles to publish both unto the officers & soul- 
 diers of my Regiment. The 23, about 2 of the 
 clooke at night, wee came to an Ancor before y^ 
 He of Naye ; the 24, I went on shore to viewe the 
 Island, hopeinge to have founde store enough of 
 fresh water for our shipps ; diuers springes I founde, 
 but they yealded not much water, nothinge neer 
 enough for the seruice of one quarter of our fleete. 
 
 " On ye 9 of May wee disembarked & lodged 
 y^ night, (each Tertia or Brigade). 
 
134 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 "On ye II, beeinge Wednesday, wee dislodged 
 & came y* night upon ye heath, where wee 
 stayed y* night & y® next day ; & on friday y® 
 13, we dislodged ; y« Armey beeinge denied into 
 
 5 parts ; & soe wee quartered y* night about y® 
 Towne ; y^ 5 quarters were these. — The Princes, 
 y® Here of Bredroes, Count Solloms, y^ Lord 
 Deedems & Count Mor.ris. 
 
 "The Princes containinge SS companies. 
 The Lord of Bredroes 48 
 
 The Count Solloms 32 
 
 The Count Morris 15 
 
 The Lord Deedems 18 
 
 " On Sunday y^ 15, wee entrenched our quarters 
 
 6 on Munday night, beeinge 16, wee bcgann to 
 Aproch: Lieu: Collonell Hollis commandinge y* 
 night, wee rann a lyne of 200 pases w*^ a court 
 of gard of a 120 in square. 
 
 "The 17, Collonell Broge commandinge in y® 
 Aproches, haueinge more then dubble y^' number 
 of woorkemen then before, aduansed somme 500 
 pases, makinge thereon 2 courts of gard ; w^''out 
 any looss. The 18, our ordinance bcgannc to 
 playe from a Battery of 6 peeces halfe cannon ; 
 on y^ Chappell Hill by y* Prince's quarter. This 
 night, my Lord Morgan commandinge, wee ad- 
 uanced (haueinge y^ same number of woorkemen), 
 500 pases, makeinge 2 courts of gard. 
 
 "On y*" 19, Collonell Balford commandinge, wee 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 135 
 
 rann a line of summe 120 passes, w*^ a great court 
 of gard at y*^ end thereof; this nighte was slaine 
 a Sarriant of my Lo: of Lesters, w^*^ somm 3 soul- 
 diers more hurt. The 20, y^ Cap: of y^ gards 
 commandinge, as deputie for y^ Count Solloms, 
 wee rann 2 lines, y^ one towards y^ Rine on y® 
 left hand, of somme 40 paces, y® other to y^ right, 
 towards a horneworke of y^ enimies. At beetween 
 30 & 40 passes, at y*' end of each of these lines, 
 were to be made a great court of gard or redoupt ; 
 w*^' a battery upon y^ of y^ right hand, to fauour 
 our aproch upon y^ enimes out workes ; y*^ lines 
 & redoupt on y® left towards y^ Rine, beeinge only 
 to preuent y° enimies sallieinge on our backs. 
 
 " On y*^ 21, wee aduanced nothinge at all, neither 
 were these redoupts & battery finished. On y*^ 22, 
 Coll: Pagnam commandinge, a new line was 
 begunn, out of y* of y*^ right hand, upon y*^ point 
 of a hornwoorke w^^' laye on our left hand, at y® 
 end of w*^^' there shall be likewise a court of gard. 
 On y^ 23, y*^ H. Lo: of Benerward commandinge, 
 there was little donne, our Ingenneer van Neble, 
 beeinge shoott, w*^* 3 sariants, who were overseers 
 of ye woorkemen, slaine.** 
 
 Next follows a note of receipt and ex- 
 penditure. 
 
 Sir Simon found his circumstances much 
 
136 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 involved when he succeeded his father ; and 
 he endeavoured to retrieve his fortune by 
 a soldier's life. The occupation being, doubt- 
 less, made palatable to him, by the love of 
 adventure which he had inherited on both 
 sides. 
 
 The absence from home, however, en- 
 tailed by such pursuits, appears, from Sir 
 Simon's own accounts, to have been more 
 detrimental to his affairs than any gains 
 which his wanderings brought him. 
 Received from Stantan harcourt, y^ 2S 
 
 of May, 
 
 wherof disbursed, 
 to my brother vere 
 to Sir Ihon marwood 
 to my cosen Hamond for my Lady's 
 
 Silk 
 lent to my cosen hamond 
 
 I shall now proceed to give the private 
 letters, which have been preserved, from Sir 
 Simon Harcourt to his wife's mother, and 
 to his wife, from 1638 to 1641. 
 
 His wife, as has been already stated, was 
 a daughter of William, fourth Lord Paget ; 
 
 128 01 08 
 
 019 00 00 
 025 00 00 
 
 001 00 00 
 
 020 00 00 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 137 
 
 her sister, Catherine, was married to Sir 
 Anthony Irby, of Boston in Lincolnshire; 
 her mother, Letitia, or Lettice, as she ap- 
 pears to have been called, was daughter 
 and co-heir of Henry, eldest son of Sir 
 Francis Knollys, K.G. There is a good 
 three-quarter length picture of her in the 
 ante -room at Nuneham, painted on panel 
 by Marc Gerard. Sir F. Knollys was a 
 Protestant, and fled to Germany in the 
 reign of Mary; he was made a Privy 
 Councillor and Knight of the Garter by 
 Elizabeth, whose first cousin he married. 
 He had the custody of Mary Queen of 
 Scots, at Bolton, and sat in judgment on her. 
 The following table may serve to give an 
 insight into the pedigree of the family at 
 this date : — 
 

 
 • 
 
 .k ,— • 
 
 
 
 6 si 
 
 X o 
 
 dley 
 rl of 
 sex. 
 
 Ear 
 
 >• 
 
 
 
 .5 (U 
 
 4i -O 
 
 
 
 rp. rt 
 
 U 3 
 
 3 rt t« — _ X 
 
 
 
 ^u 
 
 DWW 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 . 
 
 Robe 
 of Es 
 
 
 'CS 
 
 
 1 
 
 , -^ w) en 
 S? 3 =J 
 
 
 1 
 
 o 
 
 
 Xh4 
 '55 
 
 Lettice Knoll> 
 a very famo 
 and infamo 
 woman. 
 
 
 . t^ 1 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 of Nor- 
 aunt oi 
 
 >> 
 
 
 O 
 O 
 
 cn x; 
 
 
 13 *-: 
 
 ord Morley ; 
 :ause of the 
 yn, and pe- 
 . Howard. 
 
 
 X 
 
 
 ^ C^ 
 
 
 OJ.S 
 
 3 , 
 
 
 the Du 
 dden, a 
 enry VI 
 
 ine Car 
 ueen El 
 
 Walter 
 Devere 
 Earl of 
 Essex. 
 
 : cousin 
 sex. 
 
 
 *tr^rC 
 
 oO^ 1 
 
 
 
 ird, daughter c 
 imanded at Y 
 ward, wife of ] 
 
 er, sister of L 
 
 the chief c 
 
 f Anne Hole 
 
 erself with K 
 
 
 6 o 
 
 ri *- 
 II 
 
 
 11 
 
 • 
 
 O 
 1^' 
 
 im Kno 
 
 ndson, 
 
 anbury. 
 
 ce Kn( 
 the Ec 
 
 ^ - OX! 
 
 «x 
 
 '♦J o 
 
 • 
 4-t 
 
 S e o 
 
 
 B 8^ 
 
 
 
 
 c4 
 
 'o 
 c 
 
 > tf) o 
 
 -d 
 
 
 *j ^ a> 
 
 H— » 
 
 • 
 
 « 
 
 »-• 
 
 c 
 
 lizabe 
 
 folk 
 
 Kath 
 
 II 
 
 U4 
 
 c 
 •> o 
 
 *-" 1-^ to 
 
 o 
 xz 
 
 4-> 
 
 < 
 
 II 
 
 M 
 
 ^^pq 
 
 
 COO ^ 
 
 
 <u c Ti _r .• 
 
 3 
 
 
 Roch 
 
 aded 
 
 Anne 
 
 
 H 
 K 
 el 
 
 illiain 
 Paget 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 "5 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 >leyn, 
 ire. 
 
 c^-go 
 
 
 Sir 
 Fran 
 de 
 Vere 
 
 
 o 
 
 -6 
 
 
 
 s Be 
 iltsh 
 
 • 
 
 0) 
 
 Ti i 
 
 
 
 u 
 
 Thoma 
 ofW 
 
 nne Bol 
 beth. 
 
 U O 
 
 W -a 
 
 Lord 
 Vere < 
 Tilbui 
 
 
 
 
 1-5 
 
 • 
 
 de Vere, i 
 of Oxfor 
 
 ey de Ven 
 
 = Sir 
 Robert 
 Har- 
 court. 
 
 
 
 II 
 
 
 
 t ^ 
 
 ^ o 
 
 1 
 ances 
 
 Vere. 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 O V 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 ■-» o 
 
 
 
 K 
 
 
 
 ** For the Right Hd"^' the Lady Leticca Pagett. 
 " Madam, 
 " Since I am as yett, by y® Prince of Orrange 
 his denying me leave, deprived of the honor and 
 happines in giveing you personall attendance, 
 I have presumed in these to present my humbl 
 dutie unto you ; & to assure your Ladyshipp 
 I will make what hast I can ; & cheefely for my 
 deare wife's sake, for I never broockt my absence 
 from her w*^ y* impatience as now ; but should 
 it be my misfortune to be absent when she is 
 brought to bedd, your Ladyshipp will be pleased 
 to joyne with yourselfe such friends as you shall 
 best like off, & soe honor me in makinge a Chris- 
 tian of what it shall please God to send me. 
 I have nominated some unto my wife, who, if 
 they may stande w^^ your Lady^^^P, her likeinge, 
 it is well, otherwise your Ladyshipp will favour 
 me in makeing your owne choyce ; & if your 
 Ladys' aprove of mine, then I entreate you to doe 
 me the honor, as to envite them. Thus, av*^ my 
 prayers for y*^ continueance of your health, w^^ en- 
 crease of happines, I humbly take my leave, as 
 
 beeinge, 
 
 " Madam, 
 " Your dutifuU and most respective 
 ** Sonne & servant, 
 
 "S. Harcourt. 
 
 " from the Hage, 
 the 6 of Octo: 
 1638, new Stile." 
 
\T^ 
 
 140 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 " My dear Soule, 
 
 "Myjoye was unspeakeable at y*^ newes of thy 
 safe delivery, I beesee^^^' God to give us harts y^ 
 ever may be ever thankefuU unto him for this his 
 blesseinge to us ; God grant y* it may live, & 
 prove an instrument of his glory & our com- 
 forts ; my deare, I will not now put you to the 
 trouble of readinge many lines, I will earnestly 
 invoke God for thee, & ever rest 
 
 " thy faithfull, 
 
 " now most joyeouse, 
 " affectionate husband, 
 
 "S. Harcourt. 
 
 " London, the 6 of 
 Decern: 1638." 
 
 "My dear Hart, 
 
 "I have now receved 6 letters from thee, the 
 last of the 18 of May, the contents whereof con- 
 cerninge my bussines of Stanton Harcourt ; I have, 
 accordinge to the opinion of councell, procured 
 the kinges lettre, for the puttinge of the hcaringe 
 untill Michaellmas Terme, before w^^ time, I doupt 
 not but our bussines will be at an end hcare ; for 
 my Lord Humes, one the cheefcst of the cove- 
 nanters, is thought will submitt & come into 
 the kinge w^''in this 2 or three dayes, & he is 
 able to bringe a great party w^^' him, as it is 
 
 V 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 141 
 
 thought ; « soe that I trust in God that matters 
 may & will be ended w^^'out bloodshcdd. 
 
 " I have now been some 3 dayes w^^^ my Regi- 
 ment in the kinges Army, & I hope shall con- 
 tineue heare ; his Ma^^*^ is very gratious to me ; & 
 I am confident I shall not have cause to repent 
 me of the time I spende in his service, although 
 I were cashered in the lowe countries ; but feare 
 that not, my hart, for there is, & I am confident 
 w^ill be, none soe hard dealcinge w^^^ me. I aprove 
 very well of your answer unto my sister Chettwins' 
 letter, for I am resolved not to part w*'* any of 
 that houeshould stuffe. I have hope shortly 
 wee shall bee house keepers ourselves ; for that 
 matter wherein my Lord of Linsy was named, 
 nothinge can be donne in it ; but if any happen 
 heareafter, that party you knowe, will, I hope, be 
 thought of. Concurninge my bussines w^'^ my 
 Lord Saye, I desire there may be an end made 
 of it, & therefore have advise w'^ my Brother 
 Vere, & other of your friends in it ; & what end 
 soe ever you or they shall think fitt to make in 
 it I shall be well pleased w^^^ all, my dear hart, 
 the sonner it be ended the better ; for many re- 
 spects I am very gladd to hear the 500 pounds 
 is in reddiness, I hope you will speadely dispose 
 soe of it as some profifitt may accrue unto us 
 thereby ; You Bro: Harry cannott procure leave 
 to come over, w'^ is much to his grifTe and mine ; 
 
142 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 I would have now written to him to have procured 
 a bill of exchange of one hundred poundes, to 
 be sent thee by his sollissiter, but I had not time ; 
 I know if you write unto him your selfe in it, it 
 will suffise ; by the next, I shall not faile to 
 write; I have payde a ;^ioo heare unto my Bro: 
 Wroughton, w*^'' he hath assured me he will take 
 such order, as that it shall be payde unto thee, 
 or any one you shall apoint to receave it for thee 
 at London ; had I been able, I would have sent 
 thee more ; I hope I shall ere long ; in the meane 
 time, dispose of this as you please, & of me, my 
 dear hart, 
 
 " Thy most affectionate, lovx^ingc 
 
 '* husband. S. Harcourt. 
 
 '* my humble dutie unto your Mother, with love 
 & service unto all my friends. 
 
 " From the army by Bcrwicke, 
 the last of May, 1639." 
 
 ' 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 143 
 
 My dear Hart, 
 
 " Since my last to thee, I received one from my 
 Bro: Vere, w'^^ brought me the wellcome newes 
 of his recovery, & the puttinge of the heareinge 
 untill Michallmas termes, upon w^^ newes I stayed 
 the kinges letters here w^^ were written to that 
 purpose ; soe y^ now I hope my Bro: will be at 
 leasure for the endinge of the other bussines w^^ 
 my Lady Cope ; I would gladly heare what my 
 Lord Keeper's answere was unto my Bro: upon the 
 letter I writt unto him concurninge that matter, 
 rather then be put to farther trouble ; I could be 
 contented y^ y*^ summe in difference betwixt us 
 were devided ; therefore, my deare hart, lett that 
 bussines be now thought on & ended, if it pos- 
 sibly may be in any reasonable manner ; the end 
 I aime at therein is thy good, for y* I would have 
 somethinge assured to thee, whoever it shall please 
 God to dispose of me : w"^^ I trust will be soe, 
 that wee may longe 'comfortably enjoye each 
 others. 
 
 "I have heare payde ;f lOO unto my Lo: Cham- 
 berline ; who hath sent a warrant unto the re- 
 sever gennerall of his reveneus, M^ Hinton by 
 name ; my Bros: Wroughton's letter will direct 
 you where to send for it ; I have now written 
 unto yo"" Bro: Henry, to procure a bill of ex- 
 change of 200 pounds, or, if he cannott for so 
 much, yett for one, for the present, & the other 
 
144 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 w*^ all convenient speede ; I hope he will care- 
 fully doe it, my deare ; nothinge troubles me more 
 then that I have brought soe many on thee ; but 
 I doupt not, but God in deu time will redeeme 
 us out of all ; in the meane time lett us cheere- 
 fully submitt unto his pleasure therein, & bcgge 
 his blessinge & direction in all our wayes ; soe 
 shall wee be happy in that of our mcetinge, w*^^ 
 is hartily desired & prayed for by 
 
 ** Thy most affectionate 
 
 husband : S. IIarcourt. 
 
 " from our Army in 
 Hurtlcy feilds, by 
 Berwicke, the 
 6 of May, 1637." 
 
 "My dear Hart, 
 
 " I am yett unprovided of a preacher, if it pos- 
 sibly may be in thyn, or any of your friends, 
 power to help me to one, I should csteeme it a 
 grcate happines ; I pray sende once more to Doctor 
 Goffe about one, & lett him knowe how much I 
 have binn disapointed by the expectation of him 
 recomended by my Lo: Goreinge ; Doctor Goffe 
 lives w*^ my Lady Newport, as I take it." 
 
 I 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 145 
 
 " My Hart, 
 
 "As yet I cannott obtaine my leave, w^^^ doth 
 soe much discontent me, y* were it not for thy 
 sake I would not endure it ; but as y^ case standes 
 w*^ me, I must have patience for a time, w'^^ I 
 hope will bringe it to a better issue ; I expect 
 letters out of England, w^^^ I doupt not will effeact 
 my des^y ; if not, I shall desire y® counsell & advise 
 of my friends how to behave myselfe ; for in my 
 absence I may suffer more in my owne ocasions 
 then ever my fortunes here will be able to re- 
 compense, besides y^ losse of employement in y® 
 Kinges Service, w^^ in a short time may prove 
 more benniffitiall to me then my life time (al- 
 though longe) here ; if I have a good end of my 
 law bussiness I will w*^ what speede I can quitt 
 here, yett not rashly, for I am much troubled to 
 contineue in the service of soe ungratefuU a people, 
 who will not doe y^ least courtesie to keepe an 
 antient and faithfull survent, as I have ever binn 
 to them, from utter ruinne ; as in all apeerance 
 theire deniall of my leave at this time may prove. 
 Present my humble dutie unto your Mother, w*^ 
 due respects to all, &, my dearest hart, prayeing 
 thy health & little Phil's. 
 
 Thy most dearely loveinge 
 
 " husband, S. HARCOURT. 
 
 n 
 
 " The Hauge, March 25, 
 1640, new stile." 
 
 U 
 
 ' 
 
146 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 *' For viy deare wife 
 the Lady Harcourt at Chcrncy. 
 
 "My Deare Hart, 
 
 "I am, I prayse God, safely arrived w*^^ my 
 Regiment at Dublin, where I shall make noe 
 longe staye, if I am not righted in y^ wrongs 
 I now suffer; for I find another established by 
 the Lords Justices as governor here^ They say 
 that necessity forced them unto it haveinge noe 
 man here in whom they durst confide, & that 
 they can receve noe other w*^'out expresse order 
 from my Lord Lieutenant ; when they doe, I shall 
 have my demand. I have written unto my Lord 
 Lieutenant about it, likewise to my Lord of Hol- 
 land ; I pray make a journey to London, & en- 
 treate your Bro: my Lord Pagett ; presse for 
 a speedy answer y* I may knowe on what leggs 
 I stand ; & if he finde any difficulty in procuringe 
 my satisfaction here, then entreate him to procure 
 a warrantable call for me from hence, w^^' must 
 be from those who employed me, y'^ Parlement 
 & Lord of Lessester, who assured me y* I should 
 heare receve my commission for the command 
 of y® garrison, & y* he had to y^ purpose written 
 unto y® Lords here ; but I finde noe such matter. 
 
 "I cannott have soe unworthy a thought of him, 
 
 « Sir Simon had been sent over to Ireland by the Parliament, 
 with a force of foot and horse, and with a commission as Go- 
 vernor of Dublin. 
 
 "*J^ 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 147 
 
 as to thinke he willingely omitted it, to put an 
 
 affront on me, who never gave him y^ least cause 
 
 of distrust ; I impute it to his multiplissety of 
 
 bussines, w"^'' hath made him forgett it; but y® 
 
 truth will now apeare for it must come to y*^ 
 
 triall, if I finde there hath binn by dealinge ^ you 
 
 shall have me speedely w*^^ you, therefore lose 
 
 noe time in y^ discovery. Yours of y® 4 of Decem: 
 
 were in you mention M^ Blany, came to my hands 
 
 since my cominge to Dublin ; I aprove very well 
 
 of your resolution to buye coach horsses & to 
 
 follow y® cause. I sent you forty pound before 
 
 my cominge from Chester, & will send you more 
 
 by an expresse, or other wayes, ere long. I have 
 
 not binn here longe enough to gather newes ; 
 
 some thinge will be donne speedely for the releasse 
 
 of Treda ; God grant good suckses in it. Its 
 
 now late, & y'' post in hast, therefore I must be 
 
 breeff ; present my humble dutie unto your Mother, 
 
 w^^' my best respects unto your sister & all my 
 
 friends at Cherney ; your Bro: is well, & Robin 
 
 Hammon. My deare lett me here often from 
 
 thee, for thy lovinge lines must & ever shall be y® 
 
 most wellcome and acceptablest present can be 
 
 sent unto 
 
 '* Thy most faithfuU & affectionate 
 
 "husband, S. HARCOURT." 
 *' Dublin, January y* 3, 
 1 64 1." 
 
 * Meaning, "underhand." 
 
148 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 " My Dearest Hart, 
 
 '* Since my last to thee, the weather here hath 
 binn soe stormey, y* noe shipp durst put out of 
 y* haven, w*^^ is y^ sole cause that you have not 
 heard from me ; for I know your feares for me 
 are great, concidderinge y^ times heare, w'"^ I bee- 
 leeve are made more dangerous by report then 
 in truth they are, for were our supplyes of horsse 
 & foote come out of England, I am of opinion y* 
 y^ great danger of this rebellion were past. I as 
 yet know not on what termes I stand here, beinge 
 a stranger unto y« resolution taken in England ; 
 if it be not such as may stande w^'' my honor to 
 accept, I hope my friends there will use some 
 meanes to call me from hence. I have again 
 writt unto y^ Prince of Orringe to favour me in 
 reservinge of my place untill such time as I see 
 whether this be a warr like to contineue. If you 
 can procure my Lord of Holland's letter to second 
 mine, I doupt not but it will be donne. Nothinge 
 hath happened here of late worth y^ relatinge, 
 only wee have burnt many tovvnes & castles w^^'- 
 out any resistance, y^ rebells flying before us 
 where so ever wee come ; & I trust in God they 
 will doe soe still. 
 
 " The releasse of Drogheda is y® only bussines 
 now thought on ; as y^ w^^ concernes maincly y^ 
 good & safety of this Kingdome ; letters wee 
 received this day from y*^ Gouverner & many 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 149 
 
 officers there, all complaineing of y® misserable 
 want of victuall, haveing nothinge left them but 
 herringes & malt & rye, & of these not for above 
 8 dayes ; there souldiers weake & sickly, not 
 lonsrer able to doe dutie ; there horsses, in w^^ 
 was theire greatest strength, perrish for want of 
 provission ; soe y* they are constrained to turne 
 many of them out of towne. In this lamentable 
 condition they are. 
 
 *' For there releafe wee have two wayes ; y^ one 
 by sea, y^ other by land ; if God pleases to prosper 
 us in either wee shall then doe well. Our shipps 
 have binn out, but are driven backe againe by 
 Tempestuous weather ; & if God favour us not 
 w^^^ a speedy winde, wee must then put our land 
 dissign in execution, in w'^'', I doupt not, but 
 God will blesse us w^^ good sucses. If wee faile 
 in it y^ warr will be Spunn out to a greater length, 
 & those brave men there will be in danger to be 
 all lost, for although they should make their con- 
 ditions by a capittulation, yet I feare they would 
 never be kept ; for there is noe credditt to be 
 given to soe base an enemey ; but I trust God 
 will bless & preserve them from such danger. 
 
 " I presume you are now very bussee in y^ 
 solissitation of my law bussines, God prosper your 
 endeavours therein, & bringe it to a speedy end ; 
 such a one as may give me a retiringe place ; 
 where I may at last finnish my dayes in peace 
 
ISO 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 & quiett, & in y^ comfortable enjoyment of thy 
 deare selfe ; & both in our true fcare & service 
 of our good God. Thine & thy children's health 
 is the nevves I most thirst after, & y* w"^^' I hope 
 
 1 shall be comforted w^^' speedely, come it accom- 
 panied w*^' badd newes, it will be much sweetened 
 & lessned therby, w^^' good it will treble my 
 joyes. For my owne health, I prayse God I 
 never enjoyed it more perfectly, wantinge no- 
 thinge but thy most desired & sweete company 
 
 6 conversation. 
 
 "I have provided some houshould stuffe (w^^^ 
 the rebells have furnished me w^^'all), against 
 your cominge, as a very good basin & eavver, 
 
 2 fiflaggons, a salt, suger-box, & 2 wine cupps of 
 silver, some 2 dossen of pewter dishes, & good 
 stoore of ordinary househould Linnen. All this 
 I found in a Castle w'^^' wee lately tooke, some 
 
 7 miles from Dublin, called y^ Castle of Lyons, 
 belonginge unto one M"". Banesly Britton, a l^arke- 
 shire man, whom wee had as a prissoner, intend- 
 inge to have carried him w'^' us to Dublin ; but 
 in y« night he made an escape from us, & since, 
 I beleeve, he is gonn into open rebellion, who 
 before stoode neuter. Wee had likewise y« pil- 
 liageinge of another towne called y« Nesse, some 
 12 miles from Dublinn, burnt some 5 or 6 other 
 villiages & Castles in y'^ journey ; & returned w^^- 
 out any incountre. Our strentgh was 2000 foote 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 151 
 
 & 300 horsse; of w^^^ I had y^ cheeffe com- 
 
 mande. 
 
 " I have sent you a bill of exchange for ^50: 
 & will w^^'in a weeke or a fortnight send nan 
 a bill of £so more into y'' low cuntryes, for y« 
 payement of y^ hanginges; & as fast as I can 
 spare any you shall be sure to have it, for I am 
 never soe well pleased as when I can send thee 
 tookens of my love. Your brother Tom hath 
 written unto my Lord to have £^0 of his mony 
 payde you, w^^' I am to paye him here. If you 
 receive it I would have you send it to Nann, for 
 I beleeve y* will be y^ safeest & speediest way; 
 I shall forbeare to send unto her from hence, 
 untill I heare from you. My best respects & 
 service unto all my friends at Cherney I desire 
 may be presented ; & lett my cosen knowe that 
 her Sonne is in very good health, & doth 
 performe y^ duties of his caleinge in a carefull 
 & industrious manner, & shall have y^ reward 
 dew to such dillegence (God willinge), on y* first 
 ocasion. 
 
 " I praye you in your next, lett me heare what 
 probabillity there is of my Lord Lieut, cominge over, 
 & if you can, y^ time of his cominge, for matters 
 here will never be put into a right frame till then. 
 If I continue here I shall be nessesseated to turne 
 begger unto some of my friends in England, to 
 helpe me unto a good servicable horsse or 2, for 
 
152 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 I am in very great want, beeinge forced to borrowe 
 whensoever I goe abroade on service. I know 
 my Lord of Holland would doe it, if some friende 
 of mine would but mention it to him ; if you can 
 contrive it that way or any other, you will doe 
 me a very acceptable kindnes ; If you can effect 
 it, you may send one by y"" Messenger w<^^' your 
 Brother sent, for he is speedily to returne. Some- 
 thinge I had to saye more, but neither time nor 
 paper will permitt. I shall hope, my deare hart, 
 y' what time benders me from sayeinge in the 
 expression of my love, your goodnes will make 
 upp in beleeveinge y^ best of 
 
 "Your faithful! & dearely 
 
 " lovinge husband : S. Harcourt." 
 "Dublin, ffeb'. y' 12, 
 1641." 
 
 "I heare nothinge as yet of y^ Preacher was 
 recommended unto me by Doctor Temple, I praye 
 make it your care to send him or some other 
 good man to me ; for here are but few good 
 thought y many in number. A small supply of 
 linnen woolde be very wellcome, as half a dozen 
 bands, cuffes, & soe many paire of hooses, & 
 some prittee small laces, but not great prized 
 ones : for I will spare your pursse as much as 
 may be. I shall by y® next lett you know of 
 some other wants I have, y* cheefe of w*^^ cannott 
 
 y Meaning "though." 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 ^53 
 
 be supplyed w^^out your pressence, w*^^ in all my 
 lifetime I never more desired ; & I hope y^ af- 
 faires will be shortly soe settled here, y* I may 
 enjoye it w**^ content, & free from those feares 
 w^^ keepes most women from hence. 
 
 " I praye lett me by your next knowe how 
 you have donne in the breedeinge case I left 
 you ; I hope soe well, as you will w**^ God's bless- 
 ing bringe me another lousty boye ; this is some- 
 thinge a large postscript, but I shall never be 
 weary of talkeinge to thee, it beinge y^ most 
 pleasinge time I have. I praye lett me heare 
 what Vere is likely to doe in his love bussinesj 
 I feare it will not prove agreeable to his expec- 
 tation, & for my own part I knowe not whether 
 I should wish it or not ; if it be for his good 
 I praye God it may be. My deare hart, here 
 once more farewell." 
 
 '* My deare Hart, 
 "Yours of y*^ 14 of ffeb: came to my hands y^ 
 I of March, wherby I finde y* my letters to thee 
 have had slowe passage or els have miscarried, 
 for I assure you I have not omitted any opertunity 
 since my cominge, unlesse at such times as I have 
 binn out of towne, neither, God willinge, shall 
 I, for I am very sencible of y® feares & trouble 
 thy not hearinge from me puts thee too ; there- 
 fore I hope you will not harbour y^ conceaite y* 
 it*s any willing omission, for there's nothinge in 
 
 X 
 
this world I aime at or studdy more then thy con- 
 tent, & to be a comfort to thee ; w*"^ to y^ utt- 
 most of endeavours I shall expresse in all y^ 
 wayes y^ it's possible, or may be in y*^ power of 
 a loveinge husband, &, when I have donne all, 
 thinke it farr to little in respect of what thy love 
 to me may or doth justly claime ; & this I 
 desire you to beeleeve is spooken from y^ hart, 
 as w^ell as from y« pen of thy deare husband ; & 
 now I will give you a brifife account of a pecce 
 of service w^^' hath binn lately acted on y^ rebells. 
 
 "At a place called Killshalrenen some 8 miles 
 distant from Dublin, where they were some 1500 
 or 2000, stronge as any as I have yet scene in 
 Ireland ; beeinge mooreash & boggie grounde on 
 y« one side, on y^ other thick woods w*^ hiegh 
 quicksett hedges and deepe ditches, w*^** made 
 it inaccessable ; but wee forced our way by 
 pionners, under y^ favour of our musketteers ; in 
 ye middle of w*=^ woods & dickes stode y* Castle, 
 haveinge but one Avenew unto it on y'^ side wee 
 aproched it ; on w*^^ they had cast upp a travers 
 or barricade, w*^^ wee beate them from ; y* done, 
 I sent Cap: Congrave w*^ a 100 musketteeres to 
 beate them out y^ church (intendinge my selfe 
 to second him with 500 of my owne regiment), 
 yeard, w'^^ they had intrenched, & w*^^' was alsoe 
 favoured by y® Castle standinge oppositt to y' 
 gates; but, however, God soe blessed him, y^ he 
 
 p 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 155 
 
 beate them from it himselfe, needinge noe healpe ; 
 after w^^ they made noe more resistance, but 
 fledd in great disorder & confusion unto y^ boggs, 
 where our horsse could not follow y® chace farr ; 
 my Lord Burlaeyes troope I commanded to follow 
 soe farr as they could, who cutt of some 60 or 
 70 of them, & about as many more were slaine 
 by y® foote ; y® Castle was maintained against us, 
 most of their best men havinge taken sanctuary 
 in it ; & wee, havinge noe peeces of battery, weere 
 forced to leave it that time, & content our selves 
 ^th ye beatingc of them out of y^ woods, & y® 
 burninge y^ villages in y^ w^^^ they were quartered. 
 In this expedition was my Lord of Ormond him- 
 selfe (unto whom I am very much bounde for 
 many favours), my Lord Lambart, S*" Charles Cook, 
 
 6 myselfe ; our strength was 2500 foote, & 300 
 horsse. Wee lost in y^ service one Cap: Rochford, 
 who commanded y^ forlorne hope & some 8 soul- 
 diers, y® most of them of my regiment, & some 
 
 7 or 8 hurt ; this is all y^ newes at present heare. 
 
 ** Present my humble dutie unto your Mother 
 & my dew respects & humble service unto all 
 there, & with you at Chercey soe prayeinge unto 
 y® Almightie to blesse & keepe both you & yours 
 in health & safety, & to send you a comfortable 
 & happy meetinge w*^ 
 
 *' Thy faithfull & affectionate 
 
 "husband, S. HarcOURT. 
 
 " Dublin, March y« 
 21, 1641." 
 
"I have, here inclosed, sent you a relation of 
 all passages concerninge Drogeda, w*^^^ when you 
 have readd, communicate unto y® rest of my friends 
 neere you. 
 
 "I praye you send this relation to S*" Robert 
 Tracy, or y^ coppy." 
 
 '• My deare Hart, 
 "On Thursday y® 25, I receved a letter from 
 thee by my Lady Stannepps Chappline, dated 
 y® 12 of July, & on fifryday 26 another, bringinge 
 the good & most wellcome nevves (next that of 
 thy health), of my cozen Hammon's safe arrivall 
 in Holland ; in requitall, I returne you that w*^^ 
 I knowe will be very acceptable unto you, y® as- 
 sured newes of a parly w^^' began yesterday about 
 I a clocke ; on Monday or Tuesday they are to 
 march out of y^ ffort, on what condilions you 
 shall knowe when I have y^ happincs to see you, 
 w*^**, God willinge, shall be about 7 or 8 dayes 
 hence, if I can gett leave, w*^'^ I doupt not off; 
 & this is all for y^ present I can say, more then 
 that I am 
 
 ** Your most affectionate 
 
 **&faithfull husband, 
 
 " S. Harcourt. 
 
 " from y' Army 
 
 July 27, new stile, 
 
 1641." 
 
 T 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 157 
 
 ** Present my humble service unto my Cosen 
 Hammon ; you might doe well to write unto 
 your Bro: about y^ 200 gilders, for I am un- 
 willinge to speak unto him in it, unlesse you give 
 
 me commission. 
 
 ** My Deare Hart, 
 " I can only lett thee know by this post y* 
 I have passed y« ill weather & waies as farr as 
 Coventrey (I prayse God) in healthe & safetie, 
 & can gather by that w^^' I finde here, that it will 
 be impossible ever to gett upp my Regiment 
 w^^'out a presse, for although y^ Drummes have 
 beaten here & at Daintry these 3 dayes, yet wee 
 have not entertained above 20 men, w'^'' I have 
 given my Lord notice of, soe y^ I expect speedy 
 order to presse ; this day I am goeinge to Lich- 
 fieeld where I shall staye some 4 or 5 dayes, & 
 then directly to Chester, & there attend farther 
 directions ; when I hope you will make me happy 
 by y^ receit of a letter from you : for I desire to 
 heare how you have done since my departure. 
 I understand my cause is put off, but in what 
 terms I knowe not ; my affaires here call me 
 away ; & will permitt me to say noe more at 
 pressent than that I am, 
 
 " My dearest, 
 " Thy faithfuU affectionate husband, 
 
 "S. Harcourt. 
 
 " Dantry, y*" 26 of Novem: 1641." 
 
158 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 '* Present my humble dutie unto your Mother, 
 for whose recovery & health I hartely praye, & 
 shall be much joyed to heare off. My most re- 
 spective love & service unto my Bro: & Sister 
 Erby, w*^ my Cosen Hammon & her familie ; her 
 Sonne is in good health." 
 
 ^' For my Dcare wife y Lady Harcottrt, 
 
 '*My Deare Hart, 
 ** Thine of y*^ 6 of December from Sarjant Glan- 
 vieelds Chamber, came to my hands by my Cosen 
 Harcourt, y^ i6 of the same, beeinge y'' scconde 
 I have had from you since I saw you, by w*'^ 
 I understande y* you have taken upon you y^ 
 care of sollissitingc of my cause ; w*"^' I hartely 
 thanke you for, becinge confidant it will prosper 
 & have y^ better success ; and although it may 
 prove somewhat troublesome unto you at present, 
 yet in y^ end I doupt not but it will be for your 
 greater contentment & satisfaction ; besides it will 
 bringe you to a cleere understandinge of y^ cause, 
 w'^' may prove in y^ future greatly for the good 
 of you & yours ; I shall be likewise gladd to heare 
 by your next, y* you have, by your petition (or 
 motion), obtained a day of hearinge in y^ next 
 terme ; but one clause in your letter I am troubled 
 at : y^ Kinge's displeasure, what have I donne to 
 merrit it I know not, my hart that ever binn 
 upright & loyall towards him, soe have my actions 
 
 for ought I knowe ; for I am not conscious to my 
 selfe of y^ least willfuU miscarriage in his Ma*'^^ 
 service ; That I have undertaken this employe- 
 ment, beeinge therunto called by both houses of 
 Parliament ; I did it, confidently beeleevinge y^ 
 what they did was by his Ma*^*^" direction & 
 abrobation ; &, this beeinge rightly understoode, 
 may I hope restore me againe unto his Ma*'*"^ fa- 
 vourable & gratious opinion, if at all fallen from 
 it, w^^' I am very unwillinge to beeleive. I praye 
 you enquire more neerly after it ; for it concernes 
 me in a very hiegh degree, if it prove true ; for, 
 beeinge in his disfavour, I am like to have but 
 an uncomfortable imployement, for y*' worst con- 
 struction thereby will be made of all my actions ; 
 w*'^ I can noe way soe well prevent as by qutt- 
 inge y^ imployement, & y^ way of doeing it must 
 advisedly be thought on, both by my friends there, 
 who aproved of my undertakeinge it, & myselfe 
 heare, w*^^ I shall praye for God's direction & as- 
 sistance ; as in this, soe in all other matters w^^ 
 concerne our good & future comfort, I am confi- 
 dent you will joine in prayere w^'', 
 
 ** My dearest, 
 
 " Thy affectionate 
 
 " faithfuU husband, 
 
 " S. Harcourt. 
 
 "Chester, y* i6 of 
 December, 1641." 
 
i6o 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 "My deare Hart, 
 
 "I have since y^ writeinge of this, reccved 
 one from you dated from Chcrcey: whereby I 
 perceave I am constant in your thoughts & 
 prayers, w'''' I take for my greatest worldly 
 happines ; I finde by yours my Bro: Vere hath 
 againe exceeded in his expences since Aprill 
 last very much ; but I will say noe more untill 
 I have scene them. I am gladd you are like to 
 gett a day of hearinge y*^ next terme ; God grant 
 it may be (as I hope) for our good, but sorry to 
 hear y® grant proves of noe use unto us ; I will 
 with y® first convenient messenger I can finde 
 sende you 40 pounds, & as often as I can spare 
 any you shall be sure to have it, if I know how 
 to send it. For my Cozen, Rob: Hammon, you 
 may be confident I will use w*^' all dew respect, 
 & when I have opertunitie preferr, & soe you 
 may assure his mother, unto whom, I pray, pre- 
 sent my humble service. 
 
 " I am now in readinesse (my Regiment beeinge 
 compleate & havinge Arnies & all thinges ncs- 
 sessary) to take my passage, w*** first opertunitie 
 of winde, for Ireland, w*^'' God grant may be w^^' 
 speede, & y* my arrivall there may bringe y* 
 wished & desired comfort & releife unto y^ poore 
 distressed & opressed people there ; I here no- 
 thinge more of y^ Kinges displeasure w*'^ me, 
 
 therefore I hope it's but a false report ; by 
 your next I hope to find it soe; y® post bee- 
 inge now reddy to goe, I can say noe more then 
 
 y* I am, 
 
 " My dearest, 
 
 " Thy faithfull affectionate 
 " husband, S. HarcouRT. 
 
 "Chester, y« 18 
 Decern: 1641." 
 
 " I^or my deare wife the Lady Harcourt at 
 Chcrey or DraytoUy these, 
 
 " My dear Hart, 
 
 *' I was much disapointed of my hope by this 
 post, for I was confident I should have heard 
 from you, but neither from you or any one els 
 had I y® happines, whereat I was a little out of 
 countenance : many enquiring what letters I re- 
 ceaved, hopeinge to have had some newes ; but 
 it seems my entelligence is but badd, & not at 
 all answering their expectation. I doe not say 
 this expectinge any from you, more than y^ of thy 
 health & well beeinge, (& y^ I live still in thy 
 loveinge & affectionate thoughts of me), w'^ of 
 all other is y* I most valew, & shall ever be most 
 Wellcome unto me. 
 
 " I have not heard more concerninge y** Kinges 
 
l62 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 displeasure, therefore I hope it was but a false 
 report. I pray in your next lett me heare how 
 your Mother doth of he legg, & who your chil- 
 dren doe ; little ffrederick I should be glad to 
 heare were well, likewise y* your letter unto 
 y« Prince of Orringe & y*^ States for my leave 
 were sent away ; if my Lieut: be come into Eng- 
 land, praye wright to him to paye you y*' 50 
 pounds he promised me should be heare payde, 
 & alsoe y* fortie I borrowed for him of a mer- 
 chant att Rotterdam. Present my humble service 
 & best respects unto all at Chercy, & for your- 
 selfe my prayers shall be, y^ God would blesse 
 & preserve you ine health, untill he make us 
 happy by a comfortable meeteinge, w'^^ of all 
 thinges shall be most prayed for & desired by, 
 
 ** My dearest, 
 
 " Thy most faithfull 
 
 ** affectionate husband, 
 « Chester, Decemb. " S. HARCOURT. 
 
 24, 1 64 1." 
 
 Sir Simon's letters to his wife here end. 
 They are sealed v^ith his signet-ring, very 
 small, bearing the arms of Harcourt, — two 
 gold bars on a red ground, quarterly with 
 the three lions of England, surmounted by 
 a crownlet on which stands a peacock. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 163 
 
 The following letter, from the Bodleian 
 Library, purports to be addressed 
 
 "To a worthy member of the House of Com- 
 mons, with a true relation of the proceedings of 
 the English army under the Command of Sir 
 Simon Harcourt." 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 " I hope by this time you are satisfied, by the 
 receipt of my letters, that I have made it my care 
 to uphold myselfe in your good opinion, which 
 I shall ever value at a high rate, therefore, I will 
 never prove so great an enemy unto myselfe, as 
 to lose it by the neglect & omission of the tender 
 of my due respect, which shall, on all opportunities, 
 attend you in a most affectionate manner. 
 
 "And now give me leave to give you a brief 
 account of a piece of service which hath lately 
 been acted on the Rebels. At a place called 
 Killshanghall, some seven or eight miles from 
 Dublin, where lodged neere upon 2000, as we 
 had intelligence. The situation of the Place, as 
 naturally strong as I have seen any castle in 
 Ireland, having moorish and boggy ground on 
 the one side, the other invironed with thick woods, 
 quick set hedges, high banks, & deep ditches ; (in- 
 accessible), but as we forced our way by Pioneers 
 (under the favour of our Musquetiers) ; in the 
 
\ 
 
 164 
 
 Sir SimoxN Harcourt. 
 
 middle of which woods stood the castle, which 
 had but one avenue into it ; on that side we ap- 
 proached it, on which they had cast up a treverse 
 or barricadoe, which we beat them from. That 
 done, I sent Captain Congrave with 100 Mus- 
 quetiers to fall on them in the churchyard, in 
 which they were intrenched, and which stood op- 
 posite unto the Castle Gate ; he found there some 
 small resistance : but they soon in great disorder 
 fledde, taking their way (most of them) unto the 
 boggy ground ; those which betooke themselves 
 unto the higher ground, I sent my Lord Bor- 
 lasse's troop in chase of them, who had the cut- 
 ting of some 60 or 70 of their throats : and 
 about as many more were killed in the woods 
 by the foote. 
 
 " The Castle was maintained against us (some of 
 their best men having taken it for sanctuary), and 
 we, having no pieces of battery, were forced to 
 leave it. In this expedition was my Lord of 
 Ormond, the Lord Lambert, Sir Charles Coote, 
 and mysclfe, having with us 2,500 foote, and 300 
 horse. We lost one captain Rochford, who led 
 the forlorn hope, being of Sir Charles Coote his 
 regiment, with some five or six of my regiment, 
 and as many hurt. 
 
 "And this is all that for the present I can ac- 
 quaint you with, only that to-morrow we make 
 a visit unto the Lords & Gentry of the Pale, with 
 
 
 I 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 165 
 
 3000 foot, & between 500 & 600 horse ; & this we 
 are forced to doe for the reliefe of our soldiers, 
 who have been kept this tenne weekes upon a 
 meane allowance of salt beef, and herring, which 
 hath caused great sicknesse and mortality amongst 
 them : but I hope that youre care of this poore 
 army here will be such that we may be speedily 
 supplyed with money, clothes, and victuals for 
 them. I speak of their misery as briefly as I can, 
 but the Lord Justice's letter will more at large 
 informe you. I am confident you will doe all the 
 friendly oflfices (in your power) for the soldiers 
 here, whereby you shall engage them and me, 
 most faithfully and affectionately to remain, 
 
 " Sir, your humble servant, 
 
 '' Harcourt. 
 
 " Dublin, 6 Martii, 1641." 
 
 The following letter was written to Sir 
 Simon by his younger brother, Francis : — 
 
 " Dear Brother, 
 " The intelligence that has passed between us 
 since your last going over has hitherto been full 
 of sadness, our great losse heere, and yo^ great 
 danger to be lost in the warre. It is soo lately 
 that yo® owne letters assured us of yo*^ recoverie 
 from yo^ desperate hurte, that the hope of yo« 
 friends in Staffordsh^ are as yet scarcely con- 
 firmed. It is the fate of men that are much 
 
 \ 
 
 
1 66 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 louvd and engaged in forraine dangers to die 
 so many deaths, as they friends have causes to 
 feare their losse of life ; the common and di- 
 versely confirmed reports of yo® fatall miscariage 
 have put yo^ friends into passionate disorders, 
 from which, although yo^ recovery hath recovered 
 them for the present, yet their minds are soe 
 habituated to feare in yo^ behalfe, that they are 
 subject to as many relapses as you are exposable 
 to dangers. 
 
 ** The hopes and desires of yo^ friends are, that 
 a settled good fortune heere, may redecmc you 
 from yo^ dangers there. 
 
 ** A wife, or an unvexed estate, I hope, will be 
 an obligation to keepe you amongst us, but with- 
 out yo^ owne sollicitation neither will be attained. 
 Yo^ business with Roberts will not, as I suppose, 
 require yo^ presence this terme, but when it shall 
 come to hearing, you must not be absent, for 
 though yo^ letters, friends and brothers may sol- 
 licite the great Lords, yet all togeather will be 
 less* effectuall than one worde from yo^ owne 
 person. S^ William Cope is now in town'', and, 
 as I heare, talks very peremptorily concerninge 
 the business between you and him, but I thinke 
 to as small purpose as ever. We have not as 
 yet heard this tearme from either of the umpires, 
 and we are not desirous any way to incite them 
 to compose the matter, for I verily believe S^ W. C. 
 
 hath as yet noe better cardes than those he pro- 
 duced at Woodstock. Concerning the particulars 
 of yo« affaires, my brother Vere's letter, I pre- 
 sume, will informe you. This only I have written 
 to lett you know how passionately yo« friends 
 have beene distracted for you, and now long to 
 see yow. I beseech the Almightie to prosper you, 
 
 and restore to them & to 
 
 ** Yo« must affectionate brother, 
 
 " Ffra: Harcourt. 
 
 "My sister & cosen are well at the Abby. 
 My Lord Bishop and Lady were sollicitously in- 
 quisitive after your person and affaires, & received 
 the present of yo« services to them by me very 
 kindly, desiring to return their best respects to 
 you. I pray remember my service and love to 
 my friends and acquaintance with you. 
 
 " Temple Barre, Octob. 28, 
 1639." 
 
 After the death of Sir Simon, his v^Idow 
 married Sir William Waller, who was son 
 of Sir Thomas Waller, Constable of Dover 
 Castle, and of Margaret, daughter of Samp- 
 son Lennard, Lord Dacre. 
 
 There is a fine picture of Sir William 
 Waller at Nuneham, by Walker. It was 
 
i68 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 engraved by Milton for Sir William's vin- 
 dication of himself, written and published 
 in the year 1793. At the back of this 
 portrait is affixed a copy of Sir William's 
 admirable letter to Sir Ralph (afterwards 
 Lord) Hopeton, written before the battle 
 of Lansdown : — 
 
 " 1643. 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 *' The experience I have had of your worth, and 
 the happinesse I have enjoyed in your friendship, 
 are wounding considerations to me, when I look 
 upon this present distance between us : certainly. 
 Sir, my affections to you are so unchangeable, 
 that hostilitie itself cannot violate my friendship 
 to your person ; but I must be true to the cause 
 wherein I serve. The old limitation of ' usque ad 
 aras * holdeth still ; and where my conscience is 
 interested, all other obligations are swallowed up. 
 I should wait upon you according to your desire, 
 but that I look on you as engaged in that partie 
 beyond the possibilitie of retreat, and consequentlie 
 incapable of being wrought upon by anie persua- 
 sion ; and I know the conference could never be 
 so close betwixt us, but that it would take wind, 
 and receive a construction to my dishonour. That 
 great God, who is the searcher of all hearts, 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 169 
 
 knows with what a sad fear I go upon this ser- 
 vice, and with what a perfect hate I detest a war 
 without an enemie ; but I look upon it as ' opus 
 Domini;' which is enough to silence all passion 
 in me. The God of peace send us, in his good 
 time, the blessing of peace, and in the mean time 
 fit us to receive it. 
 
 "We are both on the stage, and must act those 
 parts that are assigned in this Tragedy; but let 
 us do it in the way of honour, and without per- 
 sonal animositie: whatsoever the issue of it be, 
 I shall never resign that dear title of 
 
 " Your most affectionate friend, 
 
 " and faithful servant, 
 
 " William Waller." 
 
 I now give a few extracts from the manu- 
 script journal of Sir Simon Harcourt's widow, 
 which will conclude my notice of his life : — 
 
 ''J tine 1649. 
 
 " An inumeration of the many mercyes I have 
 receaved from G. — i* born w^ the Name and fear 
 of God is known— 2^y, G — did plant in my hart 
 a desire to fear his Name in my very yong years. 
 Conserning this life, I have had a competensy of 
 all things desirable, and have had experienses of 
 all conditions, and of very many mercys in all 
 conditions ; espesially in my maryed and widows 
 
 z 
 
^ 
 
 170 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 state. In the first, that God gave mc an honest 
 and kind husband ^ ; Children very hopefull ; soe 
 much estate as kept us comfortably, without want, 
 for the greatest part of the time ; the love of my 
 husbands kindred and frends ; and above all, if 
 God made me att all usefull to y' good of my 
 husbands soul. In my widows estate, y*-' strange 
 recovery of Stanton, and G— s severall providences 
 about the issues of events— I*, it was a mercy 
 that my husband dyed in an unquestionable 
 quarell^; a usefull and much desired man. My 
 children, beeing both very sikly, have bin often 
 recovered and preserved by God. The estate, 
 w^hich I found in all respects very much unsettled, 
 is now, through God's goodness to me, very much 
 setled. My hous, soe unlike to proove a com- 
 fortable place to inhabite in, is now made very 
 pleasing. Att any time, when I have bin att 
 a suden plunge for mony, some have, beyond 
 expectation, helped me to it, or ofred it ; wherby 
 my mind has been quietted. Wher ever any 
 busnes that has conserned me has bin publickly 
 dealt with, in comittees, Courts, or in the hous, 
 God has stired me up some good people to be 
 my frends, though unknown to me formerly. 
 
 ' Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 » He was one of the first victims of the Civil Wars ; he died 
 in command of the King's forces in Ireland. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 171 
 
 *'Many fears I have bin delivered from in re- 
 spect of y^ death of frends. 
 
 ** Conserning my soul — My educa^ was strickt 
 in respect of all visiuos liberty, which youth in 
 many other plases were incouradged in. God, in 
 all conditions, and in all plases, provided me 
 Godly frends, which have bin a mervelous help 
 to me in the way of his fear : to satisfy me in 
 regard of sruples, to comfort me in respect of 
 doubting, to inform me in many things I did not 
 understand, and to walk before me as an en- 
 samble in the wayes of God, and to shew me 
 much love and kindness upon all ocaisons. Es- 
 pesially would I name S^ Gilbeard Gerard, one 
 to whom I had not any relation, and yet received 
 much kindness and good from him, both for my 
 soul and body. Loving and fatherly has been 
 his corection, wherby hee has divers times re- 
 dused my wreatched and deseitfull hart, w'^ no- 
 thing els would doe it. A constant inioyment of 
 the means of grace, which way soever I have 
 gone. Prays the L — , therfore, O my soul, and 
 all y' is within me prayes His Holy Name. Prayes 
 the Lord, O my soul, and forgett not all his 
 benifits." 
 
 •' June y^ 28, 1649. 
 
 " My Sonne Philip, having had his ysue stoped 
 by my medson and doctor Myorns advise, hee 
 
n 
 
 172 
 
 Sir Slmon Harcourt. 
 
 did imediatly fall very sike of a fcavour, so soon 
 as hee was returned to Scool— Beeing a very weak 
 lean child, and the distemper very strong, I had 
 no reason to look for his life but from y^ hand of 
 God; to him I sought by prayer June the 27, 
 and from him I recieved the good gift of my 
 sonnes recovery, June y^ 28. The Lord help me 
 still to keep in memory his wondcrfull goodness 
 to me in y' busness, espesially in y^^ 2 particulars, 
 I God sent this mercy as an answer of prayer ; 
 2^y, God spared his life, it beeing not begged 
 absolutely, but only with this condition, as it might 
 be for G — s glory, and to me a blessing flowing 
 in Ch" blood. Bless y^ Lord, O my soul, for 
 ever and ever, becaus hee only, becaus hee above 
 all, is worthy to be praysed." 
 
 " !)^une y^ 29. 
 
 '*A fast kept in my hous for the Church of 
 God. M"" Longley and M^ Jhons died." 
 
 ''Jtiney^ 30*^ 1649. 
 
 " I made my prayer solemnly against my own 
 transgress and allso for the Church ; some an- 
 swer prs^J" I recieved in my own hart. Also that 
 night I heard of the Courage of the London Mi- 
 nisters, in keeping a fast on y^ day it was formerly 
 apointed — y*' Lord be praysed." 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 
 1 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 "^n 
 
 " An account of such remarkable mercys as I can 
 call to mind sins I maryed S^ William Waller. 
 
 '' Aprilly^ I3*\ 1652. 
 
 " i^. I had much mercy in my mary-adg with 
 him, he beeing y^ anser of my prayer, he beeing 
 a religous, prudent, and a loving husband. 
 
 " 2'>', in that his children prouve soe hopefull, and 
 doe improove daylly under my care, and that they 
 are all alive, and doe inioy theyr healthes better 
 than they did when they came to me, and doe grow. 
 
 ** 3^y. Its a great mercy my own children are 
 alive, in health and hopefull. (One of y"^ sins 
 dead, may y^ Lord stay his hand.) 
 
 "4^^. the suport I had under all that tcrible 
 payn and weakness att S^ Johnses. 
 
 " 5^y. y^ God gave me theyr a safe deliverans 
 of a living child, which was born with all itts 
 parts and limbs, — and a sonne, — y* I had such 
 a comfortable childbed after it. 
 
 "6^y. That I have bin suported under all the 
 payn and weakness I have had of my last child 
 — in my labour — and in my childbed, nothwith- 
 standing the danger I was in. 
 
 "7^y. the health my husband inioyes, notwith- 
 standing the many diseases he is subiect too — 
 the great suport he has under his payn, his pay- 
 tiens — and his mercyfull deliverans from that fitt 
 of the stone, and from 3 more of the gout. 
 
174 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 " 8^y. the suply we have of means from time to 
 time, the comfort we inioy in our constant convers 
 one with another ; the love of our servants, theyr 
 health, the good sucsess of our affairs, and that 
 degree of health we have had in our familly. 
 
 9'y. thos afflictions I have had, which the Lord 
 has bin pleased to acompany with his grace — as 
 I trust, he did my want of health, and the fitts 
 which my last child dyed off— becaus the first 
 has made me desirous to improove my health, 
 for y^ making my calling and election sure — and, 
 in the later, God made me very willing God 
 should dispose of me and mine as hee pleased. 
 
 " io'\ the great and strange deliverans I rc- 
 ceaved in S*. Martins Lane, w'^ I fell down from 
 I* steap to the lowest steap in my Lady Clot- 
 worthy's hous, with my head downward, putting 
 out my shoulder, and yet receaved noe preiudise 
 eyther to life or lim. 
 
 ** ii^y. The great preservation I had when I mis- 
 caryed att Westminster, and in y'= weaknes that 
 folowed me to Osterly, — and espesially my last 
 miscaradg at Osterly, w° I lay swoonding ii 
 houers.'* 
 
 " Inumerations of further mercys I have re- 
 ceived sins I marryed S'' William Waller. 
 
 n 
 
 Upon the 22'^'* of March, 165 1, my husband 
 
 beeing in my bro^ Irby's hous, we having lived 
 peasably in town most part of y^ winter, theyr 
 came too messengers from my Lord Protector, 
 to serch y*^ hous, to seaze his papers, and to bring 
 him in safe custody to Whithall, whither hee was 
 caryed about 9 of the clock in the morning, and 
 theyr atended all day, was exsamined by my 
 Lord himself of many particulers, and sent home 
 againe att night ; which was a mercy quite above 
 my hopes, and contrary to the expectation of all 
 people, and a thing very unusuall with thos in 
 power. The Lord receive the prays and glory 
 of this his wonderfull goodnes, which he shewd 
 so personally to me when my hart was very 
 much afrayd, both in regard of what my husband 
 had sufred soe long togeather, without any de- 
 clared caus, and in regard of the infirmitys that 
 his former imprisonment made him lyable too; 
 also in regard of the great charge that imprison- 
 ment was like to be to him, and the hindrance 
 yt would have folowed in his estate ; therfore will 
 I strive to trust in the Lord, and say, at what 
 time my hart is afrayd, I will trust in the Lord. 
 
 "Upon the 5^^ of August in y« year 1659, bee- 
 ing in Kent to drink the watters, for the health 
 of my self, children, and divers of our family, Sir 
 William was taken prisoner by Captaine Bar- 
 in^ton att two of the clock in the night, and 
 caused to rise out of bed, and to ride 4 miles at 
 
176 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 that time in the night, which might have bin 
 a great preiudice to his life, or health att least ; 
 but the Lord did mercifully prevent any incon- 
 veniensy, and made that imprisonment an ocaison 
 of good, in y* we brok up hows, and did not long 
 after continue in prison. Prays the Lord, O my 
 soul, and all that is within me prays his holly 
 name; prays the Lord, O my soul, and forgett 
 not all his benefits." 
 
 " I have since to acknowledge the continuance 
 of thos mercys formerly mentioned ; conserning 
 my husband ; conserning all his children ; and 
 conserning our suport. These I desire constantly 
 to prays God for; becaus, from him both the 
 mercys themselves, and the continuance of them 
 dos proceed. Likwise the Lord has aded new 
 mercys, in making me instrumentall to preserve 
 the life and restore the health of the yongest 
 child, who fell dangerously into a hye degree 
 of the King's evell, and, by Gods blessing upon 
 a medsin I gave her, was recovered. 
 
 *' AUsoe the Lord was very grasious to me, in 
 preserving me all the while I went with child of 
 my daughter Katherine Waller, who was, by the 
 mercyfuU asistance of the great God, born the 
 30*^ day of Agust 1657, about a quarter after 11 
 of the clock att night. The Lord help me, with 
 all humble sorowfullness, to remember my own 
 
 
 A 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 177 
 
 exorbitant fear of my travayll, notwithstanding 
 y^ former experienses of Gods goodnes in help- 
 ing me at the like times ; and, withall, to be 
 mindfull of and joyfuU inn the great goodnes of 
 God, who suported me under and caryed me throu 
 this travayll allsoe ; and gave me a child — alive 
 — perfect in its shape, and hopefull to continue 
 with me. I desire likwise to acknowledg the 
 great mercy of God, in suporting me under and 
 through the many troubles that befell me in this 
 childbed. 
 
 " Before I was brought to bed, my midwife, one 
 that had bin long very carefuU of me and loving 
 to me, lay a fortnight in a dying condition in the 
 hous, and dyed 2 dayes before I fell in travayll. 
 Within 6 days after, my dear Cosen Elisabeath 
 Hamond, an antient and a faythfuU friend from 
 my youth up — sickened — and about 8 days after 
 dyed. And, within 2 dayes after, my dear child, 
 Fred: Harcourt, sickened of the same diseas, and 
 dyed about 8 days after that. And, some few 
 houers after that, Docter Baytts sent to me by 
 Docter Beavour, that hee suspected the prinsipall 
 parts of my other, and now only sonne, to be 
 eminently defective. And, within 2 dayes after 
 that, the counsell at Whitehall threw out my hus- 
 band's caus with scorn. Yet, I hope I can truly 
 say, God has not only suported me under all this, 
 but done me good by it. Praysed be his name." 
 
 A a 
 
178 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 " Sp^l. mcrcys.— The L— allso has bin pleased 
 to give me many grasious experienses in my soul 
 of his fatherly goodnes to me, in prayer, and in 
 hearing and in comunicating att his table. I 
 have found him allvvays a God neer att hand, 
 and not farr off, when my own wreacthed and 
 deseitfuU hart did not wickedly and grosly fayll 
 in desiring his help. Soe that I may and must 
 say thes 2 things from my own experience, 1* that 
 if the hart be acording to rule prepared for ordi- 
 nanses, and uprightly desirous to honor God, and 
 receive good in the use of them ; if their bee a 
 treu indeavour to doe this, the soul dos recieve 
 the benefit. My own soul has found a reallity 
 and substans in them, beyond what is in all the 
 world besides; ther is a fors in them, which 
 I beleeve is the Spirits acompaning of them, to 
 weaken lusts, though att other times very preva- 
 lent ; and to strengthen fayth, to more of love 
 to God and reioycing in God ; to encouradg and 
 comfort the hart, beeing never so much cast down ; 
 to suport the spirit under troubles, nay, to make 
 them Wellcome ; and to take away immoderate 
 fears, to which I am grevously inclined. 
 
 "On the other side, when the hart is earless, 
 and churly in the performing of them, they then 
 prove only an agravation of sinne and trouble ; 
 and one's wreacthed hart, by the instigation and 
 help of the devill, is apt to think that ther is 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 179 
 
 really nothing in them. Therfore, O my soul, 
 bee not too much amazed, though many in thes 
 sad times doe use ordinanses frequently, and find 
 noe benifit in them, but continue in scandalous 
 sinns. Consider, therefore, thine own experienses 
 in both the forementioned respects ; and, as in re- 
 spect of the former, thou art obliedged to prays 
 and bles the great and glorious name of thy 
 heavenly Father — soe, in regard of the later, beg 
 earestly God's asistans, that, from that evill, thou 
 mayst learn to dread such a temper in thy own 
 soul, and to lament it in others, that, when God 
 gives ordinanses as a means of great good, they 
 should be turned by our corupt harts into ocaison 
 of soe much evell." 
 
 "Temporall mercys. — The Lord did grasiously 
 look upon me in my 2^ choyce, i* in helping me 
 to chuse, upon mature consideration ; 2^^ in be- 
 stowing the mercys of y* condition upon me, when 
 I was in such a condition as I needed y"^ most, 
 (my children grown up, my estate still filled with 
 doubt and other troubles — so y^ in liklihood it 
 could not, without much scarsity, have suplyed 
 me and y"' too ; My mind so worn with publick 
 and private troubles, that I begann apayrently 
 to sink in my bodily health and strength), then 
 did God give me a religous, wise, and faythfull, 
 loving husband, and by him a hopefull, and likly 
 
i8o 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 Sonne, the bearing of which, (God grasiously su- 
 porting me under all my weaknes, the time I went 
 with child) was a great means of my after health. 
 The constant comforts of my condition, have bin 
 and are very great ; & I relish them farr more be- 
 caus, I hope I may say, they were from the hand 
 of God's love ; and they did therefore quiett and 
 comfort at another rate then any comforts arising 
 from any condition y* I was ever in before. I take 
 y^ for my ground of y* hope — I sought to mary 
 in God's way, I begged his blessing, and I hope 
 I propounded his glory in what charge I under- 
 took in y* macth, and, therfore, I think I may 
 acount what I enioy as an answer of prayer. — 
 God did suport me under much weak^ whilst 
 I went with child of my 2^^ boy, and espesially 
 in that dangerous childbed I had — when want of 
 sleep, and some other distempers, frequently asault- 
 ing me, did, for divers weeks, in that childbed in- 
 danger my life." 
 
 ** 1657, October. — The Lord has grasiously pre- 
 served me whilst I was with child of my 3*^ child ; 
 and did bestow it a thriving and hopefuU child ; 
 and, though it pleased the Lord to aflict me and 
 keep me in heaviness all that childbed, it was 
 becaus he saw great need in me ; and, therfore, 
 I doe esteem the rodd in that case a seasonable 
 mercy, and doe hope I may say, that through 
 
 i 
 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 181 
 
 God's grace I found it was good for me that I 
 was aflicted ; for it made me desirous more to 
 preferr Gods glory, it made me stir up myself 
 to meet God, to humble myself before him, and 
 to learn by his chastising hand. A very great 
 mercy I acknowledg to have receaved from God 
 in my health ; which has bin such, that unless in 
 childbeds, or miscaryings, I have bin able to atcnd 
 upon ord^ constantly, though under some indis- 
 positions. This is the more to be taken notis on, 
 becaus the times have bin very sikly for divers 
 years. 
 
 " I prays God for the preservation of my hus- 
 band in health in thes sikly times ; and now, this 
 later end of November, the Lord did visit him 
 with a fitt of the gout, which made me much 
 afrayd in regard of the bitter frosty weather ; 
 which did soe hinder the operation of medsins, 
 that though, through Gods great mercy, his ex- 
 trcame payn was abated, and his feaver, w^^^ the 
 gout brought upon him, had left him ; yet his 
 feet swelled to a very great biggness, and begann 
 to discolor soe much, that I aprehended some 
 danger of a gangren ; but the Lord has mercifully 
 suported him, and prevented all my fears heserto ; 
 blessed be his holly Name for it. 
 
 "About the beginning of November 1658, little 
 Moll Waller had a dangerous fitt of sikncss, first 
 a tcriblc fcavcr, and then a plurisy ; she beeing 
 
|82 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 but yong and weak I was fcarfull of her, but the 
 Lord did very grasiously help ; and, I bless his 
 Name, she and all the rest of them are now in 
 good health. 
 
 "About this month likwise, we heard from our 
 children beyond the seas, of a great deliverans 
 that Will Waller had from beeing mischiefed, by 
 the goeing off of a peece in his arms, and breakng 
 as it went off; blesed be the Lord, who wacthes 
 to doe us good, and to prevent cvcll, when we are 
 not awayr of it. 
 
 "The Lord has likwise grasiously suported 
 Philip Harcourt under his quartern ague, and has 
 now wholly delivered him from it; blesed for 
 ever be his holly Name. 
 
 " Allso in Jan: 58, the Lord was pleased to visit 
 me with an ague, I had but 3 fitts, but they were 
 soe terible to me, that in the last I exprescd 
 great impaytience ; which afterwards, upon con- 
 sideration, did soc trouble me, as that the fear 
 of beeing in the like mancr distcmprcd, did make 
 me aprehend the coming of another fitt, with such 
 dread, as did ade to my afliction ; yet, notwith- 
 standing all this fayling on my part, enough to 
 have provoked the Lord to have layed his hand 
 more heavily upon me, he was pleased to deliver 
 me, even by his own hand ; when y^ doctor thought 
 I should have one terible fitt more, I had not soe 
 much as a grudging of it. Bless the Lord, O my 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 183 
 
 soule, and all that is within me bless his holy 
 name. Bless the Lord, O my soule, and forgett 
 not all his benifits. — hens learn to trust G — in 
 y^ like trouble." 
 
 "In February 1658, the Lord was pleased to 
 visit my husband with many sad distempers, as 
 with an ague, w^'^ beeing joyned with the scurvy, 
 and the remaynder of an ill fitt of the gout, did 
 threatne much danger to his Life ; but the Lord 
 was a God neer att hand, and did deliver him 
 from his ague after 4 fitts, and did grasiously at 
 this time prevent all my fears. — Blesed bee his 
 holly name,— after his ague, whilst he was very 
 faynt with fasting and sweating, hee was threatned 
 with a sore fitt of the stone, of w^'^ I was greatly 
 affrayd ; but the Lord has hiserto stayed his hand, 
 soe that his extremyty has neyther bin long nor 
 great ; O my soul, Labour for inlardgment in prays- 
 ing God ; be not content to doe it in an ordinary 
 maner — becaus of the many and great mercys 
 which the Lord bestows upon thee continually. 
 
 " About the 8*^' of this instant, February, coming 
 into my chamber hastily to speak with the Doctor 
 about my husband, a heavy great foulding screen 
 beeing putt up togeather fell upon me ; it might 
 have done me much hurt, but the Lord did gra- 
 siously prevent that, I had none att all, blesed be 
 his holly Name for it. 
 
1 84 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 "Feb. 17.— I heard from Wattford, that my 
 sister's child had one of the feet sett without 
 great payn, and is in a hopeful! way of cure ; the 
 Lord grant grace that the payrents and myself 
 may never forget soe seasonable and presious 
 a mercy." 
 
 "It has pleased the Lord about the beginning 
 of Aprill to deliver me from any hurt, notwistand- 
 ing 2 great falls I had, the one in Breyntford town, 
 — the other in my chamber where I lye— w° I con- 
 sider the payn my mother had with such a chance, 
 then I have caus to value it— for how little payn 
 I have, and how much evill such a chance might 
 bring. Consrning my husbands busnes, this last 
 term in May it was like to goe very ill — the 
 judges beeing on a suden strangly sett against 
 him— but they became mild and kind againe with- 
 out any apayrent reason. Blesed be God who can 
 turn any hart when he pleases. O my soule, 
 remember how offten the Lord has delivered me 
 from the evill I have feared,— and has spared me, 
 notwithstanding my fears. As conserning my 
 sister Irby, about this time, for 6 weeks togeather 
 still I feared, and still the Lord sent comfortable 
 tidings ; blesed be his holy Name for it. 
 
 " The Lord's name be praysed that I have fre- 
 quently heard comfortable tidings from our chil- 
 dren beyond y*' seas." 
 
 " Feb: y® 4. I had another grasious experience 
 conserning my sister, who having bin 5 weeks ill, 
 and growing out of hart, and somwhat impaytient, 
 I was much perplext with fear and grief for her ; 
 but last night she rested very much better then 
 was lookt for, and was this day againe refreshed 
 and comforted. Blesed be the Lord who is gra- 
 siously pleased to stay his ruff wind in y^ day of 
 his east wind. 
 
 " All the last winter the Lord was very grasious 
 to my husband and self, in giving us a great 
 measure of health, and our children, and family. 
 
 "Y* custome taken of my husband's estate in 
 March by y® Rulers was taken off. 
 
 " I acownt it a great mercy likwise that the 
 Lord has kept my husband from beeing byased, 
 notwithstanding all the indeavours of malignants, 
 or all the hopes that might have bin from court 
 by his complyans. 
 
 " The Lord has bin very grasious to me att the 
 watters, which I humbly and thankfully acknow- 
 ledg, in preserving me from all ill acsidents of 
 which I was much afrayd, and in returning me in 
 health and safty from that place. Whilst I was 
 theyr, on the 6* of Agust, 1660, I was over taken 
 by vayn and sinnefull thoughts, to which F did 
 at that time give to much way. 
 
 " It pleased the Lord, who is infinit in mercy, 
 
 lib 
 
r86 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 soe to order it by his providens, that the heavy 
 burden of exsise was taken off by the parlement 
 and king from my husband y' day. 
 
 "O y* this sircumstans of y^ time might soe 
 heythen the mercy to me, as that it might shame 
 me out of my sinne, and strengthen my resolution 
 against it for the time to come ; theyr allso I hope 
 I may reckon that I receaved an anser of prayer. 
 
 " I desire hkwise to acknowledg, that I have 
 bin preserved in Kent, notwithstanding the doubt- 
 full condition I was in myself, which was such, 
 that I knew not what to pray for ; yet to the 
 Lord's will I did submitt myself; I wayted upon 
 God and he has bin wonderfuU grasious to me, 
 — so that neyther my own indisposition, — nor the 
 abundans of phisick I took, —nor the terible un- 
 easy coach wayes theyr, — nor my jorny up, — nor 
 my overthrow in coming up, — nor my fright then, 
 — nor sins^ w" my man fell off the ladder, has 
 hestertoo brought any such weaknes upon me as 
 I have caus to aprehcnd ; whcrfere I will ingadg 
 my heart to prays and serve the Lord as long 
 as I live, for he is infinitly mcrcyfull and gra- 
 sious, and his mercy indures for ever and ever." 
 
 ^ Since. 
 
 " Some remarkable experienses of God's 
 wonderfull mercy. 
 
 " Fe^. II, 1659. 
 
 " This day is by the whole Nay" to be regarded, 
 and espesially by the Great City of London, who 
 did this day receave a remarkable deliver^ as 
 ever they had before ; for the remnant of the 
 Longe Parlement sitting att Westminster, find- 
 ing y* the City would not comply with them in 
 theyr wicked wayes ; having Generall Monck with 
 his army obedient to them, and having the day 
 before tryed theyr trust, by imploying y"^ in the 
 City to imprison y^ alder men, to disolve the 
 Comen Counsell, and to pull down and break 
 down all theyr gates ; did this day order him to 
 goe into the City and to disarm the citizens, and 
 to burn theyr charter and records, and to hang 
 some of the chief of them, as is confidently 
 afirmed, and to seize all theyr publick treasurys. 
 No help did now apear on this side hea". Ye 
 Militia was not yet setled — Y^ Lord Maior (Al- 
 der"^ Alen) was theyr enemy, and had obstructed 
 them in y*' busnes of theyr Militia and was ready 
 to comply with those y^ did intend theyr abso- 
 lute ruine. Theyr enemys had a powerfull army 
 at theyr command, and had given out theyr 
 orders, and the Generall and Souldiers were gone 
 up into the city to perform theyr commands, as 
 was generally feared. 
 
i88 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 " Then was the time (though not till then) that 
 our grasious God apeared glorious in theyr de- 
 liver^ by doeing that which all the power of the 
 world could not doe, namely, by inclining the 
 Generall's hart to the City ; soe that when it was 
 least lookt for, the City was preserved from the 
 imenant danger they were in ; and not only soe, 
 but the Gener* declared that hee would joyn with 
 the city for a free Parlement ; w^^ caused the 
 greatest publick reioysing that ever was known 
 in y^ memory of man. O how fully did this apear 
 to be the work of the Great God in whose hand 
 is the hart of all men, and hee turncs them, as 
 the rivers of watter, which way itt pleases Him. 
 Surly y« work of mercy was soe done that it 
 ought to be had in remembrans. Y^ Lord help 
 me to be mindfull of it, and thankfull for it, and 
 to have my fayth much strenthcncd by it. To 
 Him be glory for ever." 
 
 "Y« 19 May, 1659. 
 
 " I receaved from God a very great mercy, 
 which I humbly begg of him that my slnnefuU 
 hart may never be ungratfull for it. Namely, the 
 return of my only sonne Philip Harcourt from his 
 traveyll, in which complicated mercy theyr are 
 thes things very considerable — 1^ hee is naturally 
 very hasty, and yet was preserved from quarells, 
 — 2*y, he went over very sickly and weak, — for 
 
 0g,i 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 189 
 
 y« recovery of his health ; and I hope in the Lord 
 that it is more confirmed then it was, — ^^y^ that 
 
 hee was noe way catched by evell company, nor 
 
 his judgment any way changed that I can disearn, 
 — nor I trust any way taken with the vanity and 
 pomp of the Romish religion,— 4^5', his preserva- 
 tion in all his travells by sea and land, notwith- 
 standing my imoderate fear of him, which might 
 have procured me the very sorow which I was 
 soe aprehensive of. O bless the Lord my soule 
 and forgett not all his benefits.— Surly the Lord 
 has grasiously delivered me and my child, our 
 souls from death, our eyes from tears, and our 
 feet from fall. Theyrfore I ingadg in y^ strenth 
 of Christ, saying that I will walk before God in 
 y^ land of the Living. Amen." 
 
 " I account it a very great mercy to me that 
 I was not overwhelmed with grief, and weakncs, 
 and fear, when my husband was made a prisoner 
 by Captayn Barington, the 5^ of Agust, 1659. 
 Beeing taken out of his bed att 2 o'clock att 
 night, as if hee had bin a great offender, — and 
 yet y'^ counsel layed nothing to his charge, but, 
 after he had bin prisoner a fortnight, then they 
 made him an ofender by tendering some promis 
 to him, which, he refusing, was sent to the tower. 
 
 I acount it a very great mercy that neyther 
 S'" George Booth, who they report is very fearfull. 
 
n 
 
 190 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 nor any of the cavaleirs have acused my husband* 
 to pleas thos now in power; for, if they had, how 
 fals soever, it should 1* have bin believed, and 
 2^ it should at least have justifyed his imprison- 
 ment. 
 
 " This IS a wonderfull mercy." 
 
 "The Many mercys in our imprisonment 
 and our release. 
 
 "Whilst we were prisoners in Kent, the trouble 
 of that condition was sweetened by the great 
 kindness of many theyr, and, when we were in 
 the Tower, we found great kindnes from the 
 warder; which was a great leasoning of our 
 trouble ; and the more to be taken notis on, be- 
 cause it is a rare thing, as I perceive by the re- 
 lation of what other Gentilmen sufcrcd from theyr 
 keepers, to find any amongst them that were not 
 sever, crose, and covetous, to the great preiudice 
 of theyr prisoners. — We found it quite contrary, 
 although we were uter strangers, and therfore are 
 bound wholly to atribute it to the over rullin^T 
 hand of God, that we should be directed att 10 
 of the clock att night, (when we had noe time to 
 look about us, or to chuse, or inquire what might 
 have bin best for us), to the only man's hous in 
 the Tower which was best for us. Blesed be 
 the Lord. 
 
 **2^y, it was a great comfort and mercy to us, 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 191 
 
 that the cans of my husband's imprisonment was 
 owned and approved by the people of God, not- 
 withstanding the scorns and indeavours of his 
 enemys ; who first made him a prisoner without 
 any apearing ocaision, and 2^^ made themselves 
 sport with his trouble ; saying, hee chose to be 
 att the Tower that hee might retire ; whereas, 
 our charge was much greater theyr, then it would 
 have bin att another place. — The frequent and 
 kind visits of Godly people ministers and others 
 was another great comfort to us, the Lord be 
 praysed for it. The Leasons which I hope we 
 have in some meausure learned theyr, I acknow- 
 ledg to be the greatest mercy of all, as self de- 
 nyall ; a moderat use of creature comforts ; com- 
 pasion to other suferers ; epesially prisoners ; an 
 acknowledgment of God's soveraignity ; and a 
 quiett dependance on God for deliver^ in his own 
 time, and way,— though theyr was noe liklyhood 
 of any deliverans from man. 
 
 "The mersies of our delivranses are soe many 
 and great, that I am not able to recount them as 
 I ought, i^ the times full of sadd confusions in 
 the naytion, and att the time espesially of an 
 ©position in Monck to thos in power, which made 
 them unwilling to releas any. — The maner, — which 
 was by a way cleerly Legall, and soe the more 
 satisfactory to my husband, but in that the more 
 offensive to thos in power; y*^ Judge was not 
 
192 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 terifyed, — the Legall proseeding was not inte- 
 rupted ; allthough they that had forsedly broken 
 in upon parliments, and did take notis of the pro- 
 seeding, and expressed great radg against it, by 
 utering many threatning speeches ; yet the Lord 
 did, by his power, soe restrayn and over rule 
 them, that they did not putt forth the force 
 they had in this matter, nor intenipt our liberty. 
 Blessed be the Lord for ever and ever, who has 
 stayed his ruff wind, in the day of his east wind ; 
 and has, by his own outstreacthed arm, restrayned 
 the radg of the adversary, soe that the men of 
 might were not able to find theyr hands. The 
 Lord give me grace constantly to remember this 
 manifould mercy, and to walk sutably to it ; by 
 adoring — and loving God above all, — by walking 
 in the wayes of his commandements all the dayes 
 of my life ; — by a quiett and confident dependans 
 upon God for the future ; by loving the world, 
 wher soe much wickednes and sorow is, the less ; 
 and by loving heaven and heavenly th", w^ holly- 
 ness and hapiness is, the better. — Amen. Amen." 
 
 " From October y« f^ to y« 12^^ 
 
 " Conserning my dear sister, I doe acknowledg 
 it a great mercy, that, notwithstanding her naturall 
 temper, w*^^ is hasty, and the melancoly of her 
 diseas, both which make her unapt to bear her 
 distemper with y* paytience and quiettnes that 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 193 
 
 were to be wished ; yet the Lord is wonderfully 
 grasious to her, and, not only to her, but to me, 
 — who am neerly conserned in, and afected with, 
 her condition ; Lord make me for ever mindfull 
 of this wonderfull condesention to poor sinners, — 
 that my hart may be more drawn to thee by y® 
 Cords of thy Love. 
 
 "October y^ 13. heserto the Lord has helped 
 that my sister's payn, though it have threatened 
 her and kept me in fear, yet it has not bin so 
 radging, nor so continuall upon her, as in former 
 fitts. — Blesed be y^ Lord, espesialy for y* the 
 Lord has helped me, at what time I was afrayd 
 conserning her, to trust in him and to call upon 
 him ; and hee has severall times mercyfully pre- 
 vented my fears, tlierfore will I prays y^ Lord as 
 long as I live, and labour to rest on him and to 
 seek to him in all my distress." 
 
 " October y^ 13*^ I rcceaved a very great mercy 
 conserning my hus^ who, beeing ill of his eyes, 
 had a mind to take pills for to purge his head, 
 and made me write for them when it was late, 
 and acordingly took them at night, which made 
 him so ill that I greatly feared his life; but for 
 ever blessed be the Lord, who restrayned the 
 working of y** pills, and brought out y^ iresypelus, 
 and has suported him all this while in bed, and 
 has prevented any ill acsident heserto, soe y^ hee 
 
 c c 
 
194 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 is pretty well ; the Lord grant that I may remem- 
 ber this and be thankfull, y* I may labour to be 
 servisable all my time to y^ Lord and his glory. 
 
 ** Saterday the 27 of October, 1660. The Lord 
 has given me a grasious answer of prayer, touch- 
 ing my sister's extreamity ; the Lord be praysed 
 for ever for his wonderfull mercy, who gives a poor 
 sinnefull creature leave to boast of him, and is 
 pleased to answer my hopes — Lord acording to 
 thes experienses help me to wayt upon thee 
 hearafter. 
 
 " On the 29^^ of October the Lord has bestowed 
 on me another grasious experience of his never 
 faylling goodnes to me; in preventing a sad fitt 
 of payn to my poor sister, when all sercumstanccs 
 did seem to thrcatn ; becing very ill when she 
 went to bed, and yet she lay quiet all night; 
 blesed for ever be his holly name ; the Lord in- 
 creas my fayth by thes experienses." 
 
 "Feb. 1 66 1. I doe acknowlcdg the Lord be- 
 stowed many mercys upon me, in and conserning 
 the maryadg ' of my sonne ; that hee has bin pre- 
 served in health of late, having bin very sikly 
 formerly; and has bin preserved alive soe long 
 till he is grown to man's estate; y* he did not 
 resolutely fix upon some unworthy person, vayn, 
 or poor, or of ill condition — y^ my mind, beeing 
 
 « Sir Philip Harcourt married the daughter of Sir William Waller. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 195 
 
 in some respects very avers, was over rulled, and 
 quietted by the goodnes of God ; and y* I have 
 had soe much incoradgment conserning her sins, 
 more than I had before ; that y^ is soe litle un- 
 kindnes between S*" William and I in y® disputes 
 about such a busnes. Blesed be the Lord ; from him 
 I receave all, to him be prays and glory for all." 
 
 "March y^ fift. I did receave a great dell of 
 mercy from the Lord in regard of that terible 
 fall I had in my daughter Harcourts chamber, — 
 when the stoole I lent on, first fayld me, and 
 then fell with great violence against me, and gave 
 me a very great blow crose my navell, which in 
 some respects might have prooved very preiu- 
 disiall to me, if the Goodnes of the Lord my God 
 had not prevented. — the Lord help me to re- 
 member his goodness, and to be thankfull all the 
 daycs of my life for it. 
 
 " March 7*^. I came very late from London, 
 and was much in fear, but I bless y^ Lord hee 
 preserved us from any harm. 
 
 "Aprill y^ 1* 1661. The Lord was grasiously 
 pleased to prevent me from all harm that might 
 have befaln me by the slipp I had at my daughter 
 Harcourt's door ; — the more notis I have caus to 
 take of it as a mercy, by reason of my unwelle- 
 ness, which makes me in great hazard upon every 
 such ocaison ; theyrfore I will bless and prays 
 God for my preservation." 
 
196 
 
 Sir Simon HxVRCOurt. 
 
 " Acknowledgments of mercys. 
 
 "On the 19 of May, 1661, it pleased y^ Lord 
 to aflict S"" William with a very violent fitt of the 
 stone ; it begane towards 4 or 5 a clock at night, 
 and soe continued till about 3 in the morning ; 
 and then it pleased the Lord wonderfully to abate 
 his payn, and to give him divers houers sleep 
 before hee voyded the stone ; which, afterward, 
 came away the next morning, with very little 
 payn.— The consideration of my husband's adg, 
 and the nature of that distemper, and y^ it was 
 in the night, when he could have very little help, 
 it dos wonderfully hey then this mercy, and ingadg 
 my hart to bless God for it. — The Lord help me 
 to keep in mind his wonderfull mercy, and to 
 incoradg my hart theyrby to be fa3^thfull and 
 servisable. 
 
 "On the 15 day and y^ 18 day allso of this 
 month, the Lord was very grasious to me, in de- 
 livering me from all thos fears I had about S"" 
 William's estate and my own ; the Good Lord be 
 praysed for it." 
 
 "Some observations concerning the present 
 misery of this naytion. July y'^ 5*'', 1681. 
 
 " Concerning outward things. — all our estates 
 ary Lyable to the will of thos who have made 
 themselves our governours, without our consent ; 
 taxses are sett in many places by the souldiers, 
 
 ^ 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 197 
 
 who have the command of the garisons, and are 
 themselves to be maintained by them. If they 
 be not payed, quartering many souldiers is the 
 next step, and after that plundering. 
 
 " Conserning the servants of God — they are under 
 the heavyest reproach that can be imagined, by 
 thos in atority, and all that joyn with them on 
 the one hand, and by all malignants and Profane 
 ungodly spirits on the other hand ; soe that, even 
 many known godly ministers, are not only turned 
 out of theyr livings, but caryed to prisons by 
 great Numbers, both in City and Contry ; and 
 are aspersed amongst the People as if they were 
 traytors, and visions, prevaricating men. Nay, 
 they are questioned upon theyr lives publickly, 
 as traytors against thos whose government and 
 New lawes they never consented toe, nor dare 
 not in consciens consent to ; least, whilst they 
 pleas Men, they be found sinners against God, 
 in reference to his declared word and will. 
 
 " Upon this score very many have lost theyr 
 estates, libertys, and Lives. To heythen^ them, 
 if they keep^ a day for any thing, they obtane 
 theyr desire ; if they make an apeal, its answered 
 with a great victory, as in Scotland. Theyr pre- 
 tenses are holly, and thereby very many are de- 
 luded ; becaus they speak w^ell and prosper ex- 
 
 * To raise them in estimation. 
 '' ScL ai)ait a day for intercession. 
 
198 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 ceedingly: But the poor servants of God have 
 long mett and wept and prayed for redress ; and 
 yet all theyr desires and hopes are Crossed, and 
 frustrate; till the 29* of June, att w'"'' time ther 
 was a fast kept att Aldermanbury, wher M^ Love 
 beeing before the Court was very earnestly prayed 
 for ; all looked he should be condemned, but y^ 
 Court had not power to doe it then, but defered 
 till Fryday, when in another day of prayer hee 
 was remembred ; and then also God sufred them 
 not to doe it, nor never sins. The Lord also has 
 admirably held up his spirit, so y^ my hope is the 
 Lord is about to answer y^ prayers of his people, 
 then all will goe well. 
 
 **The Anthicnt known laws of the kingdome 
 are plucked up by the roots, as y*' government 
 by monarchy, and all that depends upon that in 
 the Administration of the laws ; the removall of 
 one of the 2 houses of Parliment, namly, the 
 hous of Peers ; and taking away the freedom of 
 the hous of Commons ; haling out many members 
 to prison without soe much as any particular acu- 
 sation of them ; barring many more from entering 
 into the hous to do theyr dutys, to which they 
 were called by theyr severall countrys, without 
 sugesting any thing against them ; this done, not 
 by the command of the hous upon any debate, 
 but by souldiers, under the controul of them who 
 neyther had power from God or men to doe any 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 199 
 
 such thing, nor was any trust at that time soe 
 much as pretended to be in them for that pur- 
 pose ; they making themselves the sole Lords 
 of the naytion, to debate and enact lawes, and 
 to take away the life and estate of theyr fclow 
 subiects, by a new form of law that was never 
 formerly heard of. 
 
 " Con semi Jig religion. 
 
 "The mag'' tenants^ of the Chriestian religion, 
 which are believed and reverensed by all Chries- 
 tian Churches, so as that they are not to be dis- 
 puted, are now daylly not only contreverted but 
 denyed ; the Godly and sinsere ministers who hould 
 to theyr prinsiples decry'^, as beeing factious and 
 Antechrestien ; and, in theyr stead, yong ileterate 
 bould people, who are perverted and mistaken 
 themselves, are brought in by thos in atority to 
 preach in theyr congregations ; theyrby endanger- 
 ing the souls of theyr people. 
 
 " F' government of y"" Church is alltogeather un- 
 settled ; the former government by bishops having 
 bin disolved, and that of Presbitery, which was 
 owned and established by the Parlement, is now 
 discountenansed and spoken against as antechres- 
 tian, and noe other eyther propounded or dis- 
 covered to the people ; but only a universal tole- 
 ration is exceedingly and generally cryed up." 
 
 c Major tenets. 
 
200 
 
 Sir PiiiLir HxVrcourt. 
 
 Collins says, in his Peerage, published 
 1768 — 
 
 "Sir Philip, eldest son and heir of Sir Simon 
 Harcourt, received the honour of Knighthood at 
 Whitehall, on June 5, 1660; and was elected 
 Knight for Oxfordshire, to the Parliament which 
 met on March 21, 1680-1, at the capital of that 
 county. He died in April, 1688, and was buried 
 at Stanton Harcourt. He had two wives, i^*, 
 Anne, daughter of Sir William Waller, of Osterley 
 Park in Middlesex, before mentioned, by Lady 
 Anne, 2^^^ daughter of Thomas Finch, Earl of 
 Winchilsea ; and, 2"'">', Elizabeth, daughter and 
 heir of John Lee, of Ankerwyke in Buckingham- 
 shire. By his first Lady (who died on August 23, 
 1664, and was buried at Stanton Harcourt), he 
 had Simon, afterwards Baron and Viscount Har- 
 court : and by his second he was father of three 
 sons, and four daughters, viz. Philip ; John, who 
 died in Sept. 1677 ; Lee, who died in February, 
 1680; Isabella, who died in March, 1688; Mary, 
 who died in 174S, and was buried at Stanton 
 Harcourt, as her deceased brothers and sisters 
 had been ; Elizabeth, married to Richard, 2"*^ son 
 of Simon Harcourt, of Pendly, before mentioned ; 
 and Anne, who was wedded to Thomas Powell 
 of Pembrokeshire, and, departing this life in 1742, 
 was interred at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 201 
 
 "The aforesaid Philip, eldest son to Sir Philip 
 Harcourt, by his 2""^ wife, Elizabeth Lee, mar- 
 ried Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Timothy 
 Woodroffe ; and by her had three sons, and two 
 daughters, viz., Philip, who married Sarah, daugh- 
 ter of Henry Hall, of Hutton Hall, in Essex, 
 and died without issue ; Lee Harcourt, who also 
 died without issue ; John Harcourt, who espoused 
 Anne, daughter of — Parker, Esq. ; Elizabeth ; 
 and Mary." 
 
 Sir Philip, as will have been gathered 
 from his mothers journal, was a delicate 
 child; he married, firsdy, the daughter of 
 his mothers second husband, and with her 
 he resided at Stanton Harcourt. The 
 family estates, when he succeeded to them, 
 were very much impaired In value, and 
 they do not appear to have recovered them- 
 selves greatly under his management. 
 
 The only son of his first marriage, the 
 future Lord Chancellor, became the resus- 
 citator of the family fortunes ; and was the 
 ancestor of the present possessor of the 
 family estates. The only son by his second 
 marriage, who survived him, came to an 
 
 Dd 
 
202 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 unfortunate ending, and all communication 
 between the elder and junior branches of 
 the family appears to have ceased. 
 
 Mr. Lee, the father of Sir Philip's second 
 wife, was a merchant in London; he pur- 
 chased Ankerwyke, in Buckinghamshire, 
 which he left to his daughter's son. The 
 settlements exacted by Mr. Lee at the time 
 of his daughter's marriage, appear to have 
 been very unfavourable to the fortunes of 
 Sir Philip's elder son, the future Chancellor. 
 Besides an ample jointure, in addition to her 
 own fortune, the second Lady Harcourt was 
 endowed with the possession of Stanton 
 Harcourt for her life. She did not choose 
 to live there, and suffered the buildings and 
 furniture to fall into decay. Her life was 
 a very prolonged one ; and, when her step- 
 son succeeded to his inheritance, he found 
 the house quite uninhabitable. 
 
 I have appended an inventory taken in 
 the year 1688, on Sir Philip's death, of the 
 furniture in the house of Stanton Harcourt ; 
 as a specimen of what furniture was con- 
 
 SiR Philip Harcourt. 
 
 203 
 
 sidered to be necessary in a country house, 
 200 years ago. 
 
 The two following letters from Sir Philip's 
 aunt, Catherine Irby, will give some insight 
 into the state of his affairs. 
 
 Catherine Irby was daughter of William, 
 Lord Paget, and sister of Sir Philip Har- 
 court's mother; she was married to Sir 
 Anthony Irby, of Boston in Lincolnshire. 
 
 " For Sir Philip Harcom^t at 
 Stanton Harconrt, 
 
 "this 17*'' of December, 
 '' 1672. 
 
 "Dear Nefew, 
 
 " M^ Gilbert is now coming downe to you, and 
 can fully acquaint you, how your affaires stand 
 heer ; which I think are bad enough ; but as your 
 condition is, of two evils, you should chouse the 
 least ; for if your^ debts be not paid, that will as- 
 suredly cut out your estate, and poor Simon will 
 be undon eather way ; for owld Mr. Lees termes 
 are unreasonable hard : yet if it ware me, I 
 would doe all he requires, and write to the owld 
 man, and caresse and court him, and if it ware 
 possible get into his favor, that you may not 
 
204 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 loose the hopes of futor games ; for he is owld, 
 and cannot live long ; provided the writtings may 
 never come into his son George's hands, but that 
 the mother may keep them, and then, tis to be 
 hoped, healpe to provide for her daughters chil- 
 dren ; that poor Symon may not be ruined with 
 a great joynture out of your estate, and so much 
 money to pay out of the small remainder : but 
 I am a foole to give my advice since tis so little 
 followed ; but my affection, and harty desire for 
 your good, makes me ; I cannot be silent, though 
 I resolved to write noe more, since you choose 
 rather to give over all at once, then to be pinched 
 to death by peece meals : but I am sure I have 
 bin faine thes thirty years to deny my selfe, and 
 drain my expences, resolving to content my selfe 
 with a little ; or els I had in halfe this time bin 
 blowne up, and had the hapines to give over all 
 at once, and my selfe and children, bin more 
 pinched, in the conclusion ; to have had no other 
 comfort, than 'alasse, good gentlewoman, I pity 
 her ; * which words would neither feed nor clothe 
 one, but one may beg for all that, or dye in 
 a jayle. 
 
 " Tis thought fit by your friends heer, that you 
 should write to my brother Hickes, for he hath 
 some interest in M^ Lee ; and he tould him, he 
 would refer all matters to him between ye : and 
 if you would upon oath give in truly your debts, 
 
 1 
 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 205 
 
 he would indeavor to see them paid ; and I would 
 be sure to set downe five thousand pounds ; that 
 so, noe nest ege might be left behind, which will 
 bite like a serpent, and quickly increase : but 
 I have said too much, therefore with my respects 
 and service to your Lady and selfe, this paper 
 if of noe other use, may serve you when you goe 
 to my cousen John's house ; and in spite of fate, 
 I shall ever remain, 
 
 " your truly affectionat aunt 
 
 " to my power : K. L" 
 
 *' For Sir Philip Harcoiu^t at 
 
 Stanton Harcourt in 
 
 Oxfordshire, 
 
 *' Leave this w^^ W^ Sheen 
 a glover under y® Beare 
 Inne in Oxon. 
 
 " This Monday the 21'* of July, 
 1674: 
 
 " Dear Nefew, 
 " I returne my Lady, and your selfe, many harty 
 thanks for your kind invitation of me to Stanton, 
 and know noe company, or place where I should 
 more willingly spend my time in, then ther ; but 
 the summer is far gon now, and your affaires not 
 
206 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 yet composed with M^ Lee, nor God knows when 
 they will be, so long as these little circumstances 
 are stood upon ; which in my poor judgment, and 
 the thoughts of all other your friends that love 
 you, are not worthy contending for, especially as 
 things stand with you at present ; owld M**. Lee 
 seems to me to be very willing to agree, and 
 saith you shall have 2 or 3 trustees for the anuity 
 if you please ; only he desires and still insists upon 
 it, that his son John receave the money and dis- 
 pose of it, with the consent and advice of the 
 rest of the trustees ; which I confess I think is 
 reasonable enough, if ther be not too much 
 will in the case ; which I cannot healp, though 
 am greaved to see : but not to shew my dulnes 
 in saying thinges over again, I think you under- 
 stand not one another, therefore M". Lee w^as 
 wishing you would come up for a weeke, and 
 make an end of all, and scale writings : and ware 
 I in your sted, I should not doubt, but to play 
 my game so, as might be greatly for my ad- 
 vantage. 
 
 " I hope you are satisfied that I truly love you, 
 and wish as well to you, in every kind, as to my 
 own son, therefore must take the liberty to speake 
 plainly to you ; your cariedge in this afaire, be- 
 tween you and M'". Lee, in my thoughts, and 
 others that possibly will not tell you so (whatever 
 they thinke), is both silly and ungodly : simple not 
 
 •f 
 
 s 
 
 to consult your owne interest, when so fare a 
 game lyes before you ; which will be hazzarded 
 for nothing but will, and stomake : and ungodly, 
 in not paying that respect to a father in law, 
 which God and nations require ; for sartainly the 
 world will conclude you cannot truly love your 
 wife, when you thus dispise her parents, and 
 give them such scornful and reproachful! words ; 
 which they shall never heer from me, though 
 I doubt they have heard too much of it already : 
 I am not capable of serving you in this par- 
 ticular, because the whole management of it is 
 against my liking and judgment; ware it mine, 
 and all the consern I have in the world, I would 
 freely leave it to owld M^ Lee, and let him name 
 and put in whom he pleased : as that I conceave 
 would ingage him most to doe that which is 
 honest and just, and be kind to you when he 
 saw you trusted him : but you have better ad- 
 visers than I ; and I hear M*". Masters hath carried 
 down the writings to you : my son was with me 
 this day at M^ Lee's, and will, I suppose, give you 
 an account of our discourse : my sarvice to my 
 Lady and your selfe : I pray God direct you for 
 the best, which is the harty wish of 
 
 "Your truly affectionat friend to my power, 
 
 "Kathe: Jrby:" 
 
208 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 The following table, which gives a list 
 of Sir Philip Harcourt's descendants, shews 
 how the Harcourts and Finchs have be- 
 come a second time connected, in the ninth 
 generation on the female, and in the eleventh 
 generation on the male side. 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 Sir PiiiLir Harcourt. 
 
 209 
 
 Sir Thomas Finch, 1st Earl, = Cicely, daughter of John Wentworthi 
 of Winchilsea. i of Great Horsley in Essex. 
 
 Lady Anne Finch, 
 second daughter. 
 
 Sir William Waller, of Osterley Park in 
 Middlesex ; who, after her death, mar- 
 ried Anne, widow of Sir Simon Har- 
 court, of Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt. = Anne Waller, 
 
 ^1 
 
 Rebecca, daughter of the = Simon Viscount Harcourt (Lord 
 
 Rev. T. Clark. 
 
 Chancellor), of Stanton Harcourt 
 and Nuneham. 
 
 Elizabeth, daughter of John = Hon. Simon Harcourt, died 
 
 Evelyn, of Wootton. 
 
 before his father. 
 
 George, 
 1st Lord 
 Vernon. 
 
 Martha, 
 as his 
 
 second 
 wife. 
 
 Simon, Earl Har- 
 court, of Nune- 
 ham and Stan- 
 ton Harcourt. 
 
 Rebecca, daughter and 
 heir of C. Samborne 
 Le Bas, of Pipewell 
 Abbey. 
 
 Lady Anne 
 
 Leveson 
 
 Gower, 
 
 daughter of 
 
 1st Marquis 
 
 of Stafford. 
 
 William, Elizabeth, 
 3rd Karl married 
 
 Hon. Edward Har- George 
 
 court (Archbi- Simon, 
 
 shop of York), 2nd Earl Harcourt, Sir W. Lee, 
 
 of Nuneham and Harcourt, Field descendants 
 
 Stanton liar- died 
 
 court. childless. 
 
 Marshal, 
 
 died 
 childless. 
 
 extmct. 
 
 Matilda, daughter of 
 Colonel Gooch. 
 
 William Harcourt (Canon of 
 York), of Nuneham and 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Lady Susan Holroyd, only daugh- = Edward Harcourt, of Nuneham and 
 ter of 2nd Earl of Sheffield. I Stanton Harcourt, now living. 
 
 Aubrey Edith Harcourt. = Hon. Murray Finch Hatton, 2nd son 
 Harcourt. of loth Earl of Winchilsea. 
 
 E e 
 
"A TRUE and pcfcct Inventory of the Goods 
 and Chattells belonging to S"" Philip Ilarcourt, 
 late of Stanton Harcourt in the Countie of 
 Oxford, Knight, dec^d, whereof hee was possessed 
 of, and which did belong unto him at the time 
 of his death, in and about his house at Stanton 
 Harcourt, and the lands tlicreunto belonging. 
 
 Imprimis^ in the store chandler. 
 
 Two bedsteads and five curtaine rods 
 
 One wainscott |)resse . 
 
 Two Children's Chaires 
 
 One p'cell of Dutch Matt . 
 
 One great Chest . 
 
 One p'cell of glasses 
 
 Two block stands 
 
 A p'cell of pictures 
 
 Two hatchments 
 
 One New fashion Bee Hive 
 
 Two Sconces and fourteen Trenchers 
 
 One p'cell of odd lumber . 
 
 Two Trunks and a frame . 
 
 £ s. d. 
 oo I 6 oo 
 oi oo oo 
 oo 04 00 
 00 03 00 
 00 03 00 
 00 03 00 
 00 02 06 
 00 02 06 
 00 10 00 
 00 01 00 
 00 03 00 
 00 01 00 
 00 06 00 
 
 03 15 00 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 /;/ the servajits^ Garrett. 
 
 One Joyn'd bedsted and Curtaines 
 
 Two green Ruggs and two blanketts Coun 
 
 terpane 
 
 One feather bed, two flock bolsters 
 One Wainscott presse, one cupboard . 
 One Table, Three Chaires, one Couch 
 
 Two Andirons 
 
 Lumber 
 
 /;/ the Mttfs Garrett. 
 
 One bedsted and Curtaines 
 Two Rugs, one blankett 
 One feather bed, two boulsters 
 One paire of sheets 
 Two Lan thorns . 
 Two old Chares . 
 
 /;/ the Maid^s Garrett. 
 
 One bedsted and Teuster . 
 
 Two Cover lids, one blankett 
 
 One paire of sheets 
 
 One feather bed, one flock bed 
 
 Three old Chaires, one Table 
 
 One old bedsted 
 
 One feather bolster, one pillow 
 
 21 I 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 00 08 00 
 
 00 12 06 
 
 01 10 00 
 00 10 00 
 00 05 00 
 00 01 06 
 00 00 06 
 
 03 07 6 
 
 00 02 00 
 
 00 03 00 
 
 01 15 00 
 00 07 00 
 00 01 06 
 00 01 00 
 
 02 09 6 
 
 00 02 06 
 00 06 00 
 
 GO 07 00 
 
 01 00 00 
 00 04 06 
 00 01 00 
 00 05 00 
 
 02 06 00 
 
212 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 !' 
 
 In W"^ Ension's Chamber. 
 One bedsted and Counterpane . 
 One Coverlid, one blanket . 
 One featherbed, two bolsters, one pillow 
 One paire of sheets .... 
 One Table, one presse, one old chaire 
 
 In the Green Chamber. 
 One bedsted, Curtaines, and counterpane 
 
 Two blankets 
 
 One feather bed, two bolsters, one pillow 
 
 One paire of sheets .... 
 
 Three Chaires, Two stooles, and Couch 
 
 One close stoole and pann . 
 
 One Table and Carpett 
 
 Fire shovell, Tongs, and Andirons 
 
 One press 
 
 /// ///£' Rdil Chamber. 
 One bedsted, Curtains, and counter pain 
 One Rugg and two blanketts 
 One fether bedd, two boulsters . 
 One pallet bee ited .... 
 One feather bed, bouster, and pillow . 
 Three Chaires, Three stooles, and Couch 
 One Table and Carpet 
 Andiron, Tongs, and bellowes 
 One Cradle, one bed, pillow, and Quilt 
 Hangings and Rods .... 
 
 £ s- d. 
 
 GO 02 GO 
 
 GO G2 06 
 
 01 07 00 
 OG 05 00 
 
 00 04 g6 
 
 02 Gl GG 
 
 02 GG GO 
 GG 03 g6 
 02 GG GO 
 
 OG g8 go 
 
 OG 15 GO 
 
 OG 05 GO 
 
 00 03 GO 
 
 00 05 GO 
 
 GO G2 GO 
 
 g6 01 g6 
 
 . 02 OG GO 
 
 . GO 17 GO 
 
 . 02 10 GO 
 
 . GO 03 g6 
 
 . 02 10 GO 
 
 . GO 09 00 
 
 . 00 02 GO 
 
 . GO G2 06 
 
 . 00 07 GO 
 
 . OG 10 GO 
 
 I 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 213 
 
 One Iron back in the Chimney . 
 
 One Table, one Carpett, one Chest drawers 
 
 /;/ the uppermost Tower Chamber. 
 Two Tables .... 
 Two Stands and bottle stands 
 Six Cain Chaires 
 
 Fire shovell, tongs, doggs, and bell owe; 
 Pictures, diall, and standish 
 Tindor box, snuffers, and pann . 
 prospective glass 
 One stool, skin, and deske . 
 
 //; the next Tower Chamber. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 GO 03 GO 
 
 GG 04 06 
 
 09 18 06 
 
 00 12 GO 
 
 GG g8 OG 
 
 GI 15 OG 
 
 GG 03 g6 
 
 GO g6 OG 
 
 GG G2 GO 
 
 OG 05 GG 
 
 GO 03 06 
 
 03 15 00 
 
 A bedsted, Tester, and Rods 
 
 00 05 GO 
 
 A Chair, and Close stool .... 
 
 /// the Tower Closet. 
 
 GO GI g6 
 
 GO g6 6 
 
 
 A bedsted, white Curtaines, and Counterpain 
 
 01 GG GO 
 
 A Quilt and a bolster 
 
 GO g8 go 
 
 Callico hangings ..... 
 
 GO 10 GO 
 
 Two Chaires, one stoole .... 
 
 OG 05 GO 
 
 Andirons, and glass case .... 
 
 GG 04 GO 
 
 A parcell of pictures ..... 
 
 OG G2 OG 
 
 A Table and Carpet 
 
 00 03 GO 
 
 02 12 GO 
 
 
214 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 /// the Queeri's Chamber, 
 
 A bedsted, Curtaines, & Counterpain . 
 
 Two blanketts 
 
 A feather bed and bolster . 
 
 A Table, Cupboard, Carpett, and cloath 
 
 A great Chaire, and stoole . 
 
 Ifi the Balcony Cha)nhcr. 
 A bedsted and Curtaines . 
 
 OI lO GO 
 
 CO 04 00 
 
 01 05 GO 
 
 00 g6 go 
 
 00 G2 GO 
 03 07 GO 
 
 A Rugg and blanketts 
 
 . 05 10 GO 
 , , . OI GO GO 
 
 A feather bed, bolster, two pillowes, and quilt 04 10 go 
 Tapestiy hangings, window Curtaines, and 
 
 ■Rods ....... 
 
 Eight serge Chaires ..... 
 
 A silke Quilt 
 
 A squab and a Cushion .... 
 
 A Carpet, Table, and looking glass 
 
 Brass Andirons, fireshovell, tongs, doggs, 
 
 bellowells 00 10 00 
 
 06 GO GO 
 
 01 04 GO 
 
 02 10 GO 
 01 GO GO 
 01 GO 00 
 
 23 04 00 
 
 In the Dining Roome. 
 
 Two Cloath Carpetts 
 
 Tapestry hangings, window curtaines, and 
 Rods ....... 
 
 Twenty red Cloath Chaires 
 
 Brass Andirons, fireshovell, and tongs 
 
 01 15 00 
 
 12 00 00 
 
 03 IG 00 
 00 10 00 
 
 17 15 GO 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 
 215 
 
 /// the Red a?td ivhiie Roome. 
 A bedsted, wrought Curtaines, and Coun- 
 
 £ 
 
 s. d. 
 
 terpain ....... 
 
 04 
 
 00 00 
 
 A Rugg and three blanketts 
 
 OI 
 
 g6 go 
 
 A feather bedd, bolster, pillow, and Quilt . 
 
 04 
 
 10 00 
 
 four Chaires, Table Carpett, and looking .n;lass 
 
 01 
 
 GO 00 
 
 hangings, window Curtaines, rods, and Close 
 
 
 
 stoole, &c. ...... 
 
 G2 
 
 00 00 
 
 fireshovell, Tongs, and doggs 
 
 /;/ the stairehead Chamber, 
 
 GO 
 
 04 06 
 
 GI3 
 
 GO g6 
 
 
 
 A bedsted and Curtaines .... 
 
 GO 
 
 08 GO 
 
 A featherbed, bolster, and blanketts . 
 
 GT 
 
 10 00 
 
 A cupboard and two Chaires 
 
 In Madam Lee's Roome, 
 
 GO 
 
 03 06 
 
 02 
 
 01 06 
 
 
 
 A bedsted and wrought Curtaines 
 
 10 
 
 CO GO 
 
 A featherbed, bolster, and pillow . . 04 go go 
 
 A Satten Quilt, and two blanketts . . 03 00 go 
 Tapestry hangings. White Curtaines, and Rods 04 10 00 
 
 four Chaires, tw^o stool es, and Coucli . 
 
 A Table and silke Carpett . 
 
 brass andiron, fireshovell, and Tongs . 
 
 G2 10 00 
 
 GO 03 GO 
 GO 10 00 
 
 24 13 GO 
 
 /// the two little Roomcs 7.<i:hin Maddam Lcc's Roome, 
 A bedsted and Curtaines . . • . go 12 00 
 A Table, Cupboard, and Cloth . 
 
 GO 06 00 
 
2i6 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. d. 
 
 Two Chaires, two stooles .... 
 
 GO 
 
 G2 g6 
 
 Tapestry hangings 
 
 OI 
 
 05 00 
 
 hangings, and Window Curtaines and Rods 
 
 CO 
 
 16 GG 
 
 A bedstead, two cushions, and Counterpain 
 
 GO 
 
 10 00 
 
 A Table, Carpet, and a great Chaire . 
 
 In the Passage. 
 
 GO 
 
 03 g6 
 
 03 
 
 15 00 
 
 
 
 A Skreen with six leaves .... 
 
 In the Dressing Roome, 
 
 GO 
 
 IG GG 
 
 
 
 A bedstead and Curtaines .... 
 
 GG 
 
 12 GG 
 
 Counterpain and three blanketts 
 
 01 
 
 IG GG 
 
 feather bolster, and Quilt .... 
 
 03 
 
 IG OG 
 
 A paire of sheets 
 
 GG 
 
 05 GG 
 
 Hangings, window Curtaines and rods 
 
 GG 
 
 07 GG 
 
 A screen 
 
 GG 
 
 12 GG 
 
 Two Tables, two stands .... 
 
 GG 
 
 03 06 
 
 Two glass Cases, dressing box, and stool . 
 
 GO 
 
 14 GO 
 
 Fire shovell, tongs, doggs, and warming 
 
 
 
 pann ....... 
 
 GG 
 
 g6 og 
 
 A Cabinet, and Close stool 
 
 GO 
 
 12 GG 
 
 A paire of pistolls, Two Guns, 'I'wo swords 
 
 G2 
 
 GG OG 
 
 A pewter Stand 
 
 GG 
 
 15 OG 
 
 Three Chaires ...... 
 
 /// the closet within the dressing roon 
 
 00 
 
 05 GO 
 
 II 
 
 II 06 
 
 /. 
 
 
 A bedsted and curtaines .... 
 
 GO 
 
 12 GG 
 
 A Rugg and three blanketts 
 
 GG 
 
 14 GG 
 
 Sir PiiiLir Harcourt. 
 
 
 217 
 
 • 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d 
 
 A feather bed, bolster, and Quilt 
 
 03 
 
 00 
 
 OG 
 
 A paire of sheets ..... 
 
 GO 
 
 07 
 
 OG 
 
 Tapestry hangings 
 
 00 
 
 15 
 
 GO 
 
 Glass case and Stand ..... 
 
 GO 
 
 01 
 
 06 
 
 Two Chaires and two Stooles 
 
 GO 
 
 02 
 
 06 
 
 A parcell of woodden things 
 
 GO 
 
 03 
 
 00 
 
 Seaven dozen of glass bottles 
 
 00 
 
 14 
 
 OG 
 
 A parcell of glasses and a parcell of earthen- 
 
 
 
 
 ware .*...■• 
 
 GG 
 
 12 
 
 GG 
 
 A pestle and morter, and glasse Churne 
 
 In the Garrett over the Dressing Root 
 
 GG 
 
 06 
 
 g6 
 
 07 
 
 07 
 
 g6 
 
 ne. 
 
 
 
 A grate, and bellowes, and Chest 
 
 GO 
 
 07 
 
 GO 
 
 Lumber 
 
 GG 
 
 05 
 
 GG 
 
 Two fire skreens 
 
 /;/ the Nursery. 
 
 00 
 
 01 
 
 06 
 
 GG 
 
 13 
 
 g6 
 
 
 
 
 Two bedsteds, Curtaines, and railings . 
 
 G2 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 A Coverlid, a Rugg, and a blankett 
 
 GG 
 
 04 
 
 g6 
 
 Two fether beds, two fether boulsters, two 
 
 
 
 
 flock bolsters 
 
 03 
 
 10 
 
 00 
 
 A Table and Carpet, a Canopy and Cur- 
 
 
 
 
 laine ..•..•• 
 
 OG 
 
 04 
 
 GO 
 
 A Chaire and a stool, doggs, and iron barr . 
 
 GO 
 
 03 
 
 00 
 
 g6 
 
 GI 
 
 06 
 
 
 
 
 Ff 
 
2l8 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 In my Ladfs Chamber. 
 
 A bedsted, Curtaines, and fflock Quilt . 
 A feather bed, boulster, foure pillowes, a 
 Quilt .....-• 
 A Callico Quilt, and foure blanketts . 
 Tapestry window Curtaines, and Rod . 
 
 Two looking glasses 
 
 Eight Chaires and one Squab 
 
 A Scrutore and two Stands .... 
 
 ffire shovell, bellowes, tongs, doggs, and iron 
 
 bars 
 
 Two Tables, Glass case, and close stoole . 
 
 Nine Camlet Cushions .... 
 Green serge hangings, and Curtain Rods . 
 Two Chaires, Two Stands, one Table Stand 
 A Table and Carpetts .... 
 
 A Clock ....••• 
 
 £ J. d. 
 
 10 00 GO 
 
 05 GO GG 
 
 01 13 GG 
 08 GG GO 
 
 02 GG GG 
 GI GG GG 
 
 03 GG GO 
 
 GG G4 GG 
 GG 16 GG 
 
 OG 13 g6 
 
 GI IG GG 
 
 GO 05 GG 
 
 GG 03 GG 
 
 OG 04 GG 
 
 34 g8 g6 
 
 /;/ the littie Clossct in my Ladfs Chamber, 
 
 Hangings, window Curtains, and Rods . gg 15 gg 
 
 Two Stands, a Table Stand, and glasse case 00 05 gg 
 
 A Case of drawers and one Chaire . . gg g8 og 
 
 GI 08 GO 
 
 In the Parlor in the Porter's Lodge, 
 
 Hangings, window Curtains, and Rods 
 Nine Turkey worke chaires 
 
 GO 17 GO 
 
 GI 02 06 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 219 
 
 A Table, a Turkey worke Carpett 
 
 A paire of tongs and doggs .... 
 
 /;/ the Chajnber over the Parlor. 
 A bedsted, Curtains, and Counterpain 
 A feather bed, bolster, pillow, and three 
 
 blanketts ...... 
 
 Hangings, window Curtains, and Rods 
 
 A Table and Carpett, Three Chaires, two 
 
 stooles ....... 
 
 doggs, Tongs, and bellowes 
 
 /;/ the sad Culler ^ room, 
 A bedstead. Curtains, and Counterpain 
 Hangings, window Curtains, and Rods 
 
 /;/ the Cookes Chamber. 
 A bedsted, Table, and Cupboard 
 Three old Chaires, and old flock bed . 
 
 /;/ the Coachman's Chamber, 
 A bedsted, Cupboard, and two boards 
 A flock bed, bolster, and two Coverlids 
 Two old chaires, and Lumber 
 
 ■ Dark coloured. 
 
 £ S. ^ 
 
 OG IG GG 
 
 GG 02 GG 
 
 02 II g6 
 
 01 GO 00 
 
 GI 15 OG 
 
 GI GO OG 
 
 00 12 00 
 
 00 G2 g6 
 
 04 09 06 
 
 . GI GG GO 
 
 01 GG GG 
 
 02 00 GO 
 
 . GO 07 GO 
 , GG 04 GG 
 
 00 II 00 
 GO g8 OG 
 
 GO g8 gg 
 
 GG JO GO 
 GI 06 GO 
 
220 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 
 
 
 /// the Gnat Parlor, 
 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 One great Table, one Spanish Table, two 
 
 
 
 
 cloth Carpetts, one bayes Carpett . 
 
 CI 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 Twelve pictures ^ ..... 
 
 05 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 Eighteen chaires, two long Cushions, one 
 
 
 
 
 Squab ....... 
 
 02 
 
 ID 
 
 GO 
 
 One paire of brasse Andirons, fireshovell, 
 
 
 
 
 tongs, and grate 
 
 /// the withdrawing Roome. 
 
 GO 
 
 15 
 
 GO 
 
 09 
 
 05 
 
 GO 
 
 
 
 
 One Table, one sticht Carpett, one bayes 
 
 
 
 
 Carpett 
 
 00 
 
 10 
 
 00 
 
 fourteen Irish sticht Chaires, a squab, two 
 
 
 
 
 Irish Cushions 
 
 02 
 
 10 
 
 GO 
 
 one looking glasse, two gilt stands 
 
 01 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 brasse Andirons, fire shovell, and tongs 
 
 In the Chappell. 
 
 00 
 
 08 
 
 GO 
 
 04 
 
 oS 
 
 GO 
 
 
 
 
 five long Cushions, six small Cushions 
 
 In the great Hall. 
 
 01 
 
 10 
 
 GO 
 
 
 
 
 Three Tables, one forme .... 
 
 00 
 
 12 
 
 00 
 
 foure Turkey worke chaires 
 
 00 
 
 07 
 
 GO 
 
 Two Turkey worke Carpetts, and leather 
 
 
 
 
 Carpett 
 
 00 
 
 10 
 
 OG 
 
 one Clocke and Case, and Lader 
 
 02 
 
 00 
 
 GO 
 
 one fender 
 
 •» Taintecl, by Velasquez, by Marc Gerard, v 
 
 00 
 
 01 
 
 GO 
 
 03 
 
 10 
 
 GO 
 
 S:c. 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 
 221 
 
 /;/ the little Parlor. 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. d. 
 
 Three Spanish Tables, two Turkey Carpetts 
 
 01 
 
 12 GO 
 
 Thirteen Turkey w^orke Chaires . 
 
 G2 
 
 GO GG 
 
 foure Turkey worke Cushions 
 
 GO 
 
 g6 GG 
 
 fireshovell tongs, doggs, bellow^es, iron ban . 
 
 /// the still House. 
 
 GG 
 
 03 GO 
 
 04 
 
 01 OG 
 
 
 
 ffive hogsheads, two barrells 
 
 GG 
 
 10 GG 
 
 six small Runnletts, five stands . 
 
 GG 
 
 g8 GG 
 
 six dousen bottles ..... 
 
 GG 
 
 12 GO 
 
 A dresser, Table, Cupboard, and other 
 
 
 
 Lumber 
 
 GO 
 
 03 04 
 
 /// the servant Hall. 
 
 01 
 
 13 04 
 
 
 
 A Table . * . 
 
 /;/ the hear Seller. 
 
 00 
 
 05 GG 
 
 
 
 fiive hoggsheads, one kilderkin, and other 
 
 
 
 lumber ....... 
 
 GG 
 
 10 GO 
 
 a paire of Tables and Chest board 
 
 In the Larder. 
 
 OG 
 
 04 GO 
 
 GG 
 
 14 GO 
 
 
 
 Two stills, one Limbeck head 
 
 01 
 
 GO GG 
 
 A great iron dripping pann, tinned 
 
 GO 
 
 07 GO 
 
 A Doe cover, Three sives, Three Tubbs, and 
 
 
 
 other lumber ...... 
 
 GG 
 
 03 GO 
 
 01 
 
 IG GO 
 
 
 
 i 
 
222 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 00 04 00 
 
 00 04 06 
 
 In the little House between the Kitchin and Larder, 
 
 An Iron for plates and lumber . . . 00 03 QQ 
 
 In the Dayrye Kitchen a?id two little roomes within. 
 One Table, two formes . . . , 
 Jack and waite, and dripping pann 
 doggs, fireshovell and tongs, bellovves, fender 00 03 00 
 Two leather chaires, foure woodden chaires 00 03 00 
 A salt box, gridiron, two paire hangers, one 
 
 paire of potthookes 
 
 ffive smoothing irons, a paire of small iron 
 
 Racks, one grate iron Rack, and old iron 
 one Dousen and halfe of Trenchers, and 
 
 Lumber 
 
 00 03 00 
 
 00 05 00 
 
 00 01 06 
 
 01 04 00 
 
 /;/ the Darie house. 
 
 Eight Milk Covers, Two litde Churnes, a 
 
 paire of Milk Tankards, six Cheese salts, 
 
 six follows, one barrell Churne 
 Earthen ware, and a parcell of Lumber, 
 
 Two leather Jacks ..... 
 Three milk bucketts, cheese Tubb, and 
 
 Tongs ....••• 
 
 00 18 00 
 
 00 02 06 
 
 00 02 00 
 
 01 02 06 
 
 /;/ the Brewhouse. 
 
 one furnace 
 one Mash fatt 
 fourteen Tubbs 
 
 00 15 00 
 00 10 00 
 00 07 00 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 223 
 
 fourteen vessells of severall sortes 
 
 A scoupe, a Tappuss, shovell, and Tongs . 
 
 A Malt mill, and other Lumber . 
 
 /// the Wash House. 
 A Washing Tub, table, forme, and Iron 
 shovell ....••• 
 A furnace 
 
 In the Malt House. 
 A screen, and a bin, and other Lumber 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 GO 07 GO 
 
 GG GI g6 
 
 OG 05 GO 
 
 G2 05 06 
 
 GO 03 GO 
 
 GO g8 GG 
 
 00 II GO 
 
 GO g8 00 
 
 05 17 10 
 
 /;/ the great Kitchen. 
 twenty six pewter dishes at seaven pence 
 
 per pound, weight one hundred, three 
 
 quarters, and six pounds. 
 Three dousen and eleaven plates, weighing 
 
 fifty pounds, at seaven pence per pound . 01 09 02 
 Two pewter flagons, six Basons, foure 
 
 stands, two great salts, weighing thirty 
 
 five pounds . ... 
 five broad pewter plates, one old dish, four 
 
 Chamber potts, weighing thirty five 
 
 pounds . 
 
 Six pewter Candlesticks, one Cullender, one 
 
 pepper box, six sawcers, one Chamber 
 
 pott, weighing twenty one pounds . 
 four Close stoole panns, two Chamber potts, 
 
 00 14 07 
 
 00 14 07 
 
 00 08 09 
 
i > 
 
 224 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 two flagon lids, one plate, one stand, 
 weighing twenty foure pounds . 
 
 Three brasse Kettles, one sauce pann, weigh- 
 ing fifty six pounds 
 
 One great brass pann, a stewing pann and 
 Cover, one great Chafing dish, foure brasse 
 sticks, one old cover, three Ladles, a 
 pestle and Morter, fifty pounds 
 
 One Coper Cistern and fountain, weys fif- 
 teen pounds ...... 
 
 A large bell metde pott, weighing fifty 
 six pounds 
 
 Six brasse skilletts, one skimmer, a skid, one 
 warming pan ...... 
 
 Two old brasse potts, waying forty six 
 pounds ....... 
 
 One great boyler, waying fifty-two pounds . 
 
 One iron Candle stick, two tinn potts, one 
 old sconce, two tin flower boxes, one Tin 
 funnell, two tinn Covers, one Candlestick, 
 one Chafeing dish, five spoones 
 
 Two large iron Racks, one long iron barr, 
 six spitts, nine barrs to the grate, two 
 cheeks belonging to the grate, three iron 
 frames, one iron hanger .... 
 
 Two old Chests, two weeles, one forke, one 
 woodden Rack for plates, one old Tub, 
 and other Lumber 
 
 00 10 00 
 
 01 08 00 
 
 01 05 00 
 
 00 15 00 
 
 01 03 04 
 
 00 08 00 
 
 GO 19 02 
 
 01 00 00 
 
 00 02 GO 
 
 00 09 04 
 
 GO 03 06 
 17 08 03 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 225 
 
 The Lining. 
 
 Three paire of dowlas sheets 
 Three dimaty sheets . , . . * 
 Eleaven paire of course sheets . 
 one paire of old Holland sheets . 
 ffbure Callico Curtains . . . . 
 ffbure Course dresser, six course Napkins . 
 Two dozen of diap. napkins 
 Two old diaper Tables clothes, Three side- 
 board Clothes 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 01 II 00 
 00 15 00 
 
 02 15 00 
 00 06 00 
 00 04 00 
 
 GO 04 GO 
 00 08 GO 
 
 GG 07 GG 
 
 Seaven Scotch Cloth pillow Covers 
 
 OG 
 
 05 
 
 IG 
 
 Six Scotch Cloth side board Clothes . 
 
 OG 
 
 05 
 
 10 
 
 Tenn Towells 
 
 GG 
 
 04 
 
 GO 
 
 Two laced sideboard Clothes 
 
 GO 
 
 05 
 
 00 
 
 one paire of large flaxen sheets . 
 
 GG 
 
 15 
 
 GO 
 
 foure paire of Holland sheets 
 
 03 
 
 GG 
 
 GO 
 
 one old Damask Table Cloth, and side- 
 
 
 
 
 board Cloth 
 
 GG 
 
 IG 
 
 GG 
 
 Three damaske table cloths, and sideboard 
 
 
 
 
 Clothes ....... 
 
 G2 
 
 GO 
 
 00 
 
 Three dozen of damask napkins . 
 
 01 
 
 05 
 
 GG 
 
 One dozen of diaper napkins 
 
 GG 
 
 04 
 
 GO 
 
 One dozen of diaper napkins 
 
 GO 
 
 04 
 
 GO 
 
 Nine towells and foure sideboard Clothes . 
 
 GO 
 
 08 
 
 GO 1 
 
 foure damask towells and one diaper towell 
 
 00 
 
 07 
 
 GO 
 
 Tenn Holland pillow beers .... 
 
 GO 
 
 TO 
 
 GG 
 
 Lineing for a bed, and two od napkins 
 
 GG 
 
 g8 
 
 GO 
 
 17 
 
 01 
 
 08 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 G 
 
 g 
 
 '*iii*-*)i«iH«* 
 
/;/ the Garden. 
 
 £ s. d, 
 
 foLire bell glasses and twenty one other 
 
 glasses . . . . . . . oo 08 oo 
 
 Three stocks of bees 00 15 00 
 
 The totall sume is 
 
 01 03 00 
 
 ;^269 05 09 
 
 These goods praised by us our names 
 under written, — 
 
 Signed, Adrian Roberts, 
 Ben: Williams. 
 
 Six horses 
 
 one Gelding 
 
 one Gelding 
 
 one Colt ....•• 
 one Milking horse .... 
 Twenty one Cowes at three pounds per 
 
 peece ...... 
 
 One Bull 
 
 six piggs 
 
 One hundred and nine sheep of all sorts 
 
 Twelve load of hay .... 
 
 Seaven quarters of wheate . 
 
 twelve Bushells of Barley . 
 
 six sheep racks, thirty Hurdles . 
 
 plowes and Harrowes .... 
 
 Three Oxe yoaks and Chaine, a double 
 
 weeple, and two Cutting knives 
 
 46 00 00 
 
 15 00 00 
 
 02 10 00 
 
 03 00 00 
 
 00 10 00 
 
 63 00 00 
 
 02 10 00 
 
 04 00 00 
 
 47 00 00 
 
 16 00 00 
 07 00 00 
 
 01 06 00 
 
 00 13 00 
 
 01 10 00 
 
 02 00 00 
 
 • 
 
 Two Rowles, and two old Chests in the 
 
 Stable ..... 
 Harness of all sorts for the Horses 
 Bridles, Saddles, pannells, and Bells 
 ffother in the Gate barne . 
 ffirewood of all sorts about the house and 
 
 backside .... 
 
 Timber of all sorts about the house 
 Straw, and Laths 
 Six Cow Cratches 
 ffann and Selves, two Bushells, Rakes, 
 
 prongs, spades, shovells, dung pick 
 All the dung in the yard 
 Stones in the yard 
 Barrowes about the house 
 Two Cart Lines . 
 One Grind stone, one iron 
 
 wedges, a mat hooke 
 
 hatchett, and axe . 
 Hammers, pinchers, dug 
 
 markes . 
 Carts and Waggon 
 Wheat Stadle and Stones 
 Tenn Sacks 
 Timber Cut out of all sorts. 
 
 Lumber in the Timber loft 
 ffoure Rowles in the garden 
 All the Poultry about the house 
 Old iron and Lumber . 
 
 rCrs 
 
 barr, sawes, iron 
 grubbing axe, 
 
 . . • 
 Chissells, pitch 
 
 with 
 
 other 
 
 £ X. d, 
 01 05 00 
 
 05 00 00 
 01 05 00 
 01 00 00 
 
 12 CO 00 
 10 00 00 
 
 00 18 00 
 
 01 05 00 
 
 01 10 00 
 05 00 00 
 00 10 00 
 00 05 00 
 00 08 00 
 
 01 04 00 
 
 00 05 00 
 10 00 00 
 
 01 10 00 
 00 10 00 
 
 02 10 00 
 or 10 00 
 00 15 00 
 00 15 00 
 
 271 04 00 
 
228 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 Coach and Calleish and Cushions belonging 
 to the Coach 
 
 Come upon the groiuid of all sort. 
 
 Nine Acres of Wheate . . . .180000 
 forty two Acres of Barley . 
 fifteene Acres of Oates 
 
 . 84 00 GO 
 
 22 10 00 
 
 124 10 00 
 
 395 14 00 
 
 total! of both the sumes 
 
 Apprized by us, — 
 
 Signed, William Tarboote, 
 
 W'". BUNCE. 
 
 The Testator's Bookes, Lute, Vialls and 
 Globes appraised at .... 
 
 30 00 00 
 
 by us, Henry Cornish, 
 Thomas Gilbert. 
 
 The Testator's Wearing Apparell 
 
 05 00 00 
 
 All the Plate at Wigg-Sale and Stanton. 
 
 A sugar box, a cup and Cover, foure plates, 
 two porrengers, six salts, five Tumblers, 
 and Eighteen spoones, weight two hundred 
 thirty eight ounces, at five shillings two- 
 pence .....•• 
 
 61 09 08 
 
 • 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 229 
 
 A paire of Candlesticks, two flaggons, three 
 Tankards, a great salt, a Chafeing dish, a 
 Tobacco box, and a set of Tasters, weigt 
 two hundred ninety foure ounces, at five 
 shillings one penny ... 
 
 A bason, a salver, An Ewer, a Candlestick, 
 a ladle, a forke, all Spanish Plate, and a 
 square sugar box, weight one hundred 
 ninety three ounces, 2X foure shillings tenn 
 pence, abated out of the plate, by agree- 
 ment, three shillings two pence. 
 
 74 14 05 
 
 46 12 10 
 
 Appraised by /no. Sutton, 
 
 for all arrears of Rent at Stanton, and for 
 
 money due for wood formerly sold . . 150 16 02 
 
 For Jewells, Rings, watches, and Gold 
 
 chaine, appraised by order of Court . 95 18 00 
 
 464 II 01 
 
 Appraisors. 
 
 00 03 02 
 464 07 II 
 
 Jn° Marlow 
 Robert Abdis 
 
 deducted for the plate 
 
 £ s. d. 
 Totall II 29 07 8 
 
 "Dame Elizabeth Harcourt, widdow, doth hereby 
 declare that severall of the goods before men- 
 tioned in this Inventory are over-valued, shee 
 having been forced to sell some of them for less 
 
230 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt. 
 
 than they were appraised, soe that she doth not 
 now charge herselfe with them, but be winin^r 
 to charge herselfe with so much as shee shall 
 make of the same goods when sold. 
 
 Eliz. Harcourt. 
 19° July, 1688. 
 Elizabetiia Harcourt, 
 
 Jurat coram me 
 
 Ri: Raines. 
 In p'esentia 
 
 RoBBi Peirson. No^y PuWci. 
 Fxam\ Sipied, Tiios. Wellam, Reg*^ dcp*^^ 
 
 PEDIGREE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HARCOURT FAMILY, 
 
 BY 
 
 JOSEPH EDMONDSON, 
 
 MOWBRAY HERALD EXTRAORDINARY 
 
 CONTINUED TO THE PRESENT DATE. 
 
The Names of the Heads of the Family 
 are pi'inteci in large type. 
 
 Bernard, a Nobleman, of the Blood Royal of 
 Saxony, but being born in Denmark, was sir- 
 named the Dane. Chief Councellor, and second 
 in command to Rollo, the first Duke of Nor- 
 mandy, Minister to Duke William Longa-spatha, 
 guardian to his son Richard IL, Duke of Nor- 
 mandy, and Regent of the Dutchy, during his 
 minority. He obtained the Lordships of Har- 
 court, Caillcville, and Beauficel, in reward for his 
 services. Anno Dom. Z'j^. He married . . . . de 
 Sprote, a Lady of the Royal Family of Burgundy. 
 
 Their only son and heir was 
 
 TORF, surnamed the Rich ; he added to his pos- 
 sessions Torville, Torcy, Torny, and Pontautou ; 
 he married Etemberga, daughter of Launcelot de 
 Briquebec, a Nobleman of Danish extraction. 
 
 TOUROUDE, or Turulph, first son, Lord of Pont- 
 au-de-mer, Torville, Torcy, Pontautou, and Bourg- 
 touroude. Joint-guardian and Governor with his 
 Brother, to William, Duke of Normandy, during 
 his minority. He married Wena, by some called 
 
 II h 
 
2 34 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Duceline, sister of Gunnora, wife of Richard IL, 
 Duke of Normandy. From this Touroude, or 
 Turulph, the Beaumonts, Earls of Leicester, 
 Walerans, Earls of Warwick, &c., derived their 
 descents. 
 
 TURCHETIL, second son, Lord of Turqueville, 
 Turqueraye, &c., joint Guardian and Preceptor 
 with his Brother, to William, Duke of Normandy, 
 during his minority, and basely murdered for his 
 attachment to him. He married Adeline de 
 Montfort, sister of Toustain, Lord of Montfort, 
 sur Risle. 
 
 William de Torville, third son. 
 
 Anchetil, first son of Turchetil, took the name 
 of Harcourt. He married Eve de Boesscy, Lady 
 of Boessey le Chastel. 
 
 Walter de Turqueville, second son. 
 
 Lesseline, married William, Earl of Eu, Exmes, 
 and Montreuil. 
 
 Erraud, or Anguerraud de Harcourt, first 
 son of Anchetil, Commander of the Archers of Val 
 de Ruel, in the descent made upon England by 
 Will: the Conqueror, after whose coronation he 
 returned into Normandy. He married Emma 
 d'Estouteville. 
 
 . 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 235 
 
 Robert de Harcourt, second son, sirnamed 
 the Strong, built the Castle of Harcourt, and came 
 to England with Will: the Conqueror. He mar- 
 ried Colede d'Argouges. 
 
 John de Harcourt, third son. 
 
 Arnold de Harcourt, fourth son, sent for out 
 of Normandy, by Will: the Conqueror, 1068, to 
 oppose the Invasion of England by the Danes, 
 in an engagement with whom he was slain. 
 
 Gervase de Harcourt, fifth son. 
 
 Ivo de Harcourt, sixth son. 
 
 Renauld de Harcourt, seventh son. 
 
 Agnes, married M. de Formeville. 
 
 William de Harcourt, first son of Robert, 
 took the part of King Henry I. in his dispute with 
 his Brother Robert. Commanded the troops which 
 defeated Walcran, Earl of Moullent, in the Battle 
 near Bourgtouroude, 1123; and had in reward 
 for his Services, large Possessions in England. 
 He married Hue D'Amboise. 
 
 Richard de Harcourt, second son, founder of the 
 Commandery of S^ Stephen at Reneville, became 
 a Knight Templar, and Grand Prior of France; 
 buried at S^ Stephen's, at Reneville. 
 
 Philip de Harcourt, third son. Dean of Lincoln, 
 Archdeacon of York, nominated to the Bishopric 
 of Salisbury, and appointed Bishop of Bayeux. 
 Obiit, 1163 ; buried at Bayeux. 
 
236 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Henry Harcourt, fourth son. 
 
 Baldwin Harcourt, fifth son. 
 
 Erraud Harcourt, sixth son. 
 
 Rollo de Harcourt, seventh son, settled in Eng- 
 land ; & married Boesia, sister and co-heir of 
 William, son of Pain Pevesell, Lord of Ikunne, 
 & Standard Bearer to Rob* Curtois in the Holy- 
 Land. They had an only child, Albreda, who 
 married Sir William Tursbut. Com: Ebor: 
 
 Robert de Harcourt, first son of William 
 
 de Harcourt, Baron of Harcourt, Elboeuf, la 
 Saussay, and Beaumesnel, Poligny, Boessey le 
 Chastel, and Reneville ; ancestor of John de Har- 
 court, Viscount of Chatcllcrant, Baron of Elboeuf, 
 Brione, d'Arscot, Mezieres, I'lslebone, Gravenshon, 
 &c., in whose favour the Barony of Harcourt was 
 by King Philip de Valois erected into a Comte, 
 in March, 1338, and from whom descended the 
 Harcourts, Counts of Harcourt, and Aumalle, and 
 the Marquisses of Montmorency, 1578; as also 
 Peter de Harcourt, Baron of Beuvron, Beausson, 
 &c., in recompence of whose services the Baronies 
 of la Motte, Mery, Cleville, and Vareville were 
 by letters mandatory, 1593, erected into a Mar- 
 quisate, called la Motte ILircourt. 
 
 From this Peter descend Henry, Marshal of 
 France, for whom the Marquisates of Thury, & 
 la Motte Harcourt, were united, and erected into 
 
 1 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 '^ll 
 
 the Dukedom of Harcourt, 1700, and made a 
 Peerdom of France, 1709. 
 
 Robert de Harcourt was also ancestor to the 
 Harcourts, Barons Bonestable and Montgomery 
 (extinct), and of the Harcourts, present Barons 
 d'Ollonde. Robert de Harcourt married Joane, 
 daughter of Robert, Earl of Meullent. 
 
 Ivo DE Harcourt, second son of William de 
 Harcourt, succeeded to his father's possessions 
 in England. 
 
 Simon de Harcourt, third son, Obiit sine prole. 
 
 Adeliza, daughter and co-heir of Osbert de 
 Arden of Kingsbury, com. Warwick. 
 
 Peretta, married John, Lord of Helenvillier 
 in France. 
 
 Beatrix, married Robert Bassett. 
 
 Robert de Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Ivo de Harcourt, was sheriff of War- 
 wick & Leicester, 1199, 1201, 1202, settled at 
 Staunton, county of Oxon, jure uxoris, — Obiit 
 1202. He married Isabel, only daughter and heir 
 of Richard de Camville. She brought with her 
 the Lordship of Stanton, from that time called 
 Stanton Harcourt. She was descended from — 
 
 Gerrard de Camville, Lord of Lilbourne, near 
 Creek, county Northampton, who married, and 
 had issue : — 
 
238 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Richard de Camville, Founder of Combcc Ab- 
 bey, county Warwick : who married and had 
 issue : — 
 
 Gerrard de Camville, first son, who married 
 Nichola, daughter and co-heir of Richard de Haya. 
 
 Walter de Camville, second son. 
 
 Richard de Camville, third son, who mar- 
 ried Milicent, cousin of Queen Adeliza or Adelicia, 
 daughter of Godfrey i^* Duke of Brabant, & 
 second wife of King Henry P^ This Queen gave 
 to her in Marriage the Lordship of Staunton, 
 county Oxon, which was afterwards confirmed 
 to her and her heirs by King Stephen, & King 
 Henry H., and their only daughter, Isabel, mar- 
 ried Robert de Harcourt. 
 
 W^illiam de Camville, fourth son. Lord of Clifton 
 Camville, county Oxon, married Albreda, daughter 
 of Geffrey de Marmion. 
 
 Lucy de Harcourt, daughter of Ivo de Har- 
 court, married Daunley. 
 
 John de Harcourt, second son. 
 
 William de Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Robert de Harcourt, called the Eng- 
 h'shman, to distinguish him from others of the 
 same name. 
 
 He was one of those who adhered to King 
 John, against Lewis, Dauphin of France, and the 
 Rebellious Barons, 1216, and was with Saycr de 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 239 
 
 Quincy, Earl of Winchester, and others, at the 
 siege of Damietta in the Holy Land, 1218 ; 
 Governor of Tamworth Castle, 12 19; he married 
 Alice, first daughter and co-heir of Thomas Noel, 
 she was married by appointment of King John, 
 and brought with her the Lordships of EUenhall, 
 Seighford, Bridgeford, &c., county Stafford, and 
 Grandborough, county Warwick, &c. Her de- 
 scent was from Noelius, who came to England 
 with King William the Conqueror, and obtained 
 the manors of EUenhall, &c., county Stafford ; he 
 married Celestria, and had Robert Fitz Noel, 
 first son, Founder of the Priory of Ronton, county 
 Stafford, and Richard Noel, second son ; Robert 
 Fitz Noel married Alice, and had, Thomas Noel, 
 Lord of Ellenhal, Ronton, &c., Philip Noel, second 
 son, from whom the Earls of Gainsborough. 
 
 Several other sons. 
 
 Thomas Noel married Margaret, sister of Guy 
 le Strange, of Knocking, county of Salop, whose 
 daughter Alice married William DE HARCOURT. 
 
 Oliver de Harcourt, second son of Robert de 
 Harcourt, joined the party of Lewis the Dauphin, 
 and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lincoln, 
 1217. 
 
 John de Harcourt, third son, seated at Roledge, 
 county Leicester, married Hawis, daughter of Sir 
 William Burdet, K*. 
 
 Sir Robert de Harcourt, fourth son, married 
 
240 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Dionysia, daughter and co-heir of Henry PIpard, 
 of Lapworth, county Warwick. 
 
 Alice de Harcourt, married first, John de 
 Limesi ; secondly, Walleran de Newburg, Earl 
 of Warwick. 
 
 Sir Richard de Harcourt (of Stanton Har- 
 court), first son of William de Harcourt, Lord of 
 Stanton Harcourt, Ellenhall, &c. Obiit 1258. He 
 married Arabella, daughter of Sayer de Quincy, 
 Earl of Winchester, by Margaret, his w^ife, sister 
 and co-heir of Robert Fitz-Parnel, Earl of Lei- 
 cester. She brought with her the Manors of Bos- 
 worth, Elstow, or Aileston, Charnwood, &c: Com. 
 Leicester. 
 
 Sir Henry de Harcourt, second son, knighted 
 1278: obiit 1293: married Emma, daughter and 
 heir of William Maunsel, of Erdington, county 
 Warwick, afterwards married Edward Pipe, and 
 they had, Margaret, sole daughter and heir, mar- 
 ried, first, John Pipe, son of the above-mentioned 
 Edward Pipe, and secondly, John de Saundersted. 
 Helen married Hugh Bigot, Justicier of England. 
 
 Sir William de Harcourt (of Stanton Har- 
 court), first son of Sir Richard de Harcourt, ad- 
 hered to the Rebellious Barons: obiit 1278: he 
 married (i«*) Alice, daughter of Alan la Zouche : 
 he married 2°'^^y, Hillaria, daughter of Henry, 
 Lord Hastings, and they had : 
 
 Sayer de Harcourt, second son, joined the Earl 
 of Leicester against Henry HL He was taken 
 prisoner in the battle of Eversham, 1266. Im- 
 prisoned, and disseised of his Lands, & dyed the 
 same year. 
 
 Maud, married Sir Giles Peneston, K^ 
 
 By his first marriage. Sir William had Margery, 
 married John Cantelupe, Obiit sine prole ; and 
 Arabella, married Sir Fulke Pembrugge, Ob: 1279. 
 
 By his second marriage, 
 
 Richard de Harcourt (of Stanton Har- 
 court), only son, procured a grant of the Fairs 
 and Markets of Bosworth, Com: Leicester, 1293 ; 
 He married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Beke, 
 of Eresby, Com: Lincoln. 
 
 Sir John Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 
 first son of Richard de Harcourt, knighted 1306, 
 Ob: 1330: married, i^^'>', Ellen, daughter of Eudo 
 la Zouche, of Mellcsentre ; 2^^^^', Alice, daughter 
 of Peter Corbet, of Caus Castle, Com: Salop. 
 
 Nicholas Harcourt, second son. Rector of 
 Sheppy, Com: Leicest: 
 
 Sir William Harcourt (of Stanton Har- 
 court), only son and heir of Sir John Harcourt, 
 Ob: 6 June, 1349. He married Jane, daughter 
 of Richard, Lord Grey of Codnor ; she afterwards 
 married Ralph de Ferrers. Ob: 19 Aug. 1369. 
 
 I 1 
 
242 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Sir Richard Harcourt, first son of Sir 
 
 William ; Obiit. vita patris. ; married Joane, daugh- 
 ter and heir of William ShareshuU, Lord Chief 
 Justice of England. 
 
 Sir Thomas Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 
 second son of Sir William, Knighted 1366 : Knight 
 of the shire for the county of Oxon, 1 376 : Obiit 
 12*^ April, 1417. 
 
 Married Maud, daughter of Robert, Lord Grey 
 of Rotherfield, and widow of Sir John Botetort, 
 Lord Botetort: Obiit 30 Jan., 1391 : bur. at 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Elizabeth, sole daughter and heir of Sir Richard 
 Harcourt, married Thomas Astley, of Nelston, 
 county Leicester, second son of Thomas, Lord 
 Astley. 
 
 Thomas Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Sir Thomas; obiit 3 June, 1460: 
 buried at Stanton Harcourt, County Oxon ; hav- 
 ing married Joane, daughter of Sir Robert Francis. 
 
 Sir Richard Harcourt, second son. 
 
 Joane, mar. Thomas Erdington, of Erdington, 
 county Warwick. 
 
 Catherine. 
 
 Isabel. 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Thomas Harcourt, Sheriff of Leicester 
 and Warwick, 1445 : K^ of the Garter, 1463 : 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 243 
 
 Commissioner for the Treaty of Peace between 
 England and Lewis the French king, 1467 : obiit 
 14 Nov., 1471. Buried at Stanton Harcourt: 
 having married Margaret, daughter of Sir John 
 Byron, of Clayton, county Lancaster; buried at 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Sir Richard Harcourt, second son of 
 Thomas Harcourt: Obiit i Oct., 1487. Married 
 (V^) Edith, daughter and heir of Thomas S^ Clare ; 
 (2"^) Eleanor, daughter of Sir Roger Lewknor, 
 K* ; (3'''^) Catharine, daughter of ... . & widow of 
 Sir Miles Stapleton, K^ ; Ob. 13 Oct. 1489. 
 
 John Harcourt, third son. 
 
 William Harcourt, fourth son, steward to 
 George Duke of Clarence, married .... daughter 
 of . . . . Burried at Aston, leaving a sole daughter, 
 Isabel, married William Moseley, of Moseley, Com: 
 Staff: 
 
 George Harcourt, fifth son, dyed young. 
 
 Alice, dyed young. 
 
 Isabel, dyed young. 
 
 John Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), first son 
 of Sir Robert Harcourt, K.G. Ob. 26 June, 1485 : 
 married Anne, daughter of Sir John Norris, K^ 
 
 Robert Harcourt, second son. 
 
 Thomas Harcourt, third son. 
 
 George Harcourt fourth son. 
 
 All dyed without issue. 
 
244 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Sir Robert Harcourt (of Stanton Ilarcourt), 
 
 only son & heir of John Harcourt, Standard Bearer 
 to king Henry VH. at the Battle of Bosworth, 
 made Knight of the Bath, 1495, and Banneret, 
 1497 : Ob . . . , bur. at Stanton Harcourt, having 
 married Anne, daughter of Thomas Lymcric. 
 
 John Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), only 
 son of Sir Robert Harcourt, K.B. Obiit sine 
 prole. 
 
 Elizabeth, married Robert Gainsford, of Hamp- 
 ton, Com: Oxon: 
 
 Lettice, married, first, Humphrey Peshall ; 
 secondly, Thomas Nevil. 
 
 Catherine, married Thomas Stoner. 
 
 Ellen, married Sir Richard Beckeringham. 
 
 Sir Christopher Harcourt, only son of Sir 
 
 Richard Harcourt by his first wife, Edith St. Clere, 
 obiit 1474: having married Joane, daughter and 
 heir of Sir Miles Stapleton, K^ 
 
 Anne, married first, Henry Ficnes, Lord Say & 
 Sele ; second, John, son of Simon Montfort. 
 
 John Harcourt, only son of Sir Richard Har- 
 court by the second wife, married Margaret, 
 daughter of William Bray, of Lembridge, county 
 Hereford. 
 
 Isabel, married Sir William Besillys. 
 
 William Harcourt, only son of Sir Richard, 
 by the third wife. 
 
 the Harcourt Family. 
 
 245 
 
 Richard Harcourt, first son of Sir Chris- 
 topher Harcourt, dyed unmarried. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 
 second son, obiit 16 Jan. 1547; bur. at Stanton 
 Harcourt ; having married, i^^^>', Agnes, daughter 
 of Thomas Barrel, of Scotney, county Salop ; 
 2n(iiy^ Elizabeth, daughter of . . . and widow of Sir 
 Richard York, K^ 
 
 Miles Harcourt, third son. 
 
 Sir John Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 
 first son of Sir Simon Harcourt, Ob. 19 Feb. 
 1565; buried at Stanton Harcourt; having mar- 
 ried Margaret, daughter and co-heir of Sir William 
 Barentyne of Haselyn, county Oxon, K^ 
 
 Edmond Harcourt, second son. 
 
 Florence, married Sir John Cotesmere, K^ 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Sir John Harcourt, Knighted by King 
 Henry VHI. Sheriff of Oxon & Berks, Obiit 27 
 July, 1577. Bur. at Stanton Harcourt; having 
 married, 1^^^^, Mary, daughter of Sir Edward 
 Aston, of Tixhall, county Stafford, K* ; 2"*^^^, Grace, 
 daughter of Humphrey Fitz - Herbert of Upsal, 
 county Hereford, and widow of Will: Robinson, 
 and had Wilgiforta, who married William Laye- 
 ton ; y^^y, Jane, daughter of Sir W"™ Spencer, of 
 Wormleighton, county Warwick, and widow of 
 Sir Richard Bruges, K'. 
 
^ ^ ' f 
 
 246 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Robert Harcourt, second son, married Elizabeth, 
 daughter of .... & widow of ... . Rubyns, Obiit 
 1582 ; bur. at Chevsey, county Stafford. 
 
 Michael Harcourt, third son ; married daughter 
 '& heir of . . . Tilncy. 
 
 Edward Harcourt, fourth son ; married daugh- 
 ter of . . . 
 
 Walter Harcourt, fifth son. 
 
 Henry Harcourt, sixth son. 
 
 Winifred, married Anthony de Grccnway. 
 
 Joane, married . . . Clark. 
 
 Catherine, married John Herle of Stanton Har- 
 court, county Oxon. 
 
 Ursula, married . . . Guisnes, of Sussex. 
 
 Anne, married first, John Knevet ; secondly, 
 Will: Bowyer. 
 
 Susan. * 
 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 Mary. 
 
 Sir Walter Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Sir Simon Harcourt, Knighted by the 
 Earl of Essex, at Rouen, ob: . . . ; bur. at Stanton 
 Harcourt ; having married Dorothy, daughter of 
 William Robinson,of Drayton Basset,Com: Stafford. 
 
 John Harcourt, second son, married Mary, 
 daughter of Walter Jones, of Whitney, Com: 
 Oxon: and widow of Bryan dc Cogges. They 
 had one son, Essex Harcourt. 
 
 i 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 247 
 
 Robert Harcourt, third son. Obiit sine prole. 
 
 Edward Harcourt, fourth son, married Anne, 
 daughter of Robert Calyer, of Darleston, Com: Staff: 
 
 William Harcourt, fifth son, married Catherine, 
 daughter of . . . Smith. 
 
 Jane, married John Grey, of Envil, County of 
 
 Stafford. 
 
 Elizabeth, married Richard Chamberlain, of 
 Ashley, County of Warwick. 
 
 Frances. 
 
 Jane. 
 
 Robert Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), first 
 
 son of Sir Walter Harcourt, was the most con- 
 siderable adventurer with Sir Walter Raleigh, in 
 his voyage Wiassero, Guyana, &c. ; ob: 20 May, 
 1631. He married, as his first wife, Elizabeth, 
 daughter of John Fitz Herbert of Norbury, 
 County of Derby ; by her he had no children ; he 
 married secondly, Frances, daughter of Sir Geffrey 
 Vere, youngest son of John, Earl of Oxford. 
 
 Michael Harcourt, second son, Captain of a ship 
 under Sir Walter Raleigh. 
 
 Grace, died young, 13 June, 1583, & buried at 
 
 Ronton. 
 
 » 
 
 Jane, married William Essex, of Lamborne. 
 Elizabeth, Maid of Honor to Anne, Queen of 
 King James the first. 
 
 Sir Simon Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 
first son of Robert Harcourt, Knighted 26 June, 
 1627 ; Governor of the Castle of Dublin, 1642 ; 
 Slain ex parte Regis, at Siege of Carrick Main 
 Castle, 26 March following. He married Anne, 
 daughter of William Lord Paget, who afterwards 
 married Sir William Waller of Osterley Park. 
 
 Francis Harcourt, second son, dyed unmarried. 
 
 Vere Harcourt, third son, D.D., Archdeacon of 
 Nottingham, and Rector of Plumtre, 1660 ; Ob: 
 1683 ; having married Lucy, daughter of Roger 
 Thornton of Snailswell, County Cantab: 
 
 Elizabeth dyed young. 
 
 Jane, married Henry Wroughton, Esq. 
 ^. Dorothy, married Henry Chctwynd of High- 
 
 wood, Com: Staff., Esq. 
 
 Margaret, born 1607; dyed the same year; 
 buried at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Simon Harcourt, of Pendley, Com: Hert: Esq., 
 first son of Archdeacon Vere Harcourt ; Ob: 30 
 March, 1724; buried at Aldbury, Hert:; having 
 married Elizabeth, dau. and heir of Sir Richard 
 Anderson of Pendley, and of Elizabeth his wife. 
 Sister & co-heir of Viscount Hewet of Ireland ; 
 Ob. 29 March, 1694 ; bur. at Aldbury. 
 
 One son of Archdeacon Harcourt, and two 
 daughters, who dyed unmarried. 
 
 Henry Harcourt, first son of Simon Harcourt, 
 and grandson of Archdeacon Harcourt, seated 
 at Pendley, ob. 9 Nov. 1741, bur. at Aldbury; 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 249 
 
 having married Frances, sole daughter and heir 
 of Nathaniel Bard, Esq., & of his wife Persiana, 
 daughter & sole heir of Henry Bard, Earl of 
 Belmont in Ireland, ob. 1/64. 
 
 Richard Harcourt, second son, married as his 
 first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Har- 
 court, K^, of Stanton Harcourt. They had Ri- 
 chard Harcourt of Wigsel, Com. Sussex, who 
 married Phebe, daughter of Sir Charles Palmer 
 of Dorncy Court, Com. Bucks, Bart., & Ann, 
 married Sir Charles Palmer of Dorney Court, Bart. 
 This Richard had Phcbe, mar. Anthony Sawyer, 
 Esq., & Elizabeth. 
 
 Richard Harcourt, after the death of his first 
 wife Elizabeth, married .... daughter of . . . 
 Banister, & had two daughters, Elizabeth & Jane. 
 
 Henry Harcourt and Frances Bard had, 
 
 A first son, Richard Bard Harcourt, married 
 to Rachel, daughter of Alfred Nesbit, Esq. 
 
 John Harcourt, second son, ob: 14 August, 
 
 1748. 
 
 Henry Harcourt, third son, Rector of Warblcton 
 
 & Crowhurst, in Sussex. 
 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 Isrnestina, Sophia, Charlotte. 
 
 Louisa, Sophia, Charlotte. 
 
 Mclusina, Sophia, Charlotte. 
 
 Anne. 
 
 Perusiana, 
 
 Kk 
 
250 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 Caroline. 
 
 Sophia. 
 
 The two latter died infants. 
 
 Richard Bard Harcourt had, 
 
 Henry Harcourt of Pendley, and 
 
 Sophia, who married Amadec, Marquise de 
 Harcourt in France, who had, 
 
 William, who surrendered his French titles & 
 possessions, and became William Harcourt, Esq., 
 of St. Leonard's, near Windsor, and died leaving 
 3 daughters, but no son. 
 
 George, the present Marquise d'Harcourt, in 
 
 France, 
 And Mary. 
 
 Sir Philip Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt), 
 first son of Sir Simon Harcourt, of Stanton Har- 
 court, was Knighted 5 June, 1660: ob. April, 
 1688, and was buried at Stanton Harcourt ; hav- 
 ing married, first, Anne, daughter of Sir William 
 Waller of Osterley Park, Com. Middlesex, K*., 
 by Anne, second daughter of Sir Thomas Finch, 
 Earl of Winchilsea ; ob. 23 Aug., 1664; buried at 
 Stanton Harcourt : secondly, Elizabeth, daughter 
 & heir of John Lee, of Ankerwyke, Com. Bucks, 
 
 Esq. 
 
 Frederick Harcourt, second son, obiit sine prole. 
 
 By his second wife, Sir Philip had, 
 
 Philip, first son by second marriage, married 
 
 
 } 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 251 
 
 Elizabeth, daughter & heir of Timothy Wood- 
 
 rofife, Esq. 
 
 John Harcourt, second son, ob. Sep. 1677 : 
 bur. at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Lee, third son, ob. Feb: 1680 : buried at Stanton 
 
 Harcourt. 
 
 Isabella, Ob. March, 1688 : buried at Stanton 
 
 Harcourt. 
 
 Mary, Ob: 174S : buried at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Elizabeth, married Richard, 2°^ son of Simon 
 Harcourt of Pendley. 
 
 Ann, married Thomas Powell of Pembrokeshire* 
 Esq. : ob. 1742 ; buried at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Philip of Ankerwyke, Esq., first son of the 
 above Philip, obiit sine prole ; having married 
 Sarah, daughter of Henry Hall, of Hutton Hall, 
 Com. Essex, Esq. 
 
 Lee Harcourt, second son, Obiit sine prole. 
 
 John Harcourt, third son, married Ann, daugh- 
 ter of . . . Parker, Esq. 
 
 Elizabeth. 
 .. Mary. 
 
 Simon Harcourt, Viscount Harcourt (of 
 Stanton Harcourt and Nuneham), only son of Sir 
 Philip Harcourt by his first wife, was knighted 
 and made Solicitor-General, i June, 1702 ; At- 
 torney-General, 23 April, 1707, which he resigned 
 12 Feb: 1708. Again Attorney-General, 18 Sep^*", 
 
 </ 
 
f 
 
 252 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 and constituted Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, 
 18, and Privy Coun. 19 Oct. 1710. Created 
 Baron Ilarcourt, of Stanton Ilarcourt, Com. Oxon. 
 by Pat., 3 Sep^, 10. Q. Ann, 171 1. Declared 
 Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, 7 April, 
 1712, Created Viscount Harcourt, 11 Sep., 8 
 Geo. L, 1712. Ob. 29 July, 1727, bur. at Stanton 
 Harcourt. He married, as his first wife, Rebecca, 
 daughter of the Rev. Thos: Clark ; as his second 
 wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Spencer, com. 
 Derby, Esq., and widow of Richard Anderson, 
 Esq., Son of Richard Anderson of Pendley, Obiit 
 sine prole, 16 June, 1724; bur. at Stanton Har- 
 court. I lis third wife was h^lizabeth, daughter of 
 Sir Thomas Vernon of Twickenham Park, Com. 
 Middlesex, and widow of Sir John Walter of 
 Sarsden, Com. Oxon., Part. Obiit sine prole, 
 July, 1748; bur. at Sarsden. 
 
 Hon: Simon Harcourt, only surviving son 
 
 of Simon Viscount Harcourt, dyed at Paris, Vita 
 Patris, 1720: bur. at Stanton Harcourt. Having 
 married Elizabeth, dau. of John I^velyn, Esq., and 
 sister of Sir John L^vclyn of Wootton, Com. Surr., 
 Bart.: Ob. 6 April, 1760: bur. at Stanton Har- 
 court. 
 
 Philip, dyed an infant. 
 
 Walter, dyed an infant. 
 
 THE Harcourt Family. 
 
 253 
 
 Ann, married John Barlow of Slebeck, Com. 
 Pembroke, Esq. 
 
 Arabella, married Herbert Aubrey, of Cley 
 Hanger, Com. Heref., Esq. 
 
 Simon Harcourt, Earl of Harcourt (of 
 
 Stanton Harcourt and Nuneham), only son, suc- 
 ceeded his grandfather as Viscount Harcourt, &c: 
 29 July, 1727 : appointed Lord of the Bed- 
 chamber in May, 1735, to K. Geo. H. : created 
 Viscount Harcourt of Nuneham Courtenay, and 
 Earl Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt, Com. Oxon., 
 by Pat., I Decem., 2^, Geo. H., 1749: Governor 
 to Geo. HI. when Prince of Wales : Ambassador 
 Extraordinary to the Court Meclenburg Strelitz, 
 1761 : Master of the Horse to Her Majesty Q. 
 Charlotte, i Aug., 1761 : Lord Chamerlin of Her 
 Majesty's household, 21 April, 1763, and Privy 
 Coun. Afterwards Ambassador in Paris, and 
 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He died 1777, and 
 was buried at Stanton Harcourt ; having married 
 Rebecca, dau. & heir of Charles Samborne Le 
 Bas of Pipwell Abbey, Com. Northamp. : ob. 16 
 Jan., 1765 : bur. at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Elizabeth, dyed unmarried, 28 Sep., 1765 : bur. 
 at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Ann, dyed an infant. 
 
 Martha Harcourt, married, as his second 
 
 'I 
 
254 
 
 Pedigree of 
 
 wife, George Venables Vernon, Lord Vernon, of 
 Sudbury, Com. Derby. 
 Mary, dyed an infant. 
 
 George Simon Harcourt, Earl of Harcourt 
 
 (of Stanton Harcourt and Nuncham), Viscount 
 Nuneham, first son of Simon, Earl Harcourt, 
 Master of the horse to King George the 3^*^. Born 
 Aug. 1, 1736: obiit Sine prole, 1809; bur. at 
 Stanton Harcourt, having married his first cousin, 
 Hon. Elizabeth Vernon, Lady of the Bedchamber 
 to Queen Charlotte, dau. of George Lord Vernon, 
 by Martha, Sister of Simon, Earl Harcourt : ob. 
 sine prole 1826: bur. at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Hon: William Harcourt, Earl of Harcourt 
 (of Stanton Harcourt and Nuneham), second son, 
 a Field Marshall, born 20 March, 1743; suc- 
 ceeded his brother, as third Earl Harcourt, 1809, 
 and obiit sine prole, 1830 ; bur. at Stanton ; having 
 married Mary, dau. of the Rev*^. W. Danby, Com: 
 York. Ob. 1832 : bur. at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Elizabeth, born 18 Jan. 1739: married Sir 
 William Lee, of Hartwell, com: Bucks, Bart. : 
 their descendants are extinct. 
 
 Ann, dyed an infant, Aug. 1746: bur. at Stan- 
 ton Harcourt. 
 
 Hon: Edward Harcourt (of Stanton Har- 
 court and Nuneham), Archbishop of York, son 
 
 of Hon. Martha Harcourt, by her mar- 
 
 TiiE Harcourt Family. 
 
 255 
 
 riage, as his second wife, with George, V^ Lord 
 Vernon : married Lady Ann Leveson Gower, dau. 
 of i^* Marquis of Stafford, sister of i^* Duke of 
 Sutherland. Born 1756: ob. 1847: bur. at Stan- 
 ton Harcourt. 
 
 George Granville Harcourt (of Stanton 
 
 Harcourt and Nuneham), first son of Archbishop 
 Harcourt, Member of Parliament for the County 
 of Oxford: born 1786: ob. 1861 ; bur. at Stanton 
 Harcourt ; having married Lady Elizabeth Bing- 
 ham, daughter of the Earl of Lucan, who died 
 1836, (leaving an only daughter, Lavinia, Countess 
 of Abingdon) : bur. at Stanton Harcourt. He 
 married 2^^^^^, Frances Braham, Countess Dowager 
 of Waldegrave, by whom he had no children. 
 
 Edward, 2"*^ son: born 1787, died young; bur. 
 in the cathedral of Ch. Ch., Oxford. 
 
 Leveson, 3""^ son. Archdeacon of Cleveland, 
 and Chancellor of the Church of York : born 
 1788: obiit sine prole, i860: bur. at Stanton 
 Harcourt ; having married Hon. Caroline Peachy, 
 daughter & heir of John Lord Selsey. 
 
 William Harcourt (of Stanton Harcourt 
 and Nuneham), 4^^ son. Canon of York, F.R.S. 
 born 1789: obiit 1871 ; bur. at Nuneham: having 
 married Matilda Mary, dau. of Colonel Gooch, 
 
son of Sir Thomas Gooch, of Benacre Hall, Com: 
 Suffolk, Bart. 
 
 Frederick Edward, 5*^ son, an Admiral, born 
 
 1790 : married Marcia, dau. of Admiral Tollcmach. 
 Henry, 6*^ son, a Colonel in the Guards, born 
 
 1791 : obiit 1853; having married Lady Frances 
 Harley, daughter of the Earl of Oxford. 
 
 Granville, 7^'' son, Chancellor of the Province 
 of York, Member of Parliament for Retford : born 
 1792; married, i^^'J", Frances, daughter and heir 
 of Anthony Eyre, of Grove Park, Com: Notts: 
 Esq. ; 2"<^^y, the Hon: Pyne Jessy Brand, daughter 
 of Henry Otway, 22"*^ Lord Dacre, and widow 
 of John Henry Cotterell, Esq. 
 
 Octavius, 8*^' son, an Admiral, born 1793 : obiit 
 1863: having married Anne, daughter of William 
 Gatcr, Esq., and widow of William Danby of 
 Swinton Park, Com: York, Esq. 
 
 Caroline, born 1795; obiit May, 1 81 5; bur. at 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 Anne, born 1796: obiit i860. 
 
 Charles, 9*^' son. Canon of Carlisle; born 1798 : 
 obiit 1870: bur. at Carlisle. 
 
 Louisa, born 1799; died an infant. 
 
 Francis, 10''^ son, a Colonel in the Guards : 
 Equerry to H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent, Member 
 of Parliament for the Isle of Wight : born 1801 ; 
 married Lady Catherine, daughter of the Last 
 Earl of Liverpool. 
 
 Egerton, 11^^^ son, born 1803: Registrar of the 
 Province of York, and Barristcr-at Law : married 
 Laura, daughter of Sir William Milner, of Nun- 
 appleton, Com: York, Bart. 
 
 Louisa Augusta, born 1804; married Sir John 
 Johnstone, of Hackness Hall, Com: York, Bart. : 
 
 obiit 1863. 
 
 Georgiana, born 1807 ; married General George 
 
 Malcolm. 
 
 Edward William Harcourt (of Stanton 
 
 Harcourt and Nuneham), first son of William 
 Harcourt, Canon of York, Colonel of the Cinque 
 Ports Artillery, Member of Parliament for the 
 County of Oxford, D.L. Com: Oxon : High 
 Sheriff, 1875; J. P. Berks, Oxon: Sussex: born 
 26 June, 1825; married 26 June, 1849, Lady 
 Susan Harriet Holroyd, only daughter of George, 
 second Earl of Sheffield. 
 
 Matilda Maria Louisa, born 1826; obiit 1839. 
 
 Sir William George Granville Harcourt, 2°^ son 
 of Canon Harcourt, Solicitor - General, Queen's 
 Counsel, Professor of International Law in the 
 University of Cambridge, Member of Parliament 
 for the City of Oxford ; born 1827 ; married first, 
 Maria Therese, daughter of Thomas Lister, Esq., 
 and Lady Theresa Villiers ; secondly, Elizabeth 
 Motley, widow of J. Ives, Esq. 
 
 l1 
 
258 
 
 Pedigree, &c. 
 
 Emily Julia, born 1829. 
 
 Cecilia Caroline, born 1831 ; married Admiral 
 
 . Rice. 
 
 Selina Anne, born 1833; married Sir Warwick 
 Morshead, Bart: 
 
 Mary Annabella, born 1835 ; married George 
 De-la-Poer Beresford, Esq., Member of Parliament 
 for Armagh. 
 
 Aubrey Harcourt, only son of Edward Wil- 
 liam and Lady Susan Harcourt ; J. P. Berks, 
 Oxon: born 16 August, 1852. 
 
 Edith, only daughter of EDWARD WiLLlAM, and 
 Lady Susan Harcourt; born 16 Oct: 1853; mar- 
 ried 2*] Oct: 1875, the Hon: Murray Finch Hatton, 
 of Haverholme Priory, Lincolnshire, 2"*^ son of 
 the 10^^' Earl of Winchilsea. 
 
 END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
 CORRIGENDA. 
 
 p. 37, 1. -jjor " Dayrcll" read " DarrcU." 
 61,1. zjor " Phillip" read " Philip." 
 
 77, 1. IS, for " Dayrell" read " Darrell." 
 
 78, 1. 7, ditto. 
 
 83, foot-note, >r " Tenth" read " Ninth." 
 
 112, 1. 29, that he was killed " on the spot" is a mistake. 
 
 1 14, last \inc,/or " 1702" read " 1713." 
 
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1 
 
 THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 EDWARD WILLIAM HARCOURT, 
 
 OF STANTON HARCOURT, AND NUNEHAM COURTENAY, 
 IN THE COUNTY OF OXFORD, ESQUIRE. 
 
 VOL. 11. 
 
 J>rinJ0it fur fvxmk §innMm\ hi 
 
 JAMES PARKER AND CO., OXFORD. 
 [0;i/y Fifty Copies printed?^ 
 
PREFACE 
 
 X 
 
 .^- — 
 
 T F public opinion had been challenged by 
 the publication of these Papers, no one 
 is more aware than the Editor of the just 
 criticism to which they might have been 
 subjected, both in respect to their prolixity 
 and to the trifling details which they con- 
 tain. 
 
 It is very possible that, in his desire to 
 conserve, the Editor has gone beyond his 
 mark, and has passed much unworthy matter 
 through the Press. 
 
 Better so, however, than that anything 
 of interest should be lost ; and the Editor 
 does not feel that he owes any apology to 
 the reader, who holds a complete remedy 
 in his own hands. 
 
 t 
 
I 
 
 r 
 
 A. 
 
 -4 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Memoir of Lord Chancellor Harcourt 
 Memoir of the Hon. Simon Harcourt 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Speech of Sir Simon Harcourt on Dr. Sach- 
 everell's Trial 
 
 Extract from Coxe's " Memoirs of Sir 
 Robert Walpole" . . 
 
 Extract from Hallam's "Constitutional 
 History of England" . . • • 
 
 Extract from Lord Mahon's '^History of 
 
 England" 
 
 Extract from Professor Smyth's " Lectures 
 on Modern History" . . . • 
 
 Family Pedigree sent by the Due de Har- 
 court TO Lord Chancellor Harcourt 
 in the year 1 7 13 
 
 Summons to Lord Harcourt to attend the 
 Coronation of George the First 
 
 PAGE 
 I 
 
 201 
 
 240 
 
 244 
 
 246 
 
 248 
 
 258 
 
 271 
 
^Ij^ Parrourt papers. 
 
 OIMON HARCOURT was the only son 
 of Sir Philip Harcourt, by Anne, daugh- 
 ter of Sir William Waller and of Lady Anne 
 Finch. He was born at Stanton Harcourt 
 in 1660, the year of the restoration of Charles 
 the Second ; he was educated privately, and 
 sent at the age of fifteen to Pembroke Col- 
 lege, Oxford. 
 
 The choice of the college was probably 
 determined by the recommendation of Ed- 
 mund Hall, who belonged to that foundation, 
 and was a great friend of Sir Philip Har- 
 court's. Hall preached a funeral sermon, 
 and made a funeral oration over the grave 
 of Anne, Lady Harcourt (Simon Harcourt's 
 mother), who was buried at Stanton Har- 
 court in August, 1664. The sermon and 
 oration were printed amongst Hall's works. 
 
 Whilst at Oxford, Simon Harcourt de- 
 voted himself diligently to Classical studies. 
 
 B 
 
[M 
 I'll 
 
 The registers of Oxford, however, afford no 
 evidence of his having graduated there ; and 
 the only notice given of him in the Uni- 
 versity books, is, that in 1702, when attend- 
 ino- Oueen Anne to Oxford as SoUcitor-Gen- 
 eral, he was re-admitted of Christ Church, 
 and created a D.C.L., being described as 
 Ntipcr Coll, Pcmbrok. 
 
 He was aware of the difficulty his father 
 found in defraying his expenses at the Uni- 
 versity; and after residing a short time at 
 Oxford, he removed to the Inner Temple, 
 where he applied himself assiduously to the 
 
 study of Law. 
 
 We read in the 'VNonconformist Memo- 
 rial," vol. ii. p. 1 1 : — 
 
 *'Godshill (in the Isle of Wight), Vicar, Mr. 
 Thomas Clark. He was one of the ministers that 
 preached the lecture at Newport. Soon after he 
 was ejected his wife died, and left him only one 
 daughter, who was entertained in the families 
 where he was chaplain. He lived in that capacity 
 with Sir Anthony Irby ten years. Upon his there 
 becoming acquainted with Sir Philip Harcourt, 
 
 V 
 
 I 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Lady^ Irby's nephew, who came often to visit 
 her, he was so extremely pleased with Mr. Clark's 
 conversation, that with great importunity he pre- 
 vailed with him to leave Sir Anthony and live 
 with him. He then (in 1675) carried his daughter 
 down with him to Stanton Harcourt, in Oxford- 
 shire ; and soon after he came hither, Sir Philip's 
 only son, Simon Harcourt, Esq. (afterwards Lord 
 Harcourt), clandestinely married her: after which 
 Mr. Clark removed out of the family, and went 
 to Portsmouth, where he spent the remainder of 
 his days." 
 
 Simon Harcourt was at this time barely 
 twenty years of age. The alliance could 
 not lone be concealed ; and on its discovery, 
 he left Stanton Harcourt, never to return to 
 it as a permanent residence. 
 
 He settled himself at Chipping-Norton in 
 Oxfordshire, where his eldest son was born 
 in I68I^ 
 
 » She was daughter of the fourth Lord Paget, and sister of Sir 
 
 Philip's mother. 
 
 ^ The parish register at Chipping-Norton shews the following 
 entries, "Baptized 1681, Philip, son of Simon Harcourt, Esq 
 Baptized Jan. 16S3, Anne, daughter of Simon Harcourt, Esq 
 liaptized Oct. 9, 1684, Simon, son of Simon Harcourt, Es(i 
 Baptized Oct. I, 1685, Arabella, daughter of Simon Harcourt, 
 Esq. : Baptized Sept. 23, 1686, Walter, son of Simon Harcourt, 
 
i 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 if 
 
 In the year 1688 Sir Philip died. His 
 son, Simon, on succeeding to the paternal 
 estates, found them curtailed to the verge 
 of ruin. His great-grandfather had dissi- 
 pated a vast property in chimerical pursuits ; 
 his grandfather had fallen in battle, fighting 
 ao-ainst the armies of the Parliament, almost 
 the first victim to the civil wars; and his 
 father, decUning to recognise the authority 
 of Cromwell, had suffered the loss of al- 
 most all his possessions. 
 
 The restoration of Charles the Second 
 had brought no benefit to Sir Philip, and he 
 remained amongst those whose self-sacrifice 
 at the shrine of loyalty was left to seek such 
 consolation as may be found in a clear con- 
 science. In addition to all this, Sir Philip 
 had given his family-mansion and its fur- 
 niture in dower to his second wife for her 
 life. Simon, therefore, found himself in the 
 position of having to commence life for him- 
 
 Esq. : Buriecl Jan. 17, 16S3, Philip, son of Simon Harcourt, Esq. : 
 Buried May 16, 1687, Robeco (sic), the wife of Simon Harcot 
 (sic), Esq." 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 self; and he bravely set to work to face his 
 difficulties. 
 
 He was at this time twenty -eight years 
 of age ; a widower, with a family of young 
 children. His disposition was, however, san- 
 guine and courageous, and his comely pre- 
 sence and genial manners, combined with his 
 very great natural gifts, secured his success 
 in life. His rise in his profession was rapid. 
 His first piece of preferment was the Re- 
 cordership of Abingdon ^ 
 
 " In the year 1695, a little-known office was conferred upon him 
 by Lord Abingdon. The deed of appointment is here inserted as 
 a matter of curiosity. It is headed, *' A warr* to Empower Simon 
 Harcourt Esq., to be Gierke of the Iter to my Lord Abingdon, 
 Cheife Justice in Eyre on the South side Trent. 
 
 "James Lord Norreys, Baron of Rycott, Earle of Abingdon, 
 Cheife Justice & Justice in Eyre of all his Maj*''^^ Forrests, Parks, 
 & Warrens on the South side Trent. 
 
 "To all to whome these presents shall come greeting,— 
 ♦' Whereas his sacred Ma*>' King William the third by his Letters 
 patents under the great scale of England, bearing date att West- 
 minster on the nine and twentieth day of Novemb. 1693, in the 
 fifth yeare of their Ua}' Reigne, hath given and granted unto mee, 
 James, Earle of Abingdon, the office of Cheife Justice, and Justice 
 Itinerant of all his Ma*" Forrests, Chaces, Parkes, and Warrens, 
 on the south side of Trent, and Keeper of the Beasts of all the said 
 Forrests, Chases, Parks, and warrens, together with all Fees, 
 Regards, Profitts, Comoditys, Priviledges, Jurisdictions, Authoritys, 
 Preheminences, Advantages, and Emoluments, due, accustomed, 
 
The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Simon Harcourt was deeply imbued with 
 the poHtics of his ancestors, and he looked 
 with little favour upon what he called the 
 ** usurpation of the Dutch Stadtholder." He 
 was, however, also fully alive to the follies 
 of James the Second, and perceived that it 
 would be useless to endeavour to stem the 
 
 or belonging, or before that time with the said office had, used or 
 employed, with power to hear and determine all causes of Forrests, 
 Chases, Parks, and warrens, and to ordeine, make & constitute 
 all manner of offices in the aforesaid Forrests, Chases, Parks, and 
 warrens, to the said office of Cheife Justice & Justice Itinerant 
 belonging or in anywise appertaining, in as large and ample man- 
 ner and forme, as any other person or persons heretofore having 
 or enjoying y'' said office of right, have used or perceived the same, 
 to have, hold & exercise the said offices by myselfe or by my 
 sufficient deputy or deputies, (during their Ma'^ pleasure) as in, 
 and by, the said letters patents more fully amongst other things, 
 it doth, and may appeare. Know ye, therefore, that the said Earle 
 of Abingdon reposing especiall trust & confidence in Simon Har- 
 court, Esq., have made, constituted, and appointed, & by these 
 presents do make, constitute, and appoint the said Simon Har- 
 court, Esq., Clerke of the Iter of all and every of the said Forrests, 
 Chaces, Parks, and warrens, on this side Trent. Southward to 
 have & hold, exercise and enjoy y*^ said office of Clerke of the 
 Iter to y« said Simon Harcourt, Esq., by himself or his sufficient 
 deputy or deputies, together w'^ all & singular the Fees, proffitts, 
 Comodities, & Priviledges, to the said office belonging, or with 
 the same heretofore used or enjoyed (during my will and pleasure). 
 Given under my hand and seal this twenty-ninth day of October, 
 in the seventh yeare of y*^ Rcignc of our Sovcreigne Lord King 
 William the third, anno dom. 1695. 
 
 '•Abingdon.'' 
 
 1 
 
 / 
 
 («■ 
 
 torrent of dissfust which those follies had let 
 
 loose. 
 
 With these views he declined a seat 
 in the Convention Parliament, which sat 
 without any royal summons ; but when the 
 reaction set in, he offered himself as a candi- 
 date for Abingdon, and was returned as mem- 
 ber for that borough. His maiden speech 
 was made on the 9th of April, 1690, when 
 he was barely thirty years of age. 
 
 The question related to recognising the 
 new king; his words, as given by the re- 
 ports of Parliament, were these : — 
 
 " I have ever thought the monarchy hereditary ; 
 and, by this, what becomes of your entail ? I am 
 not satisfied that the acts of the Convention of 
 1660 were binding, till confirmed by a Parliament 
 summoned by a lawful king." 
 
 On the 26th of April, in the same year, 
 Simon Harcourt opposed the Abjuration Bill, 
 in these words : — 
 
 " You have already the oath of allegiance ; and 
 if that is equivocated, what security have you 
 
■ 
 
 8 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 in an oath of abjuration ? I often hear that we 
 have a powerful enemy abroad, and that there 
 is necessity to unite at home. This will endanger 
 fomenting and increasing jealousies. I will dis- 
 charge my conscience, however I may be mis- 
 taken. Such an unprecedented oath will give 
 occasion to think there is some radical defect in 
 the Government, which is to be so supported by 
 such extraordinary expedients. You will gain no 
 ground by it ; you will make enemies. I hope 
 there will be no reflection upon me as against the 
 Government because I am against this Bill." 
 
 It is a matter of history that the Bill was 
 
 passed. 
 
 On the 28th of April, still in the same 
 year, Simon Harcourt spoke against the Ha- 
 beas Corpus Suspension Bill, as follows :— 
 
 '* As we are sent here to preserve the liberties 
 of England, so there is no greater security for 
 them than this Act ; and I think I have acquitted 
 my trust very ill if I give it up. You struggled 
 many years for it: you obtained it in times which 
 we are taught to look back upon as oppressive ; 
 and we are now to be deprived of it Suspending 
 it thus, on every frivolous pretence, amounts to 
 a repeal. At this particular time, now we have 
 
 an army of foreigners in our bowels, we should 
 rather increase our liberties than diminish them." 
 
 In 1696, Simon Harcourt refused to sign 
 the voluntary association for the defence of 
 King William's person. How it was that 
 he escaped the vengeance of Lord Chan- 
 cellor Somers on the occasion, does not very 
 
 clearly appear. 
 
 We next find him opposing the Bill for 
 the attainder of Sir John Fenwick, in the 
 following speech : — 
 
 - This general charge of treason seems a great 
 hardship. There is nothing by which so many 
 have been unjustly taken off, as such vague al- 
 legations in indictments ; and the grievance was 
 justly considered so great, that in your Bill lately 
 passed for regulating trials for high treason, you 
 have provided that the overt acts shall be specifi- 
 cally laid, with time, place, and circumstances. 
 This is a Bill to deprive an individual of the 
 benefit of a general law, which you will allow 
 to be necessary for the protection of innocence. 
 This is called a trial, and we are said to be the 
 judges. I know no trial for treason but what 
 is confirmed by Magna Ciiarta— /^r judicium 
 
 C 
 
 I 
 
 9 
 
lO 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 paritm, by a jury, which is every Englishman s 
 birthright, and is ahvays esteemed one of our 
 darUng privileges ; but if it be a trial, it is a 
 pretty strange one, where the person who stands 
 upon his trial hath a chance to be hanged, but 
 
 none to be saved. 
 
 "I cannot tell under what character to con- 
 sider ourselves, whether we are judges or jury- 
 men • I never before heard of a judge, I am 
 sure, nor of a juryman, but he was always upon 
 oath: I never heard of a judge but had power 
 to save the innocent as well as condemn the 
 guilty. Have we this power ? If you were satis- 
 fied of the innocence of the accused, you must 
 remand him to Newgate to be subject to another 
 trial, if his prosecutors so please. 
 
 "Again, if I am a judge in this case, ought 
 I not to be governed by the rules of evidence 
 which are the rules of law ; and the very founda- 
 tion of the Bill is that by the rules of evidence 
 and of law he cannot be lawfully convicted. It 
 is said we have a discretion ; but my Lord Chief 
 Justice Coke says, 'a judge's discretion is discer- 
 nere per legem;' and on another occasion, that 
 'a judge is to be guided by the straight line of 
 law, and not by the crooked cord of discretion.' 
 The practice of Westminster Hall is talked of 
 with some disdain, as if there they only look for 
 reason in what is the rule : but let me tell you, 
 
 I 
 
 i ' 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 1 1 
 
 there the rule is laid down because it is reason- 
 reason approved by long e-xperience ; and there- 
 fore it is a rule. 
 
 " To tell me the Government is in danger, and 
 that the fate of England and of Europe depends 
 upon this Bill, is certainly rather offered to amuse 
 than to convince. Although I have no acquamt- 
 ance of Sir John Fenwick, from the account I re- 
 ceive of him he cannot, from his capacity,.be very 
 formidable to any government. At any rate he 
 is your prisoner, and you have the power of de- 
 taining him as long as you please in close custody. 
 God forbid we should live under a government 
 which cannot subsist without taking away the life 
 of an unfortunate gentleman contrary to the rules 
 of law ' You say you are of opinion he is guilty, 
 and that is enough. If the opinion of those who 
 condemn will justify the condemnation, let us no 
 lon-cr call the verdicts against Cornish, Sydney, 
 and"" Russell, murders by a perversion of the rules 
 of law in violation of the principles of justice. 
 
 1,1 the year 1701, Simon Harcourt took 
 a prominent part in the impeachment of 
 Lord Somers for the "partition treaties," 
 as they were called, which made England 
 a party to the transference of important 
 Spanish possessions to the French Crown. 
 
1 
 
 It was a curious example of the incon- 
 sistency of the times, that Somers, who had 
 drawn up the " Declaration of Rights," and 
 was a chief organizer of the Revolution, 
 should allow himself to become a passive 
 instrument of the King (whom that Revo- 
 lution had introduced) for performing an 
 act, which, as apart from its policy, was 
 clearly unconstitutional. To Simon Har- 
 court's management of the impeachment its 
 success in the Commons appears to have 
 been mainly due. The extremities, how- 
 ever, to which the lower house seemed pre- 
 pared to proceed, had the effect of rendering 
 the Upper House cautious, and the impeach- 
 ment was ultimately dropped. 
 
 In " Coxes Memoirs of Sir Robert Wal- 
 pole," published 1798. the following refer- 
 ence is made to this trial :— 
 
 "VValpole's high veneration for the character 
 of Somers, and his zealous attachment to his 
 party, naturally induced him to oppose the mo- 
 tion for his impeachment. Being young and in- 
 experienced at that period, he gave only a silent 
 
 t 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 13 
 
 vote; but he made a judicious remark, which 
 proved his sagacity. It was, that the zeal of the 
 warmest friends is oftentimes more hurtful to the 
 person whose cause they espouse, than the bitter- 
 est accusations of the most inveterate opponents. 
 
 " The defence spoken by Somers in the House 
 of Commons was so able and perspicuous, and 
 made so deep an impression, as induced Walpole 
 to be of opinion that if the question had been im- 
 mediately put, the prosecution would have been 
 withdrawn. But the accusers of Lord Somers, 
 foreseeing this event, made such inconsistent ob- 
 servations, and used such intemperate expressions, 
 as provoked his friends to reply. 
 
 " According to the account of this debate given 
 by Walpole, Harcourt began with extremely fal- 
 lacious, but as plausible remarks as the subject 
 could admit. Cowper's indignation moved him 
 to reply, which occasioned the prolongation of 
 the debate ; at the end of which, what had been 
 significantly and fully urged by Somers, was in 
 a great measure forgotten." 
 
 The death of James the Second, which 
 was followed immediately by the proclama- 
 tion of his son by Louis XIV., and by 
 threats of a French invasion, brought the 
 party to which Simon Harcourt belonged 
 
1 
 
 into great disfavour, and for the moment 
 arrested his advancement ; but the death of 
 William III., and the accession of Anne, 
 gave another turn to the wheel; and on 
 the 2nd of June, 1702, Simon Harcourt was 
 made Solicitor-General in succession to Sir 
 John Hawles, and knighted. In August of 
 the same year he accompanied Queen Anne 
 to Oxford ; he was made a Doctor of Civil 
 Laws on the 27th of that month, and received 
 an ovation of applause on the occasion. 
 
 In Queen Anne's first Parliament there 
 is litde doubt that Sir Simon had the Great 
 Seal within his reach, had it been prudent 
 for him to stretch out his hand for it ; but 
 his fortunes were not sufficiently secured to 
 make him independent of his profession, or 
 to enable him to exchange the certainty of 
 his practice for the uncertainty of office. 
 
 He continued Solicitor-General for five 
 years, under Marlborough and Godolphin. 
 
 In the year 1702, we find Simon Har- 
 court supporting the Bill in Parliament 
 ao-ainst occasional conformity : he said, — 
 
 If 
 
 " If a national Church be necessary, which the 
 Lords did not venture to deny, the only effectual 
 way to preserve it is by keeping the civil power 
 in the hands of those whose practice and prin- 
 ciples are conformable to it." 
 
 In 1703, the celebrated Daniel de Foe 
 issued a pamphlet, called '' The shortest way 
 with the Dissenters." The object of the 
 publication was to bring into ridicule the 
 extreme views of the most advanced High 
 Churchmen, and with such exquisite talent 
 and humour was the subject handled, that 
 both sides were at first deceived ; of course, 
 both parties were equally enraged when the 
 veil was removed. 
 
 '"Tis in vain," said De Foe, *'to trifle with this 
 matter. We can never enjoy a settled, uninter- 
 rupted union in this nation, till the spirit of 
 Whiggism, faction, and schism, is melted down 
 like the old money. Here is the opportunity to 
 secure the Church, and to destroy her enemies. 
 I do not prescribe fire and faggot, but, ' deleiida 
 est Carthago: They are to be rooted out of this 
 nation, if ever we will live in peace and serve God. 
 The light foolish handling of them by fines is 
 
 .4 
 
their glory and advantage. If the galloivs instead 
 of the compter, and the galleys instead of the///ri, 
 were the reward of going to a conventicle, there 
 would not be so many sufferers. The spirit of 
 martyrdom is over. They that will go to church 
 to be chosen sheriffs and mayors, will go to forty 
 churches rather than be hanged.' " 
 
 A prosecution was ordered, and the law 
 officers of the Crown were the instruments. 
 De Foe was tried at the Old Bailey, having 
 given himself up to rescue his printer and 
 publisher from jail. 
 
 The difficulty in the case was to prove 
 publication; it is said that promises were 
 held out to induce the Author to make ad- 
 missions of Authorship, and that these pro- 
 mises were forgotten when they had served 
 their purpose. If this were true, it is certam 
 that Sir Simon's straightforward character 
 cleared him from suspicion of complicity in 
 the fraud. At best, the job must have been 
 a disagreeable one. 
 
 The sentence passed upon De Foe was 
 that he should 
 
 I 
 
 " pay a fine of 200 marks, be imprisoned during 
 the Queen's pleasure, stand three times in the 
 pillory, and find sureties for his good behaviour 
 for seven years." 
 
 This harsh sentence had no power to 
 quench De Foe's fire, and " Robinson Cru- 
 soe," and the '' Plague of London," stand 
 as a lasting rebuke upon his persecutors. 
 
 When the prisoner was placed in the 
 pillory, the mob pelted him with rose leaves, 
 and hung garlands about the instrument of 
 torture. An effusion which the spirited 
 and persecuted wit had composed, entided 
 "A Hymn to the Pillory," was published 
 and sold by thousands, and the Government 
 took Htde by their proceedings. 
 
 The trial of Tutchin for libel in 1 704 was 
 the next great law -case in which we find 
 Sir Simon engaged ; but, by his advice, the 
 prosecution was dropped. At a later period 
 Tutchin was guilty of another libel, for which 
 he was lynched by the people. 
 
 In the year 1705 a general election oc- 
 curred, which placed the Whigs in a ma- 
 
 D 
 
'I 
 
 • ^ 
 
 jorlty. Sir Simon Harcourt was again 
 elected for Abingdon; but Mr. John Hiicks, 
 the Whig candidate, whom he had beaten 
 by a large majority, presented a petition 
 ao-ainst his return. Sir Simon, according to 
 the custom which then prevailed, argued 
 his own case at the bar of the House of 
 Commons ; he spoke thus :— 
 
 "Whatever the determination of this House 
 may be, I know, and all impartial men will be- 
 lieve, that I am entitled to sit as a representative 
 for Abingdon in this parliament. The just con- 
 struction of the Charter, as it has been understood 
 and acted upon for 150 years, deprives my com- 
 petitor of a shadow of a right ; and, even upon his 
 construction of it, I have still a majority of votes. 
 He himself, at the close of the poll, declared that 
 he had not offered himself with any hope of 
 success ; and it was not till he had seen that his 
 party had fared better in other places, that he 
 thought of petitioning. 
 
 "But what a mean and contemptible notion 
 must he entertain of this House. He must sup- 
 pose that you are to be awed by the word of 
 command which he thinks may be given to expel 
 me, and to substitute himself in my place against 
 the will of the electors, and after his own con- 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 19 
 
 fession that he was fairly defeated. If it should 
 indeed be declared that I am not duly elected, 
 I shall leave this House, feeling deep compas- 
 sion for the unfortunate friends who stay behind 
 me, for they must be destined to make a con- 
 stant but ineffectual struggle against fraud and 
 
 folly. 
 
 "Whoever suggested this petition, believing 
 
 there is such a parliament, must be the most 
 
 abandoned wretch in the world, who has long 
 
 quitted all notions of right and wrong, all sense 
 
 of truth and justice, all regard for honour and 
 
 conscience. But I trust it will be found he makes 
 
 a most calumnious estimate of a British House of 
 
 Commons. 
 
 "The Petition charges me personally with many 
 indirect practices ; but not an attempt has been 
 made to prove any part of these charges, and all 
 who know me, know they must be false. As to 
 the indirect practices of my agents— I had no 
 agents. Till the morning of the election I knew 
 of no opposition, and I had made no preparation 
 for a contest. I had every reason to believe that 
 my former services in six parliaments had met 
 with the approbation of the great bulk of my 
 constituents, and that they were willing again to 
 confide to me the high trust of representing them. 
 The electors of Abingdon were not influenced 
 by the solicitations, menaces, and promises used 
 
20 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 against me; and I trust their example will be 
 imitated by the members of this House, who are 
 expected to be patterns of purity, independence, 
 and honour." 
 
 Sir Simon was unseated by a party vote. 
 
 He was afterwards elected for Bossiney, 
 and we find him, on the question of privilege 
 concerning the Aylesbury election, arguing 
 in the House of Commons against actions 
 brought in violation of the privileges of both 
 Houses. His words were as follow :— 
 
 '' Principiis ohsta; never let your disease grow 
 to such a head as to put on you the necessity of 
 complaining of a judgment of the Lords, but 
 rather check it in its infancy. If an action should 
 be brought against the Speaker or the Serjeant- 
 at-arms for obeying your commands, ought we 
 to sit still here to see what they will do in the 
 Courts below, and afterwards wait for the event 
 in the House of Lords by writ of error.? The 
 law of parliament is above the judges of the 
 Common Law ; it is alicni fori. If you will in- 
 duce any person to go into Westminster Hall and 
 to bring an action to question your rights, a jury 
 may find a verdict that you have no such rights, 
 and judgment shall be given accordingly. Does 
 
 V 
 
 not this submit your proceedings to the examina- 
 tion and censure of inferior Courts, and may it 
 not soon confine you to such privileges as the 
 other House of Parliament may be pleased to 
 accord to you .'*" 
 
 On the 5th day of April, 1706, Sir Simon 
 Harcourt was made a Deputy Lieutenant 
 for the County of Oxford, and the parch- 
 ment appointing him to that office, signed 
 by the Duke of Marlborough, is preserved 
 at Nuneham"^. 
 
 «' As the fact of Jolm Duke of Marlborough's having been Lord 
 Lieutenant of Oxfordshire has been doubted, I give the docu- 
 ment in extenso : — 
 
 "John Duke of Marlborough, ^Larquis of BLandford, Baron 
 Churchill of Aymouth and Sandridge, one of her Ma«-^ most 
 hon^>*= privy Councill, Knight of the most noble order of the Garter, 
 Master Generall of the Ordnance, Captaine Generall of her Ma^'*^" 
 Land fforces, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Oxon, and Lord 
 high Steward of Woodstock d'c^ To Sir Simon Harcourt Kn» 
 
 Greeting : — 
 
 ** Whereas the Queen's most Excellent Ma''*^ according to an act 
 of Parliament for ordering the fforces in the severall Countys of 
 this Kingdome, hath by Commission under the great Scale of 
 England nominated and appointed me her Lieutenant for and in 
 the said County of Oxon, and for and in the Cittys, Burroughs, 
 Corporated and Priviledg'd places, and other places whatsoever, 
 within the same County and the libertyes and precincts thereof, 
 to exercise and performe all and every thing and things which 
 to such lieutenants any ways belongs to be done, acted or per- 
 formed by fforce of the same Act, and, whereas, by the said Act 
 of Parliament, the said respective Lieutenants have power and 
 
22 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 
 At this time he also acted as Chairman 
 of the Oxfordshire Quarter Sessions. He 
 appears occasionally to have introduced poli- 
 tics into his charges to the grand jury. We 
 find, for instance, the following note :— 
 
 "How much happier are we, gentlemen, than 
 our neighbours, who groan under insupportable 
 miseries even to the last degree of slavery, while 
 we live in ease and hospitality, and eat the fruit 
 
 of our own vine. 
 
 " As, gentlemen, we are blessed with such good 
 laws, so we are under the most auspicious reign 
 
 authority to present to her Ma*'^" the names of such persons as 
 they shall think fitt to be Deputy Lieutenants, and, upon her Ma*'" 
 approbation, to give them deputations accordingly, By Virtue of 
 the Act of Parliament and Commission aforesaid, by and with her 
 Ma'"" approbation, I doe hereby nominate, appoint, constitute and 
 depute you, the said Sir Simon Harcourt, to be one of my deputy 
 Lieutenants for and in the said County of Oxon, and for and in the 
 Cittyes, Burroughs, Libertyes, Corporated and Priviledged places, 
 and other places whatsoever within the same County, and the 
 liberties and precincts thereof, to Act, doe, execute and performe 
 the aforesaid office of deputy Lieutenant, to the intent that you 
 and such number of you soe by me deputed, as by the said Act 
 of Parliament is in that behalfe directed, shall and may execute and 
 perform all and every the Powers and Authorityes contained in 
 the said Act of Parliament, which by the deputy Lieutenants, by 
 vertue of the said Act, may or ought to be executed and performed, 
 according to the true intent and meaning of the same. Given 
 under my hand and scale, this fifth day of Aprill-1706, In the 
 
 Fifth year of her Ma'**^ Reigne 
 
 '* Marlborough." 
 
 t 
 
 ^' 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 23 
 
 of the best of Queens (whom God long preserve !) 
 a Queen who will impartially put them in exe- 
 cution, — a Queen who is a zealous professor of 
 the religion of the Church of England as estab- 
 lished by law, and will always be a promoter of 
 its honour and interest, and a Queen who wishes 
 from the very bottom of her breast there were no 
 separatists from it in her kingdom." 
 
 On the 25th of April, 1707, Sir Simon 
 Harcourt was made Attorney-General, and 
 he framed and passed through Parliament 
 the Bill for the Union with Scotland : Bur- 
 net says of it :— 
 
 "It passed through the House of Commons 
 before those who intended to oppose it had re- 
 covered themselves out of the surprise under 
 which the form it was drawn in had put them." 
 
 His speeches in Parliament at this time 
 appear to have been lost, as was often the 
 case in those days of imperfect reporting. 
 
 On the 1 2th of February, 1708, Simon 
 Harcourt performed the unprecedented act 
 of resigning the Attorney-Generalship; he 
 found that the administration was become 
 
uncongenial to his views, and retired from 
 it, along with Harley and St. John. 
 
 In the year 1709, Sir Simon was retained 
 as Counsel for Dr. Sacheverell. 
 
 This celebrated trial was instituted by 
 the Whigs, in consequence of a sermon 
 preached by Dr. Henry Sacheverell, a Fel- 
 low of Magdalen College, Oxford, and Chap- 
 lain of St. Saviour s, Southwark ; It was 
 preached in St. Paul's Cathedral, on the 5th 
 of November, 1709, before the Lord Mayor 
 and Aldermen of the city of London. Sach- 
 everell's text was taken from 2 Cor. xi. 26, 
 "In perils among false brethren;" and he 
 was supposed to have therein levelled, im- 
 plied, if not direct censures against the late 
 Revolution, which he was known to have 
 
 detested. 
 
 It is always difficult to enter into the 
 feellno-s which have actuated persons who 
 lived under conditions totally different to 
 our own. This difficulty often leads to 
 a misapprehension of history ; and certainly, 
 on the surface, nothing can appear more 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 25 
 
 incommensurate than the weak eff"usions of 
 Sacheverell, to the importance with which 
 they were artificially Invested. 
 
 It has to be considered, however, that this 
 was a period at which the dampest fuel burnt 
 with Inflammable celerity; and it needed 
 not the clever satires of Daniel de Foe to 
 lash the public mind Into a ferment. The 
 flame that burns the fiercest Is generally 
 the soonest exhausted ; and doubdess Sach- 
 evereH's rocket would soon have come down 
 like a stick, if It had not been unad- 
 visedly revivified by a public prosecution; 
 the result of which was, not merely to raise 
 the Doctor into popularity, but to exhibit to 
 the Oueen the weak hold which his prose- 
 cutors had upon public favour,— a know- 
 ledge which she did not fail speedily to 
 
 utilise. 
 
 In the meantime, the trial had had the 
 effect of exhibiting an accordance, or perhaps 
 rather a compromise, in the views of Whigs 
 and Tories, respecting the principles of the 
 late Revolution ; and a modified doctrine of 
 
 I, 
 
26 
 
 The Hakcourt Papers. 
 
 resistance, together wkh a general doctrine 
 of toleration, were thenceforth received as 
 a common basis of action by both sides. 
 
 To Sir Simon Harcourt was allotted the 
 chief and most difficult part of the defence, 
 namely, to acquit the defendant of having 
 condemned the Revolution and the lawful- 
 ness of resistance. The line he took, was 
 to assert that justifiable resistance must al- 
 ways be the exception, not the rule; that 
 there had been no constitutional resistance 
 at the Revolution, which he speaks of with 
 respect ; that his client had understood re- 
 sistance in these senses; and had fulfilled 
 the part of a minister of the Gospel in pres- 
 sing a general duty of obedience, which 
 is "clearly laid down for their guidance ; 
 whereas, the exceptional cases in which re- 
 sistance becomes lawful, is nowhere laid 
 down, and would therefore be a dangerous 
 subject for the clergy to handle. 
 
 Again, he argued that no one could be 
 punished for the unexpressed opinions of his 
 heart ; and, lastly, he maintained that Sach- 
 
 I t 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 27 
 
 everell had made use of no words which 
 were not justified both by high precedent, 
 and also by the letter of the law itself. 
 
 1 have placed in an appendix Sir Simon 
 Harcourt's speech in cxtcnso, as well as the 
 remarks made upon the trial by Coxe, in 
 his " Memoirs of Sir Robert Walpole ;" by 
 Hallam in his "Constitutional History of 
 England," 1827; by Lord Mahon in his 
 " History of England," 4* edition ; and by 
 Professor Smyth in his " Lectures on Mo- 
 dern History," 2nd volume; whence, those 
 who are minded to read them, can draw 
 their own conclusions. 
 
 Lord Campbell has remarked respecting 
 
 this trial, — 
 
 "When this most preposterous and ill-fated 
 prosecution came to a hearing in Westminster 
 Hall, the chief part assigned to Harcourt was 
 to answer the first article, charging the defendant 
 with having, in his sermon at St. Paul's, traduced 
 the Revolution, and denied the lawfulness of re- 
 
 "The ground of defence, taken very ably, and, 
 I think, "very satisfactorily, was that both the 
 
 (.. 
 
i 
 
 28 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Church of Eiv^land and the municipal law of the 
 country inculcate obedience to the civil magis- 
 trate, and that cases of justifiable resistance are 
 exceptions to the rule, which are implied, and 
 cannot possibly be anticipated or defined." 
 
 Lord Campbell goes on to say,— 
 
 "Just as Harcourt concluded his address, it was 
 publicly announced that he had been returned to 
 Parliament for the Borough of Cardigan. The 
 Whigs asserted that he was privately in posses- 
 sion of the intelligence while he was inveighing 
 against the impeachment ; but they did not ven- 
 ture to bring forward any charge against him for 
 breach of privilege : when he took his seat in the 
 House of Commons, he was loudly cheered by 
 the Tories, and there were clear indications of 
 their speedy triumph." 
 
 The feeling now ran very high against 
 the Whigs, and changes were soon made 
 in various quarters; on the 18th of Sep- 
 tember, Sir James Montague, who was one 
 of the Counsel against Sacheverell, was 
 called upon to resign the office of Attorney- 
 General, and Sir Simon Harcourt was re- 
 instated in his place. Boyer, in the first 
 volume of his '' Polit. State," says : — 
 
 f 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 29 
 
 "The custody of the Great Seal, as Lord 
 Keeper, was now privately offered to Sir Simon 
 Harcourt ; who, besides his eminent adherence 
 to the Church party on many other occasions, 
 had exerted his parts, in a very distinguished 
 manner, in the defence of Sacheverell. 
 
 "But he declined that trust for the present; 
 and in the meantime contented himself with the 
 place of Attorney-General, which he formerly dis- 
 charged with great reputation. He appeared the 
 first time in that quality at the Council held on 
 the 2 1 St of September, at which time the Earl 
 of Rochester, the Duke of Buckingham, and Mr. 
 St. John, were sworn of that most honourable 
 assembly." 
 
 The fact is, that Simon Harcourt would 
 gladly have taken a litde more time to re- 
 cruit his fortunes in the practice of his pro- 
 fession ; and, with this end, he elected to 
 be made Attorney-General; Lord Cowper, 
 however, under existing circumstances, de- 
 ' clined to retain the Great Seal ; and Sir 
 Simon, not willing to see another put over 
 his head, no longer refused the offers of 
 the Government. In the meantime, whilst 
 he was making up his mind, the Great 
 
Seal was put into commission for three 
 
 weeks. 
 
 In the papers of the Crown Office, the 
 
 following notice appears :— 
 
 "19th October, 1710. The Lords Commission- 
 ers for the custody of the G^'^ Seal of G^ Britam 
 havincr dehvered the Great Seal to the Queen on 
 Wedn'esday the 18^^^ of October, 17 10, her Ma^^ 
 was pleased to deliver the same to Sir Smion 
 Harcourt, Knt., her Att.-Gen., on the day follow- 
 in- at Hampton Court, with the title of Ld. 
 Keeper of the Grt. Seal of G. B. ; who on Monday 
 the "3^^ day of the same October, being the i^^ 
 time of his sitting in Westm. Hall, was accom- 
 panied to the Chancery Court by the Earl of 
 Rochester, Ld. President of the Councill, the Duke 
 of Ormonde, Ld. Lieutenant of Ireland, the Earls 
 of Scarsdale, Anglesey, and Overy, the Lord 
 Hyde and several other persons, and m their 
 presence did then and there take the oaths of 
 alle-iance and supremacy, and the oath of the 
 Ld ^Keeper of the Grt. Seal of Gt. Britain, the 
 Ma^ of the Rolls holding the book, and the Clerk 
 of the Crown reading the oaths ; after which the 
 Lords departed, and left the Lord Keeper in the 
 said Court." 
 
 It was at this time that Sir Simon's for- 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 31 
 
 mer client, Sacheverell, presented him with 
 
 a handsome silver salver ; this salver is still 
 
 preserved at Nuneham, and is engraved 
 
 with the following inscription : — 
 
 ''Viro Honoratissimo, 
 universi juris oraculo, 
 Ecclesi^e et regni prcesidio et ornamento, 
 SiiMONi Harcourt, Equiti Aurato, 
 Magna3 Britannas sigilli magni custodi, 
 et Serenissimai Regina^ e Secretioribus Consiliis, 
 ob causam meam coram supremo senatu, 
 In Aula Westmonasteriensi, 
 Nervosa cum facundia et subacta legum scientia 
 Benigne et constanter defensam; 
 ob priscam Ecclesia^ doctrinam, 
 Inviolandam legum vim, 
 Piam subditorum Fidem, 
 Et Sacrosancta Majestatis jura 
 Contra nefarios perduellium impetus 
 Feliciter vindicata ; 
 Votivum hoc munusculum 
 Perpeture gratitudinis pignus, 
 D. D. D. 
 Devinctissimus cliens 
 Henricus Sacheverel, S.T.P. 
 anno salutis mdccx." 
 
 The present was accompanied by the an- 
 nexed letter, which, in common with the 
 
32 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 greater part of the other papers and letters 
 
 in this vokime, forms a part of the Nuneham 
 
 Manuscripts. 
 
 *' My Lord,— This being the happy day when 
 under God's providence, by your kind and gene- 
 rous assistance, I was delivered out of the power 
 and malice of my inveterate enemies ; I can't 
 but reflect on the great mercie I receiv'd without 
 the highest sense of gratitude to my great bene- 
 factour and advocate, in acknowledgement whereof 
 I humbly beg your Lordship's acceptance of this 
 small memorial I have presumed to send you, 
 with all the good prayers and wishes which can 
 proceed from an heart full of those unspeakable 
 favours which you have been pleased to conferr 
 
 on, my Lord, 
 
 "Your Lordship's ever obliged servant, 
 
 "H. Sacheverell." 
 
 Queen Anne, whose natural aversion to 
 the Whigs was increased by her growing 
 aversion to the Duchess of Marlborough, 
 took no pains to disguise her preference 
 for her Tory advisers. Sir Simon was wel- 
 comed to her councils with the highest ex- 
 pressions of regard. 
 
 He had up to this time been in the receipt 
 
 ¥J 
 
 (^ 
 
 f 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 33 
 
 of a handsome professional income ; and he 
 had employed such parts of it as were not 
 expended in the exercise of a large and 
 generous hospitality, in the re-purchase of 
 his alienated family estates. 
 
 During the year 1710, he became pos- 
 sessed of the estate of Nuneham Courtenay, 
 and from time to time resided in the small 
 manor-house which in those days existed 
 there. On one occasion, whilst resident at 
 Nuneham, he was summoned suddenly on 
 business to London ; and as the business 
 was urgent, he commenced his journey on 
 
 a Sunday. 
 
 The anecdote is thus recorded in the 
 "Gentleman's Magazine," vol. Ixv. p. 467 •■— 
 
 "I have heard that Lord Chancellor Harcourt, 
 travelling on a Sunday through Abingdon in time 
 of divine service, was stopped by the constables, 
 by whom an humble apology was made to his 
 Lordship for doing what they understood to be 
 their duty ; in consequence of which, his Lordship 
 ordered his coach to the church door, and joined 
 in the public worship till the conclusion of it. 
 The anecdote does honour to his Lordship's com- 
 
 F 
 

 pliance, as well as to the vigilance of the officers 
 who were guarding the observance of this day." 
 
 His visits to Nuneham, however, were 
 only occasional. His chief place of abode 
 was Cokethorpe, where he had built himself 
 a house in the neighbourhood of Stanton 
 Harcourt. The dining-room at Cokethorpe 
 was adorned by some oak -panelling, pre- 
 sented to him by Queen Anne, who paid 
 him a state visit there when it was put up. 
 
 Having been made Lord Keeper on the 
 1 8th of October, Sir Simon w^as on the 
 following day made a privy councillor; we 
 read in the London Gazette, — 
 
 " Her Majesty was pleased to deliver the Great 
 Seal to Sir Simon Harcourt, Knt., who was there- 
 upon sworn one of Her Majesty's Most Honour- 
 able Privy Council, and Lord Keeper of the Great 
 Seal of Great Britain ; and he accordingly took 
 his place at the Board. 
 
 "Hampton Court, October 19, 1710." 
 
 In this year Sir Simon was again elected 
 member for Abingdon at the general elec- 
 tion ; but it was decided that the holder of 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 35 
 
 the Great Seal, although a Commoner, was 
 incompetent to be a representative of the 
 
 people. 
 
 During the ensuing session, he conse- 
 quently sat in the House of Lords, although 
 he was not made a Peer till the year follow- 
 ing. The inconvenience of this arrange- 
 ment became evident, when it fell to the 
 duty of the Lord Keeper to present certain 
 Peers to the Queen; Lord Rochester main- 
 tained that Peers could only be presented 
 by a Peer; but Lord Cowper pointed out 
 that the Lord Keeper, Commoner though 
 he was, took precedence of all Peers. 
 
 In his hybrid position he was called upon, 
 on the 28th of November, 17 10, to be the 
 mouth -piece of the Lords, in conveying 
 a vote of thanks to Lord Peterborough for 
 his conduct of the war in Spain. Lord 
 Keeper Harcourt's speech is recorded as 
 follows : — 
 
 '* My Lord Peterborough, I am commanded by 
 my Lords to return their thanks to your Lord- 
 ship for your many eminent and faithful services 
 
36 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 to your Queen and country during your command 
 
 in Spain. 
 
 "My Lord, the thanks of this illustrious as- 
 sembly is an honour which has been rarely paid 
 to any subject ; but never, after a stricter inquiry 
 into the nature of any service, upon a more ma- 
 ture deliberation, or with greater justice, than at 
 this time to your Lordship. Such is your Lord- 
 ship's known generosity, and truly noble temper, 
 that I assure myself the present I am now offering 
 to your Lordship is more acceptable, as it comes 
 pure and unmixed, and is unattended with any 
 other reward which your Lordship might justly 
 think would be an alloy to it. 
 
 "My Lord, had more days been allowed me 
 than I have had minutes, to call to mind the 
 wonderful and amazing success which perpetually 
 attended your Lordship in Spain, (the effect of 
 your Lordship's personal bravery and conduct,) 
 I would not attempt to enumerate your particular 
 services, since I should offend your Lordship by 
 the mention of such as I could recollect, and give 
 a just occasion of offence to this House by my 
 involuntary omission of the far greater part of 
 them. Had your Lordship's wise councils, par- 
 ticularly your advice at Valencia, been pursued 
 in the following campaign, the fatal battle of 
 Almanza, and our greatest misfortunes which 
 have since happened in Spain, had been pre- 
 
 I 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 37 
 
 vented, and the design upon Toulon might have 
 happily succeeded. I shall detain your Lordship 
 no longer, than, in obedience to the order I have 
 received, to return your Lordship, as I do, the 
 thanks of the House, for your eminent and re- 
 markable services to your Queen and country 
 during your command in Spain. 
 
 At this time the unpopularity of the Whigs 
 had reached a climax, and Harley's schemes 
 were at length successful in obtaining the 
 dismissal of the ministry. His efforts, how- 
 ever, to gain Walpole were unavailing. 
 
 It is noteworthy that, seven years later, 
 when Simon Harcourt succeeded in stopping 
 the impeachment of Harley, he should have 
 been brought into those relations with Wal- 
 pole which ended in a close coalition. On 
 the 29th of May, 171 1, Harley, having been 
 created Earl of Oxford, received the staff 
 of Lord High Treasurer, and was sworn 
 
 into the office. 
 
 He was accosted by the Lord Keeper 
 
 as follows ; — 
 
 " My Lord Oxford,— the Queen, who does every- 
 thing with the greatest wisdom, has given a proof 
 
 4 
 
f 
 
 
 38 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 of it in the honours she has lately conferred upon 
 you, which are exactly suited to your deserts and 
 qualifications. 
 
 " My Lord, the title which you now bear, could 
 not have been so justly placed on any other of 
 her Majesty's subjects. Some of that ancient 
 blood which fills your veins, is derived from the 
 Veres ; and you have shewed yourself as ready 
 to sacrifice it for your country, and as fearless 
 of danger on the most trying occasions, as ever 
 any of that brave and loyal house were. 
 
 " Nor is that title less suited to you, as it carries 
 in it a relation to one of the chief seats of learn- 
 ing ; for even your enemies, my Lord, (if any such 
 there still are), must own that the love of letters, 
 and the encouragement of those who excel in 
 them, is one distinguishing part of your character. 
 " My Lord, the high station of Lord Treasurer 
 of Great Britain, to which her Majesty has called 
 you, is the just reward of your eminent services. 
 You have been the great instrument of restoring 
 public credit, and relieving this nation from the 
 heavy pressure and ignominy of an immense 
 debt, under which it languished; and you are 
 now entrusted with the power of securing us from 
 a relapse into the same ill state out of which you 
 have rescued us. This great office, my Lord, is 
 every way worthy of you, particularly on account 
 of those many difficulties, with which the faithful 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 39 
 
 discharge of it must be unavoidably attended, 
 and which require a genius like yours to master 
 them. The only difficulty which even you, my 
 Lord, may find almost insuperable, is how to 
 deserve better of the Crown and kingdom after 
 this advancement, than you did before it.'* 
 
 On the 3rd of September, 171 1, Sir Simon 
 Harcourt was advanced to the Peerage by 
 the style and title of Baron Harcourt, of 
 Stanton Harcourt, in the county of Oxford. 
 
 The preamble of the patent of his crea- 
 tion ^ runs thus : — 
 
 « The original Latin is as follows :— 
 
 *♦ Jus Regium nobis a Deo commissum nulla in re lubentius ex- 
 ercemus, quam cum debita Virtuti elargiamur Tra^mia, Virosq. 
 turn suis, turn majorum suorum meritis insignes, omni, quo pars 
 est, honoris genere augeamus. Hos inter elucet Pra^dilectus et 
 perquam Fidelis Conciliarius noster, Simon Harcourt, Miles, 
 Magni Sigilli nostri Gustos. Longa ilium decorat Proavorum 
 Series a Normannicis usq. temporibus et peramplis Fortunis, et 
 omni Laude Bellica florentium, quorum unus, ob rem strenue sub 
 Edwardi Quarti vexillis gestam, periscelide Equestri donatus est ; 
 alter, contra Perduelles Hibernicos pro Carolo Regum optimo 
 fortiler dimicans, Anglomm primus occubuit ; Nee in ea Gente 
 quisquam repertus est, cujus non esset spectata semper erga Pa- 
 triam Gharitas, erga Principem Fides : His ille ortus Majoribus, 
 Rei quidem Familiaris ha^reditatem Furore Civili imminutam, 
 Gloria: integram accepit : Quam Virtute Militari partam, Ingenii 
 sui, et Eloquentice vi auxit togatus. Ita enim variam, illi mulli- 
 plicemque esse dicendi facultatem intelleximus, ut, an tractandis 
 pro Tribunali causis, an habendis ad Senatum Goncionibus, aptior 
 accederet, dubitent multi, uno ore omnes fateantur, eum et Juris- 
 
*' There is nothing wherein we more willingly 
 exercise that Royal authority which God has 
 entrusted us with, than by rewarding true merit 
 and virtue, and advancing to all suitable dignity 
 men who have merited such of us, and whose 
 ancestors have been remarkably famous in their 
 generation ; among these, there is none more con- 
 
 consultorum disertissimum esse, et Disertorum jurisconsultissimiim. 
 Sux hoc oratorio; Laudi domesticas adjunxit Virtutes, Magnanimi- 
 tatem et Fidem : Quarum Robore suffultus, in tuendo quod susce- 
 perat officio, contemnendisque periculis, constanter perseveravit : 
 et Amicitice jura, sive in rebus secundis, sive in adversis, sancte 
 coluit. ()uem itaque tantis animi dotibus instnictum, sibi Clien- 
 tium nenio non exoptavit Patronum, eum nos Negotiis nostris, 
 Forumque spectant haud temcre admoviinus Procuratorem ; cum 
 ad Attornati nostri munus, quod cum dignitate, quoad licuit, semel 
 sustinuerat, altera vice accersivimus ; eum tandem cum magno 
 iUius Ingenio minora esse hcec omnia sentiremus, in ipso Forensms 
 Honorum apice collocavimus, cequi, bonique Cognitorem et Tnter- 
 pretem summum. Pergit de nobis, ac d- bonis omnibus pra-clarius 
 adhuc mereri ; et banc ipsam Provinciam, cxneris, quas gessit, 
 quanto splendidior est, tanto impensius ornare : Litium multitu- 
 dinem indies minuit, Judiciorum moras reserat, et, ut petitorum 
 cuique constat quam minimo honestx^ contentionis felix exitus, 
 egregie cavet. Qua- (juidem cum nobis summopere sint grata, 
 ipsi honorifica, Reique Pubbcx- salutaria, I'r.cmiis uberioribus rc- 
 muneranda censemus. Xe iui<iue in amplissimorum Judicum Con- 
 sessu suffragii expers sit Justitix- Vin.lcx intogerrimus, ne in Klo- 
 quentium concilio sit elinguis, sentiendi, dicendicpie Author gra- 
 vissimus, Procerum ordini continuo ad^ciibatur, cidcmciue splen- 
 doris non nihil afferat, a quo, mullum ct ipse, ct ipsius posteri 
 haurient. Qux autem J/arcouriiano Nomine ac Patrimonio Sex- 
 centos jam annos amplius inclarescit sedcs, cadcni, titulo ctiam 
 quem nunc impertimus, honestetur, in omne avum (si annuerit 
 Deus) duraturo. Sciatis, tS:c." 
 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 41 
 
 spicuous than our well-beloved and very faithful 
 Counsellor, Sir Simon Harcourt, Knight, Keeper 
 of our Great Seal, a gentleman recommended to 
 us by a long descent of progenitors of very ample 
 fortunes, and renowned for their warlike actions 
 ever since the Norman times ; one of whom, for 
 his bravery signalized under the standard of Ed- 
 ward IV., was made Knight of the Garter ; an- 
 other, fighting courageously against the Irish 
 rebels, in the cause of his Royal master King 
 Charles, the best of Princes, who was the first 
 Englishman that fell a sacrifice to their fury. 
 
 "Nor is there one of all that race, descended 
 from such noble ancestors, who has not been 
 eminent for his love of his country, and loyalty 
 to his Prince. He suffered indeed in his paternal 
 inheritance, which was diminished by the fury 
 of the civil wars ; but not in his glory, which 
 being acquired by the military valour of his an- 
 cestors, he, as a lawyer, has advanced by the 
 force of his wit and eloquence ; for we have un- 
 derstood that his faculty in speaking is so full of 
 variety, that many doubt whether he is fitter to 
 manage causes in the lower court, or to speak 
 before a full Parliament ; but it is unanimously 
 confessed by all, that among the Lawyers he is 
 the most eloquent orator, and among the orators 
 the most able lawyer. 
 
 " To this praise of his eloquence he has added 
 
 G 
 
those domestic virtues, magnanimity and fidelity, 
 supported by which, he has resolutely persevered 
 in maintaining the cause he had undertaken, and 
 in despising danger; and has kept the engage- 
 ment of friendship, whether in prosperity or ad- 
 versity, sacred and inviolable; whom therefore, 
 furnished with such great endowments of mind, 
 all clients have wished to defend their causes, 
 not without reason we preferred to be one of 
 our counsel at law, whom we a second time called 
 to be our Attorney-General, which office he had 
 once before sustained with honour, as far as it 
 was thought convenient; whom lastly, since we 
 perceived that all these things were inferior to 
 the largeness of his capacity, we have advanced 
 to the highest pitch of forensical dignity, and 
 made him supreme judge in our court of equity. 
 
 " He still continues to deserve higher of us, 
 and of all good men ; and is so much a brighter 
 ornament to his province, as it is more honorable 
 than the rest he has gone through. He daily 
 despatches the multitude of suits in chancery, he 
 removes the obstacles which delay judgment in 
 that court, and takes special care that the suc- 
 cessful issue of an honest cause should cost every 
 plaintiff as little as may be. Which things, as 
 they are very grateful to us, honorable to himself, 
 and beneficial to the Commonwealth, we think 
 them deserving of higher reward. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 n 
 
 "Therefore, that the most upright asserter of 
 justice may not be without a vote in the most 
 supreme <:ourt, that he who can think and speak 
 so excellently well should not be silent in an 
 assembly of the eloquent, we grant him a place 
 among the Peers, that he may add some splen- 
 dor to that order from which he and his posterity 
 will derive so much ; and we desire that the place 
 which is known at this time, and has borne for 
 above 6oo years the name, and been the patri- 
 mony of the family Harcourt, be honored by that 
 title which we now confer, and will continue, if 
 God permit, from generation to generation.— Now 
 know ye," &c. 
 
 On the 7th of April of the year 171 3, 
 the London Gazette contained the following 
 
 paragraph : — 
 
 "This day the Right Hon. Simon Lord Har- 
 court, Baron of Stanton Harcourt, Lord Keeper 
 of the Great Seal of Great Britain, having, by her 
 Majesty's Command, delivered to her Majesty in 
 Council the Great Seal of Great Britain, her 
 Majesty was graciously pleased immediately to 
 restore it to him again, with the title of Lord 
 High Chancellor of Great Britain, whereupon his 
 Lordship took the oaths of allegiance and su- 
 premacy, and also the oath of Lord High Chan- 
 cellor of Great Britain." 
 
44 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 It is allowed on all hands that the cor- 
 ruption of the times did not touch Lord 
 Harcourt; and he was never suspected of 
 trafficking in the sale of offices in the Chan- 
 cellor's gift. 
 
 Unfortunately for the credit of England, 
 this was an exception to the general state 
 of affairs ; and it was not till after the im- 
 peachment of Chancellor Macclesfield, Lord 
 Harcourt's successor, that forensic fame 
 soared above the breath of scandal. Yet, 
 although the integrity of Lord Harcourt 
 was beyond reproach, there were those who 
 thought that politics and society filched 
 from the law some of those attentions which 
 she had a right to expect from her Chan- 
 cellor. 
 
 Lord Campbell says of him,— 
 
 " His experience, combined with his reading 
 and his admirable manner, enabled him to occupy 
 his new seat with ease and dignity," 
 
 and his administration of justice appears 
 to have given general satisfaction. 
 
 According to the custom of the times, 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 45 
 
 a congratulatory poem^ was addressed to 
 the new Chancellor ; it was entitled,— 
 
 " A Poem on the occasion of the promotion of 
 the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper Har- 
 court, to be Lord High Chancellor of Great 
 Britain, the 7th of April, 171 3. 
 
 *'Tum pietate gravem ac meritis si forte virum quern 
 Conspexere, silent, arrectisque auribus astant ; 
 lUe regit dictis animos, et pectora mulcet." — Virg. 
 
 " Et quid facundia posset 
 Turn patuit."— Oz^. 
 
 " Ille dese donis, et tanto lastus honore."— F/>^. 
 
 " Quid facit interea qui nil nisi praelia noscit."— (9z'. 
 
 So far the mottoes, and now for a few lines 
 of the poem, — 
 
 " Th* enraptured muse to a glad nation sings, 
 First the great race from which our Harcourt springs. 
 Noble his blood, and ancient his descent. 
 E'er since to Norman yoke Britannia bent. 
 
 From such united hearts », and hands and tongues, 
 Well might we hope redress of all our wrongs. 
 These, these are they who stemm'd th' impetuous tide 
 Of factious boldness and rebellious pride. 
 
 ' By Mr. H. Crispe. 
 8 Referring to the Ministry of which he formed a part. 
 
 \ \ 
 
46 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Thus when two lions from the forest roar, 
 And shake the neighbouring hills and distant shore, 
 Tigers and wolves, and all the beasts of prey, 
 Draw in their dastard tails and sneak away. 
 Thus when a brace of eagles, towering high, 
 Purge of rapacious fowls the darken'd sky, 
 The stork, the vulture, and the chattering daw, 
 Kites, buzzards, bitterns, hawks, and rooks withdraw. 
 
 Thou, Harcourt, o'er our laws art bid preside, 
 Most learn'd exi)0under, most unerring guide. 
 To thee the poor, to thee the friendless fly. 
 To thee the widow and the orphan cry ; 
 Each suit a just and speedy judgement ends, 
 And cheap success the honest cause attends. 
 
 Thy title great without exchange of name, 
 Harcourt could only answer Harcourt's fame ; 
 The noblest style and sweetest could be found. 
 All hearts retain it and all tongues resound. 
 
 ■ • * • * 
 
 Some loftier muse shall yet in deathless lays 
 
 Sing first our Anna's, next our Harcourt's praise ; 
 
 Your matchless virtues will sure credit bring 
 
 To all the wonders poets e'er can sing ; 
 
 Their names with yours, as prophet, I divine 
 
 In British annals shall for ever shine ; 
 
 Perhaps, not quite forget this humble Muse of mine." 
 
 On the 20th of January 1713, Lord Har- 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 47 
 
 court received the following letter from Lord 
 Bolingbroke : — 
 
 "My Lord,— Your Lordship will receive here 
 enclosed copys and extracts of such papers as 
 have been transmitted hither by the Queen's Sur- 
 veyor-General of Minorca, and of such other pa- 
 pers as I had her Majesty's directions in Coun- 
 cill to send to your Lordship, relating to that 
 
 Island. 
 
 *' Your Lordship will be pleased to call to your 
 assistance such persons as you shall think proper 
 in order to consider these papers, and to propose 
 to her Majesty such a form of civil government, 
 being agreeable to the laws of England, as may 
 be fittest to be established in Minorca. If your 
 Lordship shall have occasion for any other papers, 
 you will please to send for them ; but I must in- 
 form you that I can't find, by the Earl of Dart- 
 mouth's books remaining in my office, that any- 
 thing has been done concerning the settlement 
 of a civil government, or the establishment of the 
 Protestant religion in the said Island. 
 " I am, my Lord, 
 
 "Your Lordship's most humble and 
 " obedient servant, 
 
 '' Bolingbroke." 
 When the treaty of Utrecht was nego- 
 
1 
 
 48 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 elated, Lord Harcourt on the side of the 
 EngHsh, and the Due de Hareourt on the 
 side of the Freneh, were aetively engaged \ 
 
 Beino- thus brouorht into contact with each 
 Other, on the 9th of July, 1713. the Due 
 de Hareourt sent Lord Harcourt a present 
 of four magnificent folio volumes of family 
 history, now in the library at Nuneham ; 
 together with a genealogical paper, which 
 I insert in the Appendix, as I do not know 
 of its existence elsewhere. The present was 
 made through the Chancellor's son, and was 
 accompanied by the following letter : — 
 
 " A Paris k 9 JiiiUet, 1 7 1 3. 
 
 *' Monsieur,— Je re^ols la Icttre du 2de ce 
 mois que vous me faites I'honneur de m'escrire, 
 j'apprehende fort de n'estre plus ici lorsque vous 
 reviendres de vostre petit voyage, j'aurois fort 
 souhaite d'avoir I'honneur de vous voir encore 
 une fois avant celui que je vais faire ches moi, 
 ou je vais passer deux mois, ct jc croi que vous 
 ne feres pas un long sejour a Paris quand vous y 
 viendrcs, j'aurai soin de vous addresser a Londres, 
 les quatre volumes de nostre Gcnealogie avcc un 
 
 ^ The latter certainly had the best of the business. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 49 
 
 Extrait^ separe que j'en ai retrouve qui est fort 
 court que je vous prirai de presenter a M. Le 
 Grand Chancellier vostre pere et de I'assurer en 
 meme terns de mes respects, lui demandant I'hon- 
 neur de son amitie comme elle doit estre entre 
 deux personnes d'une meme maison, je vous de- 
 mande aussi la votre et vous prie de me croire 
 tres parfaitement et pour toutte ma vie. 
 ** Monsieur, 
 "Vostre tres humble et tr^s obeissant serviteur, 
 
 '^ Le M^^ Dug de Harcourt. 
 " Ma femme et toutte la famille vous fait ses 
 tr^s humble complimens." 
 
 In July, 1 71 3, the widow of Sir Philip 
 Harcourt died, and Lord Harcourt at length 
 became possessed of his family residence 
 at Stanton Harcourt, which had been alien- 
 ated from him for twenty-five years, since 
 
 his father s death. 
 
 His step-mother had allowed the house 
 to go to ruin, and had parted with the 
 furniture, so that Lord Harcourt felt very 
 little temptation to leave Cokethorpe, where 
 he was comfortably established, or to spend 
 the large sum of money which would have 
 
 5 This is the genealogical paper above referred to. 
 
 II 
 
50 
 
 Thk Harcourt Papers. 
 
 been required to render Stanton Harcourt 
 a desirable residence. 
 
 Soon after the installation of the Chan- 
 cellor, those dissensions commenced in the 
 Cabinet, which sprang out of the jealousies 
 that existed between Oxford and Boling- 
 
 broke. 
 
 The following letter, addressed to Lord 
 Harcourt by Bolingbroke, may be cited 
 as an instance of the feeling to which I 
 allude : — 
 
 *' Pray, my Lord, be punctual, and bring back 
 with you a more sanguine disposition than you 
 left Town with. Att least, do not fancy that the 
 Queen and all the rest of us are to be the slaves 
 of him^ who was raised by the favour of the 
 former, and the friendship of the latter." 
 
 The o-ood offices of the Chancellor had 
 often been instrumental in delaying the 
 climax, which, sooner or later, was sure to 
 arrive ; but the failing health of the Queen 
 early in the year 17 14, hurried matters on 
 by bringing into prominence the question 
 
 i' Lord Oxford. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 51 
 
 of the succession; and this was the point 
 upon which the rival ministers chiefly dif- 
 fered. Lord Harcourt, sharing in Boling- 
 broke s views, espoused his cause, and in- 
 stio-ated the Oueen to answer an address 
 from the Lords, praying her to issue a pro- 
 clamation against the Pretender, in these 
 words, — 
 
 "I do not at this time see any occasion for 
 such a proclamation : whenever I judge it to be 
 necessary, I shall give my orders for having one 
 issued." 
 
 The Chancellor was at this time much 
 exercised by a counter-move of the Whigs ; 
 who called upon him, in his official capacity, 
 to make out a writ, in pursuance of a patent 
 passed in 1706, to summon the electoral 
 Prince of Hanover to sit in the House of 
 Lords, as Duke of Cambridge. Refusal 
 was impossible ; but sure measures were 
 taken to prevent the arrival of the Prince. 
 
 On the 9th of July, 17 14, the Chancellor 
 prorogued Parliament by order of the Queen, 
 and retired into the country; but on the 
 
1 9th of the same month, he received the 
 followhig letter from BoHngbroke, dated from 
 Kensington : — 
 
 " My Lord,— This messenger comes to you by 
 the Queen s command. Her Majesty desires you 
 to be in Town on Wednesday, as early as con- 
 veniently you can. Besides the Irish dispute, 
 which some consideration must be had upon 
 Thursday morning, there are too many other 
 affairs of consequence now on foot to dispense 
 with your Lordship's absence. I beg your Lord- 
 ship's answer by the messenger, who has orders 
 to return with all possible speed, 
 " And am, my Lord, 
 
 *' Your Lordship's most faithful and 
 " obedient servant, 
 
 " BOLINGBROKE." 
 
 On the 27th of July, i7H» Oxford was 
 dismissed; the death of Anne, however, 
 gave but a short triumph to BoHngbroke; 
 he seemed to lack in the supreme moment 
 either the promptitude or the courage, which 
 gave the victory to his opponents. George 
 the First was proclaimed by Somerset with- 
 out a dissentient voice, and a Regency was 
 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 53 
 
 appointed to govern the kingdom till the 
 arrival of the new King. 
 
 The Chancellor was, by virtue of his 
 
 office, one of the Lords of Regency, and 
 
 his first act was to administer the necessary 
 
 oath to his brother Lord -Justices. The 
 
 Heralds were then ordered to proclaim 
 
 - that the high and mighty Prince George, Elec- 
 tor of Brunswick Lunenburgh, is, by the death 
 of Queen Anne of blessed memory, become our 
 lawful and rightful liege Lord, King of Great 
 Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the 
 Faith." 
 
 The Lord- Justices at once reappointed 
 Lord Harcourt Chancellor, in the name of 
 
 the new King. 
 
 On the 5th of August, 1714. the Chan- 
 cellor made a speech to both Houses of 
 Parliament in the following terms : — 
 
 **My Lords and Gentlemen, it having pleased 
 Almighty God to take to Himself our late Most 
 Gracious Queen of blessed memory, we hope that 
 nothing has been omitted which might contribute 
 to the safety of these realms, and the preservation 
 of our religion, laws, and liberties, in this great 
 
54 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 conjuncture. As these invaluable blessings have 
 been secured to us by those Acts of Parliament 
 which have settled the succession of the Crown 
 in the most illustrious House of Hanover, we have 
 regulated our proceedings by the rules therein 
 
 prescribed. 
 
 "We are persuaded you will bring with you 
 so hearty a disposition for his Majesty's service 
 and the public good, that we cannot doubt of 
 your assistance in everything which may promote 
 those great ends. My Lords and Gentlemen, we 
 forbear laying before you anything which does 
 not require your immediate consideration, not 
 having received his Majesty's pleasure ; we shall, 
 therefore, only exhort you, with the greatest ear- 
 nestness, to a perfect unanimity and firm adher- 
 ence to our Sovereign's interest, as being the only 
 means to continue among us our present happy 
 tranquillity." 
 
 On the 13th of the same month, Lord 
 Harcourt agaui addressed Parliament in his 
 character of representative of the Lord -Jus- 
 tices, who were the temporary rulers of the 
 country; and on the 21st of August he 
 spoke as follows : — 
 
 *' You may be assured that the unanimity, the 
 cheerfulness, and the despatch with which you 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 55 
 
 have proceeded in granting these aids, will render 
 them yet more acceptable to his Majesty, and 
 you may depend upon our making a faithful re- 
 port thereof to him." 
 
 There seems reason to think that the 
 negotiations, of whatsoever sort they were, 
 which Bolingbroke had ent^ed upon with 
 the exiled Stuart, had demonstrated the 
 hopelessness of endeavouring to induce that 
 Prince to harmonise his views with those 
 of the majority of the people he was to be 
 called upon to govern. 
 
 This impracticability of temper, though it 
 in no way affected the opinions of his ad- 
 herents respecting his right of succession, 
 yet it doubtless influenced many, and pro- 
 bably Lord Harcourt amongst the number, 
 in their judgment with regard to his per- 
 sonal fitness to rule. The effect of this 
 was to produce a passive acquiescence, and 
 a sort of negative adhesion to the de facto 
 
 govern men t. 
 
 It is not surprising that this lukewarm 
 temper should have caused the new King 
 
I 
 
 to treat Lord Harcourt with marked dis- 
 approbation ; and he may perhaps have been 
 esteemed fortunate in having escaped the 
 impeachment which befel Bohngbroke and 
 Oxford. His prudence and general popu- 
 larity appear to have stood him in good 
 stead, and he simply suffered deprivation 
 of his office and his pension. The Great 
 Seal was taken from him on the 21st of 
 September, 17H. and his ex -Chancellor's 
 pension was denied him. 
 
 He now retired to Cokethorpe, and spent 
 his time in social and literary pursuits. He 
 o-athered round him all the literati of the 
 day : Swift, Gay, Pope, Prior, Phillips, Ar- 
 buthnot, Parnell, were habitual frequenters 
 of his table; and his only surviving son, 
 who was an accomplished scholar, assisted 
 him in the entertainment of his distinguished 
 guests, and in the arrangement of his very 
 competent library. 
 
 His library was still maintained at Stanton 
 Harcourt, where he also fitted up some 
 rooms for the accommodation of Pope and 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 57 
 
 Gay, who visited him there in the year 
 
 1718. 
 
 The following letter from Pope to the 
 Duke of Buckingham, in answer to an epi- 
 stle wherein the Duke inclosed a description 
 of Buckingham House, describes the then 
 condition of Stanton Harcourt, with a poet^s 
 licence. It gains, perhaps, in entertainment 
 what it lacks in truth. 
 
 "I have been reading a description of PUny's 
 house, with an eye to yours ; but finding they 
 will bear no comparison, will try if it can be 
 match'd by the large country-seat I inhabit at 
 present, and see what figure it may make by the 
 help of a florid description. 
 
 '* You must expect nothing regular in my de- 
 scription, any more than in the house ; the whole 
 vast edifice is so disjointed, and the several parts 
 of it so detach'd one from the other, and yet so 
 joining again, one cannot tell how, that, in one 
 of my poetical fits, I imagined it had been a village 
 in Amphion's time, where the cottages having 
 taken a country dance together, had been all out, 
 and stood stone-still with amazement ever since. 
 
 •'You must excuse me if I say nothing of 
 the front; indeed, I don't know which it is. 
 
58 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 A stranger would be grievously disappointed, 
 who endeavour'd to get into the house the right 
 way. One would reasonably expect after the 
 entry through the porch to be let into the hall : 
 alas, nothing less ! you find yourself in the house 
 
 of office. 
 
 **From the parlour you think to step into 
 the drawing-room ; but upon opening the iron- 
 nail'd door, you are convinc'd by a flight of birds 
 about your ears, and a cloud of dust in your eyes, 
 that it is the Pigeon-housed 
 
 "If you come into the Chapel, you find its 
 altars, like those of the ancients, continually 
 smoking ; but it is with the steams of the ad- 
 joining kitchen. 
 
 *' The great hall, within is high and spacious, 
 flank'd on one side with a very long table, a true 
 image of ancient hospitality: the walls are all over 
 ornamented with monstrous horns of animals, 
 about twenty broken pikes, ten or a dozen blun- 
 derbusses, and a rusty matchlock musquet or two, 
 which we were informed had served in the Civil 
 Wars. Here is one vast arch'd window, beautifully 
 darken'd with divers scutcheons of painted glass : 
 one shining pane in particular bears date 1286, 
 which alone preserves the memory of a knight 
 whose iron armour is long since perished with 
 rust, and whose allabastcr nose is moulder'd from 
 
 * This is all pure fiction. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 59 
 
 his monument. The face of dame Eleanor in 
 another piece, owes more to that single pane than 
 to all the glass she ever consulted in her life. 
 
 "After this, who can say that glass is frail, 
 when it is not half so frail as human beauty or 
 glory! and yet I can't but sigh to think that 
 the most authentic record of so ancient a family 
 should lie at the mercy of every infant who flings 
 a stone. In former days there have dined in 
 this hall garter'd knights, and courtly dames, 
 attended by ushers, servers, and seneschals ; and 
 yet it was but last night that an owl flew hither, 
 and mistook it for a barn. 
 
 '♦This hall lets you (up and down), over a very 
 high threshold, into the great parlour. Its con- 
 tents are a broken belly d virginal, a couple of 
 cripled velvet chairs, with two or three mill-dew'd 
 pictures of mouldy ancestors, who look as dis- 
 mally, as if they came fresh from hell with all 
 their brimstone about them ; these are carefully 
 set at the farther corner, for the windows being 
 everywhere broken, made it so convenient a place 
 to dry poppies and mustard-seed, that the room 
 is appropriated to that use. 
 
 - Next this parlour, as I said before, lies the 
 pigeon-house, by the side of which runs an entry, 
 which lets you on one hand and t'other into a bed- 
 chamber, a buttery, and a small hole call'd the 
 chaplain's study : then follow a brew-house, a little 
 
 
green and gilt parlour, and the great stairs, under 
 which is the dairy ; a little farther, on the right 
 the servants' hall, and by the side of it, up six 
 steps, is the old lady's closet for her private devo- 
 tions ; which has a lattice into the hall, intended 
 (as we imagine) that at the same time as she 
 pray'd, she might have an eye on the men and 
 
 maids. 
 
 "There are upon the ground-floor in all twenty- 
 six apartments, among which I must not forget 
 a chamber which has in it a large antiquity of 
 timber, that seems to have been either a bedstead 
 or a cyder-press. The kitchen is built in form of 
 the Rotunda, being one vast vault to the top of 
 the house, where one aperture serves to let out 
 the smoke, and let in the light. By the blackness 
 of the walls, the circular fires, vast cauldrons, 
 yawning mouths of ovens and furnaces, you would 
 think it either the forge of Vulcan, the cave of 
 Polypheme, or the temple of Moloch. The horror 
 of this place has made such an impression on the 
 country people, that they believe the witches keep 
 their Sabbath here, and that once a-year the Devil 
 treats them with infernal venison, a roasted tiger 
 stuffed with tenpcnny nails. 
 
 " Above stairs we have a number of rooms : you 
 never pass out of one into another, but by the 
 ascent or descent of two or three stairs. Our best 
 room is very long and low, of the exact propor- 
 
 TiiE Harcourt Papers. 
 
 6i 
 
 tion of a band-box. In most of these rooms there 
 are hangings of the finest work in the world, that 
 is to say, those which Arachne spins from her 
 own bowels. Were it not for this only furniture, 
 there would be a miserable scene of naked walls, 
 flaw'd ceilings, broken windows, and rusty locks. 
 
 " The roof is so decay'd, that after a favourable 
 shower, we may expect a crop of mushrooms 
 between the chinks of our floors. All the doors 
 are as little and low as those to the cabbins of 
 packet-boats. These rooms have for many years 
 had no other inhabitants than certain rats, whose 
 very age renders them worthy of this feat, for 
 the very rats of this venerable house are grey : 
 since these have not yet quitted it, we hope at 
 least that this ancient mansion may not fall 
 during the small remnant these poor animals have 
 to live, who are now too infirm to remove to 
 another. There is yet a small subsistence left 
 them in the books of the library. We had never 
 seen half what I have described, but for a starched 
 grey-headed old steward, who is as much an an- 
 tiquity as any in this place, and looks like an old 
 family picture walk'd out of its frame. 
 
 '' He entertain'd us as we pass'd from room to 
 room with several relations of the family ; but 
 his observations were particularly curious when 
 we came to the cellar: he inform'd us where 
 stood the triple rows of butts of sack, and where 
 
were ranged the bottles of tent, for toasts in 
 a morning ; he pointed to the stands that sup- 
 ported the iron-hooped hogsheads of strong beer ; 
 then stepping to a corner, he lugg'd out the 
 tatter'd fragments of an unframed picture ; ' This ' 
 (says he with tears) ' was poor Sir Thomas ! once 
 master of all this drink. He had two sons, poor 
 young masters ! who never arrived to the age of 
 this beer ; they both fell ill in this very room, 
 and never went out on their own legs.' 
 
 **He could not pass by a heap of broken 
 bottles without taking up a piece, to show us 
 the arms of the family upon it. He then led us 
 up the Tower by dark winding stone steps, which 
 landed us into several little rooms one above 
 another. One of these was nail'd up, and our 
 guide whisper'd to us a secret, the occasion of it. 
 A ghost is supposed to walk there, and some 
 prying maids of the family report that they have 
 seen a lady in a fardingale through the key-hole ; 
 but this matter is husht up, and the servants are 
 
 forbid to talk of it. 
 
 "I must needs have tired you by this long 
 description : but what engaged me in it, was 
 a generous principle to preserve the memory of 
 that which itself must soon fall into dust, nay, 
 perhaps part of it, before this letter reaches your 
 hands. Indeed, we owe this old house the same 
 kind of gratitude that we do to an old friend. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 63 
 
 who harbours us in his declining condition, nay, 
 even in his last extremities. How fit is this 
 retreat for uninterrupted study, where no one 
 passing by can dream there is an inhabitant, and 
 even those who would dine with us, dare not 
 stay under our roof! Any one that sees it will 
 own I could not have chosen a more likely place 
 to convert the dead in. I had been mad, indeed, 
 if I had left your Grace for any one but Homer. 
 But when I return to the living, I shall have the 
 sense to endeavour to converse with the best of 
 them, and shall therefore as soon as possible tell 
 you in person how much I am, &c. &c." 
 
 Gay the poet, who was staying at Stanton 
 Harcourt at the same time as Pope, con- 
 tributes his experiences in the following 
 letter : — 
 
 "The only news that you can expect to have 
 from me here is news from heaven ; for I am 
 quite out of the world, and there is scarce any- 
 thing can reach me except the noise of thunder, 
 which, undoubtedly, you have heard too. We have 
 read in old authors of high towers levelled by it 
 to the ground, while the humble valleys have es- 
 caped. The only thing that is proof against it is 
 the laurel, which, however, I take to be no secu- 
 rity to the brains of modern authors. But to let 
 
you see that the contrary to this often happens, 
 I must acquaint you, that the highest and most 
 extravagant heap of towers in the universe, which 
 is in this neighbourhood, stands still undefaced, 
 while a cock of barley in our next field has been 
 consumed to ashes. Would to God that this heap 
 of barley had been all that had perished ; for, un- 
 happily, beneath this little shelter sat two much 
 more constant lovers than ever were found in Ro- 
 mance, under the shade of a beech-tree. John 
 Hewet was a well-set man, of about five and 
 twenty; Sarah Drew might be rather called 
 comely than beautiful, and was about the same 
 age. They had passed through the various la- 
 bours of the year together with the greatest satis- 
 faction : if she milked, 'twas his morning and 
 evening care to bring the cows to her hand. It 
 was but last fair that he bought her a present of 
 green silk for her straw hat, and the posy on her 
 silver ring was of his choosing. Their love was 
 the talk of the whole neighbourhood ; for scandal 
 never affirmed that they had any other views than 
 the lawful possession of each other in marriage. 
 
 "It w^as the very morning that they had ob- 
 tained the consent of her parents, and it was but 
 till the next week that they were to wait to be 
 
 made happy. 
 
 "Perhaps, in the intervals of their work, they 
 were now talking of their wedding clothes, and 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 John was suiting several sorts of poppies and 
 field-flowers to her complexion, to choose her a 
 hat for the wedding-day. While they were thus 
 busied, (it w^as on the last of July, between two 
 and three in the afternoon,) the clouds grew 
 black, and such a storm of lightning and thunder 
 ensued, that all the labourers made the best of 
 their way to what shelter the trees and hedges 
 afforded. Sarah was frighted, and fell down in 
 a swoon on a heap of barley. John, who never 
 separated from her, sat down by her side, having 
 raked together two or three heaps, the better to 
 secure her from the storm. 
 
 "Immediately there was heard so loud a crack, 
 as if heaven had split asunder. Every one w^as 
 now solicitous for the safety of his neighbour, 
 and called to one another throughout the field. 
 No answer being returned to those who called 
 to our lovers, they stepped to the place where 
 they lay. They perceived the barley all in a 
 smoke; and then spied this faithful pair, John 
 with one arm about Sarah's neck, and the other 
 held over her, as to screen her from the lightning. 
 They were struck dead and stiffened in this 
 tender posture. Sarah's left eyebrow was singed, 
 and there appeared a black spot on her breast ; 
 her lover was all over black, but not the least 
 signs of life w^ere found in either. Attended by 
 their melancholy companions, they were conveyed 
 
 K 
 
66 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 to the town, and the next day were interred in 
 Stanton Harcourt churchyard. 
 
 " My Lord Harcourt, at Mr. Pope's and my re- 
 quest, has caused a stone to be placed over them, 
 upon condition that we furnish an Epitaph : which 
 
 is as follows : — 
 
 «' When eastern lovers feed the funeral fire, 
 On the same pile the faithful pair expire : 
 Here pitying Heaven that virtue mutual found, 
 And blasted both, that it might neither wound ; 
 Hearts so sincere th' Almighty saw well pleased, 
 Sent His own lightning, and the vicdms seized." 
 
 **But my Lord is apprehensive the country 
 people will not understand this ; and Mr. Pope 
 says he'll make one with something of Scripture 
 in it, and with as little of poetry as Hopkins and 
 Sternhold." 
 
 This Epitaph now exists on the outward 
 south wall of the church : — 
 
 " Think not by rig'rous judgment seiz'd, 
 
 A pair so faithful could expire ; 
 Victims so pure, Heav'n saw well pleas'd, 
 
 And snatch'd them in celestial fire. 
 Live well, and fear no sudden fiite ; 
 
 When God calls virtue to the grave, 
 Alike 'ds jusdce, soon or late, 
 
 Mercy alike to kill or save. 
 Virtue unmov'd can hear the call, 
 And face the flash that melts the ball." 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 67 
 
 Lord Harcourt's library was at this time 
 greatly enriched by a legacy from Lord 
 Torrington, who left him all his books ; he 
 also received numerous presents, such as the 
 -Maison d'Harcourt" given to him by the 
 Marechal Due de Harcourt, above alluded 
 to ; copies of the works of Pope, Prior, &c. ; 
 a fine edition of the Elzevirs; and, as an 
 example of the value of books at the be- 
 ginning of the eighteenth century, might 
 be mentioned the ^'Tractatus Tractatum,'' 
 in twenty -one volumes folio, which Lord 
 Harcourt caused to be procured in Paris, 
 and for which he paid eighty guineas, a con- 
 siderable price in those days. 
 
 The following letter was written by the 
 celebrated Dr. Mead, who procured this 
 
 book : — 
 
 " Ormond-st.,July 25, 1723. 
 
 " My Lord,— I do myself this honour to ac- 
 quaint your Lordship that of the books expected 
 from France, the Tractatus Tractatum, and one 
 of those that belong to the King of France's col- 
 lection are come ; the Tractatus is a fine copy, 
 I have ordered my bookbinder to collate it very 
 
68 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 carefully, and if it proves perfect, shall purchase 
 it for four score guineas, which is the lowest 
 price, and I believe not dear. The book belong- 
 ing to the French King's collection I shall take, 
 and your Lordship shall not pay for it 'till the 
 other volumes are sent over, which I hope will 
 be quickly. Our friend my Lord Bolingbroke 
 was seized yesterday with a violent fit of his ague, 
 and I expect will have another to-morrow, and 
 no more. I have advised him to hasten his jour- 
 ney to Aix, and I believe he will set out in a few 
 days after your Lordship's coming to Town ; he 
 desired me with his humble service to excuse his 
 not writing by this post to your Lordship upon 
 the account of his indisposition. 
 
 " I am always with greatest respect, 
 " My Lord, 
 "Your Lordship's most obedient, most humble 
 
 Servant, 
 
 *' R. Mead." 
 
 The Chancellor's library was transported 
 
 to Nuneham by his grandson, and has since 
 
 been very largely added to by subsequent 
 possessors "". 
 
 During his retirement, a correspondence 
 
 m 
 
 A magnificent folio vol. on the Horse, by Lafosse, was pre- 
 sented to Simon Earl Harcourt by the Chevalier de la Plegniere. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 69 
 
 took place between Lord Harcourt and 
 Mr. Prior. It is necessary to premise that 
 Mr. Prior had been sent privately to Paris 
 to treat for peace, and the French envoys 
 afterwards met secretly in his house in 
 London, on the same behest. These pro- 
 ceedings formed the basis of a charge of 
 high treason, and occasioned his being kept 
 In prison by the Whigs for two years when 
 they succeeded to office. 
 
 The letter from Prior was dated, Paris, 
 March 21st, 1715 : 
 
 " My Lord, — As I have been particularly con- 
 cerned in a negociation at present so much ques- 
 tioned, and done my best in the execution of the 
 commands of my superior ; and as I have received 
 advices alarming enough, I desire your advice 
 particularly as to the point of my first coming 
 into France with no other power than that of the 
 Queen, with her own private cachette, if this were 
 not in law a sufficient warrant for my acting. 
 Pray give credit to what these gentlemen will 
 say to you on my part. 
 
 " And believe me ever with great respect yours, 
 
 " M. Prior." 
 
i 
 
 ■I 
 
 •\ 
 
 f 
 
 5 I 
 ) 
 
 70 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 The following is the copy of his commis- 
 sion, which Prior sent to Lord Harcourt :— 
 
 " Commission donn^e au Sieur Prior, 
 
 Anne R. 
 
 '* Le Sieur Prior est pleinement instruit et auto- 
 ris^ de communiquer a la France nos demandes 
 preliminaires et devous en rapporter la reponse". 
 
 " Signe, A. R." 
 
 Hallam has remarked : — • 
 
 " Though it may seem an extraordinary position 
 to take up, yet it is a true one, that in the reign 
 of Charles 11. the prerogative of the Crown 
 swerved into fewer excesses than at any other 
 
 time. 
 
 ** William of Orange, on the contrary, practised 
 such departures from sound constitutional usage, 
 as left Parliament no controul over the execu- 
 tive administration ; and, notably, in the afifair of 
 the partition treaties, William took the whole of 
 those most important negotiations entirely into 
 his own hands ; thus substituting the single will 
 of the Sovereign for the responsibility of those 
 
 » It is not of course to be supposed that Anne was acting by 
 or for herself in this matter. The Queen's ardent desire for peace 
 was made to serve the purpose of those who hoped to humble 
 Marlborough. -What is noteworthy is, that the Queen's private 
 ordinance should have been considered a sufficient instrument in 
 the transaction of affairs of such importance. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 71 
 
 advisers who ought to be the constitutional guar- 
 dians of the national safety. 
 
 ** In the reign of Anne, under the Bill of Rights, 
 the last great statute which restrains the power 
 of the Crown, the vessel," says Hallam, "seems 
 riding in smooth water; the battle had been 
 fought and gained." 
 
 It is curious, therefore, to observe from 
 the contents of the above letter, how 
 a question is raised as to the legality of 
 a public servant's acting in affairs of na- 
 tional importance, during the reign of 
 Anne, under no warrant beyond the pri- 
 vate instructions of the Sovereign ; and it 
 would have been more curious still to 
 have seen Lord Harcourt's answer to the 
 
 letter. 
 
 Lord Harcourf s seclusion lasted for three 
 
 years; in the year 1717 Walpole, who was 
 not then in office, assisted the former Chan- 
 cellor with his advice °, when he was en- 
 deavouring to defeat the Government in 
 
 o The advice given was to raise a dispute between the Lords 
 and Commons. 
 
 ) 
 
72 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 the matter of Lord Oxford's impeachment. 
 This trial had drawn Lord Harcourt from 
 his retirement, and the successful issue of 
 his efforts to obtain an acquittal, bound 
 him to Walpole by the ties of a mutual 
 
 interest. 
 
 In 1 718, Lord Harcourt made a speech 
 in the House of Lords upon the Mutiny Bill, 
 and thenceforth resumed his Parliamentary 
 
 duties. 
 
 In April, 1720, Lord Harcourt received 
 
 the following letter from Prior :— 
 
 " I have been, as my duty and inclination re- 
 quired, to pay my great respects to my ever- 
 honoured Lord and Patron Harcourt; not find- 
 ing your Lordship at home, I make bold to 
 send you the inclosed *case,* as it stands re- 
 commended to me by a judge and a dean from 
 
 Ireland. 
 
 "They all think that my Lord Harcourt favour- 
 ing their cause will be a manifest advantage to 
 them, and I think so too. But what of that? 
 may be their cause is not a good one, and then 
 my Lord Harcourt will fling it into the fire: 
 however, my Lord Harcourt has it, and * liberavi 
 animam meam ;' though I do not understand the 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 73 
 
 law, I find one good thing in this case, that it 
 gives me an opportunity of reporting to you my 
 being ever, with great truth and respect, 
 
 '' Your Lordship's obedient, humble servant, 
 
 ** M. Prior. 
 
 "Dear Dick desires to be jointly included. 
 '' Friday Morning, West?niftster, 
 ''April, 1720." 
 
 In June, 1720, Lord Harcourt had the 
 great misfortune to lose his only remaining 
 son, of whom he was justly proud, and to 
 whom he was most tenderly attached. The 
 young man died in Paris, on his way back 
 to England. He had long been in delicate 
 
 health. 
 
 His body was brought home to be placed 
 in the family vault at Stanton Harcourt. 
 His epitaph, which was written by Pope, 
 is thus characterised by Doctor Samuel 
 Johnson : — 
 
 " This epitaph is principally remarkable for the 
 artful introduction of the name, which is inserted 
 with a peculiar felicity, to which chance must 
 concur with genius, which no man can hope to 
 
74 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 attain twice, and which cannot be copied but 
 with servile imitation. 
 
 "I cannot but wish that, of this inscription, the 
 two last lines had been omitted, as they take 
 away from the energy what they do not add 
 to the sense.*' 
 
 The lines, as they are engraved upon the 
 marble in the Harcourt chapel, run thus :— 
 
 "To this sad shrine, whoe'er thou art, draw near : 
 If ever friend, if ever son was dear, 
 Here lies the youth, who ne'er this friend denied, 
 Or gave his father grief, but when he died. 
 
 " How vain is reason ! eloquence, how weak ! 
 If Pope must tell what Harcourt cannot speak ; 
 Oh, let thy once-lov'd friend inscribe thy stone, 
 And with a father's sorrows mix his own." 
 
 The following letter from Lord Harcourt 
 to Mr. Pope, shews him to have been a nice 
 critic; and the line 
 ^'^arcourt stands dumb, and Pope is forced to speak" 
 
 was at once altered by the poet. 
 
 Pope seems afterwards to have made 
 further alterations ; as we find that the first 
 stanza in his printed works varies from the 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 75 
 
 reading on the marble tablet. The printed 
 version reads as follows : — 
 
 " To this sad shrine, whoe'er thou art ! draw near : 
 Here lies the Friend most lov'd, the Son most dear ; 
 Who ne'er knew joy, but Friendship might divide, 
 Or gave his Father grief, but when he died." 
 
 " December 6th, 1722. 
 
 "I cannot but suspect myself of being very 
 unreasonable in begging you once more to re- 
 view the inclos'd. Your friendship draws this 
 trouble on you. I may freely own to you, that 
 my tenderness makes me exceeding hard to be 
 satisfied with anything which can be said on 
 such an unhappy subject. I caus'd the LatmP 
 Epitaph to be as often alter'd before I could 
 
 approve of it. 
 
 " When once your Epitaph is set up, there can 
 be no alteration of it, it will remain a perpetual 
 monument of your friendship, and I assure my- 
 self you will so settle it, that it shall be worthy 
 
 of you. 
 
 "I doubt whether the word 'deny'd,' m the 
 third line, will justly admit of that construction 
 
 p This Latin epitaph is mentioned by Sir John Evelyn in hU 
 Diary ; he says he saw it on the tablet which was erected to Si- 
 mon Harcourt, at the time he attended the Lord Chancellors 
 funeral, in the church at Stanton Harcourt. It is now nowhere 
 to be found. 
 
which it ought to bear — viz. renounced, de- 
 serted, &c. ; ' deny d ' is capable, in my opinion, 
 of having an ill sense put upon it, as too great 
 uneasiness, or more good nature, than a wise man 
 ought to have. I very well remember you told 
 me you could scarce mend those two lines, and 
 therefore I can scarce expect your forgiveness 
 for my desiring you to reconsider them. 
 
 * Harcourt stands dumb, and Pope is forc'd to speak.' 
 I can't perfectly, at least without further dis- 
 coursing you, reconcile myself to the first part 
 of that line; and the word 'forc'd' (which was 
 my own, and, I persuade myself, for that reason 
 only submitted to by you), seems to carry too 
 doubtful a construction for an Epitaph, which, 
 as I apprehend, ought as easily to be understood 
 as read. I shall acknowledge it as a very par- 
 ticular favour, if at your best leisure you will 
 peruse the inclosed, and vary it, if you think it 
 capable of being amended, and let me see you 
 any morning next week. 
 
 " I am, &c." 
 
 A picture of this young man (he died at the 
 age of thirty-seven) was painted in Paris by 
 Le Belle, and presented by himself to Prior ; 
 it now hangs in the state-bedroom at Nune- 
 ham. The following letter relates to it : — 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 77 
 
 '*My Lord,— Having received my Lord Har- 
 ley's commands to wait on your Lordship with 
 a picture of your late dear son, Mr. Simon Har- 
 court, presented by him to Mr. Prior at Paris, 
 and painted there by Monsieur Le Belle, I take 
 leave this way, my Lord, to acquaint you there- 
 with, and humbly pray that you will be pleased 
 to signify to the bearer at what hour any morn- 
 ing I may pay my duty to your Lordship accord- 
 ingly ; having the honour to be, with the greatest 
 respect, 
 
 "Your Lordship's most obedient and most 
 
 humble servant, 
 
 "Adrian Drift. 
 
 ''Fed. 17, 1721." 
 
 The following letter was written to Lord 
 Harcourt by Sir John Evelyn, who was bro- 
 ther to the Hon. Mrs. Harcourt, the Chan- 
 cellor's daughter-in-law, and is dated, — 
 
 ** Duke-street, Westmmster, 
 ^' March 29, 1721. 
 
 " My Lord,— Sir Thos. Cross and Mr. Lownds 
 having last night sent to the High Bailiff their 
 protest against the disorders of the election, did 
 not appear to-day, notwithstanding which the 
 Poll was carried on in the presence of the other 
 
Candidates, and is adjourn'd to Monday, ^tis said 
 her Grace of Marlborough, as she passed thro' 
 the new Palace-yard to Lord Delaware's, cried 
 out a Hutcheson, who I hear has carried it from 
 Mr. Pultney at Hastings by one. 
 
 '* I can't imagine what is doing in Surrey, nei- 
 ther the County election, nor so much as that 
 of any Borough being over, though we have ac- 
 counts of all those in the other countys adjoyning 
 to London; and of several in the more remote, 
 there being no advertisement yet of the day of 
 the County election ; to be sure it can't be so soon 
 as next week, or even before Wednesday sennight, 
 if what a relation of Mr. Walter told me this 
 evening be true, that the County Court was the 
 very day of the issuing the writts, and the Sheriff 
 did not adjourn it in expectation of the Surrey 
 
 writt. 
 
 " I was glad to see Sir John Stonehouse*s name 
 in the papers to-day, after hearing yesterday 
 Mr. Gray had outpoUed him the first day of the 
 Election by 6oo. 
 
 " 'Tis said the Duke of Hamilton, at the head ot 
 twenty-seven Scotch Peers, is resolved to oppose 
 such as will not oblige themselves to be against 
 any bill for settling the Peerage. 
 
 "My wife, who is just come home, desires her 
 humble service to your Lordship, and says she 
 hears a great man said last night, Sir Thomas 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 79 
 
 Cross and Mr. Lownds should petition ; and that 
 there is a report about town of Lord Rocking- 
 ham's dying three hours before his son. 
 
 ** I am, my Lord, 
 "Your most humble and obedient servant, 
 
 "J. Evelyn." 
 
 The following letter was from Sir 
 Richard Levinge, an Irish judge, and shews 
 how largely Lord Harcourt's advice was 
 sought : — 
 
 ^ '' Dublin, Jafi. i6, 1722. 
 
 " My very good Lord, — Mr. Thomas Acton, 
 who is Chirographer of the Court of Common 
 Pleas here, has a cause depending before your 
 Lordship upon an appeale from the Chancery 
 here, and has desired me to write to your Lord- 
 ship. I was very unwilling to give your Lordship 
 this trouble, and told him that if he had justice 
 on his side, he might be assured of a full measure 
 of it from your Lordship, and if that were want- 
 ing, nothing could supply the defect. But his 
 being very importunate, and known to mee to be 
 a very honest man, and a good officer in the Court 
 in which I sitt, and it being the custome here 
 with great dilligence to seek for letters from 
 persons to such of the Lords as they have the 
 honour to be known to, I hope your Lordship 
 would not take it ill, if I took this opportunity 
 
 II 
 
of expressing the great respect I have ever had 
 for your Lordship, and desiring the favour of your 
 Lordship to be present at the hearing of this 
 
 gentleman's cause. 
 
 "I was in London from September was a 
 twelvemonths to the January following, but was 
 all the time laid up of the gout, and could not 
 stir out of my lodgeings till about a week before 
 I came away : in that time I was twice at your 
 Lordship's house to wait upon you, to testify my 
 most sincere respect, and to preserve myself in 
 your Lordship's memory ; but had the misfortune 
 not to find your Lordship at home. I hope your 
 Lordship's servants did not wholy forget mee, and 
 least that should happen I desired some of the 
 Judges, and particularly Mr. Justice Tracey, to 
 give my most humble service to your Lordship, 
 and to acquaint you with the endeavours I used 
 to take my leave of your Lordship before I left 
 the kingdom. I also spoke to my Lord Ferrers 
 to do me the same good office to your Lordship. 
 
 ''Our session of Parliament here will be con- 
 cluded in a day or two, and 'tis certain that none 
 has passed so gently and smoothly since I knew 
 Ireland. They have indeed according to their 
 custome ranted in the House of Commons against 
 the Councill Board here for altering the heads 
 of bills which came from them, and in their testy 
 humour have thrown out a most useful bill touch- 
 
 1 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 8i 
 
 ing the Lanner's manufacture (which is the only 
 thing that at this time brings any ready money 
 into this kingdome) and two other bills, and have 
 not been spareing of their scurvy language, and 
 I am certain they would have proceeded to reso- 
 lutions even against the authority of Poyning's 
 Law, but were restrained purely by the respect 
 they had to the Duke of Grafton, whose govern- 
 ment they would not make uneasy ; and I must 
 needs say that I think hee is the most fortunate 
 chief governor I ever saw, for all sorts of people 
 love him, and for his sake only can be prevailed 
 upon to waive their own excessive hatreds and 
 animosities; and 'tis remarkable that tho' the 
 greatest part of his ministers and instruments are 
 utterly divided among themselves, and have pre- 
 ferred the gratifyeing their passions before his 
 service, yet hee has had the art to succeed in 
 every thing which he sought for, by the force 
 of his own single discretion, assisted by a sweet- 
 ness of temper that has been too powerfull for 
 
 any opposition. 
 
 " I am, my very good Lord, 
 
 "Your Lordship's most obliged and most 
 
 faithfull, humble servant, 
 
 " RP. Levinge." 
 
 As the last letter sought Lord Har- 
 court's assistance in legal affairs, so the fol- 
 
 M 
 
82 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 lowing epistle seeks his advice in literary 
 
 matters : — • 
 
 '* My Lord,— As I have been of late very am- 
 bitious of receiving your Lordship's advice in 
 whatever I am about to publish, so I presume 
 to send you this introduction to King William's 
 reign, in hopes to obtain your opinion about it, 
 when I shall wait upon your Lordship two or 
 
 three days hence. 
 
 " Your very generous treatment at several times, 
 leaves me no room to doubt of your pardon in 
 this case, and likewise gives me hopes of further 
 advice from your Lordship with relation to that 
 
 Rei"-n In the mean time, I am proud of the 
 fc> 
 
 opportunity of declaring my heartiest thanks to 
 you for all your favours and kindnesses shown to 
 " Your Lordship's most obliged and most 
 obedient servant, 
 
 " Laurence Eciiard. 
 
 ''London, April -ith, 1722." 
 
 The two following letters are purely mat- 
 ters of business ; the one from the Duke of 
 Chandos, the other from Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 ''Sept. 13, 1723. 
 
 " My Lord, — Your Lordship hath had the 
 goodness to give yourself so much trouble in the 
 
 affair that was depending between Lord Harley 
 and me relating to my lease of your ground in 
 Cavendish Square, that I flatter myself you will 
 not be displeased if I trespass so far upon your 
 time as to acquaint you wee consented this morn- 
 ing to the articles, in the form they were drawn 
 up by your Lordship's directions, and with the 
 alterations you had been pleased to approve of: 
 there is likewise an additional covenant endorst 
 on the back, whereby my Lord and Lady agree 
 to let me have the whole first part of the ground 
 fronting the Square, viz. 320 foot wide, and 430 
 feet deep, upon my surrendering to them as much 
 of the ground which lies North, as your Lordship 
 and Lord Bingley shall judge to be a sufficient 
 equivalent : you see, my Lord, I have presumed 
 to draw a fresh trouble upon you, and for the 
 pardon of this liberty wholly rely upon your Lord- 
 ship's generosity, the good effects of which I have 
 so frequently already experienced. 
 
 *' As this enlargement of the house will render 
 it too late in the season to begin building this 
 year, I shall defer it till next spring, in the mean 
 while I propose to be laying out for such mate- 
 rials as will be still wanting, and for the brickwork 
 I shall very willingly make use of Mr. Prince ; the 
 good opinion your Lordship hath of him is a suf- 
 ficient recommendation to me, and his having 
 behaved himself so as to gain your protection 
 
will alwaies entitle him to any good office I can 
 render him. 
 
 " I hope it will not be long before we shall have 
 the honour to see your Lordship in town, not- 
 withstanding the encouragement this fine weather 
 gives to continue in the country. 
 
 " I am with great respect, 
 " My Lord, 
 "Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 "Chandos." 
 
 '•^ May 15, 1724. 
 
 "Mr. Moore, — I desire you very carefully to 
 inspect all the work which has been done at my 
 House "1 in Ca'ndish Sq^, and whereever you find 
 anything so defective therein, as you shall con- 
 ceive it fitt to be amended, order the respective 
 persons concerned to amend their work as you 
 shall think proper, and let each of them know 
 that they are to observe your directions only as 
 to any such amendm^ of their work, or any such 
 further work which remains yet to be done ; and 
 I desire you to appoint such persons as you shall 
 think fitt, to finish the Hall Story as to y^ wains- 
 cott, ceilings, and all other respects, and to con- 
 tract with them for such prices as you shall 
 think proper for having the work well done, 
 
 «» Harcourt House, which still forms a part of the family estate, 
 being leased at present to the Duke of Portland. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 85 
 
 and from time to time to give me notice how 
 
 you proceed. 
 
 " I am, your Friend, 
 
 *' Harcourt. 
 
 " To Mr. James Moored 
 
 From Mr. T. Hervey: — 
 
 ^^ Nov. i2,th, 1725. 
 
 "My Lord, — Your Lordship's complaisance 
 ought to be better requited ; but I thought the 
 honour you did my verses this morning, lay'd me 
 under a sort of obligation to do myself this; 
 I have sent your Lordship copys of both the 
 trifling things I wrote at Bath, concluding that 
 the person who mentioned the former to you 
 may have exposed me farther. 
 
 " Nothing less than your Lordship's great good- 
 ness and partiality to me can make you think 
 they deserve the character your Lordship heard 
 of them ; but I so much depend on them, that 
 I shall make no apologys for giving you this 
 
 trouble. 
 
 "T. Hervey. 
 
 "An Humble Wish. 
 
 "I ask not wit, nor beauty do I crave, 
 Nor wealth, nor pompous titles wish to have ; 
 But, since 'tis doomed through all degrees of life, 
 Whether a daughter, sister, or a wife, 
 
86 
 
 The HxVRCOURT Papers. 
 
 That females should the stronger males obey, 
 And yield implicit to their Lordly sway : 
 Since this, alas I is every woman's fate, 
 Give me a mind to suit my slavish state." 
 
 "The Answer. 
 
 " Nature, perversly, to thy wish has given 
 The choicest blessings of indulgent Heaven. 
 Equivocating fair, you ask not wit ! 
 You ask not beauty ! neither is it fit ; 
 Your mind were slavish did you love excess, 
 For misers only want what they possess." 
 
 "Epitaph for Miss A. Jennens. 
 
 '' Intomb'd here lyes sweet smiling Nann, 
 Ravished by death e'er touch'd by man ; 
 Near her the faithfuU youth interr'd, 
 Who death with her to life preferr'd : 
 In him his utmost power behold, 
 Who, lay'd by her, can be so cold." 
 
 In this place may properly be inserted 
 a series of letters from Alexander Pope, 
 the poet, to Lord Harcourt. Their inti- 
 macy has already been alluded to. 
 
 There are two good pictures of Pope at 
 Nuneham, one by Richardson, which has 
 been engraved, and forms the frontispiece 
 of an early edition of Pope's works; and 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 87 
 
 another by Sir Godfrey Kneller, a very 
 excellent and characteristic picture, in per- 
 fect condition. This picture is alluded to 
 in one of the letters which follow. The 
 servility of the style of some of these letters 
 is very little in accordance with the modern 
 notions of self-respect : — 
 
 " Twitenham, December i()th, 1721. 
 
 *'My Lord,— I know I need not give your 
 Lordship any thanks, or, if I should attempt it, 
 before the thanks would reach you I should find 
 the obligation doubled. I have sent Dr. Parnel's 
 book for the Duke, and think it happy that 
 I cannot go with it, since your Lordship will by 
 that means be my orator, an advantage so great, 
 that I think it would be my wisest way never 
 once to come near you whilst you are doing me 
 service, friendship, and honour. Believe me, my 
 Lord, (what you cannot but believe me), with the 
 
 sincerest respect and fidelity, 
 
 ''Your most obedient servant, 
 
 " A. Pope." 
 
 *' Tiuitenham^ Feb. 20, 1722^. 
 
 *' Mv Lord,— It is really the height of respect 
 to you that I do not write oftener : for every day 
 
 ' Note by Lord Harcourt, "answered Feb. 21." 
 
86 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 That females should the stronger males obey, 
 And yield implicit to their Lordly sway : 
 Since this, alas ! is every woman's fate, 
 Give me a mind to suit my slavish state." 
 
 "The Answer. 
 
 " Nature, perversly, to thy wisli has given 
 The choicest blessings of indulgent Heaven. 
 Equivocating fliir, you ask not wit ! 
 You ask not beauty ! neither is it fit ; 
 Your mind were slavish did you love excess, 
 For misers only want what they possess." 
 
 *' Epitaph for Miss A. Jennens. 
 
 " Intomb'd here lyes sweet smiling Nann, 
 Ravished by death e'er touch'd by man ; 
 Near her the faithfull youth interr'd, 
 Who death with her to life preferr'd : 
 In him his utmost power behold. 
 Who, lay'd by her, can be so cold." 
 
 In this place may properly be inserted 
 a series of letters from Alexander Pope, 
 the poet, to Lord Harcourt. Their inti- 
 macy has already been alluded to. 
 
 There are two good pictures of Pope at 
 Nuneham, one by Richardson, which has 
 been engraved, and forms the frontispiece 
 of an early edition of Pope's works; and 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 87 
 
 another by Sir Godfrey Kneller, a very 
 excellent and characteristic picture, in per- 
 fect condition. This picture is alluded to 
 in one of the letters which follow. The 
 servility of the style of some of these letters 
 is very little in accordance with the modern 
 notions of self-respect : — 
 
 *' Twiteuham, December i()t/i, 1721. 
 
 ''Mv Lord,— I know I need not give your 
 Lordship any thanks, or, if I should attempt it, 
 before the thanks would reach you I should find 
 the obligation doubled. I have sent Dr. Parnel's 
 book for the Duke, and think it happy that 
 I cannot go with it, since your Lordship will by 
 that means be my orator, an advantage so great, 
 that I think it would be my wisest way never 
 once to come near you whilst you are doing me 
 service, friendship, and honour. Believe me, my 
 Lord, (what you cannot but believe me), with the 
 sincerest respect and fidelity, 
 
 "Your most obedient servant, 
 
 " A. Pope." 
 
 *' TwitenJiam, Feb. 20, 1722'. 
 
 ** My Lord,— It is really the height of respect 
 to you that I do not write oftener : for every day 
 
 ' Note by Lord Harcourt, ** answered Feb. 21." 
 
 •«1 
 
 I 
 
if 
 
 k 
 
 88 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 since I saw your Lordship, I have had much 
 difficulty to refrain from telling you what you 
 need not be told, the warm sense I ever must 
 have of the obligations of every kind you have 
 layd, and daily are laying, upon me. I could 
 almost forget all respect and distance, and use 
 the phrase to you which I used to Mr. Harcourt, 
 (friendship), and never say (obligations) more. 
 
 ''The advice your Lordship gave me, has not 
 been the single reason of my stay here in the 
 country, for God and nature have given me 
 another, in my poor mother's illness, which has 
 been dangerous, though she now seems to re- 
 cover ; I think my melancholy office of attend- 
 ing her in this last decline of life, is much like 
 that of watching over a taper that is expiring ; 
 and even when it burns a little while brighter 
 than ordinary, is but the nearer going out ; and 
 such indeed are the very best intervals of life, 
 when so nigh its end. 
 
 " I have lately been struck with a thought upon 
 which, as upon all others, I would be determined 
 by your Lordship's advice. In case I am under 
 any displeasure of my Governours (however in- 
 nocently), I should be uneasy to be obliged, in 
 the affair of Homer, by any who dislike me : 
 neither do I believe you would have me. 
 
 "Your Lordship, I very well know, has de- 
 fended me to many, with that weight and suc- 
 
 TiiE Harcourt Papers. 
 
 89 
 
 cess which attends whatever defence is made by 
 you ; with my Lord Carteret I have had myself 
 an opportunity of eclaircisscmcnt, but I have a 
 particular inclination (if you judge it not un- 
 fitting) to write a word in the most respectful 
 terms to my Lord Chancellor, proposing to resign 
 my design on the Odysses to Tickell, in deference 
 to his judgement, and at the same time take oc- 
 casion to vindicate myself from the notion of 
 being a partyman, to him who is more absolutely 
 a stranger to me, than any man (I believe) in the 
 government. I've drawn up such a letter, which 
 I'll consult you upon, when I've the pleasure to 
 see your Lordship next : It will at least make 
 you smile, if it be good for nothing else. I fancy 
 in general, my appearing cool in the matter, and 
 taking upon me a kind of dignity while I am 
 abused and slandered, will have no ill effect ni 
 promoting it. My mother is not so ill, but she 
 will always remember her services to your family. 
 " I am ever, my Lord, 
 
 '* Your most faithfull servant, 
 
 "A. Pope." 
 
 " Tiuifnam, April -jth, 1722. 
 
 "My Lord,— You will too naturally allow the 
 misfortune of' want of sight to be a very great 
 one, but I assure your Lordship I never more 
 found it so, than when I met your coach and 
 
 N 
 
I 
 
 
 90 
 
 The Hakcourt Papers. 
 
 family on the road to the country, without know- 
 in- who you were, till you was past call. 1 was 
 going to London with the very design of c a,m- 
 in<. a most obliging promise, that yourself and 
 family would lose one day upon me at Twit nam. 
 How dissapointcd I returned to my mother (whom 
 I had filled with the same hope) at night. 
 
 « I am uncertain whether your Lordship sees 
 the town again this season. If you do. I wish 
 you would reflect, among the many kind and the 
 many good things you do, how greatly you might 
 please and reward a man who desires no greater 
 satisfaction than the honour of your company, 
 -ind no greater bribe than the continuance of your 
 friendly opinion. Be pleased to accept my most 
 sincere wishes for your happiness, which includes 
 that of a whole race that I am obliged to. 
 
 " I am, with the truest respect and acknow- 
 ledgement, my Lord, 
 
 " Your most obliged, most faithfuil, 
 humble servant, 
 
 " A. roi'E." 
 
 " To the A" lion'" the Lord Viscount Ilarcouti, 
 at Cockthorp, near Witney, Oxon." 
 
 " Tuesday, July \1, 172^. 
 
 " Mv Lc)RD,-Heanng by Mr. Vernon of your 
 Lordship's return to Town, and of the favourable 
 mention your Lordship made of me, and my httle 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 91 
 
 workes at Twickenham, I earnestly beg you will 
 now be so good to compleat my vanities, by 
 giving us the honour of your company one day, 
 whichsoever can be best spared from your better 
 affaires. A word to me from Mr. Rock wil 
 secure your Lordship from being starved tha 
 day, while there are chickens at Brentford, and 
 mutton at Twitnam. 
 
 " I am, with the sincerest respect, 
 " Your Lordship's most faithfuil, obliged servant, 
 
 " A. Pope." 
 
 "Saturday, 8 o'clock, Nov. 24, 1722. 
 
 "My Lord,— I was to see the Bishop' at his 
 Grate to-day, where I had a proof of what I be- 
 fore knew, and once took the liberty to mention 
 to your Lordship, his depcndance on your per- 
 sonal friendship for him. He desired me to ac- 
 quaint your Lordship, that he designs to trouble 
 you with a line or two, by the hands of my Lord 
 Carlisle, which he hopes no accident will hinder 
 your receiving to-morrow. 
 
 "I know your Lordship's humanity so well, 
 that I'm sure you'l be pleased if you can do any 
 good-natured office; and, were I myself in mis- 
 fortune, I should think I could feel but half its 
 weight while I had the happiness to have you 
 a friend to me in it. I hope I need not tell you 
 
 • Probably Bishop Atterbury. 
 
92 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 I cannot sleep till I have mended the epitaph, 
 the subject of which I shall never forget : tho' 
 I ought not to put you in mind of a point so 
 tender, but that 'tis necessary you should think 
 of his partiality to me, to make you continue 
 yours, to him who is with the greatest respect 
 and obligation, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 ** Your most faithfull, most obedient, 
 humble servant, 
 
 "A. PorE. 
 
 **0n iMonday I shall in person come to beg 
 your pardon for this scroll." 
 
 "• Miinday, 9 ahiock, May 5, 1723. 
 
 "My Lord, — Your Lordship gave me a hint, 
 in relation to what I was to say before the Lords, 
 and to the proper manner of answering, which 
 I thought would be of great service to me, as well 
 as extreamly obliging in your Lordship. I shall 
 certainly to the best of my memory observe it. 
 
 "But I have chanc't to drop a paper in which 
 I had set it down, and where I had entered 
 another memorandum to ask you about, which 
 makes me wish I had found an opportunity this 
 day, or early to-morrow, to talk further to your 
 Lordship hereon. I resolve to take an oppor- 
 tunity of declaring (even upon oath) how differ- 
 ent I am from what a reputed Papist is. I could 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 93 
 
 almost wish I were asked if I am not a Papist ? 
 Would it be proper, in such case, to reply, that 
 I don't perfectly know the import of the word, 
 and would not answer anything that might, for 
 ought I know, be prejudicial to me, during the 
 bill against such, which is depending. But that, 
 if to he a Papist be to profess and hold many such 
 tenets of faith as are ascribed to Papists, I am not 
 a Papist. A nd if to be a Papist, be to hold any 
 that are averse to, or destructive of the present 
 gover7iment, King, or Constitution ; I am 710 Pa- 
 pist. I very much wish I had your Lordship's 
 opinion a little more at large, since probably 
 I may not be called upon this day or to-morrow. 
 I know your humanity and particular kindness 
 to me, and therefore will add no more, but that 
 I am, what it is impossible for me not to be, 
 highly sensible of it, and entirely 
 " Your Lordship's most obliged, faithfull servant, 
 
 " A. Pope." 
 
 '^ Twitenham,fu7ie 21st, 1723. 
 
 "My Lord,— I write this to your Lordship 
 in the zeal and fulness of my heart, which has 
 scarce permitted me to stay till your return from 
 Oxfordshire (of which I had the news but to-day). 
 You have done me many and great favours, and 
 I have a vast deal to thank you for ; but I shall 
 now go near to forget all that is past, and perhaps 
 
be so ungrateful as never to mention it more ; 
 since everything you could hitherto do for me 
 is quite swallowed up and lost in what you have 
 now done, for me and for the whole nation, in 
 restoring to us my Lord Bolingbroke. 
 
 ** Allow me, my Lord, in a private letter to 
 phrase it thus plainly, and not to seek other 
 terms, to seem to lessen my particular obligation, 
 in ascribing any great part of it to any other 
 than yourself. Allow me further to say (with 
 a freedom which your Lordship's constant open- 
 ness, and may I presume to think friendship ? 
 has encouraged me to use it, with all possible 
 respect, to you :) That nothing which could have 
 been a mortification to me this year, either as to 
 the loss of any of my fortune, or any of my 
 friends, could have been so well recompensed, 
 as by this action of our Government. 
 
 "My personal esteem for, and obligation to, 
 my Lord Bolingbroke, are such, that I could 
 hardly complain of any afflictions, if I saw him 
 at the end of his. I know no real merit I have, 
 but in a sincerely and lasting sense of gratitude 
 to every friend I have found ; I can deeply grieve 
 in their grief, and rejoice in their joy. I have 
 had my share, very lately, in one ; and it is owing 
 to your Lordship that I shall now have my turn 
 in the other. 
 
 ** That' I may ever be happy in subjects of 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 95 
 
 congratulation, and never know an occasion of 
 condolence with your Lordship (after that great 
 one which I shall never forget, or the loss of that 
 friend, to whose recommendations I owe the hon- 
 our I have to call your Lordship so) : this, my 
 Lord, is the sincerest wish of him who shall ever 
 be with all truth, 
 
 " Your most faithfull and ever obliged servant, 
 
 " A. Pope." 
 
 " Iwitnain, August 22^*, 1723. 
 
 "My Lord, — It is a satisfaction to me to tell 
 your Lordship, that I shall not be any way dis- 
 appointed of the honour you intend me of filling 
 a place in your library with my picture \ 1 came 
 to Town yesterday, and got admission to Sir 
 Godfrey Kneller, who assured me the original 
 was done for your Lordship, and that you, and 
 no man but you, should have it. I saw the pic- 
 ture there afterwards, and was told then by his 
 man that you had sent and put a seal upon it ". 
 So I am certain this affair is settled. 
 
 - Give me leave, my Lord, with great sincerity, 
 to thank you for so obliging a thought, as thus 
 
 t This picture now hangs in the octagon draNving-rooin at 
 
 Nunchani. 
 
 « Kneller was said to have a habit of selling his pictures over 
 the heads of their proper owners to the highest bidders ; hence 
 the precaution taken by Lord Harcourt. 
 
/ 
 
 96 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 to make mc a sharer in the memory, as well as 
 I was in the love, of a person who was justly the 
 dearest object to you in the world : and thus to 
 be authorized by you to be called his friend, 
 after both of us shall be dust. I am ever with 
 all good wishes to your Lordship and your family 
 (in which too I must do my Mother the justice 
 
 to join her), 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 " Your most obliged and most faithfull servant, 
 
 ** A. Pope. 
 
 "Whether this will find you in the town or at 
 Cockthrop, I am ignorant ; but hope when you 
 return to wait upon your Lordship." 
 
 ''Twitaiham, Oct. 16, 1723. 
 
 "My Lord,— If your Lordship did not know 
 how much your welfLire is my interest, in very 
 many respects, I yet hope you could not but 
 think it extremely and warmly my wish, from 
 many better reasons than interest. I can scarce 
 use so cold a word to you as gratitude, your 
 Lordship and your family have a stronger title 
 to me, begun from your son, and not to end with 
 your grandson, if ever I live to see your great- 
 grandson. I beg to know that your Lordship is 
 fully recovered. I am easy enough in every other 
 article, for we are so well at home (my Mother 
 and I), that I want little or no news from abroad, 
 
 , 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 97 
 
 but that of the equal health and ease of those 
 I am to esteem and wish well. 
 
 *• I have lately received a long letter from Dean 
 Swift, in which a very affectionate mention is 
 made of your Lordship and a friend of yours. 
 The rest of it is spleenatic, and too philosophical 
 for this world ; I hope the Dean is fitter for the 
 next, or he is good for neither. But there is so 
 much wit and surly good sense in all he writes, 
 that one can hardly wish him in any point more 
 of one's own opinion, he sustains the contrary 
 
 so well. 
 
 "Speaking of letters, puts me in mind of a 
 complaint I forgot, when I last waited on you, 
 to trouble you with, (for your Lordship knows 
 I have a sort of right, by precedent, to trouble 
 you with all my complaints ; to other great men 
 I am silent and patient, to you only a grumbler). 
 They have whispered about the Town a story 
 of a strange letter writ by me to the Bishop 
 during his confinement, I have met with one or 
 two who have seen copies of such a pretended 
 letter, which I never writ. 
 
 " I wonder at these things, and am in the dark 
 to find for what end, or by what persons they 
 can be propagated. I will not longer take up 
 your Lordship's time; I believe you know my 
 sentiments of private respect and friendship not 
 to be inconsistent with publick quiet and alle- 
 
 o 
 
98 
 
 The HxVRCOurvT Papers. 
 
 giance. But even the most inconsiderable man 
 must be content thus far to share censure and 
 slander with the most eminent. All that either 
 you (my Lord) or I can do, is to stand acquitted 
 in the judgment of the best and most knowing 
 persons. If I am so in yours, and a few more 
 such persons (which I believe I must owe to you 
 too), I am satisfied, and so must the greatest man 
 
 in the nation. 
 
 " I am ever with sincerity and respect, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 '* Your Lordship's most obliged and most 
 faithfull, humble servant, 
 
 ''A. PorE." 
 
 " Twickenham, July 3, i725- 
 "My Lord, — It was my intention to put your 
 Lordship in mind of mc, not as an importunate, 
 but as a grateful follower of you ; for gratitude 
 is the only thing I know that I may eternally 
 pursue, w^ithout being impertinent. 
 
 "I heartily hope your Lordship finds every 
 advantage both of mind and body, health and 
 quiet, in perfection, and all that either the fair 
 weather of the season, or (which is better) the 
 fair weather of the soul, can afford you of content 
 and satisfaction. 
 
 " I should not omit acknowledging my receipt of 
 the Duke of Newcastle's subscription by the hands 
 
 V' 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 99 
 
 of my agent : but these are things I may forget 
 to acknowledge to you, and yet remain brim full 
 of acknowledgements, I have so very many of 
 
 a higher nature. 
 
 " Though, as I was saying, 'twas my resolution, 
 once at least to break in upon your retirement, 
 and make your Lordship and my Lady a country 
 visit upon paper, in a letter something longer 
 than I ought ; yet it now befalls (as it often does 
 in country gentlemen's visits of civility to men 
 in power), that the compliment is attended with 
 
 some petition. 
 
 "A very extraordinary instance of this will 
 appear in this letter. My Lord, I am in Law, 
 and in the worst Law, Spiritual Law : and my 
 Lord you are a party in it, in a very unexpected 
 manner. My Lady Kneller has petitioned the 
 Doctors Commons to pull down my Father's 
 Monument (in which also my Mother is to lye), 
 to make room for Sir Godfrey's ; on pretence that 
 there is no other place in the church large enough. 
 This only reason was allcdg'd in the monition 
 which was read in the church a week since. 
 
 " And I have proof given that the said monu- 
 ment is not so much as begun, so may be made 
 of any size : but she further alledges since, that 
 I promised Sir Godfrey to do so, which is false. 
 I formerly told your Lordship the whole trutli, 
 that he did ask me two things,— that I would write 
 
 

 his Epitaph, which I granted ; but as to the other, 
 of removing the tomb, I told him I apprehended 
 It was indecent, and that my Mother's consent 
 was requisite ; after which I never saw him more. 
 "The utmost I said, which he might mistake 
 for a consent, was merely not to disturb a dying 
 man, in these very words which I can swear to : 
 That I begged him to be easy, and I would do for 
 him whatccer I could zvith decency. My Lady was 
 by me informed to the contrary, first the day 
 after his funeral by her servant Byng, and a few 
 weeks after by myself. And this request was not 
 made to me till a few days before his death, 
 when he was almost in his agony, hardly (if at 
 all) compos vientisy and very unfit to be contra- 
 dicted peremptoraly. To strengthen this pretence, 
 she affirms that I received from Sir Godfrey some 
 pictures on this consideration. The fact of which 
 is that one was given me above a year before 
 (though never to this day finished), and sent in- 
 deed about that time she mentions. And another 
 was sent by him before I knezv anything of this 
 request of his. She has annexed this circumstance 
 very falsely. 
 
 "Your Lordship will wonder how you can be 
 any way concerned in all this. One of these 
 pictures is that of myself which hangs in your 
 library, which your Lordship well knows was an 
 exchange of Sir Godfrey's with you for another 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 lOI 
 
 picture which you had long before from him, and 
 not from me, and of which he took the honour. 
 But I have no proof of this. I could be very 
 glad of your Lordship's advice upon the whole : 
 some of the chief gentlemen of this parish have 
 entered their dissent, and signed a certificate to 
 object to the removal of the tomb. 
 
 "My Lord Strafford, whose pew butts upon 
 the place, has writ in strong terms to the Proctor, 
 to declare it will be dangerous to him to have 
 so large a monument as she proposes fixed in the 
 wall, and in general the precedent of such re- 
 movals is apprehended by them, as well as the 
 power of the Spiritual Court to cause them. 
 
 " Mr. Pigot tells me I may have a prohibition 
 at Common Law, even if the other Court do order 
 a removal. He advised me to write to your 
 Lordship, and wishes your authority and influ- 
 ence were employed any way to represent this 
 matter fairly, and intercede by any proper person 
 with the Bishop of London to put a stop hereto. 
 What has been hitherto done in it is this. The 
 monition was read, and I cited to appear in seven 
 days time. Mr. Pigot employed a Proctor who 
 appeared. Lady Kneller was ordered to give an 
 allegation next Court day, which is this day 
 sennight. 
 
 "If your Lordship can be the means to rid me 
 of this trouble, or to shorten it, I am pretty sure 
 
you will have pity on a man who has half Homer 
 on his shoulders, and a law-suit. I am in full 
 pursuit of my work, and 'tis the very time I should 
 have been least interrupted. Fray, my Lord, 
 excuse this trouble, and the most grateful wish 
 I can make you in return is, may you never know 
 a greater than I shall give you. 
 
 "I am, my Lord, with the sincerest respect, 
 "Your most obliged, and most FaithfuU servant, 
 
 " A. Pope. 
 "My Mother is in good heart, and sincerely 
 your servant ; poor old nurse is very ill. 
 
 " Saturday ?iighty 
 
 ''T7uitnam, March \'\ 1726. 
 
 " My Lord, — I have a particular favour to beg 
 of your Lordship, not only as it concerns a friend 
 of mine who has been personally injured, but as 
 it relates to what you ever have been more tender 
 of, than any private concern, even of your friends, 
 public justice and equity. I earnestly desire 
 your Lordship to be present at an affair relating 
 to a complaint against the Governor of Bermudas, 
 of which they are to move for a hearing, next 
 Saturday, at the Privy Council. I have cause 
 to believe it is such an affair, as will require the 
 notice of all honest men, and be no less agree- 
 able to your own love of justice, than to your 
 
 particular favour so long shewn to all that is 
 requested by, 
 " My Lord, 
 
 " Your most obliged, faithfull Servant, 
 
 *'A. Pope." 
 
 '' Wednesday, April, 1727. 
 
 '* My Lord, — I trouble your Lordship with the 
 answer I had from the Attorney concerning the 
 writings I sent for by your direction. What you 
 judge proper to be done next by me in it, I beg 
 your Lordship to inform me: If it require no 
 greater haste, I would gladly stay in the country 
 four or five days ; but whenever you please to 
 command me, I am nevertheless ready to come 
 to town. If I had no other cause to wait on you, 
 it is unfeignedly a sufficient one to me, to have 
 the pleasure of assuring you, my Lord, with what 
 truth and obligation 
 
 ''\ am, 
 " Your most faithfull and obedient Servant, 
 
 " A. Pope. 
 "My Mother's and my humblest respects to 
 Lady Harcourt." 
 
 In the year 1721, Lord Harcourt appears 
 to have endeavoured to shake off sad re- 
 
 '4 
 
I04 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 collections, by throwing himself more par- 
 ticularly into public affairs. 
 
 In October of that year he received the 
 followino- letters from Lord Carteret and 
 
 Lord Sunderland : — 
 
 " October s*^y 172 1. 
 
 " My Lord,— When Mr. Tench brought me the 
 other day the honour of your Lordship's letter 
 of the I'' instant, my surprise would have been 
 equal to my concern, if he had not told me, 
 at the same time, that I had no occasion to an- 
 swer your letter, because Mr. Jefifery's warrant had 
 been signed that day, of which he would acquaint 
 you. As soon as the bill shall come to me, it 
 shall not be delayed one moment, and shall be 
 dispatched to my Lord Privy Seal by a mes- 
 senger. 
 
 "Happy should I thinke myselfe, if I had 
 greater and stronger occasions of showing with 
 how much truth and zeal 
 " I am, my Lord, 
 
 " Your Lordship's most humble and most 
 
 obedient Servant, 
 
 " Carteret." 
 
 " October io'\ 1721. 
 "My Lord,— The Parliament being certainly 
 to sitt to do business on the I9*^ I hope your 
 
 Lordship will pardon the liberty I take in in- 
 treating you would hasten your coming up ; for 
 as the "setting out well is half-in-half, so I should 
 very much wish you could be here some time 
 this week, before the speech is settled. I write 
 by this post to Lord President, to beg he would 
 hasten his return. 
 
 " I am ever with great truth and respect, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 *' Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 "Sunderland." 
 
 In the same year that the above letter 
 was written, Lord Sunderland resigned office, 
 on being accused of receiving fictitious stock; 
 and Mr. Walpole, having done all he could to 
 defend him, consented to occupy his place \ 
 
 Lord Harcourt at this period identified 
 himself more closely with the policy of 
 Walpole, without, however, surrendering his 
 
 principles. 
 
 Walpole, who had long sought his as- 
 sistance, was only too glad to secure his 
 Co-operation, without questioning his opin- 
 ions ; and he shortly afterwards testified 
 
 X This was connected with the South Sea bubble ; Walpole con- 
 tinued Prime Minister for twenty-one years. 
 
 ■ ip i i iiiiii li iigiiiiiiii^^ 
 
his appreciation of Lord Harcourt's merits, 
 by obtaining for him a step in the Peerage, 
 as well as a renewal of his pension. 
 
 In 1722, Lord Harcourt was made once 
 more a Privy Councillor, and on the 19th 
 of August of the same year, Mr. Walpole 
 wrote to him as follows : — 
 
 "My Lord,— Your Lordship gave mc leave 
 to give you this trouble, to desire your company 
 here in town, to have your Lordship's advice 
 and assistance in preparing matter for the en- 
 suing session of Parliament. I am just come 
 from Lord President, who is desirous to see you 
 here by this day sennitt ; but if it suits at all 
 with your Lordship's private affairs to take a day 
 or two more in the country, I see no inconve- 
 nience in staying till the middle of next week. 
 •* I am in great truth and respect, 
 " My Lord, 
 
 " Your Lordship s most faithful, humble servant, 
 
 *' R. Walpole." 
 
 The following letter from Walpole, dated 
 Whitehall, Oct. II, 1723. has reference to 
 the pension : — 
 
 "My Lord,— I send your Lordship inclosed 
 your exchequer order for the ^^2,000 due to your 
 
 ' 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 107 
 
 Lordship at Michaelmas last Be pleased to in- 
 dorse your name, and return the order to me, 
 and the money will be paid to whomsoever shall 
 take out the order, and call for the money. We 
 have agreed to send the addresses of the Par- 
 liament of Ireland over to Hanover, and the 
 answer I shall humbly suggest as proper for his 
 Majesty to give, will be to express in generall 
 his concern at the uneasiness this patent has 
 given to the Parliament of Ireland, and to tell 
 them that he will do all that is in his power to 
 give them satisfaction. I hope, my Lord, you 
 have found the benefit of the country, for nobody 
 more sincerely wishes for your health and pros- 
 perity, than, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 "Your Lordship's most faithful, humble servant, 
 
 " R. Walpole. 
 
 " Lord Cooper is dead." 
 
 In this same year, 1723, Lord Harcourt 
 used his utmost endeavours, and not with- 
 out some success, to obtain a measure of 
 relief for his old colleagues. 
 
 On the 26th of July, 1723, we find the 
 following letter from Lord Bolingbroke :— 
 
 "My Lord,— I think it a case of conscience 
 to interrupt your Lordship in the enjoyment of 
 
io8 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 the pleasure of the country, which you love so 
 well, and can follow so little. But a return 
 of my feavour, which Dr. Mead hopes he has 
 stopped by the Bark, makes me in haste to be 
 going for Aix, where he thinks I may promise 
 myself to find a radical cure for this ill habit 
 
 of body. 
 
 "There are some other reasons which have 
 arisen since your Lordship left us, that incline 
 me to go away about Thursday or Friday sev'n- 
 ni^ht, which term is later than your Lordship set 
 for your return. If by any accident your return 
 should be deferred, I must beg leave to wait on 
 you in the country, or desire you to give me 
 a meeting where it may be least inconvenient 
 to your Lordship, on the road ; for I cannot think 
 of leaving England without embracing the person 
 to whom I owe the obligation of having seen 
 it once more. I will not descend into any par- 
 ticulars att present, but cannot help saying that 
 I see some clouds rise, which it is certainly much 
 more easy to hinder from gathering, than to dis- 
 pel when gathered. I am, and shall be in all 
 circumstances of life, and in all the countrys of 
 
 the world, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 *' Your Lordship's most faithful and 
 obedient Servant, 
 
 "Bolingbroke." 
 
 i 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 109 
 
 Another letter from Lord Bolingbroke 
 is dated from Dawley farm, March 22nd, 
 
 1725 •— 
 
 " My Lord,— Whilst I am here, troubling my- 
 self very little about anything beyond the extent 
 of my farm, I am the subject of some conver- 
 sations in Town, which one would not have ex- 
 pected. I'll mention one of these to your Lord- 
 ship ; Arthur Moore has in two several companies, 
 answered persons who were inquisitive, whether 
 my attainder would be repealed in this session, 
 by saying that it could not be imagined the 
 Government would do anything in my favour 
 whilst I was caballing against it with Mr. Pultney. 
 *' If this report was to be thrown into the world, 
 Arthur Moore might with a better grace have 
 left it to be propagated by some other emissary ; 
 and if it be designed as an excuse for leaving 
 me in my present condition, than which none 
 more cruel can be invented, I do assure your 
 Lordship that the excuse shall not stand good. 
 
 ''I have very much esteem for Mr. Pultney, 
 I have met with very great civility from him, and 
 shall on all occasions behave myself towards him 
 like a man that is obliged to him ; but, my Lord, 
 I have no private correspondence, or even conver- 
 sation with him, and whenever I appeal to the 
 Kino-, and beg leave to plead my cause before 
 
him, I will take care that his Ministers shall not 
 have the least pretence of objection to make to 
 me in any part of my conduct. I will only say 
 upon this occasion, that if I had caballed against 
 them, there would have been other things said than 
 w^ere said, and another turn of opposition given. 
 
 "I dare say your Lordship acquits me upon 
 this head ; but I do not know if you will so easily 
 forgive me the length of this letter upon so trifling 
 a subject. Do in the matter what you think 
 proper ; perhaps you will mention it to my Lord 
 Privy Seal, as I shall do when I have the honour 
 of seeing him. My return to London will de- 
 pend upon the arguing my plea in Chancery, and 
 that cannot be long delayed. 
 
 " I am faithfully your Lordship's most 
 obedient, humble Servant, 
 
 *' BOLINGBROKE." 
 
 The following letter was addressed by 
 Lord Harcourt to Lord Bolingbroke. The 
 copy kept by Lord Harcourt bears no 
 date : — 
 
 '*My Lord, — To whatever cause your Lord- 
 ship may have ascribed the continuance of your 
 persecution, I am confident you will not think 
 it owing to the coolness of my sollicitation for 
 you. It is certain that a more favourable con- 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 junction could never have happened. I have the 
 strongest assurances of his Majesty's gracious 
 disposition towards you, and I believe in my 
 conscience that Lord Sunderland and Mr. Wal- 
 pole are heartily and affectionately concerned 
 for you, and grieved that nothing has been yet 
 done for you in Parliament. 
 
 " I should not deal sincerely with your Lord- 
 ship, should I endeavour to persuade you it was 
 not in their power to have passed a Bill for recall- 
 ing you during this session in the most honorable 
 manner ; the malice of a very few, and either real 
 or pretended fears of many of the Whig party, 
 who might possibly have been dissatisfied, and 
 the declaration thereof sent by some persons of 
 great names or titles, whom I believe neither my 
 Lord S. nor Mr. W. would willingly disquiet, are, 
 I am able to discover, the best reasons, weak as 
 you will think them, for what has happened. 
 
 "I know not whether your Lordship could or 
 ought to forgive me should I importunately beg 
 you any how to preserve your temper, and give 
 any credit to the assurance we send you from 
 hence. 1 can with the greatest truth say, that 
 such an assurance from your Lordship would 
 give me the greatest satisfaction, not being yet 
 able to imagine that your Lordship ought to 
 despair. Give me leave, however, most truly to 
 declare my opinion to you, that I am far from 
 
 / 
 
having laid aside the just hope I had of your 
 
 return. 
 
 "I had a long discourse concerning you two 
 days since with Mr. Walpole. He was pleased 
 to make the strongest declarations and profes- 
 sions of his concern and friendship for you ; he 
 promises to write by the same express this even- 
 ing. I doubt not but he will do so, and must 
 refer myself to what he writes. 
 
 "I must own to you that Mr. Walpole and 
 I have some time differed concerning you during 
 this session. He proposed to me a Bill to pre- 
 serve your paternal estate for you, and to enable 
 you to hold any personal estate you had acquired 
 since your attainder, or might hereafter acquire ; 
 I could not easily depart from what I thought 
 might have been as easily attained, the reversion 
 of your attainder, but that he told me the party 
 would not at this time bear. 
 
 " It would without doubt follow as a thing of 
 course a small time after. How far my grasping 
 at more than could be got may have hindered 
 what you might have had, I cannot say, I know 
 you will pardon me my good intentions, if it did ; 
 I can only add, that for some time past a difficulty 
 seems to have been apprehended at the obtaining 
 or proposing any Bill whatever for you during 
 this session. As soon as at this time it appeared 
 nothing of the kind was now to be attempted, 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 1 1 
 
 I endeavoured to represent the apparent hardship 
 you must be under till an Act should pass. 
 
 ^* As to your paternal estate, Mr. Walpole seems 
 much more sanguine than I am. He thinks the 
 death of your father, should that happen before 
 any Act passes for you, could be no disservice 
 to you, he says that would of necessity bring the 
 matter before Parliament. He assures me he 
 would in that case openly declare and venture 
 everything for your service, and he seems not to 
 have the least diffidence of his succeeding for 
 you. He desires that imagination may not give 
 you the least disturbance. 
 
 **What I represented to Lord S. and Mr. W. 
 in Madame Vilette's affair sensibly affected them. 
 They could not at first apprehend it possible that 
 Decker could act so vile a part, and therefore 
 desired me to meet Decker with Woodford his 
 solicitor, and discourse the affair before Lord S. 
 and Mr. W., to which I readily consented. I met 
 Decker accordingly, but Woodford refused to 
 come with him, on a specious pretence that he 
 was not an equal match to debate a matter of 
 law with me. Decker was got to the Lord's be- 
 fore me, and as soon as he came declared that 
 he was resolved not to open his mouth, or say 
 one word good or bad whilst I should be there; 
 however, on my coming in, and at my Lord's 
 request stating the facts as short as I could, he 
 
 Q 
 
114 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 did at last break silence, being provoked to do 
 so by what I said, which yet he did not so much 
 as pretend to contradict. 
 
 " His first and great complaint was, how much 
 he had lost by subscribing Madame Vilette's 
 annuitys. My answer to it was very short, that 
 Mr. Drummond by Madame Vilette's command 
 forbid him to subscribe them ; to which he had 
 returned an answer that he had subscribed 'em 
 on his own account only. He could not deny it, 
 but said he mentioned it only to shew the hard- 
 ness of his case, that he did not insist on any 
 allowance for the loss, but thought it unreason- 
 able that he should run the hazard of any fur- 
 ther loss. 
 
 " That he had heard Madame Vilette was mar- 
 ried >', and if that should prove true, he might 
 be forced to pay the money over again. How or 
 from whom he had received that information he 
 could not say, or that he had assurance of the 
 marriage. He was told, however that fact might 
 appear, it would be necessary for Mr. Drummond 
 only to be satisfied, before he should pay the 
 money to Madame Vilette: that Sir Mathew 
 seemed unconcerned in it, he being a trustee 
 only for Mr. Drummond, and that Sir M. had 
 the less reason to concern himself in it, having 
 
 y Madame Vilette was married to Lord Bolingbroke, as his 
 second wife. 
 
 
 had no other knowledge or intimation of the mar- 
 riage than an uncertain rumour thereof, from he 
 knew not whom. 
 
 '• Your most faithful and obedient Servant, 
 
 " Harcourt." 
 
 The following paper, in Bollngbrokes 
 handwriting, refers to the affair mentioned 
 in Lord Harcourt's letter : — 
 
 " By virtue of the powers given me on the other 
 side by the Marquise de Villette, I do hereby 
 authorise Mr. John Drummond to agree and con- 
 clude with Sir Mathew Decker in the following 
 manner. That the price of the bank annuitys 
 for which Sir Mathew is accountable to the said 
 Mr. Drummond, and Mr. Drummond is account- 
 able to the Marquise de Villette, be fixed at 
 ninety-seven, which will make forty-eight thou- 
 sand five hundred pounds due from Sir Mathew. 
 
 " That to discharge part of this debt, the Ten 
 Thousand pounds due from the Duke of Chandos 
 be accepted. That for the remainder Southsea 
 Stock be accepted at one hundred, and whereas 
 this Stock will yield five per cent, till the year 
 1727, Mr. Drummond may make an allowance 
 of one per cent, upon thirty-eight thousand five 
 hundred pounds to Sir Mathew Decker for four 
 years, which allowance may be deducted imme- 
 diately out of the capital of thirty-eight thousand 
 
 i 
 
ii6 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 five hundred pounds which he is to pay to Mr. 
 Drummond. This is more than Sir Mathcw ought 
 to expect from the Marquisse de Villette, and 
 is all I can allow. Since no interest will begin 
 to run to her profit on this sume but from mid- 
 summer, it is but reasonable that the interest 
 which would have been due upon the annuitys, 
 should be made good to her up to that time. 
 
 " If Sir Mathew does not like this proposal, 
 Mr. Drummond may accept from him forty-eight 
 thousand five hundred pounds in ready money, 
 or thirty-eight thousand five hundred pounds in 
 ready money, and the Duke of Chandos's Mort- 
 gage for ten Thousand. August 12, 1723. 
 
 " BOLINGBROKE." 
 
 *'Je prie Monsieur John Drummond de dis- 
 poser des cinquante mille livres sterling que jay 
 dans les Annuitcs d'Angleterre a quattre pour cent, 
 selon les ordres que luy en donnera par ecrit 
 Mi Lord de S"^ Jean Vicomte de Bolingbroke, et 
 je promets de ratificr toutte les foit que bcsoin 
 en sera les dits ordres de mi Lord Bolingbroke, 
 aussy bien que de remettre a Sieur John Drum- 
 mond la reconnoissance que jay de luy de ces 
 cinquante mille livres sterling, datt'ce de Paris 
 le 28 de Decembre, 1719, quand bcsoin en sera; 
 fait a la Tour, ce 20 Jeun, 1723. 
 
 *'Marcillv dk Villette." 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 117 
 
 In 1723, Lord Harcourt was made a Lord 
 Justice, to represent the King during his 
 absence in Hanover; and this office was 
 annually conferred upon him during the 
 remainder of George the First's life. 
 
 In June, 1727, the King died during his 
 residence abroad, and Lord Harcourt was 
 one of those who attended the first Coun- 
 cil of George the Second, which was held 
 at Leicester House ^ Parliament was pro- 
 rogued on the 17th of July. 
 
 On the 19th of June, Lord Harcourt had 
 written the letter which follows to Sir Ro- 
 bert Walpole : — 
 
 "This evening Mr. Moore came to see me. 
 He expressed himself with great concern lest 
 somewhat I said to you in the Council chamber 
 at our late meeting there might have given you 
 just cause of dissatisfaction. Nothing could have 
 more surprised me than such a account. 
 
 * "Leicester House, which used to be a desert, was thronged 
 from morning to night like the Change at noon. But Sir Robert 
 Walpole walked through these rooms as if they had been still 
 empty. His presence, that used to make a crowd wherever he 
 appeared, now emptied every corner he turned to."— Lofd Hei-z'ey's 
 Memoirs of the First Days of the Reign of George the Second. 
 
ii8 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 " From the first moment T entered into his late 
 Majesty's service, my zealous endeavours to pro- 
 mote it were never wanting, and I have often 
 pleased myself with an opinion that you have 
 always thought those endeavours sincere, and had 
 therefore honoured me with some share of your 
 friendship and esteem. Upon the late surprising 
 news*, which was brought to me about 3 in the 
 morning, you would not believe me should I not 
 tell you that my first cool thoughts were touch- 
 ing my own affairs, but it is with the greatest 
 truth I can assure you my second were upon 
 yours : on my return to London I ordered Rock 
 to find you out, if possible, either at Chelsea or 
 in Arlington Street, before I should come to 
 Town, and to learn when and where you would 
 give me leave to wait on you. 
 
 "I had little more to have said to you, than 
 to have expressed my just sense of all your 
 favours, and my earnest desire to continue to 
 receive the honour of your commands. Could 
 you think me capable in any thing of promoting 
 the public interest or yours, I beg you to believe 
 that I shall never depart from those sentiments. 
 Though I was in very great disturbance when 
 I mett you at Leicester House, yet I cannot think 
 I was out of my senses, therefore I am willing 
 to believe Mr. Moore mistook you. 
 
 • The death of George the First. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 119 
 
 I 
 
 '' If you really took any thing ill which I then 
 said, I am unable to guess what it was. Let me 
 therefore entreat you, when you can find so much 
 leisure, to let me know where and at what time 
 I may wait on you to assure you that there is no 
 man living who more sincerely or affectionately 
 wishes the continuance and increase of your hon- 
 our and happiness than. Sir, 
 
 " Your most faithful and obedient Servant, 
 
 '' Harcourt." 
 
 In answer to this letter Walpole invited 
 Lord Harcourt to visit him; and accord- 
 ingly, he set out for Chelsea on the 23rd 
 of July. When he arrived at Walpole's 
 house he was seized with paralysis, and 
 was immediately taken back to Harcourt 
 House in Cavendish Square. 
 
 Sir John Evelyn, who was brother to 
 Mrs. Harcourt, the Chancellor s daughter-in- 
 law, made the following entry in his Diary, 
 for an extract from which I am indebted 
 to the kindness of Mr. William Evelyn of 
 Wotton : — 
 
 "July 23. As I was dressing to goe to church 
 this mornincr, being Sunday near eleven, came 
 
I20 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 a servant from my Lady Harcourt to acquaint 
 me my Lord was dying, upon which I imme- 
 diately went to Cavendish Square, where I found 
 his LordsP very ill in bed. Being to goe to 
 Cockthorp y* next morning early, he went to 
 Chelsea at eight this morning to take his leave 
 of S^ Robert Walpole, and just as he was step- 
 ping out of his chariot, Mr. Rock his secretary, 
 who was with him, thought he did not make 
 much use of his left leg, however he made a shift 
 to gett into the house and satt down ; but when 
 S'^ Rob* Walpole came to him, he cou'd not rise, 
 nor speak to be understood, upon which he was 
 put into his coach and carried home, and had 
 five men to carry him upstairs. 
 
 "When I came he was perfectly sensible and 
 cou'd speak, but not plain, his mouth being drawn 
 aside. D^ Mead ordered him to be blooded, 
 and gave him Hiera picra, and in the evening 
 
 he was Cupt. 
 
 "July 24. This afternoon, when I stood by 
 poor L<^ Harcourt's bed, he ask'd me after y^ 
 Cornish elections, and seemed to like to hear 
 news, and I told him that of L^ Berkeley and 
 M^ Chetwin being removed from y*^ Admiralty ; 
 and S^ Rob* Walpole, whom he sent for, coming 
 in y"" afternoon, he talk'd very easily to him, 
 as S"* Rob* told me himself when he came 
 from him, and D'". Mead thought him so much 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 121 
 
 better in all respects that he had hopes of his 
 recovery. 
 
 "July 25. This morning his pulse was so much 
 worse that he gave him over. 
 
 "July 29. However, he did not dye till two 
 this morning, having born his sickness with great 
 patience and resignation, and received the Sacra- 
 ment two days before, and given his Grandson 
 very good adv^ice. His case was a dead palsey, 
 and he was but in his sixty-seventh year, and 
 I thought likely to live many years as any one 
 of his age. 
 
 "The night before he was seized, my son and 
 I were with him near an hour, afid never imagin'd 
 his end was so near. About twelve this day his 
 will was open'd and read by Mr. Rock, consisting 
 of five skins of parchment by which he appoints 
 Mr. Rowney of Oxford, Mr. Mead the lawyer, 
 brother of the Physitian, Mr. RocTc and myself, 
 Executors and Guardians in conjunction with my 
 Lady Harcourt, to whom he gives ^1,000 legacy, 
 all her jewels and dressing-plate, the use of all 
 his furniture in town and country for life; to his 
 Grand-daughters my Nieces ;6^5,ooo a-piece. 
 
 "August 3. I sett out with my Nephew y^ 
 young Lord Harcourt to attend his Grandfather's 
 corpse into Oxfordshire. Hee lay at Nettlebed. 
 
 "August 4. About six this evening the dismal 
 ceremony was performed in Stanton Harcourt 
 
 R 
 
church, the Pall was born by y^ Earls of Claren- 
 don, Litchfield, and Abington, S^ John Doyley, 
 S^ Rob* Walter, S^ Robert Jenkinson, and S^ 
 Jonathan Cope, Baronets, and M^ Clark of All 
 Souls; y« young Lord, supported by S'^ John 
 Stonhouse and myself, being chief mourner, fol- 
 lowed by Mr. Rowney, Mr. Jennens, &c. 
 
 " The body was deposited in a vault under y"^ 
 chancel belonging to his family, where there is 
 a monument of one that was K^ of y^ Garter in 
 Ed. the IV^^'' time, and his Lady with a bracelet 
 resembling y^ Garter on one of her arms, which 
 is very particular. I saw there the Latin '^ in- 
 scription on my brother Harcourt, with Popes 
 four lines under it, in an handsome piece of mar- 
 ble, with a neat moulding round it. 
 
 "The coach y*^ young Lord, Mr. Jennens, Mr. 
 Rock, and myself were going in to Cockthrop, two 
 miles further, was overturned by y^' carelessness 
 of y^ Coachman and Postilion, and I received 
 a considerable blow on y« left side of my face, 
 which swelled a good deal, and was very painfull ; 
 but y^ rest of y' company escaped without any 
 
 «» The inscription now in existence upon the marble, consists 
 of two stanzas by Pope, both in English, as before recorded. The 
 only Latin epitaph in the church is by Congreve ; it is in the 
 Chancel, and commemorates one of the Huntingdon famdy. 
 Query, what has become of the Latin epitaph to Simon liar- 
 court, which was also mentioned by Lord Harcourt in his letter 
 to Pope ? 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 123 
 
 hurt except Mr. Rock, who complained of sore- 
 ness in his bones y^ next day. 
 
 "August 5. After seeing y^ library, y'^ fine 
 apartments furnished with Crimson velvet, and 
 y« new offices, built since I was there in 172 1, and 
 walking round y^ garden, I sett out for London 
 with Mr. Jennens, who I carried to WithamS 
 where I dined with my Aunt^ his mother, and 
 in y' evening gott to Henley." 
 
 The following is an extract from the 
 Parish register at Stanton Harcourt : — 
 
 " July the 28^ 1727. The Right Honourable 
 Simon Lord Viscount Harcourt, and Baron of 
 Stanton Harcourt, was buried in Linncn, &c. : 
 and notice given that the penalty enjoined by 
 Act of Parliament was answered, 
 
 *'J. Parsons, Ministcrr 
 
 Lord Harcourt had two daughters who 
 grew up to woman's estate ; the elder, Anne, 
 married John Barlow, Esq., of Slebeck in 
 Pembrokeshire; the second, Arabella, mar- 
 ried Herbert Aubrey, Esq., of Clay Hanger 
 in Herefordshire. 
 
 c Wittenham. 
 
 d Mrs. Jenyns was the youngest daughter of Sir Samuel IVloyer, 
 and sister of Mrs. Le Bas, whose daughter young Lord Harcourt 
 married. 
 
124 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Lord Harcourt married, as his second 
 wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Richard 
 Spencer, and widow of Richard Anderson, 
 Esq., who was second son of Sir R. An- 
 derson, of Pendley in Derbyshire. 
 
 She was three years older than Lord 
 Harcourt; she died in June, 1724, in the 
 sixty-seventh year of her age, and was buried 
 at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 I have found the following curious docu- 
 ment, written by Lord Harcourt's secretary, 
 and which appears to have anticipated all 
 the arrangements that were to be carried 
 out when Lady Harcourt died :— 
 
 ^^June 14, 1724. 
 
 ** First, If my Lady dyes on or before Wednes- 
 day next, her funeral shall be at Stanton Har- 
 court on Tuesday the 23^^ of this Instant June; 
 if my Lady dyes after Wednesday next, her fu- 
 neral shall be on that day sen'night on which she 
 shall happen to dye. 
 
 "2. Will. Jones will be left in Town, and im- 
 mediately on my Lady's death must be sent to 
 Cockthrop to give notice of it. 
 
 « 3. Mr. Friend must be ordered to provide an 
 
 \ 
 
 handsome Hearse and six good horses, and three 
 mourning coaches with six horses to each of 'em, 
 and four horsemen in mourning to be sent with 
 
 them. 
 
 "4. There must be a leaden coffin, to be put 
 within another coffin which is to be covered with 
 good black velvet with gilt nails and hinges, and 
 a gilt-brass plate with the following Inscription 
 
 on it : — 
 
 "*The R^ Hon^K Elizabeth Lady Vicountess 
 Harcourt, Second wife of Simon Lord Viscount 
 Harcourt, dy'd the day of in the 
 
 year of our Lord 1724, and in the sixty-seventh 
 
 year of her age.' 
 
 "5. The Hearse and Mourning Coaches must 
 take up the Corps at three in the morning the 
 day before the funeral, and carry it that night 
 to Nettlebed, which is thirty-three miles. The 
 next day they have but eighteen miles to Stanton 
 Harcourt, where they must be by four of the 
 clock in the afternoon, there being a feriy to cross 
 over a mile before they come to the church, which 
 will take up the Hearse and all the Coaches about 
 half an hour's time. 
 
 " 6. The Coffin must be taken out of the Hearse 
 at the Manor-house, where the Pall-bearers will 
 be ready to attend it to the Church. 
 
 "There is not any place of entertainment at 
 Stanton Harcourt, or for the Hearse or Coaches 
 
 'I 
 
t TC 
 
 to sett up, so that they must all return back to 
 Abingdon, or as much further as they please, as 
 soon as the body is carryed to church ; except only 
 one mourning coach, which is to carry Mrs. Field 
 and me to Cockthrop, from whence they must go 
 the same evening to Kingston Inne or Abingdon. 
 
 " 7. Mr. Friend must provide a carriage to be 
 at Stanton Harcourt a day before the funeral, in 
 which Lady Evelyn will direct several suits of 
 mourning and some other small things to be 
 carryd down, and Mr. Friend may send in it such 
 gloves as shall be ordered for the Funeral, and 
 also mourning rings. 
 
 " 8. Lady Evelyn is desired to bespeak thirty- 
 five gold enamelled rings of 20'^ weight with this 
 inscription, * E. Viscountess Harcourt, ob. Jun. 
 A.D. 1724. JEt Suai 67. ;' and six other gold rings 
 not enamelled, each of lo'^ weight, which rings 
 must be of a pretty large size. Let 28 of the 20'' 
 rings, and the six ten shilling rings be sent down 
 by Mr. Friend's carriage the day before the fu- 
 neral. 
 
 "Shammy gloves, scarves, and hatbands, for 
 six Bearers and for D^ Blechinden and Mr. Par- 
 sons the Minister, and least any other person may 
 be there, bring a few more shammy gloves and 
 
 hatbands. 
 
 **9. A chief mourner's cloak, and a cloak for 
 Mr. James Stonhouse and Mr. Jennens. 
 
 '' 10. Ordinary gloves for Hearsemen, and three 
 coachmen, and four postillions. 
 
 "II. Eight doz. of large black gloves for men 
 
 tenants. 
 
 " 12. Three doz. of black gloves for women 
 
 tenants. 
 
 " 13. Four pair of women's shammy. 
 
 " 14. Five yards of black cloth, the best, must 
 be carryd down for the pulpit cloth, and as much 
 black bays as is necyssary for the reading-desk, 
 and as much common black cloth as vvill cover 
 two coffins which are now in the Vault, and must 
 be covered the day before the funeral. 
 
 ''15. Buckram escutcheons for the hearse as 
 soon as they are over the ferry, and other buck- 
 ram escutcheons for pulpit and reading-desk, and 
 silk escutcheons for the Pall. Q'^. what number 
 
 sufficient. 
 
 *'At Mr. Harcourt's funeral twenty-four buck- 
 ram escutcheons were put on the hearse, and 
 twelve buckram escutcheons on the pulpit and 
 reading-desk, and fifteen silk escutcheons on the 
 Pall, and twelve buckram escutcheons to be given 
 to the tenants, of which six are to be given to 
 
 the bearers. 
 
 ** 16. Mourning cloaths must be made for my 
 Lord, for Mr. Wall, the cook. Will. Little, John 
 Porter, Will. Jones, and Will Hyde, all these 
 cloaths must be sent down by Mr. Friend, so as 
 
to be at Stanton Harcourt before noon the day 
 
 before the funeral. 
 
 "17. Mourning must be also made for John 
 Kinsbury, the postillion, and Mrs. Harcourt's man, 
 but 'twill be time enough if their mourning be 
 ready by the time Mrs. Harcourt comes out of 
 town with the mourning coach, and Rock will 
 give 'em Notes to Gilbert the hatter for hatts. 
 
 "18. Master Harcourt must also have proper 
 mourning, as to which Mrs. Harcourt is desired 
 to give directions, and for linnen and anything 
 else he wants. Let Cave make him a perriwig 
 and lett out his present best wig. 
 
 " 19. All the coloured Livcrys and lac'd hatts 
 must be sent down by the first opportunity. 
 
 "20. Mrs. Harcourt's man must find out W"^ 
 Thomas, my Lord's shoemaker, and order him 
 to make my Lord a pair of shammy shoes, which 
 must be sent down in Mr. Friend's carriage. 
 
 "21. No gloves, hatbands, rings, or scarves to 
 be distributed but by Mr. Rock. 
 
 " 22. Let West the coachmakcr in Broad-street 
 be sent for to Lady Evelyn as soon as may be 
 after my Lady's decease, and ordered to pro- 
 vide a mourning coach for my Lord with the 
 uttmost expedition, according to the proposal 
 which West made, which was that he should 
 provide cloth, and everything necessary for the 
 coach at his own expense, and that my Lord 
 
 should pay him £z<, for it, and West to have 
 the coach again at the end of the year; and 
 that he would also put a pair of harness, to be 
 used in Towm, into mourning. 
 
 "West offered that my Lord should buy the 
 cloth himself if he pleased, and he would abate 
 for it out of the £lS ; but my Lord thinks there 
 will be less trouble if he were to provide the 
 mourning, so as he first shews the cloth to Lady 
 Evelyn for her approbation. 
 
 ** My Lord's coronets must be put on the top 
 of the coach, and either new ones made for the 
 purpose, or those on my Lord's coach taken off 
 and blacked. West promised he would get the 
 coach done in a fortnight at furthest, and he must 
 be prepared to do so, Mrs. Harcourt staying in 
 Town on purpose for it. 
 
 "The brass work of the harness must be all 
 black'd, and, in order to it, they will be sent to 
 Town in a week's time ; but there is not any hurt 
 in covering a pair of harness with black cloth 
 for the Town— that may be let alone till further 
 orders." 
 
 The entry in the Stanton Harcourt re- 
 eister stands thus : — 
 
 "June 23, 1724. The Right honourable the 
 Lady Elizabeth Viscountess Harcourt, and wife 
 
I30 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 of the Right honorable Lord Viscount Harcourt, 
 and Baron of Stanton Harcourt, was buried in 
 linnen, and notice given of it to mc, June the 2e\ 
 and that the penaUy enjoined by the Act of Par- 
 liament for that purpose was answered. 
 
 "Jos. Parsons, Ministerr 
 
 Lord Harcourt married thirdly, in Oc- 
 tober, 1724, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Tho- 
 mas Vernon, of Twickenham Park, Middle- 
 sex, and widow of Sir John Walter, of 
 Sarsden in Oxfordshire. His third wife 
 survived him. He had no family by either 
 of his two last wives. 
 
 He appears to have been very much 
 attached to his grandchildren. The follow- 
 ing letter was written to him by his grand- 
 daughter " Patty." She married when she 
 grew up, George, first Lord Vernon, as 
 his third wife. She became, on the failure 
 of the male line, ancestress of the only 
 remaining descendants of Lord Harcourt, 
 and was great-grandmother of the present 
 possessor of the Harcourt estates : — 
 
 
 !' 
 
 ; 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 131 
 
 " Dear Grandpapa,— It was with a great deal 
 of pleasure that 1 heard that your Lordship, 
 and my Lady, and Aunt, were well in Town. 
 We came here yesterday about four o'clock with 
 very sorrowfull hearts, after having been in many 
 perils ; and be assured, my Lord, we shall always 
 be content wherever you please that we should 
 be, tho- certainly our hearts will always be with 
 
 you. 
 " We have been in the garden, there has been 
 
 a great blite, there is very few cherrys, but those 
 are very fine ; there is a pretty many peaches and 
 necttrons, but they fall in great quantitys off the 
 trees; there will be great plenty of very fine 
 grapes, both here and at Stanton Harcourt, and 
 there is scarce a dozen plombs in the whole gar- 
 den ; 'tis in great order. 
 
 "I heartily wish for your Lordship and my 
 dear grandmamma here. Sir Robert and Mrs. 
 Walter met us here yesterday, and has insisted 
 upon our coming, tho' indeed wc go with some 
 reluctance, not first having your leave for it ; for 
 nothing would be a more sensible grief to me, 
 than to incur either your Lordship's or my Lady's 
 displeasure ; I desire to express my sincere gra- 
 titude to your Lordship for those many kindnesses, 
 which arc more than I can either name or return, 
 but I will, as well as I am able, as long as I live, 
 strive to shew I am thoroughly sensible of them. 
 
(1 
 
 132 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 by paying to your Lordship and my Lady all 
 
 imaginable duty. 
 
 " I am, my dear Grandpapa, 
 
 " Your Lordship's most obedient and 
 dutifull Granddaughter, 
 
 "M. Harcourt. 
 " Pray make my duty with all respect accept- 
 able to my Lady and Aunt." 
 
 ** Cavendish Square, Jwie 17, 1727. 
 
 "Dear Patty,— I was much concern'd at our 
 leaving you in so much affliction at Henley. We 
 sent you forward with an intention to follow 
 you ourselves very soon, but I now^ find that 
 
 cannot be. 
 
 **I have therefore order'd Bew upon Tuesday 
 morning next early, to go from Oxford to Cock- 
 throp to bring you away from thence next morn- 
 ing in my charriot. He has promised to be at 
 Cockthrop with four horses soon after six on 
 Tuesday morning next, and I believe will be 
 ready to bring you away in an hour's time, and 
 carry you to Henley that night, and bring you 
 hither to dinner on Wednesday next. You will 
 be here full time enough to consult with your 
 Aunts about your mourning, in which you should 
 be by next Sunday sennight. 
 
 *'You will have longer time to consider what 
 preparation you are to make about the Coronation 
 of their Majesties, which I intend both Nanny 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 and you shall see. We are all very well, but 
 have been in a great hurry, and heartily wish 
 you a good journey to London: the groom is 
 sent down to wait upon you back, and Jack, your 
 helper, is sent down to attend you to Town as 
 your Footman. My service to Nanny. 
 
 " I am, my dear child, 
 "Your truly affectionate Grandfather, 
 
 '' HxVRCOURT. 
 
 ** The Earl of Scarborough is declared Master 
 of the Horse. Pray take a view of the gardens, 
 and bring me word what fruit is in them, or like 
 to be about five or six weeks hence." 
 
 Lord Harcourt had all his life been 
 a hard worker. He was always unsparing 
 of his health and eyesight, which both suf- 
 fered materially from the strain put upon 
 them. In later life he was lusty in person 
 and of a fresh complexion. 
 
 There are two pictures of him at Nune- 
 ham by Sir Godfrey Kneller, one painted 
 in 1702, when he was Solicitor - General, 
 the other when he was Lord Chancellor. 
 Both these pictures represent Lord Har- 
 court as possessed of an open, good-hu- 
 
134 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 moured countenance, with an intellectual 
 brow, and fearless eye. 
 
 He may be looked upon as having founded 
 afresh the fortunes of the House of Harcourt 
 in England, and he is an ancestor to whom 
 his descendants may well look back with 
 
 pride. 
 
 When Lord Harcourt was a young man, 
 
 the following notice appeared in the '' Lon- 
 don Post" of June ist, 1700:— 
 
 "Two days ago M^ Simon Harcourt, a lawyer 
 of the Temple, coming to Town in his coach, 
 was robbed by two highwaymen on Hownslow 
 heath of ;f 50, his watch, and whatever they could 
 find valuable about him ; which being perceived 
 by a country man on horseback, he dogged them 
 to a distance, and they taking notice thereof, 
 turned and rid up towards him ; upon which, he 
 counterfeiting the drunkard, rid forward, making 
 antic gestures; and being come up with them, 
 spoke as if he clipped the King's EngHsh with 
 having drunk too much, and asked them to drink 
 a pot, offering to treat them if they would but 
 drink with him : whereupon they believing him 
 to be really drunk, left him, and went forward 
 again, and he still followed them till they came 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 135 
 
 to Cue ferry, and when they were in the boat 
 discovered them, so that they were both seized 
 and committed : by which means the Gentleman 
 got again all they had taken from him." 
 
 A contemporary gave the account which 
 follows, of Lord Harcourt in later life; it is 
 taken from the '' Gentleman's Magazine :"— 
 
 "L^. Harcourt is of a very ancient and good 
 family in Berkshire (Oxfordshire), always remark- 
 able for its loyalty to the Crown, and its aversion 
 to presbytery. After some years' study at Oxford, 
 this gentleman went to the Temple, and made 
 so great a progress in the law, that he was scarce 
 sooner admitted to plead than admired for his 
 
 pleading. 
 
 " He was one of D^ Sacheverell's Counsel, and 
 so distinguished himself in his admirable defence 
 of that gentleman, that even his enemies must 
 own that he is not only one of the best lawyers, 
 but one of the best orators also of this age. 
 
 " Her Majesty being present at this trial, could 
 not but be extremely pleased with one, who, with 
 so much zeal and strength, vindicated her pre- 
 rogative, and asserted the doctrine of passive 
 ob'^edience and non-resistance, at a time when the 
 House of Commons judged neither of them lawful 
 or necessary. 
 
" On the turning out of my Lord Cowper, this 
 gentleman was made Lord Chancellor and Lord 
 Keeper ; and though his predecessor was scarce 
 to be exceeded in a discharge of that trust, yet 
 we may not unjustly say, that he was at least 
 equalled by his successor. He was created a 
 peer by Queen Anne, and continued Chancellor 
 during that Princess's reign. 
 
 "On the accession of King George to the 
 British throne, this gentleman was dismissed from 
 all his employments, and they were restored to 
 my Lord Cowper. 
 
 " He is a fair, lusty man, has been handsome ; 
 he has so much learning and eloquence, and so 
 sweet a delivery, that he may not improperly be 
 styled a second Cicero ; is extremely generous 
 and good-humoured ; has been extravagant, but 
 is now grave, and lives within bounds ; hard 
 study, and too much fatiguing himself in his 
 business, have both spoiled his eyes and his con- 
 stitution. He is about sixty years old." 
 
 The following paper illustrates a custom 
 of putting houses into mourning, which is 
 now obsolete. 
 
 It is entitled a '' Paper of proposals for 
 putting the House in mourning on the 
 death of Lord Harcourt." 
 
 "Mourning proposed to be furnished the R^ 
 Honble. the Lady Harcourt att her House in 
 Cavendish Square, viz. : — 
 
 T/ie Dressing- Roome with fine Whit- ^ 
 ish Grey Cloth Hangings, 
 2 p'^ Window Curtins and Vallcnte, 
 Chaircs covered the same, and 
 one Settia. 
 Her LadysP' Dressing Chamber next 
 the Garden with dark minium 
 Grey cloth, 
 Cloth hangings from ceiling to 
 the ground, 2 p^ Wind« Curtins 
 and Vallente, 3 dore Curtins or 
 Porticrs to the ground, 6 Chaircs 
 and a Scttca, deep cases of the 
 same, the Floor Covered all 
 over with cloth. 
 TJic Great Dincning room 
 
 12 Chairs covered with light grey 
 cloth, and one Scttea. 
 The Eating Parlour backwards 
 12 chaires, Seats cov^ w^^ fine cloth, 
 blew ground, a settea and easy 
 chair, with a cushion the same, 2 
 p^ Window Curtins, and Vallente. 
 21ie Great Stair Case 
 
 Hung deep w^^^ black Bays from y*^ 
 ceiling to the surbass, a border 
 of Bays hung round the Halle. 
 
 All the 
 Perticulars 
 mentioned 
 within this 
 black line 
 are to rem^ 
 in use 12 
 
 months. 
 
 / 
 
All these Per- 
 
 :iculars are tc 
 
 remain up 6 
 
 months. 
 
 J 
 
 These are her 
 
 The Large Dinening Roome w**^ ^ 
 dark minium Grey Cloth 
 hanging to y« ground, ticulars are to 
 
 3 pr Window Curtins Val- j- ^^^^^^ ^p 5 
 lento, 2 Dore Curtins or 
 Portiers, 7 chairs covered 
 the same, and a settea. 
 
 The Grey Cloth Bedchamber \s\\\\ 
 
 a fine cloth bed compleat. 
 The Great Draiving Room. I 
 
 3 pr window Curtins and Val- f Ladyi'^ goods. 
 
 lente, 12 Chaires, an easy 
 
 chair, a Settea. 
 
 * 
 
 Having now completed my memoir of 
 Lord Chancellor Harcourt, I shall proceed 
 to give a short notice of his son ; but I shall 
 first insert a few quaint letters which I have 
 laid hands upon, written by divers mem- 
 bers of Lord Harcourt's family. 
 
 From Mrs. Wiseman to Mrs. Harcourt, 
 second wife of Simon Harcourt (afterwards 
 Lord Harcourt) : — 
 
 ''March the 7, 1693. 
 
 " It is so long, Deare Sistor, sence i ret to you, 
 that, tho i had a mind to repare my folt severall 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 139 
 
 times i hardly know how to begen ; but i con- 
 sedcred you are to good to be angorry for what 
 proseads from my misfortun, and not from a for- 
 getfullness of my fruids, wich i hop i shall never 
 be-ilty of; but, as you and many others have 
 a natturall avcrtion to cheese and other things, 
 so i have to a pen and ink, wich has bin the tro 
 reson of my long silance ; I ned not aquant you 
 of my mesfortun, and of the death of my pore 
 Brother, wich my Sistor gave you an a count of ; 
 but S' John has had to wind fals to comford h.m 
 for the los of his son, on^ being a leveing of 4 
 core pound a yeare, the Other the death of the 
 Old Lady, whoo died the 7 of March, aftor have- 
 in- lane 3 monts in a langushing condistion ; she 
 ha^s mad me Unkel James sol excettattor ; and 
 i heare she has left S>' John har stok of cows and 
 horses, and my Sistor Peg on hundred pound, 
 and my Brother John fifty ; on out not to rejoys 
 at the death of anny body, but i can not say 1 am 
 sory, whare so good an advanteg corns to them 
 that i have always found my frinds ; be s.ds, hat 
 house is more convenant for a Constance larg 
 fammily, and you know self entres^ gos far, for 
 sence my mesfortun, in the lose of a very good 
 hosbon, and, in hom i thought my self so happy 
 that be Sid the sit ' of my frinds, . wished for 
 
 *' One. 
 
 «= Interest. 
 
 ' Sight. 
 
I40 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 no thing more; but, i find wee arc but to tast 
 happynes in this world, to make us more scnsable 
 of our lose, and by that, to take of our lovs from 
 this unsarten world, and fex them on that wich 
 is more lasting ; my dessir is to contennu with 
 my Mother, as long as she leves, and i put har 
 to no inconvenance, the contrcy suting my yu- 
 mor bettor than the town, wich i dessiar not to 
 stay in, more then busnes and the seeing my 
 Sistor Harcourt requires ; for i have sen anof of 
 the pleassours of the town to dcspis them, and 
 to see tis in van to honnt after sajtisfaxtion in 
 
 croud and noyse. 
 
 *' A description of the quens Funiral i will not 
 pretend to geve you, it being prented, and so, 
 i beleve, with you by this^, my Mother is never 
 very well, and, i am in som fcare, removing will 
 geve har som could, tho i beleve wee shall not 
 remove yet — it is know time to rclcse you, have- 
 ing no thing more but my sarvis to my Brother 
 and yo self, and am for ever 
 
 "Your affextionate Sistor, 
 
 " M. Wiseman. 
 
 "My Mother geves har love to you and your 
 spous, and min to my nece Betty." 
 
 t' And so I believe you have it by this time. 
 
 » 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 From Mrs. Harcourt to her Sister :- 
 
 ^^ Nov. 1693. 
 
 " I recived yours Dear Sister, and am glad you 
 dow not find noe ille efectes from the foges this 
 winter. I am very glad you have mett with sume 
 of y'' old acquaintance, and hope she may have 
 incoragement enough to continew thare ; I have 
 bin all a bought the town, and find it very dife- 
 cult to gitt so much of a sorte ; but I have found 
 a parcell I belive may sarve you, if you lick it, 
 the collers are bufe, and a cherey with sume lettle 
 flowers between the strips, but thay will cut noe 
 pattorns ; the price is tow an fortty shillings 
 a pcce, and thay tell me you must have five peces 
 to line a bead and make a quilt ; if you disine 
 to have it, pray lett me know as sown as you 
 can, for fear it may be disposed of, and I dow not 
 see any thing elce that looks so well for that 
 
 purpose. 
 
 " All our freinds hear are well, but I dow not 
 hear my sister is towards a great belley ; I am 
 glad y^ Spouse is so well, for he wrights much 
 after the old rate, and if Mol see his letter she 
 would be full of anger with him ; pore James is 
 come upe to be a truper^ and he says this town 
 is the nastis place, and stinks so, it ready to 
 
 ^ a soldier. 
 
The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 143 
 
 poysen him ; for you know he never shuts his 
 mouth, that every thing gose down. 
 
 " All hear present thare service to you and my 
 Brother, and my spouse thanks him for his kind 
 packett, which was very wellcome, and he will 
 very sudingly retturn him in the same kinde. 
 I hope, dear sister, if hear be any thing I can 
 sarve you in, you will command 
 
 "Your affecttionate Sister, 
 
 *' Eliza. Harcourt. 
 
 ''Nov. the 12. 
 
 "If you please you may save me mony by 
 directing y'^ letters to M--. Harcourt ^" 
 
 From Lady Harcourt to her Sister :— 
 
 ''July the 27. 
 
 ** I had wrot tow my Dear Sister before I left 
 the town, but, between taking my goods down 
 in Essixe Street, an directing the workmen in 
 Norfolke Street, I was in a parfect hurrey. I was 
 yesterday tow see blenhime, it is a wonderfull 
 thinge to see gardens come to soe great pcr- 
 fccttlon in soe short a time, but they are soe 
 large, it will imploye a hundred peple tow keep 
 them' in order; for the house, thar is but one 
 wing don, it will be a fine pile of building, but 
 very large ; the wals are soe thicke that it looks 
 
 ^ Being a Member of Parliament he received his letters free. 
 
 lick a prison ; thar was a bove eaight hundreed 
 men at work, an yet thay say it cannot be fin- 
 nished this 3 or 4 years ; the prospect is very 
 
 fine every way. 
 
 " I yesterday recived a letter from my spouse, 
 which gave me an a count that his Bro^' Phillip \ 
 had shot himself; if he had dyed a naturall death, 
 th familye would have had case to be glad he 
 was gon, for he was allways made with drink ; 
 we have had more instances of that kind of late 
 then ever was hard of. 
 
 "I shuld be very glad tow hear my nephew"^ 
 had the place you spoke of, for thar is not any 
 body wishes the familye better then my self; 
 I intend to be in town a bought 3 weeks 
 hence, an hope you will not be long after, for 
 I shall thinke it very dull haveing none of my 
 freinds in town. All frcinds heare are well, an 
 give thar sarvice to you an all th good company, 
 accept the same from 
 
 " Your affectt. Sister, 
 
 <' Eliz. Harcourt. 
 
 "We expect my son every day; I heare my 
 daughter got well to her iorneys end, an is lick 
 tow goe one with her great beley." 
 
 I Half-brother to the Lord Chancellor, son of his father's second 
 wife, Miss Lee of Ankerwyck. 
 "» Young Evelyn. 
 
144 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 From Lady Harcourt to her Sister :— 
 
 ^'June ii'\ 1722. 
 
 "You may belive, dear Sister, wee are in the 
 utmost concarn for the death of pore Jack Barloe. 
 I hope God will support my Daugh^' under this 
 great afflicttion ; an, when she considers he was 
 whare he had the best advice, an is sattisfied thar 
 was as much care taken of him as if she had bin 
 thar herself, I hope she will bare it as she ought 
 to dow. Her father sent a Sarvant to her to 
 prepare her for it, with as comefortable a letter 
 as could posable be wrot upon soe malloncolley 
 
 a subictt. 
 
 "My Lord is under all the fears emaigenable 
 for Simon"; sumctimes he thinks of taking him 
 a way, then he considers, if he puts him any ware 
 else, he may be ille, and then he is farder from 
 advice, an he is shure he is whare he has as much 
 care taken of him, as if he was at home ; and the 
 masters love him, an he licks them ; but sume 
 peple tell him Wcsminster is an unholcsume air, 
 soe I think he is almost disstracttcd a bought it. 
 
 " But I must Dear Sister beg the favour of you 
 to bye me a sute of morning such as you an Lady 
 Evelyn shall thinke proper for me, an a night 
 gown, an pety cote ; pray send my pcty cote to 
 
 » Grandson of Lord Harcourt, afterwards the first Earl Harcourt. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 145 
 
 Mrs. Wilier to be maid, I belive she knows my 
 lenth, but she had better make it tow longe then 
 to short. An I disire you to send my manto to 
 Scoots at our house, an she will send it to be 
 maid ; as for my night-gown p, it may be maid by 
 the lettle manto woman, if she is a live, an the 
 
 petty cote. 
 
 "Pray send me a black fane; as for lining 
 I have cambrick enoufe to make, soe must disire 
 you to send me a pattorn for night cloethes an 
 ruffalls. I have one thinge more, I must disire 
 you to ask Lady Evelyn wheather it is nesseary 
 to put our liverey sarvants in morninge, he being 
 
 but a child. 
 
 "My Lord was sent for to S^' John Walter one 
 fryday ; last night he come home ; he left him in 
 a very sad condishon, for he nither knows any 
 body, nor speaks one word of scence, yett has 
 strenth enouf to walk a bought his rome for a^n 
 houre or 2 togather, soe that he may hold in this 
 maner for sume time. 
 
 "Sister Jennins ioyns with me in our sarvice 
 to you, an all the good faimilye. My daugh^ 
 disirs her duty an sarvice, an thanks for y^ kind- 
 ness to Simon. Pardon this trouble 
 " From y^ most affectt. Sister an humble Sarvant, 
 
 " E. Harcourt. 
 
 o Scott, 
 p This simply means an evening gown. 
 
 U 
 
"Cence I wrote this, my Lord says he had 
 wrote to S^ John abought the sarvant, soe you 
 will thinke me very impertinent." 
 
 From Lady Harcourt to her Sister :— 
 
 ''June 26///, 1722. 
 
 "I recived all my morning one Saturday last, 
 and licke them very well ; it wanted very little 
 olteration; and now I must return my Deare 
 Sister thanks for the great trouble I have given 
 you, and disire to know what I am indeptted to 
 
 you. 
 
 "My Lord an I disine being in town a bought 
 
 a fortnight or 3 weeks before Barholomcwtide 
 
 for a few days, an take Preashusi down with use ; 
 
 I am very glad he is soe well, an think our sens 
 
 very much obledged to Lady Evelyn an you for 
 
 your great care of him. Wee have not hard from 
 
 my pore daugh^' Barloc, ccnce our man was thar 
 
 which carried the malloncollcy news of the child's 
 
 death ; but my Lord has sent D^ Mead's letter 
 
 too them, which I hope will give them sume 
 
 sattisfacttion, when thay here thar was not a po- 
 
 sabilctye of saveing his life. 
 
 " I am very sorrey you are obledged to spend 
 the best part of the sumer in town, but wee have 
 had no reason to complaine of hcate yett. 
 
 ^» 'Precious' ua- the i)cl name for Lord Ilarcourt's grand- 
 son, Simon. 
 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 147 
 
 " I am very glad the younge Duches of Mal- 
 bowrow'" is soe greatley prouided for, an hop she 
 will not nectlectt making a hansume settlement 
 uppon Mas* Charls. I am sorrey th widow is soe 
 much out of order, I thought her in a diclining 
 way when I come out of town ; I am shure her 
 children would have a great lose in her, an soe 
 would my brother Dick : I am sorrey my nece 
 Treaver has bin detained in town bye her un- 
 happey buisness ; I heartyley wish her a good end 
 of it, but bclive thar will not be much more don 
 this' Sumer. We all ioyne in humble sarvice to 
 you S^ John an my Lady, an belive 
 
 " I am, 
 '*y^- most affectt. Sister an Humble Sarvant, 
 
 **E. Harcourt. 
 
 '^My daugh^- an the children give thar duty 
 
 to you." 
 
 From Mr. W. Draper to his Sister (Mrs. 
 Evelyn) : — ^ ^ . 
 
 ^ ' ''August ith, 17 10. 
 
 -DEARE Sister,— The newes of my Nieces 
 safe delivery came very welcome to all here. We 
 did not drink the new Xtian's health with any 
 regrett for not being a son. We hope that is 
 a Joy in reserve for you and her against another 
 
 ' Lady Harcourt was a Spencer, and related to the second Duke 
 of Marlborough. 
 
148 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 yeare ; I cannot tell how M''. Harcourtt looks 
 upon the Baby for provelng a girll, because it 
 was not my own circumstance; but I hope his 
 Sp^' will, like mine, bring him a son, for every 
 
 daughter. 
 
 *' I promise my self that the Bearer hereof, will 
 give us the satisfaction of hearing, that my Neice S 
 and the unknown little Lady, are in an encreasing 
 way of health. 
 
 "All here rejoyce in every thing that gives you 
 satisfaction, an encrease of w'*' is ever heartily 
 
 wish*^ for 
 
 '* By, dear Sister, 
 
 " Y^ affectionate humbe Serv*, 
 
 "WiLL"^. Draper. 
 '* We received on Monday last some very good 
 venison from Hampton court, which I doubt not 
 was my Nephew Evelyn's kind present, tho the 
 bearer there of never mentioned his name ; I begg 
 his acceptance of thanks, and that he will pardon 
 my not sending them sooner." 
 
 From Mrs. Jennens to Mrs. Evelyn : — 
 
 " Pray beleve me, Deare Sistor, nothing could 
 obleag me, or give me more sattisfaxtion, then 
 your kind lettors, but the happincs of your good 
 companny, wich i leve in hops of this summor ; 
 but, if you make me not so happy, will if a' life 
 
 ■ Mrs. Harcourt. * Alive. 
 
 s 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 149 
 
 except of my Sis harcourts kind invitation to har 
 house, on porpus to inioy the companny of my 
 frends ; and retorn my thanks for your kind con- 
 sarn for my health, and am at present pretty well, 
 for a good day or 2 spent in the garden dos me, 
 i find, more good, and i sensabely find more 
 bennyfit by storing ^ and being in the are, then 
 i ded by all the poticarrys gave me in town ; so 
 resove to spend my monny in the garden, and 
 in the Lottorry, and not give it to Doctors, the 
 account you have sent of the Lottorry, occastions 
 me to beg you will excuse a fardor trouble i must 
 give you a bout it, wich is, to inquir what day 
 the Lots will begin giveing out, and to take out 
 10 for me the forst day, for i desiar to take the 
 advantage of the Discount a lowed for present 
 paymen ; half the hundred pounds my Sis Cath- 
 rine puts in; har part, i quistion not but the 
 Children will have in the end, if she gets anny 
 bennyfit, so beg you will take care that wee lose 
 not the opertunyty, i will likewise send the monny 
 for the Chars ^ when you let me know what 
 
 thay cost. 
 
 "Pray give my sarvis and thanks to your son 
 for the book, wich i intend to studdy much, for 
 i am very fond of planting, and desin, if i leve y, 
 to fill up the groun ware anny thing will gro, 
 for i had rether have trees then fine clouse^ so 
 
 Moving about. 
 
 Shares. 
 
 y Live. 
 
 Clothes. 
 

 ISO 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 151 
 
 shall have Httell consarn about fasshonns. I de- 
 siar you will by us too quarterns of boohe Thee, 
 for wee drink som every day, i am myself bettor 
 when i dow, and she is so kind as to ioyn with 
 me for all such thing, thcrfore desire it in too 
 parsels, and what it corns to ; i am as shamed to 
 crive my frcnds so much truble, but know your 
 
 goodnes.s will pardon 
 
 ** Your obleaged and truly affectionate Sis, 
 
 " M. JENNENS. 
 
 ^^ Fehorry the 18. 
 
 ^' Pray my sarvis to your dartor, and love to 
 the lettcll ons ; my Sis likewise give liar sarvis to 
 you, and Betty har doty. 
 
 ''For the unddo7v Mrs. Evelyn 
 
 at the Post offis in Lumber Streat 
 in LondonT 
 
 Mrs. Jennens to Mrs. Evelyn :— 
 
 ''Jan. 3o'\ 
 
 " I rescved both my dcare Sistors kind letors, 
 tho not so sown as by the date i should ; and 
 have also reseved the charis, wich are com very 
 safe, and give you manny thanks for getting 
 them, for i like them very well; I sower ^ had 
 ansered your lettors, but the sharp wether wee 
 have had for all most this 3 weaks, has given me 
 such a could and pain in my side, that I could 
 
 ■ Sooner. 
 
 not ly in my beed with out my stays, or dow 
 anny thing; and at present have a plastor on 
 my side, and can not ly on it, but hop, when 
 worm wether coms, i shall get quit w^ell of it ; 
 but at present the wether is very could and 
 
 frosty. 
 
 "I heard last weak that my neve Harcourt 
 was very ill of a fevor, but hop it is not tru ; 
 i should be very glad to heare my nece ware 
 a breading, for non more sinserly wishes har 
 a boy than myself. 
 
 '* I often wast i could inioy more of my deare 
 sistors companny, but the town life will, i am 
 sattisfied, not a gre wath my health at all, so 
 must in dever to be sattisfied till Sumor with 
 hearing from you ; and then hop to be so happy 
 as to have your good companny in the contrey ; 
 in the mcne time, wish you health, and a happy 
 knew yeare, and many more, 
 
 " And am, 
 
 "Your senserly affecttionate and obleaged Sis, 
 
 "M. Jennens. 
 
 " Pray my kind love and sarvis to your son 
 and dartor, and to the lettel ons; and tell my 
 neve, and if he will be so kind as to send me his 
 o-randfathcr book of gardening'', if sent by pet- 
 ton's coach, directed for me, it will com safe, and 
 esspesally if ordored to be left at Clifton, at the 
 
 •' Evelyn's Sylva. 
 

 Smith shop ; perton lys at the Saroson's head in 
 Friday streat, and corns out on Wensdays and 
 Satordays ; i never see the publick knows ^ think- 
 ing it not worth my being at the charge of having 
 it sent, and, not storing out, have no Opportu- 
 nyti of hearing what is in it from others. 
 
 ''January 30''." 
 
 From Mrs. Jennens to Mrs. Evelyn : — 
 
 " Deare SistoR, — I give you many thanks for 
 your kind present of Chocolat, but, desiring to 
 be in town on Wensday senet, had dcfered re- 
 torning my thanks till i say you ; but, my Bro 
 harcourt being heare on Wensday last in ordor 
 to setel things, but was so ill that he could dow 
 nothing, and he having bin intirly trusted by me 
 in the manigment of all my consarns, must thare 
 fore desiar you, if thare be anny dangor appre- 
 hended in his illness, to send me word by perton's 
 coach, and ordor him to leve it at Clefton, that 
 i may com with all spead, for it is very nessary 
 i should have som discors with him a fore he 
 dise^ if he is thought to be neare it ; i am very 
 glad you are in town to be a comfort to Sis 
 harcourt in his illness ; I would have bin myself 
 with har by this, bot my sperrit is so much 
 broken with vexation and truble, that i can hardly 
 
 «f News. * The illness was a mere temporary indisposition. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 153 
 
 see or speak to anny body with dry eyes, so can 
 be no comfort, but an afflecttion to all my frends ; 
 and would it pleas God to take my pore children 
 as well as myself, should be very glad to dye ; 
 but, in hops of seeing you in a lettel time, shall 
 ad 'nomore but my praars that you and yours 
 may never know the truble and afflecttion of 
 
 *' Your unfortunate Sis^ 
 
 '' M. Jennens. 
 
 ** Pray my Sarvis to my neve and Nescs. 
 "-Mayf^r 
 
 X 
 
I 
 
I 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 C^c §011. Smt0it 
 
 SIMON, second son of Lord Harcourt, 
 alone, of three brothers, lived to attain 
 to man's estate. He was born at Chipping 
 Norton in the year 1683. 
 
 Lord Campbell, in writing of him, says :— 
 
 '' He was a most accomplished and promising 
 young man, who was so much in the confidence 
 of Harley, St. John, and Swift, as to be ap- 
 pointed by them Secretary to the famous Society 
 of ' Brothers,' and who was expected himself 
 to turn out a distinguished statesman and wit. 
 He not only resembled his father in genius, but 
 very strikingly in looks, a circumstance to which 
 Gay refers in his address to Pope on the com- 
 pletion of the far-famed translation of Homer, 
 in which he supposes all the Poet's friends as- 
 sembled to welcome his return from Greece :— 
 
 '* Harcourt, I see, for eloquence renown'd, 
 The mouth of justice, oracle of law! 
 
 Another Simon is beside him found, 
 Another Simon, like as straw to straw." 
 
1 
 
 f 
 
 \ 
 
 k 
 
 QIMON, second son of Lord Harcourt, 
 "^ alone, of three brothers, lived to attain 
 to man s estate. He was born at Chipping 
 Norton in the year 1683. 
 
 Lord Campbell, in writing of him, says :— 
 
 " He was a most accomplished and promising 
 young man, who was so much in the confidence 
 of Harley, St. John, and Swift, as to be ap- 
 pointed by them Secretary to the famous Society 
 of M^ROTllERs; and who was expected himself 
 to turn out a distinguished statesman and wit. 
 He not only resembled his father in genius, but 
 very strikingly in looks, a circumstance to which 
 Gay refers in his address to Pope on the com- 
 pletion of the far-famed translation of Homer, 
 in which he supposes all the Poet's friends as- 
 sembled to welcome his return from Greece :— 
 
 '' Harcourt, I see, for eloquence renownM, 
 The mouth of justice, oracle of law! 
 
 Another Simon is beside him found, 
 Another Simon, like as straw to straw." 
 
 J 
 
158 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Collins, in his " Peerage," 1768, gives the 
 following notice of Simon Harcourt : — 
 
 "His Lordship's eldest son, the Hon. Simon 
 Harcourt, was returned for the boroughs of Ayles- 
 bury and Wallingford to the 3rd and 4th Par- 
 liaments of Great Britain, which met in 1710 and 
 1713, and were the two last called by Queen 
 
 Anne. 
 
 " He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Eve- 
 lyn, Esq., of Wotton in Surrey, and by that lady, 
 who departed this life on April 6, 1760, he had 
 one son Simon, afterwards Earl Harcourt; and 
 three daughters, viz. : Elizabeth, died unmarried ; 
 Anne, who died young; Martha*, wedded to 
 
 • By an unfortunate oversight, Martha Harcourt has been pre- 
 viously described as the second wife of Lord Vernon. She was in 
 fact his third W\iQ. George Vernon was born Feb. 9, 1709 ; he as- 
 sumed the additional surname of V enables on Septembers, 1728, 
 under the will of his great uncle, Peter Venables. 
 
 lie married on June 21, 1733, Mary, daughter of Lord Howard 
 of Effmgham, by whom he had a son George, his successor ; she 
 died in Feb. 1740. Mr. Vernon married secondly Dec. 22, 1741, 
 Anne Lee, daughter of the baronet of that name, of Hartwell, 
 Bucks ; she died on Sept. 22, 1742. Mr. Vernon married thirdly 
 April 10, 1744, Martha Harcourt, who survived him fourteen years, 
 and died April 3, 1794; Mr. Vernon was made a Peer May I, 
 1762, and died August i, 17S0. 
 
 When Mr. Vernon was made a Peer, his first notion was to call 
 himself Lord Kinderton. An ancient Barony of this name was said 
 to have been conferred in pre-historic times upon the "Valiant 
 Venables," when he slew the wyverne that had so long infested 
 Cheshire. This wyverne was believed to feed upon the children 
 
 U 
 
 
 George Venables Vernon, of Sudbury in Derby- 
 shire, afterwards created Lord Vernon ; and Mary, 
 who died an infant." 
 
 of the inhabitants. Venables was supposed to have slain it with 
 an arrow whilst it was in the act of swallowing a child ; whence 
 the crest. Mr. Vernon elected, in the end, to be called Lord 
 Vernon, Baron of Kinderton. 
 
 It may be interesting to make a short digression, with the view 
 of tracing a little more closely the connection between the families 
 of Harcourt and Evelyn. The famous author of "Sylva" was 
 born in 1620, and died in 1705, aged eighty-five. By his marriage 
 with Mary, daughter and heiress of Sir R. Browne, he had issue 
 John, married to Martha, daughter and co-heir of Richard Spencer, 
 and who died before his father, 1698 : the son, John Evelyn, had 
 issue John, created a baronet, 1713, married to Anne Boscawen, 
 and died 1763, aged eighty-two ; and Elizabeth, married to Simon, 
 only son of the first Lord Harcourt. 
 
 Martha, daughter of Simon Harcourt and Elizabeth Evelyn, 
 married, as his third wife, George, first Lord Vernon. On the 
 failure of the male descendants of Lord Harcourt, Edward Vernon, 
 Archbishop of York, son of the aforesaid ]\L\rtha and of George 
 Lord Vernon, succeeded under the will of George Simon, Earl of 
 Harcourt, to the Harcourt estates and name, as a lineal descendant 
 of Lord Harcourt. On the failure of the male descendants of John 
 Evelyn, the descendants of the same Martha became his lineal 
 representatives, and thus it very nearly happened that the Har- 
 court and Evelyn properties were united. 
 
 Dame Mary Evelyn in her will, dated Sept. 12, 1814, in the 
 first place, names "John Evelyn, Esq., formerly of Bath, but now 
 or late of Glocester Place, Portman Square, Marybone," to suc- 
 ceed to the Evelyn estates, which had been devised to her by 
 her late husband, Sir Frederick Evelyn ; "after his decease unto 
 
 Evelyn, son of the said John Evelyn (now in the army)." 
 
 The said John Evelyn was not acquainted with Lady Evelyn, as 
 indeed might be gathered from her ignorance of his son's name ; 
 nor was he related to the Evelyns of Wotton. The reason, there- 
 fore, why he was introduced into the entail is not very clear ; 
 
 ' 
 
i6o 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Simon Harcourt in early life exhibited 
 a great love for poetry ; Lord Campbell 
 has credited Lord Chancellor Harcourt with 
 the authorship of the verses which are pub- 
 lished in the preface to Pope's works. 
 
 I have, however, the manuscript of the 
 said verses in my possession, with the au- 
 
 but the fact of his name being Evelyn, and of his being connected 
 with the Evelyns of St. Clere, probably influenced Lady Evelyn in 
 
 the matter. 
 
 This John Evelyn passed the early part of his life in Ireland, 
 from thence he went to India, and subsequently lived in Bath. 
 
 Iljs son, Evelyn, whose name was George, became on the 
 
 death of Lady Evelyn, the tenant for life of the Wotton estates ; 
 but he lived a very short time to enjoy his prosperity. When he 
 was twenty-four years of age he was present at the Battle of 
 Waterloo ; his left arm was shattered by a bullet in the defence 
 of Hougoumont, but the limb was not amputated, and he regained 
 the use of it. He died at the age of thirty-seven, from the effects 
 of a fall from his horse ; the accident brought on an al)scess in the 
 liver, which after an eight months' illness, proved fatal. 
 
 lie was succeeded by his son William, then an infant, who is 
 the present fortunate and worthy possessor of the Wotton pro- 
 perty. 
 
 Lady Evelyn's will proceeded as follows: ''in default of such 
 
 issue (i.e. of Evelyn, Esq.), I give &c., unto the third son 
 
 of the present Archbishop of York, descended from one of the 
 Evelyns of Wotton, .... then to the use of the first son of the 
 body of such third son, &c." 
 
 Such an eventuality would, as has before been stated, have 
 united the Nuneham and Wotton properties, and brought them 
 into the possession of a direct descendant of both Simon Harcourt 
 and John Evelyn. 
 
 ; 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 i6i 
 
 thor's emendations, and they are distinctly 
 in the handwriting of Simon Harcourt the 
 younger. 
 
 I here give a short selection from his 
 verses, and the reader may judge for himself 
 of the degree of proficiency to which he at- 
 tained : — 
 
 VERSES BY THE HON^^^^ SIMON HARCOURT. 
 
 " Dear Harry, if any 
 
 This weather, so rainy, 
 Should ask what's become of poor Simon, 
 
 Prithee let 'em all know 
 
 He so weary did grow, 
 Of Love, he no longer could rhime on. 
 
 From his dwelling near Hamsted, 
 
 To y^ conjuror Flamsted, 
 That he's gone to be cured of his pain ; 
 
 For since y^ black art. 
 
 First kidnapt his heart, 
 He hopes 'twill restore it again. 
 
 When again I am free, 
 
 I'll range it like thee. 
 Take ev'ry kind she to my breast ; 
 
 While y*^ coquet so fair, 
 
 That caus'd my despair. 
 Provides a new fool for her jest. 
 
 How monstrous to starve 
 
 All our passions to serve, 
 
l62 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 A single impertinent pride, 
 
 Tho' the violet and rose 
 
 Are sweet to y^ nose, 
 There's a thousand fine flowers beside." 
 
 ASTROF WELLS, 1719- 
 
 Addressed to the Hon^^^ Thomas Harvey, Esq^ 
 
 tik 
 
 C( 
 
 I 
 
 What not a Muse? the idle Harp unstrung? 
 
 When such a Theam demands the Poet's song. 
 
 Shall Bath, thy spring be great Apollo's care ? 
 
 Or Epsom thine ? and we forsaken here, 
 
 Our stream as sacred, and our Nymphs more fair?>' 
 
 In Chamb-ne Love lays his terrors by, 
 
 And gently revels in her Sportive Eye ; 
 Mild as his Mother's Mercies he appears, 
 And all the softness of her Doves He wears. 
 On her fair Breasts He'll sometimes smiling play. 
 And steal the Soul insensibly away. 
 If in her Breast and Eye the tempter fail. 
 He'll tune the voice, and in her songs prevail. 
 Secure he strikes the too unguarded Heart 
 That fears no Ruin where it sees no Art ; 
 See next what crowds at Tyrrel's Shrine Adore 
 Unnumber'd Swains obey unbounded power ; 
 Some in her shape pursue the flital snare, 
 Some to her Face, or Lovelier Neck repair. 
 And fondly gazing find Destruction there. 
 With various Arts her I'hiipire she maintains. 
 And true to Merritt, still with Judgement reigns 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 16^ 
 
 If Harvey to the Nymph reveal his Flame, 
 
 She smiles Indulgent and attends the Claim ; 
 
 Not that the youth can ask, or Fair one grant. 
 
 But what becomes the Votary and Saint. 
 
 In brainless Fops the passion's an offence, 
 
 And Love miscall'd is but Impertinence. 
 
 This well she knows, and Deals the just Reward, 
 
 Disdainful turns, the Teazer's tale unheard. 
 
 Gay Fanny last like Op'ning Morn appears. 
 
 And drooping Nature, like the Morn, she chears. 
 
 Souls yet unmov'd the geniall warmth confess, 
 
 Shake off their Earth, and the kind ardour bless. 
 
 rThe DoubtfuU Youth Admiring feels the Dart"! 
 LOf other Loves sett looser in his Heart. J 
 
 The Doubtful youth and age when she's in view, 
 
 In second life their Vernal Green renew. 
 
 See how the brisk and gamesome Train she heads, 
 
 The Graces follow as their Venus leads. 
 
 Untam'd she bounds, and fearfuU of the Yoke, 
 
 Shuns the stretch't hand that would but gently stroke. 
 
 Ye ministers of Love, protect the Fair, 
 
 Restrain the winds, and guard the Hoop with care. 
 
 No rising Blush is wanting to adorn 
 
 The finish't beautys of this Op'ning Morn. 
 
 Such, Astrop, are the Charms that Grace thy Stream, 
 
 And such shou'd ever be the Muse's theam. 
 
 O may an abler hand redress the wrong. 
 
 Their Glorys suffer from so mean a song ; 
 
 Then, Astrop, then tliy thousand Stars shall prove 
 
 A shining tract, a Galaxy of Love. 
 
Thy Thousand Stars shall then be seen in one, 
 And the great Masterpiece of Love be shown ; 
 The Gracefull Verse shall swell the Poet's Fame, 
 And Lasting Laurells rise from Hilsbro's Name. 
 
 TO MR. PRIOR, UPON HIS INVITATION 
 
 TO TOWN. 
 
 " Such, such thy verse as was the Syren's strain 
 That sung to Granvile — And that sung in vain. 
 Here the false world forgotten I'll forget. 
 And praise the hand that dealt me this Retreat ; 
 Here sweet, sincere and unmixed Blessings find, 
 (Grieved only for the Friend I leave behind). 
 Blessings like those thy Classics best reveal 
 To such, who reading, Envy what I feel. 
 See Me in Maro's old Corycian Swain, 
 Submissive to the Lott the Fates ordain. 
 
 " And better please their unambitious Lord 
 Than the pil'd plenty of Carnarvon's board. 
 Unfix'd in Youth the mazy round I run. 
 And Drank y*-' various pleasures of y*^ Town. 
 Yet only found, and who could e'r find more, 
 Soon as the day was passed, the noise was o'r. 
 Forswear our City then? Not so, but hear what 
 Signs and wonders must y'^ way prepare. 
 First Exil'd Vcrtue shall its Right obtain. 
 And the mad Isle its long-lost name regain. 
 Soft pleasing hope forsake the ripening Maid, 
 And Nelson more than Abelard be read. 
 
 h 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 165 
 
 Great Kneller's skill Aurelia's beauty take, 
 
 Or thou describe the w^ounds those Beautys make. 
 
 The Dove shall sojourn wdth the Hawk unhurt, 
 
 Fair tender Truth to Ke— tts' Breast resort, 
 
 A venal Senate fix our Liberty, 
 
 And Faith and courtly Benjamin agree. 
 
 If none that Doat may be allowed to Reign, 
 
 And whether Marlboro's dotage be unfeigned, 
 
 Misterious point, shall clearly be explain'd, 
 
 And greater difficulty come to pass. 
 
 And Methuen Humbl'd kill K— g Bothmar's." 
 
 PREFACE TO POPE'S POEMS, BY HON^^^^ 
 SIMON HARCOURT. 
 
 '* He comes ! he comes ! bid every bard prepare 
 The song of triumph, and attend his car. 
 Great Sheffield's muse the long procession heads. 
 And throws a lustre o'er the pomp she leads ; 
 First gives the palm she fir'd him to obtain. 
 Crowns his gay brow, and shows him how to reign. 
 Thus young Alcides by old Chiron taught. 
 Was form'd for all the miracles he wTOUght : 
 Thus Chiron did the youth he taught applaud, 
 Pleas'd to behold the earnest of a god. 
 But hark! what shouts, what gathering crowds rejoice 
 Unstain'd their praise by any venal voice. 
 Such as the ambitious vainly think their due, 
 When prostitutes or needy flatterers sue. 
 
i66 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 And see the chief! before him laurels borne; 
 Trophies from undeserving temples torn ; 
 Here Rage enchain'd, reluctant raves, and there 
 Pale Envy, dumb and sickening with despair ; 
 Prone to the Earth she bends her loathing eye, 
 Weak to support the blaze of majesty.— 
 But what are they that turn the sacred page? 
 Three lovely virgins, and of equal age ! 
 Intent they read, and all enamour'd seem. 
 As he that meets his likeness in the stream : 
 The Graces these; and see how they contend. 
 Who most shall praise, who best shall recommend. 
 
 The chariot now the painful steep ascends, 
 The poems cease, thy glorious labour ends. 
 Here fix'd the bright eternal temple stands, 
 Its prospect the unbounded view commands : 
 Say, wondrous youth, what column wilt thou choose, 
 What laurell'd arch for thy triumi)hant muse ? 
 Though each great ancient court thee to his shrine, 
 Though every laurel through the dome be thine, 
 (From the proud epic, down to those that shade 
 The gentler brow of the soft Lesbian maid,) 
 Go to the good and just, an awful train, 
 Thy soul's delight and glory of the fane ; 
 While through the earth thy dear remembrance flies. 
 Sweet to the world, and grateful to the skies." 
 
 The following letters from Simon Har- 
 court, are all that I t)ossess of his cor- 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 167 
 
 respondence; to these I shall add a few 
 letters from his wife, Elizabeth Evelyn, 
 which will bring this short memoir to a 
 
 close. 
 
 From the Hon. Simon Harcourt to his 
 
 mother-in-law (Mrs. Evelyn) : — 
 
 ''Thursday 2f\ 17 16. 
 
 "HoN^^ Madam, — I write you this by my 
 father's orders to let you know he designs with 
 my mother to be in London on Saturday next, 
 and stay there till the Thursday following, when 
 they intend to set out for Cockthorp. If you 
 find it, madam, convenient for you to come to 
 town for a day or two, you may rest yourself 
 in Red Lyon-street, and come down with my 
 father in his coach; but if you had rather go 
 from Wotton to Henley, you will be pleasd to be 
 there on Thursday next at y« Catherine Wheele, 
 where you will meet my father, who will bring 
 you from thence with him. 
 
 ** My mother desires you would write her two 
 words only by y' Sunday s post, whether she may 
 expect you in town; she hopes you will come 
 up to her, least anything should fall out to pre- 
 vent their leaving London the day y'^ intend, 
 they do not indeed forsee anything y^ can pos- 
 
i68 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 sibly keep *em longer, but your coming up will 
 
 be y*" surer way. 
 
 **I am, Madam, 
 
 " Y' most dutiful, obedient, humble serv*, 
 
 "S. Harcourt. 
 "My wife and I desire our service to all 
 with you." 
 
 From the Hon. Simon Harcourt to his 
 mother-in-law (Mrs. Evelyn) :— 
 
 "HON^ Madam, — My father sets out from 
 hence for London on Saturday next in his 
 chariot, he will drop his horses and chariot in 
 town till the Tuesday following, and hopes you 
 may be ready by that time, and take that oppor- 
 tunity of coming to us; all here are well, and 
 present their most humble service to you and 
 all with you ; my wife desires her duty to you, 
 and orders me to tell you she can't hold out long. 
 
 "I am, Madam, 
 "Your most obedient Son and Servant, 
 
 "Sim. Harcourt. 
 
 " Cockthropy Wensday Morn:'' 
 
 From Honble. Simon Harcourt to his 
 wife : — 
 
 '' Aix-la-Chapdlc, May 29, 1720. 
 "My Dearest, — I have now the pleasure of 
 telling you I am got well to Aix. By the Letter 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 169 
 
 I have writ this post to my father, you will see 
 I am as yet in doubt whether I shall drink y« 
 waters or not, and how I intend to dispose of 
 myself in case I don't drink 'em. 
 
 " Lord Bolingbrook will be so good to me as 
 to stay here, should I drink y« waters, till such 
 time as I shall have finisht 'em, and to take me 
 with him afterwards to a purchase he has lately 
 made in France. Could I tell you the care that 
 is taken of me in this family, you would not be 
 in pain for me ; whatever becomes of me you may 
 be assured, I shall do the best I can to be with 
 you by the time I promis'd you ; and in the mean 
 time take all imaginable care of myself for your 
 sake and the sake of my dear Little ones, whom 
 God Almighty bless and prosper; pray if you 
 want any money tell Rock, and order him from 
 me to write to BedwcU for it. 
 
 " If this should not come to your hands before 
 you leave London, I will suppose you have made 
 no scruple asking Lord Harcourt for what money 
 you wanted, I am sure he will never see you 
 uneasy upon that account, and I think otherways 
 I should not have a quiet moment in my absence 
 from you ; for be assur'd, my Dearest Creature, 
 that of all the things in this world, you are and 
 ever will be nearest the heart of 
 
 " Your ever faithfull and affectionate, 
 
 ''S. Harcourt. 
 
 z 
 
lyo 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 "You will direct your letters according to y« 
 address that will be enclosed in a letter to my 
 father this post." 
 
 From Hon. Simon Harcourt to his wife :— 
 
 ''June 6'\ 1720 {foreign 5tile\ 
 '' Aix-la-Chapelle, 
 
 "My Dearest Creature,— When you have 
 read the letter I am now writing, you will, I hope, 
 have read three from me since I left you ; as yet 
 I have not had a word from England, nay even 
 Harvey has not vouchsafed me y^ pleasure of 
 a line ; by to-morrow's post I expect great things, 
 and if I find myself disappointed, shall begin 
 to be a little impatient; I can now tell you 
 I have taken the waters of this place, what 
 future good I may find from 'em I know not, 
 but at present I think I am not much the better 
 
 for them. 
 
 " The confusions in France will oblige L. Bo- 
 lingbroke to hasten thither ; I believe wee shall 
 set out together on Saturday next, and get to 
 Paris by Wednesday following, about dinner-time. 
 As soon as I get thither I will endeavour to find 
 out about my Aunt draper, make your compli- 
 ments to her, and desire her assistance in getting 
 me a scarfe for you, for I think that was the 
 commission you gave me at parting. Little Betty 
 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 171 
 
 left it to me to do by her as I thought fit, and 
 you may be sure I shall not forget her. 
 
 **Pray, in your letter to me to Paris, let me 
 know how things go with you in England, what's 
 
 become of y^' South Sea African, and the 
 
 fishery, and whether my father has begun his 
 new house '^ ; in a word, write me a long letter, and 
 in it, however full you may be of Betty, forget 
 not to say something of precious \ not altogether 
 disregarding poor Patty ; as to y^ wild girle upon 
 y« Com'on, I suppose you know as little of her 
 as I do ; in a word, tell me you and yours are 
 well, and you will then tell me the news that will 
 ever be most agreable to 
 
 "Your ever faithful and affectionate, 
 
 " S. Harcourt. 
 
 '* I shall write to my father next post ; pray my 
 duty to him and my mother. 
 
 " Pray direct to me as follows : — 
 
 " A Monsieur 
 
 Monsieur Harcourt, 
 
 Chez Mess''^ Cantillon and Hughs, 
 Rue du Rouse, proche la Monoye, 
 a Paris." 
 
 »• Harcourt House, Cavendish Square. 
 
 '• His son. 
 
From Hon. Simon Harcourt to his wife : 
 
 '' Paris ^ June 21, 1720. 
 
 "My Dearest,— Your last letter of y« 27*^ of 
 May got safe to me, I should have thankt you 
 for it by last post had I not been in a hurry in 
 setting out for Versaills, where I have since been, 
 and seen your Aunt Draper; I found her and her 
 family well, but not so cheerfuU and so well 
 pleas'd with France as I expected ; she complains 
 grieviously of y® excessive rate y* all things are 
 got up too, which indeed is inconsievablc, this 
 and the perpetuall altering the value of their 
 mony and bills, makes all foreigners very uneasy, 
 and some amongst 'em whome I can answer for, 
 impatient to return. 
 
 '* My Aunt Draper, how^ever, intends to stay 
 here a considerable time longer ; she will be in 
 Town on Monday, and on Tuesday wee go to- 
 gether to look out for some french Toys for y^ 
 Dear theif, if anything can be found w^orth ac- 
 ceptance, and that cannot be had in England, 
 you shall not be forgot ; I have a great many 
 things to say to you, but our meeting I hope 
 will be so soon, y^ I shall reserve 'em for the 
 woods at Cockthrop. 
 
 ** Pray write to me as soon as this comes to 
 your hands, for I will not leave franco till I have 
 had an answer to this ; you shall know next wxek 
 
 11 
 
 v 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 173 
 
 when you may expect me, in the mean time God 
 Almighty bless you and yours; pray remember 
 me to all with you, 
 
 "And believe me, my Dearest Creature, 
 " Ever yours most faithfully, 
 
 " S. Harcourt. 
 "Pray let y^ enclos'd be sent to Oxford as 
 soon as it gets to your hands." 
 
 At the back of this letter is written, in 
 his wife's handwriting, '' this is the last letter 
 that I ever received from dear Mr. Har- 
 court." He had for some time been deli- 
 cate, and appears to have travelled a great 
 deal, as things went in those days, for the 
 good of his health. 
 
 He died in 1720, in Paris, at the age of 
 thirty-seven; his body was brought home, 
 to be interred at Stanton Harcourt, in the 
 family chapel The epitaph written by Pope 
 for his monument has already been described 
 in the memoir of Lord Harcourt. 
 
 Simon Harcourt left an only son, of the 
 same name; who, in another volume, will 
 occupy a large share of our attention. 
 
 Here follow extracts from letters written 
 
174 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 by the wife of the Hon. Simon Harcourt 
 
 to her mother, Mrs. Evelyn, and to her 
 
 brother. Sir John Evelyn, and extending 
 
 from the year 171 3 to the year 1734, ii^- 
 
 clusive. 
 
 From Hon. Mrs. Harcourt to Mrs. Evelyn 
 
 (her mother) : — 
 
 ''August ii'\ 1713- 
 
 *' I am very much obliged to you. Dear Madam, 
 for rejoyceing so kindly with me for Mr. Har- 
 court's safe return ; I think, indeed, I never saw 
 him look healthyer nor better than he does at 
 present, and now I find how well France has 
 agreed with him, am very well pleased that he 
 has been there, tho' I was not at his going ; I hope 
 my Brother received the letter I writ to him last 
 week, to thank him for the good news he was 
 so kind as to send me of Mr. Harcourt's being 
 safe landed ; his letter came to Cockthrop on Tues- 
 day last, tho' not to me till Wenesday, I being 
 then at my Aunt Jennens ; I should have been 
 under a good deal of uneasiness if I had appre- 
 hended the danger Mr. Harcourt was in at sea ; 
 but I was so happy as to know nothing of the 
 matter till I heard it from himself; he found us at 
 my Aunt Jennens, where we stay'd all last week. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 175 
 
 "My mother presents her humble service to 
 you Madam, and desires the favour of you to 
 bring her some wafer paper to put under the 
 Almond cakes ; and Mr. Harcourt desires me to 
 give his duty to you with his humble service, and 
 mine to my Brother and sister, who I am very 
 glad to hear continues so well, and hope her 
 time of confinment will be very near over by 
 the time her Friends leave her. I have now 
 nothing more to add but that I am ever with 
 great respect, 
 
 " Dear Madam, 
 
 "Yours most obediently, 
 " E. Harcourt." 
 
 From Hon. Mrs. Harcourt to Mrs. Eve- 
 lyn : — 
 
 ''March 10'", 17 15. 
 
 - I hope. Dear Madam, you received my letter 
 
 which I writ last week Mr. Harcourt begun 
 
 his Welch journey last Munday Miss Jen- 
 nens came to town last night ; my Aunt has been 
 so noble to her as to give her twenty pound, to 
 lay out in cloths, with which she hopes to make 
 herself very fine, with the assistance of her Friends 
 in the laying of it out ; I writ you word in my 
 last letter that Dr. Mead had very little hopes 
 
176 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 of my Aunt Harcourt, her lungs having been bad 
 for some time, he thought from the begining of 
 her illness that she would not get over it ; she 
 died last Sunday morning ; she was perfectly sen- 
 cible to the last, and very willing to dye, the 
 only thing that troubled her, she said, was the 
 parting with her children, she desir'd to see all 
 her Friends the day before her death, to take 
 leave of them, and desir'd them not to be con- 
 cern'd, for she was not in the least ; she express'd 
 her satisfaction at the sight of her Sister Bell, 
 wishing her a great deal of happiness, tho' she 
 should not live to see it, and hoped what differ- 
 ence had been between them would be forgiven 
 
 and forgot. 
 
 *'My uncle is left a very mournfuU widower, 
 but the men soon overcome those things. We 
 were very much surprized here in town last Tues- 
 day night with strange sights in the Air; some 
 people fancy d they saw the figures of men, and 
 fighting. I can't say that I saw aney thing like 
 that, it appeared to me like the smoke of guns, 
 or of a great fire at a distance ; but I did not see 
 it at the worst, those that did say it was exceed- 
 ing frightfuU. 
 
 "My mother desires me to give her humble 
 service to you Madam, and to my Brother and 
 Sister, and she begs the favour of my Sister to 
 send her a receit for to drye Apricot chips if 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 177 
 
 she has one. I beg my humble service to them 
 
 both, 
 
 *' And am ever. Dear Madam, 
 
 "Yours most obediently, 
 
 " E. Harcourt. 
 
 "I have sent Miss Ann a thimble, which with 
 my hu\nble service I desire she will accept of" 
 
 ^'London, March f if', lylt- 
 
 " Dear Madam,— I was very glad to hear the 
 things came safe to Wotton, and that I hade the 
 good luck to have what I had done approv'd on, 
 which will incourage me to serve my Friends 
 acain whenever they command me, since they 
 
 are so good as to be so easily pleased 
 
 I had a letter last Monday from Mr. Harcourt, 
 he was then got as far as Hereford; there hap- 
 pen'd an unlucky accident at the begining of his 
 journey, tho' he had the good luck to skape with- 
 out aney hurt ; the Oxford Coach in which he went 
 down was overturn'd down a steep precepice, but 
 nobody gott aney hurt, but one lady, who I so- 
 pose happen'd to be undermost, and was pretty 
 much buried. He rekon'd to be at his journey's 
 end last night. 
 
 a 
 
 "L* Winton's Trial began last Thursday, he 
 is found guilty, and sentence will be passed next 
 
 A a 
 
Munday, his behaviour was not like a man in 
 his right senses, and 'tis hop'd he will find favour 
 upon that account. Betty desires me to give her 
 duty and service to all her friends at Wotton, 
 not forgeting her young Friends, who I hope are 
 all well. I must desire to add my humble service 
 to my Brother and sister, 
 
 " And am ever, dear Madam, 
 
 " Most obediently yours, 
 
 " E. Harcourt." 
 
 ^'London, March f 2(/\ 17^6. 
 
 " My Father and Mother go out of Town next 
 Munday, and design to stay about a fortnight 
 in the Country, and about as long in Town when 
 they come back again. By that time I believe 
 Mr. Harcourt will be returned out of Wales, so 
 as to meet us at Cockthrop. 
 
 ^'They talk still very much about town of Lord 
 Bridgewater's marreing Mrs/^ Meadows, and I 
 heard it spoke of not long ago by a relation of 
 my L^^'s. I think he can't make a better choice, 
 and shall be very glad to hear of aney good 
 fortune that happens to that young lady " 
 
 •* Youn^ ladies were described as Mrs. 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 179 
 
 ''London, April f 12"*, 17 16. 
 
 ** I have pleased my self very much, Dear Madam, 
 with the hopes you gave me in your last kind 
 letter of seeing my brother and sister in Town. . . 
 
 " It was reported yesterday that Lady Sunder- 
 land was dead. M'*. Walpole they say is quite 
 out of danger, which is a very great happyness. 
 I don't know what the Nation could have done 
 if so considerable a man had died." 
 
 u 
 
 London, May f \'\ 1716- 
 
 ♦* I was very agreably surprised, Dear Madam, 
 with seeing my brother in Town last week, and 
 very glad to hear that all my friends at Wotton 
 are well 
 
 *'My Father talks now of our going down to 
 Cockthrop this day fortnight, and I should have 
 been glad to have gone sooner, for I believe 
 Mr. Harcourt will be there by the end of this 
 week, and I sopose will have had enough of 
 traveling, and not care to come aney farther, tho' 
 he says he is very much tempted to come up to 
 see the Books my Lord Torington has left my 
 Father 
 
 <( 
 
 I sopose you have heard of Lord Summers' 
 
i8o 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 death; they say he has left no will, which will 
 make Lady Jekill and his other sister prove very 
 considerable fortunes " 
 
 " Cockthrop, May f 22'"', 17 16. 
 
 "I sent you word, Dear Madam, in my last 
 letter that we should begin our journey ' last 
 Thursday 
 
 "We found M^ Harcourt here ready to receive 
 us; his Welsh journey has agreed mighty well 
 with him, only his complexion is a little the worse 
 for having been so often a horseback ; but he will 
 find the useing so much exercise of very great 
 advantage I hope to his health, which will more 
 than make amends for his being tan'd. 
 
 ** M"". Aubrey came down to Cockthrop with 
 us, and I beleive the wedding will be in a very 
 
 few days " 
 
 " Cockthrop^ June y' 2**, 171 6. 
 
 ** I defer'd thanking you. Dear Madam, for the 
 favour of your last kind letter till I could send 
 you word that the wedding*^ was over ; last Tues- 
 day was the day, and my Father, who is as great 
 a lover of dispatch as Mrs. Boscawin, hurried us 
 to church soon after ten o'clock, and before eleven 
 the ceremony was over 
 
 * The marriage of Lord Harcourt's second daughter to Mr. Aubrey. 
 
 II 
 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 181 
 
 " The Comedien and Betty were the two Bride 
 Maids, and the latter not a little delighted with 
 being so, tho' she could not forbeare shedding 
 some tears just after her Aunt was married, for 
 fear her new Uncle should carry his Bride away 
 with him immediately from Cockthrop, and could 
 not be satisfied till she understood that they were 
 not to part so soon. 
 
 " I sopose next week we shall have a good deal 
 of company ; we could not expect much this week 
 because of Woodstock Race, which begun last 
 Wednesday, and does not end till to night ; the 
 Bride and Bridegroom were there on Thursday, 
 there was a great deal of company there, tho' not 
 near so much they, say as there was the day 
 before ; the Duke of Summerset's horse won the 
 plate the first day, and Lord Ross's the second ; 
 who was the lucky person yesterday I have not 
 yet heard. They say Lord Brooke's Equipage 
 outshined everybody's there by much, tho' there 
 were a great many there that were very fine, he 
 having no less than seven-and-twenty men in the 
 richest liveries that were ever seen. 
 
 "We hear that the Duke of Marlborough has 
 been very dangerously ill with a fitt of Appo- 
 plexey, and it was reported at the Race that he 
 was dead, but we have heard since that he is 
 upon recovery. The books my Lord Torinton 
 
 
left my Father are come very safe to Stanton 
 Harcourt. M'". Harcourt has already spent two 
 mornings there, very much to his satisfaction, tho' 
 there are but two of one -and -twenty cases yet 
 open'd, so that he has a great deal of pleasure 
 still to come, he wishes my Brother here to par- 
 
 take with him " 
 
 " Cock flirop, June/ 19^ 17 16. 
 "I was very sory, Dear Madam, to hear by 
 your last kind letter that my Brother had been 
 troubled with a pain in his head, which as it 
 hinders him from entertaining himself at his book, 
 must needs be a double punishment ; M'". Har- 
 court has had that complaint, too, pretty much 
 of late, which I believe is oweing to his going 
 every morning to Stanton Harcourt, where the 
 Books are, and returning from thence in the heat 
 
 of the day." 
 
 . • • 
 
 '' Cockthrop, April f 22^ 17 18. 
 "Our neighbour, Sir Robert Jenkingson, we 
 hear, is going to be married to M". Kitty Dash- 
 wood. We can't think of our Welsh journey till 
 the weather is a little better, the roads are now 
 so bad everybody says, that my Mother is almost 
 discouraged from thinking of it at all ; but one 
 hopes at this time of year they won't continue so ; 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 183 
 
 Betty is to be one of the company, at least, as 
 far as my Sister Aubrey's, where she seems at 
 present very much inclined to stay till we come 
 back from Wales ; but I don't know yet whether 
 her Papa will agree to that, or to part with her 
 so long ; I shall be unwilling my self, I believe, 
 to be so long both from her and the rest of the 
 children, as I fear I must before we come back 
 again. The Nurse is one that is pretty carefull, 
 and I hope will be so now. The Boy went into 
 briches on Easter Monday, he looks abundance 
 better in them then in his coats, and everybody 
 thinks it suits him abundance better, and he 
 seems of that opinion himself, and fears nothinge 
 so much as to put on his coats again." 
 
 '' Colhey, May f 31*', 1718. 
 
 " My Father begins now to talk of our return 
 
 to Cockthrop, and I believe about ten days hence 
 
 we shall begin our journey; we shall stop at my 
 
 Sister Aubrey's to rest our selves for a day or two, 
 
 and to take up Betty ; my Brother Aubrey, who 
 
 came hither last Wensday, says her cold is much 
 
 better; if 'tis not gone before we gett home, 
 
 I design she shall drink Asses milk for it, we 
 
 having one there for the boy, who had a little 
 
 breaking out about him in the spring, for which 
 
 D^ Mead thought it would be proper to give him 
 
 Asses milk; both he and Patt were very well 
 
1 84 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 when we heard last from Cockthrop ; the boy 
 takes it very ill, I hear, that we left him, and 
 especialy of his Grandpapa, who he did not think, 
 he says, would have served him so ; but I believe 
 we shall be able to make our peace with him, 
 my Brother Barlow having bought a little Welch 
 horse to send him for a present when we go. . . ." 
 
 " Cockthrop, August f i6^ 1718. 
 
 «« M^ Gay has left us ; M^ Pope and his 
 
 mother being come to Stanton Harcourt ; she is 
 a very good sort of a woman, and will make 
 a very good neighbour whilst she stays, which 
 I believe will be about a month or six weeks 
 longer, by that time I sopose they will be weary 
 of thevr solitude 
 
 "M^ Harcourt went yesterday to Astrop, to 
 make mother Rowney a visit, where he stays till 
 tuesday next, and is then to meet us at S^ John 
 
 Walters 
 
 " One hears dayly of some sad accident or other, 
 occasion'd by the Thunder or lightning that hap- 
 pen'd lattly; there were two People kill'd by it 
 in a field at Stanton Harcourt, a man and a wo- 
 man, they were sweetharts, and to have been 
 married at Michaelmass ; they are both buried in 
 a grave, and my Father tells M^ Pope and M'". 
 Gay, that he thinks they ought to make an Epi- 
 taph upon them. 'Twill be a surprize to you, 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 185 
 
 I believe, to hear that my Aunt Stonhousc is 
 married, but a much greater when you hear to 
 whom ; that after refuseing so many good matches 
 as she has done, she has at last thought fitt to 
 marry her footman, a young fellow of about 
 twenty; 'twas such an amazing peice of news, 
 that I cou'd not have believed it had I not heard 
 it from those who were too well inform'd for one 
 to doubt the truth of it ; he is willing it seems 
 to settle what she has upon her, and S^' John will 
 be so kind to her as to take care to see that 
 done. Betty desires her duty to her Grandmama, 
 and the Boy his, and that I would lett you know 
 what a notable horseman he is, and that he has 
 rid as far as Hardwick upon his little Welch 
 horse, which he thinks an extraordinary peice 
 of news " 
 
 " Cockthrop, September f i^ 17 18. 
 
 " .... My Brother seems mightely pleased with 
 Newnham, which he saw in his way hither ; last 
 Saterday we went to Blenhem, where there has 
 been a good deal done since he saw it before, 
 several of the Apartments being finished, and the 
 Hall painted ; there we saw M^ Moor, who has 
 promised to come over to Cockthrop. 
 
 "My Brother and my uncle Harcourt went this 
 morning to see Cornbury. I don't here ancy thing 
 
 Bb 
 
1 86 
 
 The Hakcourt Papers. 
 
 yet of Lord Rochester's coming down, tho' some 
 say the wedding will be kept there. 
 
 «^P. Harcourt is under D''. Fruin's care, and 
 according to his directions is adrinking Spau 
 Waters fhe began but yesterday, and cant expect 
 to find much benifit by them yet, tho' I hope he 
 will in a little time. We hear nothing more of 
 my Aunt Stonehouse, for so I must call her, not 
 knowing her other name, only that she refused 
 to have'the writings, that are to secure w^hat she 
 has out of this fellow's power, in trustees' hands, 
 as S'- John Stonehouse and the rest of her Friends 
 would have had them, so I sopose he will gitt 
 what she has and spend it. Some say she has 
 a mind now to disown her being married to him, 
 but I fear that is now too late " 
 
 " Cockthrop, October f 2^ 1718. 
 
 " Our Neighbours Pope and Gay have left us, 
 but we hear that we have a new one at Duck- 
 ling-ton, M^ Fotherbey being come thither; but 
 we have not yet seen her, nor our neighbour Bluit, 
 who is come to North-Moore. 
 
 ** We are in daily expectation of S^' John Wal- 
 ters and his Lady, who have promised to come 
 and spend three or four days with us. My Father 
 and M^ Harcourt seem in earnest now about the 
 Library, and are making preparations in order to 
 
 
 cro 
 
 about building next spring, and hope then my 
 
 brother will come to their assistance. 
 
 » 
 
 '' London, December y ii", 17 18. 
 
 "VVcc went from Cockthrop to my Aunt Jen- 
 nen's last Saterday morning, and staid witli her 
 tiU Tuesday morning; the children set out on 
 Munday, and nictt us on Tuesday night at Slough, 
 and yesterday about noon we all gott safe to 
 Town. We were under some fear of meeting 
 high-waymen, having heard there has been great 
 robbing of late, but we scap d very well without 
 meeting aney ; the waggon where our goods and 
 plate were, was sett upon near Oxford by five 
 fellows ; but there happened to be 3 or 4 waggons 
 together, and those that belonged to them made 
 their party good, and took three of them, who 
 
 are now in Oxford Gcol 
 
 "MMlarcourt has just now received my bro- 
 ther's kind letter, for which he designs to return 
 him thanks very soon, and likewise for the Pig's- 
 
 tail " 
 
 '' Cockthrop June f 18'*, 1722. 
 
 '• I beleive you have heard of Sir John Walters' 
 death, he has left his estate to my Lady during 
 her life, and to S'' Robert Walters after her death. 
 My Father has a legacy of a thousand pound ; 
 
he is now at Sarsden, he went thither last friday, 
 in order to be there at the funeral the next day. 
 S^ John was ill but a few days before his death. 
 He died of no distemper, but a general decay, 
 which was no wonder, considering how he had 
 
 lived 
 
 " Last night's evening's post informed us of the 
 D. of Marlborough's death ; he has been in a man- 
 ner dead for some time, and by what one has 
 heard of him of late years, could have but little 
 enjoyment of life. My Aunt Jennens did not 
 leave us till yesterday, the great rains having 
 made the waters so high at Newbridge that there 
 was no passing. She stayed with us a week 
 longer than she design'd." 
 
 *' Cockthrop, July f i o'\ 1722. 
 
 " I take the first oppertunity of writing to you. 
 Dear Madam, after my return to Cockthrop, be- 
 leiving it would be acceptable to you to hear 
 that we got well thither ; Capten Trever and his 
 Lady mett us at Henley, and lay there that night, 
 the moon not happening to rise till very late, and 
 the Capten being a little merry, 'twas not advis- 
 able for them to venture home in the dark " 
 
 " Cockthrop, August f ii^ 1722. 
 
 " To Sir John Evelyn : — 
 "I return you many thanks, Dear Brother, for 
 
 1 
 
 ?J 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 189 
 
 the kind letter I received from you last night, 
 with the agreeable news of my Mother's being 
 so much better, that I hope a very little time 
 will perfect her recovery ; and you must give me 
 leave to repeat my thanks to you upon Precious's 
 account, who I daresay thought himself very 
 happy to wait upon the young ladies to so fine 
 a sight as the funeral must needs be, by the 
 description we had here of it in the newspapers ; 
 I fancy the Anthem must be mighty fine, and 
 had I been in Town I should rather have heard 
 that than seen the show." 
 
 «' Cockthrop, May f 12^ 1722. 
 " My Mother desires her thanks to my sister 
 for the receit of the Snail water, with her humble 
 service both to you. Madam, and to her; M'^^ 
 Scot is now a stilling the Snail water, and I did 
 intend to^ive Simon some of it had his cough 
 continued, but thank God he has now hardly any 
 remains of it, and seems perfectly well in health, 
 but somewhat troubled in mind at the weather's 
 being so bad, that he can't ride so much as he 
 would ; and 'tis no small dificulty we have to keep 
 him within door when 'tis wet and windy, which 
 happens pritty often, for we have had but little 
 good weather since we came into the country. . . . 
 ^ ''Lord Abington call'd here last week in his 
 
 f The Duke of Marlborough's. 
 
way to the Bath, his Lady was not well enough 
 to go with him, having miscarried, and been very 
 
 ill since." 
 
 *' Cockthrop.June f 2\ 1722. 
 
 '' I think the young Princesses make their ap- 
 pearance in Publick very soon after having the 
 Smal-Pox, but I sopose they have had it very 
 favourably, which will incourage People to go on 
 with this new way of inoculating; I own I am 
 so unfashonable as not to like it, tho' it has suc- 
 ceeded with a great maney ; I have not yet heard 
 how Miss West came off, I heard that she had 
 the Courage to try it; Lord Bathurst, I think, 
 had a great deal, to try it upon six of his children 
 at once, and very good luck to have them all 
 do well." 
 
 ''CockthroJ),Juncfz^'\ 1724- 
 
 "I don't know how time may reconcile one 
 to this place, but I think nothing alters ancy so 
 much for the worse as the loss of a friend g one 
 has been long ust to there, and I beleive Cock- 
 throp at this time would be as unpleasant to you 
 as to me, otherways I should very much wish for 
 your company here. 
 
 " My Father has given me three of those rings 
 that were sent down, to lay by till I have an 
 
 « Referring to Lady Harcourt, Lord Harcourt's second wife, 
 who had just died. 
 
 oppertunity to send them, one for yourself, one 
 for my sister, and one for my Brother ; and desires 
 the favour of him to dispose of the seven remain- 
 ing in his hands after the following manner: 
 Two to be sent to my cosin, Philip Harcourt, 
 one for himself, the other for his Mother ; two 
 rings to be sent to M^ Richard Harcourt, one 
 for himself, the other for his wife ; three rings to 
 be sent to M^ Morley, one for himself, another 
 for his wife, and the other for her sister Harcourt ; 
 he says he is sure you are all so good as to 
 excuse the not haveing yours sooner, but does 
 not know whether others may not take it amiss." 
 
 '' Cockthrop, August f ii'\ 1724. 
 •' I sopose we shall see Precious here on friday 
 or Satcrday next; my Father sends horses to 
 Henley for him on Thursday, the next day he is 
 to dine at my Aunt Jennens's, and to come from 
 thence that night, or the next morning, as he 
 pleases ; it falls out unlucky that his Grandpapa 
 will be absent I fear the whole time of his being 
 in the Country ; Betty and I must do our best 
 to entertain him, but I beleive he will prefer the 
 setting dog or riding out, before our company." 
 
 " Cockthrop, August/ 2f\ 1724- 
 
 •' To Sir John Evelyn : — 
 ''Dear Brother,— I received the favour of 
 
192 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 your kind letter by last night's post, and am very 
 much oblidged to you for adviseing me after so 
 friendly a manner to what you think likelyest 
 to prove a satisfaction in the end ; and tho' my 
 Father has invited me very kindly to continue 
 with him after his being married ^ yet there may 
 happen inconveniences in a mixt Family, more 
 than one can forsee at present, and I am sensible 
 of maney things that may make it improper ; and 
 therefore I have determin'd, tho' the time was 
 but short that I had to consider on it, to go to 
 London next week to gett a House as soon as 
 I can, that I may remove from Downing Street 
 if possible before my Father and the family 
 
 come to Town. 
 
 "I find my Mother and sister have already 
 been so kind as to inquire after one for me, and 
 I shall be glad to know if they either saw or 
 heard of one they thought likely to do ; I should 
 choose Westminster, and to be near my Freinds 
 there, rather than aney other part of the town, 
 if I can meet with a house not too large for me, 
 nor in too close a place ; I must not say that 
 I shall be sorry to find my friends in Duke Street 
 absent when I come to Town, if this fine weather 
 should continue the Country will be so much 
 pleasanter, that I should be very partial to myself 
 to wish them aney where else ; but when they 
 
 >» Lord Harcourt was just about to marry Lady Walters. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 193 
 
 return 'twill be a very great satisfaction to me 
 to see them there ; I beg my duty to my Mother, 
 and my humble service to my sister and the 
 
 young ladys, 
 
 " And am, Dear Brother, 
 
 " Yours most affectionately, 
 
 "E. Harcourt. 
 *' Betty desires her duty and humble service to 
 her friends at Wotton." 
 
 '' Downing Street, September f 9"', 1724- 
 
 ** I think my sister told me that you had seen 
 the house I have taken, and that you did not 
 dislike it ; I beleive I could not have found one 
 fitter for me upon all acounts, had I had time 
 to have lookt further 
 
 "I dare say my sister knows where the best 
 dryed sweetmeats are to be had in town, and 
 must desire that you would be pleased to ask 
 her, because I am to send some down to Cock- 
 throp by the carrier to-morrow sen'night, being 
 what will be wanted there when my Lady comes. 
 I beleive it was very surprizing to you to hear 
 how soon that wedding was like to be, as in- 
 deed that part of it was to me, tho' I did im- 
 magine it very likely to happen some time or 
 other, but could not think it would be quite so 
 soon " 
 
 c c 
 
^' Downing street, October y' (>'\ 1724- 
 
 ". . . . I fancy before this time you have heard that 
 my Father was married on Wednesday last ; I had 
 yesterday a letter from him. in which he tells me 
 he designs to go to Cockthrop to day, and that 
 he shall stay there about a fortnight, so 'tis time 
 for me to be gone from hence, that this house 
 may be clean'd and put in order against he comes ; 
 and I hope mine is now pretty well air'd, there 
 having been fires kept in the rooms this ten days, 
 and to-morrow night I intend to lye there, 
 my own room being furnished, and the one I 
 
 eat in 
 
 •' I am much obliged to my brother and sister 
 for so kindly offering me to be at their house, 
 but I could by no mean think of crowding them 
 up. or putting them to so great an inconvenience, 
 as the having me there must have been " 
 
 ''Cockthrop, September f 18'', 1725. 
 
 *• We have not passed one day this week with- 
 out company, her Grace of Marlborough din'd 
 here on Thursday last, and with her Lady di 
 Spencer, the Duke of Bedford, and Lord Sunder- 
 land ; her grace inquired mightily when my sister 
 went to London, and said that she had lately had 
 a letter from Lord Blandford, and that he told 
 her he design'd to imploy Lady Evelyn to furnish 
 
 \ 
 
 •■ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 195 
 
 his house in town ; 'tis an employment I beleive 
 my sister will not be fond of, tho' she is all ways 
 ready to assist her friends, and I thought it would 
 have been properer for her Grace, tho' I could 
 
 not be free enough to tell her so 
 
 " Simon went from hence last Munday, he had 
 the pleasure of riding all the way, which made 
 his return to School not quite so mussy as it 
 would otherways have been." 
 
 *' Qiiee7i Square, Westminster, 
 August / i6^ 1726. 
 
 '* I beleive it was very surprizing to you to hear 
 that M^ Phill. Harcourt's match was broken off, 
 after being so far advanc'd as to have the weding 
 day fixd, and the ring bespoke; the account 
 I heard of it was, that at the begining of this 
 affair, the Gentleman and the Lady both agreed 
 that it would be best for them to live by them- 
 selves and to have no relation of either side in 
 the House with them ; but a little before he went 
 the Circuit he went to take his leave of the Lady, 
 and at parting he told her that he had a request 
 to make her, and he hoped that she would comply 
 with it, which was that she would let one of his 
 sisters live with them ; she told him that it was 
 contrary to their agreement, but to oblige him 
 
 it should be so. 
 
 "And at the same time she desired that he 
 
196 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 would give leave that a relation of hers, that had 
 liv'd with her from a child, might stay with them 
 after they were married for one month only, which 
 he seem'd to think unreasonable, but did not then 
 absolutely refuse; but a few days after, he writ 
 the lady word that she had granted him his first 
 request so unwillingly, and not at last without 
 an expedient, that he could not but take it as 
 an ill begining, and therefore he desired to take 
 his leave of her, and left it to her to give what 
 reason she pleas'd for the matter going off so 
 suddingly, being at a loss I soppose to give a very 
 good one himself. His friends are all very much 
 surprized at his proceedings, and think him very 
 much to blame." 
 
 '' Lo7ig Witte7iham, September f 5'\ 1726. 
 
 ** Dear Madam, — I had the pleasure of hear- 
 ing that you were well by your kind letter which 
 I received last friday. 
 
 . 
 
 " My Aunt Jennens, M". Trever, Betty and my- 
 self went last thursday to dine at Cockthrop with 
 a sett of hir'd horses from Oxford, and, as we 
 came back, our Coachman being either fudled or 
 asleep, contriv'd to overturn us. Betty and I were 
 undermost, and the glass up of our side, and with 
 the fall broke all to peices, and yet we had the 
 good fortune to escape without being cut; my 
 
 I 
 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 197 
 
 Aunt Jennens happened to hit her face agains 
 the bar that parts the 2 fore glasses, and brus'd 
 one side of it about her eye very much, and got 
 a little cut just above her eye brow, that bled 
 so much that we were afraid that she had been 
 very much hurt, till the surgeon that we sent for 
 from Abington came, who told us that it was no- 
 thing that was dangerous, but that she had happen'd 
 to cut some little artery, which made it bleed so 
 much. My Aunt's Cloths suffer'd very much, and 
 I beleive will be good for little after this accident ; 
 but we are all very well satisfied that we came 
 of without any broken bones, since we fell from 
 a pritty high bank. 
 
 *'I must beg my humble service to the good 
 Company at the CodrilP table. 
 
 ** Dear Madam, 
 " Your most obedient and dutiffull daughter, 
 
 "E. Harcourt. 
 "My Aunt Jennens and M^^ Trever desire that 
 you would accept of their humble service, and 
 Betty of her duty." 
 
 There is a note at the back of this letter, 
 written by Sir John Evelyn :— 
 
 **My sister's letter to my Mother 5 Sep"". 1726; 
 received y^ ^^\ being y^ day she died." 
 
 i Quadrille was a fashionable game at that time. 
 
 > 
 
 1 
 
 / 
 
'' Lotig Wittenham, September f i9'\ i734- 
 
 " Dear Brother,— I Have had a letter 
 
 from M". Bowman "^ since I came hither, dated 
 from Hanover, and am obliged to you for the 
 account you give me of my son from one that 
 you have received since ; Vi\ Rock \ when I saw 
 him, told me that he had acquanted you with 
 Lady Harcourt's favours to my son, who I hope 
 will be wiser than to accept of them." 
 
 ^ Young Lord Ilarcourt's Tutor. 
 » Lord Harcourt's Secretary. 
 
 (V 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 SPEECH OF SIR SIMON HARCOURT 
 
 ON 
 
 DR. SACHEVERELL'S 
 
 TRIAL. 
 
 V 
 
 , 
 
 1 
 
^pcwlj of Sir 3mmx f artourt 
 
 ON 
 
 gr. Sacljckrcirs Crial 
 
 MAY it please your Lordships, I am Coun- 
 cil for Doctor Sachevercll, who stands 
 impeached in the name of the Commons of Great 
 Britain of high crimes and misdemeanors; the 
 crimes supposed to have been committed by him 
 are contained in four articles; I beg leave to 
 postpone the three last, without mentioning any 
 thing of them, till we have all concluded what 
 we have to offer and lay before your Lordships, 
 as to the several charges contained in the first, 
 and endeavour to satisfy your Lordships, that, 
 notwithstanding what has been objected by the 
 Gentlemen of the house of Commons agamst the 
 doctor in maintenance of that article, he is an 
 
 innocent man. 
 
 " The first article contains three distinct charges, 
 we shall proceed on them as they lye in order. 
 The first of them is, ' that he suggests and main- 
 tains, that the necessary means used to bring 
 
 D d 
 
202 
 
 The Hakcourt Papers. 
 
 about the late happy revolution were odious and 
 
 unjustifiable.' 
 
 "Your Lordships have been informed, that by 
 this expression of * the necessary means,' men- 
 tioned in the first article, the Gentlemen of the 
 House of Commons intend his late Majest/s 
 glorious enterprise for delivering the kingdom 
 from popery and arbitrary power, and the sub- 
 jects of this realm well affected to their country, 
 joining with, and assisting him in that enterprize. 
 In a ""shorter description it has been explained, 
 that these necessary means were the subjects' 
 resistance to their unfortunate prince then upon 
 the throne. Of this resistance the Doctor has 
 made no mention in his Sermon ; he has indeed 
 affirmed the utter illegality of resistance on any 
 pretence whatsoever to the supreme Power, but 
 it can't be pretended there was any such resist- 
 ance used at the revolution ; the supreme power 
 in this Kingdom is the legislative power; and 
 the revolution took effect by the Lords and Com- 
 mons concurring and assisting in it. 
 
 "Whatever therefore the Doctor has asserted 
 of the utter illegality of resistance, his assertion 
 being applied to the Supreme power, can't relate 
 to any resistance used at the Revolution, and, 
 consequently, can't be an affirmance that such 
 resistance, or such necessary means, were odious 
 and unjustifiable. 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 203 
 
 " One of the learned gentlemen, who spoke the 
 third day of this trial in maintenance of the last 
 article, concurred with me in this, and objected 
 it to the Doctor, that he had guarded himself by 
 confining his assertion to the Supreme power, and 
 that he had not averred the utter illegality of 
 resistance to the Queen ; but had he in express 
 terms affirmed the unlawfulness of such resistance, 
 yet by the same arguments which have been used, 
 the Doctor would have been told he had been 
 preaching a slavish doctrine. 
 
 "My Lords, another gentleman of the house 
 of Commons (I think there were but two of them 
 who took notice of this expression of the Doctor's 
 of the Supreme power) observed, that the Doctor 
 had asserted the illegality of resistance to the 
 supreme power on any pretence whatsoever, which 
 power he admitted was the legislative, and de- 
 clared, if the Doctor had really meant that power, 
 he should not have differed from him; and, with- 
 out doubt, your Lordships and all persons will 
 concur with him in this, that 'tis utterly un- 
 lawful to resist the supreme power. 
 
 " But that Gentleman, being satisfied that tho' 
 the Doctor expressly mentioned the supreme 
 power which is the legislative, yet he certamly 
 intended the supreme executive power, concluded 
 he was guilty of this charge in the first article ; 
 and mentioned it as an instance of the great 
 
204 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 mercy and lenity of the House of Commons, that 
 they had not proceeded against him for high 
 treason, as a parson in one of the late reigns was 
 prosecuted for words which he thought less offen- 
 sive and dangerous than this assertion preached 
 by D^ Sacheverell ; and yet that Gentleman was 
 pleased to say, that had a dissenter, whose affec- 
 tion to the Government was unsuspected, ex- 
 pressed himself as the doctor did, the Gentle- 
 men of the House of Commons would not have 
 thought fit to have prosecuted him. 
 
 *' That case which was alluded to, I take to be 
 the case of M^ Roswell, a non-conformist Minister ; 
 he was indicted in the 36 Car. 2, for words spoken 
 by him in a sermon preached at a meeting house, 
 'twas a prosecution carried on through the violence 
 of those times, and generally detested ; he was 
 convicted ; but on cooler thoughts, and consi- 
 deration of the uncertainty in his expressions, 
 that they could not amount to such a crime as 
 he stood charged with, judgment was arrested, 
 and M^ Roswell was discharged. 
 
 *' Another learned Gentleman, who opened the 
 charge, was of opinion that the Doctor, in his 
 assertion of the illegality of resistance to the 
 supreme power, does really neither mean the 
 legislative nor executive power, but that he had 
 the Pretender in his view. 
 
 ''This is diving into the secrets of his heart, 
 
 [ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 205 
 
 and searching into his thoughts, which God only 
 knows ; this was urged, to avoid the strange in- 
 consistency, in concluding that the Doctor was 
 endeavouring to undermine the Government by 
 preaching up the utter illegality of resisting it. 
 
 " My Lords, if there be a double sense, in either 
 of which those words are equally capable of being 
 understood ; if in one sense the Doctor's assertion 
 be undeniably clear, but in the other some doubt 
 midit arise, whether his words be criminal or not ; 
 the law of England is more merciful than to 
 make a man criminal, by construing his words 
 against the natural import of them in their worst 
 
 sense. 
 
 '' This is the great justice and clemency of our 
 law in every man's case; but some persons are 
 intitled to have a more favourable construction 
 put on all their words and actions than others are, 
 such as persons acting in execution of their offices, 
 in obedience to authority, or by a Commission 
 from the Crown ; such persons are looked upon 
 as under the immediate protection and care of 
 the law. How much more reasonable is it that 
 ministers of the Gospel, who have their com- 
 mission from God, and speak in the name of 
 God, should have the most candid interpretation 
 made of whatever they say. This, I am per- 
 suaded, was one of the chief reasons which, in 
 the case of M^ Roswell, allayed the rage of that 
 
 i 
 
reign, and at that time obtained mercy for him, 
 though a non-conformist Minister under a con- 
 viction of High-treason. 
 
 "Tis a hard fate attends this unhappy Gentle- 
 man, if he must inevitably lye under the impu- 
 tation of being thought an enemy to the revolu- 
 tion, and to our present happy establishment on 
 that' foundation. What evidence will your Lord- 
 ships expect he should produce to clear himself? 
 He has shown his submission to the revolution ; 
 from the first moment his years made him capable 
 of doing so he has given all publick testimonies 
 of his fidelity and affection to the last reign, as 
 well as the present, which the Government has 
 at any time required from the most suspected 
 persons; he has taken the oath of Allegiance, 
 signed the Association, and took the Abjuration. 
 
 "'Tis a miserable case any man is in, if, after 
 he has taken the Abjuration, the utmost which 
 is required, he shall still be told, he has indeed 
 abjured the Pretender, but hath not yet forgot 
 
 him. 
 
 " If neither the inoffensiveness of the Doctor's 
 
 behaviour, and if neither his words nor oaths can 
 
 satisfy, and if after all these demonstrations the 
 
 Doctor has given of his fidelity, he is still liable 
 
 to be censured, what satisfaction is it possible 
 
 for him to give ? 
 
 " My Lords, if the manner of this solemn pro- 
 
 secution has not altered the nature of things, 
 I hope I may insist, without putting in a claim 
 of right in behalf of all the factious and seditious 
 people in the Kingdom to revile the Government 
 at pleasure, that by the happy Constitution under 
 which we live, a subject of England is not to be 
 made criminal by a laboured construction of 
 doubtful words; or, when that can't serve, by 
 departing from his words, and resorting to his 
 meaning. Too many instances there were of this 
 nature before the late happy revolution ; but that 
 put an end to such arbitrary constructions. 
 
 " I might trouble your Lordships on this head 
 with multitudes of authorities, but I shall mention 
 only one ; 'tis an authority of your Lordships 
 upon a writ of error, immediately after the revo- 
 lution ; Sir Samuel Barnardiston's case ; and I beg 
 leave to refer to your Lordships' journal, May 14, 
 
 1689. 
 " 'Twas that Gentleman's misfortune to be called 
 
 in question in the reign of Charles the Second 
 (Hill, term, 1683), for writing some letters sup- 
 posed to be seditious, and highly reflecting on 
 the Government, and the public justice of the 
 nation at that time. Upon his tryal he was re- 
 presented as a seditious man, and one of a tur- 
 bulent spirit ; and being so painted by the Chief 
 Justice who tryed him, tho' his actions were in- 
 ofTensive, notwithstanding his innocence, a verdict 
 
«•»" 
 
 208 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 was obtained against him ; and when he came to 
 receive judgment, not being looked upon as an 
 inconsiderable man, nor as a tool of his party, 
 but as one of the heads of it, a fine of ten thou- 
 sand pounds was set on him. 
 
 "I beg leave to lay before your Lordships 
 what you did in that case. Your Lordships re- 
 versed that judgment, and as a glorious instance 
 of your justice, not contenting yourselves with 
 the right you had done in the case then before 
 you, at the same time provided, as far as was 
 possible, that no innocent person, in after ages, 
 might suffer wrong. Your Lordships therefore, 
 in an extraordinary manner, ordered the reasons 
 of your judgment to be entered in your journal, 
 and they are entered in the following words :— 
 
 "'First, the information in this case being 
 grounded upon letters, which in themselves were 
 not criminal, but made so by innuendos, your 
 Lordships declared that innuendos, or supposed 
 and forced constructions, ought not to be allowed, 
 for all accusations should be plain, and the crimes 
 
 ascertained.' 
 
 " My Lords, I hope it's unnecessary to my pre- 
 sent purpose to read to you the second reason ; 
 but as 'twas another instance of your Lordships' 
 justice, which ought never to be forgot, I shall 
 take the liberty of doing it ; it relates to the fine 
 of ten thousand pounds. Though Sir Samuel 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 209 
 
 Barnardiston was a gentleman of a considerable 
 estate, your Lordships declared, * secondly, that 
 this fine of ten thousand pounds is exhorbitant 
 and excessive, and not warranted by legal pre- 
 cedents of former ages ; for all fines ought to be 
 with a salvo contenemento siio, and not to the 
 party's ruin.* 
 
 "These were your Lordships' declarations in 
 this case ; if there be any uncertainty or doubt in 
 the Doctor's expressions, your Lordships, I hope, 
 will put the most favourable construction on them. 
 What I have hitherto offered is, with relation to 
 these words, The Supreme power ; but that which 
 I take to be the main objection in this case, is, 
 that the Doctor's assertion of the illegality of re- 
 sistance must be necessarily understood with re- 
 ference to the executive power ; and if it be ut- 
 terly illegal, in any case, upon any pretence what- 
 soever, then 'twas unlawful at the revolution ; and 
 from thence the consequence is drawn, that the 
 Doctor is guilty of this first charge, of maintaining 
 that the necessary means used to bring about the 
 happy revolution ivere odious and unjustifiable. This 
 I take to be the force of the objection. 
 
 " My Lords, I admit the Doctor has in general 
 terms asserted this proposition of the illegality 
 of resistance to the supreme power on any pre- 
 tence whatsoever; and yet I am not altogether 
 without hopes, but that I shall be able to satisfie 
 
 E e 
 
2IO 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 even the Gentlemen of the house of Commons, 
 whether that expression be understood of the 
 leo-islative. or executive power, that he is an in- 
 noccnt man, notwithstanding that assertion. 
 
 *' My Lords, there is nothing further from our 
 hearts, nor is any thing less necessary to the 
 Doctor's defence, than for us to dispute, or to call 
 in question the justice of the revolution ; we are 
 so far from it, that we look on ourselves to be 
 arguing for it, whilst we are endeavouring to shew 
 your Lordships, that the resistance used at the 
 revolution is not inconsistent with the doctrine of 
 the Church of England, and with the law of Eng- 
 land, and that the Doctor uses no other language 
 than what they both speak. When your Lord- 
 ships have laid aside what was urged the second 
 day, to show the justice of the revolution, and 
 to aggravate the Doctor's offence, supposing him 
 to be guilty, this matter will lye in a very narrow 
 compass ; and I am in hopes that there will not 
 appear to be so great a difference as hath been 
 represented, between the Doctor, in his assertion 
 concerning the illegality of resistance, and some 
 of the Gentlemen of the house of Commons ; 
 I can't say that I differ from many of them in 
 their notions of allegiance, as stated the second 
 day of this tryal. 
 
 "My Lords, the first thing on which I humbly 
 insist, supposing this general assertion to relate 
 
 
 J 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 21 I 
 
 to the Supreme executive power, is, that the 
 Doctor has not in any part of his sermon applyed 
 it to the particular case of the revolution. 
 
 "'Twas insisted on the first day, that he had 
 not only asserted the utter illegality of resistance 
 to the supreme power on any pretence what- 
 soever ; but, also, that he had expressly affirmed, 
 that the revolution was not such a case as ought 
 to be excepted out of his general rule. This 
 I deny: if such an expression can be found in 
 the Doctor's Sermon, I shall think no punishment 
 too great for him. 'Tis one thing expressly to 
 affirm the revolution is such a case as ought to 
 be excepted out of the general rule, and another 
 thincr not to make the exception. The Apostle, 
 who in general terms enjoins the duties of obe- 
 dience and non-resistance to the higher powers, 
 makes no exception when he lays down those 
 precepts ; nor on the other side does he say, no 
 such case can ever happen, wherein obedience 
 is not to be paid, or resistance not to be made. 
 He is silent in that matter; and the Doctor's ex- 
 pression in this case, is agreeable with that of 
 
 the Apostle. 
 
 " To prove the Doctor guilty of this first charge, 
 and that he had directly applied his general rule 
 of the illegality of resistance to the supreme 
 power to the particular case of the revolution, 
 a learned gentleman (whose province 'twas to 
 
 t 
 
212 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 maintain the first article) on the second day of 
 this tryal, first stated to your Lordships the page 
 wherein the Doctor mentions the utter illegahty 
 of resistance, and read that passage in the follow- 
 ing words : — ' the grand security of our Govern- 
 ment, and the very pillar upon which it stands, 
 is founded upon the steady belief of the subject's 
 obligation to an absolute and unconditional obe- 
 dience to the supreme power in all things lawful, 
 and the utter illegality of resistance upon any 
 pretence whatever;' and then he says, *the Doctor 
 goes on, and says,— Our adversaries think they 
 effectual stop our mouths, and have us sure and 
 unanswerable on this point, when they urge the 
 revolution of this day in their defence.' 
 
 '* This might very reasonably make an impres- 
 sion upon your Lordships, not comparing those 
 several passages in the Doctor's sermon, at the 
 same time that objection was made. But I beg 
 your Lordships will observe the distance of these 
 two passages from each other, between twenty 
 and thirty lines, in which several distinct and 
 entire sentences are contained, to which that last 
 passage of * our adversaries, &c.' plainly relates. 
 
 "The next method used to prove the Doctor 
 guilty, was by taking the passage in itself, in- 
 dcpendantly from any other; and this I own to 
 be the true way of considering it : and taking it 
 thus, 'tis objected, if in no case whatsoever 'tis 
 
 I 
 
 7 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 213 
 
 lawful to resist, 'twas then unlawful at the revo- 
 lution. Such a doctrine must be a slavish doc- 
 trine. An unHmited passive obedience and non- 
 resistance is a slavish notion. 
 
 " My Lords, Doctor Sacheverell does not con- 
 tend for it, nor is there anything mentioned in his 
 Sermon of such an obedience or non-resistance. 
 There is but this small difference between the 
 Gentlemen of the house of Commons, who think 
 this expression so highly criminal, and the Doctor, 
 who still conceives it to be otherwise; w^hether, 
 when the general rule of obedience is taught, 
 the particular exceptions which may be made 
 out of that rule are always to be expressed ; or 
 whether, when the general rule is laid down, the 
 particular exceptions which might be made out 
 of that rule are not more properly to be under- 
 stood or implied. 
 
 " I humbly apprehend, my Lords, that extra- 
 ordinary cases, cases of necessity, are always im- 
 plied, though not expressed in the general rule. 
 Such a case, undoubtedly, the revolution was, 
 when our late unhappy Sovereign, then upon the 
 throne, misled by evil counsellors, endeavoured 
 to subvert and extirpate the Protestant religion, 
 and the laws and liberties of the Kingdom. The 
 general rule ought always to be pressed, but the 
 exceptions of extraordinary cases, of cases of ne- 
 cessity, are never particularly to be stated. To 
 
214 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 point out every such case beforehand, is as im- 
 possible as it is for a man in his senses not to 
 perceive plainly when such a case happens. 
 
 "Every minister of the Gospel is sufficiently 
 instructed from the doctrine of his Church, from 
 the written laws of the land, and the law of God, 
 to press the general duty of obedience ; but such 
 extraordinary cases wherein resistance is lawful, 
 wherein it becomes an indispensable duty, are 
 nowhere laid down. The same Apostle who en- 
 joins obedience and non-resistance to the higher 
 powers, commands also servants to obey their 
 masters, and children their Parents, in all things ; 
 notwithstanding which general precepts, many 
 cases may happen wherein it may be not only 
 unfit, but sinful for servants to obey their masters, 
 or children their parents. And yet the Apostle 
 never thought it proper to state or mention those 
 cases, but contented himself to press the duty of 
 subjection in general, leaving such cases, when 
 they happened, to justify themselves. 
 
 " Such cases, my Lords, with respect to resist- 
 ance against the supreme power, are no way fit 
 to be considered but in Parliament ; and even the 
 Parliament itself hath never yet thought fit other- 
 ways to consider them, than by way of retrospect, 
 to justify what had of necessity been done in 
 those cases; but never went so far as to enu- 
 merate the cases of that kind which might hap- 
 
 TiiE Harcourt Papers. 
 
 215 
 
 pen for the future, wherein it might be lawful 
 for the subject to resist ; nothing being more evi- 
 dent than that the subjects would be, sometime or 
 other, thereby tempted to exceed their just liberty. 
 ''I beo- leave to close what I have humbly 
 offered to your Lordships on this head, with an 
 observation I borrow from M'. Pym, at his deliver- 
 ing the charge against Doctor Manwaring; M'. 
 Pym, speaking of the Duchy of Normandy, ob- 
 serves that that Duchy, having been oppressed 
 with some grievances, contrary to their franchises, 
 made their complaint to Louis the tenth, who by 
 his charter acknowledging the right and custom 
 of the country, and that they had been unjustly 
 grieved, did grant and provide, that from thence- 
 forward they should be free from all subsidies 
 and exactions to be imposed by him and his 
 successors, yet with this clause, 'Unless when 
 great necessity required ;' which small exception, 
 M'-. Pym observed, had devoured all their immu- 
 nities granted by that charter. I think I may 
 as reasonably conclude, that if Clergymen, or 
 others, in their Sermons, writings, or public dis- 
 courses, instead of preaching up the general rule 
 of obedience, are permitted to state the several 
 extraordinary cases which may arise, the several 
 excepted cases which, notwithstanding the gene- 
 ral rule, are implied ; such exceptions will, in time, 
 devour all allegiance. 
 
2l6 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 "Having thus stated to your Lordships the 
 question between us, whether such excepted cases 
 as the revolution was, are not more proper to be 
 left as implied, than to be expressed, when the 
 general duty of obedience is taught ; I shall en- 
 deavour to satisfy your Lordships, First, That 
 the Doctor's assertion of * the illegality of resist- 
 ance to the supreme power on any pretence what- 
 soever/ in general terms, without expressing any 
 exception, or that any exception is to be made, 
 is warranted by the authority of the Church of 
 England ; and, Secondly, that this manner of ex- 
 pression is agreeable to the law of England. 
 
 *' First, That it is warranted by the authority 
 of the Church. Your Lordships were informed 
 on the first day of this trial, with how much 
 bravery even our Popish ancestors asserted the 
 legality and indispensable duty of resistance, when- 
 ever they thought the liberty of their country 
 required it; but that at the reformation, when 
 truth began to shine out, then it became evident 
 that this notion of the illegality of resistance was 
 a slavish doctrine. The learned gentleman un- 
 doubtedly pitched on a very proper time to begin 
 his search after truth; and from thence I shall 
 endeavour to trace it. 
 
 " One very early authority I find, 'twas indeed 
 in the dawn of the reformation, in a book entitled 
 *A Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 217 
 
 Christian Man,' published by the King's com- 
 mand, 34. H. 8. 'Twas a treatise composed by 
 the direction of Cranmer, by Rydley, Redmayn, 
 and other very great and learned men. I find it 
 highly commended in the history of the refor- 
 mation (Part I. Book 3, Page 286). 
 
 '* The reverend author of that history gives an 
 account how well the reformers were employed 
 (Anno 1540), though not in the way of Con- 
 vocation ; that a select number of them sate, by 
 virtue of a commission from the King confirmed 
 in Parliament ; and that their first work was to 
 draw up a declaration of the Christian doctrine 
 for the necessary erudition of a Christian man, and 
 (page 293) that 'twas finished and set forth, with 
 a Preface written by those of the clergy who had 
 been employed in it, declaring with what care 
 they had examined the Scriptures and the an- 
 cient doctors, out of whom they had faithfully 
 gathered that exposition of the Christian faith. 
 In this treatise I find these passages : — (In the 
 exposition of the fifth commandment), 'And by 
 this commandment also, subjects be bound not 
 to withdraw their fealty, truth, love, and obe- 
 dience towards their Prince, for any cause what- 
 soever it be ; nor for any cause they may conspire 
 against his person, nor do any thing towards the 
 hindrance or hurt thereof, nor of his estate.' (In 
 the exposition of the Sixth commandment), ' More- 
 
 Ff 
 
2l8 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 over, no Subjects may draw their swords against 
 their Prince for any cause whatsoever it be.' The 
 reverend father of our Church, to whom the Public 
 is so much indebted for that excellent history of 
 the reformation, and who has received the just 
 thanks of both houses of Parliament for it (page 
 291), declares those expositions of the Command- 
 ments to be very profitable. 
 
 " My Lords, though the treatise in which I find 
 these expositions was published in a Popish reign, 
 yet as an undeniable ovidcnce that the doctrine 
 of non-resistance there taught is a Protestant doc- 
 trine ; I shall show your Lordships the reverend 
 author of the history of the reformation has him- 
 self asserted it, in much stronger terms than Doctor 
 Sacheverell has done. In Edward the Sixth's 
 time the glorious light of the Gospel shone out. 
 The first book of the homilies, prepared by the 
 clergy, was then published by the royal authority ; 
 in which were three parts of a homily, or rather 
 three distinct homilies of obedience; in one of 
 which is the passage mentioned in the Doctor's 
 answer ; ' Here, good people, mark diligently, 
 It is not lawful for inferiors and subjects, in any 
 case, to resist and stand against the superior 
 powers, for S^ Paul's words be plain,— that who- 
 soever withstandeth shall get to themselves dam- 
 nation ; for whosoever withstandeth, withstandeth 
 the ordinance of God.' In queen Mary's reign, 
 
 the light of the Gospel was eclipsed, and the 
 darkness of Popery again overspread the nation. 
 Resistance to Princes being a doctrine of the 
 Church of Rome, your Lordships will not expect 
 any authentic evidence to be produced out of that 
 reign in maintenance of the doctrine of non- 
 resistance. 
 
 "When queen Elizabeth came to the Crown, 
 the truth of the Gospel shone forth in its full 
 lustre, and then six homilies were added to the 
 other three against disobedience and wilful re- 
 bellion ; in which your Lordships will find many 
 passages wherein the duty of non-resistance is 
 pressed and inculcated in much stronger terms 
 than it hath been asserted by Doctor Sacheverell. 
 
 " In that glorious reign the thirty-nine Articles 
 of our religion were agreed upon by the Arch- 
 bishops and bishops of both Provinces, and the 
 clergy in convocation; by the 35^*' of which, the 
 homilies are declared to contain a Godly and 
 wholesome doctrine, and are ordered to be read 
 in churches by the ministers, diligently and dis- 
 tinctly, that they may be understood of the Peo- 
 ple. In the 13^^ year of that reign a further sanc- 
 tion was given to the homilies; the 39 Articles 
 were then confirmed ; and every person in holy 
 orders to be admitted to any benefice with 
 cure, was required, by Act of Parliament made 
 in that year, to subscribe and read them in 
 
 1 
 
220 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 the church, and declare his unfeigned assent 
 thereto. 
 
 " My Lords, we have now a most gracious Sov- 
 ereign on the throne, as far surpassing her re- 
 nowned predecessor, queen Elizabeth, in the effec- 
 tual support she gives to the Protestant interest, 
 and in her pious care for the perpetual security 
 of the Church of England, as in all the other 
 successes and glories of her reign. In this reign 
 a perpetual sanction is given to the books of the 
 homilies, by inserting in the act of union the Act 
 made the 13'^' Eliz., which confirmed the 39 Ar- 
 ticles, by the 35*'^ of which the doctrine of the 
 Church taught in the homilies is approved, and 
 declaring that act, 13 Eliz., to be *an essential and 
 fundamental part of the Act of Union;' so that 
 I may now conclude, the doctrine of the Church 
 of England taught in her homilies must continue 
 as long as the Union of the two Kingdoms, which 
 I heartily pray may be to the world's end. On 
 these authorities do the homilies of our Church 
 subsist ; and as they are thus ratified by the Ar- 
 ticles and Acts of Parliament, the Doctor has the 
 concurrent authority of the Church and State for 
 what he has said concerning the illegality of re- 
 sistance. 
 
 "My Lords, is this doctrine of non-resistance 
 taught in the homilies in general terms, in the 
 same manner as Doctor Sacheverell has asserted 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 221 
 
 it, without expressing any exception ; do the Ar- 
 ticles of our religion declare the doctrine taueht 
 in the homilies to be a godly and wholesome 
 doctrine; and will your Lordships permit this 
 gentleman to suffer for preaching it ? Is it crimi- 
 nal in any man to preach that doctrine which 'tis 
 his duty to read ? The Doctor is not only re- 
 quired by the 35^^^ Article to read this doctrine 
 diligently and distinctly, that it may be under- 
 stood by the people ; but to show your Lordships 
 the doctrine taught in the homilies did not die, 
 nor was altered at the revolution ; I must observe 
 to your Lordships, that the rubrick of the Office 
 appointed for the 5^^^ of November by the late 
 queen of blessed memory, directs the clergy on 
 that day, if there be no sermon, to read one of 
 these homilies against rebellion. 
 
 *' Since the Doctor chose rather to preach than 
 to read a homily on that day, how could he better 
 comply with the command of Her late Majesty, 
 than by preaching the same, doctrine as was con- 
 tained in those homilies he was commanded to 
 read on that day, if he did not preach.? Does 
 an Act of Parliament, inserted in the Act of 
 Union, enjoin him to subscribe to this doctrine 
 before the Ordinary, and declare his unfeigned 
 assent to it, in his parish church, and shall he 
 be condemned in Parliament for asserting the 
 truth of it ? I must admit this 35^'^ Article of our 
 
 i 
 
222 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 religion is not by the toleration Act (I will give 
 no offence by calling it by its true name) required 
 to be subscribed by any Persons dissenting from 
 the Church of England, to entitle them to their 
 exemption from the Penalties mentioned in that 
 Act. But that Act of Parliament no way varies 
 the case with respect to the clergy ; so that, what- 
 ever duty was incumbent on them before, is so 
 still, and therefore I hope your Lordships will 
 not think this gentleman has so highly offended. 
 
 ''As a further proof that this doctrine of non- 
 resistance, as laid down by the Doctor in general 
 terms without making any exception, is the doc- 
 trine of the Church of England, I shall show 
 your Lordships that it has been so preached, 
 maintained, and avowed, and in much stronger 
 terms than the Doctor has expressed himself, by 
 our most orthodox and able Divines from the 
 time of the reformation. 'Twould be useless to 
 offer to your Lordships all the authorities I might 
 produce on this occasion ; but we shall beg your 
 Lordships' patience to lay before you some pas- 
 sages out of the learned writings of several reve- 
 rend fathers of our Church, of nine Archbishops, 
 above twenty Bishops, and of several other very 
 eminent and learned men. 
 
 "That your Lordships may not think this doc- 
 trine died at the revolution, I shall humbly lay 
 before your Lordships the opinions of three Arch- 
 
 At 
 W 
 
 bishops and eleven Bishops, made since the revo- 
 lution, which will fully show the doctrine of non- 
 resistance is still the doctrine of our Church. 
 I would not willingly give offence in naming 
 them ; I am sure I mean no reflection, nor can it, 
 as I think, be any reproach to them ; I find no 
 other doctrine in this case taught by them, as far 
 as I am able to judge, than what the Apostles 
 taught before them. 
 
 "With your Lordships' leave, I will therefore 
 presume to name them, Archbishop Tillotson, the 
 two present Archbishops, Bishop Stillingfleet, late 
 Bishop of Worcester, the present Bishops of Wor- 
 cester, Rochester, Salisbury, Ely, Bath and W^ells, 
 Lincoln, Exeter, S^ Asaph, Carlisle, and Chiches- 
 ter. If I am able to show your Lordships that 
 all these right reverend fathers of our Church have 
 preached the same doctrine the Doctor has, are 
 the same words coming out of their mouths to be 
 received as oracles of truth, but spoke by the 
 Doctor fit for articles of impeachment.^ I am 
 sure it's impossible to enter into the heart of man 
 to conceive, that what these reverend Prelates 
 have asserted, that any general position they have 
 laid down concerning non-resistance, is an affirm- 
 ance that the necessary means used to bring about 
 the revolution were odious and unjustifiable. Why 
 then is Doctor Sacheverell, by having taught the 
 same doctrine in the same manner as they did, 
 
224 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 to be charged for having suggested or maintained 
 any such thing ? 
 
 " My Lords, I dare not suppose this doctrine, 
 thus established by so many reverend fathers of 
 our Church, to be erroneous. If an intemperate 
 expression of one single Archbishop, above a hun- 
 dred years since dead, is fit to be inserted in an 
 article of impeachment of high crimes and mis- 
 demeanours, what punishment should I deserve 
 could I suppose the doctrine taught by so many 
 Archbishops and Bishops to be erroneous. But 
 if I might hope to be excused, if I made the sup- 
 position that the homilies of our Church contain 
 false doctrine, and that so many of the right re- 
 verend fathers of our Church are capable of erring, 
 or being ignorant in the doctrine of their Church, 
 I humbly propose it to your Lordships, whether 
 a clergyman who errs after such great examples, 
 might not reasonably have hoped for a more 
 moderate correction than an impeachment ? Had 
 this slavish doctrine of non-resistance been first 
 branded with its indelible mark of infamy, and 
 the right and indispensable duty of resistance to 
 Princes plainly shown ; had all the slavish no- 
 tions of the common law which wc find dispersed 
 throughout our law books, which gave counte- 
 nance to this doctrine of non-resistance, been first 
 weeded out of them, and some few Acts of Par- 
 liament, entirely agreeable with this slavish doc- 
 
 TiiE Harcourt Papers. 
 
 225 
 
 trine, been first repealed ; had the people been 
 set right in the notions of their obedience, and 
 the ministers of the Gospel been instructed by 
 Act of Parliament what doctrine they ought to 
 preach, and what not ; had all these things been 
 first done, and the Doctor had afterwards err'd, 
 your Lordships might have then looked upon him 
 as an obstinate offender. 
 
 "The next thing I beg leave to consider is, 
 the law of England ; whether the Doctor's asser- 
 tion of *thc utter illegality of resistance to the 
 supreme power on any pretence whatsoever,' in 
 general terms, is agreeable to the law of England. 
 I hope I need not again explain myself as to this 
 particular, I mean, that as the general rule is 
 always taught and inculcated by the Church, so 
 has it always been declared by the legislature, 
 without making any particular exception ; and if 
 this rule holds both in Church and State, this 
 gentleman is strangely unfortunate if he can't be 
 comprehended under one or other of them. 
 
 ** My Lords, whatever may at any time here- 
 tofore have been thought proper to be done by 
 Parliament ; whatever measures, in cases of the 
 last necessity, may at any time have been taken 
 by the people in general, for preserving their 
 liberty, or asserting the rights of their country, 
 and keeping themselves from slavery ; yet in no 
 age can any instance be show'd, not in the reigns 
 
 Gg 
 
226 
 
 The Hakcourt Papers. 
 
 of those Princes who have been depos'd, that 
 this doctrine, of the right of resistance, as it has 
 been term'd, was ever permitted to be asserted 
 by any particular person. 
 
 "A memorable case to this purpose happened 
 in the reign of King Edward the Second ; an Act 
 of Parliament, passed in the fifteenth year of that 
 reign, entituled * Exilium Hugonis de Spencer, 
 Patris, & Filii.' The two Spencers were banished 
 by that Act, and the first article in that Act 
 against them is, 'that they had affirmed and pub- 
 ' lished in writing, that homage and oath of alle- 
 giance were due more by reason of the Crown, 
 than by reason of the person of the King ; and 
 that if the King did not demean himself accord- 
 ing to reason, in the exercise of his government, 
 his subjects might remove him ; and that since 
 that removal could not be by course of law, they 
 might therefore remove him by force.' 
 
 '*The time when this Act pass'd, and what after- 
 wards happened, is remarkable. The Act, very 
 soon after the making of it, was repeal'd, and 
 'twas thought necessary in that reign the people 
 should assert that right, and thereupon the King 
 was depos'd. But your Lordships will find in 
 his successor's reign, they were so far from casting 
 any blot on the act of exile, that in the i Edw. 3, 
 by one of their first Acts, the repeal of the exile 
 was annulled, and the act of exile confirmed. It 
 
 \i 
 
 is true, that in the 21'* year of Rich. 2, the Act 
 made the V^ Edw. 3, for annulling the repeal of 
 the exile, was repeal'd, and the reversal of the 
 act of exile confirm'd ; but in the i'^ of Hen. 4, 
 the whole Parliament held the 21^* Rich. 2, and 
 all the proceedings in it, for their extravagance, 
 were annulled, and from thence the act of exile 
 of the two Spencers continued untouch'd. 
 
 '*I must humbly observe to your Lordships, 
 that though there were two repeals of the act of 
 exile, yet neither of them mentioned the matter 
 contain'd in the articles as insufficient, but the 
 reasons assign'd in the acts of reversal are, that 
 *in the proceedings against the Spencers the 
 ereat Charter was not observed, that the prelates 
 were not present, and did not assent thereto ; and 
 some other defects in form.' What opinion our 
 greatest lawyers have since had of this act of exile, 
 sufficiently appears, Co. 7. 11, Calvin's case, the 
 words are these,—' In the reign of Edw. 2, the 
 Spencers, the father and the son, to cover the 
 treason hatched in their hearts, invented this 
 damnable and damn'd opinion, that homage and 
 oath of leigeance was more by reason of the 
 King's Crown, (that is of his politick capacity), 
 than by reason of the person of the King ;' * upon 
 which opinion,' says the Lord Chief Justice Cook, 
 ' they inferr'd most execrable and detestable con- 
 sequences. First, if the King do not demean 
 
228 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 himself by reason in the right of his Crown, his 
 leiges are bound by oath to remove the King. 
 Secondly, seeing that the King could not be re- 
 formed by suit of law, that ought to be done by 
 force ; All which were condemned by two Par- 
 liaments, one in the reign of Edw. 2, called " Ex- 
 ilium Hugonis Le Spencer," and the other i Edw. 
 3. Cap. I.' 
 
 " I barely mention these Acts to show, that how- 
 ever applicable the case of the revolution might 
 be to that of King Edw. 2, yet that those very 
 persons by whom the King was depos'd, thought 
 it so high a crime in the two Spencers, to take 
 on them to publish such positions, as to deserve 
 banishment. The next law I beg leave to men- 
 tion, is the 25 Edw. 3, Cap 2, by which ^the levy- 
 ing war against the King in his realm ' is declar'd, 
 in general terms, *to be high treason,' without 
 any exception whatsoever. 
 
 " This is an instance of what I am contending 
 for, that the law, in all cases concerning our alle- 
 giance, lays down the general rule, without making 
 any exception. So in the oath of obedience (as 
 enjoined 3 James i, 4,) all persons are to swear 
 ' to defend the King to the utmost of their power, 
 against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, 
 which shall or may be made against his person, 
 crown, or dignity.' 
 
 " The oath is in general, without any exception 
 
 1 
 
 The Harcoihit Papers. 
 
 229 
 
 I 
 
 express'd in it ; and no man will presume to say, 
 that oath, which was taken from the 3 James i, 
 till after the revolution, was not true. But the 
 answer to be given is, what I give in this case, 
 that cases of necessity, such as the revolution, were 
 implied, they are improper to be express'd, and 
 why ought not the like implication equally to be 
 allowed in the general assertion made by Doctor 
 Sacheverell .'* By the Act made 12 Car. 2, C. 30, 
 for attainder of the regicides, it is declar'd, that 
 * by the undoubted and fundamental laws of this 
 Kingdom, neither the Peers of this realm, nor the 
 Commons, nor both together, in Parliament, or 
 out of Parliament, nor the people, collectively, or 
 representatively, nor any other persons whatso- 
 ever, ever had, have, hath, or ought to have, any 
 coercive power over the Kings of this realm.' 
 
 "My Lords, I can't apprehend this Act to be 
 repeal'd ; if it be not, I beseech your Lordships 
 let D^ Sacheverell be tried by it ; and that you 
 will be pleased to consider whether the Doctor's 
 assertion concerning resistance hath out-gone the 
 declaration in this law. 
 
 "Your Lordships hear how fully the funda- 
 mental law of the Kingdom is declared by this 
 Act; the Doctor has only said, ' 'Tis illegal to 
 resist the supreme power on any pretence what- 
 soever.' The expression at the end of that de- 
 claration may possibly be observed, that it ex- 
 
230 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 tends only to a coercive power over the person 
 of the Kinir ; I know not what inference may be 
 drawn from thence, but certainly there is nothing 
 in the Doctor's Sermon but what may be abun- 
 dantly justified by the declaration in that Act. 
 
 "The Militia Act, the 13^'' and 14^'^ Car. 2, 
 Cap. 3, for ordering the Forces in the several 
 counties of this Kingdom, contains a declaration 
 as strong as the former : By that Act 'tis declared, 
 that ' neither both or either of the houses of Par- 
 liament can, or lawfully may, raise or levy any 
 War, offensive or defensive, against His Majesty, 
 his heirs, or lawful successors.' When I perused 
 this last declaration in the recital of the Act, I read 
 carefully to the end of it, to look for the excep- 
 tion, but could find none. If there be no excep- 
 tion in that Act, but that it stands as a general 
 declaration of the law; if neither, nor both the 
 houses of Parliament can or may raise or levy 
 War, offensive or defensive, against the King, is 
 it a high crime and misdemeanor to assert in 
 ireneral terms that resistance to our Prince is un- 
 lawful ? Pray, my Lords, compare the Doctor's 
 assertion in his Sermon with the declaration in 
 this last Act of Parliament. 
 
 "By the Corporation Act, 13 Car. 2. Sess. 2. 
 Cap. I, all mayors, aldermen, common-council- 
 men, and other corporate officers there enume- 
 rated, are required to take an oath, that * it is not 
 
 
 i 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 231 
 
 lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take arms 
 against the King.' By the Militia Act, which I 
 have already mentioned, the same oath, that *it 
 is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever to take 
 arms against the King,' is required to be taken 
 by every Peer of the realm, before he is capable 
 0/ acting as a Lieutenant or Deputy-Lieutenant ; 
 and by every Commoner of England, before he 
 can be capable of acting as a Lieutenant, Deputy- 
 Lieutenant, officer or soldier in the Militia. By 
 the Act of Uniformity, 13 and 14 Car. 2, Cap. 4, 
 all ecclesiastical persons, and many others under 
 the several denominations in that Act, are required 
 to subscribe to the truth of that assertion, that 
 < it is not lawful on any Pretence whatsoever to 
 take arms against the King.' This is the lan- 
 guage of our laws, and the like do the Apostles 
 use hi their precepts teaching obedience and non- 
 resistance to the supreme power. 
 
 " But here, I ought to observe, an objection has 
 been made to these several Acts, that by an Act 
 made in the second year of the late King and 
 Queen, 'tis enacted, 'that from thenceforth the 
 oath enjoined to be taken or subscribed by the 
 several Acts I have mention'd, should not be re- 
 quired to be taken by any person whatsoever ; 
 and that the former Acts of Parliament, as to 
 that oath, are thereby repealed.' Tis a very 
 tender repeal, my Lords, if it be one; but admit 
 
232 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 it to be one, it seems to have been argued from 
 thence by a learned gentleman, with whom in 
 many things he said I no way differ, that this 
 doctrine of non-resistance was become the more 
 unlawful, because that oath was not to be taken 
 from thenceforward. 
 
 "My Lords, as the Corporation Act required 
 the swearing 'twas not lawful to take up arms 
 against the King, so does it direct the subscribing 
 to the unlawfulness of the Solemn League and 
 Covenant ; Now, by the same argument, the 
 Solemn League and Covenant may be proved 
 to have been a lawful oath. 
 
 ** I beseech your Lordships to consider, whether 
 the repeal of this oath can have any weight with 
 your Lordships. *Twas a general assertion, to 
 which all the Peers and Commoners, in the em- 
 ployments I have mention'd, were to swear ; there 
 is no exception in the oath, but what is implied 
 in it. Was not the Proposition as true before it 
 was sworn, as after } Was it therefore true be- 
 cause 'twas sworn, or was it sworn because it was 
 true } Did the swearing it make it true, or the 
 truth make it fit to be sworn } If it was true 
 w^hen it was sworn, the proposition was equally 
 true before, and since. I believe, since the oath 
 was taken by so many Peers and Commoners, no 
 man will pretend to question the truth of the 
 proposition. 
 
 ^ 
 
 '* My Lords, I have gone through the several 
 laws I shall lay before your Lordships on this 
 occasion, and let me once more humbly beg your 
 Lordships that you will be pleased to compare 
 the Doctor's assertion in his Sermon concerning 
 the illegality of resistance with them ; whether 
 it be stronger than the declaration of the un- 
 doubted and fundamental law of the Kingdom, 
 in the Act against the regicides ; than the de- 
 claration in the Militia Act ; than the oath re- 
 quired to be taken by so many Acts of Parlia- 
 ment ; than the declaration of the 25*^' Edward 3''^.. 
 All the Doctor has said is, that * resistance to the 
 supreme power is illegal on any pretence what- 
 soever.' All the Peers and Commoners of Eng- 
 land, under the characters and employments I have 
 mention'd, have sworn to the truth of it ; the 25^'' 
 Edward 3'"^^ declares it to be high treason ; and 
 your Lordships have heard what S^ Paul says. 
 
 "My Lords, I began this discourse, relating to 
 the doctrine of our Church and the laws of the 
 land, with the most sincere protestation, that it 
 was far from my intention to offer any thing in- 
 consistent with the justice of the revolution ; I 
 think the justice of it consistent with our laws, 
 the exceptions to be made being ahvays implied : 
 and surely none can show themselves truer friends 
 to the revolution, than those who prove that the 
 revolution may stand without impeaching the doc- 
 
 11 h 
 
trines of our Church, or any fundamental law of 
 the Kingdom. 
 
 *' Doctor Sacheverell being impeach'd for not 
 making the exception when he laid down the 
 general rule, I beg leave to turn the case, and 
 suppose he had made it. Had he been stating 
 the case of a revolution, on a day when he press'd 
 the illegality of resistance, on a day when, if he 
 did not preach, he was obliged to read one of the 
 homilies against rebellion, in which there is no 
 exception; had he been picking holes for the 
 Subject to creep out of his allegiance, and had 
 he been cited before his Diocesan, might he not 
 have been questioned on what authority he pre- 
 sumed to preach in that manner.? whether he 
 found such doctrine taught by the Apostles, by 
 the homilies, or by any of the reverend fathers 
 of our Church ? Might he not have been told it 
 was his duty, in imitation of those great examples, 
 to press the general duty of obedience, and the 
 illegality of resistance, without making any ex- 
 ception whatsoever? Had he been question'd 
 before the temporal power for preaching in the 
 manner he has done, had an indictment been 
 fram'd against him on his general assertion, and 
 brought before the twelve judges, I humbly appre- 
 hend, not one of them would have declar'd he 
 went' too far: but had he been making excep- 
 tions out of the general rule of obedience, es- 
 
 '• 
 
 The Harcourt Papp:rs. 
 
 235 
 
 pecially if he had been tried by such judges as 
 were before the revolution, might he not have 
 been told, 'twas easie to discern what spirit he was 
 of, of what party he was, and what he aim'd at, 
 what he intended, that he had not been preach- 
 ing in defence of the late revolution, to show the 
 justice of it ; but that he was covering the treason 
 of his heart, and under pretence of justifying one 
 revolution, he was labouring to bring about an- 
 other ; he who knew how far the design had gone 
 of landing the Pretender but two years since, 
 what else could he mean by picking holes in the 
 rules for our obedience ? 
 
 " I have but a word or two to add to the other 
 charges of this article: the gentlemen of the 
 House of Commons were pleas'd to observe, that 
 though there were four articles, the substance of 
 them all centered in the first. The second charge 
 in this article is, ^that his late Majesty in his de- 
 claration disclaimed the least imputation of re- 
 sistance.' 
 
 *' It is not, I hope, a sufficient ground for an 
 article of impeachment, if the Doctor has ex- 
 pressed himself in an obscure manner ; I must 
 confess I can't easily comprehend him myself, 
 but it may be any man's misfortune to express 
 himself in such a manner, as to make it decent 
 and fit for him to explain himself: and, I hope, 
 the Doctor has explained himself so as to show. 
 
236 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 that, though he may have spoken improperly, he 
 has yet spoken innocently. The gentlemen of the 
 House of Commons declare by resistance they 
 mean the resistance of the Subject to their Sove- 
 reign ; but resistance, where the Doctor mentions 
 his late Majesty to have disclaim'd it, cannot 
 have that meaning: he was a Sovereign Prince, 
 and might resist whom he pleased. Perhaps the 
 passage in the Doctor's Sermon may be capable 
 of different constructions, but the Doctor has 
 taken care to prevent all manner of mistakes 
 that might possibly arise from thence. 
 
 " He has not only (as was observed by one of 
 the gentlemen of the House of Commons) made 
 a marginal reference to show what he meant, 
 which might have been done when he appre- 
 hended that expression would be found fault with ; 
 but he has in the Sermon itself quoted what tlie 
 Parliament did, in burning a treatise whicli related 
 to the King's having conquered the Kingdom. 
 
 *' My Lords, it was asked what had he to do 
 to take notice of that matter, what led him to 
 justify the late King .^ Was there ever anybody 
 living that imputed any such thing as conquest 
 to him } My Lords, if there never was but that 
 one imputation endeavoured to be cast on his 
 memory, as I never heard of any other, surely 
 then he did well to wipe off that imputation ; and 
 that this has been laid to his charge, I must refer 
 
 t 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 37 
 
 
 
 to the journals of both Houses of Parliament. 
 Your Lordships resolv'd the assertion of King 
 William and Queen Mary's being King and Queen 
 by conquest, was injurious to their Majesties' 
 rightful title to the Crown, inconsistent with the 
 principles on which this Gov^ernment is founded, 
 and tending to the subversion of the rights of the 
 people: and on the 25^^ of January, 1692, your 
 resolution being communicated to the Commons, 
 was unanimously agreed to. 
 
 '* The last part of this article is, * that to im- 
 pute resistance to the revolution, is to cast black 
 and odious colours on his late Majesty, and the 
 said revolution.' My Lords, there are these words 
 in the Doctor's Sermon, of * casting black and 
 odious colours on his late Majesty and the revo- 
 lution :' they are in the close of a sentence, which 
 immediately precedes the expression of his late 
 Majesty's disclaiming the least imputation of re- 
 sistance : it is impossible to mistake the place, 
 your Lordships will examine it, and from thence 
 let him take his fate, whether that passage is 
 applicable to what went before it, or to what 
 follows after. Those words of * casting black and 
 odious colours,' are so far from referring to ' his 
 late Majesty's disclaiming the imputation of re- 
 sistance,' that they conclude the sentence which 
 went before it, in which the Doctor mentions 
 * new preachers and new teachers, that broach'd 
 
238 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 abominable positions, that the people have a right 
 to cancel their allegiance at pleasure, to call their 
 Sovereign to account, and who pretend to justifie 
 the horrid murder of the Royal Martyr Kin- 
 Charles the First, and endeavour to screen them- 
 selves, and their vile notions, under the revo- 
 lution.' 
 
 "The Doctor, having mentioned these new 
 preachers and their doctrine, goes on,—' our ad- 
 versaries think they effectually stop our mouths, 
 and have us sure and unanswerable on this point, 
 when they urge the revolution of this day in their 
 defence. But certainly they are the greatest ene- 
 mies of that, and his late Majesty, and the most 
 ungrateful for the deliverance, who endeavour to 
 casl: such black and odious colours upon both.' 
 I pray, my Lords, what does this refer to, don't 
 it clear the revolution against the venom of those 
 miscreants who publish such villanous assertions 
 as these > But 'twas objected by a learned gentle- 
 man, what has a minister to do to meddle with 
 these things > If any man offends against the 
 temporal or Ecclesiastical laws, the Courts are 
 open, the magistrates are to punish. 
 
 " My Lords, I don't find, if this doctrine holds, 
 that he must preach against anything; if he 
 must not preach against anything which may be 
 prosecuted, cither in the temporal or Ecclesias- 
 tical Courts, he must not preach against any 
 
 "^ A 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 239 
 
 offence that is forbid by the ten commandments. 
 Perhaps it will be urg'd that there are no such 
 people as these new preachers and new teachers, 
 that he is raising a phantom, and then throwing 
 it down ; he is only imagining cases, of which 
 there are no instances; that there arc no such 
 men who endeavour to justifie the murder of King 
 Charles, or defend it by the revolution. We will 
 show there are too many instances of such persons 
 who make no scruple to publish these positions, 
 and cast reflections on the Queen and her Govern- 
 ment, whom the Doctor has been defending. He 
 is not the person he has been represented, he 
 hath no disloyal thoughts about him : sure I am, 
 he would rather die in Her Majesty's defence. 
 
 ** We shall show your Lordships that there are 
 such as run most vile comparisons between the 
 revolution and the most execrable murder of King 
 Charles the First, and can find no better difference 
 between them, than this abominable distinction 
 of a 'wet martyrdom and a dry one.'" 
 
(^drad from €auB ''}^tmam ai 
 IX Jlobcrt Malpok/' 
 
 T N Coxe's " Memoirs of Sir Robert Wal- 
 pole," pub. 1798, we find the following 
 observations upon this remarkable trial :— 
 
 "The result of this ill-judged trial was far 
 different from the event which Godolphin and 
 his friends weakly expected. The triumph of 
 the Tories was evident from the lenity of the 
 sentence, which only ordered that the Sermon 
 should be burnt by the common hangman, and 
 suspended Sacheverell from preaching during 
 
 3 years. 
 
 " The unpopularity of the ministers was highly 
 increased, the inclination of the Queen in favour 
 of their opponents was ostentatiously manifested. 
 The populace was inflamed ; and the consequence 
 of this act of imprudence and precipitation, was 
 the downfall of those who hoped to find in the 
 condemnation of Sacheverell the revival of their 
 popularity, and the establishment of their power. 
 
 "It may not perhaps in this place be improper 
 to observe, that the fcital and mischievous con- 
 
 ^ 
 
 r} 
 
 
 \ 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 241 
 
 I 
 
 sequences which resulted from the trial of Sach- 
 everell, had a permanent effect on the future con- 
 duct of Walpole, when he was afterwards placed 
 at the head of administration. It infused into 
 him an aversion and horror at any interposition 
 in the affairs of the Church, and led him to assume 
 occasionally a line of conduct which appeared to 
 militate against those principles of general tolera- 
 tion to which he was naturally inclined. Soon 
 after the removal of the Whig administration, 
 Walpole published a pamphlet on this remarkable 
 trial, entitled, — ' Four letters to a friend in North 
 Britain upon the publishing the trial of D^ Sach- 
 everell.' 
 
 "The first letter states the particulars which 
 preceded the trial ; the second, those which ac- 
 companied it ; the third, those which followed it ; 
 and the fourth displays the consequences. The 
 purport of this publication was to prove in clear 
 and familiar language, and by a plain but strong 
 deduction of reasoning, that the abettors of Sach- 
 everell were the abettors of the Pretender, and 
 that those who agreed with him to condemn such 
 resistance as dethroned the Father, could have no 
 other meaning than the restitution of the Son. 
 
 " The Whigs were beginning to lose their popu- 
 larity, when the trial of Sacheverell raised a fer- 
 ment in the nation, and excited a general outcry 
 against them. The minority, and particularly the 
 
 I 1 
 
•*:» "- >«.-. 
 
 
 Duke of Marlborough, was accused of protracting 
 the war for their own interests, and this calumny 
 was finally believed. 
 
 "During the trial of Sacheverell, when their 
 unpopularity increased, Harley was admitted, by 
 the introduction of M''^ Masham, to several private 
 interviews with the Queen, in which he endeav- 
 oured to persuade her to dismiss the Ministry. 
 But as she was of a timid, procrastinating disposi- 
 tion, he had great difficulty in succeeding. 
 
 "Many of the Whigs hesitated, and delayed their 
 resignation. Devonshire, Henry Boyle, Wharton, 
 Somers and Cowper were among the few leaders 
 who resigned with spirit and dignity. Lord Chan- 
 cellor Cowper, in particular, behaved with unex- 
 ampled firmness and honour. He rejected with 
 scorn all .the overtures which Harley made in the 
 m.ost humble and supplicating manner to induce 
 him to continue in office. 
 
 "The repeated importunities of Her Majesty 
 drew the audience into the length of three quarters 
 of an hour. On the following day his resignation 
 was accepted, and soon afterwards the seals were 
 given to Sir Simon Harcourt. Harley's promises 
 or threats were alike ineffectual with Walpole. 
 He tried to make him moderate his opposition 
 against the new members, but his constant answer 
 ^vas— * Make a safe and honorable peace, and pre- 
 serve the Protestant succession, and you will have 
 
 T 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 243 
 
 no opposition.* Walpole acted on this occasion 
 an honorable and disinterested part. In the wreck 
 of the great administration, Harley, desirous of 
 retaining in power several of the Whigs, with 
 a view to counterbalance the credit of S'. John and 
 Harcourt, who already began to give him umbrage, 
 endeavoured to gain Walpole. He made very flat- 
 tering advances, told him that he was worth half 
 his party, and pressed him to continue in admin- 
 istration ; but all his efforts proved ineffectual." 
 
•<^>' 
 
 (BiiXiUt from |)itlliim's " €amix- 
 tittbnal pistorn af ^nglaitb." 
 
 H 
 
 ALL AM, in his "Constitutional History 
 of Enorland," published 1827, writes 
 thus : — 
 
 ** The Lords voted Sacheverell guilty by a ma- 
 jority of 6y to 59. They passed a slight sentence, 
 interdicting him only from preaching for three 
 years. This was deemed a sort of triumph by his 
 adherents ; but a severe punishment on a wretch 
 so insignificant would have been misplaced — and 
 the sentence may be compared to the nominal 
 damages sometimes given in a suit instituted for 
 the trial of a great right. 
 
 ** The Doctor, says Lockhart, employed Sir 
 Simon, afterwards Lord Harcourt, and Sir Con- 
 stantine Phipps as his counsel, who defended him 
 the best way they could, though they were hard 
 put to it to maintain the hereditary right and 
 unlimited doctrine of non-resistance, and not con- 
 demn the Revolution ; and the truth of it is, that 
 these are so inconsistent with one another, that 
 the chief arguments alleged in this and other 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 245 
 
 parallel cases, came to no more than this, that the 
 revolution was an exception from the nature of 
 government in general, and the constitution and 
 laws of Britain in particular, which necessity, in 
 that particular case, made expedient and lawful. 
 
 " The Homilies are so much more vehement 
 against resistance than Sacheverell was, that it 
 would have been awkward to pass a rigorous 
 sentence on him. 
 
 " In fact, he or any other clergyman had a right 
 to preach the Homily against rebellion instead ol 
 a sermon. As to their laying down general rules 
 without adverting to the exceptions, an apology 
 which the managers set up for them, it was just 
 as good for Sacheverell, and the homilies expressly 
 deny all possible exceptions. 
 
 "Tillotson had a plan of dropping these old 
 compositions, which in some doctrinal points, as 
 well as in the tenet of non-resistance, do not re- 
 present the sentiments of the modern Church, 
 though, in a general way, it subscribes to them ; 
 but the times were not ripe for this or some other 
 of that good prelate's designs." 
 
^xtfMt from fortr guljnu's 
 " ^istorn of (25ngUini)." 
 
 L 
 
 ORD MAHON, in his " History of 
 England/' Fourth Edition, says :— 
 
 "Another party- matter was the favour shown 
 by the House of Commons to D^ Sachcverell. 
 The sentence of the House of Lords forbidding 
 him to preach during the space of three years 
 expired on the 23^*^ of March, and on the Sunday 
 following he held forth for the first time at his 
 own church of S'. Saviour's, and taking for his 
 text the words, * Father, forgive them, for they 
 know not what they do,' drew an unseemly paral- 
 lel between his own sufferings and the Redeemer's 
 
 Passion. 
 
 "The House of Commons, anxious to show 
 their disapprobation of the former proceedings 
 against him, appointed him to the honour of 
 preaching before them on the Restoration - day, 
 and the Court was no less forward in conferring 
 a rich benefice upon him. Never perhaps had 
 any man attained a higher pitch of popularity; 
 we are told that as he passed to and from the 
 
 I 
 
 House of Lords, on his trial, the bystanders used 
 eagerly to press about him, and strive for the 
 happiness of kissing his hands. We are told that 
 on his journey through Wales, even our princes 
 in their progresses could scarcely have vied with 
 his reception, that the day on which his sentence 
 expired was celebrated not only in London, but 
 in several parts of the country with extraordinary 
 rejoicings. Would not all this appear to imply 
 that he must have possessed some degree of talent 
 
 or merit ? 
 
 "Yet the concurrent testimony of some of his 
 friends, as well as of his enemies, represented him 
 as utterly foolish, ignorant, ungrateful, his head 
 reeling with vanity, his heart overflowing with 
 gall. This venerated idol, when we come to try 
 its substance, appears little more than a stock or 
 
 a stone. 
 
 " But Sacheverell was considered as the repre- 
 sentative of a popular party doctrine, as the cham- 
 pion and the martyr of the High Church cause ; 
 and the multitude, which always looks to persons 
 much more than to principles, can rarely be won 
 over, until even the clearest maxim appears em- 
 bodied in some favourite leader." 
 
^^tntct from ^rofcssar Smntiys 
 
 T^HE next extract I shall give of remarks 
 ■^ upon this subject, is taken from the 
 second volume of '' Lectures on Modern 
 History," by Smyth, Professor of Modern 
 History in the University of Cambridge. 
 He says : — 
 
 " Among the different transactions of a domestic 
 nature that took place in the reign of Anne, 
 I would particulady recommend to your study 
 the proceedings in the case of D"". Sachcverell. 
 
 " I recommend them, not on account of any 
 interest that can now belong either to the doctor 
 or his sermon, neither of which are in themselves 
 deserving of the slightest regard ; but on account 
 of the Hvely picture that is here exhibited of the 
 times, and above all, of the manner in which the 
 great Revolution of 1688 was explained and de- 
 fended by the first statesmen of the country about 
 twenty years after the event. 
 
 "And it is in this spirit, and for this purpose, 
 that I woukl wish the student to read them, not 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 249 
 
 as a juror who was to decide whether the Doctor 
 was or was not guilty of the charge preferred 
 against him, but as an enquirer into the history 
 of our constitution, as one who is to observe the 
 political principles exhibited on this occasion by 
 the managers of the House of Commons, by Sach- 
 evercll's defender, by the Lords, and by the nation. 
 The trial is ever memorable, because at this trial 
 the Revolution was avowed to be a case of resist- 
 ance — resistance justified indeed by the necessity 
 of the case, but still resistance. 
 
 "All the time of the Revolution, it may be re- 
 membered that the Houses of Parliament, or rather 
 the House of Commons in their celebrated vote, 
 had rested their justification on somewhat various, 
 and indeed on very inconsistent grounds, * that 
 King James having endeavoured to subvert the 
 constitution by breaking the original contract, 
 having violated the fundamental laws, and having 
 withdrawn himself out of the kingdom, had ab- 
 dicated the government, and that the throne had 
 thereby become vacant.' 
 
 "That is, in other words, the Whigs, for the 
 sake of the Tories, stated the Revolution to be 
 a case of abdication ; and for the sake of them- 
 selves, a breach of the original contract, i.e. a case 
 of resistance. 
 
 " But on the present occasion, the preamble to 
 the articles exhibited against D''. Sachcverell begins 
 
 Kk 
 
250 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 in this remarkable manner :—* Whereas his late 
 Majesty King William III., then Prince of Orange, 
 did with an armed force undertake a glorious en- 
 terprise for delivering the kingdom from Popery 
 and arbitrary power, and divers subjects of this 
 realm, well affected to their country, joined with 
 and assisted his late Majesty in this late enterprise ; 
 and it having pleased Almighty God to crown 
 the same with success, the late happy Revolution 
 did take effect and was established ; and whereas 
 the said glorious enterprise is approved by several 
 Acts of Parliament, &c.' And the first article of 
 the impeachment was, that D''. Sacheverell had 
 maintained that to impute resistance to the said 
 Revolution, was to cast black and odious colours 
 upon his late Majesty and the said Revolution. 
 
 " Now the difference in the tone and language 
 of the Whigs forms the remarkable part of these 
 proceedings, and nothing can be more curious 
 than to observe how the different parties com- 
 ported themselves — the Whigs, the Tories, the 
 Church, and the Queen— on this great occasion, 
 in the presence of the nation, and in reality, of 
 
 subsequent ages. 
 
 "The doctrines of resistance are not doctrines 
 which can find their way into the courts of law 
 of any country, or be the language of the public 
 ordinances of any regular government. These 
 doctrines, therefore, could not be stated by the 
 
 I \ 
 
 f 
 
 Whig manager of the impeachment, in the pre- 
 sence of all the constituted dignity and authority 
 of the realm, without the strongest qualifications, 
 without distinguishing the case of the Revolution 
 from every other ordinary case, without considering 
 it as a case of the most overpowering necessity — 
 by necessity, and by that alone, to be either ex- 
 plained or justified. 
 
 " In our own times, therefore, on the breaking 
 out of the French Revolution, when M^ Burke 
 had to vindicate his own account of this Revolu- 
 tion of 1688, his own representation of the spirit 
 by which it was conducted, and the true nature 
 and tenure of the Government formed in conse- 
 quence of it, he immediately appealed to the 
 speeches of the Whig managers on this very oc- 
 casion ; and it was easy for him to show that the 
 Revolution was then justified only on the necessity 
 of the case, as the only means left for the recovery 
 of that ancient constitution formed by the original 
 contract of the British state, as well as for the 
 future preservation of the same government. Now 
 thousrh I think allowance must be made for the 
 peculiar situation in which the managers in D\ 
 Sacheverell's trial stood, and the necessity they 
 were under to qualify to the utmost their doctrines 
 of resistance ; still, it is sufficient for M^ Burke, 
 that their doctrines, unless so qualified, could not 
 be produced and defended before the lawyers and 
 
 i 
 
" " " » '■»»wm— M^iwpin— ^ 
 
 imm'^mmm 
 
 252 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 statesmen of the country, could not be produced 
 as doctrines worthy to be recognized by, and to 
 be a part of, the constitution of England. 
 
 " The next question that remains is, what reply 
 was made to the Whig managers by the defenders 
 of Sacheverell ? How were the doctrines of re- 
 sistance, thus stated and limited, received ? were 
 they controverted ? Far from it : when once mo- 
 dified, they were at once admitted. And therefore, 
 when thus modified, they may be considered as 
 the constitutional doctrines of the realm. 
 
 " But the interest of the trial does not cease 
 here, for D"". Sacheverell having fortified his own 
 doctrines of passive obedience by the authority 
 of the Church of England, and the most able 
 divines and prelates from the time of the Refor- 
 mation, a very large field of disquisition was opened, 
 and the question was very solemnly considered 
 whether passive obedience had or had not been 
 the doctrine of the Church of England, and of its 
 most able and learned divines. The grounds to 
 be taken by the reasoncrs on the Tory side were 
 obvious : quotations were to be produced from the 
 proper authorities, to show that the doctrines of 
 passive obedience had been laid down, and with- 
 out any exception; that such had been the or- 
 dinary practice of our divines, and that the doctor 
 only followed their example. 
 
 " This was done. But the Whig prelates and 
 
 i 
 
 f 
 
 lawyers contended that rules of duty, like those 
 of civil obedience, could only be taught by the 
 Scriptures (and therefore by the Church and its 
 divines) in general terms, and that exceptions in 
 extreme cases, like those of the Revolution, were 
 necessarily implied from the very nature and com- 
 mon reason of the case. 
 
 "And what was now the ground taken by the 
 Doctor's counsel ? The propriety of this reason- 
 ing, and of this view of the case, was admitted by 
 the Doctor's counsel. Now, as this solution of the 
 difficulty, however reasonable, and however acted 
 upon by the divines of the Church of England 
 themselves, had never before been publicly stated 
 and admitted as the proper theory on the subject, 
 some advance must be considered as having been 
 made on this occasion (and one favourable to the 
 general principles of civil liberty), and in a quarter 
 where, of all others, it is most desirable to find it. 
 
 ** There was another very important topic started 
 on this memorable occasion. The doctor was ac- 
 cused of maintaining that the toleration granted 
 by law was unreasonable, and its allowance un- 
 warrantable. This led to an assertion of the doc- 
 trine of toleration by the Whig managers. The 
 defence of the doctor's counsel, the very able Sir 
 Simon Harcourt and others, was such an admis- 
 sion of the principle in theory, and such a mere 
 quibbling and special pleading with respect to 
 
 I 
 
254 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 the point of fact, that the general doctrine of 
 toleration must be considered as having become, 
 on this occasion, like the qualified doctrine of re- 
 sistance, the regular and constitutional doctrine 
 
 of the land. 
 
 " I have mentioned these particulars from a hope 
 of inducing my hearers to believe that this trial 
 will afford them abundant matter for amusement 
 and instruction, even though the particular ques- 
 tion of the doctor's criminality be or be not con- 
 sidered. 
 
 "The circumstance also which I have just ad- 
 verted to, of the reference made by the great 
 political moralist of our own times, M^ Burke, to 
 this very trial in one of his celebrated productions, 
 and that at the distance of a century, may serve 
 I think, to remind you of the importance of history 
 and of historical documents, and the necessity 
 there is that those who wish to be statesmen 
 should in the first place be conversant with the 
 occurrences that have taken place in our own 
 country, the reasonings to which they have given 
 rise, the principles which they seem to have es- 
 tablished. 
 
 *'The speeches, as they are reported in the 
 trial, appear probably in a much more concise 
 and condensed form than that in which they were 
 delivered: and though they have thus gained 
 something in manliness and strength, they have 
 
 no doubt lost much in elegance and grace: yet 
 they are, on the whole, very creditable to the 
 talents of the speakers. 
 
 "I must make one observation more to re- 
 commend these remarkable proceedings to your 
 examination. The great characteristic distinction 
 of this period of our history is the Revolution, 
 the interest our ancestors took in it, the manner 
 in which it was understood, and the chances of its 
 success or failure. And the Revolution is still 
 the great characteristic feature of our constitution 
 and government— it must ever remain so. And 
 when the inhabitants of this country are indif- 
 ferent to the subject, they will probably soon 
 arrive at a state of permanent political degrada- 
 tion : sooner or later at a total loss of those hon- 
 orable English feelings, that love of freedom, and 
 that jealousy of power, by which they were before 
 so happily distinguished. 
 
 "But to conclude the subject. From this cele- 
 brated impeachment of Sacheverell, two good 
 effects followed : first, that there now exists upon 
 record a full assertion of the great principles of 
 civil and religious liberty, made in the presence 
 of all the authority, dignity, and wisdom of the 
 realm, and to every practical purpose an admis- 
 sion and acknowledgment. 
 
 "Secondly, that though the impeachment in 
 this important respect answered the purposes of 
 
256 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 the Whigs, as patriots and lovers of the constitu- 
 tion of their country, and as far as posterity was 
 concerned, it by no means answered their pur- 
 poses as leaders of a party. The doctor became 
 the object of the most ridiculous idolatry, and 
 they themselves and their politics were precipi- 
 tated to their decline and fall. 
 
 "This impeachment, therefore, became in this 
 manner an example which never has or can be 
 forgotten, to show the risk that is always run 
 of exalting into importance an author and his 
 writings by public prosecutions: of giving fame 
 and popularity to the one, and circulation and 
 influence to the other. Now this effect thus pro- 
 duced, is a good effect for the restraint that min- 
 isters and attorney-generals are thus laid under on 
 the mere point of prudence and policy, and operates 
 most favorably for the liberty of the press. That 
 liberty would be soon destroyed and entirely at 
 an end, if every writing or pamphlet that must 
 necessarily appear a libel in a court of law, was 
 to be instantly seized upon and dragged to judg- 
 ment, by those who are bound from their office 
 to defend the established order of the community. 
 
 "Such men are always tempted, from their 
 situation, however amiable they may individually 
 be, to urge the rights and extend the limits of 
 authority too far. 
 
 "It is very happy, that from the experience 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 257 
 
 of this and other similar prosecutions, the wisdom 
 of leaving publications, if possible, unnoticed, has 
 become a sort of maxim which is seldom departed 
 from but by petulant, narrow-minded men — men 
 who are mere lawyers, and who it is to be hoped, 
 on such occasions, mean well, for this is the only 
 merit they can plead." 
 
 lI 
 
tit fitr court to forb (JTbaiutllor 
 iaxmirt m tlje scar 1713- 
 
 LOUIS par la grace de Dieu, ROY DE FRANCE 
 ET DE Navarre: A tous presens et a 
 venir, SalUT. Nous avons rcconnu dans notre 
 Royaume tant dc personncs qui se sont dis- 
 tinguees par de grandes actions, que I'lnchna- 
 tion naturelle que Nous avons k recompenser 
 la vcrtu, Nous a engagd i les devcr au dessus 
 des autres, par des charges, dcs dign.tez et dcs 
 honneurs qui puissent, en remplissant la Noble 
 ambition qui ks anime, exciter en meme terns 
 dans les autres le dcsir dc mcritcr dc si hautcs 
 recompenses : mais entre tous ceux qui re90ivcnt 
 des marques cclatantes de la satisfaction que 
 Nous avons des services signalez qu'ils Nous ren- 
 dent et a notre Etat, la justice et la prudence 
 Nous ont toujours fait prcfcrcr dans la distribu- 
 tion des plus grandes graces, ceux qui joigncnt 
 i une ancicnne naissancc et a dcs actions illus- 
 tres de leurs Ancetres, la gloirc particulicrc que Ic 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 259 
 
 merite personel et des services distinguez leur ont 
 acquis dans les emplois qui leur ont 6t6 confiez ; 
 toutes ces considerations se rencontrent cminem- 
 ment dans la personne de notre trcs-chcr et bien 
 am6 cousin Henry de Harcourt Lieutenant Gene- 
 ral en nos Armces, il a toutes les qua-.tez ndccs- 
 saires pour ctrc 6\ev6 k tout ce qu'il y a de plus 
 considerable, une naissancc si ancicnne qu'on en 
 trouve des prcuves dans les siccles les plus eloi- 
 gnez, des Ancetres aussi distinguez par les services 
 qu'ils ont rendus, que par leur naissancc, plusicurs 
 Alliances avcc les premieres Maisons Souveraines, 
 et en son particulier un merite rcconnu par un 
 grand nombrc d'actions de valeur et dc prudence 
 dans nos Armces ; sa Maison tire son origine de 
 Bernard le Danois un des Seigneurs dc Danemark, 
 qui vinrent en Normandie avec Rolo qui en fut le 
 premier Due en I'an 876. de qui Bernard le Danois 
 cut la Seigncurie d'Harcourt et plusieurs autres 
 Terres; il fut fait aussi Gouverneur de Nor- 
 mandie, et Tutcur dc Richard premier petit fils 
 du Due Rolo, et les dcscendans de ce Bernard 
 ont ete revetus des premieres Charges et honorez 
 d' Alliances fort lUustres ; Jean H. Sieur d'Har- 
 court epousa en premieres Noces Agnez de Lor- 
 raine, et en sccondes Jeanne Vicomtcsse de Chas- 
 tellerault en 1288. II a ete aussi Mareschal de 
 France sous Philippes Ic Hardy, et Amiral de 
 France sous Philii.pes le Bel en 1293. Jean III. 
 
i*l^ 
 
 ^fcwpe**^ 
 
 260 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 Sieur d*Harcourt epousa Alix dc Brabant en 1 302. 
 Jean IV. Sieur d'Harcourt epousa Isabeau dc 
 Partenay ; le Roy Philippes de Vallois ayant erige 
 en sa faveur la baronnie d'Harcourt en Comte en 
 1338. on voit par les Lettres d'crection que les 
 Terres d'Elbcuf et de Lislebonne en faisoient 
 lors partie, et Philippes de Vallois y declare que 
 Jean IV. etoit descendu de meme Sang que la 
 Reine son Epouse qui etoit Jeanne de Bourgognc 
 fille de Robert II. Due de Bourgogne, et d'Agnez 
 de France. Jean V. Comte d'Harcourt Epousa 
 en 1340. Blanche de Pontieu Comtesse d'Aumale, 
 Princesse de Castille, et de la branche des Comtes 
 de Ponthieu, fille de Jean de Castille Comte de 
 Ponthieu et de Catherine d'Artois, et petite fille 
 de Ferdinand III. Roy de Castille et de Leon. 
 Jean V. eut trois enfans males qui ont forme au- 
 tant de branches differentes, I'aine fut Jean VI. 
 Comte d'Harcourt qui epousa en 1374. Catherine 
 de Bourbon sceur puinee de Jeanne de Bourbon 
 Reine de France, Epouse de Charles V. et les 
 males de cette branche ont fmi en la personne 
 de Jean VII. qui epousa Marie d'Alen^on ; Marie 
 de Harcourt qui etoit issue de leur Manage, fut 
 mariee a Antoine dc Lorraine Comte de Vaude- 
 mont en 1440. et porta pour cette alliance tous 
 les biens de cette branche dans la Maison de Lor- 
 raine qui les possede encore a present : la secondc 
 branche qui commen^a par Jacques de Harcourt 
 
 i 
 
 
 I 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 261 
 
 puine, marie a Jeanne d'Anghien en 1374. a fin 
 en la personne de Guillaume de Harcourt Comte 
 de Tancarville son petit fils, et Marie de Harcourt 
 sa sceur qui succeda a tous les biens de cette 
 branche, les porta dans la Maison de Longueville 
 par son Manage avec Jean d'Orleans Comte de 
 Dunois et de Longueville. Philippes de Harcourt 
 III. fils de Jean V. a forme la troisieme branche, 
 11 epousa en 1374. Jeanne de Tilly Dame de 
 Tilly et de Beuvron, ses descendans se sont dis- 
 tinguez par leurs services dans les Armees par 
 les Charges qu'ils ont possede de nos Lieutcnans 
 Generaux de notre Province de Normandie, et 
 de Vice-Amiral, et par les Alliances qu'ils ont con- 
 tracte dans les Maisons de Grasville, de Gaillon, 
 de Chabot, d'Espinay et de Matignon, issues de 
 Connestables, de Mareschaux de France, et autres 
 errands Officiers de notre Couronne, et alliez des 
 Maisons de Montmorency, de Chastillon, de Bre- 
 tagne, de Flandres et d'Angleterre ; cette troi- 
 sieme branche qui est la seule masculine sub- 
 sistant a present, en a forme deux autres ; I'une 
 est celle de Harcourt d'Ollonde ; et I'autre cellc 
 de Harcourt Beuvron, de laquelle est notre cousin, 
 si tost qu'il a ete en etat de nous servir, il nous 
 a fait connoitre que ses actions repondroient a sa 
 Naissance ; il a commence en 1673. en qualite 
 d'Aide de Camp de notre Cousin le Vicomte dc 
 Turenne, et ayant continue a nous servir I'annec 
 
262 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 suivante dans le mcme emploi, il sc trouva aux 
 combats de Zeintzcim, de Saint Francois ct dc 
 Turkim, et Nous fumes si contcns de la valeur 
 qu'il y fit paroitre, et de la maniere dont il s'y 
 distingua, qu'en 1675. Nous luy confiames un 
 Regiment d'Infanterie, et en 1677. son meritc 
 augmentant, Nous le mimes k la tetc de notre 
 Regiment de Picardie, il Nous servit en cctte 
 qualite an Siege de Valencienne, de Cambray et 
 de Fribourg, et merita par la maniere dont il se 
 conduisit, et par les services que notre cher et 
 bien ame Francois de Harcourt de Bcuvron son 
 pere Nous a rcndus avec toute la satisfaction 
 possible en qualite de Lieutenant General de nos 
 Armees, et qu'il continue de Nous rendre encore 
 en cclle de notre Lieutenant General au Gouvcrne- 
 mcnt de notre Province de Normandie, d'obtenir 
 de Nous en I'annee 1678. la survivance de cettc 
 Charge ; la connoissance que Nous avions de ce 
 qu'il avoit fait jusqu'alors pour notre Service, et 
 de ses grands talens pour la Guerre, Nous por- 
 terent a le faire Brigadier d'Infanterie en I'annt'e 
 1683. La Guerre ayant recommence en Tannrc 
 1688. Nous le fimes Mareschal de nos Camps et 
 Armees, et il se trouva en cette qualite au Siege 
 de Philisbourg, ou il continua de Nous donner des 
 marques de sa vigilance, de sa capacite et de son 
 application, ce qui Nous porta a luy confier en 
 I'annee 1 690. le Commandcmcnt de la Ville et 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 263 
 
 du Pais de Luxembourg, et Nous avons pris de- 
 puis une si grande confiance en sa valeur et en 
 son habilete, que pendant la derniere Guerre Nous 
 luy avons toujours donne le Commandement en 
 Chef d'un Corps d'Armee considerable : En I'an- 
 nee 1692. il s'opposa a un Corps de plus de quatre 
 mille Chevaux des Troupes de Brandebourg, de 
 Munster et de Neufbourg, qui vouloient entrer 
 dans le Pais de Luxembourg; il les combattit 
 a Ourteville si k propos, qu'il les defit entierement, 
 et que le Comte de Vesle qui en etoit General, 
 y fut fait prisonnier : Nous le choisimes la meme 
 annee pour faire la retraite de I'Armee qui avoit 
 assiege Reinfeds, ce qu'il a execute malgre la 
 rigueur de la saison, sans que les ennemis osassent 
 rien entreprendre dans sa retraite, quoiqu'ils eus- 
 sent une Armee beaucoup plus forte, commandee 
 par le Langrave de Hessecassel : la satisfaction 
 que nous recevions de luy augmentant tous les 
 jours, pour sa bonne conduite. Nous luy donnames 
 en 1C93. la Charge de Lieutenant General de nos 
 Armees, et Nous le Times Gouverneur de Tournay; 
 ce fut dans cette meme annee qu'il contribua si 
 considerablement a la grande et signalee Victoire 
 que Nous remporteimes sur nos ennemis a Ner- 
 vindes, par la diligence avec laquelle il y amena 
 les Troupes qui etoient sous son Commandement, 
 quoi qu'eloignees de sept lieues ; et par la valeur 
 et la dexterite avec laquelle il combatit a leur 
 
tete : Nous le choisimes en 1696. pour commander 
 en chef sous le Roy d'Angleterre I'Armee que 
 Nous avions destinec pour ce Prince ; la Guerre 
 etant finie en 1697. par la Paix que Nous don- 
 names a I'Europe, Nous jettames les yeux sur 
 notredit Cousin pour I'envoyer notre Ambassadeur 
 Extraordinaire en Espagne, et etant bicn per- 
 suadez que la delicatesse de son esprit, jointe a la 
 grande prudence dont il acompagne toutes ses 
 actions, le rendroient aussi capable de Nous servir 
 dans les negociations les plus importantes, que 
 de commander nos Armees, et notredit Cousin 
 a si justement repondu a la haute opinion que 
 Nous avions de luy, qu'aprcs luy avoir donne le 
 Commandement en Chef de I'Armee que Nous 
 avions resolu d'assembler d Bayonne, et que les 
 sages et justes dispositions du feu Roy d'Espagne 
 ont rendu inutiles. Nous avons juge a propos de 
 le renvoyer encore a Madrid en qualite de notre 
 Ambassadeur Extraordinaire ou Nous ne doutons 
 pas que nous ne recevions de nouvelles marques 
 de sa capacite, de son zele et de son affection 
 a notre Service dans une conjoncture aussi im- 
 portante que celle de notre trus-cher et amu Frcre 
 et petit Fils Philippes V. sur le Trone d'une aussi 
 Grande Monarchic que ccllc d'Espagne: tant de 
 Services si importans en Paix et en Guerre, tant 
 de qualitez si rares et si emincntes, meritent bien 
 une recompense qui passe h, sa posterite, et qui 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 265 
 
 soit proportionnee a son merite personnel, et a la 
 grandeur de sa Naissance, et comme Nous n en 
 avons point dans notre Royaume qui soit au dessus 
 de la dignite de Due, par tous les avantages qui 
 y sont attachez, Nous portans d'autant plus volon- 
 tiers a luy acorder cette grace, que les Terres qui 
 le composeront sont fort considerables, tg;it par 
 leurs revenus, que par les beaux droits qui y apar- 
 tiennent; la Terre, Seigneurie, et Marquisat de 
 Thurry, sur laquelle il desire que I'erection soit 
 faite, est situee en notre Province de Normandie, 
 mouvante de Nous a cause de notre Ville, Chateau 
 et Vicomte de Falaize, elle fut erigee en Marquisat 
 par Lettres Patentes du mois de Septembre 1578. 
 elle a droit de haute, moyenne et basse Justice, 
 dont les apellations ressortissent nuement en notre 
 Cour de Parlement de Normandie, et plusieurs au- 
 tres droits considerables, comme Garennes, Foires, 
 Marchez, Peages et autres, meme le Droit de 
 Seance en notredite Cour de Parlement a Rouen, 
 avec les Bois et Francs Buissons de cinq lays en 
 dependans qui sont pareillement mouvans de Nous, 
 et le Fief et Seigneurie de S. Benin, la Terre et 
 Seigneurie, Dupont, Doiiilly, circonstances et de- 
 pendances, et la Fiefferme de Crosilles unie au 
 Marquisat de Thurry, ensemble la Terre et Seig- 
 neurie de la Mothe Harcourt erigee en Marquisat 
 par Lettres Patentes du mois d'Aoust 1593. avec 
 les bois de la Mothe et Grainbault en dependans. 
 
 M 111 
 
situez dans les Francs Buissons de cinq lays, Ics- 
 dites Terres et Marquisat mouvans de Nous a 
 cause de notre Duche de Normandie, ayant ladite 
 Terre de la Mothe Harcourt, le droit de haute, 
 moyenne et basse Justice, dont les apellations 
 ressortiront aussi nuement en n6tredite Cour de 
 Parlement de Rouen, et plusieurs autres droits 
 considerables ; comme aussi la Terre et Seigneurie 
 de S. Martin de Sallons mouvante aussi de Nous 
 k cause de notre Duch^ de Normandie ; celle de 
 Beauvoir, et celle du Chastellier mouvante de 
 celle de la Mothe Harcourt, et en faisant partie 
 aussi bicn que celle de S. Martin de Sallons; 
 toutes lesquelles Terres, Seigneuries et Marquisats 
 sont egalcment capables de soutenir la dignite 
 Ducallc, tant par leurs grands revenus que par 
 la consideration dont clles sont par cUes-memes. 
 POUR CES CAUSES, et autres grandes con- 
 siderations a ce Nous mouvans, de notre grace 
 specialle, plcine puissance, et autorite Royale, 
 avons cree. 6r\g6, eleve et d6cov^, et par ces Pre- 
 scntcs signces de notre main, crcons, erigeons, 
 elcvons et decorous ladite Terre, Seigneurie et 
 Marquisat dc Thurry, en Titre, dignite et pre- 
 eminence de Duche, sous le nom de Harcourt ; 
 avons a cet effet uni et unissons par cesdites Pre- 
 scntes a ladite Terre et Duche de Harcourt, les 
 Bois et Francs-Buissons de cinq lays, le Fief et 
 Seigneurie de Saint Benin, la Terre et Seigneurie 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 267 
 
 du Pont Douilly, la Fiefiferme de Croisille unic 
 audit Marquisat de Thurry, ensemble la Terre, 
 Seigneurie et Marquisat de la Mothe Harcourt, 
 avec les Bois de la Mothe et Grainbault en depcn- 
 dans ; comme aussi les Terres et Seigneuries dc 
 S. Martin de Sallons, celle de Beauvoir et du 
 Chastelier, avec tous les droits, prerogatives et 
 mouvances qui leur apartiennent, pour ne com- 
 poser a I'avenir qu'une seule et meme Terre sous 
 ledit Titre et dignity de Duche de Harcourt, a 
 I'effet de quoi. Nous avons, de notre meme grace 
 et autorite que dessus, change et commue, et par 
 cesdites Presentes, changeons et commuons le 
 nom de ladite Terre de Thurry en celui de Har- 
 court, pour par notredit Cousin Henry de Har- 
 court, ses enfans et decendans, males en ligne 
 directe, nes et a naitre en loyal manage, jouir 
 k perpetuite, comme Seigneurs proprietaires dudit 
 Duche, des titres, honneurs, dignitez, rang, pre- 
 rogatives, preeminences, privileges qui y apartien- 
 nent, ainsi qu'cn jouissent les autres Dues de notre 
 RoyLume, soit dans les Assemblees de Noblesse, 
 faits de Guerre et autres lieux ; Voulons et Nous 
 plait, que toutes les Causes civiles et crimincllcs, 
 mixtes et reelles qui concerneront, tant notredit 
 Cousin le Due de Harcourt, que les droits dudIt 
 Duche, soicnt traitees et jugees en notre Cour de 
 Parlement a Paris en premiere Instance, et que 
 les Causes et proces d'entre les Vassaux et Justi- 
 
1 
 
 268 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 ciables dudit Duche, ressortissent par apel des 
 Juges dudit Duche en notre Cour de Parlement 
 de Normandic, et 11 cet efifet avons distrait et 
 exempte lesdites Terres, Marquisats et leurs de- 
 pendances, et par cesdites Presentcs les distrayons 
 et exemptons du ressort de tous autres Juges et 
 Jurisdictions, ou les apellations desdits Officiers 
 avoient accoutume de ressortir, sans prejudice 
 neanmoins des cas Royaux, dont la connoissancc 
 demeurera a nos Juges, qui avoient accoutume 
 d'cn connoitre, le tout a la charge d'indemniser 
 nos Officiers ; Voulons que notredit Cousin le Due 
 de Harcourt tienne ledit Duche nuement et en 
 plcin Fief de Nous, a cause de notre Couronne, 
 et qu'il releve de notre Tour du Louvre, sous 
 une seule foy et hommage, qu'il sera tenu de 
 nous porter en ladite qualite de Due : Entendons 
 neanmoins que les Aveux dudit Duche soient 
 rendus en notre Chambre des Comptes de Nor- 
 mandie ; Voulons que les Vassaux de notredit 
 Cousin le reconnoissent comme Due, et lui ren- 
 dent les devoirs ausqucls ils sont tenus en ladite 
 qualite, sans neanmoins que les droits et devoirs 
 desdits Vassaux soient augmentez en aucune nia- 
 niere ; et pour I'exercice de la Jurisdiction dudit 
 Duche, notredit Cousin le Due de Harcourt poura 
 etablir un Siege Ducal audit lieu de Thurry a 
 present Harcourt, dans lequel il y aura un Bailly, 
 un Lieutenant, un Procureur Fiscal, ct le nombre 
 
 f 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 269 
 
 d'Officiers accoutumez pour rendre la Justice, sans 
 qu'en consequence de la presente erection a de- 
 fauts d'hoirs males de notredit Cousin le Due de 
 Harcourt ou de ses decendans, ledit Duche puisse 
 etre par Nous ou par les Rois nos successeurs, 
 reuni a la Couronne en consequence des Edits et 
 Declarations des annees 1566. 1579. 1582. et autres 
 faits sur I'erection des Duches, de la rigueur des- 
 quels Edits et Declarations Nous avons dispense et 
 dispensons ledit Duche ; mais a la charge qu'a defaut 
 de successions males en ligne directe, et en loyal 
 Manage de notredit Cousin le Due de Harcourt, 
 ledit Duche retournera a sa premiere nature, titre 
 et quality. SI DONNONS EN MANDEMENT 
 k nos amez et feaux Conseillers les Gens tenans 
 nos Cours de Parlement et Chambres de nos 
 Comptes a Paris et a Roiien, et a tous autres nos 
 Officiers et Justiciers qu'il apartiendra chacun en 
 droit soy, qu'ils ayent a registrer ces Presentes, 
 et du contenu en icelles faire joiiir'^et user notredit 
 Cousin le Due de Harcourt, et ses enfans et de- 
 cendans males en loyal mariage, pleinement, paisi- 
 blement et perpetuellement, cessant et faisant 
 cesser tous troubles et empechemens, nonobstant 
 tous Edits, Declarations, Reglemens et autres 
 choses a ce contraires, ausquels, et aux deroga- 
 toires des derogatoires y contenus, Nous avons 
 deroge et derogeons par cesdites Presentes: Car 
 TEL EST Notre Plaisir. Et afin que ce soit 
 
270 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 chose ferme et stable a toujours, Nous avons fait 
 mettre notre Seel a cesdites Prescntes, sauf en 
 autre chose notre droit, et Tautruy en toutes. 
 Donne a Versailles au mois de Novembre Tan 
 de grace mil sept cens, et de notre Regne le cin- 
 quante-huitieme. Signe, LOUIS; Et plus bas, 
 Par le Roy. Signe, COLBERT avec gril et paraphc, 
 Visa PllELYPEAUX. Et scelle du grand Sceau 
 de cire verte. 
 
 " Registrez h Registrcs de la Chambre des Comptes de 
 Normandic^ ce consentant le Prociireur General du 
 Roy. Fait le deuxitme d^Aoust mil sej>f cens un^ 
 
 Summons I0 forb f urcourt \z 
 
 itttcntr tbc Coronntion nf 
 
 6c0igc lljt Jfirst, 
 
 GEORGE R.^— Right trusty and well-be- 
 loved, we greet you well. Whereas the 
 20*^' day of this instant October, is appointed for 
 the Royal Solemnity of our Coronation ; These 
 are to will and command you (all excuses apart) 
 to make your personal attendance on Us at the 
 time above mentioned, furnished and appointed 
 as your Rank and Quality appertaineth, there to 
 do and perform all such services as shall be re- 
 quired and belong unto you. Where of you are 
 not to fail. And so we bid you most heartily 
 
 Farcwel. 
 
 "Given at our Court at S^ James's, the 6*'^ day 
 of October, 17 14, in the first year of our Reign. 
 " By his Ma'ties command, 
 
 " Suffolk M." 
 
 * George R. is in the King's handwriting, the body of the 
 paper is written by a secretary. Sufibllc M. is written by Lord 
 Suffolk. 
 
272 
 
 The Harcourt Papers. 
 
 "My Lord, — In Pursuance of an order in 
 Council, dated the 5^^ Instant, your Lordship is 
 forthwith desired to send me word, whether you 
 can give your attendance on the King at his 
 Coronation, or not ; and whether the Lady Har- 
 court, your wife, will come (as a spectator only ;) 
 to the end that Room may be better provided, 
 both in Westminster Hall and the Abbey, for 
 such as shall be present. 
 
 " I am, My Lord, 
 
 "Your Lordship's most humble and 
 obedient Servant, 
 
 " Suffolk, M. 
 
 ^^ Suffi^Ik-street, Oct. 7, 17 14. 
 
 " To the Rii^ht Ilon''^' the Lord Harcourt 
 " For his Matics. Service^ These ^." 
 
 *• The whole of this paper is printed. 
 
 END OK VOL. II. 
 
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 ^^^ 1 9 m^ 
 

 >■ 
 
 THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS, 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 i 
 
 EDWARD WILLIAM HARCOURT, 
 
 OF STANTON HARCOURT, AND NUNEHAM COURTENAY, 
 IN THE COUNTY OF OXFORD, ESQUIRE. 
 
 ;■* 
 
 VOL III. 
 
 
 JAMES PARKER AND CO., OXFORD. 
 
 [Onfy Fifty Copies print ed^^ 
 
 ■'"I 
 
 I 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 '^ I "HE task which the Editor of these 
 Papers set himself to perform, was to 
 preserve old Family Records, that might 
 otherwise have fallen into oblivion. 
 
 This work, to the best of his ability, he 
 has now carried out; and in bringing the 
 third volume of the " Harcourt Papers" to 
 a conclusion, he hopes that the driest part 
 of his labours is accomplished. 
 
 The succeeding volumes will contain slight 
 Memoirs of Simon, Lord Harcourt's suc- 
 cessors in the family estates, together with 
 extracts from such Papers and Correspond- 
 ence as have been preserved during the 
 last hundred years, and as may appear to 
 be worthy of notice. 
 
'i 
 
 1 ' 
 
 i 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Memoir of Simon, Second Viscount Har- 
 COURT ....... 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, Second Earl 
 Harcourt 
 
 A Description of Nuneham .... 
 
 Pictures at Nuneham 
 
 Letters ........ 
 
 154 
 185 
 220 
 291 
 
 'fi 
 
 \ 
 

 MEMOIR OF SIMON, 
 SECOND Vise. HARCOURT. 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
CORRIGENDA. 
 
 p. 274, line 7 (and in other places),/?^ "Fanquier" read 
 " Fauquier." 
 
 P. 278, line \Jor " Farrer" read'' Farren.'' 
 
 ' 
 
 txam 0f Simon, 
 Str0nb Uisr0tmt garroitrt. 
 
 OIMON, grandson of Lord Chancellor 
 Harcourt, was born in the year 17 14; 
 he had the misfortune to lose his father 
 when he was six years old, and at the age 
 of thirteen he succeeded to his grandfather s 
 title and estates. 
 
 He was educated at Westminster; and 
 on the death of the Lord Chancellor, he 
 was left, under his grandfather's will, to the 
 guardianship of his mother, Mrs. Harcourt ; 
 of his step-grandmother, the dowager Vis- 
 countess Harcourt; of his uncle, Sir John 
 Evelyn ; and of Mr. Rock. 
 
 In the year 1730, being then sixteen years 
 old. Lord Harcourt was sent by his guar- 
 dians to complete his education abroad, 
 under the charge of Mr. Bowman. He was 
 abroad for four years, and returned to Eng- 
 land in the year 1734, for his coming of age. 
 
 B 
 
Memoir of Simon, 
 
 The following letters from his Tutor, 
 Mr. Bowman, to Lady Harcourt, and from 
 himself to his sister, afford a very accurate 
 view of the style of education then con- 
 sidered necessary for a young nobleman : — 
 
 ^^ Bourges^ October 2,^-d, 1730. 
 
 "Madam, — After having made all necessary 
 provision for answering your Ladyship's inten- 
 tions of my Lord's passing the winter here, we 
 began, on the 17th of September, a tour through 
 those parts in our neighbourhood, which probably 
 his Lordship may not have an opportunity of 
 visiteing afterwards. With some diligence we 
 have employed fifteen days in seeing Bourbon, 
 Moulins, Riom, Clermont, and other places of less 
 note, in our way through the two adjacent pro- 
 vinces of Bourbounois, and the lower Auvergne, 
 which (for its extent) is among the finest spots 
 in Europe. By the lateness of the season, his 
 Lordship's expectations have only been disap- 
 pointed in not seeing the vintage where ever he 
 went in its usual time. . . . 
 
 " Upon our return, we have the mortification to 
 find that a fire which threatened the whole town 
 has consumed twenty-five or thirty houses ; and 
 that one Mr. Creswell, a gentleman near fifty, 
 formerly Member of Parliament, who for these 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 '■ 
 
 four years has coursed through the whole pro- 
 vinces of France, with one Mrs. Smith, called his 
 niece, resolves to pass this winter at Bourges, as 
 he did the last at Orleans. We are strangers to 
 his conduct and misfortunes at home ; but, having 
 run into indiscretions abroad to the prejudice of 
 his character, his Lordship from his own honour, 
 vertue, and applications, apprehends his company 
 being improper for a young nobleman ; and, there- 
 for, though he arrived the 8th of September, his 
 Lordship neither has nor will visitt him, till better 
 informed or otherwise directed. 
 
 "Whatever be the gentleman's history, by his 
 equipage it appears that he travels meerly for his 
 diversion, as formerly he lived for his pleasure. 
 His fair companion is perfectly well educated, as 
 far as foreigners may judge by her behaviour 
 and appearance. But he, travelling without any 
 female attendance, has on many occasions lost 
 her the respect due to an English gentlewoman 
 
 of family. . . . 
 
 "He cannot help complaining and expressing 
 great surprise, I find, at my Lord's neglect. But 
 hitherto his Lordship has accounted for it to his 
 friends, by his firm purpose here of improving 
 only by French company, and men of letters; 
 and therefore hopes his countrymen will for some 
 time excuse him from some ceremonys, when their 
 desiiins abroad are not the same with his own. 
 
"As I am certain my Lord on all occasions 
 will have your Ladyship's satisfaction and his 
 own interests very much at heart, so I hope your 
 Ladyship will be pleased to pardon such par- 
 ticular accounts of everything that regards his 
 welfare, from one who has no other business 
 abroad but to consult both to the utmost of his 
 power. His Lordship now loves reading and 
 knowledge, and measures his diversions by his 
 education and health, is much esteemed every 
 where, and has taken the beginnings of a gentle 
 considerate turn of mind, which at last I am 
 hopeful! will prove intirely to your satisfaction ; 
 and, therefor, to cultivate his good dispositions 
 for some time longer, it seems necessary to use 
 the utmost reserve. . . . 
 
 " Madam, I am with the greatest respect, 
 "Your Ladyship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 "Walter Bowman. 
 
 " To the Right Honorable the Lady Viscountess 
 Harcourt, at Cockthorp^ near Witney^ 
 Oxfordshire, — Four I ^ Angleterre'' 
 
 ^* Angers, Saturday, October 2^th, 1731. 
 
 "Madam, — My Lord Harcourt having wrote 
 to your Ladyship both by the Post and by Mr. 
 Elliot, I should not now trouble your Ladyship, 
 were it not that my Lord had had three fitts of 
 a quartan ague ; but having miss'd the fourth 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 yesterday, in all appearance it is stopt by the 
 Barke. But for your Ladyship's further satis- 
 faction, allow me the honour of giveing you all 
 the particulars of his indisposition. On Thursday 
 the nth, returning from the country, where we 
 had been to examine the remains of a Roman 
 camp, his Lordship first complained of a headach ; 
 but being perfectly well next morning, he con- 
 tinued his exercises till next Sunday, when he 
 found himself sick at the stomach, but without 
 any symptom of fever. . . . 
 
 "But on Wednesday the 17th, haveing exposed 
 his person too much to the cold in dressing, he 
 chill'd his blood so much, that he fell a trembling 
 as he satt down to dinner. This fitt was in all 
 the forms ; but gentle, and went off with a plenti- 
 full sweat. Next morning, the Physician thought 
 fitt to order his Lordship to be bleeded according 
 to the French practice, and the day thereafter 
 I insisted upon his being vomited according to 
 the English method ; accordingly he prescribed 
 his Lordship fourty grains of Epicacoana, which 
 operated but very gently. On Saturday the 20th, 
 precisely at the same hour, the second regular 
 fitt returned more violent than the first, and keept 
 his Lordship from twixt twelve and one to near 
 two next morning, without the least sweating. 
 On Sunday morning, after resting from the second 
 fitt, haveing begun with the barke, and continued 
 
Memoir of Simon, 
 
 it at every interval of four hours, we expected 
 that possibly the next return might be prevented. 
 But on Tuesday the 23rd, the third fitt came 
 four hours later than the other two, so extremely 
 gentle that he bore it with great ease, without 
 goeing to bed. Haveing keept close, and still 
 used the barke, his Lordship had nothing like it 
 yesterday, so that in appearance it is all over for 
 this time; as his Lordship has lost but little of 
 his vigour and appetite, it is to be hoped that 
 a little air moderately taken in walking, or a 
 horseback, with some continuance of the barke, 
 and the use of bitters afterwards, may so far 
 rectify his Lordship's blood as to prevent its 
 returning. . . . 
 
 " Permitt me further to acquaint your Ladyship 
 that while we lived at Bourges in very feverish 
 times, our autumnal health in some measure 
 seemed oweing to constant summer bathing, 
 which here was impracticable by the dangers of 
 the Maine, and distance of the Loire. All the 
 well and pitt water of the place comeing from the 
 blew slate, we are obliged to drink the Loire 
 water, brought up in boats two miles, and after- 
 wards but ill keept, which, with the hott wines 
 of this country, is a very sensible disadvantage 
 to sober strangers. 
 
 "His Lordship has been but little a shooting 
 this season, and till within this month, has not 
 
 used his danceing master all the summer; nor 
 since beginning again to dance, has his Lordship 
 gone to the manege 'till nine in the morning, after 
 danceing, fenceing, and breakfast. But within 
 these two months, when all the company went 
 into the country, and we have had no assemblys, 
 his Lordship's greatest amusements have been 
 visiting his friends in the country, sometimes 
 walking, or playing at Tennis of an evening. The 
 latter may have contributed to heat his blood, 
 though he allways declared that he found himself 
 
 more healthy and vigourous than ordinary 
 
 "His Lordship has finished eight volumes of 
 Rapin's "History of England," in French, and 
 I hope will be able to finish also the full history 
 of France this winter. For his reading here has 
 chiefly consisted in history. Your Ladyship may 
 be informed of my Lord's improvements from 
 some more impartial judges ; but alltogether I'll 
 venture to say, that his Lordship hitherto has the 
 advantage of other young gentlemen of his age, 
 which he may easily maintain by a continued 
 pursuit of knowledge; and I hope fortune will 
 so far favour your Ladyship's very obligeing 
 friendship for his Lordship, as he may be enabled 
 to travell. We have at Angers for a few days, 
 my Lord James Cavendish, my Lord Tillemore, 
 Mr.Jennison, Member of Parliament for North- 
 umberland, and Mr. Batville, a Welsh gentleman. 
 

 8 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 . . . But my Lord Salisbury has been fixed here 
 more than this month, and, being lodged next 
 door, eats with my Lord Harcourt. Mr. King 
 stays here this winter, and is now in the same 
 house with us. We expect Sir Thomas Twisden 
 from Blois ; and beyond these, I believe we shall 
 scarce extend our table company. We have 
 had sight of ten Germans this autumn, whereof 
 severals stay the winter, so that Angers is soon 
 like to be as much frequented by strangers as 
 formerly. My Lord prays his dutiful! respects 
 to your Ladyship. 
 
 " Madam, I am with the greatest respect, 
 " Your Ladyship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 ** Walter Bowman." 
 
 ^^ Mofifpelkr, August 20///, 1732. 
 
 "Madam, — We have passt our time agreeably 
 here dureing the violence of the heats ; and hoping 
 they are now abated, to-day, after dinner, we pro- 
 pose setting out for Aix in Provence, by Nismes 
 and Aries, expecting to be at Marseilles by the 
 lOth of September 
 
 "Allow me the honour of further acquainting 
 your Ladyship that I am well informed the 
 number of the English at Geneva amounts at 
 present to thirty, whereof the chief are my Lord 
 Rockingam, and my Lord Stanhope, both noble- 
 men of excellent character, whereof the first only 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 stays the winter there. After leaving Angers, 
 I humbly conceive it may be judged improper 
 to winter among so many countrymen ; nor have 
 we any method of avoiding it, but either by 
 staying in France, or goeing into Italy. Al- 
 though my Lord indulge his curiosity of seeing 
 Burgundy and Franche-Comte, yet we can be at 
 Geneva by the beginning of November, and con- 
 sequently in time for passing the mountains. By 
 divideing in that case the months of December, 
 January, and February 'twixt the Court of Turin 
 and Milan, my Lord will be sure of passing the 
 winter amongst better company, and of being 
 master to move for Tuscany as early in the 
 spring as may be necessary. 
 
 " On my Lord Essex's account, it may be pre- 
 sumed that more English than usual will stay 
 at Turin. But the greatest inconvenience to be 
 apprehended, is that perhaps we may in that case 
 exceed your Ladyship's allowances, whereas we 
 are sure of keeping within measure on this side of 
 the Alps. But in all cases, I shall endeavour 
 to conform our measures to the opinion of my 
 Lord's friends, and to your Ladyship's commands 
 in particular. My Lord is in perfect health, and 
 pays his duty to your Ladyship. 
 
 " I am, with the greatest respect, 
 " Your Ladyship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 "Walter Bowman." 
 
" TiiHfi, Nov. 4, 1732. 
 
 "Madam, — At the same time that I have the 
 honour of acquainting your Ladyship of my Lord's 
 perfect health and arrival in this country, I am 
 sorry that the old King's death has disappointed 
 our designs ; the Court upon that occasion haveing 
 gone into the deepest mourning, and suspended 
 all assemblys and diversions whatsoever. We 
 made our journey dureing the only interval of 
 fair weather ; and my Lord being received with 
 great civility by my Lord Essex, we flatter'd our- 
 selves in hopes of an happy winter, when all of 
 a sudden this unexpected event has defeated every 
 prospect of pleasure or improvement in this place. 
 
 "Nothing can be more formal, more starched, 
 nor more melancholy, than these modes of Spanish 
 mourning, which here for the last time are to be 
 severely observed for a whole year. My Lord 
 Essex haveing presented us to the Ambassador 
 of France and his Lady (the late Lord Whit- 
 w^orth's widow), it may not be improper in this 
 town, dear as it is, to pass some time more under 
 our disappointment, in order to see what may 
 be curious, and to improve my Lord's acquaint- 
 ance amongst the ambassadors, in order, if pos- 
 sible, to procure recommendations to other places. 
 For at any rate, till the great rains are over, we 
 cannot without great trouble remove further into 
 the country 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. ii 
 
 "It is my humble advice to his Lordship to 
 remove next to Milan, where is to be a good 
 opera for the Carneval, and where scarce any 
 English will stop except for a little on their way 
 to Venice. From Milan, if we remove in the 
 beginning of Lent, we shall be able to see Genoa, 
 Parma, and Modena, in our way to Florence in 
 the spring, and, employing the summer in Tuscany, 
 be ready in the autumn to make our journey to 
 Naples ; in order, afterwards, to pass the winter 
 at Rome, which, if we leave after Lent, there will 
 be time for us to see all in our way to Venice at 
 the Ascension ; and, eight months afterwards, for 
 our return through Germany and the Low Coun- 
 trys, as Sir John Evelyn proposed, against the 
 time my Lord shall be of age ; when your Lady- 
 ship has ordered his return. This plan I beg 
 leave to submitt to your Ladyship's examination, 
 as the most comprehensive of all shows, and the 
 
 most convenient for us 
 
 " We left Lyons the 8th of October, and come- 
 ing to Grenoble the 9th, staid there but one day, 
 the company being all out at vintage. From 
 thence, takeing a turn among the mountains, lay 
 one night at the Great Chartreux, where the 
 General of that Order resides. Thence cutting 
 across the mountains, we joined our chaise on 
 the high road, and lay at Chamberry in Savoy 
 the 1 2th, and arrived at Geneva the 14th 
 
" At Geneva my Lord stayed one week, where 
 his Lordship was conducted by one of the chief 
 magistrates and ingeneers of the place through 
 the curious mines of their new fortifications, which 
 were enlightened for that purpose. On the 22nd 
 we left Geneva, and in seven continued days' 
 
 journey came here the 28th 
 
 " Madam, I am with the greatest respect, 
 " Your Ladyship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 "Walter Bowman. 
 "My Lady Essex, after being brought to bed 
 of a son, is in a fine way of recovery." 
 
 " Getioa^ February 18, 1733. 
 
 " Madam, — Since I had the honour of acquaint- 
 ing your Ladyship with our arrival in Italy, and 
 Sir John Evelyn with our removal to Milan, I have 
 found no occasion for writeing till now 
 
 "His Lordship's time at Milan was divided 
 'twixt study, and assembly, and operas, in such 
 a manner as I flatter myself your Ladyship would 
 be pleased to approve. His Lordship confined 
 himself to a few friends ; but might have made 
 more acquaintances among the Italiens if he had 
 spoke the language, or in any manner liked play. 
 But as his Lordship now can answer to Italian 
 civilities, he proposes every where seeing company, 
 as well as pictures, palaces, and churches. For 
 my own part, I know no better method for pre- 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 13 
 
 serving a youth from the low vices of our coun- 
 trymen in Italy, than by throwing him directly 
 amongst people of quality. Here the Countess 
 of Boromee from Milan, though originally of the 
 Grillo family of this place, has shown his Lord- 
 ship particular civilities. His Lordship has also 
 been recommended to the Marchioness Impe- 
 
 riali. 
 
 "The same method we shal use in all other 
 towns where any stay is necessary; this being 
 absolutely requisite for his Lordship's improve- 
 ment and credit ; I hope his Lordship will answer 
 your Ladyship's expectations by doeing honour 
 to his country in general, and to his family in 
 particular. Our stay in places depending on our 
 acquaintances, and curiosities to be seen, we 
 cannot yet fix our departure from hence; but 
 I believe about the beginning of March your 
 Ladyship may expect to hear of us again in 
 Lombardy, at Parma, where his Lordship will 
 pay his court to Don Carlos " 
 
 It hasi been noted in a former volume, 
 that when Lord Chancellor Harcourt suc- 
 ceeded to his family estates, he found them 
 curtailed almost to the verge of ruin. The 
 part his ancestors had taken in the Civil 
 Wars, and the enterprises of Sir Robert 
 
Harcourt in the reign of James the First, 
 had led to this consummation. 
 
 The industry of the Chancellor to a great 
 extent enabled him to retrieve his lost pa- 
 trimony. The following letter addressed to 
 the young Lord Harcourt, then seventeen 
 years old, by his guardian and adviser, 
 Mr. Rock, shews the condition of affairs 
 soon after the Chancellor's death. 
 
 The subject of this memoir, who held 
 good offices during the greater part of his 
 life, was enabled still further to recruit the 
 family fortunes. It must of course be re- 
 membered that the value of money was very 
 different in those days. 
 
 Mr. S. Rock to Viscount Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ Staple Inne^ Feb. 3, 1731. 
 
 "My Dearest Lord,— I rece'd the hon^ of 
 
 yo^ LordP^ letter, which I would have sooner 
 acknowledg'd, but that I was desireous to answer 
 yo'^ LordP^ questions as particularly as may be, 
 and it is an exceeding great pleasure to me that 
 yo' LordP is so happily dispos'd to look into yo' 
 own affairs. 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 15 
 
 
 Per Annum. 
 
 
 I 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 "Yo^ Lordps Estate in possession 
 
 
 
 
 is P. ann 
 
 532 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 "The Trust Estate which is sub- 
 
 
 
 
 ject to the paym^ of the for- 
 
 
 
 
 tunes 
 
 2113 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 ''Lady Harcourt's Joynture is P. 
 
 
 
 
 ann. 1220^ 18^ 5^, reckoning Ca- 
 
 
 
 
 vendish Square House at 300^ 
 
 
 
 
 a year. But because 200^ a year, 
 
 
 
 
 part of the yearly Joynture of 
 
 
 
 
 1220^ 18^ 5^, is a rent-charge is- 
 
 
 
 
 suing out of the Trust Estate, 
 
 
 
 
 my Lady's Joynture when it 
 
 
 
 
 falls to my Lord will be only 
 
 
 
 
 P. ann. ..... 
 
 1020 
 
 18 
 
 5 
 
 "And the Trust Estate will be 
 
 
 
 
 also eas'd of the rent -charge of 
 
 
 
 
 200^ now payable to my Lady. 
 
 
 
 
 " M". Harcourt's Joynture P. ann. . 
 
 568 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 "Total yearly value of the whole 
 
 
 
 
 Estate exclusive of the Rever- 
 sions . . . 
 
 
 
 
 4234 
 
 17 
 
 9 
 
 '* The yearly value of Estates in 
 
 
 
 
 Stanton Harcourt, Newnham, 
 
 
 
 
 Coggs, and West Hildesley, 
 
 
 
 
 which are held by Copy of * 
 
 
 
 
I' 
 
 i6 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 Court roll, or by Leases for 
 years determinable on lives, as 
 near as I can judge of their 
 value, and I beleive I am pretty 
 near it 
 
 " The yearly value of an Estate in 
 Hardwick, and anoth'^ in North- 
 moor, held by Lease for years 
 det, &c., and now in Joynture to 
 Lady Harcourt and M^^, Har- 
 court 
 
 "Total yearly value of the whole 
 Estate in Possession and Rever- 
 sion ...... 
 
 675 II 10 
 
 400 
 
 4914 9 7 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 6 
 
 "In the Southsea Stock and Annuities 9,000; 
 the interest of which Lady Harcourt is to have 
 for her life, and which is already computed to 
 make up her Joynture 1220^ 18' 5^ a-year. 
 
 £ 
 
 "The Trust Estate as above com- 
 puted is p. ann 21 13 
 
 " Out of which is p^ yearly to Lady 
 Harcourt .... £200 ^. 
 
 " To y^ LordP^ two Sisters . 240 V 
 
 " To myself . . . . 50 ^ 
 
 " Rem^ of the Trust Estate out of 
 
 which the portions are to be 
 
 rais'd is P. ann 1623 7 6 
 
 490 o o 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 17 
 
 ''Note, the 1623^ 7^ 6^ P. ann. must bear the 
 Land-tax, repairs, and all other incidents, as if it 
 was 2 1 1 3^ 7' 6^ a-year ; for the 490*^ p^ y'arly out 
 of the Trust Estate, is p^ clear of Taxes or other 
 deductions. 
 
 "An account of what money has been paid 
 
 since my Lord's death : — 
 
 "Legacys 
 
 " Funeral charges about . 
 
 " Debts about 
 
 "Buildings and repairs begun by 
 my Lord, and carrying on at his 
 
 death 
 
 " To M^ Collier, L^ Harcourt's Sol^ 
 to M'-. Appleby, Sol^ for yo^ 
 LordP, M". Harcourt, Miss Betty, 
 S'' John Evelyn, and myself, and 
 to M^. Powell .... 
 
 " Four y'ars annuities to Lady 
 HarcS yo^ 2 Sistors and mys'lf . 
 
 "Paid into Chancery towards the 
 portions . . . . • 
 
 £ ^' 
 
 1380 o 
 
 200 o 
 1590 14 
 
 O 
 O 
 
 870 II 4 
 
 366 18 9i 
 i960 o o 
 
 649 
 
 8 loi 
 
 7017 13 2 
 
 (( 
 
 There has been also paid on seve- 
 ral acct^ w^h cannot be particu- 
 lariz'd in a letter, since my Lord's 
 death, about .... 
 " F^ in all about 
 
 1744 5 
 
 oj 
 
 8761 18 2j 
 
 D 
 
" I have been so unfortunate as to have had 
 a farm called Lows, at Newnham, in hand for 
 four years, which of necessity runs away with 
 a great deal of money, and money has been lost 
 every year by that farm, by Ned Clark's ill- 
 manacrm^ of it. But I went down there last hoi- 
 lidays, and have lett it to a good ten^ And at y^ 
 same time I also lett a farm at Coggs, which was 
 in hand, and had been for two y", so that at 
 present there is only Sessions's farm in Stanton 
 Harcourt, w^h is in hand ; and I am not quite 
 without hopes of Ttting itt, though good ten^^ are 
 exceedincf scarce. All the tenants at Newnham 
 are very good, except Ned Clarke, and he is 
 behind for r'nt due at Ladyday last 280*^ S" 9^'\ 
 At Stanton Harcourt and Coggs, there has been 
 very bad crops for two or three years last past, 
 which has caus'd all the ten^^ there to pay their 
 rents extreamly ill, and there is due from those 
 tenants at Ladyday last for rent about 700^ ; 
 I mean belonging to the Trust Estate. Some of 
 the rents of the Estate in yo^' own possession due 
 at Lady-day 1731, are still unp'^. I have since 
 my Lord's death rece'd out of that Estate — 
 
 "And I have paid . . . . 
 ** In my hands on that ace* . 
 
 £ s. d. 
 1506 II J\ 
 
 3 17 Hi 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 19 
 
 "But I hope by the time yo^ Lord^^ bill for 
 100^ reaches me, I shall have the like sume sent 
 me by M^ Bedw'U. But be that as it will, the 
 bill shall be paid when it arrives. There are two 
 bills on yo^' LordP^ account w^^^ are still unpaid, 
 and which I have not yet been able to pay ; they 
 are Sawyer the taylor's bill, and Bell's bill for 
 linnen ; I have not y" bills at my chambers, but 
 I think Sawyer's is about 6o\ and Bell's about 20^ 
 
 " And now, my dearest Lord, I fear I have quite 
 tir'd you out ; and yet I must go on a little furth'r. 
 I sent the gold watch and chain by Lady Lam- 
 bert, who would leave them with M^ Arbuthnott, 
 with directions to him to forward the watch, &c. 
 to yo^ LordP. I wish I had rece'd yo^ Lord?^ 
 last letter before I had sent y^ other things, that 
 I might also have s'nt the tweezer yo^ Lord? 
 mentions. Lideed, my L^ I had forgot it, till 
 I had yo^' last letter ; and on enquiring after it, 
 I found M^Cox had it, and it shall be sent by 
 the first opportunity. Lady Harcourt tells me 
 she has acquainted yo^' Lordship with her inten- 
 tions to lend yo^ Lordship as much money as you 
 shall want in order to yo^' travelling, which will 
 free you from all difficulties, and make you ex- 
 treamly happy. The Game is pretty well secured 
 at Newnham and Stanton Harcourt, but Coggs 
 lyes so near that abominable town of Witney, 
 that it suffers at Coggs ; and yet M^ Beeston 
 
\^ 
 
 iM0i 
 
 20 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 pinches y^ rogues very often. One fellow I got 
 a warrant for in Oct'' last, who is a great pocher, 
 and he is run quite away ; so that I hope by de- 
 grees to get rid of them. Suffer me, my dearest 
 Lord, to make this letter a little longer by saying, 
 and that most truly, that my wife and family joyn 
 with me in humble duty, and the sincerest services 
 to yo'" LordP. I hope I shall soon have the plea- 
 sure to hear from you. If I have not sufficiently 
 explain'd my meaning in the short state of y*^ 
 matter mention'd above, be pleased to let me 
 know, and I will make it more plain. 'Twas 
 most agreeable news to me that yo^ ague had 
 done you service, and that you have such enter- 
 taining company at Angicrs. I hope the English 
 ladies are as handsome and polite as the French. 
 " I am with the uttmost duty, my dear Lord, 
 " Yo^ Lp^ most obedient Serv*, 
 
 " S. Rock." 
 From Lord Harcourt to his Sister : — 
 
 ^^ Bourges^ Feb. 24, 1730. 
 
 "Dear Sister, — .... I can't say that we 
 passed the last Carnaval entirely to our satisfac- 
 tion, which I believe is chiefly owing to the po- 
 verty of the gentry in these parts, whose incomes 
 will scarce allow them to give balls. I own, in- 
 deed, that since the Lent is began, we have lived 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 21 
 
 better than we have yet done since we have been 
 at Bourges ; for as we have had a deal of snow 
 lately, the county people have killed vast quan- 
 tities of game, such as partridges and hares, a 
 great many of which have fallen into our hands 
 at twopence and threepence a-piece. For you 
 know very well that these superstitious wretches 
 think that their souls are purified by abstaining 
 from flesh, as unfalliable means for purchasing 
 Paradise at a cheap rate. . . . 
 
 " I am, dear Sister, 
 *' Your most loving brother, and humble servant, 
 
 " Harcourt. 
 
 "Duty to Lady Harcourt, humble service to 
 Mrs. and Miss Vernon, and remember me to 
 Messrs. Rock, Cole, and Blow, and Mr. Cox, and 
 tell him that in about eight months time I think 
 of sending over some brace of red partridges, 
 which are very common in these parts, and much 
 more beautifull, better, and bigger than the other 
 sort. Excuse this scroll, for the post stays for my 
 letter." 
 
 Here follows a series of letters in French 
 to his sister, from which I give a few ex- 
 tracts. They were evidently written for the 
 sake of practice in the language, his know- 
 
 I 
 
ledge of which appears at this tune to have 
 been somewhat elementary : — 
 
 ^' Novemhre le 4°, 1730. 
 
 " Ma ciiere Sceur, — .... Par un Icttre qui 
 j'ai recu dcpuls peu d'Angletcrre on me mandoit 
 que vous aviez cu unc ballc, qui j'osc dire fut 
 trcs joli, et que le Comte de Jersey fut un de votre 
 partie. Je suis ravi que vous avcz un gout si bon, 
 car assurcment il est un seighneur toute a fait 
 un hommc de qualitc, qui par sa politique a gagnc 
 les coeurs des dames, ct I'estime des hommes. Je 
 seray charme de savoir les particularitcs de votre 
 balle, et vous pouvez contce, que si j'avais cu les 
 ailes de jMercure j'auray fuit a un de votre partie 
 incognito. 
 
 "II y a quelque tems depuis nous sommes ar- 
 rivee d'Aubigny, ou demeure IMadame la Duchesse 
 de Portsmouth, qui etait maitresse de Charles 
 Second, et grandc mere de Monsieur le Due de 
 Richmond ; c'est une dame qui assurcment est 
 servi en princess, soit par le nombre de ses do- 
 mestiques, que par la magnificence qui regnit par 
 toute sa maison, et par la cour que tout le voisin- 
 age lui font, cependant, quoique clle a quatre vingt 
 cinque ans, elle a tout I'esprit imaginable, extreme- 
 ment viffe elle lit parfaitemcnt bien sans des lu- 
 nettes, et d'un si grande attention quelle joiieroit 
 quatre heures de suite. Enfin elle a touts les 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 23 
 
 agremens qui pcuvent rcndre la vieilesse heurcux 
 elle nous a re^ue gracicusement, tachant toujours 
 de nous faire plaisir, elle nous a presse autant de 
 tester quelque tems avec elle, que nous avions 
 beaucoup de peine de partir, et elle nous a pro- 
 mis, que si nous reviendrons encore, d'envoyer son 
 carosse pour nous, qui est une faveur tres particu- 
 lier en France, enfin elle nous a regue si magni- 
 fiquement, et expressoit une si grande amitie 
 pour touts les Anglois, que je suis sure que touts 
 ceux qui la connoisent doivent lui rendre la mcme 
 justice. 
 
 " Je suis, ma chere Soeur, 
 
 ** Votre cher frere et tres humble Serviteur, 
 
 'M'Harcourt." 
 
 ^^ Angers J /^ 23 d^Aout. 
 
 ". . . . A Tours nous trouvames plusieurs de 
 nos Messieurs Anglois qui n'y font pas beaucoup 
 d'honneur a leur patrie, je vous assure qu'ils out 
 grand besoin de la politesse frangoise, afin de les 
 rendre un peu plus dignes de la conversation avec 
 le genre humain 
 
 " Mademoiselle Paget a profit^ beaucoup de son 
 sejour en France, elle a reuni parfaitment bien 
 quelques petits agrements des Francoises avec 
 la douceur et toutes les belles qualites des An- 
 gloiscs ; ainsy sans vouloir faire tort aux Angloises 
 ni aux Francoises, je pourrois bien dire qu'elle 
 
24 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 promctte infinlmcnt dc fairc la plus belle dame 
 qu'on puisse voir d 'aucun part 
 
 ^^ Boi/r^es, le 28 d'Aout. 
 
 " Ouoique vous ne contcz par d'allcr a Sudbury 
 chez Mr. Vernon * cette annee, neanmoins jc crois 
 que vous passeriez votre terns assez agrcablcmcnt 
 parmi vos voisines de campagne, ct en prenante 
 le be! exercise, c'est a dire de montee a cheval, 
 souvant, et lorsque les courses d'Oxford viendront, 
 vous ne manquerez pas un divertissement assez 
 agreable pendant une semaine, la vous verricz les 
 beautes champctres, parees de touts les ornaments 
 q'un gout de campagne et le travail de leurs 
 mains Icur peussent fournir pendant I'autre partie 
 de I'annee • 
 
 "La Reine de France (commc on dit icy, car 
 comme la vllle est paresscuse tout le monde icy 
 sont des menteurs) est accouche d'un due d'Anjou, 
 car c'est la titre du second fils du Roy de France ; 
 il y a deja trois filles et deux fills et c'est a esperer 
 qu'on ne manquera pas une famille nombreuse, 
 puisque le Roy n'a que vingt un ou vingt deux 
 
 ans 
 
 ** Angers^ July the "jth. 
 
 " Dear Sister, — .... If I thought not to tire 
 you, I would give you a description of our pre- 
 
 ■ Mr. Vernon, afterwards Lord Vernon, married Miss Martha 
 Harcourt, Lord Ilarcourt's younger sister, as his third wife. 
 
 sent way of liveing, which is much the same as it 
 was at Bourges, barring the academical exercises. 
 My fencing master calls me at half an hour after 
 five, and stays with me till six ; and at six I put 
 my boots on, make ready for the Academy, where 
 I always ride till about half an hour after eight. 
 I then come home, breakfast, and read mathema- 
 ticks till about ten ; then I take a lesson upon the 
 German flute ; after which I read history or some- 
 thing else till dinner-time, which is commonly at 
 one o'clock ; we seldom sett above an hour, which 
 is long enough for any one but a French man. 
 I read a little after dinner, dress, and go into 
 company, play my parts of quadrille, walk, come 
 home to supper, sit a little after supper, and in 
 short go to bed about eleven o'clock. The heat 
 of the present season, and the additional exercises 
 of riding and fencing, have tempted me to defer 
 dancing till the heat is a little passed " 
 
 '' Sie?ina, Sept. 2, N.S., i733- 
 
 " Dear Sister,— Although we have not 
 
 been here above eight days, I have already had 
 the pleasure of waiting upon the fairest of the sex 
 in the place, who are more numerous and beauty- 
 full than in any other place I have yet seen ; very 
 polite to strangers, as indeed they ought to be, 
 the gentlemen of their own country being by far 
 the oddest, unaccountable creatures that can pos- 
 
26 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 sibly be seen. Among other fair ones, there are 
 four so very beautyfull, that in my mind nothing 
 can excell them. I believe what setts them off 
 still to a greater advantage, is their genteel way 
 of dressing their heads, in which (begging pardon) 
 the English ladys do not excell. Here, instead 
 of having odd out-of-the-way caps, their hair 
 drawn so tite as almost pulled up by the roots, 
 they scarce wear any thing upon their heads ; 
 they have a pretty four top or toupet, on each 
 side they curl their hair in order to sett off their 
 faces more advantageously, and behind they leave 
 it something longer, hanging in easy and gentle 
 buckles. I hope you will excuse this episode 
 upon the ladys of Sienna and their dress, con- 
 cerning which I shall have one time or other the 
 honour of telling you my sentiments. . . 
 
 >} 
 
 " Toulouse^ July the ^th^ MS. 
 
 " . . . . His Grace the Duke of Portland arrived 
 here two days ago, in his way from Italy to Paris. 
 He is a young man of very good sence, extreamly 
 polite and good-natured " 
 
 ^"^ Milan^ Jan. the 24///, N.S. 
 
 ". . . . As this is what we call Carnaval time, 
 our chiefest amusement here is operas, which in- 
 deed are very fine in most parts of Italy. As 
 musick is the predominant passion in Italy at 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 27 
 
 present, so the Italians pay their musicians very 
 well, which causes an emulation among them; 
 by which reason so many of them arrive to a vast 
 perfection. Although 'tis generally thought that 
 we pay them in England more than in any other 
 country, nevertheless, considering the length of 
 the journey, the risques they run of not being 
 liked when they arrive here, &c., I say all these 
 things well considered, I don't think the pay of 
 the English in proportion is so good as that of 
 Italy. The English have quite lost their reputa- 
 tion of being judges in musick ever since the bad 
 reception Bernachi met with in England; and 
 although his voice maybe perhaps a little worn 
 out, nevertheless, to show how much he is es- 
 teemed in this country, for his good taste, skill, 
 and judgement in musick, he is called the Father 
 of musick, which title he certainly well deserves, 
 since 'tis he that has given the fine taste of musick 
 (as the Italians express themselves) to the famous 
 Faranelli, Caresteni, &c. And on the other hand, 
 to show the difference of the Italian and English 
 taste, Seneseno, who is so much admired in Eng- 
 land, would not be able to get his bread in this 
 country " 
 
 At the end of the year 1734, Lord Har- 
 court returned to England, and attained his 
 majority. 
 
In May of the following- year, 1735, he 
 was appointed Lord of the Bedchamber to 
 Kinor Georee the Second ; and in the month 
 of October of the same year he was mar- 
 ried to Rebecca, only daughter and heir 
 of Charles Samborne Le Bas, of Pipwcll 
 Abbey, in Northamptonshire, by his wife, 
 Mary, daughter and co-heir of Sir Samuel 
 Moyer^ Bart., of Pilsey Hall, in Essex. 
 
 The following letter to his wife, from Lord 
 Harcourt, in November, 1737, shews that 
 the ordinary historical version of Queen 
 Caroline's illness is not correct. History 
 tells us that George the Second, who had for 
 
 ^ I have found the following note in Lord Ilarcourt's hand- 
 writing : — 
 
 '* Sir Samuel Moyer left three daughters, the two eldest, 
 Mrs. Pauncefort and Mrs. Lebas, died several years ago ; the 
 youngest, Mrs. Jenyns, died about three years ago. Lady liar- 
 court's mother was Mrs. Lebas. Lady Harcourt was heir at law 
 to Mrs. Jenyns. 
 
 **Mr. Tuffnell, of Langley, near Chelmesford, in Essex, is sup- 
 posed to be the son of John Tuffnell, who was a joint trustee with 
 Sir Samuel Moyer. 
 
 **He has a house in Albemarle-street, the fourth on the right- 
 hand from Piccadilly. He is in France, and not expected to 
 return till at Lady-day, 1/55; ^^'^ wife, and son, John Jolifl'e 
 Tufinell, who is a Member of Parliament, are at Langley, in 
 
 El) 
 ssex. 
 
 Mrs. Jenyns was also maternally related to Lord Harcourt. 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 29 
 
 fourteen years been acquainted with the 
 Queen's dangerous affliction, had promised 
 never to mention it; but that at last he 
 thoucrht it his duty to send for a surgeon, in 
 spite of the Queen's dislike to the proceed- 
 incT ; he was at once told by the surgeon that 
 he had put off sending for him till it was 
 too late. 
 
 «* Cavendish-sqiiare, Saturday morning. 
 
 "My dear Jewell,— I had a very easy and 
 safe journey to town, where I arrived about three 
 o'clock, notwithstanding your Httle Ladyship de- 
 tained me at Cockthrop till past seven ; so that, 
 allowing the time lost by changing horses, I don't 
 reckon that I was above seven hours in perform- 
 ing the whole journey. 
 
 "At every town I came to I expected to find 
 news of the Queen's death. However, I had the 
 pleasure of being disappointed. As soon as I 
 could get my cloaths on, away I went to S^. James' 
 to enquire after her Majesty's health; and there 
 (as I really expected) I found every body in the 
 greatest affliction that is possible to be expressed. 
 But the bed-chamber women, the maids of honour, 
 &c., from whom I was in hopes of gathering a 
 little information, have taken it into their heads 
 to look so extravagantly wise, and to screw up 
 
30 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 their countenances in such a manner, that 'tis 
 scarce possible to screw an answer out of them, 
 so that I left them just as wise as I found them. 
 However, remembering that I was to do myself 
 the pleasure of writing to you by the first post, 
 and that you might very reasonably expect a little 
 news, I went immediately from S*. James' to the 
 Duke of Richmond's, not without a design of eat- 
 ing what I could get, and succeeded extreamly well. 
 The dinner fairly over, and the glasses upon the 
 table, I began (you may easily guess) to be very 
 inquisitive ; and his Grace, with his usual good- 
 nature, satisfied my curiosity to the uttmost of 
 his knolledge. 
 
 "I must begin by acquainting you that the 
 Queen was taken ill on last Wednesday sen'night, 
 when most people imagined that it was her old 
 distemper, the gout ; but how they were deceived 
 you shall presently hear. Her pain by that time 
 was so great, that His Majesty, who all along 
 suspected that the gout was not her distemper, 
 insisted upon her being examined by M'". Ranby 
 the surgeon, who to his very great surprise found 
 a hardness upon her belly, and that of a very 
 long standing. She had concealed it as long as 
 it was possible, but could bear it no longer; in 
 short, it proved to be a rupture, and that of so 
 long a standing as twenty years at least. How- 
 ever, Ranby did not care to do anything to it till 
 
 1 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 31 
 
 he had given an account of it to the physicians and 
 surgeons that waited in the next room ; and they, 
 after some consultation, ordered Ranby to apply 
 something to it for that night, and they might see 
 how to proceed the next morning. 
 
 " When the surgeon examined it the next morn- 
 ing, he found the part affected as black as a hat, 
 with all the signs of a mortification ; he thereupon, 
 without loss of time, opened the place, and cut and 
 hacked away till he came to her very bowells, which 
 he also apprehended to be in the greatest danger ; 
 and the doctors and surgeons agreed that she had 
 but few hours to live. However, in this sad con- 
 dition, cut allmost to pieces, hath the poor woman 
 laid ever since ; which is the more surprising, as 
 nothing passeth through her, though some people 
 give out the contrary, and that she is upon the 
 mending hand, which I wish I could credit. But 
 am apprehensive every minute of hearing of her 
 death ; if she hath any chance of surviving, it is 
 in the greatness of her spirits, which are not in 
 the least dejected, notwithstanding the dreadful 
 operations she hath undergone. 
 
 " The Archbishop of Canterbury hath been twice 
 sent for by His Majesty to attend the Queen ; and 
 hath administered the Sacrament to them both, 
 so that she is at present entirely resigned to the 
 
 decrees of fate. 
 
 ** The King attends her from morning to night, 
 
32 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 without stirring out of her room, and sees her 
 take everything, and assists at every operation. 
 Everybody does him the justice to think him 
 sincerely afflicted, as certainly he ought to be for 
 so good a wife. All her poor children arc in the 
 most melancholy situation, sometimes elated with 
 hopes, other times in the greatest despair. Every 
 thing hath so melancholy an aspect, that was it 
 not decency that detained me here, I should soon 
 quit this disagreable place. If you continue your 
 design of coming to town on Thursday, I fear it 
 won't be in my power to attend you and M'^ 
 Jennens as I could wish. However, if there should 
 be any alteration in Her Majesty's illness between 
 this and Tuesday or Wednesday, I shall not fail 
 being with you, though it be the night before 
 you set out. 
 
 " If you should be obliged to come without me, 
 remember the night before you set out, to send 
 for the keys of the grounds we came through this 
 time two year, when we avoided Kingston hill, 
 which is the only piece of bad ground between 
 this and Cockthrop. If you set out from Cock- 
 throp by eight or nine in the morning 'tis time 
 enough ; and if you don't dine by the way, then 
 ten o'clock is time enough; but then you must 
 give the horses a little hay about halfway between 
 Cockthrop and Henley. The charriot and the 
 mares must set out the day before, and may go 
 
 ^ 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 33 
 
 to Newnham or to Dorchester the first day, the 
 second day to Henley or Maidenhead, and the 
 third to this place. I would advise you to send 
 the coach horses with the charriot to the top of 
 Kingston hill; and let the mares be led so far, 
 then the rest of the journey will be very easy 
 to them." 
 
 The following: are extracts from letters 
 of Lord Harcourt to his sister at this 
 period : — 
 
 " Tuesday, May 14, 1739. 
 
 "Dear Sister, — The letter of the Duke of 
 
 Richmond, w^hich you enclosed in one of your 
 
 own, was the more agreable as procuring me the 
 
 pleasure of hearing from you. Our journey down 
 
 to Newnham ^ was performed very agreably ; and 
 
 the fineness of the weather during our stay of 
 
 three full days, which w^e made there, rendered 
 
 the place entirely delightfull. What with our 
 
 stay here, and the visit I propose making to my 
 
 Lord Jersey at Middleton, I can't flatter myself 
 
 with the satisfaction of seeing you till about this 
 
 day sevennight. . . . ." 
 
 " 1740. 
 
 "As there is no great probability of the wind 
 changing soon, and consequently no likelyhood 
 
 •^ There was only a small old Manor-house then in existence 
 there. 
 
\ 
 
 of seeing his Majesty so soon as wc desire, I have 
 some thoughts of setting out to-morrow morning 
 for Sussex 
 
 ** As I propose being at Mr. Woodroflfe's on 
 Sunday next before dinner, I beg the favour of 
 you to desire him to send a servant to meet me 
 at the Road Lane Ale House, at the bottom of 
 Hindhead, for the road from Charlton is very 
 intricate over the heaths, and all most impossible 
 to find without a guide 
 
 " I shall propose being in London on Tuesday 
 morning at about one o'clock, for I ought to be 
 at the opening of the Parliament." 
 
 ^^ FsIington^July 27, 1740. 
 
 "Dear Sister,— We leave this place to-mor- 
 row morning, and return to Sir Harry's house in 
 the Bishoprick of Durham, where we stay but one 
 day, and then march homewards. We propose to 
 see Mr. Duncombe's and Lord Carlisle's in our 
 way to York, which will take us about three days ; 
 and am in hopes that about five days more will 
 carry us to Cockthrop, and allow us to see the 
 places that lay in our road, which will be Lord 
 Malton's and the Duke of Kingston's. Mr. Ais- 
 labie's'^ we saw in our way hither, and were ex- 
 tremely pleased with it, and much obliged to him 
 for the reception we met with. We promised to 
 
 ^ Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1719. 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 35 
 
 take it on our way homewards ; but I believe it 
 will be impossible, for we begin to be very im- 
 patient to see our little family 
 
 "Pray tell Lady Harcourt that we saw Sir 
 Charles and Lady Vernon at Studley. Lady 
 Lyddell and Sir Harry send their compliments. . ." 
 
 "■ Tuesday morning, Jiuie ()th, 1741. 
 
 "Dear Sister,— I did intend to have waited 
 upon my Lady at Bushy this day, but the bad- 
 ness of the weather has obliged me to deferr my 
 journey. If I can get a good day, I have some 
 thoughts of bringing the little boy « with me, for 
 I am sure it will entertain him very much. He 
 begins to be a little more reconciled to his sister ; 
 but he says that his mamma and sister are very 
 lazy to lay a bed so much as they do in this fine 
 weather ; however, it agrees extreamly well with 
 them. If Lady Harcourt, Mrs. Vernon, or your- 
 self should chance to come to Town, the Lady 
 in the straw will be very glad to see you, for 
 she is now allowed to chatter, and will in two or 
 three days be able to talk scandall over a dish 
 
 of tea. . . . 
 
 " I need not tell you that I am tired of London ; 
 but I now think it less intollerable, because I can 
 o-ive a iiuess when I shall be able to leave it, 
 
 * George Simon, afterwards Viscount Nuneham. 
 
36 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 which I could not do a week ago. Lord Euston 
 is certainly to be married at last, they say in a 
 fortnight ; when it is over I shall believe it, but 
 not sooner. . . ." 
 
 *' Hanover-square y June 26, 1741. 
 
 " Dear Sister, — To-morrow we propose to 
 
 make a sort of Christian of our little girl, though 
 she yet knows nothing of the matter. Had Lady 
 Harcourt, Mrs. Vernon, and you been in Town, 
 we should have done ourselves the honour of de- 
 siring your company. . 
 
 ») 
 
 On the 27th of June, 1743, Lord Harcourt 
 accompanied King George the Second to 
 the battle of Dettingen, in his capacity of 
 Lord in Waiting. In 1745, thirteen Peers 
 were commissioned to raise a reiiiment each 
 for the protection of the kingdom, at the time 
 of the rebellion in Scotland. Lord Harcourt 
 was one of the number, and this led to the 
 military rank which was subsequently con- 
 ferred upon him. 
 
 The followincT letter was at this time ad- 
 dressed to his brother-in-law, Mr. George 
 Venables Vernon, of Sudbury, in Derby- 
 shire, who in I 744 married his sister Martha, 
 
 Second Viscount Harcourt. 
 
 37 
 
 \ 
 
 and was afterwards. May i, 1762, created 
 Lord Vernon : — 
 
 " Cockthrop^ Nov. i, 1747. 
 
 "Dear Brother, — .... You cannot conceive 
 what a noise the Litchfield hunting meeting makes 
 in Town, where people make no ceremony of 
 treating the company as Jacobites. 
 
 " I was under no uneasyness or apprehension of 
 your being there, for I love and honour you too 
 much to think you capable of such an action. 
 Everybody's eyes were upon you, and his Majesty 
 told me in a little sort of private conference that 
 he was very glad you was not at that, for he must 
 and ought to consider that company as his de- 
 clared enemys ; upon which I assured him that 
 whatever ill-treatment you might have received 
 from your former friend, you were, however, in- 
 capable of entertaining a disloyall sentiment, or 
 of doing anything that had the appearance of 
 disrespect towards him ; besides which, I told him 
 that in the time of the rebellion you had exerted 
 yourself very much in behalf of his Majesty and 
 his cause. I fancy the Litchfield meeting will be 
 prosecuted, if proper and sufficient evidence can 
 be obtained, for it argues weakness in a Govern- 
 ment to allow itself to be insulted. If I was a 
 real friend of the Jacobites, I should have wished 
 my friends would have appeared at Darby, where 
 
they might have done service, instead of exposing 
 themselves to the ridicule of mankind, who will be 
 at a loss to say whether they are greater fools or 
 cowards. 
 
 ** My wife desires her love to you and my sister, 
 to whom I beg mine, and that you'll believe me 
 to be 
 
 " Most affectionately yours, 
 
 " Harcourt. 
 "I left London in high spirits upon our late 
 good success at sea." 
 
 On the first of December, 1 749, George 
 the Second advanced Viscount Harcourt to 
 the dignity of an Earldom, and bestowed 
 upon him the additional titles of Viscount 
 Nuneham, of Nuneham ^Courtenay, and Earl 
 Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 On the 20th of March, in the year 1751, 
 Frederick, Prince of Wales, died; an event 
 which made but little stir in the political 
 world. At this time, Francis, Lord North, 
 was governor to young Prince George of 
 Wales, having been appointed to that office 
 in 1750. 
 
 ' At this time the spelling was altered from Newnham to Xime- 
 ham, to distinguibh the place from others bearing the >ame name. 
 
 It 1 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 39 
 
 Mr. Pelham was then Prime Minister ; 
 and not finding Lord North sufficiently mal- 
 leable to his views, he obtained from the 
 King the appointment of Lord Harcourt 
 as governor to the young Prince. Hayter, 
 Bishop of Norwich, was appointed precep- 
 tor; Stone, sub-governor; and Scott, sub-pre- 
 cepton The Pelhams hoped that Lord Har- 
 court's easy temper would admit of such 
 views being instilled into the mind of the 
 Prince of Wales, as might suit their projects. 
 
 For reasons which will hereafter appear. 
 Lord Harcourt did not long retain the post 
 of governor. 
 
 The friendship, however, of the King for 
 Lord Harcourt, thus formed in his early 
 years, though sometimes clouded through 
 the ill offices of false friends, was of a very 
 lasting nature, and was continued to his son 
 after him. 
 
 The followinor letters were written at this 
 time to Lord Harcourt by the Prince of 
 Wales, and by his brother Edward, after- 
 wards Duke of York. 
 
40 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 The Prince of Wales was then thirteen 
 years of age. 
 
 ^ Saville House^Jiine 20///, 1751. 
 
 "My dear Lord,— We went to-day to Ken- 
 sington, where there wxre a great many people. 
 We went into the King, who was very gracious 
 to us ; Lord Greenville, Lord Holderness, Lord 
 Anson, and Admiral Rowley were presented. 
 I desire you will let me know what I must do 
 about Capt. Pye's horse; if we don't send soon 
 for it, he will be gone to grass. I desire you will 
 give my compliments to Lady Ilarcourt, Lord 
 Newnam, Lady Betty, and Mr. Harcourt. 
 
 " I am your affectionate, 
 
 "George P." 
 
 " Saville House ^ June 24, 1 75 1. 
 
 "My dear Lord,— I believe Lord Albermarle 
 set out as yesterday from Paris. It is said that 
 Lord Fitzwilliams kiss'd hands yesterday as Lord 
 of the Bedchamber, instead of Lord Holderness. 
 We were last night out on horseback in Hide 
 Park, where we saw the King walking by the 
 Haw Haw. Brother Edward is very well, and 
 has quite lost the marck of his fall, and desires 
 his compliments to you and everybody. 
 
 ** I am your affectionate, 
 
 "George P." 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 41 
 
 '-'■ Saville House^ June 29, 1751. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I was very glad to hear 
 this morning that you are all well. Sunday night 
 young Mr. Selwin died. The Colonel and Mrs. 
 Selwin are in great affliction ; he is gone to Mr. 
 Townshend near Winsor. I hope the family 
 remains well. I beg my compliments to Lady 
 Harcourt and all. Mama gives her compliments 
 to you. I am very much surprised that the pistols 
 are not made for Clermont. 
 
 " I am, your affectionate, 
 
 " George P." 
 
 " Saville House, August 23, 1751. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — We agreed not to begin 
 our letters with compliments, but to write of in- 
 different things. The King was yesterday at Cran- 
 bourn, and took Lord Albermarl, Lord Delwar, 
 Lady Yarmouth, and Lady Pembroock, and or- 
 dered that tliis and Winsor Great Parck to be 
 laid together, for there is but a pail between 
 them. 
 
 " \\\ my learning, I am in the second boock of 
 Caesar. Li French, in Richard the Second's life, 
 who was not a very good King. They were in 
 hopes he would have made a good King ; but 
 they soon lost there hopes, for he loved flaterers, 
 who are the greatest serpents a Court can have. 
 
42 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 Pray give my compliments to Lady Harcourt and 
 Mr. Harcourt, and am 
 
 " Your affectionate friend, 
 
 " George P." 
 
 '' August 2,isf, 1751. 
 
 " My dear Lord, — I received this morning 
 your leter, which gave me a great deal of pleasure. 
 I am sorry to hear you had had bad sport, and 
 hope you will soon begin to talk of coming back. 
 Claremont is quite recovered, and I intend to ride 
 him Monday. We walk as often as the weather 
 will permit, and hant missed riding above four 
 nights since you have been gone. We went yes- 
 terday at nine o'clock to Kew, where we stayed 
 till three o'clock, which place was very pleasant. 
 The Bishop of Norwich is but a little better, and 
 dined to-day, for the first time since his illness, 
 with us. He is very low spirited, which is but 
 a very bad sine. We have got very forward with 
 the second boock of Caesar, and the life of Henry 
 the Fourth. I would not trouble you any longer, 
 but remain 
 
 ** Your affectionate friend, 
 
 '' George P." 
 
 "My dear Lord,— I was glad yesterday to 
 hear from you, and to know that you are all in 
 perfect health. In a few days the shooting season 
 
 \ 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 43 
 
 will begin. Sunday last the Duchess of Rich- 
 mond died of a fever, and pleurisy in her side. 
 What is very remarkable, that a few days before 
 she died, her finger was opened, there was found 
 the same sort of matter in her finger as w^as found 
 in the late Duke's leg. There are five guardiants : 
 the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Albermal, Lord 
 Cadogan, Lord Kildare, and Mr. Fox. All these 
 were named by the late Duke in his wall. The 
 Duchess has altered but one thing; that is, that 
 when the young ladies are fourteen, they should 
 live with Lady Carolina Fox. This is all I have 
 heard about her death ; she is to be buried as 
 to-morrow. Lady Albermal and Lady Caroline 
 
 Fox. 
 
 " I remain, your affectionate, 
 
 " George P. 
 
 ''September ^t/i, 1751. 
 
 **My dear Lord, — We went to-day to Ken- 
 sington, where there was very little company. 
 Their is news come to-day from Paris to Monsieur 
 de Mircpoix, to acquaint him of the Dauphiness 
 is broudit to bed of a son, and of Mr. de Mire- 
 poix's being made a Duke, and Mr. de Pisieux 
 having resigned his place of Secretary of State 
 for foreign affairs; and that the Minister at the 
 Hague has succeeded him. The Bishop of Nor- 
 wich has been worse every day since Sunday, one 
 
! 
 
 
 I 
 
 H 
 
 i 
 
 I It 
 
 ill 
 
 44 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 day in his foot, another in his hipp, another in his 
 rist. I beg you will give my compliments to 
 Lady Harcourt, Lord Newnham, Lady Betty, and 
 Mr. Harcourt. 
 
 ** I remain, your affectionate friend, 
 
 " George P." 
 
 '' SeJ>f. 10, 1 75 1. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I received yesterday your 
 letter of the 8th, which made me very happy to 
 hear that you intend to come as to-day or to- 
 morrow seven night. We have had very dry 
 weather for some few days, but it has been very 
 cold. I hope you have had good sport since 
 I heard last from you ; and hope in one sence 
 that you will have but bad sport, for fear you 
 should neglect your business, and so stay a day 
 or two more than you intended. The Bishop of 
 Norwich is but little better, and flatters himself of 
 your company in the study. I beg you will give 
 my compliments to Lady Harcourt, Lord Newn- 
 ham, Lady Betty, and Mr. Harcourt. 
 
 ** I remain, your affectionate friend, 
 
 *' George P." 
 
 "Sejff. 14, 1751. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I received your letter this 
 morning, and was very glad to hear you intend 
 to come on Wednesday next. I hear 'tis thought 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 45 
 
 that Captain Barnard has been married to Lady 
 Pembrooke before sold his commition. 'Tis said 
 that when the Duke of Marlbrough asked him 
 why he had sold his troop, he answered, 'My 
 Lord, you would thinck me very much in the right 
 if I was to tell you my reason.' Pray give com- 
 pliments to Lady Harcourt, Lord Newnham, and 
 Lady Betty. 
 
 " I remain, your affectionate friend, 
 
 " George P." 
 
 ^'' Kew, October 2 /^th^ 1752. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I was Saturday morning 
 at a quarter before six in your room, for I took to 
 be but a quarter before five. Yesterday as I was 
 a going out on horseback, the Major told me he 
 had seen the handsomest mare in the world. She 
 belongs to Mr. Nassau. Lady Anne Hamilton, his 
 daughter-in-law, came here to see the Lady Au- 
 "•usta: and Mr. Nassau's Postilion said that if 
 I liked her, the groom had orders to leave her 
 hear; but I thought it best not to take it till 
 I heard from you. Now I will describe her to 
 you as well as I can. She is a mare of six years 
 old, fourteen and half, with a forreign as high as 
 that of a stone horse, as quiet as a lamb. The 
 groom did walk with a slack rain ; the Major told 
 me he had seen her walk, trot, and gallop vastly 
 wxll. The groom told the Major that she had 
 
I 
 
 46 
 
 MexMotr of Simon, 
 
 never had anything but a Waimouth bit. The 
 Major says he thinks her handsomer than the 
 Duke of Newcastle's marc called Dayry Maid. 
 Pray make my compliments to Lady Harcourt, 
 Lord Nevvnham, Lady l^etty, and Mr. Harcourt. 
 " I am, my dear Lord, your affectionate, 
 
 "George P." 
 
 ^^ Saville House ^ Oct. 31, 1752. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — There was not one of us 
 sorry at coming to London ; for the weather was 
 so bad for three or four last days, that none of 
 could go out. I went yesterday and to-day to 
 the Riding House. Mr. Durell says I have not 
 at all forgot. I have both days rod Plesant, Fidele, 
 and Huzar, who goes if possible rufifer than ever. 
 I hear I am to ride Marechal in less than a for- 
 night. If to-morrow should prove a fine day, 
 I shall ride Peggy for the first time. Brother 
 Edward makes his compliments to you, and will 
 write to you on Thursdy. Pray make my com- 
 pliments to Lady Harcourt, Lord Newnham, 
 Lady Betty, and Mr. Harcourt. 
 
 '' I am, my dear Lord, your affectionate, 
 
 " George P." 
 
 The following ten letters were written by 
 Prince Edward, afterwards Duke of York, 
 
 ] 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 47 
 
 to Lord Harcourt, during the time the latter 
 was orovernor to the Prince of Wales : — 
 
 '* Saville House ^ Saturdy, 9 o'clock at nighty 
 ''^ June 2 27id, 1 75 1. 
 
 " My dear Lord, — I flatter myself it will give 
 you great pleasure to hear that I am in good 
 health. I go on very well with my Latin, as well 
 as the history. I read this morning part of the 
 life of King John, and must say, that though 
 a King, he was a very sad fellow in private as 
 well as publick life. We have had nice rides 
 every time, litle or no dust, and I hear that the 
 bay mare's knees are much better. I hope you 
 and Lady Harcourt are well, and all there. I long 
 for your return ; and remain 
 
 " Your affectionate, 
 
 " Edward." 
 
 ^^June 27///, 175 1, Saville House. 
 
 " My dear Lord, — I thank you for your letter, 
 and for the good advice 3^ou have given me, es- 
 pctialy in saying that Princes ought to know as 
 much, if not more than other men, because of 
 their great anwantages over them. 
 
 " I am now in the reign of King Henry the 
 Third, who came to the throne in his minority ; 
 and therefore the Earl of Pembroke was Regent 
 as well as gardian to the young King. The 
 
 fii 
 
ti 
 T 
 
 48 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 Barons were very angry in John's time, that they 
 had not got back again that which they had in- 
 joied under the Saxon Kings ; and after Pem- 
 brok's death, being disgusted with the behaviour 
 of the Regents, the sent to Rome to have the 
 King declared of age before the usual time ; but 
 they were not long satisfied with their master, 
 when they found that he did not pursue the wise 
 and good measures marked out to him by Pem- 
 broke. I hope you an Lady Harcourt are well, 
 and everybody there. 
 
 ** I am, your affectionate, 
 
 ** Edward." 
 
 " Saville House, July 2nd, 1 75 1. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I thank you for your letter, 
 which I received on Monday the 2nd. We have 
 got some fair weather, which I have greatly wished 
 for your sake and ours, though we have had a 
 narrow escape this evening. The Bishop says we 
 go on very well. I am yet in King Henry III., 
 whose life is very long, and I think very tedious, 
 because he was such a humble footstool to the 
 
 . I must beg leave to conclude, because 
 
 Mama calls, therefore 
 
 " I am, your affectionate, 
 
 " Edward." 
 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 49 
 
 '' Saville House, August 2nd, 1751. 
 
 ''Mv DEAR Lord, — I am very glad to hear 
 that you was so well diverted with the fireworks 
 which Lord Nunum had. I am extreamly glad 
 to hear that he likes writing better than he did. 
 We wride constantly when the weather will permit. 
 The Bishop is much better. I saw him to-day, 
 and he said, to my great satisfaction, that I went 
 on very well with my Latin. I shal finish the 
 reign of Henry the Fourth to-morrow, whose 
 reign I think very intrigate. Pray lett me know 
 how your shuting goes on. Pray gwo. my 
 compliments to Lady Hcarcourt, and Lord 
 Nunum. 
 
 " I am, dear Lord, 
 
 " Edward. 
 
 " P.S. Pray excuse the shortness of my letter ; 
 but to tell you the truth, I am so sleapy, that 
 I have hardly the patients to write it." 
 
 ^^ Lesesfer House, August 24///, 1751. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I long to see you very 
 much, and tiling every day an age since the time 
 you left us. I am very sorry to let you know 
 that the Bishop has been so bad that he has not 
 been able to come to us but once since your 
 absence. The Latin goes on very well. I am in 
 the reign of Richard the Second, whose reign 
 
 II 
 
50 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 I hope to finish on Monday, whose reign I detest 
 and abhor; firstly, because he gave himself up 
 totally to his flatterrers ; and, secondly, because he 
 had no not the least grain of honour. 
 
 "I take this opportunity of letting you know 
 that a man cauled Heath, a Mathematician, came 
 here to-day about a wheel for mesuring miles 
 distances, which he said you had ordered him to 
 gett. Pray give my compliments to Lady Hear- 
 court and your yong family; but in perticular to 
 Lord Nunum. 
 
 " I remain, 
 
 " Edward." 
 
 '' Savile House, August, 1751. 
 
 " My dear Lord, — I thank you for your letter. 
 I can tell you with great joy that the Bishop is 
 much better, so that he has been able to come to 
 us evry day but yesterday, because he was ordered 
 to take some confining physick. He says that he 
 is much better to-day, in short, wan ought to 
 beleive ; but, indeed, I did not any great diference 
 between these twoo days. Our Latin goes on 
 very well. I am in the reign of Henry the Forth, 
 surnamcd Bolingbrocke ; but to lett you know the 
 whole truth, I don't know him well enouf to make 
 any remarks opon him, therefore to my, where one 
 ant sure of the fact, I thing 'tis better to hold on's 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 51 
 
 tonge. I hope Lady Harcourt, Lady Betty, and 
 Lord Nunum are well. 
 
 " I am, dear Lord, your affectionate, 
 
 " Edward. 
 
 (i 
 
 Pray excuse the badness of my hand." 
 
 '' Saville House, Sept. 1751. 
 
 " My dear Lord,— I thank you for your letter, 
 and am very glad to hear that you were well 
 diverted with the horse-race. I am very sorry 
 to lett you know that we all think that the Bishop 
 is worse these two days. We wride evry when the 
 weather will permit us. The days begien to grow 
 so short, that we have hardly above an hour for 
 wriding. I desire you would lett me know how 
 to conduct the following. 
 
 " You mast know that Will Cato has an exced- 
 ing preatty grey gelding beetwen the higth of the 
 bay maihr and the blak belonging to a relative 
 of Lord Susex, the name of which is Rafau (an 
 Irish Bishop),' which much to big and heavy for 
 him. The horse stands at Barbays, where you 
 may hear the full perticulars. 
 
 " Pray give my compliments to Lady Hearcourt 
 and all the yong family. 
 
 " I remain, your affectionate, 
 
 " Edward." 
 
52 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 '' Sepf. 13, 1751. 
 
 "My dear Lord, — I am very glad to hear 
 that )-ou had good sport, and am allso very ghid 
 to hear what agreable company }'ou have had ; 
 indeed, it shews that you have a great command 
 of your countenance. So much I know, that if 
 I had been in your place, I should have been so 
 out of countenance and shamefaced, that I should 
 have most run out of the room. The Bishop of 
 Norigh is much better; but was forced to be 
 bluddcd yesterday ten ounces by Doctors lleber- 
 den's advise. 
 
 *' I have had all the phisiseans and surjons, who 
 at last have given me leve to be well ; they have 
 made a long harang for want of somthing else 
 
 to say. 
 
 " Pray give my compliments to Lady Harcourt, 
 L*^ Nunum, Lady Bett\', and Billy. 
 
 •' I am, 
 
 " Edward. 
 "Lady Augusta desires her compliments to 
 Lady Hearcourt and Lady Betty." 
 
 ^' Saviiie Hoiise^ Nov. a, 1752. 
 
 "Mv DEAR Lord,— I do supose that the wea- 
 ther will make you regrate leaving the country, 
 (and espetially such a delightful place as Coxthop 
 and Xunum with all its pleasant views). I own, 
 I thoucrht it a little hard to have the three last 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 53 
 
 J 
 
 days so bad, because we intended to have made 
 the best use of our time in going over all our old 
 favorite rides ; and now, as soon as 'tis out of our 
 power to be out so much, the weather chances, as 
 if it had done so only to disapoint us ; that is the 
 way of fortune, to give us little trifeling disapoint- 
 ments to prepare us for greater, without which 
 nobody can go through the world. But here we 
 must stop, for this lets us into to great a field to 
 reconn such trifdes amonst. We have had a very 
 fine ride over the two bridges, which I thing as 
 fine a ride as can be. The mare proves charm- 
 ingly, and brother George looks quite a different 
 thing upon her. 
 
 " Pray give my compliments to all your family. 
 *' I am, your most affectionate, 
 
 *' Edward." 
 
 " Thursday, Kc7i', May 28, 1752. 
 
 "My dear Lord,— I long to see you again. 
 I hope you found everything in good order in the 
 country, and that you got safe down. I wish that 
 Lady Harcourt may not be the worst for her 
 jurney, (as for the rest I have no doubt). I can 
 imagine miself seeing you quite a farmer, when 
 your company is walking or fishing, and Billy and 
 Bully drawing togeather. We have very good 
 riding days, and excessive prety rides. We have 
 seen from the Park, Cleermont, Etia, and a little 
 
of Otlands, which makes a prodidious fine pros- 
 pect. I hope all your company got as safe down 
 as you did. My brother gives his compliments 
 to you and Lady Harcourt, and to all your family, 
 in which I join, 
 
 ''And am, my dear Lord, your affectionate, 
 
 " Edward. 
 
 "P.S. I beg you will send me a chain for 
 Mr. Stone, because his chain broke last Sunday 
 nieht, therefore I told him that as I was to write 
 to you as Thursday, I would desire you to bring 
 or send me one, if not to much trouble." 
 
 On the 20th of April, 1751, Lord Har 
 court was made a privy councillor. 
 
 In the month of July, 1752, we find 
 Horace Walpole writing thus to Sir H. 
 Mann : — 
 
 " The tutorhood at Kcw is split into factions ; 
 the Bishop of Norwich and Lord Harcourt openly 
 at war with Stone and Scott, who are supported 
 by Cresset, and countenanced by the Princess and 
 Murray^; so my Lord Bolingbroke^' dead will 
 govern, which he never could do living." 
 
 « The Solicitor-General, afterwards Lord Mansfield. 
 ^ Scott had been placed in his petition by Bolingbroke. 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 55 
 
 The Princess Dowager of Wales had 
 taken a great aversion to Lord Harcourt 
 and the Bishop of Norwich. She com- 
 plained that Lord Harcourt took very little 
 notice of her; the truth being, that whilst 
 Stone, the sub-governor, had quarters pro- 
 vided for him at Kew, Lord Harcourt was 
 forced to hire a house at Brentford, and was 
 often left waiting in the hall at Kew amongst 
 the servants, till the Princess chose to send 
 for him. 
 
 No wonder, then, if Lord Harcourt marked 
 his appreciation of such treatment. 
 
 hi respect to the Bishop, the Princess 
 complained that books and logic were of no 
 use to Princes; and that the preceptor in- 
 sisted upon too much work, and allowed too 
 few holidays. 
 
 Lord Harcourt and the Bishop, on the 
 other hand, complained that the absolutist 
 doctrines instilled into the minds of the young 
 Princes by Stone and Scott were highly 
 pernicious; and that unless the two latter 
 were dismissed, they must resign their trusts. 
 
( 
 
 56 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 The commotion caused by this question 
 extended far beyond the narrow circle of 
 the Court. 
 
 The ferment was increased by the circula- 
 tion of an anonymous letter by Horace Wal- 
 pole, to the following- effect : — 
 
 That the education of the Prince of Wales 
 was a subject of vital interest to the nation ; 
 that the misfortunes already suffered by this 
 country had been greatly dependent upon 
 the bad education given to the two Charleses, 
 and to James the Second, who were early 
 taught to believe in '* the Divine right." 
 That it was notorious books inculcating such 
 doctrines had been put Into the hands of the 
 young Princes ; that there was reason to 
 believe that a noble Lord had accused one 
 of the preceptors of Jacobitism ; but, as- 
 tonishing to say, no notice was taken of 
 the complaint ; on the contrary, the accused 
 person was continued in his position, without 
 any satisfaction being given to the governor 
 and preceptor, who, though a nobleman of 
 most unblemished honour, and a prelate of 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 57 
 
 the most unbiassed virtue, were treated in 
 the grossest terms of abuse by a menial 
 servant of the family. 
 
 The matter was brought before the Privy 
 Council, which was occupied ten days in 
 hearing evidence ; nor was it allowed to rest 
 here. A motion was made in the House of 
 Lords by the Duke of Bedford, for the pro- 
 duction of papers ; a debate ensued, which, 
 however, collapsed without resulting in a 
 decision. 
 
 Lord Harcourt and the Bishop of Nor- 
 wich resigned, and the King was much put 
 to it to find successors. Horace Walpole 
 says : — - 
 
 " Many were named, and many refused it. At 
 last, after long waiving it. Lord Waldegrave, at 
 the earnest request of the King, accepted it. The 
 Earl was very averse to it. He said to a friend, 
 * If I dared I would make this excuse to the King, 
 ** Sir, I am too young to govern, and too old to be 
 governed." ' But he was forced to submit." 
 
 If the Princess Dowager of Wales dis- 
 liked Lord Harcourt, she hated Lord Walde- 
 
58 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 grave, whom she chose to consider as a spy 
 set over her by the King. 
 
 Lord Waldegrave's account of his royal 
 pupil was couched in these words : — 
 
 "I found his Royal Highness uncommonly full 
 of princely prejudice, contracted in the nur- 
 sery, and improved by the society of bedchamber 
 women, and pages of the backstairs. As a right 
 system of education seemed quite impracticable, 
 the best which could be hoped for was to give 
 him true notions of common things ; to instruct 
 him by conversation, rather than by books ; and 
 sometimes, under the disguise of amusement, to 
 entice him to the pursuit of more serious studies." 
 
 The following letters were written by 
 Lady Harcourt, to her son. Lord Nuneham, 
 who in the year 1751 was fifteen years 
 of age : — 
 
 ^' Bathy May 4, 175 1. 
 
 " My dearest Boy, — .... No two poor mor- 
 tals was ever so tired of a place as we are of this, 
 for 'tis a continued round of nonsense ; and had 
 we not taken a few jaunts up into the country, 
 we should have had no sort of entertainment. . . . 
 
 ''What struck me the most was a monument 
 that was erected to the memory of S"" Bevil Gran- 
 
 ville, on the very spot where he was killed by the 
 Parliament Army. . . . 
 
 " In this day's jaunt I contrived to get wet-shod, 
 whereby I acquired a cough, &c., that now hinders 
 me drinking these waters ; which I do not lay much 
 to heart, as I am convinced the effect will be much 
 the same whether I drink 'em or let 'em alone. . . . 
 
 " You cannot conceive how much I am pro- 
 voked with the account you give me of the 
 painter's drawing of Betsey. I believe I may be 
 allowed, without much partiality, to say that she 
 is rather well than otherwise ; and by what you 
 tell me, he has made her into a meer Dowdy, so 
 that 'tis hardly worth your or your brother's while 
 to sit, except you chuse it ; for I suppose he will 
 make you into two Baboons ; but I desire you 
 wou'd do what you like best 
 
 " Now accept my thanks for the drawing you 
 have been so kind to do for me, and I hope I shall 
 be able to procure you a curiosity that grows here. 
 M^ Nash tells me there are four sorts of Orcas's, 
 two you are acquainted with, the other two are 
 the Butterfly and the Man Orcas ; the latter re- 
 sembles a child (he says) in swaddling clothes, 
 but I think 'tis too extraordinary to be credited ; 
 if it proves as I wish it may, you may depend 
 upon my using my utmost endeavours to get 
 some roots of it 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
6o 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 *' Cavendish-square^ Oct. 12, 1751. 
 
 ** My dearest Boy, — .... I now will tell you 
 some news I picked up yesterday at Kensington, 
 where you will be surprized to hear that I have 
 again exhibited my self; but I thought I cou'd 
 not avoid going on his Majesty's Coronation, as 
 he knew I was in Town. And, indeed, I am glad 
 I did, for there was every body of any fashion 
 in and about London, which made a pretty 
 full Drawing-room; among the rest was Lady 
 Pembroke, who they say is certainly married. 
 And I hear Miss Canning's match is as certainly 
 broke off. But what is a worse peice of news 
 than all the rest, is an accident that has befell 
 L^ Cobham, which is intirely owing to his own 
 inactivity. 
 
 ** It seems he has used himself almost always to 
 lean back in his chair, and at other times to sit 
 double, which, with a favourite posture he had of 
 leaning, and setting his feet against the wainscot, 
 has forced out his back-bone, which can never 
 again be replaced ; and though quite a young 
 man, will be always obliged to walk double. This 
 account I had heard before, but had it confirm'd 
 to me this day by M^ Reade, who had seen one 
 of the people that attend L'^ Cobham, and who 
 told it him in a more circumstantial manner than 
 I am able to relate 
 
 ** I have received a visit from M'. Powell, who 
 
 ,f 
 
 i 
 
 with his family, M". Harcourt's, and M". Ringer, 
 we invited to partake of a Turtle, but so bad 
 a morsel was never tasted ; in my opinion, a dog 
 wou'd not eat of it if there was any carrion in the 
 kingdom, but some of our friends eat of it very 
 
 comfortably 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
 ^^ July the 12, 1754, Cockthrop. 
 
 •* My dearest Son, — Your very kind and 
 affectionate letters always give me the highest 
 satisfaction and pleasure ; and in a great measure 
 make amends for the pangs of absence, which 
 I am vain enough to think I have bore with more 
 resolution than either Lord or Lady Jersey ^ 
 For by his Lord^*^ account, they were both still 
 very much depressed ; which, I believe, with the 
 addition of the return of Lady Jersey's rheu- 
 matick disorder, prevented their calling upon us 
 in their way to Bristol. However, they have pro- 
 mised us to spend a few days here in their return 
 to Middleton. 
 
 " We have nobody with us at present but Col. 
 Vane, Major Bate, and M"". Fanquier and his two 
 daughters, the eldest of which I think a charming 
 young woman, not only for beauty, but behaviour ; 
 but as she is not at all in the stile of the Wests, 
 and some other young people about the Town, 
 
 ' The third Lord Jersey. 
 
62 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 I almost doubt whether you wou'd be of my 
 opinion. However, I hope you will pardon my 
 
 hinting that they are not quite infalHble 
 
 ''Miss Lucy Eevlyn, who I think you knew, 
 died lately of the small-pox, in the natural way ; 
 and I have heard of so many failing in that dis- 
 temper within these few months, that my L^ and 
 my self are more and more rejoiced that we had 
 
 resolution enough to enoculate you 
 
 *' R. Harcourt." 
 
 * * Sh ifford ^, A iigust 2 , 1754. 
 
 " My dearest Son,— This place is famous 
 
 for having the first Parliament that ever was in 
 
 ^ A manor belonging to the Harcourt estates. In Skelton's 
 "Antiquities of Oxfordshire," 1823, we read as follows: — "Dr. 
 Plot thus translates part of the MS." 
 
 *' There sate at Shifford many thanes, many bishops, and many 
 learned men, wise Earls, and awful knights ; there was Earl 
 Elfrick, very learned in the law, and Alfred, England's herdsman, 
 England's darling ; he was King of England ; he taught them that 
 could hear him how they should live. 
 
 "There is a piece of ground near the present church, called at 
 this day 'Court Close.' One of the common fields at Aston, in 
 the neighbourhood of Shifford, bears the name of Kinsey, cor- 
 rupted probably from the King's Way. 
 
 "Shifford, once so populous, and containing, as it is said, 
 several ecclesiastical buildings, can only now be traced by its 
 humble church, and a few rural habitations. The greater part of 
 the solitary old church, which was very ancient, fell in 1772. The 
 present building was not completed till some years after, when 
 the Rev. Samuel Johnson, one of the vicars of Bampton, officiated 
 in it." (The church has been entirely rebuilt within the last few 
 years. — E. H.) 
 
 England, held there, which I think was in the 
 reign of Alfred ; and I wish we may be so for- 
 tunate as to find some remains of the building 
 where our ancestors sate 
 
 ** Captain Webber, who you have seen at Cock- 
 throp, is just returned from the Indies ; he has 
 been so obliging to bring us a compleat service 
 of china for the table 
 
 "Now I mention Oxford, I ought to tell you 
 there has been found in the market-place there 
 a most treasonable copy of verses, which has been 
 taken notice of by the gentlemen of the Whig 
 interest, and the Grand Jury of the County has 
 presented them at the last Assizes, offering a re- 
 ward of ;^50 to w^hoever shall discover the author 
 of them ; this vigorous measure has produced an 
 additional reward of ;£"200 more from his Majesty, 
 which we all hope will be a means of discovering 
 
 so infamous a writer 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
 ^^ Cockthrop^ Sept, 16, 1754. 
 
 " .... I told you in a former letter of his Grace 
 the Duke of Kingston's intended match, if a divorce 
 cou'd be obtained, and likewise of L'^ Walgrave's 
 with Miss Drax ; the latter I hear is declared ; 
 and I am told a person representing to him the 
 flaw there was in that Lady's character, his Lord^P 
 replyed that nothing was worthy of consideration 
 
in a woman but her beauty ; are not these glorious 
 principles, and is not he a proper person to form 
 the mind of a young Prince^ 
 
 " Cockthrop, Nov. 12, 1754. 
 
 ". . . . I have been prevented writing by my old 
 complaint, which was occasioned by a fright I re- 
 ceived by seeing your Aunt in one of her fits ; 
 and wish I cou'd say she had used any precaution 
 to prevent my seeing it. But she acted quite 
 a contrary part; for though she had exceeded 
 the usual time of being ill near ten days, yet she 
 exhibited her self as much as ever, and at last 
 had it amidst a circle of about twenty people, 
 which, I believe, gave her very little concern, 
 though she has indeed made a few pretences to it. 
 She and I\I^^ Harcourt go from hence the latter 
 end of this week, which is a loss I shall not much 
 regret, as I have been so lately a sufferer by their 
 
 company 
 
 " Your Aunt Vernon and her family, who has 
 made us happy w^ith their company a fortnight, 
 intend likewise leaving us this week. I must own 
 I am quite melancholy at the thoughts of parting 
 with them, as they are most agreeable, worthy 
 people, and she in particular a most charming 
 woman 
 
 » Lord Waldegrave was then Governor to the Prince of Wales, 
 afterwards George the Third. 
 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 65 
 
 " She intends writing to you again very soon, 
 and desires I wou'd tell you she received a visit 
 this summer from your acquaintance, M'*. Finch, 
 who she thinks is not the least improved by his 
 travels, but is the same wild creature as when he 
 quitted Yorkshire. He has brought over a crea- 
 ture from Angicr which nobody but himself w^ou d 
 have thought worth the carriage ; 'tis a wolf, so 
 exceeding fierce, that it has already eat of part of 
 a servant's arm, and I suppose in a little time 
 will make a meal of the whole family 
 
 "R. Harcourt." 
 
 " Thursday evenings 11 o'clock^ Jan. 2, 1755. 
 
 " My dearest Son, — .... We did not set out 
 from Cockthrop till last Thursday, and had a very 
 cold journey, the roads being far better than 
 I ever knew them at this time of y^ year ; but 
 the water was so high at New Bridge, that we 
 were obliged to boat it, which was very agreeable 
 to me, as I am particularly fond of that element. 
 But as it was rather cold, I am making a cloak 
 (which will be of service to me another year) lined 
 with the skin of a loup cervier, which I imagine 
 will be as warm as your pelisse's, and am much 
 surprized you have not yet got one of them ; 
 though I cannot help applauding your resolution 
 more in not giving way to chilliness, than I do 
 your humility in condescending to visit the more 
 
 K 
 
than impertinent Duchess of Courland, whose 
 behaviour was the most extraordinary I ever 
 heard of; and my L'\ who you know has less 
 pride than most people, thinks you have let down 
 the dignity of the House of Lorrain so much, that 
 if Queen P— 11 cou'd know it in the other world, 
 she wou'd certainly make you a visit to reprimand 
 you for it 
 
 ** As I take for granted that you have heard of 
 L^ Gower's' and Albemarle's deaths, I shall say 
 nothing of them ; but that there are numbers of 
 places vacant on that account, and three blue 
 ribbons, which are not filled up, neither do I hear 
 when they are to be, nor by whom. However, 
 doubtless there are many competitors for them. . . 
 
 "Miss Furnace, who I think you are acquainted 
 with, is I hear soon to be married to a son of 
 S'^ Edw*^ Deering*s ; and Miss Nichols, next week, 
 to L'l Dartmouth. Surely the latter is one of the 
 most fortunate women that ever was born ; the 
 escape she has had in one instance, and her good 
 fortune in the other, is really astonishing 
 
 " Though I promised you to conclude with this 
 subject, I find I am unable to do it till I have 
 told you of an odd wedding that is soon to take 
 place. Miss Anne Conway is going to be married 
 to M^. Harris, an old rich gentleman, grandfc^ther 
 to the present L^ Orford. I beg to know if this 
 does not make good the old proverb, that Love 
 
 ,, 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 67 
 
 is blind ; as is poor M^ Strode in reality, for he 
 can't so much as walk about his house without 
 
 assistance 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
 " Lofidon, Feb. 6, 1755. 
 
 " Now I mention the word fortune, one of 
 
 the greatest amongst that number, Lady Dart- 
 mouth, appeared, I am told, like a Goddess at 
 Curnechow's Masquerade last night. The com- 
 pany in general were all very fine ; but parti- 
 cularly Lady Rockingham and Lady Coventry, 
 who were covered with diamonds : the former 
 represented Night, and the stars upon her dress, 
 it's said, were real Jewells ; but as I was not there 
 my self, I can't affirm it. 
 
 **You will wonder, I daresay, why I was not; 
 but the truth is, I had not the offer of a ticket, 
 and I was too proud to ask for one. However, 
 there are some few people more of the same de- 
 gree that were as much neglected, w^^ is a great 
 comfort to one under the like misfortune. My 
 lA indeed had an invitation, but as neither your 
 Sister nor my self had the same, he declined 
 eoine. Miss Liddel, who I saw before she went, 
 look'd very pretty; she was in a Turkish habit, 
 and was dressed by M^^ Pritchard. 
 
 " Lady Betty Spencer was dressed like one of 
 Ruben's Wives, and danced with S^" J. Lowther 
 
68 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 which makes people conjecture that she is not 
 disagreeable to him. The P. of W., who indeed 
 I should have mentioned before, was a very fine 
 mask, and looked very handsome; his partner 
 was U R— m, and P. Edw'ds, Ly Coventry ; they 
 had both the honour to sup with the P— s of 
 Wales. But the best mask of all was L^ Delawar, 
 his dress was taken from a picture or statue at 
 Kensington, commonly called Queen Eliz. Porter ; 
 'tis a figure of a prodigious size, and in order to 
 represent it the better, he wore a pair of very 
 high-heeled shoes, which made him appear like 
 a l^olossus. The play ran all night very deep, 
 the Duke lost 3000 guineas, S'' R'^. Littleton iioo, 
 which Dick Edgecombe won ; and there were 
 several more large sums lost and won, but I have 
 not yet heard the names of the people who were 
 
 the gainers or losers 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
 ''A Milord, Milord Neivnham, Seigneur Anglois, chez 
 Madam Valentin, a Leipig, en Saxe, en Allemagne. 
 
 ^^ London, March 15, 1755. 
 
 " My dearest Son,— It is said there is 
 
 a prospect of a war with France, for which we are 
 making great preparations, having already con- 
 siderably augmented both our Troops and Navy, 
 and recalled some regiments of Scotch in the 
 Dutch service, which they are obliged by treaty 
 
 to restore in case we have occasion for them ; so 
 that at all events we shall be provided for their 
 reception, in case they shou'd have thoughts of 
 honouring us with their company, as some people 
 insinuate they have by the great armaments they 
 are making at Brest. 
 
 "Their Ambassador is still however with us, 
 and Lord Hertford was named to succeed Lord 
 Albemarle at Paris ; but within these few days 
 there is nothing said of it, so that people think 
 a war is enivitable. If it should be so, his Majesty 
 can't go to Hanover, w^^ I suppose will be some 
 mortification to him. He has appointed Lord 
 Rochfort to be Groom of his Stole, which has 
 disobliged L^ Paulet, who was the oldest L^ of 
 the Bedchamber, so much that he has wrote 
 a letter in very strong terms to his Majesty, 
 wherein among other things he says, *to divide 
 and govern is an old maxim in Government, but 
 to divide his Majesty's friends is a maxim reserv'd 
 for the Administration of the Duke of Newcastle.* 
 " How this has been taken I can't learn ; but 
 certain I am that truth is rarely acceptable in 
 Courts. I shou'd have added, the letter contain'd 
 his Lord^P^ resignation, which place is filled up by 
 the Duke of Ancaster, as is L^ Albemarle's by 
 L^ Essex, and Lord Orford is added to the 
 number. L^ Hartington is certainly to go to 
 Ireland, where people are in hopes he will be 
 
70 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 able to compose differences, which have long been 
 at a great height. The Duke of Dorset, some 
 think, will succeed him as Master of the Horse ; 
 but of this I am not so certain, as that they can't 
 venture to send him to Ireland. If you shou'd 
 see in the publick papers that my L^ is advanced 
 to the rank of Major-General, don't look upon it 
 as any favour conferred upon him, for 'tis nothing 
 more than a thing of course, though I believe and 
 hope 'tis all the acknowledgements he ever ex- 
 pects to receive for the many services he has 
 done to his King and country; but no more of 
 that, the reflection of doing what's right is reward 
 
 sufficient for an honest man 
 
 ** Before I conclude my letter, I must inform 
 you of a match, namely, L^ North, who is soon 
 to be married to Miss Peek, a young lady of 
 great fortune, and I hear of equal merit ; so in 
 every body's opinion there's a great prospect of 
 
 happiness for them 
 
 " R. H." 
 
 *^A Mylord, Mylord NewJiham, Seigneur Anglois, chez 
 Madame Valentin, a Leipzig, en Saxe, en AUemagne, 
 
 ''April 2^, 1755. 
 
 "My dearest Son,— .... The Parliament 
 
 having little more now to do, rises 'tis said either 
 
 to-morrow or a Saturday, and then the King, to the 
 
 very great vexation of all his friends, sets out for 
 
 
 \ 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 71 
 
 Hanover ; which place, as you are to go to, I hope 
 to have a description of, for I can't help thinking 
 there must be some very extraordinary charms 
 in it that can tempt so good a Prince to leave us 
 at this critical juncture. We are very busy raising 
 men, and fitting out our Fleet, which every body 
 agrees is a very formidable one. Admiral Bos- 
 cawen is already sail'd with eleven ships of the 
 line, and his brother George is gone to his 
 
 regiment in Ireland by this time 
 
 "Lady Jersey, who has been dangerously ill, 
 is now so well recovered that she is gone to 
 Kensington for the benefit of the air; but you 
 had better take no notice of what I say concern- 
 ing her to L^ Villiers, because she pleases her 
 self extremely with the thoughts of his know- 
 ing nothing of her last illness 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
 '' A Mylord, Mylord Ne^imham, Seigneur Anglois, chez 
 Monsieur Michael David, a Hanovre, en Allemagne. 
 
 " Cockthrop,June 3, 1755. 
 " My dearest Son, — I had the pleasure of re- 
 ceiving from you, a few days ago, a letter dated 
 from Dresden, where I am extremely happy to 
 find you were so w^ell received, and believe you 
 will not be less so at Berlin ; for just before we 
 came out of Town (which was last Thursday 
 sevennight), M^ Villiers received a letter from the 
 
 ijill: 
 
Kin- of rriisia, informinrr him that L'^ Villiers 
 
 and your self shou'd have no reason to repent 
 gohig to his Court, by which I take for granted 
 you will be particularly well received. And I hope 
 you will not be less so where I direct this letter, 
 for there I think you may claim civility, though 
 I very much doubt whether you will receive much 
 of it, if one may be allowed to guess from a cer- 
 tain person's behaviour to my U before he left 
 England. He went as is usual to take leave, and 
 I s'lippose might have the vanity to expect to 
 have some notice taken of him, it being likewise 
 immediately after the decision of the Oxfordshire- 
 affair ; but not a word was spoke, which makes 
 me almost ready to think his M^y was dis- 
 pleased at an event that all the world look'd 
 upon to be of singular advantage to him. 
 
 '* However, this instance of disregard I beg 
 may not be mentioned, for shou'd it come to 
 the ears of the opposite Party, it would be matter 
 of triumph to them, and therefore it had better be 
 buried in oblivion. Ministerial affairs are pretty 
 much in the same situation as they have been 
 in for some time past. His Grace people seem 
 to think is in a declining state, which I suppose 
 must appear next winter, unless he can be pre- 
 vailed upon to trust some body beside S— e and 
 M— y. 
 
 « The election of Lord Parker, as County Member. 
 
 " Legge is extremely ill-treated by all that 
 faction, and even by the K. himself, who they in- 
 fluence strongly against him ; for no other reason, 
 as I can hear, but that he is an honester man, 
 and is possessed of greater abilities than them- 
 selves. They have lately been so injudicious to 
 offer his place to S"" Geo. Lee, without acquainting 
 him with it, under pretence that he wou'd be 
 content with a Peerage ; but the friends of the 
 Government hope there scheme will be frustrated, 
 and that nothing will oblige M^ L. to quit his 
 post, but their taking it from him 
 
 "I am sorry to find you have some doubts that 
 my Queen Mother is not an original. I own, 
 I was in hopes it was ; but if it is not, it may 
 certainly be allowed to be a good copy. Now 
 I am speaking of pictures, I must tell you I had 
 yours" brought home but the day before I quitted 
 London, Re}'nolds having kept it till that time 
 to make some alteration in it; and though I think 
 it is a very disadv^antageous likeness of you, yet 
 I can't help acknowledging it gives me more 
 pleasure to look upon it, than I cou'd receive 
 from viewing the whole collection of the King 
 
 " This picture now hangs in the ante-room at Xuneham. It is 
 noted in Horace Walpole's Catalo«;ue thus: — "the transparent 
 colouring of this head can scarcely be surpassed." The following 
 entry is found in Lord Harcourt's Note-book : — " Paid Mr. Rey- 
 nolds the painter, for picture of myself and the boy, £26 io.>. " 
 Lord Nuneham was then eighteen years old. 
 
 L 
 
74 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 of Poland, or even the pretty Angel you are so 
 good as to wish to send me 
 
 "We have thoughts of going to S^ Donat's, 
 a place I believe my L'^ mentioned to you that 
 he had thoughts of purchasing; in which, if he 
 succeeds, I shall send you a print of the place, 
 otherwise it will not answer paying the postage. 
 We intend being at L^' Talbot's some days, he 
 having been so obliging to give us an invitation ; 
 which will make it extremely agreable and con- 
 venient to us, his house being but eight miles 
 from the Castle 
 
 "Your acquaintance, L'^ Euston, is soon to be 
 married to Miss Liddel, every thing being agreed 
 upon. And S"* James Lowther is talked of for 
 Lady Betty Spencer ; but I very much doubt 
 w^hether it will be a match, the Duke and Duchess 
 being very cautious to whom they dispose of her. 
 Indeed, they are greatly to be commended for it ; 
 for 'tis universally agreed that she is one of the 
 most amiable young women that ever was born, 
 
 and I am afraid S^ James is a little wild 
 
 "R. Harcourt." 
 
 ^^ A Mylord, Mylord Newnham^ Sei^ieur Ang/ois, chez 
 
 Messrs. Suifmer, Freres, a Vienna^ en Autrtc/ie, en 
 
 Allcmagne. 
 
 ''Tuesday, July 29, 1755. 
 
 ". . . . The Court of Hanover, by your account, 
 is not a very entertaining one ; but upon the 
 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 75 
 
 whole, your reception has been better than I ex- 
 pected. M''. Whitehead, I find, thinks it has been 
 a very good one, and instances a very polite 
 speech of his M — y's to you upon taking leave. . . . 
 " His Majesty, some people think, will not be 
 long before he returns to England, his presence 
 being undoubtedly necessary at this juncture, 
 when we hourly expect a declaration of war from 
 France. The Ambassador return'd thither about 
 a week ago, much displeased it seems with our 
 taking two of their ships before war was declared, 
 though they have been attacking us for this year 
 and half in America ; and I hope our Fleet, which 
 is a very noble one, will repay 'em for the in- 
 croachments they have made on our territories 
 there 
 
 "R. Harcourt." 
 
 ''A Milord, Milord Neivnham, Seigneur Anglo is, chez 
 Messrs. Suitmer, Jhreres, a Vienne, en Autriche, en 
 Allemagne, 
 
 ' ' Hensol, Friday ^ Aug. 15, 1755. 
 
 ". . . . I did not know w4iether I might not 
 become a Gentlewoman of Wales ; but now I 
 have seen S^ Donat's, I cease aspiring to so great 
 an honor. In plain English, the Castle is a very 
 ugly one, much out of repair, has no appearance 
 of magnificence, is very intire, but does not com- 
 mand the least view of any kind from it, no not 
 
MMn 
 
 WT-iiT" 
 
 SO much as a tree or a piece of grass. On the 
 other hand, I must own that the prospect of the 
 sea from the garden is very fine ; 'tis five leagues 
 over to the Devonshire coast, which you see with 
 great ease, and can plainly with the naked eye 
 discern the corn-fields. With regard to our pur- 
 chasing of it, I can say but little to it at present, 
 for S"" J" Tyrrwit has told L^ Talbot he will not 
 part with it ; if he does, I believe we shall have 
 the refusal. I wou'd have sent you the Print, 
 which is a pretty exact one ; but as the place 
 has not answered my expectations, I was unwil- 
 ling to put you to the expence of it 
 
 "R. Harcourt." 
 
 " A Mylord^ Mylord Neiviiham^ Seigneur Anglois^ chez 
 Messrs. Suilmer, Freres, a Vien/ie, en Autriche^ en 
 AUemagfie. 
 
 " Cockthrop^ Tuesday^ Sept. 23, 1755. 
 
 "Things are in a very unsettled condition in 
 Ireland, whose Parliament is soon to meet, where 
 'tis thought there will be warm work. Some 
 people go so far as to say that 'tis not improbable 
 but a motion may be made that L^^ G. S — e 
 may be expelled the House of Commons. If 
 that point should be carried, 'tis likely they will 
 then take the P — M in hand, who our ministry 
 have hitherto supported unreasonably, and 'tis 
 thought will continue to do so, unless they are 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 n 
 
 forced to do otherwise. M^ H. L. continues, I 
 hear, to be very ill-treated by 'em. Not long 
 since, it seems, at the Treasury Board some papers 
 were presented to him to sign, which he refusing 
 (not having been informed of the contents before, 
 as is usual to a person in his high office), one of 
 the Gentlemen that sate near him told him the 
 D. of N. had signed it ; he repliyed, very probably 
 he had, as he knew the contents ; but as he had 
 not been informed of 'em, he should desire to be 
 excused this behaviour. I am told that set of 
 people take this heinously ill, and look upon it as 
 flying in the face of his Grace. How these jum- 
 bles will turn out time must shew, and people of 
 penetration can guess ; but as I am not of that 
 number, won't pretend to give my opinion of it. 
 There is no better account yet arrived of Brad- 
 dock's defeat than what your sister wrote you 
 word of, only people in general condemn him for 
 his conduct in carrying up his men to certain 
 death, for all hands agree there was not an enemy 
 to be seen ; but that they were surrounded by 
 fires, and had the troops stood their ground as 
 their officers did, they wou'd have all likewise 
 perished ; this is all I am able to pick up relating 
 
 to this unhappy affair 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
"^ My lord ^ My lord Nc7u?iham, Seigneur A uglois^ rccom- 
 
 mendve a Messieurs Siiiimer, Frhes^ a Vie/me^ en 
 
 Autricke, en Allemagne. 
 
 " Cockthrop^ Oct. 28, 1755. 
 
 "My dearest George,— .... At the Ball at 
 
 Chippinf^-Norton, we had I think an acquaintance 
 of yours, viz., L'^ North, who appears to me to be 
 a pretty kind of man. And I can by no means 
 think him so very plain as many people do ; I am 
 sure he is beautiful in comparison of the Lady 
 the world says he's to marry 
 
 "I think I have not yet told you of a design 
 we have of building a Villa at Newnham, and not 
 a Seat, as was some years ago talk'd of; for 
 beside the immense sum such a thing would cost, 
 there is absolutely not a spot upon the whole 
 Estate, as my L'\ M''. Fanquier, and several others 
 think, so proper for a house, as near the clump of 
 ellms, which you are sensible cannot contain a 
 large building. However, I think the situation 
 will make amends for the smallness of the build- 
 ing, for I really think it not much inferior to 
 M*". Morris's, which place you have heard AF. 
 Whitehead speak so much of, and what not a 
 little flatters my vanity, that so good a judge as 
 he is agrees with me in thinking 
 
 "My Lord approves very much of your be- 
 haviour at the Court where you are, and says 
 our Minister was very much to blame to suffer 
 
 VI 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 79 
 
 the English Nobility to kiss the hands of the E. ^ 
 and E — s, for that the A — ns i' never do it here ; 
 but that he agrees with you that, as things were 
 circumstanced, you could not avoid it " 
 
 " Cockt/irop, Nov. 28, 1755. 
 
 " My dearest Sox, — . . . . Debates ran very 
 high in the H — of Com — s on the address, whi- 
 ther it shou'd be with alterations or not, and 
 was carried in the negative. Pitt spoke for two 
 hours together like an angel, Legg very well, and 
 several others. Pitt, in answer to a whining 
 speech of Mar — y's, wherein he urged the ne- 
 cessity there was of complying with the King's 
 measures (for all this dispute is with regard to 
 subsidies which, 'tis thought, is entered into 
 merely for y^ protection of Hanover), on account 
 of his advanced age, replyed that, since that 
 gentleman was in such a melting mood, 'twas 
 surprizing he did not deplore the state of his 
 country, and so on, in a prodigious masterly 
 manner ; for which 'tis thought he will be dis- 
 plac'd, as will also M^ Legg and several others ; 
 indeed, the papers say 'tis done already, but that 
 I believe is a mistake. It is hinted by some 
 people that the best understanding does not 
 subsist between his M — ty and her R. H — ss, 
 on account, it is thought, of some of her peo- 
 
 " Emperor and Empress. v Austrians. 
 
8o 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 pie's voting with the afore - mentioned gentle- 
 men " 
 
 " A Afy Lord, My Lord N'm'fiham, Seigneur Aiiglois, chez 
 Monsieur le Marquis Belloni, a Rome, en Italic. 
 
 ^^ Cavendis/i-Si/uare,/afi. 24, 1756. 
 " My dearest Son — . . . . Poor Weston, you 
 may, I believe, remember to have heard, was 
 a considerable proprietor to the Eddestone Light 
 House, which by accident was burnt down some 
 wrecks since. His loss is so considerable by this 
 misfortune, that he is oblig'd to reduce his family, 
 and walk on foot, which, with many other disa- 
 greeable circumstances, he bears with the utmost 
 resignation and chearfulness. His whole concern 
 seems to be for his mother, who as yet knows 
 nothing of it ; neither will she, if human precau- 
 tion can prevent it. His reason for concealing 
 it from her is her being of so advanced an age, 
 that he thinks the shock wou'd be too mighty 
 for one of fourscore years to bear. The loss, it is 
 thought, he will sustain will be about £^QO per 
 ann. for the term of six or eight years, after whicli 
 time he will receive the usual duties ; but till 
 then, they are to be appropriated to whoever 
 is so kind to advance the money for the neces- 
 sary repairs, which I fear his share will amount 
 to £^ooOy—di. large sum ; but your good father, 
 who delights in assisting the distressed, has made 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 8r 
 
 him an offer of letting him have it on the easiest 
 terms, which one w^ho is possest of so benevolent 
 a disposition as you are will, I'm sure, join with 
 me in applauding. 
 
 " He is gone this morning to pay his duty at 
 Saville House, and proposes afterwards waiting 
 upon L^ Jersey, to endeavour to gain his consent 
 that your stay at Rome may be prolonged^, as 
 that place seems to be so agreeable to you. By 
 this time, I take for granted, you have seen seve- 
 ral of the pictures and buildings, which I expect 
 to hear you are charmed with, for by all accounts 
 they are glorious ; and my L^ tells me, were you 
 to continue there two years, you wou'd always 
 find fresh matter of entertainment M". Spen- 
 cer I shall wait upon very soon ; I am charm'd 
 with him for dischargeing his father's debts, and 
 with her for her behaviour ; for I am told she 
 does not appear the least elevated with her good 
 fortune, which, I think, is one of the strongest 
 
 proofs of a good understanding. 
 
 "R. H." 
 
 "^ My Lord, My Lord Neivnham, Seigneur Anglois^ chez 
 Monsieur le Marquis Belloni, a Rome, en Italie. 
 
 ^''Cavendish-square, Feb. 24, 1756. 
 ". . . . I can't help telling you that Bess is not 
 a little impatient for the flowers you are so good 
 
 *i Lord Jersey's son, Lord Villiers, was abroad with his tutor, 
 Mr. Whitehead, and Lord Nuneham was of the party. 
 
 M 
 
82 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 as to promise her, and longs to have some of them 
 to wear when she is presented, which will be in 
 a very few days, when she is to wear the gold 
 blonde you was so kind to give her, with a suit 
 of cloths with gold and colours 
 
 "I must acquaint you that 'tis thought the 
 longitude is discover'd ; indeed, as I am told, it 
 is almost arrived at a certainty ; for if they can 
 fix their instruments sufficiently steady to take 
 their observations at sea, the affair is done. This 
 discovery was made by one Behr, the King's Pro- 
 fessor of Astronomy at Gottingen, which, I hope, 
 will give you a better opinion of the Germans 
 than you used to have. We expect some of that 
 nation here very soon, and likewise some Dutch 
 Swiss ; in short, we are making the greatest war- 
 like preparations of all kinds ; and if the French 
 presume to make us a visit, they'll meet with 
 a warmer reception than they expect ; for tho' 
 we are fond of French trifles, we detest a French 
 Government. Their governess, Madame de Pom- 
 padour, is laid aside, and is made what they call 
 Dame de Palais ; — what place or employment this 
 is people here are at a loss to know, but as you have 
 been so lately in France you may have heard 
 
 " I am glad to find you have no thoughts of 
 kissing the holy toe. Those that have done it, 
 I can't help saying, have acted with the greatest 
 impropriety ; for his power has never been ac 
 
 I ^ 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 83 
 
 knowledged by the English Protestants since the 
 Reformation. S"^ J. Dashwood acted in character 
 when he did it, for a great Jacobite is not far 
 from being a very good Catholick ; but as there 
 is not many, I hope, of our Nobility and Gentry 
 of that way of thinking, one can't help wondering 
 they shou'd take pains to make the world believe 
 
 that they are so 
 
 ^ "R. H." 
 
 "A My Lord, My Lord Newnhatfi, Seigneur Anglois, chez 
 Messieurs le Marquis Frescobaldy e Fils^ a Florence^ 
 
 en Italic. 
 
 ^'Cavendish-square, Aj)ril g, 1756. 
 
 "My dearest Son,— My Lord, who just 
 
 now finds me writing to you, desires his most 
 sincere love, and bids me tell you he shou'd have 
 sent yoa the elevation of the house that is to be 
 built at Newnham, but has not been able to get 
 it drawn out. He likewise desired in one of his 
 letters that you wou'd buy him two tables^ of 
 Egyptian marble or porphyry 
 
 **R. Harcourt." 
 
 ''A My Lord, My Lord New n/i am, Seigneur Anglois, chez 
 Monsieur Villettes, Ministre de sa Majeste Britanique, 
 
 en Suisse. Paid 2sh. 
 
 '' Cockthrop, June 15, 1756. 
 
 ". . . . I have lately been highly amused with 
 a little jaunt we have taken for a few days to 
 
 ' These are now in the dining-room at Nuneham. 
 
Newnham, which place, in my opinion, is always 
 in beauty, and deservedly has more admirers than 
 the lady ^ for whom you shew so much prowess 
 
 as to enter the lists I never cou'd yet hear 
 
 of any one that intended more than a flirtation 
 with her, which your sex, you are sensible, does 
 not dislike, when ours are weak enough to admit 
 of it ; so that I think no female need value herself 
 upon what all may have, with a small share of 
 
 encouragement 
 
 ** Perhaps you may not yet have heard of 
 a piece of good fortune that has befell M^ Denny. 
 M"". Penn, who is the sole proprietor of the Pro- 
 vince of Pensylvania, has, with the Duke's appro- 
 bation, appointed him Governor thereof, which, 
 tho' so advantageous as to bring him in ^^1500 
 per ann., will, I fear, at this time be a very 
 fatigueing employment for him. Minorca, I am 
 afraid, has by this time surrender d, which, if it 
 sliou'd, it is thought will be owing to the pu- 
 sillanimous conduct of Byng, who was sent to 
 relieve it. The garrison has behaved gloriously, 
 from whose courage and the Governor's conduct 
 everything might have been hoped for ; but P'ate, 
 or rather cowardice, had decreed otherwise. And 
 what makes this event the more mortifying is, 
 that had Fowkes, the Governor of Gibraltar, 
 obey'd the orders he received, in sending the 
 
 • Miss Speed, afterwards Countess de Viry. 
 
 regiment he refused, in all human probability the 
 place wou'd have been saved. He is — which is 
 a very small satisfaction to his injured country — 
 superseded, and L^ Tyrawley is gone Governor 
 in his room, as is Hawk joined with Saunders to 
 command the Fleet. 
 
 " I think I have not yet told you the message 
 good old Blakeney sent to the K. by Lieu^t 
 Ohara : * Present,' says he, * my humble duty to 
 his Majesty, and let him know, old as I am, 
 I have as much spirit and courage to defend 
 Minorca as the youngest French commander can 
 have to attack it ; and if I receive the succours 
 that I expect, PU forfeit my head to his Majesty 
 if I don't hold out the place till they arrive.' 
 How amiable and how worthy of imitation is 
 such a conduct! Were I Fowkes or Byng, I 
 think I should die with shame to be outdone 
 by a man of near fourscore years old ; but such, 
 
 I am afraid, the fact will prove 
 
 "R. Harcourt." 
 
 "'Cockthrop.July 27, 1756. 
 
 "My dearest Son,—. . . . 'Tis hard to say 
 whether people are most dejected or provok'd at 
 the loss of so important a place as Minorca, which 
 might have been undoubtedly saved, had it not 
 been fur the scandalous behaviour of Byng, who 
 not only appears to be the greatest coward that 
 
86 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 ever breathed, but also gives room for suspicion 
 that he has betrayed his country for French gold, 
 which that faithless nation had promised him ; 
 but as they have never adhered to the most so- 
 lemn treaties with their allies any longer than it 
 has serv'd their own purposes, 'tis not reasonable 
 to suppose they'll keep their faith better with 
 him ; which is, however, but small consolation 
 for the injury he has done us, but it may serve 
 
 as an example to others not to trust them 
 
 "You have great reason, my dear, to reproach 
 me with not sending you the elevation of the 
 house at Newnham, which has not been forgot by 
 me ; but M'". Leadbetter has been so much em- 
 ploy'd, that he has not had time to draw it out. 
 And now, as you'll be here so soon, I imagine 
 you will hardly think it worth while to have 
 it upon paper ; but I will give it you in words 
 as well as I am able. The breadth of the house 
 is 90 feet, the ends about 53 ; the I^ntrance a Ves- 
 tibule ; on one hand a Breakfast Parlour, 24 by 
 16, and 18 feet high ; on the other a Dining 
 Parlor, 33 by 24 ; out of that a room of 49 by 24 ; 
 from that an Octagon Drawing Room, 30 by 24 ; 
 which is all the house. Part of the Offices will be 
 detached from it, as Stables, Landry, Brcwhouse, 
 &c., there not being room sufficient for them to 
 be joined to the house, the hill dropping too sud- 
 denly to admit of it ; but under the rooms I have 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 87 
 
 mentioned, which is the Basement Story, there 
 will be the Steward's Room, Kitchen, Scullery, 
 Servants' Hall, Larder, and Cellars. As we are 
 very fond of seeing this work go on, we generally 
 go to Newnham ev'ry week; and when I was 
 there about a fortnight ago, was tempted to go 
 to Oxford to be present at the celebration of the 
 memory of the Benefactors to that University, 
 amongst which number is the present L^ Pomfret, 
 who has given all the Statues that were the late 
 Lord's to it, and on which occasion she came to 
 Oxford to receive the adulation and praise that 
 was prepared for her ; but most people think she 
 wou'd have acted a wiser part if she had declined 
 been present at it her self; but the love of flattery 
 was too predominant in her for reason and good 
 sense to prevail, so she enter'd the Theatre, led 
 in by the Vice-Chancellor, and the ladies who 
 attended her were led by the chief of the Doctors, 
 some of which were of the Nobility. 
 
 "At their entrance there was a most violent 
 clap, which continued till her Lady^P and train 
 were seated. Then the Vice-Chancellor made 
 a short Latin speech, and immediately after the 
 Professor of Latin Poetry spoke for an hour ; 
 after these the young Nobility declaim'd, some 
 in English and some in Latin, which all ended 
 about two o'clock. In the evening there were 
 Oratorios, one of which I was at, and was very 
 
88 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 well entertained ; but what made it more agree- 
 able to me was, that I had it in my power to 
 return home at night, it being over at eight 
 
 o'clock 
 
 "R. H." 
 
 '\Cockthrop, Sept. lo, 1756. 
 
 *^My dearest George,— I am but just re- 
 
 turn'd from Newnham, or shou'd have made my 
 acknowledgements to you for a letter that I am 
 ashamed to say, or even think, how long ago 
 I have received ; the truth is, our going so fre- 
 quently there engrosses so large a part of my 
 time, that it makes me a wretched correspondent, 
 even to you. ... I shou'd be glad if I had it in my 
 power to satisfy your curiosity, both with regard 
 to the future operations of the French and the 
 punishment of Byng, who is now under close 
 confinement at Greenwich, where he is to con- 
 tinue till he takes his tryal, which can't be till 
 the Captains he has named to appear for him 
 can come from the Medcterranean. How his 
 conduct will then appear time must shew; but 
 appearances at present are strongly against him, 
 tho' in general they acquit him of the charge 
 of bribery, in which I acquiesce with you that 
 there is nothing more base ; for tho' money is 
 in it self a good and indeed necessary ingredient 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 89 
 
 towards happiness, yet the bad use of it produces 
 a contrary effect ; so that 'tis as great a folly 
 to set too high a value upon it, as to totally 
 disregard what procures us so many of the bles- 
 sings of life, and — what is still a greater satis- 
 faction — enables us to assist virtue in distress, 
 which many great people that I cou'd name, and 
 some not far from my own neighbourhood, will 
 for ever be deprived of, from their too great 
 disrccrard and want of attention to their own 
 affairs, which a certain Duke of our acquaint- 
 ance has most severely felt. He is now building 
 at Langley, which is rather unlucky for us, the 
 Heddington Quarry not producing at present 
 stone sufficient for the two houses \ which, I am 
 afraid, will prevent our covering in this season ; 
 tho' Leadbetter still gives us hopes. 
 
 " Stewart, w^ho I've mentioned to you in former 
 letters, paid us a visit last week at Newnham, and 
 expressed the highest satisfaction, both with the 
 house and place, which he thinks the finest situ- 
 ation he ever saw, and which, I can venture to 
 assure him, will appear much finer when some 
 of the trees and hedges are taken away. I be- 
 lieve I have not yet told you that your good 
 Father, to oblige me, is trying to place part of the 
 
 * This was the cause of Lord Ilarcourt's pulling down the 
 old house at Stanton Harcourt, to utilise the stone in building 
 Nuneham. 
 
 N 
 
Offices on each side the house, which, if it can 
 be done, will have a fine effect. It was at first 
 thought impracticable; but his good nature to 
 me makes him endeavour to obviate all diffi- 
 culties 
 
 " R. Harcourt.'* 
 
 " To the R^ht Honhle. Ld. Viscount NeivnJiam, at Geo, 
 Venables Vemofi's, Esq., at Sudbury, near Derby, in 
 Derbyshire, by the Derby bag. Harcoiirt. 
 
 '' Saturday Evening, Dec. ii, 1756. 
 
 "My dear Son, — . ... I believe I have not 
 told you that last week I made an excursion to 
 Newnham for a couple of days ; but the weather 
 was so unfavourable, that I cou'd only w^alk round 
 the house, which is much grown since I saw it 
 last, for 'tis several feet above the windows of the 
 first floor, and altogether appeared charming, not- 
 withstanding the trees and ground were covered 
 
 with snow 
 
 " R. Harcourt." 
 
 ^^Cockthrop, Dec. 4, 1757. 
 
 ". . . . I suppose before this time your father 
 has inform'd you of his intention of asking an 
 audience of the P. of W., in order to recommend 
 you to the vacant place in his Bed-chamber, which 
 I sincerely w^ish for an opportunity of giving you 
 joy of; but at present, I believe, must not hope 
 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 91 
 
 for that satisfaction, as my L^ tells me it is more 
 than likely that he may be already engaged; 
 but we both hope to see you on some future 
 occasion in his Royal Highnes's family 
 
 "R. Harcourt." 
 
 As may be gathered from Lady Har- 
 court's letters, an intention had long existed 
 to replace the small Manor House at Nune- 
 ham by a more commodious dwelling. The 
 villa, however, which was commenced in 
 1755, speedily assumed larger proportions; 
 one alteration led to another; and it was 
 not till the year 1833 that the house, as it 
 now stands, was finally completed by Arch- 
 bishop Harcourt. 
 
 A complete description of the house and 
 its contents will be found in future pages. 
 On February 9, i759, Lord Harcourt was 
 made a Lieutenant - General ; and he was 
 made a Fellow of the Royal Society in the 
 
 same year. 
 
 The sudden death of George the Second 
 in 1760 brought his grandson to the throne. 
 Lord Harcourt was one of the first who 
 
1 
 
 92 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 was called to the Council Board in the new 
 
 rei2:n. 
 
 On July 8, 1761, the young King an- 
 nounced to his Council his intention of mar- 
 rying the Princess Charlotte Sophia, second 
 daucrhter of Charles Lewis Frederick, Duke 
 of Mecklenburg -Strelitz. Lord Harcourt 
 was selected to fetch the Princess to Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Horace Walpole says : — 
 
 "Lord Harcourt is to be at the Court of the 
 Princess of Mecklenberg, if he can find it." 
 
 The Duke of Newcastle writes : — 
 
 " Lord Harcourt sets out this day. His Majesty 
 seems highly pleased, and showed me the present 
 he has sent to the Princess by my Lord Harcourt, 
 of his own picture, richly and most prettily set 
 round with diamonds, and a diamond rose." 
 
 On Lord Harcourt's arrival at his desti- 
 nation, he gives an account of his impres- 
 sions respecting his future Queen, in a letter 
 addressed to Sir Andrew Mitchell, as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 "Our Queen that is to be has seen very little 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 of the world ; but her very good sense, vivacity, 
 and cheerfulness, I dare say, will recommend her 
 to the King, and make her the darling of the 
 British nation. She is no regular beauty, but she 
 is of a very pretty size, has a charming com- 
 plexion, very pretty eyes, and is finely made ; in 
 short, she is a very fine girl." 
 
 The marriage was solemnized in England 
 on September 8 ; Lady Elizabeth, Lord 
 Harcourt's only surviving daughter, was 
 one of Oueen Charlotte's bridesmaids. The 
 bridesmaids were dressed in white and silver, 
 with diamond coronets on their heads. 
 
 On September 5, 1761", Lord Harcourt 
 
 ° In this year a book was dedicated to Lord Harcourt, entitled 
 *' Thirty Lectures on the Principles of the Christian Religion, 
 according to the Plan and Legacy of the late Reverend Dr. Busby. 
 Delivered in the Parish Church of Stanton Harcourt, in the 
 County of Oxford, by Joseph Parsons, M.A., London, 1761." 
 
 " To the Right Honourable Simofi^ Lord Harcourt^ ^c. 
 
 "My Lord,— The late Lord Chancellor Harcourt, your noble 
 ancestor, gave birth to these Essays, by recommending their 
 Author to Dr. Friend, and other Trustees of Dr. Busby's Bene- 
 faction ; and your Lordship has cncreased the obligation by con- 
 descending to lend your name and patronage, to forward and 
 perpetuate the pious inclinations and purposes of your truly noble 
 and worthy progenitor ; whose exemplary zeal to have his tenants 
 and depernhmts V)uilt up in a holy faith and practice, according to 
 
 I 
 
was appointed Master of the Horse to the 
 Queen. He retained this appointment till 
 the year 1763, in which year he was an- 
 pointed Lord Chamberlain of the Queen's 
 
 household. 
 
 The following letter from Lord Montagu 
 to Lord Harcourt was written in September, 
 1762 : — 
 
 **My dear Lord,— I feel so guilty, and so 
 ashamed of my neglect, that I have not the cou- 
 
 the rules and orders of our happy Ecclesiastical Establishment, 
 ought to be had in grateful remembrance. 
 
 ** I am, with great esteem and gratitude, 
 "My Lord, 
 "Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, 
 
 "Joseph Parsons," 
 
 " To the worthy Inhabitants of Stanton Harcourt and South Leigh. 
 
 «. Sirs, —Your kind attention to my ministry among you in the 
 early part of my life (though I have been long removed from you) 
 is still in my remembrance ; and if you will as candidly receive 
 this late testimony of my gratitude and esteem, it will add to the 
 pleasure of my declining age. 
 
 "I pray God these Essays, composed and now prmted for your 
 use and diligent reading, may prove profitable to you and myself 
 in the day of the Lord, by your laying up their contents in your 
 
 hearts to practise. 
 
 "That ye may be established in every good thought, word, and 
 work, to the honour of Him who purchased and redeemed you 
 with His Blood, is the hearty desire of 
 
 "Your affectionate Friend and former Pastor, 
 
 "Joseph Parsons." 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 95 
 
 rage to extenuate my fault, which I could in 
 a great degree ; but I will rely entirely upon your 
 goodness for my pardon. Since I had last the 
 pleasure of seeing you, I have never been fixed 
 a week in a place, so I cannot give a particular 
 account of the horrors of Buxton ; but you will 
 conceive what it must be to live under the same 
 roof with fifty Sir William Burnabys, some of 
 whom you must be with from morning to night, 
 if you stay within doors : and if you go out, you 
 find yourself immediately in a desert worse than 
 Bagshot Heath, with the greatest probability of 
 being wet to the skin before your return. 
 
 ''After we left Buxton, we went to Knares- 
 borough, another water-drinking place, which is 
 as pretty as the other is detestable. Close by 
 the town is the dropping well, the most pictur- 
 esque thing I ever saw. There is a variety of 
 tints upon it, and the different plants that grow 
 about it, beyond the power of all the different 
 kinds of dirt in your painting-cabinet to express. 
 There are many other places worth seeing in the 
 neighbourhood ; amongst the rest Mr. Lascelles', 
 which, though it neither has a charming bosom 
 of wood, nor is bie7i tetonne, yet, I am sure, would 
 please you much ; that is, the gardens, or park,— 
 I don't know which to call it : I believe Mr. Brown 
 would say ' the grounds,' for as to the house, it is 
 a universal configuration of bow-windows. 
 
 s 
 
 \ 
 
"Whilst I was at Knaresborough, I had an in- 
 vitation from your friend, my Lady Binglcy, as 
 a protector of dumb beasts, to come and see her ; 
 but as I was afraid that, if I went, she would think 
 me a dumb beast myself, and not being sure her 
 goodness extended to two-legged mutes, I did 
 not do myself the honour of waiting upon her. 
 
 " I cannot conceive how it is that you are not 
 fonder of the country and of rural amusements. 
 For my part, since I have been here, I have read 
 the 'Complete Sportsman' two or three times 
 over, and am now no inconsiderable one myself, 
 though in the lowest-class fishing; but in that, 
 few Tince S*. Peter, I believe, have equalled me; 
 and like him, for want, I suppose, of faith, or of 
 a little more patience, I am often floundering in 
 the water up to my brecs. If you are surprised 
 to hear that I am become so great a sportsman, 
 you will be still more so to find that I am a poet ; 
 though here I am in the lowest class too, only 
 a translator. I am emboldened to send you my 
 works, from knowing the great and just value you 
 set upon the original : — 
 
 *' The honoLir he's acquired is so extreme, 
 And men for him will have so much esteem ; 
 That, as great kings Augustus' name do take, 
 So heroes Harcourt will be called for his sake ^" 
 
 * This is a translation of some lines in French under a picture 
 of Henry, Due de Harcourt, at Nuneham. 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 97 
 
 " I return you a thousand thanks for the news 
 you were so good as to send, though it was rather 
 unkind in letting me be indebted to the 'Chro- 
 nicle ' for the knowledge of Lord Tyvaly's having 
 been all over the Spanish camp, disguised like 
 a fishmonger,— a fact, I am sure, you must have 
 been acquainted with long before it was public. 
 And I must give you warning that I cannot admit 
 of your not knowing the time of the post going 
 out as a reason for finishing your letter; it is 
 barely tolerable from one upon the road, who 
 writes from a place he never was at in his life 
 before. Sure, the Harcourts have been seated 
 for so many centuries at Nuneham to very little 
 purpose, if they have not yet found out the time 
 of the departure of the post. But I have but an 
 ill grace in finding fault with you after my own 
 misdemeanours ; so, begging you again pardon 
 for my remissness, 
 
 " I am, my dear Lord, 
 
 *' Your most obedient Servant, 
 
 '' Montagu." 
 
 In the year 1764, Wilkes was expelled 
 from the House of Commons for the pub- 
 lication of seditious libels, and general war- 
 rants were issued for the apprehension of 
 all concerned in the transactions. 
 
 o 
 
98 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 On February 14, Sir William Meredith 
 moved, — 
 
 " That a general warrant for apprehending and 
 securing the authors, printers, and publishers of 
 seditious libel, together with their papers, is not 
 warranted by law." 
 
 On the last day of the debate, Horace 
 
 Walpole says : — 
 
 *'One would have thought that they had sent 
 search-warrants for Members of Parliament into 
 every hospital. Votes were brought down in 
 flannels and blankets, till the floor of the House 
 looked like the Pool of Bethesda." 
 
 The Ministers obtained so narrow a ma- 
 jority over the Wilkites, that it amounted 
 to a moral defeat. The King took a great 
 personal interest in the debate, and those 
 who voted with the opposition were de- 
 prived of their employments. Lord Nune- 
 ham, who had the courage of his opinions, 
 beinor then Member for St. Alban's, voted 
 against the Government ; and three large, 
 well-bound volumes of the " North Briton," 
 including the celebrated '' No. 45," have 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 99 
 
 been left by him at Nuneham, in illustration 
 of this early part of his career. 
 
 The following is the letter which was 
 written by his father to George the Third 
 on the occasion ; and the King s answer is 
 also given : — 
 
 '' I am under so much perturbation of mind, and 
 am so completely unhappy, on account of Lord 
 Nuneham, for the part he took in the last ques- 
 tion, so contrary to your Majestie's interest, so 
 contrary to the welfare of this country, and so 
 diametrically opposite to my own principles, that 
 I am called upon in duty and honor to declare 
 my disapprobation. Lord Nuneham has hitherto 
 attended so little to affairs of government, that 
 I fear he has been too easily imposed upon by 
 those who have but too well succeeded in making 
 him and other unwary people the dupes of faction 
 and the tools of ambition. 
 
 *' That I may not suffer one moment in your 
 Majestie's good opinion, which I value above all 
 things in the world, I have taken the liberty of 
 declaring my sentiments on this occasion. The 
 goodness and sensibility of your Majestie's heart 
 will suggest better excuses for the great liberty 
 I have presumed to take, than anything that can 
 be urged by, Sir," &c. 
 

 ''Qu. IL.Fcb. \Wi, 1764. 
 
 *'My Lord,— Your letter on Lord Nuneham's 
 conduct in the last question is an additional proof 
 of your dutiful affection to my person, which I have 
 often previously experienced. I beg you will not 
 one moment harbour in your thoughts any doubt 
 of my judging of your attachment from the part 
 your son, or any one else, may happen to take at 
 this or any other crisis. 
 
 "George R." 
 
 On January 16, in the year 1765, Lady 
 Harcourt died somewhat suddenly, and Lord 
 Harcourt never contracted a second mar- 
 riage. 
 
 The following letter from Mr. Bowly, 
 Lord Harcourt's agent, was received at this 
 time : — 
 
 ^' Nuneham, Dec. *]th, 1766. 
 
 "My Lord, — Your Lordship will herewith re- 
 ceive the account of receipts and disbursements on 
 M^. Davis's estate in Ducklington, since I settl'd 
 with the late M^". Davis for all quitrents, &c., to 
 the 1st of September, 1762, at which time he 
 told me the estate was your Lordship's. I have 
 not mentioned the expence of tho Tenants' Dinner, 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 lOI 
 
 &c., at the payments of his rent ; if it be a fault 
 it may be rectified, or any expence of my own 
 going after or looking over the estate. 
 
 **I don't know, my Lord, what will be done 
 with the poor people here. There is not a la- 
 bouring man in the whole village that is able 
 to do a day's work ; and there are more than 
 40 men, women, and children that have now 
 
 the ague. 
 
 " I got a parcell of bark, salts of w^ormwood, 
 and snake-root, together with som vomits, and 
 have given it to som of them ; but I can't yeat 
 bost of the success, and what to do farther I don't 
 know. I have likewise kill'd an ordinary sheep 
 this week, and distributed a bit to a house, to 
 make a little broth for the sick. 
 
 "We have now don levelling the ground near 
 the gate going to the Parson's, which, with making 
 the drains, &c., have taken more time than your 
 Lordship expected. 
 
 " I am, my Lord, 
 " Your Lordship's most dutifuU ServS 
 ''{Signed) W. BoWLY." 
 
 In 1768, Lord Harcourt was appointed 
 Eno-lish Ambassador in Paris. On June 20 
 in that year he received the following letter 
 from the King : — 
 
''Richmond Lodge, June 20///, 1768, 
 
 "Lord HarcoURT,— Colonel Burgoyne wishes 
 I would defer seeing the regiment he commands 
 till towards the end of the summer ; therefore 
 I cannot see any objection to Lieutenant -Col. 
 Harcourt's going with you abroad on Friday next. 
 I wish to shew you the alterations I have made 
 in my garden, before you have used your eyes 
 to the regularity of those you will see abroad. 
 I, therefore, wish you would call here a little after 
 12 to-morrow. 
 
 "George R." 
 
 On January i6th, 1770, we find another 
 letter from George the Third to Lord 
 Harcourt, addressed to Paris :— 
 
 ''Queen's House, Jan. idth, 1770. 
 
 ''Lord Harcourt,—! have, at least for the 
 
 present, given up collecting pictures: therefore 
 shall not trouble you with any commission for the 
 Vandyke ; but am very sensible of your attention 
 in having communicated to me the intentions of 
 Count de la Guerche. I received last night your 
 list of the promotions that have been made in the 
 French army, which gives me the more pleasure, 
 as you know I am particularly anxious to know 
 what goes forward in that profession. I should 
 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 103 
 
 have answered your first letter much sooner, had 
 I not been so fully employed for some time, that 
 I could not find time for it. 
 
 ''George R. 
 
 « P.S.— I hear the late Count de Chaulnes wrote 
 a book on a new method of dividing mathumatical 
 instruments ; if you can get a copy of it, I shall 
 be very glad to have it." 
 
 The followinof letters were received by 
 Lord Harcourt from his son, Lord Nune- 
 ham, between the years 1770 and 1776 : — 
 
 "Bath, Dec. 25, 1770. 
 
 " My Lord, — . . . . Bath is not now full, as it 
 was some time since ; but some of the fine people, 
 who have not courage to support the town during 
 the ungenteel fortnight at Xmas, are expected 
 here. The Duchess of Buccleugh is come to see 
 the Duke and Duchess of Montagu, during the 
 absence of the Duke, who is gone to Scotland 
 to vote for Lord Bredalbane to be one of the 16 
 peers, to which the Ministry had nominated Lord 
 Dysart; but, to the astonishment of everybody, 
 the peers had the proper spirit to assert their own 
 undoubted right of choice of members, on which 
 the Ministry have named Lord Stair to oppose 
 L^ Bredalbaine. This, I believe, is almost an un- 
 
I04 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 exampled event ; for L^ Dysart's family thought 
 him as secure as all others have been after the 
 
 nomination. 
 
 ''Feb, \st, 1771. 
 
 ^'My Lord,— There is to be to-night, if possible, 
 a more crowded assembly than usual at North- 
 umberland House ; and whilst all the women in 
 London are screaming at their chairmen, with the 
 glasses broken around them, and the men are 
 damning their coachmen and horses, I shall be 
 fixed by my fireside, and passing time in the 
 more agreeable occupation of writing to you. 
 
 " The duel I gave you an account of in my last, 
 as only determined on, was last Monday decided. 
 Lord Paulet escaped unhurt, and Lord Milton 
 has only a slight contusion on the breast, which, 
 but for a button which the ball hit on, must have 
 been pierced. Lord Milton's behaviour was such 
 to Lord Paulet, that had the latter fallen by his 
 hand, he could not possibly have escaped a cord. 
 Lord P. has shewn great decency, coolness, and 
 proper resolution in this affair. Cap^ Kelly was 
 his second (for Sir Charles Tyte only accompanied 
 him home after the blow was given) ; and Lord 
 J. Cavendish, and not Lord George, was second 
 to Lord Milton. Now peace is agreed on with 
 Spain, and the duel over, we have no one thing at 
 present to talk of here but the Harmonic Meeting 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 105 
 
 and the Opera, about which the partys are carried 
 to as great a length, and as much violence and 
 ill-nature shewn, as at a contested election, or 
 whether one gang of rogues or another gang of 
 rogues shall govern the nation. 
 
 '' Lord Hinchingbroke is appointed Vice-Chan- 
 
 cellor to the King 
 
 " Your dutifuU Son, 
 
 " NUNEHAM." 
 
 ''Feb. 21, 1772. 
 
 *^My Lord,— Though I must thank you for 
 your letter, I need not, I am certain, tell you how 
 much pleasure it gave me, for of that you cannot 
 doubt. I am entirely of your opinion on the sub- 
 ject of honours, and yet, in your particular situ- 
 ation, I was anxious for you having the Garter ; 
 but you have received in your own country more 
 honour by missing it, than by having it confer'd 
 on you ; since you have learnt by that means the 
 high esteem the world has of your character, by 
 the displeasure they shew at the late disposal 
 of the ribband, and the astonishment that is gene- 
 rally expressed at your not being decorated with 
 it. As to your being appointed Governour to the 
 Prince of Wales, I can easily conceive that you 
 would not like it ; though I cannot by any means 
 be of your opinion in thinking you unfit for the 
 employment. Look over the list of Earls (for to an 
 
io6 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 inferior rank it could not be given), and pray tell 
 me on whom it can be bestowed ; for either on 
 account of party, illiberal manners, or immorality, 
 is there not an objection to be made to the greater 
 part of those who are of an agg to undertake so 
 difficult a place ? 
 
 '^ The D— of Gloucester gave a ball on Wed- 
 nesday to the Trince of Wales (who, they say, 
 dances astonishingly). Most of the children of 
 rank were there, besides the Court, and most 
 of their wives, and the mothers of all the children. 
 The King danced a INIinuet and Country Dances ; 
 the Queen could not be prevailed on to shew 
 herself in a Minuet, but danced a Country Dance. 
 Amongst other dances the King danced the Hemp 
 Dressers, in company with Ladies Effingham, 
 Hertford, Holdernesse, Egremont, and Litchfield, 
 and with the Lords Pomfret, Boston, Litchfield, 
 and Denbigh, who, moreover, danced a French 
 Country Dance. 
 
 ** :My brother and Lady N. are well, and present 
 their duty. I hope you will keep your resolution 
 of returning to England at the usual time, and 
 that your embassy will then conclude. It is time 
 it should, we think. 
 
 " I am, my Lord, your dutiful son, 
 
 " NUNEHAM. 
 "The ratification of the Spanish Convention 
 came yesterday." 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 107 
 
 ''March 19, 1772. 
 *'My Lord,— In the last letter you favoured 
 me with, you mention a map and a scheme of 
 Mons. de Croye for finding the Antipodes, &c., 
 &c. ; but as neither the map nor the scheme w^ere 
 in your packet (at least, I could not find them), 
 I apprehend that they are either lost, or that you 
 in a hurry forgot to send them 
 
 "As to getting our cousin's nonsense conveyed 
 to the King, I am the most improper person living 
 to undertake an affair of that sort ; for, being con- 
 nected and applyed to frequently by the artists to 
 convey their works to the royal eye, I am better 
 acquainted than aaiybody with the very surprizing 
 difficulties that attend the shewing anything at 
 Court; and from so frequently failing, have de- 
 sired them never more to apply to me on these 
 occasions. The King either will not or can not 
 receive any thing, unless it is recommended by, or 
 passes through the hands of that supreme critic 
 in the arts, Dalton, who not unfrequently retains 
 for his own collection or his own profit the draw- 
 ings and proof-plates that are intended for his 
 master, without even shewing them. As to my 
 Lord Holdernesse, I had almost as willingly speak 
 to the King himself as to his Lordship, who is so 
 altered a person, that notwithstanding our former 
 intimacy, and having in my youth been a child of 
 his house, his Court favor has thrown a reserve 
 
 
II 
 
 io8 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 and a coldness on his behaviour perceptible to 
 «very body, and to me is so strongly marked, that 
 it's quite ridiculous. After this state of the case, 
 I am sure you will see how impossible it is for 
 me to assist Mons. de Croyc in exposing himself. 
 
 " I wish I could send you any account of the 
 never-ceasing debates in the Commons House on 
 the King's bill ; but where party-spirit enters, it is 
 impossible to give a true relation, because one 
 cannot receive one. Gen^ Conway fights against 
 it, inch by inch ; the Speaker votes for it, but 
 speaks so strongly against it, that his arguments 
 have lost many votes to the Court. This in Sir 
 Fletcher cannot be either folly or ignorance, but 
 something worse. I quite agree with you, and 
 always did, in your opinion of Lord Camden ; and 
 if you had been ten times more severe on his 
 conduct and character, I would readily have sub- 
 scribed to it. His attic eloquence I can never 
 sufficiently praise; but the mean court he pays 
 to that arch-mountebank, Lord Chatham, and his 
 interested endeavour to regain Court preferment, 
 is detestable, because contrary to his real princi- 
 ples, which are certainly neither monarchical nor 
 
 aristocratical 
 
 *' Friday. 
 
 "I forgot to mention that the Duke of Saxe- 
 Gotha is at last dead, and that there seems no 
 doubt of Lord North succeeding to the vacant 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 109 
 
 Garter. This wall make the Duke of Ancaster 
 more angry, and a w^orse courtier than he was 
 before. I hear it whispered about as a fact that 
 Monsr. de Guynes' embassy is to end in May ; so 
 that, if it should prove true, you have a very good 
 chance of seeing England earlier this summer 
 than the last, and perhaps of being fixed here for 
 ever, though I have not heard of any person for 
 your successor, as I did last year. 
 
 ''There is a terrible and alarming insurrection 
 in Ireland, which I am not surprised at, considering 
 the oppressions of the people from the rapacious- 
 ness of their landlords." 
 
 ^^ Tuesday, 1772. 
 
 " My Lord, — It falls so seldom in my way 
 
 to hear anything of the disposal of Court favours, 
 that I have not once, except in the papers, during 
 the whole winter heard it hinted that you were to 
 succeed to Lord Townshend's employment, in case 
 of his removal. It is a post, everything consi- 
 dered, that I would only wish to the man I hated 
 most ; and I should imagine so few would covet 
 the honor, that it will not be easy to get any- 
 body to accept as a favor a six-years' banishment 
 amongst an oppressed, a wrong-headed, and an 
 almost rebellious people 
 
 " The Marriage-bill was carried in the House of 
 Commons by only 18, and was in fact only car- 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 I 
 
no 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 riedby 7; for loofthe minority were too late to 
 divide, and were shut out, and Col. Hay, th.nknig 
 it all over, was gone into the country." 
 
 "1772, U'aiiicsday Nig/if, April 29- 
 "MY LORD,- .... Play ran higher, if possible, 
 at Newmarket this meeting than at any of the 
 former ; even rouleaus were despised, and nothing 
 but bank-notes seen on the table. They say a 
 ;f,oooo was carried from London; even Lord 
 Carmarthen, after all his sage resolutions not to 
 game, was there drawn in to lose i:.200-a mere 
 trifle in these days, but more than cither he or the 
 Duke of Leeds can afford to pay. Even the 
 uomen play more than the men at Whites did 
 12 years ago, and Miss Pelham on Sunday last 
 
 lost ;f 400 at a sitting , , ^u 
 
 " I fancy there is now no doubt but that the 
 appointment to Ireland will end with you if you 
 chuse to accept of it. It is from very undoubted 
 authority that I can inform you it has already 
 been offered to Lord Rochfort, who, after particu- 
 larly acquainting himself with the state of affairs 
 
 in that kingdom, has refused the employment 
 
 " Thursday ni'^ht. 
 
 " Nothing having happened in the course of this 
 day, I am come almost to the conclusion of my 
 letter, which I shall, however, leave open till to- 
 
 
 ' 
 
 morrow, that I may inform you how the masque- 
 rade succeeded Lady N. and Miss Vernon 
 
 are just gone, and do not seem fatigued with the 
 tedious but pleasing toils of the toilette. For 
 their sakes and my own I begged a dinner at 
 Col. Hay's, and I was not more glad to be out 
 of their way than they were to get rid of me. 
 
 " I am, my Lord, 
 
 *' Your dutifull son, 
 
 "NUXEIIAM. 
 
 *' Friday morn. 
 "Lady Nuneham tells me that nothing could 
 equal the brilliancy of the scene, and the magnifi- 
 cence of the coup d'ceuil of the Pantheon filled 
 with masks. The illumination of the dome with 
 the transparent paintings, and the festoons of 
 diff'erent coloured lamps hanging between the 
 columns, must indeed have had a glorious effect. 
 There were but 1500 tickets issued out, so there 
 was no crowd, and, by means of ventilators, no 
 
 extreme heat." 
 
 ''May 17, 177 2' 
 
 "My Lord,— .... I am sorry to find my 
 brother is so desirous of going into Russia, par- 
 ticularly as he must necessarily, run such risques 
 before he can arrive at the army, perhaps greater 
 than in an engagement ; and should he be taken 
 prisoner, he may never see England again. As 
 
112 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 I neither profess to love nor to admire the pro- 
 fession, I can be no judge of what is to be learnt 
 in fi-hting against the Turks ; but this I know. 
 that^I have heard officers of distinction and repu- 
 tation laugh at those who have entered themselves 
 as volunteers in the armies of Russia. If my bro- 
 ther goes, I shall not be inclined to laugh, but 
 I shall lament his mistaken ideas, and the dangers 
 he will incur, without benefiting cither himself or 
 others by so absurd and trifling an ambition. 
 I heard Sir James Porter (who, you know, long 
 lived among the Turks) endeavouring to dissuade 
 Mr Falkener from going into the Russian army 
 and representing to him all the dangers he would 
 be exposed to if he fell into their hands, though 
 those of passing to Poland should be escaped. 
 I hope, therefore, you will not consent to this 
 scheme, which makes me very uneasy, and will 
 make you positively unhappy. 1 never heard of 
 it till to-day, or should have written immediately 
 to desire you to prevent it. 
 " Lady N. presents her duty. 
 
 " I am, my Lord, your dutifull son, 
 "NUNEHAM." 
 
 ^'Monday night, \112. 
 "MY Lord,— We dined to-day at Mr. Wal- 
 pole's in the country, and had a very agreable 
 day though the weather was not good enough 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 113 
 
 to allow of walking. Our company was the Duke 
 and Duchess of Queensberry, Lord and Lady 
 Tersy, Lord and Lady Temple, Miss Vernon, Miss 
 Fanquier, and M-. Clive. On Sunday we passed 
 the day at Clive's charming cottage. At my re- 
 turn that evening, I had the pleasure of finding 
 your obliging letter (for which I return many 
 
 thanks) 
 
 " Wednesday, May 27. 
 
 Lady Waldegrave's marriage was declared 
 on Sunday, by her writing to her father, with the 
 Duke of Gloucester's permission, to acquaint him 
 that she had been married six years, and that 
 he might publish it ; but that, as she was for- 
 bidden to assume the title of Gloucester, she sub- 
 scribed herself as his dutifull daughter, Maria 
 
 Walpole " 
 
 " Nimeham, June 10, 1772- 
 
 "MY LORD,-I take the first opportunity of 
 
 congratulating you on your new diS^iJyK'".^ 
 allow me to assure you how ready I shall be to 
 contribute to the utmost of my ability to he 
 passing the private part of your life agreably 
 L you must be well convinced that I have 
 neither spirits nor constitution to engage in the 
 hurry and bustle, nor to support the constraint of 
 a public scene. I shall, therefore, submit it to 
 your consideration, what part of the year you 
 
114 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 would have me attend you in Ireland ; and, if you 
 chuse it, will be at Dublin as soon after your 
 arrival as you wish to have me there, and every 
 succeedinrr year be ready to obey your summons 
 
 whenever you call upon me 
 
 "I do not wonder that you are so tormented 
 with letters and applications, for even I come in 
 for my share, and fai hcau dire that I will not 
 apply for anybody, for the sollicitors will not take 
 an answer ; and some have been very importunate, 
 which, added to the mean court I have had payed 
 to me of late, and which I from my soul detest, 
 
 made me in a hurry to fly from London 
 
 "Your dutifuU son, 
 
 "NUNEHAM." 
 
 "The Chevalier de la Plegniere sent some time 
 since a magnificent book on horses >', for which 
 I have written to thank him in your name, as it is 
 designed for your library. I believe I need not 
 say that I am not particularly interested about 
 D^Dodd^" 
 
 " Nuneham, June 2 2nd, 1772. 
 
 " My Lord,— If I had wanted to be strength- 
 ened in my resolution of attending you to Ireland, 
 your letter, which I last night received, was suf- 
 ficient to have decided me, and to make me un- 
 
 y This is now in the Nuneham library. 
 ' He was executed for forgery. 
 
 dertake that journey with cheerfuhiess. I cannot 
 tell you how happy it made me, nor need I tell 
 you if I could ; for I must have been devoid of 
 every amicable feeling not to have been touched 
 by it. I must, therefore, beg leave to msist on 
 following you to Dublin as soon as the first hurry 
 of your reception is over, or at least to pass 
 all the Parliament months there, the winter after 
 next Thanks to the garden here, my strength 
 (on which my shyness depends, for it is not na- 
 tural to me) is very much increased, and I am 
 very likely to live till October twelvemonth ; in- 
 deed, shortness of life I never had any reason 
 to apprehend, for I am not an age to be paralytic, 
 and I have no other disorder to dread. 
 
 " The -oing to Dublin will not be so disagrcable 
 to me as you seem to imagine ; nay, the private 
 part of the life may be agreeable and comfortable. 
 The appearing at the assembly, the ball, and the 
 drawing-room will be nothing to me ; and if I can 
 avoid the long -men dinners of the Castle, and, 
 what will be worse, the dining abroad, I shall be 
 more than paid for my journey, and the trifling 
 circumstance of living rather more in public than 
 perhaps I should chuse, by the pleasure of living 
 with you in private, and flattering myself that 
 I may be of use to you in the few hours you will 
 have of relaxation from business. I have fairly, 
 and without aid or disguise, layed before you my 
 
h 
 
 ! 
 
 1 16 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 re 
 
 . _al sentiments ; and therefore, unless you order 
 me to be fired at from the port, go I will to 
 Ireland " 
 
 The following letter was written by Lord 
 Nuneham to Mr. Whitehead, on his first 
 arrival at Dublin Castle : — 
 
 ". . . . Till yesterday we did not receive our 
 baggage, so I have had the misfortune of not 
 behTg able to go to the ball, the levee, the draw- 
 ing-room, or Lady Nuneham's assembly ; however, 
 I saw from a box, in company with a dirty valet 
 dc chamhrc, and behind three rows of chamber- 
 maids, his Excellency's royal march into the ball- 
 room. I saw him mount his chair of state, and 
 staid till the 1st minuet was concluded, which was 
 performed with all the humiliating forms that are 
 practised at S^. James's, and which did not please 
 me enough to make me desirous of seeing them 
 20 or 30 times repeated. 
 
 ''This is the most dirty, the most gloomy, the 
 most stinking, and the ugliest city I ever was in. 
 Most of the streets are narrow; all that are paved 
 are paved like the most neglected and unfre- 
 quented streets of London before the improve- 
 ments ; several are half-paved only ; many not at 
 all. Added to this, every kind of filth is thrown 
 into the deep stream of black mud that gently 
 
 .First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 117 
 
 \ 
 
 flows through the town; so you may imagine 
 what a villanous place this is. Half the inhab- 
 itants are in absolute rags, and one-third of them 
 without shoes or stockings, and almost naked. 
 There are no flat pavements for foot-passengers, 
 therefore I shall never attempt walking in the 
 streets ; and you cannot stop in a carriage with- 
 out being surrounded with such crowds of impor- 
 tunate beggars, that, compared with Dublin, the 
 towns in Flanders are, in that respect, free from 
 those nuisances. 
 
 ''All the lower people are idle, drunken, and 
 universally thieves, but the Castle is where they 
 shine the most in their profession ; there are, per- 
 haps, 4 or 5 false keys to every room, and to every 
 table and chest of drawers in those rooms, for 
 which reason the locks are very frequently obliged 
 to be changed. The night we arrived, the ^Master 
 of the Ceremonies was robbed of all his cloaths 
 and some money; and the following night, W. 
 Miller, who came with us, lost out of his drawers 
 6 pair'of new silk stockings. Are not these proofs 
 of the bad government of this country ? And 
 how shocking is the contrast between the regal 
 pomp of the Vice Roy and the wretchedness of 
 the people ! Were they less oppressed, they would 
 be more virtuous and more industrious. 
 
 "The pageantry of the procession to the House 
 of Lords, and the sort of hommage paid to the 
 
Ld -Lieut., did not enchant me, for it exceeded 
 even what I had expected ; and the guards on 
 horseback, the principal Officers of the Household 
 with their wands, and the pages in their hvcrys, 
 paddling on foot through the mud, with grooms 
 of the chambers and footmen, through streets hncd 
 with soldiers, had an air of absolute monarchy, and 
 of military force to support it, that, had I been ari 
 Irishman, I am certain I could not have endured 
 
 the sight of. 
 
 I) 
 
 The following extract of a letter from 
 Lord Nuneham to Mr. Whitehead, on the 
 eve of his departure from Dublin, shews 
 what a change had been wrought in his 
 ideas : — 
 
 " ... I fear I am of a temper born to be un- 
 easy ; for the thoughts of leaving Ireland, probably 
 for eler, give me as many pangs as I felt at the 
 idea of coming here. I do love this people, and 
 shall ever remember them with gratitude." 
 
 Lord Nuneham to Mr. Whitehead :— 
 
 '^ Diihlin Castle, May 15. 
 
 « There is an enchanting and a respectable 
 
 warmth of heart and good humour, in the good 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 119 
 
 company of Dublin, that no other good company 
 can boast of. You would love them, if you knew 
 them, as sincerely as I do. 
 
 "My correspondence with Walter^ has been 
 kept up as usual, and not a tree, not a shrub in 
 the beloved spot has been forgotten. Fair Quiet^ 
 will still be the object of my adoration ; and after 
 the life I have passed during eight months, I shall 
 return to her with additional pleasure; for, if 
 possible, the refined inhabitants of London and 
 their refined nonsense will be more hateful to me 
 
 now than ever 
 
 " Since my writing the above, a piece of intelli- 
 gence from London, which brings a doubt on the 
 subject of Leicester Housed as if it was not abso- 
 lutely disposed of to the Spanish Ambassador, 
 makes it at present uncertain whether I shall be 
 so soon in London as I thought and designed ; 
 for if it is not let, and the time for the Ambassa- 
 dor's going into it not settled for the beginning of 
 July, I shall not go to London, but remain at 
 Newnham till birth-days, masquerades, and fetes 
 cJiampetres are all over, and the fine fools all 
 dispersed." 
 
 The following letter was also written 
 
 * Walter Clark, the gardener at Nuneham. 
 
 '' Referring to some verses in the garden at Nuneham. 
 
 •= At that time in the occupation of Lord Nuneham. 
 
I20 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 from Ireland by Lord Nuneham to Mr. 
 Bowly ^ :— 
 
 "1776, Saturday. 
 
 '^You were very humane in having thought of 
 the wants of the poor, before I mentioned my 
 wishes on that head ; indeed, conscience (which 
 was given to be our guide) would not let me rest 
 in peace, when I reflected that I bestowed on un- 
 feeling trees an attention and expense that I de- 
 nyed to my fellow-creatures in distress,— my great 
 fondness for my orange-trees was the very reason 
 why I was resolved to make a sacrifice of them ; 
 for the merit is but small in doing good, when one 
 can bestow benefits without the most trifling in- 
 convenience to oneself. I confess that article in 
 my letter to you cost me a pang ; but, thank God ! 
 the moment the idea occurred to me, I did not 
 hesitate about my duty^ I am glad, however, 
 that on this occasion Duty can be reconciled with 
 the indulgence of my fancy, and that the conser- 
 vatory will not suffer. 
 
 " I can conceive and approve of Walter's ^ feel- 
 ings ; but if he had kept in the same opinion after 
 the first shock was past, and he had time to reflect, 
 I should have thought that he had not so much 
 
 * Lord Harcoitrt's agent. 
 
 • Lord Nuneham had counter-ordered some orange-trees from 
 abroad, that he might expend the cost of them in charity. 
 
 ' The gardener. 
 
 -TT- 
 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 121 
 
 charity as devotion, which, I am sorry to say, is 
 too frequently the case ; but so it is, and things 
 apparently made to go hand in hand with each 
 other are for the most part at variance, and the 
 most devout are often the least benevolent. It is 
 a so much easier road to heaven, in the opinion 
 of mankind, to go to church without attention, to 
 mumble over prayers unintelligible to them, and 
 to keep to outward forms, of no consequence be- 
 yond meer decency, than to do the duties pre- 
 scribed to us, that one can hardly wonder at the 
 choice that is made to avoid trouble 
 
 '* Nuneham." 
 
 Lord Nuneham to his father, Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 " Oct. 3, 1776. 
 
 " My Lord, — Lord Buckingham ^ will cer- 
 tainly, I fear, not leave England till a few days 
 after the birthday; but for very good reasons, 
 you need not fear that he will stay with us one 
 moment longer than he thinks absolutely neces- 
 sary. 
 
 " He is in high spirits, they tell me, and expects 
 nothing but sunshine ; although the world is con- 
 vinced that, all things considered, he will in a very 
 short time see threatening clouds, which will burst 
 
 8 He succeeded Lord Harcourt as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. 
 
 R 
 
122 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 in thunder over his head ; the wicked wits of 
 London make an absolute joke of his being 
 appointed your successor, and say he will quarrel 
 with any old dowager who does not curtesy to 
 him as low as he expects. His Secretary I hear 
 well spoken of as a man of sense and strict 
 probity; and what is no small advantage, his 
 fortune is considerable and independent. They 
 say, too, that he is modest and civil, which will 
 add a lustre to his abilities, if he has any; and 
 if he has not, will go far towards concealing the 
 deficiency 
 
 "Lady Nuneham's party went off very well, 
 and was thought extremely agreable ; though as 
 the two Ambassadors, and several foreigners and 
 others who had never seen the housed were here, 
 I was vexed at the very shabby way it was shewn 
 in; but Lady N. being half a Harcourt, there 
 was no prevailing on her to change a plan once 
 formed 
 
 "Yet with this disadvantage it was admired. 
 She is to have another party on New Year's Day, 
 when the small drawing-room will be opened. 
 We should have opened all the six rooms last 
 spring, which is the time for a great assembly, on 
 account of the size and beauty of the garden, had 
 it not been for the necessity of giving ices on such 
 occasions, which, made by a shop-keeping con- 
 
 ^ Harcourt House. 
 
 fectioner, would have been for us too heavy an 
 
 expense." 
 
 ^^ Sudbury, Oct. 25, 1776. 
 
 "My Lord, — .... We found Lady Temple at 
 Stow, grown moped, low-spirited, and extremely 
 deaf, and many years older in appearance than 
 when I saw her last. The great pond is com- 
 pleated, and some further improvements are 
 making to the front of the park, which since you 
 saw it has had the addition of a beautiful colon- 
 nade, like that in the court of Burlington House. 
 The garden front, in my opinion, surpasses in 
 majesty and beauty everything I have seen ; and 
 considering its extent (450 feet), and the richness 
 of the design, and the alteration within doors, the 
 ;f25,ooo it has cost is not dear. All this has been 
 done, as Lady Temple repeatedly mentioned, out 
 of his income ; and besides this great work, and 
 the re-improvement of the North front, he has 
 altered the Temple of Friendship, rebuilt on an 
 entire new plan Nelson's seat, and is now making 
 a great improvement to the ladies' building, by 
 adding a flight of steps and a portico. Altherop, 
 where I had not been for eighteen years, and 
 which I dreaded on account of the crowds, I liked 
 most extremely ; for though there was much com- 
 pany, yet I knew and liked most of them ; besides, 
 there is so much ease, and such entire liberty, 
 that one is no more constrained than if one were 
 
124 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 at home and alone. Though we set out very- 
 late from Altherop, we reached Nottingham by 
 7 o'clock ; but we were too late to see the fine 
 view near the town, or that of or from the Castle, 
 and all we know of Nottingham is that it is very 
 dirty and noisy, and the streets very narrow. It 
 is a dreary part from Nottingham to Mansfield, 
 nothing but barren heath and sand, without trees ; 
 and I was much disappointed at Newstead Abbey, 
 where the timber has been entirely destroyed, and 
 the park converted into a farm, so that the end of 
 the Abbey Church which remains has lost much 
 of its picturesque effect, for want of proper objects 
 to accompany it. 
 
 "We saw Hardwicke the same morning, with 
 which I was more pleased than with anything 
 I had seen in this island, the Castles of Conway 
 and Carnarvon excepted. There was everything 
 to please me at Aston \ which is the very temple 
 of genius and good taste. We had delightful 
 music, and the servants as well as their master 
 are artists. 
 
 " Some excellent etchings and copies in oil have 
 been produced by M''. Mason's young footman, 
 whom he instructs. The butler can turn, and 
 model, and carve, and do a thousand other things ; 
 the blacksmith of the village can tune the piano- 
 forte and celestinette ; and the shoemaker's boy 
 
 * Mr. Masuii's living. 
 
 II 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 125 
 
 has the very finest voice I ever heard, and sings 
 with taste, and by note. 
 
 " Miss Fanquier was invited by M^. Mason to 
 come to him from Blithe ; and she passed Tuesday 
 with us at Aston, and accompanied us hither, 
 where she will remain as long as we shall, and 
 go with us to London on Wednesday sennight 
 
 the 6th October 
 
 " Your dutifuU son, 
 
 "NUNEHAM." 
 
 In the year 1772, Lord Harcourt returned 
 from his embassy in Paris, and was ap- 
 pointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He 
 was at the same time promoted to be a 
 general in the army. 
 
 On the occasion of his going to Paris, 
 Lord Harcourt had been furnished, accord- 
 ing to the custom of the day, with services 
 of gold and silver plate from the Royal plate- 
 chest. At the termination of the embassy, 
 he received a formal release, authorising him 
 to retain the plate for his private use : this 
 plate still exists at Nuneham. An option 
 used to be given of taking ;^3000, with 
 which to purchase plate from the Court- 
 
126 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 jeweller. Lord Harcourt availed himself of 
 this alternative when he went to Ireland. 
 
 Before leaving Paris, we find Lord Har- 
 court addressing the following letter to his 
 daughter-in-law, Lady Nuneham; — 
 
 ^^ Paris ^ June i6, 1772. 
 
 " Dear Lady Nuneham, — Though I have wrote 
 to Lord Nuneham this morning, I cannot help 
 indulging myself with the pleasure of thanking 
 you for the very kind offer you make of making 
 me happy with your company during some part 
 of the time I may have occasion to reside in Ire- 
 land. I consider the offer which Lord Nuneham 
 has made as the greatest sacrifice he can pay to 
 duty, respect, and friendship ; but, as I don't love 
 to be behindhand with my friends, it is the first, 
 and ever will be my principal, consideration, not 
 to abuse the goodness of those I love ; and there- 
 fore, taking the will for the deed, I shall be allmost 
 peremptory in insisting upon his not undertaking 
 a journey that can afford him no amusement and 
 pleasure, for the great risk and danger to which 
 his health must necessarily be exposed. 
 
 " Should you, after all, go to Dublin, the time 
 I could wish to have you there would be during 
 the sitting of the Parliament, which cannot happen 
 before October, 1773. The town is then full and 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 127 
 
 / 
 
 gay, and the Castle would be much gayer if you 
 should be there to do the honours, which, without 
 
 compliment, you would do better than any one 
 
 Upon the whole, your purchases in France will be 
 for winter gowns rather than summer clothes, as 
 the Parliament commonly rises in March or April, 
 though it happened to set later this year 
 
 " I own I was a little out of humour with you 
 for over-fatiguing yourself, but it was that kind 
 of out of humour that one never feels but for 
 those one loves most. I shall hope the dressing- 
 plate^ will please. You say much more about 
 so trifling a thing than it deserves ; if it pleases 
 you, it more than answers my purpose. I own 
 I thought Madame de Montemart's dressing-plate 
 looked charmingly le Icndeniaiii des noces. 
 
 "I have only time to say how very affec- 
 tionately 
 
 " I am, dear Lady Nuneham, 
 " Yours, 
 
 " Harcourt." 
 
 The person whom Lord Harcourt fol- 
 lowed as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland was 
 Lord Townshend. 
 
 " Ireland," we read in Knight's " History of Eng- 
 land," vol. V. p. 153, "continued in an uneasy state, 
 
 •' A handsome silver-gilt set, which is still at Nuneham. 
 
128 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 although Lord Townshend had been succeeded as 
 Lord-Lieutenant by a much more popular noble- 
 man, Lord Harcourt." 
 
 Indeed, Lord Harcourt appears to have 
 been sent to Ireland on account of his ami- 
 able character and easy disposition. He 
 went there in October, 1772 ; but it was not 
 till October 12, 1773, that he met his first 
 Parliament. His speech consisted chiefly of 
 a promise to administer the supplies with 
 justice and economy. 
 
 Lord Harcourt found a debt, ;^265,ooo, 
 which necessitated the imposition of addi- 
 tional taxation to the amount of ^100,000 
 per annum. He had the boldness to pro- 
 pose an absentee tax, to be paid by all 
 persons who should not reside actually in 
 the kingdom six months in each year. It 
 IS only surprising, considering the powerful 
 interests that were hit by this measure, by 
 how small a majority Lord Harcourt*s pro- 
 position was defeated. The numbers were, 
 for the tax 102, against it 122. 
 
 The next matter which occupied Lord 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 129 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 Harcourt's attention was the question of 
 relaxing the severity of the penal code. 
 A bill was brought in to enable Roman 
 Catholics to take leases for lives of land, and 
 to secure to them the repayment of money 
 lent by them to Protestants on mortgages. 
 Matters, however, were not ripe for the 
 passing of these measures ; and all that was 
 accomplished at the time was the carrying 
 an Act, which passed both Houses of the 
 Irish Parliament without opposition, to en- 
 able his Majesty's subjects, of whatever per- 
 suasion, to testify their allegiance upon oath. 
 This was accepted by the Roman Catholics 
 as a first recognition by the Government of 
 their status as subjects, and upon this foun- 
 dation they hoped to build their future com- 
 plete emancipation. 
 
 At this time we find the following letters 
 addressed by Lord Harcourt to his daughter- 
 in-law, Lady Nuneham : — 
 
 ^'Duhlvi^ Da; 25. 
 
 "Dear Lady Nuneham, — I am obliged to 
 you for a very kind letter which I received yes- 
 
 S 
 
I30 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 terday, and for the account you sent me of the 
 proposed enclosure at Stanton Harcourt. If M^. 
 Bosvill comes into the scheme, it will facilitate 
 greatly the execution of it, tho' Bedwell should 
 out of pcrverseness stand out. I have ever found 
 him obstinate and adverse to anything that has 
 been proposed for the real benefit of the estate ; 
 but possibly he may be brought by your manage- 
 ment to do more for you than he would consent 
 to do for me. 
 
 *'You send me a piece of news that is really 
 news to me, — the creation of a certain Marquis. 
 I cannot think there is any foundation for the 
 report, especially as I never applied for that addi- 
 tional honour. Lord Townshcnd ^ has, I believe, 
 some views of that kind, which he has in a manner 
 owned, tho* not to me ; and I think Lord Hertford 
 is not unlikely to have the same views. If you 
 
 * Jesse, in his "Memoirs of the Life and Times of George the 
 Third," 1867, vol. ii. p. 250, quotes a passage from a letter of the 
 King's to Lord Bute, dated March, 1776 : — 
 
 "I cannot but express my astonishment at L^ Ilarcourt's pre" 
 sumption in telling Lord Drogheda there would be no difficulty in 
 making him a Marquis. I refused to make Irish ALarquiscs to 
 Lord Hertford and Lord Townshend. I desire to hear no more 
 of Irish Marquises. I feel for Lnglish Larls, and do not choose 
 to disgust them." 
 
 Lord Harcourt was too good-natured to be the subject of much 
 personal enmity ; yet, from being placed in a conspicuous position, 
 he was subject to the misrepresentation of Court parasites; and 
 there is abundant evidence that he did not escape altogether from 
 the annoyance of ungenerous usage. 
 
 should hear anything more about it, I should be 
 glad to be informed of it, as well as from what 
 quarter your intelligence comes 
 
 "The hurry of public dinners is over, which 
 I am not a little glad of. Though they live in 
 general very well here, there are few dinners worth 
 the trouble of going to them, with such attend- 
 ance as the Lord-Lieutenant is obliged to have : 
 a squadron of horse by way of guards, and the 
 battle-axes, who are like our yeomen of the guard, 
 vulgarly called Beef-eaters, walking on each side 
 the chariot ; and this is constantly the case when 
 the Lord-Lieutenant goes to publick dinners. This 
 is the place for a person who loves La Representa- 
 tion, To the chapel (though it is in the Castle) 
 the Lord-Lieutenant is attended by his pages, 
 gentlemen of the bed-chamber, gentlemen at large, 
 and other officers, and has a closet better fitted 
 up, though not so large, as his Majesty's at S\ 
 James's. I could very willingly dispense with 
 some of this state on my own account, but that 
 would be improper. We have had the most de- 
 licrhtfuU weather ever since I landed, much better 
 than I ever saw at this season in England or 
 France. The climate is less cold, but more moist, 
 tho' not so since my arrival 
 
 " I shall order Bowley to forbid the young gentle- 
 men shooting any more at Nuneham after Xmas, 
 more especially as they make so improper a use 
 
132 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 of it. If they come afterwards, the best way is to 
 send to the Heads of the Colleges they belong to, 
 or to their tutors, who will prevent it. 
 
 " My love to Lord Nuneham, and to my daugh- 
 ter and Lady Evelyn. The Colonel desires his 
 love to you and his brother. 
 
 " I am, dear Lady Nuneham, 
 " Most affectionately, 
 
 " Harcourt. 
 
 **I am glad your taste for the flower-garden 
 IS not abated." 
 
 ^^ St. IVoolsfan's, May 28, 1773. 
 
 "Dear Lady Nuneham, — I received your 
 letter yesterday, just as I was setting out for 
 M"". Conolly's, where we dined ; w^hich prevented 
 me, however, answering it immediatly, as I could 
 wish to have done, lest any delay should defeat 
 my design to purchase M'". Boyce's estates at 
 Sutton*". The two estates are as well as I can 
 recollect of about the value of sixty pounds. 
 I have a particular of them, but it is not here ; 
 but Bowley know^s pretty well the value of them. 
 I should lately have been glad to have purchased 
 them at thirty years' purchase ; but rather than 
 not have them, I would give a year or two's 
 purchase more. I think it will be full as well, 
 
 " a hamlet of Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 I 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 133 
 
 if I purchase them, and then add them to the 
 estate, as that Lord Nuneham should borrow the 
 money for that purpose ; it will make a pretty 
 little addition, more especially as these estates 
 will be proportionably benefitted with the other 
 estates by the new enclosure. I leave the trans- 
 action to you and your coadjutor Bowley, and 
 shall be ready to ratify any engagements you 
 shall enter into during the course of your ne- 
 gociations. 
 
 " I am delighted with S^ Woolstan's, and so is 
 every one that sees it. The house is far from 
 being a large house ; and yet what appears to be 
 a paradox, we can lodge a great many people. 
 I have in all, ten lits de maitre ; few houses in 
 Ireland have so many. I have an admirable 
 dining-parlour, and the pleasantest drawing-room 
 in the world, except the octagon at Nuneham. 
 
 "My drawing-room commands a charming view 
 of the Liffey, which runs very rapidly, forming 
 a pretty cascade within about sixty or seventy 
 yards of the window. I am just going to Dublin 
 to do some busyness, after which I shall dine with 
 Sir Henry Cavendish, who never fails to toast 
 your health. Sir Harry has behaved towards me 
 in the most friendly manner, and I am really 
 much obliged to him ; all which I set down to the 
 account of my good friends at Sudbury, to whom 
 I desire my love when you write to them, for 
 
134 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 I understand they have left London. My love to 
 Lord Nuneham and the Colonel. 
 
 " I am, dear Lady Nuneham, 
 
 " Y^s most affectionately, 
 
 ** Harcourt." 
 
 The following letter, from Lord Harcourt 
 to his agent, is interesting only as giving 
 a history of parts of the family estates. 
 
 Earl Harcourt to Mr. Bowley: — 
 
 " Dublin Castle^ May 31, 1773. 
 
 " BowLEV, — I am sorry to hear you have had 
 such floods, which at this season must have done 
 great damage to the low grass grounds. If you 
 think the hay crop in Lord's meads and the ad- 
 jacent grounds is likely to be spoilt, it might be 
 adviseable to put the cattle into those meads, 
 provided you think the cattle would cat the grass ; 
 which I fear they would be unwilling to do, on 
 account of the scum which the floods will leave 
 behind them. The upland ground will probably 
 bear a bulky crop this year, that may make some 
 amends for the loss of the meads, where I appre- 
 hend the flood will be a great while before it runs 
 off, on account of the forwardness of the grass. 
 
 " I leave it to you to make such allowance to 
 the tenant at Morton as may make him some 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 135 
 
 amends for the loss he may have sustained from 
 this very unseasonable rise of the waters ; it is 
 better to do anything rather than to have that 
 paultry estate in hand. I have wrote to Lady 
 Nuneham, to let her know that I leave it to 
 her and you to settle the value of M^ Boyce's 
 estates. 
 
 " I should hope that the Stanton Harcourt es- 
 tate might upon the whole be improved about one- 
 third by the enclosure ; for if the land in the field 
 exclusive of the Commons used to be rated at 
 about 6^ and S'^ p^ acre, I should think it worth 
 10' p^' acre when enclosed. I know the measure 
 was small in general ; but allowing for the small 
 measure, I think it cannot improve less than one- 
 third. 
 
 "The gravelly ground will make good turnip 
 land, or will bear clover, or S*. Foin ; and the 
 deeper or richer land will be greatly benefitted, so 
 as to make the improvement very considerable. 
 If the charge of the enclosure should make any 
 of the people willing to part with their estates, 
 rather than embark in an undertaking that some 
 of them may have been averse to, as well from 
 an apprehension of the trouble, as for fear of the 
 charge, I should be willing to purchase them. 
 I shall be very curious to know the admeasure- 
 ment of the whole, when the survey has been 
 taken. 
 
136 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 " It will be adviseable to learn the sentiments 
 of Brazen Nose College with regard to an en- 
 closure at Hinksey; if that College is at all rea- 
 sonable, an enclosure might perhaps be brought 
 about, without even the charge of a Bill for that 
 purpose. When you go to Oxford, I wish you 
 would call upon the Bursar of the College, and 
 that you would tell him my intention of inclosing, 
 and that you would desire him to sound the 
 Principal and Fellows about it. You may inform 
 him that there is no doubt as to the expediency 
 and advantage arising from an inclosure ; all the 
 advantages of which may be obtained at a very 
 easy rate, if the College will agree to do it in an 
 amicable manner. 
 
 "I wish to have the last made plantations in 
 Windmill-field kept clear of weeds this year; 
 which I hope will secure them for the future. 
 I want to know how they grow. I desire the 
 young beech plantation in Coneyberry Hill, near 
 the house, may be attended to, and that the weeds 
 there may be kept down ; and that the nettles 
 below the church in the parson's old orchard 
 may be pulled up, and the thistles and docks 
 cleared away. Let Joseph keep a watchfuU eye 
 to the mounds ^ that the cattle may not get into 
 them " 
 
 ■ Fences. 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 137 
 
 ''Dublin Castle, Feb. 13, 1775. 
 
 *'Dear Lady Nuneham,— I was happy to see 
 your letter dated from Harcourt House, where 
 Lord Nuneham's letter, which I received yester- 
 day, said you intended to be on Tuesday last 
 
 "I flatter myself you will have the additional 
 comfort of being free from apprehension of house- 
 breakers, from whom you are certainly more secure 
 than in allmost any other house in London. But 
 what is still of more consequence, and gives me 
 more pleasure, is the account which Lord Nune- 
 ham sends me of your attention to your health ; 
 which at your age will, I trust, fully answer your 
 purpose, and the expectations of your friends." ' 
 
 The following letter was written to his 
 sister, Lady Vernon, by the Lord - Lieu- 
 tenant : — 
 
 '' Kilmore.July i, i775- 
 
 " Dear Sister,— .... It gave me great un- 
 easyncss that Lady Nuneham's health, even before 
 this misfortune in the family, was such as made 
 it very unadvisablc for her to undertake another 
 journey to Ireland; and therefore I was deter- 
 mined to forego any prospect of advantage that 
 I might expect to reap from her return and Lord 
 Nuneham's to Dublin, where their behaviour and 
 conduct was such as gained the esteem and good- 
 
'* 
 
 will of every one that knew them ; but It was pur- 
 chased at too dear a rate, for Lady N.'s earnest- 
 ness to please, and to do me all the credit and 
 service that was possible, was attended with a de- 
 gree of fatigue that was more than she could well 
 support ; and I fear that another such winter 
 mi^ht have been fatal to her. But as she is 
 young, and disposed to pay a deal of attention 
 to her health, I make no doubt that care and 
 your good management may restore her to that 
 perfect state of health which her friends so sin- 
 cerely wish. 
 
 "I am sure it would give you great pleasure 
 and satisfaction to hear what people say of Lady 
 Nuneham here ; there is but one opinion of the 
 propriety of her conduct and behaviour, which 
 upon the whole was so satisfactory to this nation, 
 that they own they never yet saw anything like 
 it, nor ever expect to see it equalled. 
 
 " I hope Lord Vernon finds the same amuse- 
 ment in the country that Sudbury always used 
 to afford him. Air and gentle exercise are the 
 best restoratives ; and he may be sure of them 
 in attending to his improvements. 
 
 *' I am now upon a visit to the Bishop of Kil- 
 more (D^ Jones), who is situated very agreably 
 in a pleasant country about seventy miles from 
 Dublin. I shall stay here till Monday, and then 
 return to S^ Woolstan's. I shall soon find time 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 139 
 
 to trouble l.^ Vernon with a letter ; in the mean- 
 time you will assure him of my love, and 
 " Believe me, dear Sister, 
 
 ** Ever most affectionately yours, 
 
 " Harcourt. 
 
 ''I have just received a very kind letter from 
 Harry". My love to my nephews and neices. 
 I take for granted Lord and Lady Nuneham will 
 soon be with you." 
 
 Lord Harcourt alludes in the last letter 
 to the fatigues to which Lady Nuneham 
 was subjected. The following official list 
 will illustrate Lord Harcourt's statement :— 
 
 " His Excellency arrived at the Castle, Nov. 30, 
 
 1772. 
 
 1772. (The winter without a Parhament). 
 
 Pnl?lic Nights. 
 Dec. II. A Drawing Room. 
 
 1773. 
 Jan. 15. A Drawing Room. 
 
 18. Queen's Birth Day kept, an Ode, a Ball, 
 and a Supper. 
 Feb. 5. A Drawing Room. 
 „ 23. A Ball. 
 
 " AftcrwaiJs third Lord Vernon. 
 
March 
 
 >> 
 
 June 
 
 Oct. 
 
 19. 
 
 23. 
 4- 
 
 8. 
 
 If 
 
 12. 
 
 »» 
 
 H- 
 
 »l 
 
 22. 
 
 »• 
 
 26. 
 
 »l 
 
 29. 
 
 Nov. 
 
 2. 
 
 If 
 
 4- 
 
 i> 
 
 12. 
 
 >i 
 
 16. 
 
 • 
 
 19. 
 
 f» 
 
 ^2^' 
 
 >i 
 
 26. 
 
 »> 
 
 30. 
 
 Dec. 
 
 3. 
 
 ft 
 
 7- 
 
 It 
 
 10. 
 
 i» 
 
 14. 
 
 ft 
 
 17- 
 
 It 
 
 21. 
 
 I// 
 
 4. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 21. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 A Ball. 
 
 King's Birth Day kept, a Lcvce, an 
 Ode, and a State Dinner. 
 
 Parliament Winter. 
 
 A Drawing Room ; Lord and Lady 
 
 Nuneham arrived the 7th. 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Drawling Room. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 
 King William's Birth Day, a Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 21. A Drawing Room. 
 
 t 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 141 
 
 Jan. 25. 
 
 Queen's Birth Day kept, an Ode, a 
 
 Ball, and a Supper, 411 Ladies. 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 A Ball 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 A Ball. 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 
 A Ball. 
 
 A Drawing Room. 
 A Ball. 
 
 Lady Nuneham's assembly. 
 A Ball, being the last Public night for 
 the season." 
 
 From Earl Harcourt to Right Honble. 
 Henry Flood : — 
 
 ''Dublin Castle, Aug. the 20///, 1776. 
 
 *' Sir,— I am sorry to hear that the Nocturnal 
 meetings are not discontinued, as they may be 
 productive of great discord and riot. The Sherrif 
 
 ft 
 
 28. 
 
 Feb. 
 
 I. 
 
 f> 
 
 4- 
 
 »> 
 
 8. 
 
 ff 
 
 II. 
 
 ff 
 
 15. 
 
 ft 
 
 18. 
 
 ft 
 
 22. 
 
 ft 
 
 25. 
 
 March 
 
 I. 
 
 ft 
 
 4- 
 
 ff 
 
 8. 
 
 ft 
 
 II. 
 
 ft 
 
 IS. 
 
 April 
 
 29. 
 
 May 
 
 3. 
 
 » 
 
 6. 
 
 If 
 
 10. 
 
142 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 of the County has, I apprehend, allrcady sufficient 
 authority to call out a Posse Comitatns when- 
 ever the emergencies of the case may require it ; 
 and the army when called upon, is obliged in com- 
 mon with all other subjects, to assist the Sherif in 
 the preservation of the peace. Upon enquiry at 
 this office, it does not appear necessary to issue 
 out any particular order to the troops on this 
 occasion. But if you know any two neighboring 
 Justices, either of the County of Kilkenny or 
 Tipperary, a General Order shall be lodged in 
 their hands, empowering them jointly to call 
 upon the troops for their assistance whenever 
 it shall be deemed necessary. If you think such 
 an order would be of use, you will send to M^ 
 Waite (in Sir John Blaquiere's absence), the 
 names of the two gentlemen in the commission, 
 in whose hands you would wish to have it lodged, 
 and an order shall be dispatched without loss 
 
 of time. 
 
 '* I had a good deal of conversation with M'". 
 Warden Flood, who called upon me the day 
 before yesterday at SI Woolstan's. I heard yes- 
 terday from Sir John Blacquiere, who seems now 
 to entertain rather a more favourable opinion of 
 tJie affair which he is soUiciting, than he did for 
 some time. I am sorry, however, it is not in his 
 power to write with more certainty of success; 
 but that depends on others, not on him. I was 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 143 
 
 in hopes the matter would have been decided 
 before now; but in a transaction where more 
 persons than two are unavoidably concerned, 
 delays will happen in spite of all Blaquiere's 
 diligence and activity, which have been fully ex- 
 cited on this occasion. 
 
 " I am. Sir, with the greatest regard, 
 
 "Your most humble, obed^ servant, 
 " Harcourt." 
 
 From Earl Harcourt to the Right Honble. 
 Henry Flood, M.P., Ireland : — 
 
 ''Dublin Castle, Feb. 2, 1776. 
 
 " Dear Sir, — I wrote yesterday to Lord North, 
 and I hope my letter may have some weight, 
 if it is in his Lordship's power to comply with 
 what you seem so earnestly to wish at the outset 
 of this Parliament. I had reason to believe he 
 was under engagements to some of his friends, 
 to bring them into Parliament when proper op- 
 portunities should offer ; but I cannot pretend to 
 say how he stands circumstanced at present with 
 regard to these engagements. From the Report 
 of the Commissioners it will be impossible for 
 me to make any provision for Sankey, without 
 the greatest dishonour to my administration, 
 and a manifest detriment to the publick re- 
 
144 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 venue, to which it is my duty to pay a proper 
 attention. 
 
 " I am, dear Sir, with the greatest esteem, 
 "Your most humble and obed^ scrvS 
 " Harcourt." 
 
 In 1776, Lord Harcourt proposed to the 
 Irish House of Commons to send out of the 
 kingdom four thousand men °, and to accept 
 in their stead an equal number of foreign 
 
 o Copy of the order on this subject issued by Lord Harcourt, 
 The original is in the British Museum : — 
 
 "I have His Majesty's command to acquaint you, that the 
 situation of affairs in part of his American dominions, is such as 
 makes it necessary for the honor and safety of the British Empire, 
 and for the support of His Majesty's just rights, to desire the con- 
 currence of his faithful Parliament of Ireland, in sending out of 
 this kingdom a force not exceeding 4,000 men, part of the number 
 of troops upon this establishment appointed to remain in the king- 
 dom for its defence ; and to declare to you His Majesty's gracious 
 intention, that such part of his army as shall be spared out of this 
 kingdom to answer the present emergency of affairs, is not to be 
 continued a charge upon this establishment so long as they shall 
 remain out of this kingdom. 
 
 "I am further commanded to inform you that as His Majesty 
 hath nothing more at heart, than the security and protection of 
 his people of Ireland, it is his intention, if it shall be the desire of 
 Parliament, to replace such forces as may l)e sent out of this king- 
 dom, by an equal number of foreign Protestant troops, as soon as 
 His Majesty shall be enabled so to do ; the charge of such troops 
 to be defrayed without any expense to this kingdom. H. 
 
 *' A true copy ; compared and examined. — CM. 
 
 '' Directed to Mr. P. Tombelle, 
 
 at the Earl of Shell urne's^ LondonJ" 
 
 4 
 
 Protestant troops, to be maintained without 
 any expense to Ireland. The House re- 
 luctantly assented to the first part of the 
 proposition ; but absolutely refused to re- 
 ceive the foreign troops. 
 
 "Almost immediately after the Christmas re- 
 cess," we read in Knight's " History of England," 
 ''these embarrassing matters were brought before 
 the EnorHsh Parliament, where M''. Thomas Towns- 
 hend moved for a committee of inquiry, on the 
 allegation that Lord Harcourt had made a dis- 
 posal or offer of public money without consulting 
 the British House of Commons, thereby being 
 guilty of a breach of privilege. Ministers were 
 greatly embarrassed, and no tv/o of them agreed 
 in their modes of defence. It was clear that 
 they or Lord Harcourt had been at fault ; but 
 even the opposition admitted the great merits of 
 Lord Harcourt's administration in Ireland, and 
 the motion was quashed by a majority of 224 
 
 >i 
 
 against 106. 
 
 Lord Harcourt remained for five years in 
 Ireland as Lord-Lieutenant. 
 
 Early in the year 1777, he established 
 himself at Nuneham, hoping to enjoy some 
 repose after a life spent at Court, and in the 
 
 u 
 
service of his country. The improvement 
 of his property, and the embellishment of 
 Nuneham, at once afforded him occupation 
 and amusement. His son, Lord Nuneham, 
 who during the long absences of his father 
 had taken charge of the family estates, ably 
 seconded Lord Harcourt in all his views. 
 
 On the morning of September i6, 1777, 
 Lady Nuneham joined the party at break- 
 fast with an unwonted sadness of expression 
 on her countenance. Lord Harcourt rallied 
 her upon it, and jokingly asked her what 
 miserable dream she had had. After break- 
 fast she confided to her husband that she 
 dreamt she had seen Lord Harcourt*s dead 
 body extended upon the kitchen dresser at 
 four o'clock that very day. Lord Nune- 
 ham treated the matter lighdy. She could 
 not, however, shake off her gloomy fore- 
 bodings. 
 
 Lord Harcourt had a favourite dog, which 
 generally accompanied him on his rambles ; 
 on this particular day the occupation he was 
 engaged in was that of marking trees in the 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 147 
 
 Park, and setting out plots for planting. 
 He had arrived at a spot which is now 
 occupied by a yard behind the head-keeper s 
 house, when his dog leaped over some 
 bushes, and fell into a well which they con- 
 cealed. The well was not deep, and was 
 full of mud at the bottom. 
 
 Lord Harcourt leant over the side of the 
 well, and endeavoured to extricate the dog. 
 In so doine, he lost his balance, and him- 
 self fell in. The thick mud in which his 
 head became imbedded, quickly smothered 
 him. The dog made its way on to its 
 master's heels, which were leaning against 
 the side of the well. The piteous wailing 
 of the doe in time attracted attention. Some 
 labourers heard the sounds, and on approach- 
 ing the well, perceived a hat and a right- 
 hand glove ; a further search soon revealed 
 the dreadful nature of the accident. A lad- 
 der was procured, and the body having been 
 extricated, was placed upon a gate, and con- 
 veyed to the house. The offices were first 
 approached, and accordingly the bearers de- 
 
1 
 
 148 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 posited the corpse upon the kitchen dresser, 
 where, in exact accordance with Lady Nune- 
 ham's dream, it was lying at four o'clock, on 
 September 16, 1777. Lord Harcourt was 
 sixty-three years of age. 
 
 The event is thus noticed in the '' Gentle- 
 man's Magazine" for 1777 : — 
 
 "Humanity, indeed, was the characteristic of 
 this amiable Peer, no man being more justly be- 
 loved, or more generally regretted by his family, 
 friends, and dependants. Among his friends, and 
 consequently his mourners, may be reckoned the 
 two greatest personages in this kingdom, of whom 
 one esteemed him as a parental friend, and the 
 other lamented him, she said, as her husband 
 by proxy." 
 
 The matter is thus alluded to by Horace 
 Walpole, in a letter addressed to Sir Horace 
 Mann : — 
 
 ''Strawberry Hill, Sept. 18, 1777. 
 
 ". . . . A strange accident has happened. Lord 
 Harcourt was missing the other day at dinner- 
 time at his own seat ; and at last was found 
 suffocated in a well with his head downwards, 
 and his dog upon him. It is concluded that the 
 
 dog had fallen in, and that the Earl, in trying to 
 extricate him, had lost his poise and tumbled in 
 too. It is an odd exit for the Governor of a King, 
 Ambassador, and Viceroy." 
 
 Another letter, from Horace Walpole to 
 the Rev. William Mason, also mentions the 
 accident : — 
 
 ''Strawberry Hill, Sept. 18, 1777. 
 
 ". . . . This is not my immediate motive for 
 writing ; but to tell you an amazing piece of news 
 that I have this moment received from town. 
 The dinner-bell had rung — where ^ at Nuneham. 
 The Earl (Lord Harcourt) did not appear. After 
 much search, he was found standing on his head 
 in a well, a dear little favourite dog upon his legs, 
 his stick and one of his gloves lying near " 
 
 The same writer, corresponding with the 
 Countess of Ossory, says : — 
 
 "Strawberry Hill, Sept. 20, 1777. 
 
 " . . . . What a strange exit Lord Harcourt's ! 
 I am sorry for anybody's misfortune, though I 
 cannot dislike to see Lord Nuneham Earl ; it is 
 an addition to my concern for the poor father, 
 as in all probability he perished by trying to save 
 his doGf. You know how that must teach me. . . ." 
 
In writing a few days afterwards to Lord 
 Nuneham, Horace Walpole says : — 
 
 " I flatter myself my zeal will not appear too 
 prompt in assuring your Lordship and Lady H. 
 of the part I take in your late terrible shock. 
 I wished to express it at the first moment ; but 
 trusted you both knew me too well to doubt of 
 what I felt for you. I still write in pain lest 
 I should be importunate, and beg you will not 
 trouble yourself to answer me, as all I mean is to 
 shew that I can never be insensible to anything 
 that affects you. 
 
 " It may be some satisfaction to your Lordship 
 to know that every letter brings a better account 
 of the Duke of Gloucester. I will answer for the 
 Duchess, that she is too sensible of your Lord- 
 ship's friendship not to share with me in all I have 
 felt for you." 
 
 The following letter was written by Charles 
 Jenkinson, afterwards Earl of Liverpool, to 
 Lady Nuneham, upon the occasion of Lord 
 Harcourt's death : — 
 
 " Winchester J Sept. 24, 1777. 
 
 "Madam, — I received last night at this place 
 the letter with which your Ladyship has honoured 
 me. I will not tell your Ladyship all I feel on 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 151 
 
 this unhappy occasion : I will not add to your 
 sorrow by dwelling on my own. I will only say, 
 I have lost the oldest, and kindest, and dearest 
 friend I had in the world ; my mind is so full, 
 that it is with difficulty I contain my feelings. It 
 would have become me rather to offer arguments 
 to console your Ladyship ; but of this I am at 
 present absolutely incapable. I beg my respects 
 to the representative of my deceased friend ; I 
 shall be happy to live in the closest connection 
 and friendship with him ; and when I return to 
 Town, I will take the very first opportunity of 
 waiting on your Ladyship and his Lordship. 
 
 *T have the honour to be, with the highest 
 respect and regard. Madam, 
 "Your faithful and obedient humble servant, 
 
 " C. Jenkinson." 
 
 Letter from Mrs. Montagu to Lady Nune- 
 ham, on the same occasion : — 
 
 ''Sept. 19, 1777. 
 
 "Dear Madam, — In your Ladyship's and dear 
 Lord Nuneham's present situation, perhaps the 
 most sympathizing friend is the best comforter, 
 which is y® only consideration that can give me 
 a hope of being of any use. Time's lenient hand 
 will heal in some degree the wound ; but you will 
 both feel your best comfort in what makes the 
 
 I 
 
152 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 principal joy of your lives, exerting your power 
 of doing good. Providence has established such 
 equitable laws, that whoever alleviates the sor- 
 rows of others, cannot himself be left the prey of 
 melancholy. So the tears you dry, will at length 
 dry up your own. ^ 
 
 "I hope you will at present consider that, 
 however sad this event is to you both, as Lord 
 Harcourt had fulfilled every noble purpose of 
 living, nothing of this would be to him untimely. 
 Age, and infirmities the consequence of age, were 
 not very distant. The philosopher who denied 
 the epithet of happy to Cresus in his power and 
 prosperity, would now bestow it on him whom 
 you lament. 
 
 " This evening I will wait upon you, and shall 
 bring with me a heart that, as long as it beats, will 
 truly feel everything that can affect your Lady- 
 ship and Lord Nuncham 
 
 ''I am, dear Madam, with many unalterable 
 sentiments, yours and your dear Lord's most 
 affectionate, and faithful humble servant, 
 
 " E. Montagu." 
 
 The following address was presented to 
 the Lord Mayor of Dublin, and adopted by 
 the Corporation. The picture which is re- 
 ferred to, was painted by Hunter of Dublin, 
 
 I 
 
 and is a copy of one which still hangs in the 
 dining-room at Nuneham. 
 
 " To the Hon. the Lord Mayor, &c. 
 
 "We feel with the utmost concern and regret 
 the loss which this kingdom hath universally 
 sustained by the death of our late amiable and 
 respectable Ch.-Governor, Simon, Earl Harcourt ; 
 whose sincere attachment and uniform zeal for 
 the true interest of this country in general, as well 
 as the particular attention he paid to the welfare 
 of this city, have frequently been experienced 
 by our magistrates during the Earl's residence 
 
 amongst us. 
 
 '*Your petitioners are therefore desirous, by 
 some public testimony of their gratitude, to per- 
 petuate their just sense of the many eminent 
 virtues and amiable qualities of that much la- 
 mented nobleman. May it therefore please your 
 Lordship and honor, to cause a portrait of his 
 Lordship to be obtained, and placed in the Man- 
 sion House of their city, to testify to posterity 
 our affectionate regard for the memory of so 
 faithful and sincere a friend to this kingdom ; 
 and we would pray that the Right Honorable the 
 Lord Mayor should in the name of the city apply 
 to the present Earl Harcourt, to permit an original 
 picture, which we are informed is in his Lordship's 
 possession, to be copied for the purpose." 
 
 X 
 
154 
 
 Memoir of Simon, 
 
 The following answer was sent by Lord 
 Nuneham to the Lord Mayor of Dublin :— 
 
 ^'Nov. I, 1777. 
 
 "My Lord, — The great and almost singular 
 honor done to the memory of my late much 
 lamented father by the city of Dubhn, and com- 
 municated to me last post by your Lordship, 
 demands my warmest acknowledgements. 
 
 " Such a testimony of his public virtues is now 
 peculiarly grateful to a son, who has ever before 
 held his parental and domestic ones in the justest 
 estimation. 
 
 **I shall immediately put the original portrait 
 into the hands of the best copyist I can find ; 
 and as soon as he has executed it, transmit it to 
 your Lordship for the honorable purpose that the 
 city requests it. 
 
 "At a time when so fair, and in all probability 
 the only, opportunity offers of expressing in so 
 publick a manner my own particular gratitude 
 to a nation from which I experienced so many 
 repeated marks of regard, when it was my happi- 
 ness to visit my father during his Vice Royalty, 
 I should be wanting to myself, and to the senti- 
 ments of obligation which I sincerely feel, if I did 
 not beer them to believe that through the course 
 of that private life, which the mediocrity of my 
 
 ■ 
 
 First Earl Harcourt. 
 
 155 
 
 abilities, my love of independence, and the dis- 
 tressed state of public affairs will prompt me to 
 adopt, I shall ever retain the most affectionate 
 esteem for them ; that I shall uniformly rejoyce 
 in every augmentation of their prosperity, and 
 sincerely lament if any sinister policy here should 
 tend to diminish it. 
 
 "Allow me, my Lord, the honor of assuring 
 your Lordship of my most perfect regard." 
 
 Simon, Lord Harcourt, was buried at 
 Stanton Harcourt, and a marble tablet was 
 erected by his son in his memory. 
 
 Lord Harcourt had four children : George 
 Simon, Viscount Nuneham, born August i, 
 1736; the Hon. William Harcourt, born 
 March 20, 1743; Lady Elizabeth Harcourt, 
 born Jan. 18, 1738, married June 20, 1763, 
 to Sir William Lee, Bart, of Hartwell in 
 Buckinghamshire; and Lady Anne Har- 
 court, who died young, and was buried at 
 Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 George Simon, who succeeded his father 
 as second Earl Harcourt, was of a delicate 
 constitution, and of a nervous temperament. 
 Like his father, he was sent abroad to com- 
 
156 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 p 
 
 plete his education, and the following letters 
 — written by him to his grandmother, Mrs. 
 Harcourt {iiec Elizabeth Evelyn), and to his 
 aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Harcourt, (his fathers 
 unmarried sister) — w^ill give a better notion 
 of what he was at the age of nineteen, than 
 could perhaps be obtained in any other way. 
 
 As Lord Nuneham, he represented the 
 Boroucrh of St. Alban's in Parliament ; and 
 in the year 1765 he married his first cousin^ 
 Elizabeth Vernon, daughter of Lord Vernon 
 and of Martha Harcourt (his father's sister). 
 
 His delicate health debarred him from the 
 more active pursuits of hunting and shoot- 
 ing, in which his father delighted. He was 
 a great devotee to art, both as a patron of 
 others, and as an artist himself. 
 
 He was also a great student of antiquities ; 
 a lover of belles lettres, and of refined society; 
 and very amiable in disposition. 
 
 ^^ Berlin, May iZ, 1755. 
 
 " Dear Madam, — . . . . Our recommendation to 
 Gotha (which was from the Prince of Wales) was 
 such as could not fail of procuring us the reception 
 
 ] 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 157 
 
 we could wish ; we stayed there three days, and 
 were not a little wearied of it ; for at those little 
 courts, you have no publick diversions nor as- 
 semblies in the town ; so that your whole life is 
 spent at Court, where you go in the morning, and 
 stay dinner, afterwards drink coffee, then return 
 home for an hour, and go again to the card- 
 parties, and then sup ; this, though a very honour- 
 able, you are sensible must be the most stupid 
 life in the world ; one is so wearied with Royal 
 personages, who talk of nothing but the weather, 
 and their horrid old fribbly gentlemen ushers, 
 that I could with difficulty keep myself sometimes 
 from sleeping. 
 
 "At Dresden I stayed eight days, where, as 
 I knew all the Court, I passed my time perfectly 
 well, and thought myself quite at home; as to 
 the Court you are not plagued with that, for 
 there is only a drawing-room, where neither the 
 King or Queen come ; for they are like Persian 
 monarchs, and hardly ever shew themselves in 
 publick. The King's whole amusement is smoak- 
 ing with his fools, and beating them; and he 
 every day finds some new torture for the poor 
 
 devils. 
 
 " I went a heron hunting with their Majesties 
 (as I was asked). I found it more disagreable 
 even than I was told it would be ; to get to the 
 place early, you are obliged to travel all night; 
 
158 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 and when you are come, the whole amusement 
 consists in staring as far, or rather farther than 
 you can see, at the falcons following the herons ; 
 and this, from an open gallery in the midst of 
 a most extensive plain at six in the morning, is 
 tolerably cold, particularly as the King being 
 allways in the gallery, prevents your putting on 
 a hat. Sometimes you are hours without seeing 
 a bird ; but are continually staring to find one. 
 
 *'The Oueen sets in a hut, round which the 
 gallery is built, and works with the ladies, from 
 whence she often retires into a closet to her 
 devotions ; the fools are all the time with some 
 of them ; and the King, the ministers, the court- 
 iers, and the ladies, amuse themselves with eating 
 sauciges, and beating, kicking, pinching, and 
 throwing things at the poor wretches, who are 
 obliged to suffer everything from them. Then 
 they pretend to quarrel with one another and 
 fight, which diverts the company, who are greater 
 fools than those who make a profession of it. 
 After the excess of cold, your brains are turned 
 with the sun before you come away, which is at 
 noon ; before which you have a wretched, dirty 
 dinner, dressed round the building by bad cooks, 
 and the countrey people. 
 
 ''I had the honour of dining with the King, 
 where the fools behaved most indecently ; they 
 quarulled, fought, threw everything about, were 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 159 
 
 very impertinent to the King and Queen, and 
 the company ; for the which he beat their legs 
 most terribly with the napkins, and hit their 
 heads and hands with the spoons. It was a 
 more noisy, dirty, disagreable dinner, than one at 
 a county election ; indeed, it shocked me to see 
 such great people amuse themselves so shame- 
 fully, and to keep a set of poor animals, some 
 without legs, some with an eye out, some de- 
 formed, others monstrous, for the sake of laughing 
 at their infirmities ; these seem to be merits, for 
 there are but a few of the number who are really 
 idiots, the rest are lazy, impertinent rascals, who 
 pretend to be so, and often tell his Majesty dis- 
 agreable truths, for which he half murders them. 
 I did intend to have put this letter up singly ; 
 but found I had wTote too much. Comp^^ to 
 M^ Vernon and my cousins." 
 
 ^^ Magdebourg^ May 29, 1755. 
 
 " Dear Madam, — I hope my grandmama re- 
 ceived a letter I wrote to her from Berlin a few 
 days ago, in which I told her of the civilities 
 which were shown me ; indeed, I must say, I 
 think myself uncommonly fortunate, that wher- 
 ever I am, I should be treated with so much 
 politeness. I supped at the Queen Mother's ever}^ 
 night that I was not engaged in the town ; which 
 I believe in all was five or six times. I always 
 
i6o Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 preferred passing my evening there, as I was as 
 much at my ease as at home. I talked with every 
 one, walked in the garden with the Princesses, 
 and w^as very often quite alone, which was to 
 foreigners a surprising thing, for they think it is 
 impossible to prefer one's own thoughts to those 
 of others, even if disagreable to one ; so that they 
 teased me on those occasions with having the 
 spleen ; on my denying of which, they said they 
 would not believe anything that I said on that 
 subject, as there never was yet an Englishman 
 that had not that distemper. 
 
 " Can you conceive the absurdity of laying down 
 general rules for the temper of a whole nation ? 
 though, as their ignorance of our customs, &c., 
 renders their talking of them with such confidence 
 the more insupportable, so it gives them the 
 greater desire of showing how little they know 
 about us. Their idea of an Englishman is this : — 
 A creature that whenever he speaks says *G — 
 d — n ;* that is very rich, but very awkward ; that 
 goes to court and the House of Peers in a bob-wig 
 and English frock; that has no politeness to 
 woman; that eats nothing but ' ros beef and 
 *bouding;* and gets drunk every day after it 
 with 'poanch,' which they think to be our only 
 liquor." 
 
 i 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 i6i 
 
 ''Nov. 8. 
 
 "Dear Madam, — It was on the 29th of Oc- 
 tober, 1755, that we left Vienna, and set out for 
 Trieste, in the way to Venice .... and I hoped to 
 find the people and customs, at a place so very 
 near Italy as Trieste, more civilized ; but such 
 was our misfortune, that after having travelled 
 from five in the morning till eight at night that 
 day, and flattering ourselves with being tolerably 
 off at a place so much frequented by merchants, 
 they were so brutal as not to receive us at the 
 best inn, though they had no company in the 
 house ; and we were reduced to go to a little 
 miserable sailors' ale-house, which was full of all 
 kinds of the worst of the mob. M^ Denny would 
 never have survived the noise they made under 
 us ; for unhappily there was a ball, and you know 
 that the mirth of soldiers and sailors is none of 
 the most quiet or best conducted ; besides which, 
 our room opened into the common drinking-room, 
 which was stuffed with people, some of whom 
 w^ere quarelling, some talking all at once, and 
 others laughing a gorge deployee ; add to that the 
 shrillness of the women's voices, with whom they 
 were playing, the screams of a child and the 
 quarelling, and you may have some idea of our 
 concert. 
 
 " I had near omitted one most agreable circum- 
 stance, which was, that our room was the only one 
 
 I 
 
H 
 I 
 
 162 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 that had a stove in it, so that they never ceased 
 coming in to dry their sprinkled sliccts and nap- 
 kins, and fetch out plate, knives, linnen, and all 
 the other things that the guests demanded." 
 
 "Dear ]Madam,— I quite agree with you 
 
 in giving the preference to antient Rome ; for 
 what beauties modern Rome can boast, arc merely 
 what it owes to the splendor and magnificence 
 of its antient inhabitants ; for evxry house and 
 church that is rich in marble, is what they have 
 torn from antient buildings ; for so very gothic 
 are they, that they pull down the paintings from 
 the baths, the pillars and ornaments from the 
 temples, and the porphery sarcophagus from the 
 mausoleums, as soon as they discover any, to saw 
 to pieces for the churches, or to sell for tables. 
 
 " I have heard that Livia's mausoleum was quite 
 intire, and had a great number of fine porphery 
 urns and ornaments in it, when it w^as discovered ; 
 but that they immediately pulled everything down 
 to sell." 
 
 ''Rome, Dec. 15, 1755. 
 
 *'Dear ]\Iadam,— .... I have been so very highly 
 amused since I have been in Italy, that I have 
 almost forgot the twelve horrid months I passed 
 in Germany, which, seriously speaking, were dis- 
 agreable to me beyond conception ; and I allmost 
 began to have la maladic die pais. I lived all the 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 163 
 
 time either at Leipzig, where a rational animal 
 was not to be found, or at petty courts, which 
 has such an etiquet that wearies you to death, 
 and at the same time are in such an aukward, 
 sneaking manner, that I was shocked at their 
 
 nonsense 
 
 "At first I thought I might be excused going 
 again to sup at Court, after having been there 
 three or four hours at dinner with eating ; but 
 I unhappily found my mistake, and that I must 
 not only submit to that, but retire from dinner 
 to drink coffee with old maids of honor, dressed 
 just like the eldest Miss Cope, the strangest of all 
 mortals ; from thence either go to play at shilling 
 whist, or threepenny quadrille with the old Duke 
 or Duchess, or the Duchess's mother, when there 
 was one, or else stand formally to see them play 
 (which I preferred) ; then at eight sup as I dined, 
 and from thence retire to a Court circle of about 
 eight or ten strange figures. 
 
 " Pope's description of a certain family in the 
 waxwork, suits most of the royal personages 
 I have seen : — 
 
 "*Such waxen noses, stately, staring things, 
 
 No wonder some folks bow and think them kings.' 
 
 "Yours dutifully. — I have no more room." 
 
164 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 ^^ Romc^ April ^^ 1756. 
 
 " .... I am much obliged to you for the trouble 
 you have had with regard to my friend M'^ 
 Pritchard p. I must own, I have a regard for 
 her ; and cannot help feeling for the poor woman 
 and her family, which will be greatly injured if 
 she is so ill-treated by that inhuman monster, 
 Garrick. He is certainly the vainest, most spite- 
 ful, covetous pupp}', that ever existed ; and is 
 jealous of every one that gains applause, which 
 he thinks no one but himself and Gibber deserve. 
 
 "I have been some years astonished at the blind- 
 ness of the world in thinking him so great ; for 
 myself I look upon him as our best, but, except 
 in two or three characters, a vulgar false player, 
 and who has spoiled the stage by substituting 
 the rant, stare, and squirt, in the place of just 
 speaking and common sense, which he hardly ever 
 yet arrived at, either in tragedy or comedy 
 
 *' My duty attends my grandmama." 
 
 " Saturday. 
 
 " Honored Madam, — .... To a young person 
 nothing but a convent can be worse than the life 
 of this family*!, in the months of November and 
 December. For there are few visitors then; and 
 this year it will be worse than ever, as they will 
 pass them at Newnham, in an unfurnished house, 
 and without room for company. I have promised 
 
 p The actress. '^ At Coketliorp. 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 165 
 
 to make them a visit in December with Gol. 
 Evelyn ; as they will be at a reasonable distance 
 from London, and as it is an inhabited country, 
 and the roads are the whole way excellent, it will 
 be no great affair ; but I had always a horror of 
 quitting the gay London for the dreary Gock- 
 thorp, and of going the last twelve miles, four 
 of which for dirt and sloughs do not yield to the 
 agreable Westphalia. 
 
 "I suppose you must know of my brother^s 
 quitting the Guards, and of the advantageous 
 permission he has obtained to raise a light troop. 
 We expect him here every hour; we breathe 
 nothing now but military strains, and were my 
 Aunt here, I do not know but that our warlike 
 conversation might have such an effect on her as 
 to induce her to fire a gun herself for amusement, 
 and to drink in a bumper confusion to the French 
 and their blondes. 
 
 " I am, your most dutiful and very affec* grand- 
 son. 
 
 " My duty to my Aunt. 
 
 '' W. Byng is not yet executed, nor is it known 
 when he will ; various are the reports concerning 
 him ; some say the King has left it to the Lords 
 of the Admiralty to pardon or confirm the sen- 
 tence of the court martial, as they shall think 
 proper. But I must own, I do not think his 
 Majesty would ever give up his right to them." 
 
1 66 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 When Lord Harcourt died, his son, Lord 
 Nuneham, imagined that the King did not 
 pay sufficient respect to his fathers memory; 
 and this, he being of a sensitive nature, led 
 to his absentinor himself from the Court for 
 a period of six years. His pique exhibited 
 itself in various droll manners. His self- 
 chosen banishment was brought to an end 
 by an act of grace on the King's part, 
 when, as is often the case under such cir- 
 cumstances, it was made to appear that 
 many of the supposed causes of complaint 
 were due to the workings of a morbid im- 
 aofination. 
 
 It is, however, quite likely that the Wilkes 
 episode in Lord Nuneham's career, was not 
 entirely effaced from the royal memory. Be 
 that as it may, the reconciliation proved 
 to be the commencement of a sincere and 
 worthy friendship on either side, between 
 the King and the subject. 
 
 In illustration of Lord Nuneham's (or as 
 we must now call him Lord Harcourt's) 
 vagaries during his retirement, it may be 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 167 
 
 mentioned that he made a present to Lord 
 Jersey of pictures of the King and Queen, 
 which the King had presented to his father; 
 these pictures now hang in the hall at Mid- 
 dleton ; he also caused the coronet to be 
 removed from the pannel of his carriage ; 
 this absurdity gave rise to the following 
 playful copy of verses from the pen of 
 Countess Talbot : — 
 
 " Ye femmes savantes, ye beaux esprits lament, 
 (As sure ye will) the sad, the dire event ; 
 Weep, weep ye arts, let taste her fate deplore, 
 Her patron's gone, Lord Nuneham is no more. 
 
 " Where can we now the Virtuoso find. 
 Or sentiments so soft, polite, refined ; 
 Who now remains that's able to explore, 
 Le vrai bon ton ? Lord Nuneham is no more. 
 
 " 'Tis true a gentle youth his air assumes, 
 Affects his dress, his manners, his perfumes ; 
 In hopes those arts that charmed us heretofore 
 May please — though now. Lord Nuneham is no more. 
 
 " And as his car we pass, he brings to mind 
 Our Viscount in that attitude reclined ; 
 But when we see no coronet on the door. 
 We sigh, and say, * Lord Nuneham is no more.'" 
 
Horace Walpole, writing to Mason, in a 
 
 letter dated Berkeley-square, Feb. 2, 1784, 
 
 says : — 
 
 " I am surprised that you expected me to take 
 notice of Lord Harcourt's turning courtier. It 
 did not astonish me in the least, as I have known 
 for near two years that such an event was by no 
 means uncertain, and did myself try to contribute 
 to it, when I thought it not at all irreconcilable 
 with his former conduct ; nor do I wonder at 
 your announcing in effect the same of yourself 
 Were I surprised, I should contradict one of my 
 own maxims, which I have never or scarce known 
 fail, and which is that men are always most angry 
 with those with whom they quarrel least, which 
 generally produces reconciliations between those 
 whose hatreds agree ; but, in truth, I concern my- 
 self with no man's politics but my own ; first, be- 
 cause I have no more right to dictate to others 
 than I will allow anybody to dictate to me ; and, 
 secondly, because I can see into no heart but my 
 own, nor know its real motives of action. It 
 made me smile, indeed, when I heard that Lord 
 Harcourt, on his change, had given away his ring 
 of Brutus, who died 1700 years before the coali- 
 tion was thought on. I am glad, however, that 
 if I change, I may keep my Caligula without 
 committing treason. . . . ." 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 169 
 
 Mr. Cuningham, in his edition of Wal- 
 pole's Letters, gives an explanation of the 
 foregoing letter, by quoting an extract from 
 a book called '' Walpoliana.'* 
 
 The following is Walpole's explanation, 
 given in his own handwriting. Side by 
 side with this, I shall place a letter which 
 Walpole had previously written to Lady 
 Harcourt, together with Lady Harcourt's 
 notes upon the subject. Walpoles anger 
 against Lord Harcourt was of short du- 
 ration : — 
 
 " M^ Mason, George Simon Harcourt, and M^ 
 Horace Walpole were intimate friends, and agreed 
 in condemning the King's severe measures ; but 
 at the end of the year 1783, when M^ Charles 
 Fox produced his famous India bill, M^ Mason 
 and Lord Harcourt, without even the slightest no- 
 tice to M^ Walpole, changed sides totally. And 
 though M'". Walpole dined with the Earl in pri- 
 vate but the very day before Lord Harcourt voted 
 against the bill, he did not drop a syllable of his 
 intentions, nor his design of going to Court, which 
 he had not done for some years ; yet he had ac- 
 quainted M^. Mason, or rather, I believe, had been 
 persuaded by him secretly to take those steps ; 
 
and when they were taken, M^ Mason wrote an 
 authoritative letter to IM'. Walpole, approving his 
 conduct, and presumptuously flattering himself, 
 even without giving any reason for tlieir total 
 tergiversation, that he should influence ]\I''. Wal- 
 pole to take the same part. IM'". Walpole thought 
 it became him to treat such treacherous and im- 
 pertinent behaviour as it deserved ; and to let 
 U\ Mason see that with all his admiration for 
 M^ Mason's satiric abilities in poetry, Mr. Wal- 
 pole neither feared his anger, nor would suffer 
 him to govern his principles. 
 
 "^M'". Walpole's answer received none, and though 
 M^ Mason continued to visit him for a year or 
 two, a total coolness ensued, and all correspon- 
 dence by letters ceased. Lady Harcourt, who, 
 during Lord Rockingham's short administration, 
 had overwhelmed M^ Walpole with letters, tw^o 
 or three in a day, to get her Lord a place, which 
 he had tried in vain to do, was made Lady of the 
 Bedchamber, and she and her Lord became a pro- 
 verb even to courtiers of the most servile attach- 
 ment to their Majesties, though both had fore- 
 sworn S^ James's on the King's and Queen's neg- 
 lect of them on the unfortunate death of the 
 Earl's father; and his Lordship, besides wearing 
 a ring of Brutus, with the dagger and Ides of 
 March, had given away the portraits of the King 
 and Queen, their presents to the late Earl. The 
 
 ■■■ 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 171 
 
 Opposition had for many years complained of 
 tliat knot of devotees to the Court, who affected 
 to call themselves the King's friends ; and nobody 
 had been more determined against them than 
 Lord Harcourt and Mason." 
 
 Walpole's letter to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "I think it impossible, Madam, that something 
 should not be offered to Lord Harcourt ; though 
 they who do not ask will be thought on last. 
 They who have lost places will be very clamorous, 
 and some who deserve none will not be less 
 vociferous. 
 
 *' Though I had got M'". Conway all ready to 
 name the jewel office to the Duke of Richmond, 
 the moment I received the honour of your Lady- 
 ship's first note this morning, I wrote to his Grace 
 myself, and begged something proper might be 
 offered to Lord Harcourt, and that it might not 
 be the bedchamber. I told him I asked nothing 
 for myself; on the contrary, I begged no favour 
 might be shewn to me about any places, if they 
 found it necessary to make any re-formation. The 
 Duke was not at home, nor have I heard from 
 him ; but I am as satisfied as if I had the most 
 favourable answer, that he will do all in his power 
 to please Lord Harcourt ; though I know enough 
 of Lord Rockingham, by what I saw in his former 
 administration, to forget that he will engross all 
 
172 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 the power he can to himself, and communicate as 
 little as possible to the Duke and IM"". Conway, 
 though so much greater men than himself. 
 
 " I am sorry that, on this occasion, they are the 
 only two of whom, insignificant as I am myself, 
 I would condescend to ask a favour. It is I feel, 
 Madam, presumptuous in me to talk of asking 
 a favour for Lord Harcourt ; but I knew he would 
 not ask one for himself, nor have allowed one to 
 be asked for him. Being sensible of those two 
 points, and knowing that in such a scramble 
 a minister cannot refuse many who are pressing, 
 for one who does not intimate a wish, (which 
 I must, in fair justice, conclude is Lord Rock- 
 ingham's case), I did take on me to remind the 
 Duke of Richmond, though perhaps Lord Har- 
 court may think I had taken an impertinent 
 liberty with his name. I shall certainly not be 
 ignorant or vain enough to ascribe any share to 
 myself, should my idea succeed ; as Lord Har- 
 court's virtues, rank, and zeal in the cause, entitle 
 him to every distinction ; while I am nobody, nor 
 can claim any interest but with my relation and 
 oldest friend, "SV. Conway, and in the goodness 
 the Duke of Richmond has long had for me. In- 
 deed, so far from pretending interest with the 
 party, I shall, as I did in former administrations, 
 have as little as possible to do with any one of 
 them, but with my two most virtuous friends, of 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 173 
 
 whom I am indeed proud, but who will have, 
 I am sure, no power beyond their own provinces. 
 
 *'The Marquis and Lord Shclburne will have 
 a constant struggle for favour and power, and will 
 probably aid the King to recover the ground he 
 has lost either by their flattery or their quarrels. 
 Something I hope will be done for the nation 
 before this happens ; but what is not done soon, 
 is not done at all. 
 
 ** I am so apprehensive of having gone too far 
 in my zeal for Lord Harcourt, that I wish him 
 not to know it. Your Ladyship may be assured 
 that I am too conscious of my indiscretion not to 
 keep it an absolute secret ; nor shall a soul know 
 it but your Ladyship, and the two persons I have 
 mentioned. I have the honour to be, with the 
 utmost respect, 
 
 *' Your Ladyship's most obedient servant, 
 
 " H. Walpole. 
 
 '^ Berkeley-square^ March 17, 1782." 
 
 What follows IS Lady Harcourt's note 
 upon the above letter : — 
 
 "At the time the Ministry was changed, Vi\ 
 Walpole, who was much attached to Lord Har- 
 court, wished to have some compliment paid to 
 him ; and hoped that the offer of some honour- 
 able situation, whether he accepted it or not. 
 
174 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 might be the means of drawing him a little out 
 of the retirement he was too much inclined to 
 indulge in. M"". Walpole spoke to me on the 
 subject, desired me to consider it, and write my 
 opinion to him ; finding that it agreed with his, 
 he took the step mentioned in this letter. 
 
 "No offer was then made to Lord Harcourt ; 
 but, when M^ Pitt came into the Ministry, in the 
 year 1783, he, unsolicited, proposed to him the 
 embassy to Spain. Lord Harcourt declined it ; 
 but, thinking the King had been ill-treated by the 
 old Ministry, and that the new one ought to be 
 supported, he returned to Court, from whence he 
 had absented himself for six years." 
 
 In the following year, Mr. Pitt asked 
 Lord Harcourt to move the address in the 
 House of Lords : — 
 
 *'' Doivning Street^ May 14, 1784. 
 
 " My Lord, — The liberty which I am going to 
 take, your Lordship will, I hope, attribute to the 
 just sense I set on the support with which, I flatter 
 myself, you honor the present Government. You 
 will forgive me if I am anxious to avail myself, 
 as far as you will permit me, of a circumstance 
 so flattering and honorable. I should, therefore, 
 esteem it a particular obligation if you will allow 
 me to hope that your Lordship would undertake 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 175 
 
 to move the Address in the House of Lords on 
 the opening of the session. Lord Sydney will be 
 happy to have the honor of communicating to 
 you the intended Speech, if you will permit him. 
 
 "At such a moment as the present, such a 
 mark of your Lordship's confidence and favorable 
 opinion, would indeed afford me singular satis- 
 faction. 
 
 " I have the honor to be, with the greatest 
 respect and regard, my Lord, 
 
 Your Lordship's most obedient and 
 faithful humble servant, 
 
 "W. Pitt." 
 
 u 
 
 The Memoir of George Simon, Lord Har- 
 court, will be continued in another volume. 
 
 The wealth of correspondence is so great 
 between Lord and Lady Harcourt, and 
 various distinguished personages, that the 
 only difficulty lies in selecting typical letters 
 to illustrate the times, and to preserve family 
 records, and in abstaining from printing 
 letters of minor importance. 
 
 A moderate degree of success in this 
 endeavour is all that can be looked for ; 
 indeed, any very rigid observance of such 
 
a salutary maxim, need not be insisted upon 
 in private volumes of family history. 
 
 A di^T-ression must now be made for the 
 purpose of giving an account of Nuneham, 
 ^vhich will occupy the concluding chapter 
 of this volume. 
 
 Lord Harcourt*s own printed account of 
 Nuneham will be first given ; then extracts 
 from various writers will be quoted ; and, 
 lastly, a complete list and description of the 
 pictures will be added. 
 
 The two following volumes will be occu- 
 pied with the special subjects of the King's 
 illness, and Mrs. Harcourt's letters from 
 abroad ; and in the sixth volume, the thread 
 of the family history will be resumed. 
 
 In the meantime, a correspondence is in- 
 serted between Lord and Lady Temple, and 
 Lord and Lady Nuneham : two letters from 
 William, Duke of Gloucester, and a strange 
 document of the Duchess of Queensberry s, 
 are also added. 
 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 177 
 
 
 \ 
 
 Earl Temple to Lady Nuneham : — 
 
 "Madam, — With great pleasure I obey your 
 Ladyship's commands ; and have the honour to 
 inform you that Lady Temple's gout is vanished, 
 and has scarce left any other remains than the 
 pleasing recollection of the kind interest which 
 you take in her welfare. In this light she sees it ; 
 and for myself, I am most happy in having this 
 opportunity afforded me of telling your Ladyship 
 in very good earnest, under my hand and seal, 
 how much I /ove and honour you ; as I can, with 
 great truth, make use of the same expressions 
 towards your imperious lord and master. 
 
 " You will not be offended at this honest effu- 
 sion of my heart ; and you will permit me, under 
 that cover, to add, that I am very unhappy at 
 your long continuance in the country ; that I pro- 
 test most vehemently against this tyranny of 
 Flora ; and that I ardently wish you would bring 
 all your own natural roses to town, most lovely 
 when unassisted by any hands but those of health 
 and modesty, and far surpassing the product of 
 any parlour, French or English. 
 
 " In this rapture, I formally offer myself as your 
 true, sworn, and gallant knight, instantly to come 
 down, with a flying chaise and four, to deliver you 
 from captivity, and from the cruel hands of the 
 merciless enchanter ; you shall be brought in 
 
 A a 
 
 1 
 
178 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 triumph to town ; I will invest you with full 
 command over me and mine ; and I will show 
 that I am master over every thing else in my own 
 house. If she does not like it, e'en let her take 
 your place at Nuneham. 
 
 "Though I am not yet quite so vain as Mal- 
 vollo, when he cross-gartered, yet I have assur- 
 ance enough to tell you, with all the warmth of 
 an enamoured swain, and with all the sincere 
 respect of an elder who has almost reached his 
 grand climacterick, that I am most entirely your 
 Ladyship's, and may I add, however ungallantly, 
 his Lordship's, 
 
 " Most devoted, and obedient humble servant, 
 
 "Temple. 
 
 ''Pall Mall, Dec. i, 1772." 
 
 Lady Temple to Lady Nuneham : — 
 
 '' Fall Mall, December 16, 1773. 
 
 "Dear Madam, — I take the first opportunity 
 of returning thanks in my Lord's name, as well as 
 my own, for your very kind letter to Elizabeth 
 concerning us. We came home last night from 
 Lord Clare's, where we have been a fortnight. 
 We spent our time very agreeably ; we went out 
 a dozen or fourteen miles every morning ; had 
 our party every evening, and music whenever we 
 called for it ; the master of the house in high 
 
 » 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 179 
 
 I 
 
 spirits ; the daughter in high beauty, and always 
 amiable. He was miserable to part with us, so 
 that I was not sure we might not have staid there 
 for the next seven years, for we doubled the time 
 we intended. However, we had an alloy to our 
 pleasures, for my Lord got a fever, which was re- 
 moved by James' Powder and asses' milk in three 
 or four days ; it is the first time he has taken it, 
 but will not be the last upon the like occasion. 
 
 " I hear you please mightily in Ireland ; as to 
 your good Lord, he does not care a farthing 
 whether he pleases or not, except myself, there- 
 fore I am very willing to monopolize him ; but 
 you are a common woman, and bestow your 
 favours upon everybody. However, go on and 
 prosper, for I would have you admired ; and, like 
 charity, cover a multitude of sins, not of your 
 own, but of your husband's. 
 
 " Now, assuring your Ladyship we are in perfect 
 health, we remain, dear Lady Nuneham's, and 
 dear Lord Nuneham's, most affectionate, obedient 
 
 humble servants, 
 
 " Temple. 
 
 "Anna Temple." 
 Lady Temple to Lady Nuneham :— 
 
 ''Bath, October 18, 1775. 
 "My dear Lady Nuneham's letter gave me 
 ereat comfort in telling me you were getting 
 
I So Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 better. Time is indeed a great physician ; but 
 not able to do anything without the assistance 
 of his patient. I therefore beg you will make 
 use of all your fortitude to keep up your spirits, 
 and drive away as much as possible melancholy 
 ideas. The waters agree with my Lord very 
 well ; he really fattens every day. As to myself, 
 I have lost the use of one hand ; as you are my 
 friend, I will tell you it is with hard drinking. 
 You are to understand by this that I have the 
 gout in my hand, a very good excuse when I have 
 not a mind to write letters ; but I cannot avail 
 myself of it to you, it would be too great a self- 
 denial ; I therefore put my best hand foremost. 
 I should have been happy to have seen you at 
 home, because I thought change of scene might have 
 been of use to you ; but we would not press it. 
 
 "The Bath is excessively agreeable — for it is 
 very empty. I can say nothing about a fixed 
 time for London, because I do not know when 
 we leave this place. Good Lord ! I have not said 
 a word of Lord Nuneham ; to be sure that is 
 a sign / do not love Jiivi so well as I do you ; how- 
 ever, give the kindest of all compliments to him, 
 both from my Lord and myself; and my Lord 
 says a million of affectionate things to you, and 
 of you. My paper will not hold out for more 
 than assuring you I am ever yours, 
 
 *'A. Temple." 
 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 i8i 
 
 
 Earl Temple to Lord Nuneham : — 
 
 ''Fail Mall, April i6, 1777. 
 
 " My dear Lord, — One, who to my irretriev- 
 able misfortune is now no more, having enter- 
 tained the highest esteem, love, and respect for 
 your Lordship and Lady Nuneham, was desirous 
 of leaving a small token of it to both. I am 
 therefore, on her part, to beg your Lordship's 
 acceptance of a picture of me, done by Rosalba ^ 
 
 "As she set a value, from the partiality of her 
 friendship, on the original, she thought it might 
 not be unwelcome to you, especially as she was 
 no stranger to the sentiments I have always enter- 
 tained with regard to you, and the real honour 
 I have for you. A ruby ring, set round with 
 diamonds, she hoped Lady Nuneham would please 
 to accept. I will have the honour of sending 
 both, and remain to both the dear friends of poor 
 Lady Temple and myself, most unalterably and 
 
 affectionately devoted, 
 
 *' Temple." 
 
 From William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, 
 to Lord Nuneham : — 
 
 '' Gloucester Lodge, July 18, 1773. 
 ** Mv Lord, — As we are very desirous of seeing 
 Nuneham and Oxford, I shall be much obliged to 
 
 "■ This is an exquisite example of the master ; it hangs in the 
 North Corridor at Nuneham. 
 
you if you will fairly tell me what day within 
 these ten days will be most convenient to you 
 and Ladv Xuneham for us to come to you. We 
 propose bringing L^-Coll. llc}\vood and M'"^. 
 Heywood with us. The Dutchess and myself 
 join in compliments to \J Nuneham. 
 
 " Yours, &c., 
 
 "William Henry." 
 
 From William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, 
 to Lord Nuneham : — 
 
 " Gloucester Loiii^e^ July 21, 1773. 
 
 " ]\Iv Lord, — Since you say you are not en- 
 gaged at present, we will be with you on Friday 
 evening next between eight and nine o'clock. 
 We desire both our compliments to L> Nuneham. 
 I am sure, my Lord, I feel myself much obliged 
 to you for your many attentions to me. 
 
 " I am, yours, &c., 
 
 " William Henry." 
 
 Duchess of Queensbury. 
 
 1769. 
 
 The Duchess of Queensbury was daughter 
 to the Earl of Rochester, and the greatest 
 beauty of her time. She was the friend of 
 Gay, and was forbid the Court on account 
 
 Second Earl Harcourt. 
 
 183 
 
 of her patronizing the Opera of '' Polly," in 
 which the Government was satirized. When 
 she received the message, she returned in 
 answer, — 
 
 "The Duchess of Queensbury is surprised, but 
 well pleased, at receiving so agreeable an order as 
 that to forbid her appearing at Court, where she 
 never went for her own amusement, but to bestow 
 her great civilities upon the King and Queen." 
 
 She lived to see the Opera revived in the 
 reign of George the Third, and to see him 
 and the Queen at it. She considered this 
 as a triumph ; and her great exultation, 
 added to the heat of the weather, brought 
 on a fever that occasioned her death. She 
 had a great deal of wit ; and, having lived in 
 the best society, and been very intimate with 
 Pope, Swift, Gay, and the most celebrated 
 men of their time, was full of anecdotes, 
 which, added to the singularity of her cha- 
 racter (of which the note on this paper is 
 a proof), made her very entertaining. She 
 w^as celebrated in the ballad '' Kittv, beau- 
 tiful and young." In another copy of verses 
 
1 84 
 
 Memoir of George Simon. 
 
 as '' Blooming Hyde, beyond compare." 
 She died at a very advanced age, and re- 
 tained great remains of beauty to the last. 
 
 "Dear Lord and Lady Numan,— Prepare 
 yourselves for a strange proposal! without plea — 
 more than that necess'ty has no law, and you are 
 good ; & ho, it is in a word, to desire you to 
 be of our ball intended immcdially after the 
 Holliday ; & that you will be quit off the Ball 
 for next tuesday the 21^^, for we have not room 
 for you & some others. You are so good to 
 su^cr postpivnnoit. Keep this to yourselves pray, 
 & pray pray pray pray forgive, 
 
 "Catherine Queensbury." 
 
 A DESCRIPTION OF 
 NUNEHAM. 
 
 Bb 
 
estiiptmit 0f J^uiul^am. 
 
 HTHE original scheme for the building of 
 the house appears to have been simple 
 enough. Leadbeater was desired by Lord 
 Harcourt to make a plan for a house in one 
 block ; to consist of a basement for cellars 
 and offices, a ground floor for vestibules, a 
 first floor for parlours, a second floor for bed- 
 rooms, and an attic for servants. 
 
 In this plan everything was sacrificed to 
 the development of the spacious apartments 
 on the first floor. The entrance -hall was 
 dwarfed, the offices were sunk under ground, 
 and the bedrooms were contracted into in- 
 
 sisfnificance. 
 
 Great care had been bestowed upon the 
 selection of a site ; and the only exception 
 that could be taken to it was, that the falling 
 nature of the ground aff'orded but little scope 
 for the operations of the architect. It be- 
 came evident, even before the original house 
 
1 88 
 
 A Description 
 
 was completed, that the accessories were 
 wholly inadequate to the requirements of 
 the principal parts of the building. 
 
 Much ingenuity was exhibited in adding 
 what was required ; but the proceedings tell 
 their own tale, and the result is seen, in 
 a house without pretensions to beauty, which 
 covers a large quantity of ground in a very 
 irreo^ular manner. 
 
 The first addition was made in the shape 
 of two wings, united to the centre by corri- 
 dors runninor north and south. These wings 
 were, in the first instance, supposed to con- 
 tain simply the offices, and the corridors 
 were intended to consist of only one story. 
 
 It was soon found that the wings would 
 be required for the accommodation of a 
 library, of sitting-rooms, and of bedrooms; 
 and that the corridors also must be raised. 
 This made it necessary to add another build- 
 ine at riirht ancrles to one of the wings for 
 kitchens and other offices ^ Again, more ser- 
 
 • These alterations were made under the advice of ** Capability 
 Brown. 
 
 » 
 
 vants bedrooms were required, and a space 
 was found for them in a separate block beyond 
 the offices. Then came a proposition to build 
 a handsome entrance-hall, with additional 
 lobbies. Mr. Carr, of York, furnished a plan 
 for the purpose. This scheme, however, 
 was abandoned on account of the expense. 
 
 Lastly, Archbishop Harcourt built an en- 
 tirely new wing, terraces, parapets, and out- 
 buildings of various descriptions. 
 
 The stables, laundry, and dairy, were 
 erected at some litde distance from the 
 
 house. 
 
 The house is approached from the Park 
 by a slight declivity, which gives it the 
 appearance of being iDlaced in a hole. On 
 arriving, however, at the terraces upon the 
 other side of the house, the visitor is at 
 once disabused of this idea, and sees an 
 extensive prospect opened out, with the 
 river some sixty feet below him. . 
 
 On enterincr the house, a low vestibule 
 formed with arches leads to an oval stair- 
 case of an ornamental character; upon as- 
 
IQO 
 
 A Description 
 
 cendine this staircase, the ante-room is found 
 on the right hand, the dining-room in front, 
 and the octai^on drawincr-room on the left 
 hand. The ante-room is thirty feet long 
 by sixteen feet broad, and eighteen feet six 
 inches high. This room is generally used 
 for meals, when the party staying in the 
 house is a small one. 
 
 The aspect of the ante-room is east, look- 
 incT into the Park, with several fine elm-trees 
 in the foreground ; a door on the right hand 
 leads into the great drawing-room, a door on 
 the left hand leads into the north corridor, 
 and one on the east side of the room opens 
 on to a back staircase. The walls are or- 
 namented by various pictures, which will 
 hereafter be described. 
 
 The great drawing-room is forty-nine feet 
 long, by twenty-four feet broad, and eighteen 
 feet six inches high ; the ceiling was de- 
 signed by Stuart, and the mantel-piece by 
 Paul Sandby. The walls are hung with 
 crimson damask. The view from the win- 
 dow is very beautiful ; a balcony in front of 
 
 OF NUNEHAM. 
 
 191 
 
 the drawing-room leads by steps down on 
 to the terraces. On the right hand as you 
 enter the great drawing-room, a door leads 
 into the octagon drawing-room, whilst a 
 door opposite leads into the south corridor. 
 The octagon drawing-room is thirty feet by 
 twenty-four, and eighteen feet six inches 
 high ; a pleasanter room it would be im- 
 possible to find, and the views from the 
 windows are very fine ; the walls are 
 painted a light green with gold decorations. 
 A door opposite leads into the great dining- 
 room, and one on the right opens on to the 
 central staircase. The great dining-room is 
 forty-one feet long by twenty-four feet broad, 
 and eighteen feet six inches high in the 
 centre, fifteen feet high under the columns, — 
 the aspect of the dining-room is north. The 
 south corridor, which is also hung with pic- 
 tures, leads out of the great drawing-room 
 to the library. 
 
 The library is thirty-three feet long by 
 twenty feet broad, and fourteen feet high ; 
 above the books are pictures of the poets, 
 
many of them presents from themselves. 
 Beyond the hbrary is the inner library ; and 
 beyond that, again, are the state apartments, 
 hung ^vith crimson velvet ; here her Majesty 
 Que'en Victoria, Prince Albert, Queen Ade- 
 laide, and other members of the royal family 
 were lodged when they came to Nuneham. 
 Turning to the left is the centre south cor- 
 ridor, out of which a staircase opens, which 
 leads upstairs to numerous bedrooms, and 
 downstairs to the offices. 
 
 The centre corridor is hung with pictures, 
 and contains cabinets of old china. Bed- 
 rooms also open out of it. The north cor- 
 ridor, which is likewise hung with pictures, 
 and ornamented with cabinets, leads into 
 what is called the family wing of the house ; 
 the first room that is reached is a very 
 pleasant sitting-room, thirty-two feet long, 
 by nineteen feet broad, and fourteen feet 
 high. A balcony leads down from it by 
 some steps into a private garden, which 
 adjoins one of the terraces. Beyond this 
 sittino--room are bedrooms and dressing- 
 
 
 OF Nuneham. 
 
 193 
 
 rooms, with a pleasant view into the gardens. 
 A staircase here leads upstairs and down- 
 stairs to bedrooms ; and below is another 
 sitting-room of smaller size, with a door into 
 the gardens. 
 
 Passine now alonor the lower corridor, the 
 smoking and billiard-rooms are found ; and 
 a passage leads out on to the terraces. The 
 lower south corridor leads to the numerous 
 offices, and another flight of stairs to the 
 cellars. From this corridor there is also 
 access to the front approach on one side, 
 and to the terraces on the other. 
 
 Above the principal apartments are suites 
 of bedrooms, and over these again are the ser- 
 vants' attics. The house is throughout lighted 
 by gas, and warmed by hot-water pipes, — it is 
 capable of accommodating seventy persons. 
 
 Lord Harcourt begins his description 
 thus, — 
 
 "Description of Nuneham Courteiiay in 1806, 
 by George Simon, Earl Harcourt : — 
 
 "Nuneham Courtenay being situated near a 
 very public road, and at the distance of only five 
 
 c c 
 
 ;i, 
 
194 
 
 A Description 
 
 miles from Oxford, is visited by most of those 
 persons who travel to see that beautiful and cele- 
 brated city (which can boast of a combination of 
 magnificence with picturesque scenery not to be 
 met with in any other) ; and Nuneham is likewise 
 an object of curiosity to many of the invalids, 
 who in the beginning of summer (which according 
 to the new edition of Fashion's Kalendar, com- 
 mences when the days are shortening, and the 
 Opera-house is shut up) fly for relief from imagi- 
 nary disorders, and real ennui, to the rural de- 
 lights of crowded card-rooms, suffocating balls, 
 and ill-acted plays, at one of the most frequented 
 of the all-healing springs ^ the road to which 
 passes through the village. 
 
 "Among such a variety of persons, there may 
 possibly be a few to whom a more circumstantial 
 description than is to be found in the Oxford 
 Guides may be acceptable, and for their use is 
 this now printed : for we should be sorry to delay 
 anv of those hasty travellers, who desire to be 
 shewn only just as much of the place as can be 
 hurried over in a quarter of an hour, or who 
 glance at the pictures when it is dusk, or view 
 the prospects from the gardens, after candles have 
 been for some time lighted in the house. 
 
 "The Catalogue of the Pictures, with the obser- 
 vations upon them, was drawn up by the Hon^^^ 
 
 •» Cheltenham. 
 
 : 
 
 Horace Walpole, (afterwards Earl of Orford), and 
 S^ Joshua Reynolds ; for the possessor of them, 
 though he may have daubed half-a-dozen paultry 
 landscapes in oyl, have etched a few tollerable 
 plates, and made not a few intollerable drawings, 
 has not therefore the presumption to so fancy 
 himself a judge of painting. 
 
 "At the general Survey this manor belonged to 
 Richard de Courcy ; afterwards to the family of 
 Riparys, or Redvers. Mary, youngest daughter 
 of Wm. de Redvers, Earl of Devon, (who, as well 
 as his uncle William, was surnamed de Vernon,) 
 married Robert de Courtenay, Baron of Oke- 
 hampton, in 1214; it is probable that by this 
 marriage the manor of Nuneham passed into the 
 family of Courtenay, and thence assumed the 
 name of Nuneham-Courtenay. 
 
 "After them succeeded the Pollards; Sir John 
 
 Pollard of Devon. From them it passed to . 
 
 Audley of the Court of Wards, called the rich 
 
 Audley. 
 
 " From him to Robert Wright, Bishop of Lich- 
 field, whose son, Calvert Wright, sold it to John 
 Robinson of London, ^Merchant (temp. 01. Crom- 
 well), Knighted in 1660, and made Lieutenant of 
 the Tower. 
 
 "p^rom the Robinsons it descended to David, 
 Earl of Wemys, (who married Mary, daughter 
 and co-heir of Sir John Robinson, Baronet,) from 
 
196 
 
 A Description 
 
 whom it was purchased In the year 17 10, by 
 Simon, first Lord Harcourt, Lord Chancellor of 
 England. 
 
 "The Park. 
 
 " In which are ' scenes worthy of the bold pencil 
 of Rubens, or to be subjects for the tranquil sun- 
 shines of Claude de LorrainV contains twelve 
 hundred acres ; and from a drive that leads round 
 the inner part of it, are views of the Wittenham 
 hills, of those of Buckinghamshire ^ and the range 
 of hills which rise above the Vale of White Horse : 
 — the drive is also continued through the wood, 
 that frills with a steep descent towards the Thames, 
 which flows at the foot of it ; and in this part, 
 the right-hand bank is very abruptly and pic- 
 turesquely broken by bold and steep projections. 
 To the left, the river is sometimes seen between 
 the stems of trees, and sometimes concealed by 
 the intervening underwood, which in one part is 
 kept low, in order to admit a view of the river, 
 of the house, with the knoll upon which it is 
 placed, and of the mass of trees that form its 
 back-ground ^ On quitting the wood, there is 
 a different view of the house and of the river, 
 
 •^ Walpole's *' Anecdotes of Painters." ** The Chiltern Hills. 
 
 ' "A little farther to the left, a path leads to two picturesque 
 cottages, situated near the river ; of which, and of the bold woody 
 bank that rises above it, the brid^^e commands an advantageous 
 view." 
 
 OF NUNEHAM. 
 
 197 
 
 and the prospect is terminated by Shotover-hill ; 
 the drive then circles round a grove, and passes 
 by the ancient Conduit of Carfax, of which the 
 followincf extract from a MS. in the Bodleian 
 Library is a description : — 
 
 "'This Conduit was erected in the year 1610, 
 by Otho Nicholson, M.A., of Christ Church ; he 
 was afterwards Treasurer to King James L 
 
 "' The building is an exact square ; the arms of 
 the University, City, and Founder, are under the 
 cornice ; at each corner above it are placed as 
 many sun-dials, and between each are carved in 
 open-work the initials of the Founder's name, 
 with a sun, and mermaids holding mirrors and 
 combs. From the angles of the base spring four 
 arches, which, uniting at the top, support a small 
 octagon ; beneath it is a cistern, above which is 
 O. Maud riding upon an ox over a ford, in allu- 
 sion to the name of Oxford ; the water being 
 conveyed into the cistern through the ox ; from 
 it proceeds a pipe, which runs wine upon ex- 
 traordinary occasions. 
 
 "'Above the foot of each arch is one of the 
 supporters of the arms of England, viz. — the An- 
 telope, used by K. Henry VIII. , the Dragon by 
 O. Elizabeth, and the Lion and the Unicorn : 
 each holds a banner, with the quarterings of the 
 royal arms. Between the supporters are various 
 ornaments, such as boys, obelisks, &c. Upon the 
 
outside of the four arches are the four cardinal 
 virtues ; and in each niche of the octagon is a statue 
 with a gilt crown and sceptre. They represent 
 the seven Worthies, with our worthy K. James L, 
 who made up the eighth, and are as follows: — 
 K. David, Alexander, Godfroi de Bouillon, Arthur, 
 Charlemagne. Hector, Julius Caesar. Each figure 
 bears a shield, containing his device, or coat of 
 arms. Between the niches are the figures of 
 women upwards, and scales of fish below ; and 
 beneath them are placed interchangeably the 
 royal badges of England, Scotland, France, and 
 Ireland. Above the cornice of the dome are 
 smaller figures representing the liberal sciences, 
 one of which is Orpheus with his harp, and other 
 musical instruments. On the top of the building 
 stand two figures under a canopy, back to back, 
 to represent Janus ; the one is of an old man 
 holding a shield, whereon is carved a bat with 
 wings displayed ; the other, of a young woman 
 holding a sceptre. Above this is a vane, and over 
 
 that a cross. 
 
 "*N.B. The name of the building is probably 
 a corruption of the French words, quatrc faces, or 
 of carrefour, from the situation in which it was 
 placed, where four streets met. It originally 
 stood at the end of the High-street, Oxford; and 
 having been taken down in the year 1787, was 
 presented by the University to Earl Harcourt, 
 
 OF NUNEHAM. 
 
 199 
 
 who caused it to be removed to its present situa- 
 tion.' 
 
 " On returning towards the house, in one par- 
 ticular spot, Oxford is seen to more advantage 
 than from any other part of the drive — the point 
 of view is, where the ground falls abruptly to- 
 wards a large groupe of trees, in a hollow bottom, 
 whose tops uniting, form a broad base to the 
 town, and give it an artificial elevation. The 
 immediate approach to the house being on a de- 
 scent, has no other beauty than what it derives 
 from three groupes of large spreading elms, which 
 being connected by side-skreens of trees with the 
 wings of the building, every distant object is 
 excluded, and from that circumstance, the rich 
 and extensive prospect from the apartments in 
 the back front appears more striking 
 
 "The Gardens, 
 
 "Which (except the north terrace and flower- 
 garden) were laid out and planted by Brown ^, 
 contain thirty-eight acres; and from the ' knoll = 
 on which the house is situated, command an ex- 
 tensive prospect over all the intervening flat, as 
 far as the towers of Oxford. In another direction, 
 it overlooks the windings of the Thames towards 
 Abingdon. These grand views, terminated by 
 
 ^ Lancelot Brown, commonly called "Capability*' Brown. 
 8 Gilpin's "Tours," vol. i. 
 
200 
 
 A Description 
 
 the Berkshire hills and other rising grounds, com- 
 pose the distance, and are presented from different 
 places around the house, and in the pleasure- 
 ground. The accompaniment also of noble trees 
 on the foreground, sets off the distant scenery to 
 great advantage.' 
 
 ** In passing the arcade on the north side of the 
 house, the west end of the church, the entrance to 
 which is a semi-rotunda of columns supporting 
 a dome, is seen through an opening in the trees, 
 and appears like a small temple; the path then 
 rounds the top of a slope, broken with groups of 
 trees, over which Radley, the seat of Sir George 
 Bowyer, is seen, with the church, and some of the 
 scattered houses of that village. A grove of elms 
 succeeds, which rises to the west end of the 
 church, and the walk is continued through the 
 principal portico of that beautiful building; it 
 consists of six large Ionic columns, that support 
 a pediment, above which a dome rises in the 
 centre. 
 
 " It was erected at the sole expense of the late 
 Earl Harcourt, who himself gave the original de- 
 sign, which received a very slight alteration from 
 Stuart. The insidg has been fitted up by the 
 present Earl ; the interior form is simple and 
 pleasing ; its only ornaments are two tablets with 
 the Harcourt arms '' in French tapestry ; another 
 
 •» These have been removed to the house. 
 
 OF NUNEHAM. 
 
 20I 
 
 piece of tapestry of large dimensions, representing 
 the chiefs of the twelve tribes of Israel at the 
 Passover ; and a picture in the altar-piece (which 
 was also after his design) painted by the Rev. 
 M^ Mason ; the subject, which is the Good Sa- 
 maritan, is well conceived, and has considerable 
 merit. 
 
 "In the church there is a barrel-organ ^ upon 
 which is set M'*. Mason's music for the responses 
 to the Commandments, and his Sunday hymns. 
 The adjoining flower-garden was formed by him, 
 and he suggested the alterations on the north 
 terrace. So that in a very small space we have 
 specimens of his genius in music, painting, and 
 poetry ; of his taste in improving the beauties of 
 nature; and, what is most soothing to those who 
 loved him, a proof that he applied his talents to 
 the noblest purpose, that of celebrating the praises 
 of Him from whom he received them. 
 
 "This building stands on the brow of a hill, 
 which takes a circular sweep to the right ; and the 
 grove that has been passed occupies the declivity 
 to the left. In its front the ground falls, with 
 inequality of surface, between trees towards the 
 meadow; large elms, feathering down to the 
 ground, form in the bottom an irregular boun- 
 dary ; and the distance is terminated by the hill, 
 and part of the village of Headington. The path 
 
 ' Gone long ago. 
 
 Dd 
 
now proceeds through trees, and from it are 
 seen the towers of Oxford, and the village of 
 Radley. A little farther on the right, on a 
 seat placed beneath a very large and spreading 
 elm, is the following inscription by M^ White- 
 head : — 
 
 " * This tree ^ was planted by a female hand. 
 In the gay dawn of rustic beauty's glow; 
 And fast beside it did her cottage stand, 
 
 When age had cloath'd the matron's head with 
 snow. 
 To her, long us'd to Nature's simple ways, 
 
 This single spot was happiness complete ; 
 Her tree could shield her from the noontide blaze, 
 
 And from the tempest screen her litUe seat. 
 Here, with her Colin, oft the faithful maid 
 
 Had led the dance, the envious youths among j 
 Here, when his aged bones in earth were laid, 
 
 The patient matron turned her wheel and sung. 
 She felt her loss ; yet felt it as she ought, 
 
 Nor dar'd 'gainst Nature's general law exclaim ; 
 But check'd her tears, and to her children taught 
 That well-known truth, 'their lot would be the 
 same.' 
 
 ^ This tree is well known to the country people by the name of 
 Bab's tree. It was planted by one Barbara Wyat ; who was so 
 much attached to it, that on the removal of the village of Nuneham 
 Courtenay to where it is now built, she earnestly entreated that she 
 might still remain on her old habitation. Her request was com- 
 plied with, and her cottage not pulled down till after her death. 
 
 OF Nuneham. 
 
 203 
 
 Though Thames before her flow'd, his farther shores 
 
 She ne'er explor'd, contented with her own. 
 And distant Oxford, though she saw its towers. 
 
 To her ambition was a world unknown. 
 Did dreadful tales the clowns from market bear 
 
 Of kings, of tumults, and the courtier train, 
 She coldly listen'd with unheeding ear. 
 
 And good Queen Anne, for aught she car'd, might 
 reign. 
 The sun her day, the seasons mark'd her year, 
 
 She toiled, she slept, from care, from envy free : 
 For what had she to hope, or what to fear, 
 
 Bless'd with her cottage, and her fav'rite tree. 
 Hear this, ye great, whose proud possessions spread 
 
 O'er earth's rich surface, to no space confin'd ; 
 Ye learn'd in arts, in men, in manners read. 
 
 Who boast as wide an empire o'er the mind. 
 With reverence visit her august domain ; 
 
 To her unletter'd mem'ry bow the knee ; 
 She found that happiness you seek in vain, 
 
 Bless'd with a cottage, and a single tree.' 
 
 " The walk now takes a more terrace-like form, 
 and ascends into a thick grove, from which there 
 is an opening into a sequestered part of the park ; 
 it continues round the hill \ and returns into the 
 
 • From the further end of this walk a path diverges leading to 
 the Parsonage, which is situated upon a bold and lofty eminence, 
 commanding a view of Radley over a woody bottom, of the Thames, 
 and of Oxford in the distance ; and these different objects, seen 
 from a hill planted with coppice, are rendered the more striking, 
 
204 
 
 A Description 
 
 same path ; from a seat towards the middle of 
 which Oxford is seen in a particularly advantage- 
 ous point of view : at the entrance of what may 
 be called the church-glade, that building produces 
 its best effect ; the convex form of the ground 
 immediately before it, uniting with a concave 
 sweep, gives to the hill a most pleasing outline ; 
 and when all the surrounding features are brought 
 into one view, from a station where every external 
 object is excluded, the whole forms a striking 
 piece of garden scenery. 
 
 ** The walk now repasses the portico, descends 
 to the house, and is continued round it to the 
 south side of the garden. A broad walk, between 
 a plantation on one side, and tufts of shrubs and 
 detached trees on the other, is continued through 
 a thick wood, planted on the upper part of a lawn 
 that declines toward the meadow ; from hence 
 every distant object is excluded, but it is en- 
 livened in one place by a view into the park. 
 
 **A little onward is Lady Harcourt's oak; 
 which is rendered striking from the circumstance 
 of its far- extended branches resting upon the 
 ground. 
 
 ** Farther to the left is a highly- ornamented 
 seat of the Corinthian order, designed by Saun- 
 
 from the eye being confined on the left by a steep bank covered 
 with wood, and by another fringed with trees, and equally abrupt, 
 on the right. 
 
 OF NUNEHAM. 
 
 205 
 
 ders ; beyond it is another oak called Whitehead's, 
 near which is an urn dedicated to his memory, 
 with the following inscription by M^ Mason upon 
 the pedestal : — 
 
 *' * Harcourt and friendship this memorial raise, 
 
 Near to the oak where Whitehead oft reclin'd, 
 Where all that Nature robed by Art displays, 
 
 With charms congenial, sooth'd his polish'd mind. 
 Let Fashion's votaries, let the ' sons of fire,' 
 
 The genius of that modest bard despise, 
 Who bade discretion regulate his lyre, 
 
 Studious to please, but scorning to surprise ; 
 Enough for him, if those who shar'd his love 
 
 Through life, who virtue more than verse revere, 
 Here pensive pause, while circling round the grove, 
 
 And drop the heart-paid tribute of a tear.' 
 
 " In a recess in the plantation on the opposite 
 side is a seat*", placed there by the advice of 
 M*". Repton, who first discovered the picturesque 
 view from that point. From the eminence upon 
 which the urn is placed, the eye commands a 
 prospect of Oxford, and of the Thames that flows 
 through the intervening valley below ; of Radley 
 with the woods beyond it, and of Abingdon and 
 the Berkshire hills ; Farringdon hill, with the 
 clump of trees upon its summit, is distinctly seen 
 at the distance of eighteen miles ; to the left the 
 ground falls abruptly into a glen in the park, 
 
 " This is now replaced by a rustic arbour. 
 
206 
 
 A Description 
 
 but immediately rises into a brow covered with 
 oaks, which in the distant view of them form 
 a mass ; yet so detached, as on a nearer approach 
 to shew the turf beneath them. 
 
 **The walk now returns toward the house through 
 a closer part of the plantation ; on the left there 
 is a narrow opening, that admits a view over the 
 underwood; and the trees on the fore-ground, 
 apparently uniting with a clump in the garden 
 below, lead the eye to other masses of wood, till 
 it reaches Oxford, which is framed by the trees 
 and shrubs through which it is seen. 
 
 "A little farther, the prospect in front is viewed 
 beneath the branches of detached acacias, from 
 a treillage seat covered with roses and honey- 
 suckles ; and the path, after being carried through 
 a very thick and close part of the plantation, 
 unites with the upper walk. 
 
 "The Flower Garden 
 
 "Has no visible connection with the pleasure- 
 g-round : the entrance is from the path which 
 ascends towards the church, beneath the pediment 
 of a Doric gate^ on which the following sentence 
 from J. J. Rousseau, so beautifully allusive to the 
 world of flowers, is inscribed :— ' Si lAuteur de la 
 nature est grand dans les grandes choses, il est 
 tres grand dans les petites.' 
 
 " This is now done away with. 
 
 OF Nuneham. 
 
 207 
 
 ''A gravel walk enclosed with shrubs leads to 
 the right ; when a view soon opens on the left 
 to an irregular slope, enriched with tufts of flow- 
 ers, seen beneath the branches of trees ; a wide- 
 spreading elm, whose boughs touch the ground, 
 is a kind of central object. The walk then con- 
 tinues between detached trees, till the eye is 
 confined on either side by a thick shrubbery, 
 that unites to the right with a plantation in 
 the park. 
 
 "The path now becomes narrower, and passes 
 through an arched rock covered with ivy, which 
 is designed in imitation of a natural cavern. On 
 one side, on a piece of marble, are these lines from 
 Milton's "Comus:"— 
 
 " ' Musing Meditation most affects 
 The pensive secrecy of desert cell ; 
 
 And Wisdom's self 
 Oft seeks to sweet retired Solitude ; 
 Where with her best nurse, Contemplation, 
 She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings, 
 That in the various bustle of resort 
 Were all too ruffled, and sometimes impair'd.* 
 
 " The front of the grotto is partially concealed 
 by ivy and other creeping plants ; and through 
 an opening before it is caught a glimpse of the 
 garden. On a long slanting stone, which appears 
 to be the smooth part of a crag, is the following 
 
208 
 
 A Description 
 
 inscription to the memory of Walter Clark, Flo- 
 rist, by M^ Whitehead : — 
 
 " * To the Memory of Walter Clark, Florist ; 7vho Died 
 suddenly ?iear this spot^ 1784. 
 
 " ' On him, whose very soul was here, 
 
 Whose duteous, careful, constant toil 
 Has varied with the varying year, 
 
 To make the gay profusion smile j 
 Whose harmless life in silent flow 
 
 Within these circling shades has past ; 
 What happier death could Heaven bestow, 
 
 Than in these shades to breathe his last ? 
 *Twas here he fell : nor far remov'd 
 
 Has earth received him in her breast j 
 Still fast beside the scenes he lov'd, 
 
 In holy ground his relics rest. 
 Each clambering woodbine, flaunting rose. 
 
 Which round yon bow'r he taught to wave, 
 With ev'ry fragrant brier that blows, 
 
 Shall lend a wreath to bind his grave. 
 Each village matron, village maid. 
 
 Shall with chaste fingers chaplets tie ; 
 Due honours to the rural dead, 
 
 And emblems of mortaUty. 
 Each village swain that passes by, 
 
 A sigh shall to his mem'ry give ; 
 For sure, his death demands a sigh, 
 
 Whose life instructs them how to live. 
 
 OF NUNEHAM. 
 
 209 
 
 If spirits walk, as fabling age 
 
 Relates to childhood's wond'ring ear, 
 Full oft, does fancy dare presage, 
 
 Shall W^alter's faithful shade be here : 
 Athwart yon glade, at night's pale noon. 
 
 Full oft shall glide with busy feet. 
 And, by the glimmering of the moon, 
 
 Revisit each belov'd retreat. 
 Perhaps the tasks on earth he knew. 
 
 Resume, — correct the gadding spray. 
 Brush from the plants the sickly dew, 
 
 Or chase the noxious worm away. 
 The bursting buds shall gladlier grow, 
 
 No midnight blasts the flowers shall fear, 
 And many a fair effect shall show. 
 
 At noon, that Walter has been here. 
 Nay, ev'ry morn, in times to come, 
 
 If quainter ringlets curl the shade. 
 If richer breezes breathe perfume, 
 
 If softer swell the verdant glade, 
 If neatness charm a thousand ways. 
 
 Till nature almost art appear ; 
 Tradition's constant, fav'rite theme 
 
 Shall be — poor Walter has been here.' 
 
 " From this spot there is another opening into 
 the interior part of the garden. 
 
 " The walk then winds to the left, where a rude 
 and romantic elm over-canopies a bench. The 
 temple of Flora is the next object ; it is after 
 a design of a Doric portico at Athens : in the 
 
 E e 
 
2IO 
 
 A Description 
 
 centre of the back wall is a medallion of Flora 
 from the antique, in white marble, with the follow- 
 ing inscription from Ariosto : — 
 
 *' * Vaghi boschetti di soavi AUori, 
 Di Palme, e d'amenissime Mortelle, 
 Cedris et Aranci, c'havean frutti e fieri, 
 Contesti in varie forme e tutte belle, 
 Facean riparo a i fervidi calori, 
 De' aiorni estivi con lor spesse ombrelle : 
 E tra quel rami con sicuri voli, 
 Cantando se ne giano i Rossignoli.' 
 
 "It is placed on a gentle rise, from which 
 there is an inclining glade, terminated by a cine- 
 rary urn erected to the memory of M'-. Mason. 
 The lines are by Elizabeth, Countess Harcourt :— 
 
 '"The Poet's feeling, and the Painter's eye, 
 In this thy lov'd retreat, we pleas'd descry : 
 Ah, Mason ! in the scene thy fancy drest, 
 Oft shall the sigh of sorrow heave the breast : 
 Oft recollection picture to the mind 
 The various talents that in thee were join'd ; 
 And while thy lofty genius well may claim 
 The brightest guerdon from the hand of fame, 
 Thy simple manners, that disdain'd all art, 
 The genuine piety that warm'd thy heart, 
 Thy steady friendship, justly might require 
 Numbers like those that once inform'd thy lyre. 
 Ah, fruitless wish ! for ever mute that strain. 
 And " Numbers worthy thee" we ask in vain.' 
 
 **The urn is placed in a kind of recess, over- 
 shadowed by the drooping branches of a large 
 spruce-fir. This glade is formed by an irregular 
 line of the beds of flowers and shrubs on either 
 side, with single Swedish junipers, which have the 
 effect of cypresses, projecting before them. From 
 the temple, the path bends to the right between 
 large elms. 
 
 " On an ornamental seat is, — 
 
 *"Fair Quiet, have I found thee here, 
 With Innocence thy sister dear ! 
 Mistaken long, I sought thee then. 
 In busy companies of Men. 
 Your sacred Plants, at length I know. 
 Will only in retirement grow ; 
 Society is all but rude 
 To this dehcious Solitude j 
 Where all the flowers and trees do close 
 To weave the Garland of Repose.' 
 
 And. Man' ell. 
 
 " The path, as it descends, takes a bolder sweep ; 
 and within a recess in the shrubbery is an urn 
 placed upon an altar, on which is the following 
 inscription by M''. Whitehead : — 
 
 " * Sacred to the Memory of Frances Foole, 
 Viscoimtess Palmerston. 
 
 " ' Here shall our Hng'ring footsteps oft be found \ 
 This is her shrine, and consecrates the ground. 
 

 212 
 
 A Description 
 
 Here living sweets around her altar rise, 
 And breathe perpetual incense to the skies. 
 
 Here, too, the thoughtless and the young may tread ; 
 AVho shun the drearier mansions of the dead, 
 May here be taught what worth the world has known : 
 Her wit, her sense, her virtues were her own ; 
 
 To her peculiar and for ever lost 
 
 To those who knew, and therefore lov'd her most. 
 
 O ! if kind pity steal on virtue's eye, 
 Check not the tear, nor stop the useful sigh ; 
 From soft humanity's ingenuous flame 
 A wish may rise to emulate her fame ; 
 And some faint image of her worth restore, 
 When those, who now lament her, are no more.' 
 
 "George Simon Harcourt, and the Honour- 
 able Elizabeth Vernon, Viscount and Viscountess 
 Nuneham, erected this urn in the year 1771. — 
 William Whitehead, Esquire, Poet Laureate, wrote 
 the verses. 
 
 " The Conservatory next appears ; orange-trees 
 of various kinds are planted in the ground ; and 
 during the summer, the front, sides, and roof of 
 the building are removed ; the back wall is covered 
 with a treillage, against which are planted exotic 
 jessamines, &c. 
 
 " This garden contains no more than an acre- 
 and-half of ground ; but such is the irregularity 
 of its form and surface, the disposition of its 
 shrubs and flowers, and the conduct of the sur- 
 
 OF NUNEHAiM. 
 
 213 
 
 rounding path, that it appears very considerably 
 larger than it really is. In description it may ap- 
 pear overcharged with artificial ornaments ; but 
 they are so placed as to be seen only in unex- 
 pected succession. A flower-garden being pro- 
 fessedly a work of art, admits of all the embellish- 
 ment that art can bestow. But taste alone could 
 not have formed this spot, in which so much of 
 invention and fancy is displayed, that it is ap- 
 parent the genius of poetry must have assisted in 
 the composition °. 
 
 POEMS WRITTEN AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 ''Lines left in the Flow^er-garden, 
 By the late Dr. Bacon, Author 0/ the ' Sjiipe,' o^c. 
 *' * Could Milton be restor'd to sights 
 
 He might, at good Lord Nuneham's cost. 
 See here, with exquisite delight, 
 The Paradise his Adam lost.' 
 
 "To Walter Clark, 
 By the Hon. Horace Walpole, i773- 
 " ' Your pinks and tulips live an hour, 
 A fortnight bounds your utmost pow'r. 
 
 O (( 
 
 Mr. Repton, in his very ingenious and instructive work on 
 'the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening,' observes, 
 that 'the flower-garden at Nuneham, without being formal, is 
 highly enriched, but not too much crowded with seats, temples, 
 statues, or other ornaments ; which being works of art, beautifully 
 harmonize with that profusion of flowers and curious plants, which 
 distinguish the flower-garden from natural landscape, although the 
 walks are not in straight lines.' 
 
214 
 
 A Description 
 
 Flora, the niggard Goddess, pays 
 With short-Hv'cl joys the toil of days. 
 But, Walter Clark, your happy lot 
 Is tallen in a fairer S[)0t ; 
 A Muse has deign'd to view your bowV, 
 And stam[)t immortal every flow'r ; 
 Her breath new perfumes can disclose, 
 Her touch improve the damask-rose ; 
 And ages hence, the buds you raise 
 Shall bloom, to Nuneham'sP living lays. 
 The lilies of the field, that shone 
 With brighter blaze than Solomon, 
 Shall beg to quit their rural stations. 
 To mix with Walter Clark's carnations.'" 
 
 Since the foregoing description by Lord 
 Harcourt was written, alterations have na- 
 turally taken place. When the additions 
 to the house were made by Archbishop 
 Harcourt, formal terraces were constructed, 
 to aftbrd dryer walks near home ; a rosary 
 was added, an ornamental dairy built, open- 
 ino- into the orardens ; much surplusage of 
 busts and verses was removed ; ornamental 
 houses for the agent, bailiff, masons, car- 
 penters, gardeners, &c., were constructed; 
 and large quantities of glass were added 
 
 P Lady Nuneham. 
 
 to the kitchen - gardens. Recently a new 
 church has been constructed near to the 
 removed village, for the convenience of the 
 inhabitants. 
 
 The parish of Nuneham comprises 1,740 
 acres; the rateable value is ;^i,882; the 
 assessed property is ^3,408. The popula- 
 tion is about 300. The Park itself includes 
 portions of four different parishes '^. 
 
 Next follow extracts from Horace Wal- 
 pole's letters, alluding to Nuneham. 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason : — 
 
 ^^ Strazvherry 11111, Aug. 8, 1780. 
 ". . . . Pray tell me when you arc to be at 
 Nuneham ; I should like to meet you there. 
 Lady Jersey says the plan of alteration of the 
 house is laid aside ; and all I could understand 
 was, that the approach to the house is to be 
 changed ; but she is too fine a Lady to ex- 
 plain how that will produce their being better 
 lodged " 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason : — 
 
 ^^ Nimeham, Oct. 13, 1780. 
 ". . . . P.S. This place (Nuneham) is more Ely- 
 sian than ever ; the river (the Thames) full to the 
 
 '^ Nuneham, Toot Baldon, Culham, and Burcote. 
 
brim ; and the church, by one touch of Albano's 
 pencil, is become a temple, and a principal feature 
 of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the 
 world " 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason : — 
 
 ^^ Berkeley-square, Nov. i, 1780. 
 
 " .... I wish you had told me, if you did not 
 find Nuneham in more beauty than ever. I do 
 not know the Paradise on earth I prefer to it, 
 with its Adam and Eve ; who may comfort them- 
 selves with having no children, when they re- 
 collect that the first-born committed murder with 
 tJie jaw-bone of an ass; a deadly weapon I am 
 sure 1 . . . ." 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason :— 
 
 ''Strawberry Hill, Oet. 9, 1781. 
 
 ". ... I go to Park -place the day after to- 
 morrow ; but think I shall not proceed to Nune- 
 ham. I have not heard from Lord Harcourt ; 
 but M^ Stonehewer called here a few days ago, 
 and says the house is pulled to pieces, and conse- 
 quently in great disorder; which I conclude is 
 the reason of my not being summoned " 
 
 OF Nuneham. 
 
 217 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason : — 
 
 ''Berkeley-square^ Feb. 7, 1782. 
 ". . . . How could you forget to tell me of 
 M'. Whitehead's verses on Nuneham ^ ; I am 
 charmed with them : they are the best he ever 
 wrote, except Variety " 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason : — 
 
 ^' Berkeley-square i Feb. 14, 1782. 
 
 " .... I want you to send me a correct copy of 
 your replicatory ' Ode to the Duchess of Devon- 
 shire.' I have at last, after some years of solici- 
 tation, prevailed on Lady Harcourt's modesty to 
 allow me to print a small number of copies of 
 some of her poems " 
 
 To the Rev. William Mason : — 
 
 "Strawberry Hill, Aug. 4, 1782. 
 
 " . . . . Nay, I do not perceive that your pre- 
 sence at Nuneham advances any work there. 
 I have neither received Lady Harcourt's MS., 
 nor a design for the Gothic building which 
 my painted glass is to deck. Does your being 
 within the vortex of Oxford benumb all your 
 faculties ?....'* 
 
 1 "On the late improvement at Nuneham, the seat of the Earl 
 of Harcourt," (Whitehead's Works, iii. 75). 
 
 Ff 
 
2l8 
 
 A DESCRirTION 
 
 To the Countess of Ossory : — 
 
 '' Stnnvherry Hill, Aug. 30, 1790. 
 
 «. . . . Of Nuncham, I doubt you were not 
 half so fond as I am. It is not superb; but so 
 calm, riant, and comfortable, so live-at-able, one 
 wakes in a morning on such a whole picture of 
 beauty " 
 
 OUR OLD HOME. 
 
 By Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1864. 
 
 " . . . . By the time these matters had been 
 properly attended to, we had arrived at that part 
 of the Thames which passes by Nuneham Court- 
 ney ; a fiWQ estate belonging to the Harcourts, 
 and the present residence of the family. Here 
 we landed ; and climbing a steep slope from the 
 river side, paused a moment or two to look at 
 an architectural object called the Carfax ; the pur- 
 port of which I do not well understand. Thence 
 we proceeded onward, through the loveliest park 
 and woodland scenery I ever saw, and under as 
 beautiful a declining sunshine as heaven ever shed 
 over earth, to the stately mansion-house. 
 
 " As we here cross a private threshold, it is not 
 allowable to pursue my feeble narrative of this 
 delightful day with the same freedom as here- 
 tofore ; so, perhaps, I may as well bring it to 
 
 a close. I may mention, however, that I saw 
 the library ; a fine, large apartment, hung round 
 with portraits of eminent literary men, principally 
 of the last century, most of whom were familiar 
 guests of the Harcourts. 
 
 "The house itself is about eighty years old, 
 and is built in the Classic style ; as if the family 
 had been anxious to diverge as far as possible 
 from the Gothic picturesqueness of their old 
 abode at Stanton Harcourt. The grounds were 
 laid out in part by Capability Brown ; and seemed 
 to me even more beautiful than those of Blenheim. 
 Mason, the poet, a friend of the house, gave the 
 design of a portion of the garden. 
 
 "Of the whole place, I will not be niggardly of 
 my rude Transatlantic praise ; but be bold to say 
 that it appeared to me as perfect as anything 
 earthly can be, — utterly and entirely finished ; as 
 if the years and generations had done all that the 
 hearts and minds of the successive owners could 
 contrive for a spot they dearly loved. 
 
 "Such homes as Nuneham Courtney are among 
 the splendid results of long hereditary possession ; 
 and we Republicans, whose households melt away 
 like new-fallen snow in a spring morning, must 
 content ourselves with our many counterbalancing 
 advantages for this one, so apparently desirable 
 to the far-projecting selfishness of our nature, we 
 are certain never to attain " 
 
 I 
 
In giving a list of the pictures which 
 now hang on the walls at Nuneham, the 
 Catalogue which was drawn out by Horace 
 Walpole and Sir Joshua Reynolds, and 
 printed in 1806 by George Simon, Lord 
 Harcourt, three years before his death, will 
 be taken as a basis. 
 
 Many additions, however, have since been 
 made to the collection, and the positions of 
 the pictures have been so much changed, 
 that, as they had neither names nor numbers 
 attached to them, it was often difficult to 
 recognise them in the old Catalogue. 
 
 The numbers prefixed to the descriptions 
 in this Catalogue are also affixed to the 
 pictures themselves. 
 
 The order which will be observed, will be 
 the order of the rooms in which the pictures 
 hanor, rather than the numbers which the 
 pictures themselves bear. 
 
 To be2:in with the ENTRA^XE Hall : — 
 
 133. "Sir Robert Harcourt, Knight of the Bath i495» 
 and Banneret 1497 j son of Sir John and Anne, 
 daughter of Sir John Norris. He was standard- 
 
 i 
 
 AT Nuneham. 
 
 221 
 
 bearer to King Henry VH. at the Battle of Bos- 
 worth. The picture is taken from his monument 
 at Stanton Harcourt." 
 
 134. " Margaret, daughter of Sir John Byron, and widow 
 of Sir WiUiam Atherston, wife to Sir Robert Har- 
 court, Knight of the Garter ; as she is represented 
 upon her curious monument at Stanton Harcourt, 
 with the garter, with its motto, above the elbow on 
 the left arm. This is one of the only three known 
 examples of female sepulchral effigies decorated 
 with the insignia of that Order : the others are those 
 of Constance, daughter of John Holland, Duke of 
 Exeter; first married to Thomas Mowbray, Duke 
 of Norfolk ; and, secondly, to Sir John Grey, Knight 
 of the Garter (temp. Henry V.), on her monument 
 (now much defaced) in the church of St. Catharine 
 near the tower : and of Alice, daughter of Thomas 
 Chaucer, wife of William de la Pole, Duke of 
 Suffolk, in the church of Ewelm in Oxfordshire. 
 On this garter there is no motto, though the monu- 
 ment is in perfect preservation." 
 
 Margaret was grandmother of the above-named 
 Robert. 
 
 135. "Sir Robert Harcourt, son of Sir Thomas, and 
 of Joan, daughter of Sir Robert Francis. He was 
 Sheriff of Leicestershire and Warwickshire, 1445 ; 
 Governour of Vernon, &c., in Normandy, 1446 ; and 
 elected High Steward of the University of Oxford 
 the same year; Knight of the Garter the third 
 year of Edward IV. ; Commissioner, with the Earl 
 of Warwick and others, for the treaty between 
 
vT 
 
 222 
 
 Pictures 
 
 England and France, 1467; slain by the Staflfords 
 of the Lancastrian party, 1471- The picture is 
 from his monument at Stanton Harcourt." 
 
 136. William de Vernon, from a monument in a church 
 in Normandy. It was copied by Thane at a cost 
 of 15/. 15^-. 
 
 137. "William de Harcourt, son of Robert, and Isabel, 
 daughter and heir of Richard de Camville. Queen 
 AdeUza, daughter of Godfrey, first Duke of Bra- 
 bant, and second wife of Henry I., granted the 
 manor of Stanton to her kinswoman, Milicent, wife 
 of Richard de Camville ; on the marriage of their 
 daughter Isabel to Robert de Harcourt, it assumed 
 the name of Stanton Harcourt, and has continued 
 700 years in the Harcourt family in direct descent. 
 William de Harcourt adhered to King John in the 
 Barons' wars ; was at the siege of Damietta in the 
 Holy Land, An. 1216 ; and Governor of Tamworth 
 Castle, 12 19. He married, by the King's appoint- 
 ment, AUce, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Noel, of 
 Ellenhall, in the county of Stafford. The picture is 
 from his monument in the cathedral of Worcester." 
 
 138. "Maud, daughter of John, Lord Grey of Rother- 
 field, by his second wife, Avice, daughter and co- 
 heir of John, Lord Marmion, (which Maud, with her 
 two brothers, assumed the name and arms of their 
 mother,) wife of Sir Thomas Harcourt, son of Sir 
 Richard and Johanna, daughter of Richard, Lord 
 Grey of Codnor. Died the seventeenth year of 
 Richard XL The picture is from her monument 
 at Stanton Harcourt." 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 223 
 
 139. "A Head of one of the Harcourt family. A pre- 
 sent from Mr. Harcourt Powell to George Simon, 
 Earl Harcourt." 
 
 140. "A Head of one of the Harcourt family in the 
 reign of Charles I." 
 
 Principal Staircase. 
 
 104. Noah and his family, with all the different animals 
 preparing to enter the ark. It is said to be by " Im- 
 periali " in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue. Whether it 
 should not have appeared as having belonged to 
 the " Imperiali " family is a question : I cannot 
 discover such a painter as Imperiali. The picture 
 was purchased by Simon, Earl Harcourt, in the 
 year 1740. He paid 28/. 7^. for it to M^ Langford. 
 
 No number. A Cattle-piece, said to be by Dirk Vanden 
 Bergen. 
 
 116. George Bussy, Lord Villiers, afterwards fourth 
 Earl of Jersey, by Brompton. This picture was 
 a present from himself. 
 40. Sarah Jennings, first Duchess of Marlborough, 
 after Kneller. This picture was given by the 
 Duchess to the first Lord Harcourt. 
 29. Ferdinand, Infant of Spain, and Cardinal, Go- 
 vernor of the Netherlands, by Hunneman; from 
 the collection of Viscountess Galway. The Infant, 
 Don Ferdinand, received from the Pope a Cardinal's 
 hat at the age of ten, and was raised by proxy to 
 the See of Toledo — the Primacy of Spain, and 
 one of the richest benefices in Europe. He was 
 the third son of Philip III. The painter, Adrian 
 
 { 
 
224 
 
 Pictures 
 
 Hunneman, was a native of the Hague: he 
 passed sixteen years in England : he studied the 
 works of Vandyck, and died in the year 1680. 
 This picture is nicely painted, but it has been 
 cleaned to the quick. 
 
 70. A Farm-yard, attributed in Lord Harcourt's Cata- 
 logue to Murillo ; it was bought from the collection 
 of Mr. Bagnot by Lord Harcourt in the year 1740 
 
 for 16/. 
 
 71. A Woman on horseback, attended by several 
 figures and various animals; described in Lord 
 Harcourt's Catalogue as ''a well-painted picture 
 by Watteau." 
 
 The Ante-room. 
 
 32. Queen Henrietta Maria, attributed in Lord Har- 
 court's Catalogue to Vandyck. The original is well 
 known ; this is, however, a carefully-studied and 
 well-painted picture, whoever it may be painted by. 
 
 38. Louis XIV., King of France, by Peter Mignard ; 
 a good picture, said to be one of the ten which 
 he painted for his Patron, Louis IV. Mignard was 
 bom at Troyes, 1610: he studied at Rome, and 
 obtained the name of the Roman: he died 1695, 
 
 aged 85. 
 37. The Nativity, by Bronzino ; this picture is dated 
 1547. Bronzino was born in Florence, 151 1. The 
 picture was somewhat marred by its " restoration " 
 by Thane in 1836, who charged 41/. for the 
 operation. 
 
 41. This picture is thus described in Lord Harcourt's 
 Catalogue : — " The Holy Family, a celebrated pic- 
 ture of Barocci, known by the name of La Madonna 
 colla Gatta, from the cat in one corner; it has 
 been etched by himself, and was in the collection 
 of the Eari of Pomfret." This picture was bought 
 by Simon, Earl Harcourt, in the year 1740, for 
 24/. 3J-. ; it w^as mercilessly cleaned and repaired by 
 Thane in the year 1836. He charged 15/. 15X. for 
 the operation ; which, in his bill, he describes as 
 a singular success. Barocci was bom at Urbino, 
 1528 ; and died 1612, aged 84. 
 
 39. A Holy Family, by Le Sueur, described in Lord 
 Harcourt's Catalogue as " in his best manner, and 
 extremely fine." Eustachius le Sueur was born at 
 Paris, 161 7 ; and died 1655, aged ^6. 
 
 42. Aubrey Vere, twentieth, and last Earl of Oxford, 
 of that house. This picture is by Walker, and is 
 a fine example of the master. Robert Walker died 
 in the year 1658: he was much patronized by 
 Cromwell. 
 
 43. Christ driving the money-changers out of the 
 Temple, by Bassano, painted on black marble. 
 Rebecca, Countess Harcourt, in wTiting to her son, 
 (vid. letters,) Sept. 23, 1755, says of this picture, — 
 " I think I mentioned a Bassano that we had 
 bought for six guineas of Deard ; luckily he knows 
 nothing of a picture ; if he had, we must have paid 
 a large sum for it. 'Tis painted on marble; the 
 subject,— Christ driving away the people out of 
 the Temple ; very finely painted, as Mr. Fanquier 
 
 ^S 
 
' I 
 
 226 
 
 Pictures 
 
 says, upon whose recommendation we bought it, 
 neither of iis having seen it ; but the price was so 
 low, tl-iere was no withstanding the purchasing of 
 it." It came from the collection of Dr. Peters. 
 Jacopo da Ponte, called Bassano, was born 15 10; 
 and died 1592, aged 82. 
 
 44. The meeting of Ulysses and Nausicaa ; noted in 
 Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as "capital;" painted 
 by Salxator Rosa. A i)resent from the Due de 
 Harcourt to Lord Ilarcourt, in acknowledgement 
 of the kinchiess shewn to him when he was a re- 
 fugee in England, at the time of the French revo- 
 lution. He received an asylum and a pension 
 from Lord Harcourt, until he was enabled to 
 return to France. Salvator Rosa was born at 
 Naples, 1614; and died in 1673, aged 59. 
 
 45. A Landscape with a decayed cottage, by Decker ; 
 noted in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue, " one of the 
 best of that Master." 
 
 46. Baron Rhynwick, by Pourbus ; a well-painted pic- 
 ture. Pourbus was born in 1570; and died 1622, 
 aged 52. 
 
 47. Ruins and figures, by Paul Bril. P. Bril was born 
 at Antwerp, 1554; and died 1626, aged 72. 
 
 31. Another simikir subject, by the same artist. 
 
 30. Dogs and (iamej noted in Lord Harcourt's book 
 as "a capital Snyder." This picture was bought 
 by Simon, Earl Harcourt, from Mr. Lamb, in 1757, 
 for 55/. 13^. Snyder was born at Antwerp, 1579; 
 and died 1657, aged 78. 
 
 59. George Simon Harcourt, Viscount Nuneham, at 
 
 the age of 17, by Reynolds; in Lord Harcourt's 
 Catalogue the description runs thus, — " the trans- 
 parent colouring of this head can scarcely be sur- 
 passed." It was painted in 1755, at a cost of 
 
 12/. lOi". 
 
 6^. Simon, Earl Harcourt, by Reynolds. A note 
 appears in Lord Harcourt's account, " Paid Mr. 
 Reynolds, the painter, for picture of myself and the 
 boy, 26/. 5J-." 
 36. " Lettice, daughter and co-heir of Henry, son of 
 Sir Francis Knollys, K.G., wife to William, fourth 
 Lord Paget, by Mark Gerards." This painter was 
 born at Bruges, 1561; and in 15S0 came over to 
 England, where he was appointed painter to Queen 
 Elizabeth; he died 1635, aged 74. 
 320. Musical memories, by Miss A. E. Donkin ; bought 
 in 1874 by E. W. Harcourt in the Royal Academy 
 for 75 guineas. 
 
 327. E. W. Harcourt, by W. B. Richmond; painted in 
 
 1875, ^^s^ ^5°^- 
 
 328. Lady Susan Harcourt, by W. B. Richmond ; painted 
 
 in 1876, price 150/. 
 
 329. Medora, by Miss F. Tiddeman, painted in 1S76; 
 bought by E. W. Harcourt in the Royal Academy, 
 
 price 40/. 
 
 333. Aubrey Harcourt, by Miss Taylor; painted in 
 
 1878, price 21/. 
 
 334. Florie, by Arthur Hacker, painted in 1S79; bought 
 
 by E. \V. Harcourt in the Royal Academy, price 
 
 25/. 
 48. "Maurice, Prince of Orange, by Mirevelt." Maurice 
 
was Governor of the Netherlands, and son of 
 William, the protector of Belgic liberty; he was 
 born 1567, and died unmarried in 1625, at the 
 age of 58. Michael Jansen Mirevelt was born at 
 Delft in 1568; and died in 1641, aged 73. This 
 is an admirably-painted picture, said by some to 
 have been painted by Velasquez. 
 
 A bust of Edith Harcourt, daughter of E. W. 
 Harcourt and Lady Susan Harcourt, married to 
 the Hon. Murray Finch Hatton ; by Noble, in 
 1873; one of the last and best works of that 
 master; the price was 150/. Noble was an artist 
 of the greatest refinement, and of a very sensitive 
 nature; he died in 1877. 
 
 Large Drawing-room. 
 
 I. "George Simon, second Earl Harcourt; his wife, 
 Elizabeth, second daughter of George Venables 
 Vernon, first Lord Vernon, in coronation robes; 
 and the Hon. William Harcourt, afterwards third 
 Earl Harcourt, in the uniform of Aide-de-camp to 
 the King; by Sir Joshua Reynolds; richly and 
 harmoniously coloured. This picture is generally 
 considered one of the most perfect of its kind." 
 There are six oil-paintings by Sir Joshua Reynolds 
 at Nuneham ; some of them have been irretrievably 
 damaged under the hands of those who have un- 
 dertaken to relitie them, owing to their ignorance 
 of an artifice which Sir Joshua latterly employed. 
 The writings of Caylus on the use of wax in paint- 
 ing, by the painters of antiquity, led Reynolds to 
 
 AT Nuneham. 
 
 229 
 
 introduce this medium into his own practice. Now, 
 on relining a picture, heat^ it seems, as well as 
 pressure is needed ; so that, whilst undergoing this 
 process, the surface of one of the greatest of 
 Reynolds' works was left behind in the mould. In 
 the case of the present picture, George Granville 
 Harcourt, the then possessor of Nuneham, in the 
 year 1859, at the instigation of Anthony, the pic- 
 ture-cleaner, allowed the rich crimson background 
 of the picture to be removed ; beneath this was 
 found a green surface, which now forms the back- 
 ground of the picture. The operation was a bold 
 one, and a very doubtful improvement, 
 o. The picture without a label was purchased in 
 Rome by George Granville Harcourt in the year 
 1848; the subject is the Flight into Egypt; it is 
 the work of a copyist, and is without merit ; it was 
 bought simply to occupy the space formerly filled 
 by a picture of Susanna and the elders, which was 
 considered an unfit subject for a drawing-room. 
 
 2. Beggar-boys, described in Lord Harcourt's Cata- 
 logue as being by Murillo, and having come from 
 Penshurst. No doubt the latter part of the story 
 is true : the picture is not a good one. 
 
 3. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as "a 
 Landscape, by Caspar Poussin, in his first man- 
 ner. Figures by Nicholas Poussin." Dughet was 
 born in France, t6oo; he died 1663, aged (i^i'- 
 he assumed the surname of his brother-in-law, 
 Poussin, and is best known by the name of Caspar 
 Poussin. 
 
2^0 
 
 Pictures 
 
 4. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as "a 
 Landscape, with a cart overturning by moonlight, 
 a capital picture, by Rubens ; well-known by Bols- 
 waert's print called * La charette embourbee,' from 
 the collection of the Comte de Guiche at Paris." 
 Lord Harcourt, in writing to his wife, says,— 
 *' Amongst various distant visits I have called on 
 Sir Joshua, and seen the Rubens ; which he talks 
 over, and looks at with delight ; it has been cleaned, 
 and once varnished, in his house, and under his 
 eye; and he has kindly offered to repair it after 
 the next coat of varnish is laid on, which is neces- 
 sary to prevent the further peeling off: it is much 
 brighter than it was before, and has lost all that 
 harshness which threatened further decay, which 
 Sir Joshua thinks it will not be liable to ; but to 
 be sure it has peeled very much, and none but 
 Sir Joshua himself could be trusted to mend the 
 defects, though they are not in any way the ma- 
 terial parts of the picture." 
 
 Rubens was born at Cologne, 1577; and died 
 1640, aged 63. This picture was transferred from 
 panel to canvas by Thane in the year 1835, by 
 whom it was not improved. 
 
 5. By G. Poussin, a pair to No. 3, vid. note on that 
 
 picture. 
 
 6. A Landscape, with large figures, dogs, and game ; 
 attributed to Gio. Francesco Grimaldi, called II 
 Bolognese, a disciple of A. Cracci. He died 1680, 
 aged 74. 
 
 7. A Landscape, described in Lord Harcourt's Cata- 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 231 
 
 logue to Claude le Lorrain : Lord Harcourt gave 
 7/. 9^. (dd. for it in April, 1754. 
 
 8. A Landscape, with figures and cattle, by Nicholas 
 Berchem. Berchem was born at Haerlem, 1624; 
 and died 1683, aged 59. This is a nice picture, 
 in good order : it was a present to Lord Harcourt, 
 from Sir John Blaquiere, K.B. 
 
 9. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as '' a 
 fine Landscape, by Nicolas Poussin:" it was bought 
 for Lord Harcourt, March 15, 1756, by Mr. Fan- 
 quier, from the collection of Mr. Houlditch, for 
 52/. \os. It has been engraved by Vivares. 
 
 10. St. Margaret. This is described in Lord Harcourt's 
 Catalogue as '' a most capital picture, by Titian, of 
 St. Margaret. It was in the collection of King 
 Charles I., and has been etched by Howard, the 
 painter." 
 
 The original manuscript account of Charles I.'s 
 pictures, includes one of St. Margaret, by Titian ; 
 the measurements of the picture are variously given 
 on the same page, as 6 ft. 2 in., and 6 ft. ; the figure 
 is described as holding a little red cross in her left 
 hand ; upon the right light, upon cloth ; Van der 
 Doort always reverses right and left ; and what he 
 calls right, we should call left. In the Nuneham 
 picture, the light comes in from the left, according 
 to our ideas. A clear 1 1 in. has been added to 
 this picture at the top; without which it would 
 accord with the required measurement. The piece 
 added at the top is wretched in execution and 
 colour; some ugly blue has been daubed over the 
 
 
232 
 
 Pictures 
 
 old greenish blue, to hide the line of the addition ; 
 the arm and knee have been roughly and thickly 
 coloured over the old paint ; and the green of the 
 drapery has been restored to a tint far different 
 from any Titian ever employed. The cross is 
 brown; but there is a red reflection in the left 
 hand, which might have proceeded from a red 
 cross. It was said to have been bought at the 
 Hague ; but it has been so embellished by picture- 
 cleaners, that the present picture gives very little 
 idea of the original. The last operation performed 
 upon it was by Thane in 1837, for which he charged 
 31/. 10^.; whether Titian ever had a hand in it, 
 whether Paris Bordone was its author, or whether 
 it came from Charles I.'s collection, must be left 
 open questions. 
 
 11. Moonlight on the water, by Aart van der Neer. 
 This picture was bought by Lord Harcourt, 
 March 23, 1758, for 34/. 13^- ^^ is a very ex- 
 cellent picture. This painter was born 1627 ; and 
 died 1690, aged 63. 
 
 12. A Landscape, by Jacob van Ruysdael ; very good 
 example of the master. This picture was bought 
 by Lord Harcourt, April 16, 1756, for 10/. 10s. 
 Ruysdael was born at Haerlem, 1636; and died 
 
 1681, aged 45. 
 
 13. This picture is described as "a Landscape by 
 Rubens, figures and cattle by Teniers ; an en- 
 graving from it has been done by Van Uden." 
 Rubens was born at Cologne in 1577; Teniers 
 studied under him ; and Van Uden was often em- 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 ^00 
 
 ployed by him to paint his backgrounds for him ; 
 Rubens died in 1640, aged 63. 
 
 14. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as " Mars, 
 Venus, and Cupids ; a very capital picture by 
 N. Poussin, from the collection of Mr. Furnesse." 
 This picture was bought by Lord Harcourt, Feb. 4, 
 1758, for 105/. N. Poussin was born at Audel in 
 Normandy, 1594; and died 1665, aged 71. 
 
 15. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as ''Moses 
 sweetening the waters of Meriba, by N. Poussin; 
 and more highly coloured than those of that master 
 generally are." 
 
 Rebecca, Countess Harcourt, writing to her 
 son, Sept. 1755, says, — ''I must tell you we lately 
 bought one of N. Poussin's pictures (Moses sweet- 
 ening the waters of Meribah). 'Tis painted after 
 the manner of Raphael ; and, though a little dark, 
 is esteemed by the best judges to be a capital 
 picture ; for those who are not so, Reinholds ^ says, 
 would not like it. Knapton sold it some years ago 
 for Dr. Hickman to Blackwood for 150 guineas, he 
 sold it to Lord Royden for 250 ; and, after passing 
 through several hands, my Lord was so fortunate 
 as to get it for 50/." 
 
 16. A Landscape with figures, by Both; described in 
 Lord Harcourt's Catalogue, and rightly so described, 
 as "one of the best pictures of that master." 
 J. Both was born at Utrecht, 1610 ; and died 1650, 
 aged 40. 
 
 17. Maria, second daughter of SirEdward Walpole, K.B., 
 
 ' Reynolds. 
 
 Hh 
 
Countess Dowager of Waldegrave, and Duchess of 
 Gloucester, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The curious 
 remark about the picture in Lord Harcourt's Cata- 
 logue (considering by whom that Catalogue was 
 drawn up) was this : " It is worthy of Guido, and 
 the subject such as Guido would have chosen." 
 We may be disposed to substitute the name of 
 Reynolds for Guido ; eitlier painter might be proud 
 of having painted the picture. It has unfortunately 
 suffered much at the hands of picture-cleaners ; but 
 if placed in a suitable light, the picture exhibits all 
 the powers of the master at his best period. About 
 the year 1730, Edward Walpole, son of the minister, 
 took under his protection a very beautiful young 
 woman, who lived as a dressmaker above his lodg- 
 ings in London. His father prevented the marriage 
 with her which his son desired. Miss Clements 
 was daughter of the postmaster at Darlington ; she 
 bore three daughters to E. Walpole, and herself 
 died at the birth of the youngest. The eldest of 
 these daughters married the Hon. and Rev. F. 
 Keppel ; the second daughter, Maria, married Lord 
 Waldegrave, who was considerably her senior in 
 age. There were three daughters, the issue of this 
 union ; Elizabeth Maria, who married her cousin, 
 the fourth Earl of Waldegrave ; Charlotte Maria, 
 who married George, Duke of Grafton ; and Anne 
 Horatia, who married Lord Hugh Seymour. Lord 
 Waldegrave died in 1763, of small-pox. His widow 
 received several offers of marriage after his death ; 
 amongst others from the Duke of Portland. She 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 235 
 
 eventually married Henry, Duke of Gloucester ; the 
 marriage was not made public for six years after it 
 was solemnized. William, Duke of Gloucester, and 
 the Princess Sophia of Gloucester, were the children 
 of this marriage. William, Duke of Gloucester, 
 married his cousin, the Princess Mary, daughter of 
 George HI. In the succeeding volumes, letters 
 will appear from Maria, Duchess of Gloucester, 
 which will illustrate some of these events. 
 18. "The embarkation of King Charles II. at Schevel- 
 ing, An. 1660, with English and Dutch yachts:" 
 it is described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as 
 "a capital Vander-Veldt," and it merits the de- 
 scription. William Vander Velde was born at 
 Leyden, 1610; and died 1693, aged S^. 
 
 At the end of the room are two busts : the one, 
 of the Hon. Ed. Harcourt, Archbishop of York, 
 by Noble,— the first commission given to that 
 artist ; the second, of the Rev. W. Harcourt, son 
 of Archbishop Harcourt, by Noble, after Chantrey. 
 80/. was paid to Noble for the copy in 1872; 
 Chantrey was paid 300 guineas for the original 
 in 1836, which is now in the Yorkshire Museum 
 
 in York. 
 
 In a small table-cabinet in the Drawing-room are 
 several articles of curiosity ; such as an exquisitely- 
 finished and very small watch belonging to the 
 Queen of Bohemia, daughter of James I., and 
 given by her to Frederick Harcourt, brother of 
 Sir Simon Harcourt. A watch, cased in blue ena- 
 mel, and set with diamonds, given by George III. 
 
236 
 
 Pictures 
 
 to Elizabeth, Countess Harcourt. A small edition 
 of Tasso, carried by J. J. Rousseau in his pocket, 
 and at his death given to Lord Harcourt by his 
 widow; the pocket-book which belonged to Rous- 
 seau, given in the same way. A portion of the 
 oak in which Charles II. concealed himself, from 
 Sir Hans Sloane's collection. A purse which be- 
 longed to Charles I. A piece of the oak from 
 which tradition says that the arrow glanced which 
 slew William Rufus. A miniature of Queen Char- 
 lotte ; a miniature of Simon Harcourt, Lord Chan- 
 cellor ; two miniatures of Elizabeth, Countess Har- 
 court; a miniature of Louis XIV. of Erance. A 
 small case which formerly contained a portion of 
 the heart of Louis XIV., obtained at Val de Grace, 
 when the spoliation took place during the Erench 
 Revolution. The case still remains ; but the con- 
 tents came to an extraordinary ending in the year 
 1848. Queen Charlotte's snuff-box, light-blue ena- 
 mel, set with pearls, and still containing some of 
 the Spanish high-dried. A snuff-box, the present 
 of the Princesses Augusta and Elizabeth to Lady 
 Harcourt. A snuff-box, the present of the King 
 to Lord Harcourt. A piece of glass from Stanton 
 Harcourt, upon which Pope scratched an inscrip- 
 tion when he finished translating one of the books 
 of the Iliad. A snuff-box, with a miniature of 
 Queen Victoria set in diamonds, presented by 
 Her Majesty to Colonel F. Harcourt ; together 
 with many other things. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 237 
 
 Octagon Drawing-room. 
 
 19. George Granville Leveson Gower, first Duke of 
 Sutherland ; a present from himself to his brother- 
 in-law, Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
 21. Lady Elizabeth Harcourt, daughter of the Earl of 
 Lucan, and first wife of George Granville Harcourt, 
 eldest son of Archbishop Harcourt, by Sir Thomas 
 Lawrence ; a good example of the painter. 
 
 22. Mary, eldest daughter of William Danby, D.D., 
 and widow of Thomas Lockhart, Esq., of Craig- 
 house, Scotland; married, Sept. 21, 1778, Colonel 
 the Hon. W. Harcourt, only brother of Lord Har- 
 court. Horace Walpole writes thus of this mar- 
 riage : — "I must not omit my compliments on 
 Colonel Harcourt's marriage ; and yec it is not 
 with perfect cordiality. It is not thence I wish for 
 a Lord N"uneham ; pray forgive me in friendship. 
 I am a Tory, and love the right line ; though I de- 
 sire the house of Harcourt may reach to the end 
 of the world, as it has reached from the beginning." 
 The picture is painted by Opie, and is the best 
 that can be seen by that master. 
 
 20. Ruins at Rome, by Panini. Painted for Simon, 
 first Earl Harcourt, in Feb. 1754; he paid 21/. for 
 it. Paolo Panini was born at Placentia, 169 1 ; and 
 died 1758, aged 67. 
 
 23. A pair to No. 20, with the same history' attached 
 to it. 
 
 24. Granville Leveson Gower, first Marquis of Stafford ; 
 a present from him to his son-in-law. Archbishop 
 Harcourt. 
 
238 
 
 Pictures 
 
 25. "A Landscape, with figures and cattle, by Cuyp ; 
 from the collection of Lord Kingsland, at Dublin." 
 Cuyp or Kuyp was born at Dort, 1606. 
 
 26. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as "a 
 Landscape with Ruins, by Patel ; from the collection 
 of Mons. de la Live, at Paris, which was composed 
 of the choicest specimens I could procure of the 
 several masters of the French school." This pic- 
 ture, a pleasing one, is verj^ justly and delicately 
 painted. 
 
 27. Mr. Pope, by Kneller; described in Lord Har- 
 court's Catalogue as "the best portrait of him, 
 and one of the best works of that master." At the 
 back of the picture was transcribed (until the pic- 
 ture was relined by Rutley) the following letter to 
 
 Simon, Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ August 22, 1723. 
 
 " My Lord, — It is a satisfaction to me to tell your 
 Lordship that 1 shall not be any way disappointed 
 of the honour you intend me, of filling a place in 
 your library with my picture. I came to Town 
 yesterday, and got admission to Sir Godfrey Kneller, 
 who assured me the original was done for your 
 Lordship; and that you, and no man but you, 
 should have it. I saw the picture there afterwards ; 
 and was told by his man that you had sent and 
 put a seal upon it. Give me leave, my Lord, 
 with great sincerity to thank you for so obliging 
 a thought, as thus to make me a sharer in the 
 memory, as I was in the love of a person, who was 
 justly the dearest object to you in the world : and 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 239 
 
 thus to be authorized by you to be called his 
 friend, after both of us shall be dust. I am ever, 
 with all good wishes to your Lordship and your 
 family, (in which, too, I must do my mother the 
 justice to join'her,) 
 
 " My Lord, 
 *' Your most obliged and most faithful servant, 
 
 " A. Pope." 
 
 Lord Harcourt, writing to Lady Harcourt, Dec. 
 1792, says, — "Pray order Jacob to see that Mr. 
 Pope's portrait be carefully placed in a packing- 
 case, and brought to London with the waggon ; 
 for Lord Onslow wants a copy of it, and has 
 a right ' to have one." 
 28. Described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as "a 
 Portrait by Velasquez ; fine, and very rare." 
 
 Don Diego Velasquez De Silva, was born at 
 Seville, 1594; and died 1660, aged 66. 
 
 Dining-room. 
 
 52. Frances, daughter of Geoffrey Vere, fourth son of 
 John, Earl of Oxford, and sister to Sir Francis, and 
 Horace Lord Vere of Tilbury ; wife of Sir Robert 
 Harcourt. Mother of Simon Harcourt, who was 
 killed in the civil wars, and who was grandfather 
 of Lord Chancellor Harcourt. A full length ela- 
 borate picture, painted in the time of James L 
 
 53. " Batde of the Boyne by John Wycke," commonly 
 
 » This was because he allowed Lord Harcourt to have a copy of 
 his picture of Milton, which copy, now that the original is lost, 
 has become a picture of much value. 
 
240 
 
 Pictures 
 
 called the younger. This picture was bought by 
 Simon, Lord Harcourt, for nine guineas. 
 
 John Wycke was born at Haerlem, and died 
 1702. 
 
 54. Sir Robert, eldest son of Sir Walter Harcourt ; the 
 following description is given in Lord Harcourt's 
 Catalogue, — he was " the principal adventurer with 
 Sir Walter Raleigh, in his voyage to Guiana, for 
 which expedition he built and fitted out at his own 
 expense three vessels, by which means (in addition 
 to his costly buildings at Ellen Hall, county of 
 Stafford) he dissipated a large fortune, and was 
 reduced to sell that ancient possession, as well as 
 that of Wytham in Berkshire, now the Earl of 
 Abingdon's; both of which had remained in the 
 family from the reign of King John." 
 
 This picture forms a pendant to that of his wife, 
 before described. 
 
 49. *' View of part of the Quay and Bay of Naples, by 
 Gasparo Occhiali." This picture shews the top of 
 the Grotto of Pausilippo over the houses. It is 
 signed Caes Van Witt, 17 10. The family name of 
 the painter was Witel ; he died in 1736. 
 
 51. View of part of Rome and the Tiber, by the same 
 artist. 
 
 55. Infant Samuel ; a copy of the picture at Knole, 
 by Sir Joshua Reynolds. 
 
 56. A Boy; a copy of a picture at Cobham, by Sir 
 Joshua Reynolds. 
 
 57. Lady Anne Harcourt, daughter of the first Mar- 
 quis of Stafford, and sister of the first Duke of 
 
 AT NUNEIIAM. 
 
 241 
 
 Sutherland, wife of Archbishop Harcourt ; by Jack- 
 son ; a very excellent picture. 
 58. "A Boy with a vase with flowers, an asp hanging 
 to his finger, by Murillo ;" described in Lord Har- 
 court's Catalogue as " a present from Dr. Jones, 
 Bishop of Kildare, from the collection of Sir Paul 
 Methuen." 
 
 60. " A Landscape with a waterfall, by Ruysdael ; the 
 figures by Wouvermans." Rebecca, Lady Harcourt, 
 writing to her son, Sept. 1755, says,— "We have 
 lately purchased a Landscape by Ruysdaal; the 
 water prodigiously finely painted ; the landscape, 
 figures, &c., extremely "well done; and what is very 
 fortunate, with turning in a part that was damaged, 
 it exactly fits the frame over the dining-parlour 
 chimney." Lord Harcourt paid 14/. 14^. for the 
 picture in 1755; and in 1835, Thane was paid 
 15/. 155-. for repairing the part of the picture which 
 Lady Harcourt alludes to as having been turned 
 in, and for supplying a new frame. Philip Wouver- 
 mans was born at Haerlem, 1620; and died 1668, 
 aged 48. 
 
 61. The Hon. Edward Harcourt, Archbishop of York; 
 third son of George, Lord Vernon, and of Martha 
 Harcourt his wife. Succeeded to the Harcourt 
 estates 1830, on the death of his cousin William, 
 last Earl Harcourt, without issue. The picture is 
 painted by Hayter ; it is a hard painting. 
 
 62. Philip Due de Vendome, Grand Prieur of France, 
 17 10, by Mignard. In Lord Harcourt's Catalogue 
 we read,— ''This fine portrait was a present from 
 
 I 1 
 
242 
 
 Pictures 
 
 the Hon. Horace Walpole." Horace Walpole's 
 letter to Lord Harcourt, when he sent him the 
 picture, was as follows : — 
 
 **My dear Lord,— I am delighted to find that 
 Philip de Vendome was the famous Grand Prieur, 
 who had so much wit and spirit, as the inclosed 
 note from Anderson proves. How lucky that a 
 Prince who had so interesting a countenance 
 when a boy should have had common sense after- 
 wards. I cannot say his beauty remained. Lord 
 Dacre has a whole-length of him, later in life, in 
 a habit-de-chasse. It looks like one of those 
 drunken, red-fliced old women who follow a camp, 
 and half of whose clothes are scoured regimen- 
 tals. 
 
 »'I have such numberless obligations to your 
 Lordship, and so little power of returning them, that 
 you must allow me to take the first of shewing that, 
 at least, I wish to prove my gratitude; and you 
 will, I am sure, not refuse the testimonial, as you 
 know it is of no other worth. You liked the pic- 
 ture I take the liberty of sendmg; yet it is so 
 indifferent, that I would not presume to offer it if 
 I did not like it too, which proves I have more 
 pleasure in pleasing your Lordship than myself; 
 and that I hope will give it a little value, though 
 it has none else." 
 64. "King William HL, and several attendants, hunt- 
 ing ; by Wotton." Wotton was a disciple of Wyck, 
 and died 1764. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 243 
 
 65. Georgiana Poyntz, Countess Spencer; from a pic- 
 ture by Gainsborough, at Althorp. 
 
 Whitehead, writing to Lord Nuneham, from Mid- 
 dleton, under date, Dec. 6, 1758, says,— ^' We have 
 a painter here, who takes the most exact likenesses 
 I ever yet saw. His painting is coarse and slight ; 
 but has ease and spirit. Lord Villiers set to him 
 before he left Bath, and I hope we shall be able to 
 bring his picture to Town with us ; it is he himself, 
 and preferable in my opinion to the finest unlike 
 picture in the universe, though it might serve for 
 a sign ; he sate only twice. The painter's name is 
 Gainsborough." 
 
 66. Queen Charlotte, copied from Gainsborough's pic- 
 ture at St. James's Palace. A present from King 
 George HL to Lord Harcourt ; a large full-length 
 picture. 
 
 67. "A very large Landscape with cattle, by Rosa da 
 Tivoli;" the note in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue 
 says, ''not in his usual style." Lord Harcourt 
 bought this picture, ALarch 10, 1758, at Mr. Black- 
 wood's sale, for 22/. iis. 6d. Philip Roos, called 
 Rosa da TivoH, was born at Frankfort, 1655 ; and 
 died 1705, aged 50. 
 
 68. King George HL, a pendant to No. 66, and with 
 the same history. 
 
 69. "Simon, first Earl Harcourt, in royal robes, as 
 Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland ; the head by Hunter 
 of Dublin, the figure by Doughty." 
 
244 
 
 Pictures 
 
 Billiard-room. 
 
 155. *' Louis XIV. on horseback, attended by several 
 of his courtiers ; the Prince de Conde is on a dark 
 grey horse, the Viscomte de Turenne on a dun 
 horse, between the Prince and the King ; by 
 Van der Meulen ;" born at Brussels, 1634; died 
 
 1690, aged 56. 
 
 The following letter was written by Lady Har- 
 court to her son, in reference to this picture : — 
 
 ^^Cavendish-square^ Thursday Morn. 175 1. 
 
 " Dear Newnham, — .... I now must tell you 
 I have examined the picture your Papa has lately 
 bought, and think it a most charming piece ; it 
 represents a beautiful landskip, with a large groupe 
 of figures on horseback ; of which the three prin- 
 cipal ones are the King of France, and two great 
 men of his Court ; the others appear to be servants 
 conversing together at a little distance, but so well 
 disposed, that you may plainly distinguish every 
 face \ and is upon the whole as agreeable a picture 
 
 of the kind as I ever saw 
 
 " R. Harcourt.'* 
 
 156. "Domestic Chapel at Stanton Harcourt; by Rath- 
 bone." 
 
 157. "Porter's Lodge at Stanton Harcourt; by Rath- 
 bone." 
 
 158. "A small and very fine head of Sir William Waller, 
 the Parliamentary General, son of Sir Thomas 
 Waller, Constable of Dover Castle, and of Mar- 
 
 garet, daughter of Sampson Lennard, Lord Dacre ; 
 by Walker. It has been engraved by Milton, for 
 Sir William Waller's Vindication, written by himself, 
 and first published in 1793. At the back of this 
 portrait is affixed a copy of his admirable letter to 
 Sir Ralph (afterwards Lord) Hopton, before the 
 battle of Lansdown : — 
 
 "1643. 
 
 " Sir, — The experience I have had of your 
 worth, and the happinesse I have enjoyed in your 
 friendship, are wounding considerations to me, 
 when I look upon this present distance between 
 us ; certainly, Sir, my aff"ections to you are so 
 unchangeable, that hostilitie itself cannot violate 
 my friendship to your person ; but I must be true 
 to the cause wherin I serve. The old limitation 
 of usque ad aras holdeth still ; and where my con- 
 science is interested, all other obligations are swal- 
 lowed up. 
 
 " I should wait upon you according to your de- 
 sire ; but that I look upon you as engaged to that 
 partie beyond possibihtie of retreat, and conse- 
 quentlie incapable of being wrought upon by any per- 
 suasion; and I know the conference would never 
 be so close betwixt us, but that it would take wind, 
 and receive a construction to my dishonour. That 
 great God, who is the searcher of all hearts, knows 
 with what a sad fear I go upon this service, and 
 with what a perfect hate I detest a war without 
 an enemy ; but I look upon it as an opus Domini^ 
 which is enough to silence all passion in me. 
 
*'The God of peace send us, in His good time, 
 the blessing of peace ; and in the mean time fit us 
 to receive it. We are both on the stage, and must 
 act those parts that are assigned to us in this 
 Tragedy ; but let us do it in the way of honour, 
 and without personal animositie ; whatsoever the 
 issue of it be, I shall never resign that dear title of 
 " Your most affectionate friend, and 
 faithful servant, 
 
 *' William Waller." 
 
 Walker died in 1658. One of his portraits of 
 Cromwell is said by Pilkington to have been "ac- 
 cidentally sold for five hundred pounds to the Duke 
 of Tuscany's resident in London ; but whether he 
 paid that immense sum out of compliment to the 
 pride and power of Oliver, or to the merit of the 
 performance, may easily be conjectured, when it 
 is considered that the transaction happened while 
 the power of the usurper subsisted." 
 
 159. "Flemish Peasants playing at nine-pins; a present 
 to Lord Harcourt from H.R.H. the Princess Au- 
 gusta. It is painted by an artist of the school of 
 Teniers." 
 
 160. "A small head of Madame de ^Liintenon, by 
 Mignard :" this is an interesting and rare picture. 
 Madame de Maintenon's husband, before she mar- 
 ried Louis, was Scarron, the deformed scoffer and 
 wit ; he used to say that his bride had brought him 
 an annual income of four louis, two large and very 
 mischievous eyes, a fine bust, and an exquisite pair 
 of hands. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 247 
 
 161. "A Landscape, by Ermels ; a present to Lord 
 Harcourt from Sir John Blaquiere." 
 
 162. " Christ and St. John playing with a lamb j painted 
 by an artist of the school of Rubens." 
 
 163. "A Marine-piece, by Bonaventure Peters." The 
 painter was born at Antwerp, 1614; died 1652, 
 aged 38. 
 
 164. " A Landscape with figures, by G. Morland ;" Mor- 
 land died 1804, aged 40. 
 
 [65. "Another Marine-piece, by Bonaventure Peters." 
 
 166. A Boy building a house wdth cards ; described in 
 Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as being painted "by 
 Chardin ; from the collection of Mr. Fanquier ; it 
 has been engraved." 
 
 167. The Duchess de Fontagne, reclining upon a bank; 
 described in Lord Harcourt's Catalogue as " a 
 beautiful portrait by Mignard, very rare." 
 
 Library. 
 
 72. "Rowe, the poet, by Kneller ; it belonged to 
 Jacob Tonson, the bookseller." It is a very fine 
 Kneller. 
 
 73. "A curious, ancient whole-length picture of St. 
 Catharine, forming part of the folding-door of an 
 altar-piece." 
 
 74. Another (with the same description), of St. Gregory. 
 
 75. "A Holy Family, by Albano." Francesco Albano 
 was born at Bologna, 1578; died 1660, aged S2. 
 
 ']']. "Christ crowned with thorns, by AUesandro Vero- 
 nese." Allesandro Turchi, called L'Orbetto and 
 
Veronese, was born at Verona, 1600; died 1670, 
 aged 70. 
 
 78. "Spring with four Cupids; a beautiful picture, by 
 Filippo Laura. A present to Lord Harcourt from 
 Mr. Fanquier." This painter was son of Baldassar 
 Lauri of Antwerp, and brother of Francesco Lauri 
 of Rome. He was born 1623; and died 1694, 
 aged 71. 
 
 79. "A Holy Family, in the style of the old Italian 
 masters, by Rothenhamer; from the collection of 
 Mr. Fanquier." Lord Harcourt bought this picture 
 April 12, 1758, for 5/. i^s. John Rothenamer, as 
 the name is sometimes written, was born at Munich, 
 1564; and died 1640, aged 40. 
 
 80. *' St. Cecilia lying dead, and two boy angels ; ex- 
 quisitely painted by Dominichino." Domenico 
 Zampieri was born at Bologna, 158 1 ; and died 
 1 641, aged 60. Stefano Maderno completed his 
 beautiful statue of St. Cecilia, from which this pic- 
 ture was taken in 1599. Domenichino went to 
 Rome with the Carracci. 
 
 81. "The Trinity, painted on gold ground, by Andrea 
 del Sarto ; a present to Lord Harcourt, from Mr. 
 Knapton, the painter." Andrea Vannucchi, called 
 Andrea del Sarto, was born at Florence, 1488 ; 
 died 1530, aged 42. Mr. Knapton, the giver of 
 this picture, was a pupil of Richardson, and suc- 
 ceeded Slaughter, as keeper and surveyor of the 
 King's pictures ; he died 1788, aged 80. 
 
 82. " A most lively and highly-finished head of Solfo- 
 nisba Angusciolo, by herself; extremely rare, and 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 249 
 
 not to be surpassed." Lord Harcourt bought this 
 picture March 17, 1757, for to/. The painter was 
 born at Cremona, 1533 ; she died 1626, aged 93 : 
 she lost her sight through painting. Vandyck used 
 to say of her, he gained more from the conversa- 
 tion of one blind woman on art, than from all 
 his other studies. 
 S^. John Phillips, the poet, by Riley ; a good picture. 
 Phillips was a native of Bampton in Oxfordshire ; 
 he was the author of the " Splendid Shilling " and 
 other poems. He died young ; and Lord Chan- 
 cellor Harcourt caused a marble tablet, with me- 
 morial verses in Latin, to be erected to him in 
 Westminster Abbey. The painter, Riley, was born 
 in London, 1646. After the death of Lely, he was 
 appointed Court Painter, and painted Charles H. 
 and many of his Court; he died 1691, aged 45. 
 
 84. Ben Jonson. 
 
 85. " Milton, by Vandergucht, from the original in the 
 possession of Lord Onslow ; at the back of which 
 is the following inscription : — 
 
 " ' This original picture of Milton I bought in 
 the year 1729 or 30, and paid twenty guineas for 
 it, of Mr. Cumberbatch, a gentleman of very good 
 consideration in Chester, who was a relation and 
 executor of the will of Milton's last wife, who died 
 a little before that time. He told me it hung up 
 in her chamber till her death, and that she used to 
 say her husband gave it her, to shew her what he 
 was in his youth, being drawn when he was about 
 twenty-one years of age. Ar. Onslow." 
 
 K k 
 
2 50 
 
 Pictures 
 
 " * Mr. Hawkin Brown (author of the poem, De 
 Animi immortalitatc), told me, Oct. 8, 1753, that 
 he knew this Mrs. Milton, visited her often, and 
 well remembered this picture hanging in her cham- 
 ber, which she said was of her husband. — A. O.' 
 
 "Compare this picture with that of Milton in 
 his old age, or the print of him by White." 
 
 Lord Onslow sold the original, from which the 
 picture at Nuneham was copied. It is supposed 
 that Lord Onslow's picture went abroad, but all 
 attempts to trace it have failed. Lord Onslow was 
 often applied to respecting the fate of his picture, but 
 was unable to supply any information. This copy 
 is, therefore, invested with an additional interest. 
 
 In Edwards's " Anecdotes of Painting," the fol- 
 lowing account is given of Vandergutcht : — 
 
 "Benjamin Vandergutcht was the thirty-second 
 child of the old engraver of that name. He painted 
 original portraits, made copies, restored pictures, 
 and was a picture-dealer. He cleaned and re- 
 ■ paired Lord Burlington's pictures at Chiswick ; 
 and one night, Sept. 21, 1794, when returning to 
 East Sheen, he was accidentally drowned in cross- 
 ing the Thames." 
 
 86. " Dryden, by Kneller." 
 
 87. "The Hon. Horace Walpole, by Gogain, after 
 Ramsay. " 
 
 88. " Lord Bacon." 
 
 89. " Prior, by Dahl." 
 
 90. "Charles, Lord Halifax, by Vandergucht, after 
 Kneller." 
 
 AT Nuneham. 
 
 251 
 
 91. "Gay." 
 
 92. "Gray, by Vandergucht, after Wilson." 
 
 93. " Mr. Whitehead, Poet Laureate, by Wilson." This 
 picture seems to have been a long time in the paint- 
 ing. The following extracts of letters from White- 
 head to Lord Nuneham mark the progress of it :— 
 
 ''^Jime 20, 1758. 
 
 " I finished sitting at Wilson's before I came out 
 
 • of Town; and the picture seems to me very 
 
 easy, and am.azingly like. He is pleased with it 
 
 himself, and intends to take great pains in the 
 
 colouring, «S:c. ; he is quite confident you will 
 
 Uke it." 
 
 '^ Nov. 4, 1758. 
 
 " .... I likewise called in upon Wilson ; what 
 he has done to the picture I cannot tell, but the 
 likeness is considerably lessened. If I have time, 
 I am to give him a sitting before your Lordship 
 
 comes to Town." 
 
 ''June 23, 1759. 
 
 ". . . . Wilson has made some alterations in my 
 
 picture, which Mason said were much for the 
 
 better." 
 
 ''Sept. 16, 1760. 
 
 ". . . . I am glad to find travelling agrees with 
 my picture. I always thought all the features like, 
 but the result of the whole not so. Perhaps the 
 light you have placed it in is advantageous to it." 
 
 Wilson was a native of Wales ; and excelled 
 
252 
 
 Pictures 
 
 more in landscapes than portraits; he died 1782, 
 aged 68. 
 
 "William Whitehead was son of a Cambridge 
 baker : he was educated at the University of his 
 native city, and passed into Lord Grey's family 
 as private tutor. He wrote tragedies of a soporific 
 nature."— " Habits and Men," by Doran, 1854. 
 He was tutor to the fourth Lord Jersey ; and on 
 Mason's refusing the appointment, he was created 
 Poet Laureate. 
 
 94. " Francis Beaumont." 
 
 95. ''Cowley." 
 
 96. "Sir R. Steel." 
 
 97. "Otway." 
 
 98. "Addison, by Vandergucht, after Kneller." 
 
 99. " Dean Swift ; from the original in the possession 
 of the Earl of Lanesborough. A present from 
 Mr. Edward Hamilton." 
 
 100. "Mason; a present from himself Painted by 
 Doughty, a disciple of Reynolds." 
 
 loi. "Spencer;" this picture bears his name, and the 
 date, on the background. It is probably the pic- 
 ture from which Vertue took his engraving, in his 
 Twelve Heads of Poets. 
 
 102. "Pope, by Richardson." This picture was en- 
 graved by Vertue, for a large folio edition of Pope's 
 works: Richardson died 1745, aged 80. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 253 
 
 State Bedroom. 
 
 217. "Simon, only surviving son of Simon, first Lord 
 Harcourt ; painted at Paris, by Le Bel. It belonged 
 to Prior, who bequeathed it to Lord Harley;" who 
 gave it to Lord Harcourt after his son's death. 
 
 218. Martha, daughter of Hon. Simon Harcourt, mother 
 of Hon. Edward Harcourt, Archbishop of York, 
 and third wife of George, first Lord Vernon, by 
 Kneller : a good picture. 
 
 219. "Simon, first Lord Harcourt, only son of Sir 
 Philip Harcourt, Lord Chancellor of England, by 
 Kneller :" a very good picture. 
 
 220. "Margaret, daughter of Sir William Waller, by his 
 first wife, Jane, daughter and heiress of Sir Richard 
 Reynell, of Ford, in Devonshire." Margaret Waller 
 married Sir William Courtenay, of Powderham 
 Castle, ancestor of Lord Courtenay. 
 
 193. Frederick, second son of Sir Simon Harcourt; by 
 
 Cornelius Jansen. Jansen was born in Amsterdam ; 
 
 he came over to England, and was made Court 
 
 , Painter to James L ; he afterwards returned to his 
 
 own country, and died 1665. 
 
 222. Lady Mary Tufton, daughter of John, second Earl 
 of Thanet ; second wife of Sir William Walter, of 
 Sarsden, Bart. Sir William's son. Sir John Walter, 
 left a widow, who married Lord Chancellor Har- 
 court, as his third wife; and was the Dowager 
 Viscountess Harcourt for many years. This pic- 
 ture is by Sir Peter Lely, and is an excellent 
 picture. Sir Peter Lely, otherwise Peter Vander 
 
Faes, was born at Soest in Westphalia, 1617 ; and 
 died 1680, aged 6^. 
 
 223. "Rebecca, daughter and heiress of Charles Sam- 
 borne le Bass, of Pipewell Abbey in the county of 
 Northampton ; by Mary, daughter and co-heiress 
 of Sir Samuel Moyer, Bart., wife to Simon, first 
 Earl Harcourt; by Knapton," 20/. was paid for 
 this picture. 
 
 224. George Granville Harcourt, eldest son of Arch- 
 bishop Harcourt ; by Hayter. 
 
 225. "Elizabeth, daughter of John Evelyn, Esq., of 
 Wooton in Surrey;" wife of the Hon. Simon Har- 
 court ; grandmother of Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
 226. Sir Simon Harcourt. 
 
 197. Simon, only son of the Hon. Simon Harcourt; 
 by Kneller. The following extract from a letter of 
 Elizabeth Harcourt to her mother, Mrs. Evelyn, 
 gives the date of this picture : — 
 
 ^^ April I, 17 19. 
 
 ". . . . The boy is well; he was last week at 
 Sir Godfrey Kneller's, to sett for his picture ; and 
 I think I never saw aney thing liker than it is, tho' 
 he has sat but once." I am indebted for this letter 
 to Mr. William Evelyn, of Wotton. 
 
 227. The Hon. Edward Harcourt, Archbishop of York; 
 third son of George, first Lord Vernon, and of the 
 Hon. Martha Harcourt ; he took his mother's name 
 on succeeding to the Harcourt estates. The pic- 
 ture is a copy of one at Sudbury, belonging to 
 Lord Vernon ; by Sir Thomas Lawrence. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 255 
 
 Small Library. 
 
 103. "The Madonna and child; very beautiful, by 
 Guido. This picture was bought out of the Hotel 
 Hautefort, at Paris." 
 
 The following letter, from Benjamin West to 
 Lord Harcourt, describes this picture : — 
 
 '''' Newma7i-street^Jan. 8, 1809. 
 
 " My Lord,— T have examined the picture men- 
 tioned in your Lordship's note to me ; and I find 
 it to be a copy from a celebrated picture by Guido, 
 which was at Bolonia in my time ; but where now, 
 I do not know. It is copyed by his favorite 
 schooler, Simon de Pesara, and is a good one, and 
 next to having the original. 
 
 "I am happy to find that your Lordship is in 
 Town, and in health ; in a few days I will have 
 the honour to pay my respects to you at Harcourt 
 House, Cavendish-square. 
 
 " I have the honour to be, with sincere esteem 
 for your Lordship's regard, as well as that I am 
 
 " Your greatly obliged, 
 
 " Benj. West." 
 242. " Frances, daughter of Sir Francis Poole, Bart. ; 
 wife of Henry Temple, Viscount Palmerston ; in 
 crayons, by Gardner." 
 
 244. "George Venables Vernon, first Lord Vernon;" 
 in crayons. 
 
 245. "George Simon Harcourt, Viscount Nuneham; 
 by Gardner, in crayons, 1773-'* 
 
 246. "Martha, daughter of the Hon. Simon Harcourt, 
 
2S6 
 
 Pictures 
 
 sister of Simon, first Earl Harcoiirt ; wife of G. V. 
 Vernon, first Lord Vernon ; in crayons." 
 
 247. "Hon. Catherine V. Vernon, second daughter of 
 George, first Lord Vernon, by Martha, daughter of 
 the Hon. Simon Harcourt ; in crayons." 
 
 248. "The Hon. Martha Vernon, elder sister of the 
 above ; in crayons." 
 
 249. Portrait unknown ; in crayons. 
 
 331. "Princess Augusta; a present from herself." 
 
 250. " Anna Chambers, Countess Temple; by Hamilton, 
 in crayons, 1771." 
 
 252. "Frances Twysden, wife of the fourth Earl of 
 Jersey." 
 
 State Dressing-room. 
 
 168. "Sir Philip Sydney, when a youth; painted upon 
 silver. A present from H.R.H. the Princess Au- 
 gusta." 
 
 Horace, writing of Sir Philip Sydney, says, — 
 "This person is described by the writers of that 
 age as the most perfect model of an accomplished 
 gentleman that could be found. — Virtuous conduct, 
 polite conversation, heroic labour, and elegant 
 erudition, all concurred to render him the orna- 
 ment and the delight of the English Court. And 
 as the credit enjoyed with the Queen and the Earl 
 of Leicester was wholly employed in the encour- 
 agement of genius and literature, his praises have 
 been transmitted with advantage to posterity. No 
 person was so low as not to become the object of 
 his humanity. The King of Scots, struck with 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 257 
 
 admiration of Sidney's virtues, celebrated his me- 
 mory in a copy of Latin verses, which he com- 
 posed on the death of that young hero in battle, 
 1586." 
 
 No number. Copy of a small painting by Morland ; by 
 Hinton. 
 
 No nu?nber. Jane, wife of Colonel W. Gooch, on ivory ; 
 after a picture by Sir William Beechy. 
 
 304. Chapel at Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 
 313. Entrance Gate, Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 
 314. Private Chapel, Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 
 315. Church at Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 
 316. Kitchen, Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 281. Kitchen, Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 
 294. Chapel at Stanton Harcourt, Paul Sandby. 
 
 295. Kitchens, with remains of Offices at Stanton Har- 
 court, by Paul Sandby. 
 
 No fiumbers. Two other paintings, forming the remainder 
 
 of the same set. 
 No number. Print of Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
 Print of Smith, the geologist. 
 
 Print of Sir Stafford Northcote. 
 
 Print of the Lock Cottages at Nuneham. 
 
 j» 
 
 5> 
 
 State Passage. 
 
 198. " Lambert, the Parliamentary General; by Walker." 
 
 324. E. W. Harcourt; by Reginald Cholmondeley, 1856. 
 A present from the painter. 
 
 325. Bishop of Coventry's grant of the Church of Ces- 
 terford to Ronton Abbey, 1314; parchment 
 
 l1 
 
II 
 
 III i I 
 
 ii 
 
 326. Grant of the Manor of Northmoor, by Queen 
 
 Elizabeth, 1570; parchment. 
 No numbers. A series of Estate Maps, and other framed 
 
 parchments. 
 
 Library Corridor. 
 
 169. The Rev. William Mason. 
 
 170. *'Anne, daughter of Sir William Waller, and of 
 Lady Anne Finch; first wife of Sir Philip Har- 
 court ; by Gogain, after the miniature in the Draw- 
 ing-room, by Mrs. Beale." 
 
 171. "The Lady Anne Finch, daughter of Thomas, 
 first Earl of Winchelsea, and second wife of Sir 
 William Waller; by Vandyk, or old Stone." 
 
 172. "Sir Philip, eldest son of Sir Simon Harcourt ; by 
 Gogain, after the miniature in the Drawing-room, 
 by Mrs. Beale (temp. Charles II.)." 
 
 174. "Anne, daughter of William, fourth Lord Paget; 
 wife to Sir Simon Harcourt ; married, secondly, to 
 Sir William Waller; by Mrs. Beale." 
 
 Mrs. Beale was born in Suffolk, 1632 ; and died 
 1697, aged 65. Sir P. Lely was her instructor. 
 
 173. " William, fifth Lord Paget; by Sir Peter Lely." 
 
 175. "The Right Hon. Sir Simon Harcourt, eldest son 
 of Robert Harcourt, and Frances de Vere; Go- 
 vernor of Dublin, 1642; killed at the siege of 
 Carrickmain, 1643. ^ ^^^y ^^^ ^^<i highly-finished 
 picture, by Mirevelt." 
 
 34. "Augustino Barbardico, seventy-fourth Doge of 
 Venice ; by Gentile Bellini." This Doge reigned 
 for fifteen years; and died in 1493, when Bellini 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 259 
 
 was 72 years old. G. Bellini was born at Venice, 
 142 1 ; and died 1501, aged 80. This picture was 
 very carefully restored by Merritt in 1878, shortly 
 before his death; and under the personal supervision 
 of G. Richmond, R.A. : it is a very fine picture. 
 243. Maria, Duchess of Gloucester; by Sir Joshua 
 Reynolds. A sketch for a picture. 
 
 176. "Portrait of Lady Fanshawe :" a fine picture by 
 C. Janssen, signed, and dated. 
 
 177. " Portrait of Sir Richard Fanshawe," by Cornehus 
 Janssen : a very fine picture. 
 
 178. " Elizabeth, daughter of the Hon. Simon Harcourt, 
 in an Hungarian dress; by Zeeman." A poor 
 
 picture. 
 
 179. "William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, in the 
 Garter robes, by Opie ; a present from the Duke 
 to Lord Harcourt." 
 
 212. "Kent, the father of Landscape-gardening; by 
 
 himself." 
 
 180. "Shakespeare, in crayons, by Vandergucht ; after 
 the original in the late Duke of Chandos's posses- 
 sion, the only authentic one." So says Lord Har- 
 court's Catalogue. This picture, amongst others, 
 was manipulated by Thane, the picture-cleaner, in 
 1834 ; and a new frame was supplied. The picture 
 is hung high, and has a glass over it ; all that now 
 remains under the glass, is an inferior coloured 
 print, worth at most a sovereign. 
 
 181. "Giles Bruges, third Lord Chandos. It came 
 from Weston (Mr. Sheldon's), and was a present 
 from Mr. Walpole." 
 
M 
 
 f 
 
 182. "Mr. Evelyn; an old copy from Kneller. A pre- 
 sent from Sir Frederick Evelyn, Bart." 
 
 183. *'Mr. Harley (afterwards Earl of Oxford), when 
 Speaker of the House of Commons ; after Kneller." 
 
 332. Dr. Sacheverell ; by Anthony Russel, a pupil of 
 Riley; Russel died 1743. This picture was bought 
 at the sale of the effects of the late Lady Gifford, 
 formerly Hon. Mrs. Norton, m'e Sheridan, in 1877, 
 by Sir W. Harcourt, Solicitor-General, 1875, ^^'^o 
 presented the picture as an appropriate gift to 
 Nuneham. Sir Simon Harcourt, Solicitor-General, 
 1702, defended Dr. Sacheverell on his famous po- 
 litical trial. 
 
 232. "Philip, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery; by 
 old Stone, after Vandyk. 
 
 233. " Lionel Cranfield Sackville, first Duke of Dorset, 
 in his Garter robes, by Reynolds; a present to 
 Lord Harcourt from Lady Ceci.'ia Johnston, /iSe 
 West." This picture was painted in 1750, and 
 was almost the first of Reynolds' performances. It 
 may be looked upon as one of the most indifferent 
 of his performances, and gives little indication of 
 the painter's future greatness. 
 
 185. G. Thomson, the poet. 
 
 t86. "King James L; by Marc Gerard." It has been 
 suggested that this picture may have been painted 
 by Vansomer. Marc Gerard was born at Antwerp, 
 1576; and after successfully painting in his own 
 country, he came to England, where his works 
 were much prized. 
 
 188. "Richard Weston, Earl of Portland. Lord Trea- 
 
 AT Nuneham. 
 
 261 
 
 surer in the reign of King Charles I. : an old copy, 
 after Vandyk." 
 
 189. "Anne of Denmark, Queen of King James I. ; 
 by Marc Gerard," or by Vansomer. The portraits 
 of Anne of Denmark may be distinguished from 
 those of Queen Elizabeth, for whom they are some- 
 times mistaken, by the initials of Anne's father and 
 mother on her ruff, and by the miniature-box on 
 her left side. 
 
 190. "Elizabeth, Electress Palatine, and Queen of Bo- 
 hemia; by Handthurst. A present from her to 
 Sir Simon Harcourt." Gerard Handthurst, called 
 Dalle Notti, was born at Utrecht; and died 1660, 
 aged 68. He was appointed painter to the Queen 
 of Bohemia. 
 
 Middle Corridor. 
 
 In this Corridor are cabinets containing a col- 
 lection of Old China; amongst which is the ser- 
 vice of Sevres ware which was used at the great 
 feast given by the King of Spain, to commemorate 
 George I H.'s recovery from his first illness; and 
 specially made in Paris for the occasion. A Tea- 
 service of Worcester china ; a present from George 
 III. Old China from Stanton Harcourt. A Vase 
 brought from Herculaneum, by George, Lord Har- 
 court, &c. 
 
 191. "A Seaport Town, with ruined Tower; by Tem- 
 pesta da Genoa." 
 
 195. "Ruins, with a View of Rome in the distance; 
 by Tempesta da Genoa." Simon, Lord Harcourt, 
 
Ill 
 
 262 
 
 Pictures 
 
 bought these two pictures, March 17, 1757, for 
 38/. ijs. 
 
 213. "Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, afterwards Bishop of 
 Durham, when young ; by Sir Peter Lely : one of 
 the best works of that master." So says Lord 
 Harcourt's Catalogue. It is probably by Riley, 
 and is a very good picture. 
 
 Granger, in his " Biographical History of Eng- 
 land," describes Bishop Crewe as " vain and am- 
 bitious, unsteady and insincere ; of all Prelates 
 the most compliant with the King's measures, and 
 justly esteemed the grand inquisitor of the eccle- 
 siastical commission." He was for three years 
 Bishop of Oxford ; and was translated to Durham, 
 1674. He held the see of Durham forty-seven 
 years; and died at the age of 88, Sept. 18, 1722. 
 
 251. "Five small Miniatures, very curious: — Queen 
 Elizabeth, the only known profile likeness of her ; 
 Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester ; Lady Dorothy 
 Percy, Countess of Leicester ; other two un- 
 named." 
 
 263. " Three small Miniatures :— Lady Mary Sydney, 
 Countess of Pembroke ; Robert Devereux, Earl of 
 Essex ; third unknown. All these miniatures came 
 from Penshurst." 
 
 194. "A very curious ancient picture of the Court of 
 Wards and Liveries, with Portraits of the Officers, 
 Servants, and other people there assembled ; the 
 inscription, on a piece of decayed paper at the 
 back of it, is verbatim^ the same as the latter part 
 of the inscription at the bottom of the print en- 
 
 graved by Vertue ; and the writer of it (whose 
 signature is *J. Fish') adds,— ' I am told that this 
 picture was engraved by Vertue.' This, however, 
 was a mistake, as the print was taken from a paint- 
 ing in water-colours, in the possession of the Duke 
 of Richmond ; from which circumstance it is highly 
 probable that this is the original, as it is usual 
 to copy in water-colours from pictures in oil ; but 
 rarely, if ever, are the latter copied from the 
 former." That may hold true as a general rule ; 
 but, in this instance, the feebleness of the painting 
 points to its being a copy. 
 
 199. A Large Landscape; painter unknown. 
 
 200. "Nymph, with Cupids, representing Night; by 
 Valerio Castelli." Bought by Lord Harcourt, 
 March 23, 1758, for 18/. 185. Valerio CastelU 
 was born at Genoa, 1625 ; died 1659, aged 34. 
 
 201. " Bacchus and Ariadne ; after Guido, by his scholar, 
 Simon de Pesaro : a fine copy." Bought by Lord 
 Harcourt, March 10, 1758, for 6/. 6^. 
 
 50. "The Duke of Schomberg, by Kneller." 
 221. "Michael, son of Sir Walter Harcourt; he com- 
 manded one of his brother's, Sir Robert Harcourt, 
 ships, on his expedition to Guiana." It has been 
 suggested that this picture was painted by Ve- 
 lasquez, but there is not much foundation for it. 
 229. "A Head, in chalks, of Sir Joshua Reynolds when 
 a youth (aged 17) ; by himself. This curious draw- 
 ing was a present to Lord Harcourt from Sir 
 J. Reynolds' niece, Mary, Marchioness of Tho- 
 mond." This picture illustrates the portrait of 
 
ill 
 
 264 
 
 Pictures 
 
 himself in the National Gallery, for which it was 
 probably a study. 
 228. "Drawing of a Pedlar-girl, by Queen Charlotte, 
 wife of George III. ; a present from Her Majesty." 
 
 308. ** A Drawing by George III., when Prince of Wales, 
 
 1756." 
 
 309. '* Drawing by Edward, Duke of York, brother to 
 George III., in 1756.*' 
 
 130. " Print of Henry de Lorraine, Comte de Harcourt ; 
 engraved by Mason, from a portrait by Mignard," 
 1667. He came to England as Ambassador in 1643, 
 under pretence of mediating between Charles I. 
 and his Parliament. It is doubtful, however, whe- 
 ther his secret instructions from Mazarin were 
 not to set them more completely at variance. He 
 succeeded to the command of the French armies 
 on the death of Cond^, and was made a Marshal 
 of France. 
 
 265. A Landscape ; painter not known. 
 
 323. Lady Anne Harcourt, by Marshall; vid. No. 57. 
 
 283. A Print of Colonel the Hon. W. Harcourt in the 
 act of taking General Lee prisoner. Mr. Scull, in 
 his " Memoirs of the Evelyn Family," gives the 
 following account of the above event : — 
 
 " It is stated that Colonel Harcourt, before 
 he left England, expressed hopes that he should 
 take General Lee. He arrived in New York in 
 the first week in October, 1776, in the 'Lapwing;' 
 which had several transports under convoy, having 
 on board the 17th Regiment of Light Horse, under 
 his command. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 265 
 
 "Col. Harcourt (Dec. 13, 1776) was out on 
 a reconnoitring expedition with about thirty Light 
 Dragoons. . . . He soon observed a man whom he 
 imagined to be a spy ; and had him secured. On 
 searching him, a letter was found, the wafer not 
 dry, directed to General Washington from General 
 Lee. The man was forced to conduct them to the 
 place where he had left the writer of the letter. 
 This was three miles distant from the main body 
 of the American army. The house was surrounded ; 
 a shot was fired at Col. Harcourt, which grazed his 
 head ; and General Lee was taken prisoner by the 
 Dragoons. Only four minutes elapsed from the 
 time of surrounding the house to the carrying off 
 of their prisoner. 
 
 " Upon the capture of General Lee's being known 
 in England, great were the rejoicings; and when 
 Lord Harcourt attended the King's levee. His 
 Majesty came up to him, and exclaimed, ^ My 
 Lord, your son has behaved with the utmost 
 gallantry; it gives me the greatest pleasure; and, 
 I doubt not, it does the same to you. I shall take 
 care of Col. Harcourt ; leave his fortunes to me.' 
 For the capture of Lee, Col. Harcourt received 
 the thanks of Parliament; in 1783, he was raised 
 to the rank of Lieut. -General ; in the following year 
 he commanded the Cavalry ; and, finally, the army 
 in Holland ; and afterwards he was created a Field- 
 Marshal." 
 
 He succeeded his elder brother in his title and 
 estates in 1809, as last Earl Harcourt; and himself 
 
 M m 
 
died in 1830 ; when he was succeeded by his cousin, 
 Archbishop Harcourt. An offer of a renewal of 
 the peerage was made to Archbishop Harcourt by 
 Lord Grey through Lord CarHsle, when he sue 
 ceeded to the estate; but was declined by the 
 Archbishop, who felt unable to support the Ministry 
 of the day. 
 
 123. Landscape with water, by Van Goyen ; a nice 
 picture. The artist was born at Leyden, 1596; 
 and died 1656, aged 60. 
 
 319. The Good Samaritan; by Mason. This picture 
 was painted as an altar-piece for Nuneham Church. 
 
 330. The Old Servant, by Herring ; a picture of an 
 old horse. Bought by E. W. Harcourt, 1872, 
 for 7/. loi-. 
 
 206. "Jacob Hall, the celebrated rope-dancer." 
 
 264. " Drawing of a Mountebank, &c., by Paul Sandby;" 
 an early specimen of water-colours. 
 
 275. Trionfo di Sileno. 
 
 276. Trionfo di Bacco. 
 
 336. Study in water-colours, by Frederick Tayler; 
 bought by E. W. Harcourt, 1878, 5/. 
 
 No. 4. South Wing. 
 
 202. "Mrs. Witham, by Cornelius Jansen;" a good 
 picture on panel. 
 
 203. ''Mr. Witham, by Cornelius Jansen;" a pendant 
 to the last, and equally good. 
 
 208. "Sir Samuel Moyer, Bart. ; by Riley." 
 210. "Lady Moyer, in the character of St. Catherine ; 
 by Mrs. Beale." 
 
 _i 
 
 AT Nuneham. 
 
 267 
 
 2 1 T . "Mr. Joliffe ; by Sir P. Lely." 
 236. " Mr. Congreve, when young ; from the miniature 
 at Strawberry Hill." 
 
 No. s. South Wing. 
 
 187. " J. J. Rousseau, by Gogain, after Ramsay ; altered 
 
 from the mask taken after death." 
 205. "Poultry and Birds, by Cradock:" a good picture. 
 204. "Anne, eldest daughter of Simon, first Viscount 
 
 Harcourt ; wife to John Barlow, Esq., of Silbeck, in 
 
 Pembrokeshire ; by Kneller." 
 207. Charles Samborne le Bas, of Pipewell Abbey, 
 
 Northamptonshire; father of Rebecca, Countess 
 
 Harcourt ; by Knapton. 
 184. "Nicholas Fullar, a noted Puritanical Lawyer, 
 
 who died in prison, 16 19; by Marc Gerard." 
 33. "Mrs. Siddons, the celebrated Tragedian, in the 
 
 character of Isabella in the 'Fatal Marriage;' by 
 
 Hamilton." 
 
 In the bed-rooms in the South Wing there are 
 
 about thirty good steel engravings on various sub- 
 jects, but they are not labelled. 
 
 North Corridor. 
 
 105. "A very ancient head of King Henry VI. ; a pre- 
 sent from Mrs. Wetenhall to Lord Harcourt." 
 
 106. "Ruins at Rome, with figures, antique statues, 
 vases, &c., by Paolo Panini ; painted for Simon, 
 Lord Harcourt, in 1742." This picture is a good 
 one; and curious as representing a temple which 
 
268 
 
 Pictures 
 
 has since been pulled down for the sake of widen- 
 ing a street. 
 
 107. "Architecture with figures, by Viviani." Ottavio 
 Viviani was born at Brescia, 1599; and died 1674, 
 aged 75. Lord Harcourt bought this picture, 
 March 31, 1756, for 17/. 17^. 
 
 129. Ruins at Rome, by Panini ; a fellow-picture to 
 No. 106. 
 
 192. *'A celebrated piece of Needlework, by Mary, 
 Queen of Scots ; preserved in Windsor Castle, and 
 presented by the King to Lord Harcourt, 1805. 
 The Queen is represented standing under a canopy, 
 with a sword in one hand, and a balance in the 
 other (the attributes of justice), as supplicating the 
 Virgin, who appears in the clouds above, in favour 
 of her infant son. Near her is an allegorical figure 
 of Wisdom, with her proper attribute (the serpent) ; 
 and below her, King James and another child, who 
 is supposed to be an allegorical representation of 
 Innocence; opposite to the Queen is Fortitude, 
 with her attribute ; and in the background. Envy, 
 with her snakes. On a scroll is inscribed,— ' Sa- 
 pientiam amavi, et obsequivi a juventute meae.' 
 Sap. VIII. 
 
 " This curious picture remained in the wardrobe 
 till Queen Anne ordered it to be framed, and hung 
 up in the King's closet, Windsor C^<>\.\q:'— Extract 
 from a MS. at Windsor. 
 
 No number. A curious piece of early Needlework, framed. 
 
 321. Lady Susan Harcourt, in crayons; by Fanner, 
 1874 ; cost 25/. 
 
 I 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 269 
 
 109. " Elizabeth, daughter of George, first Lord Vernon ; 
 and wife of George Simon, second Earl Harcourt ; 
 in crayons, by Miss Read." 
 
 no. "Georgina, Countess Spencer, daughter of S. 
 Poyntz, Esq. ; in crayons ;" said to be by Rosalba. 
 
 335. Matilda Mary Gooch, wife of the Rev. W. Har- 
 court, by Fanner ; taken from a photograph ; cray- 
 ons, 1878, price 40/. 
 
 No number. Three Heads of Charles I., on ivory; by 
 Maria Jane Gooch. 
 
 331. Edith, daughter of E. W. and Lady Susan Har- 
 court; married to Hon. Murray Finch Hatton; 
 crayons, by Fanner, 1876; price 25/. 
 
 112. ''Mary, Queen of Scots, and Dowager of France, 
 cxt. 25. Born Dec. 14, 1542; murdered, Feb. 8, 
 
 1587. 
 
 * . . . . Innocence shall make 
 
 False accusation blush.' 
 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 " From the undoubted original, painted when 
 
 she was a prisoner in the Castle of Loch Leven, 
 
 in the possession of the Earl of Morton, in whose 
 
 family it has remained since that time." 
 
 The following letter relates to this picture : — 
 
 *' Green-street^ Feb. 24, 1797. 
 
 " Mr. Chalmers presents his compliments to 
 Lord Harcourt, and regrets that he should have 
 been at Whitehall when his Lordship called in 
 Green-street. 
 
 "Mr. Chalmers begs to inform Lord Harcourt 
 
that the Mary, Queen of Scots, which he saw, is 
 a copy from an original of Lord Morton's at 
 Dalmahoy, by Martin of Edinburgh. This and 
 many other Hkenesses of Mary, Queen of Scots, 
 were collected by Mr. Chalmers, to enable him to 
 settle in his own mind what were the real features 
 of that elegant Princess, which is a disputed point 
 to this day. And for that purpose he employed 
 Mr. Paleau, a very ingenius painter of Charlotte- 
 street, Portland-road, to paint the composition which 
 Mr. Chalmers has now the honour to communicate 
 to Lord Harcourt from all the specimens, and from 
 the tomb of Mary, in Henry VIL's chapel, as the 
 best likeness. Lord Harcourt may either return 
 the miniature of Mary by the servant, or keep it 
 for a week, as may be most agreeable to his 
 Lordship." 
 
 124. "Silver censer, medal, and pearl necklace, by 
 Roestraten:" a good picture. The painter was 
 born at Haerlem, 1627 ; and died 1698, aged 71. 
 
 No number. An ancient piece of glass in a frame ; taken 
 from a window at Stanton Harcourt. 
 
 115. "A highly finished view on the Rhine, by Voster- 
 man ; very rare." Vosterman was born at Bommel, 
 1643 ; died 1693, aged 50. 
 
 145. "A pretty small Landscape, by Morland ; a pre- 
 sent from Mr. Cowden." 
 
 114. *'A setting Sun, with Shepherd and Sheep; by 
 Peter Van Leer, called Bamboccio." Bamboccio 
 was born at Laeren, near Narden, in 1613; died 
 1673, aged 60. This picture was transferred from 
 
 panel to canvas by Thane, 1835 ; and said by 
 
 him to be painted by Karel du Jardin. 
 146. "A beautiful little Landscape with Horses, by 
 
 Morland ; a present from Mr. Cowden." 
 III. "Elizabeth, daughter of Simon, Earl Harcourt, 
 
 wife of Sir William Lee, Bart., of Hart well, Bucks ; 
 
 crayons, by Miss Read." 
 35. " Richard Grenville (afterwards Earl Temple), by 
 
 Rosalba ; a legacy from Anna Chambers, Countess 
 
 Temple, his wife, to Lord Harcourt : " a very fine 
 
 picture. Rosalba Carriera was of Chiozza; she 
 
 died 1757, aged 82. 
 113. "Mary le Pel, wife of John, Baron Hervey, of 
 
 Ickworth, eldest son of John, first Earl of Bristol, 
 
 of that family ; painted at Paris by La Tour." An 
 
 excellent crayon picture; a present from Horace 
 
 Walpole. 
 
 Pultney wrote, — 
 
 " Sure Venus had never seen bedded 
 So perfect a Beaux and a Belle, 
 As when Hervey the handsome was wedded 
 To the beautiful Molly le Pel." 
 
 Lord Harcourt wrote a memoir of Lady Hervey, 
 
 as follows : — 
 
 "This celebrated and accomplished lady was 
 a Cornet of horse from the moment of her birth, 
 her father, Brigadier-General Le Pell, having ob- 
 tained a commission for his child before that child 
 was born ; and her name was accordingly enrolled 
 on the Army List, and she continued during several 
 
272 
 
 Pictures 
 
 years to receive the pay as Cornet Le Pell. She 
 had been one of the Maids of Honour to Queen 
 Caroline, when Princess of Wales ; and in that 
 station was not less admired for the charms of her 
 understanding, than for those of her face, which, 
 even in very advanced age, retained sufficient- re- 
 mains of beauty to shew what it had been. Yet her 
 features were not regularly handsome ; and to judge 
 from the portraits painted in her youth, much of 
 that beauty was derived from the clearness and de- 
 licacy of a fair complexion, and the sweetness and 
 animation of an expressive countenance. 
 
 '* Pope, in his letter to Lord Hervey (his antago- 
 nist), mentions herwith respect and esteem. Pultney, 
 Earl of Bath, wrote the well-known ballad of ' Molly 
 Le Pel,' in her praise. Dr. Young celebrated her 
 in his sixth Satire, as does Gay likewise in his 
 ballad of Damon and Cupid. The Hon. Horace 
 Walpole (afterwards Earl of Orford), dedicated his 
 * Anecdotes of Painters ' to her ; and she was the 
 intimate friend of the witty Earl of Chesterfield, 
 who admired her conversation, and felt as much 
 esteem and affection for her as he was capable of 
 feeling for anybody. Nor was Lady Hervey's ac- 
 quaintance with persons of genius and learning con- 
 fined to those of her own country, for she was not 
 less admired by those of France ; where, having con- 
 tracted an intimacy with Madle. de Charelois, she 
 for some years constantly resided in the hotel of 
 that Princess ; and there imbibed so strong a par- 
 tiality in favour of that conceited nation, that at 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 273 
 
 length she adopted all its prejudices; and did 
 really persuade herself to think it in all respects 
 as far superior to every other, as in its own ig- 
 norance it imagines itself to be. This prejudice, 
 however, though she made no attempt to conceal 
 it, was never offensively displayed ; for Lady 
 Hervey was a pattern of the most finished good 
 breeding, and possessed the talent of making 
 everybody at the parties in her house suppose 
 that he himself was the particular object of her 
 attention. 
 
 "After her return to England, and the com- 
 pletion of the house she built in St. James's-place, 
 which was fitted up entirely after the Parisian 
 model, her mode of life was rational, dignified, and 
 highly agreeable to those who could be amused 
 without cards, and had a taste for instruction and 
 polished society. She never either dined, or passed 
 the evening out of her own house ; and had every 
 day a dinner of eight covers, at which the com- 
 pany was so carefully chosen, that none but persons 
 who were well -acquainted and liked each other, 
 were invited at the same time. With extensive 
 reading, a correct taste, and a perfect knowledge 
 of the Italian, Latin, and French writers. Lady Her- 
 vey made no ostentatious display of learning; 
 and had she never been celebrated by authors 
 and wits of high reputation, her common acquaint- 
 ance would not have discovered that the extent 
 of her literary acquirements exceeded those of the 
 generality of her sex." 
 
 N n 
 
274 
 
 Pictures 
 
 No number. The first Lord Hill, on ivory ; by Maria 
 Jane Gooch. 
 
 121. Landscape, with Bathers ; painter unknown. 
 I J 9. Amphitheatre at Rome ; by Occhiali. 
 
 120. Temple of Vesta, at Tivoli ; by Occhiali. 
 
 122. "A Landscape, by Taverna, equal to Poussin, and 
 very rare; a present from Fanquier." Pilkington, 
 in his '* Dictionary of Painters," says, — *' This 
 artist was a Proctor in the Commons, and painted 
 landscapes for his amusement; but would have 
 made a considerable figure amongst the renowned 
 professors of the art. The Earl of Harcourt and 
 Mr. Fr. Fanquier, have each two pictures by him, 
 that must be mistaken for, and are worthy of, 
 Caspar Poussin." 
 
 Corridor, Upper North Wing. 
 
 234. "Henrietta Jane Speed, wife to the Count de 
 Viry; by Falconet." Lord Harcourt has written 
 a long account of Madm. de Viry : Horace Wal- 
 pole's shorter account is here given : — 
 
 *'The Count de Viry was son of one of the 
 same title, who had been the Sardinian Minister in 
 England, and was himself Ambassador in France. 
 While in England, in 1760, he married Miss Speed, 
 niece of Lady Cobham. The Countess de Viry 
 was supposed to be the cause of the disgrace her 
 husband suffered. She was a very intriguing 
 woman, and instigated him to keep up a secret 
 correspondence at Turin, with the object of making 
 himself Prime Minister. This was discovered, and 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 275 
 
 the Minister dismissed. Lord Shelburne, who was 
 a friend of the Countess, prevailed on the King 
 to obtain their pardon of the King of Sardinia in 
 1783; about which time she died suddenly. She 
 was one of the heroines of Mr. Gray's ' Long Story,* 
 and had a great deal of wit ;" and, Lord Harcourt 
 ■ adds, " no heart :" the picture is a good one. 
 237. ^' Mrs. Pritchard, the celebrated actress, in Her- 
 mione, in the * Winter's Tale;' by Pine:" a good 
 
 picture. 
 239. "Landscape, with Cattle; by Cowden." 
 143. "A Sea-piece, by Cowden; a clear and beautiful 
 
 drawing." 
 
 298. The Church at Nuneham ; by Paul Sandby. 
 
 299. The House at Nuneham ; by Paul Sandby. 
 
 300. Another view of the Church at Nuneham; by 
 Paul Sandby. 
 
 30T. View of the House at Nuneham; Paul Sandby. 
 
 288. Flower-garden at Nuneham ; by Paul Sandby. 
 
 289. Flower-garden at Nuneham; by Paul Sandby. 
 
 No numbers. Two ground -plans of Stanton- Harcourt : 
 one on vellum, 1625; the other on parchment, 
 
 1730- 
 
 Dressing-room, Upper North Wing. 
 
 No numbers. Print of E. VV. Harcourt ; Print of Aubrey 
 Harcourt ; Drawings by Lady Susan Harcourt ; 
 Prints after Raphael. 
 
 \k 
 
i 
 
 276 
 
 Pictures 
 
 Bedroom, Upper North Wing. 
 
 No numbers. Prints after Raphael ; Drawings by Lady 
 Susan Harcourt; Prints published by Arundel 
 Society ; Print of Dr. Johnson ; Print of Mr. Coxe. 
 
 Bedrooms Upstairs, North Wing. 
 
 No numbers. Prints after Raphael \ Prints, Arundel So- 
 ciety. 
 
 258. Mr. Fazakerley, 1805. 
 
 259. Lord Lewisham, 1805. 
 
 260. Edward, second son of Edward, Archbishop Har- 
 court, 1803. 
 
 262. The same, 1805. 
 
 261. Earl Gower, 1805. 
 
 Lower Sitting-room, North Wing. 
 
 141. Portrait of a favourite Dog of Lord Harcourt's. 
 
 150. Landscape, by Roberts of Dublin. 
 153. Landscape, by Roberts of Dublin. 
 
 148. A Marine-piece, by Cowden; a present from him- 
 self. 
 
 310. Caroline, Princess of Wales, and Princess Char- 
 lotte ; a present from the Princess of Wales to the 
 Hon. Martha Vernon. 
 
 No mmber. The Hon. Horace Walpole. 
 
 144. A Sea-piece, by Cowden. 
 
 151. A Landscape, by Whitford. 
 
 152. A Landscape, by Whitford. 
 
 AT NuNEHAM. 
 
 277 
 
 Large Sitting-room, North Wing. 
 
 322. Aubrey Harcourt ; by Reginald Cholmondeley, 
 
 1858. A present from the painter. 
 279. A proof print of Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic muse ; 
 
 a present from herself. 
 255. Very pretty picture, in crayons, of a Lady; subject 
 
 and artist unknown. 
 No number, A Sea-piece, in chalk, by Bright. 
 No number. Two prints from Raphael. 
 No numbers. Numerous water-colours, sepia and cobalt 
 
 drawings, by Lady Susan Harcourt ; very spirited. 
 
 Bedrooms in Centre. 
 
 230. " Drawing of the House in which Jean Jacque 
 Rousseau lived at Metiers Travers, by Smith; 
 a present from the Marquis de Gerardin." 
 
 231. Ruins of Bodiam Castle, Sussex, by Lambert; 
 a present from Mrs. H. Hay. G. Lambert died 
 in 1765. 
 
 272. Sepia sketch in Rome; by Lady Elizabeth Har- 
 court. 
 280. Another, the same as above. 
 
 296. Sepia sketch; artist unknown. 
 
 297. Another, the same as above. 
 
 302. A chalk Head. 
 
 303. Copy of Sir J. Reynolds' picture of the Duchess of 
 Gloucester; by Rev. J. Stuart. 
 
 306. Pen sketch of the Rev. W. Mason. 
 
 307. Print of Grey. 
 
 311. Print of Queen Charlotte. 
 
 No numbers. Travelling Musicians. Lady Elizabeth 
 
 i 
 
Lee. Mr. Mason. A Fortune-teller. Lady Bing- 
 ham. Mrs. Siddons and her Son ; a present from 
 herself. Mrs. Siddons ; a present from Sir Joshua 
 Reynolds. Mrs. Farrer, the Comedian, afterwards 
 Countess of Derby ] a present from herself. View 
 in Naples. The three Ladies Waldegrave. Maria, 
 Duchess of Gloucester. Simon, Earl Harcourt. 
 The Last Supper. Besides other engravings. 
 
 Housekeeper's Room. 
 
 274. "A capital and expressive drawing of the Children 
 in the Wood, by Miss C. Fanshawe." 
 
 277. A Landscape with Ruins. 
 
 278. Print of King George III. 
 282. Scriptural print. 
 
 284. The Bishop of Carlisle, afterwards Archbishop 
 (Harcourt) of York. 
 
 285. A Print of Carfax. 
 
 286. Lord Harcourt. 
 
 287. Lady Harcourt. 
 
 290. Lord Chancellor Harcourt. 
 
 291. View of Stanton Harcourt, by Rathbone. 
 
 292. The same. 
 
 293. The same. 
 
 Steward's Room. 
 
 262. A Landscape. 
 
 267. A Sketch ; by Elizabeth, Countess Harcourt. 
 
 268. The same. 
 
 269. A Portrait, unknown. 
 271. A Landscape, unknown. 
 
 272. A Landscape, by Lord Nuneham. 
 318. A Landscape, unknown. 
 
 The Smoking-room 
 
 Contains Drawings, chijfly done by Aubrey Harcourt. 
 
 NUNEHAM PICTURES 
 
 At 6, Prince's Gardens, London. 
 
 209 
 
 Library. 
 
 *' Susanna and the Elders, by Annibale Carracci." 
 So says Lord Harcourt's Catalogue. It is an ill- 
 drawn picture, and probably not by Carracci. It 
 was painted up to its present state by Thane, in 
 1835, fo^ which he charged 31/. ; and he charged, 
 moreover, 18/. for repairing the frame. 
 
 216. ''A Ruined Bridge (Ponta Rotta) with Figures, by 
 Crabetje." A good picture, for which Lord Har- 
 court paid 5/. 5^-. on April t6, 1756. John Asse- 
 lyn, called Crabetje on account of the shape of 
 his fingers, was born at Antwerp, 16 10; and died 
 1660, aged 50. 
 
 196. "A Turkish army on its march in Egypt, by 
 Wyck." This picture was bought by Simon, Lord 
 Harcourt, in 1741, for 5/. 
 
 128. "The Nativity, by Pietro da Pietri." Bought by 
 Lord Harcourt, 1741, for 12/. 12^. The painter 
 was born at Rome, 1665 ; and died 17 16, aged 51. 
 
 No numbers. Two Landscapes; subjects and painters 
 unknown. 
 
28o 
 
 Pictures 
 
 Back Dining-room. 
 
 125. "Nymph and Satyr, by Jordeans of Antwerp;" 
 probably a copy. 
 
 Dining-room. 
 
 126 "Vandermyn, painter to the Prince of Orange. 
 Upon the stretching-frame is the following in- 
 
 scription : — 
 
 " ' The face was done by Her Royal Hi-hness 
 Anne, Princess of Orange, soon after her marriage, 
 while the painter was attending at St. James's to 
 take the pictures of the said Prince and Princess 
 on that happy occasion. He parted with it just 
 before his death, which happened in Feb. 1741, 
 to Tvlrs. Clare, of Soho-square, London ; all but 
 the face was done by himself. The Princess was 
 a good painter, and did it in great grace and 
 condescension.'" 
 T17. " A Fruit-piece, by Michael Angelo Campidaglio : 
 very fine." This painter was born at Rome, 1610 ; 
 and died 1670, aged 60. 
 
 118. A Pair to No. 117- 
 
 270. "View of Nuneham, by Paul Sandby:" a good 
 
 picture. 
 317. "View of Nuneham, by Paul Sandby;" likewise 
 
 a good picture. 
 235. "Cascade of Temi; by Orizonti." John Francis 
 van Bloemen, called Orizonte from the hot, vapor- 
 ous air of his pictures, was born at Antwerp, 1656 ; 
 and died 1740? aged 84. 
 
 AT Nuneham. 
 
 281 
 
 147. George Simon, Earl Harcourt, painted late in 
 life ; painter not known. 
 76. Sir Simon Harcourt (afterwards Lord Chancellor), 
 by Kneller ; a finished picture. 
 
 127. "A Hare, and other dead Game, by Fytt ; from 
 the collection* of Mr. Bagnol : very fine." This 
 picture was bought by Lord Harcourt, March 26, 
 1757, for 9/. igs. 6d. Fytt was born at Antwerp, 
 1625 ; the picture is a very good one. 
 
 The Tapestry Room. 
 
 An account of Nuneham would not be complete 
 v^^ithout a mention of the Tapestry-room. From 
 the year 1787 to the year 1809, Lord Harcourt 
 was constantly seeking- for evidence to complete 
 his genealogical researches, the results of which 
 were preserved in this chamber. By a stroke of 
 fate, George Granville Harcourt, whose bent of 
 mind lay in the direction of the fine gentleman 
 and politician, swept away in one day the work 
 which had cost his Uncle so many years of patient 
 labour. He presented the Maps to the Yorkshire 
 Museum, where they have no peculiar fitness ; and 
 the shields and panels were used for firewood. 
 
 What follows i3 given in Lord Harcourt's words, 
 without alteration : — 
 
 '' The Tapestry Room. 
 
 "25 by 19, and 15 feet high, was added in the year 
 1787, for the reception of the Sheldon Maps. This 
 
 o o 
 
i 
 
 very curious tapestry, of which IMr. Gough, in his 
 'Topographical Antiquities,' gives the following de- 
 scription, comes from Weston in Warwickshire, and 
 was a present from the Hon. Horace Walpole :— 
 
 " * Three large maps of Warw ick, Oxford, and Wor- 
 cestershire, near 80 feet square ; by Francis and Richard 
 Hicks. This first of them has this inscription in capitals, 
 adorned with bears :—" Warwickshire, so named as well 
 of the Saxons as of us at this daye ; it is divided in 
 two parts by the river Avone ronninge through the 
 midest. The one is called Feldon, the other Woodland. 
 The most memorable towns in the Feldons are Lem- 
 ington, taking the name of the river Leame, where 
 a salt well springeth. Ichinton and Harbury, betwene 
 which two townes Fermandus, the son of Kinge Offa 
 was slayn,— a man of singular vertue ; and buried m 
 his father's palace, called Ofchurch. I1ie Woodland 
 being the north part, and the greater, was by an 
 auncient name called Arden, which signifieth a wood. 
 In the middle of this region standeth Coventre, so 
 called of the Covente of Monkes ; a citie in times 
 past populus and riche by the trade of clothing and 
 making of cappes. Near Coventre, on the east part, 
 is Caledon, the auncient seat of the Lorde Segrave, 
 from whom it is descended to make the Barons of 
 Barkley, by the Mowbraies, Dukes of Northfolke. 
 Westward from Coventre standeth the Castle of Kenel- 
 worth, compassed about with a great pool, first buddid 
 by Jeffrey Clinton, Chamberlayne to Kinge Henre the 
 First. About 5 miles from thence standeth Warwicke, 
 called by the Brytaines Caer Gnarvick, which signifieth 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 283 
 
 a place of defence ; whear is a castle of great force 
 builded by the Romanes. 
 
 "*" William the Conqueror ordeyned xii Burgesses 
 in Warwicke to attende on him in his warres. Near 
 unto Warwicke is Guye's cliffe, a place of wonderful 
 pleasure ; whear Guye of Warwicke builded a chapel, 
 and was there buried.— Read W. Camden, his discription 
 
 of Bri." 
 
 " ' At the opposite corner are the arms of England, 
 supported by a lion and a griffin ; at another corner 
 the arms of Sheldon with six quarterings ; and at the 
 fourth, the compasses and scale of miles, with the date 
 1588, which was discovered since this tapestry was 
 cleaned and restored. 
 
 " ' The second map has this inscription :— " Oxonii et 
 Berceriee comitatus locupletati per Franciscum Hickes." 
 The arms here are Sheldon, impaling Argent, six lionels 
 rampant sable ; this comprehends part of Bucks, Herts, 
 Bedfordshire, Middlesex, Wilts, Warwickshire, North- 
 amptonshire, and other bordering counties. 
 
 "'The third is intitled,— '' Wigorn, com. locuple- 
 tata, Ric. Hykes ;" bordered by part of Hereford, 
 Staftbrd, Northampton, Oxfordshire, and all Warwick- 
 shire. Sheldon here impales the quarterings as before ; 
 and here is also this single coat, Argent, a fess between 
 three pears sable (the arms of the city of Worcester). 
 The compass in this exactly resembles that in Saxton's 
 Kent, and other maps. In these maps the principal 
 county is bounded by a strong line of red; the principal 
 rivers and streams are marked blue, the hills, clumps 
 of trees, and even windmills (particularly one of the 
 
284 
 
 Tapestry Room 
 
 latter, which stood within memory before the house) 
 are expressed. The names of the counties are in ItaUc 
 Capitals ; those of towns not always well spelt. RoU- 
 riirht has eight pyramidical stones, and a windmdl. 
 Ricot is represented as a castle with several towers. 
 If these maps are not copied from Saxton, their large 
 scale, and minute detail, is an improvement on the first 
 eftbrt of map-making among us ; and it would be well 
 worth to compare them. Nor is this their only merit ; 
 they are the earliest specimens of tapestry weaving in 
 England, which was tirst introduced by William Sheldon, 
 in the reign of Henry VIII.; and it is not improbable 
 that he intented to unite the memorial of two new 
 discoveries. The spelling savours of Flemish artists.' 
 
 » To the above description by Mr. Gough may be 
 added, that the beacons then existing are represented 
 in these maps, as are likewise the several parks and 
 bridiies : and of the latter, those which are built with 
 stone are distinguished from those which are of wood. 
 Woodstock park alone, among the many similar en- 
 closures in Oxlordshire and the other counties, is re- 
 presented as surrounded with a stone wall. 
 
 "The frize of this room is divided into compartments, 
 in which are inserted Gothic shields, bearing upon them 
 the arms of the Harcourt tamily, from its origin. An. 876, 
 with its respective matches in their proper colours, and 
 in genealogical order, alternately with the Vernon knot. 
 Over the doors are two curious and very ancient whole- 
 length pictures of St. Catherine, and of a male saint ; 
 they were the two folding-doors of an altar-piece. Be- 
 tween the windows are the arms of the Hon. Horace 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 285 
 
 Walpole, with the date 1787, the year in which the 
 room was built. In the two round pannels are the 
 arms of Robert Harcourt, Knight of the Garter, in the 
 reign of Edward IV., 1463. And those of Robert, his 
 grandson. Knight of the Bath, 1495. I^ ^^^h angle 
 of the ceiling is a Knight in armour, upon a horse 
 caparisoned according to ancient usage, representing 
 four of the Harcourts, who by marriage added large 
 estates to the family possessions. 
 
 '' Over the door: Robert Harcourt, impaling Camville, 
 
 1202. 
 " Opposite to it: W. Harcourt, impaling Noel, 1209. 
 '' Left of the Windows: Sir Richard Harcourt, impaUng 
 
 De Quincy, 1250. 
 ''Right of ditto: Sir Christopher Harcourt, impaling 
 
 Stapleton, 1474. 
 
 " Shields in the Frize, beginning on the left as you enter 
 the room : 
 
 " I. Bernard the Dane, An. 876, impaling Sprote 
 de Bourgoyne. 
 
 " 2. Torf, Lord of Torville, impaling Ertemberg de 
 Briquebec, 947. 
 
 ''3. Turchetil, Lord of Turcheville, impaling Ade- 
 line de Montfort, looi. 
 
 "4. Anchetil, Lord of Harcourt, impaling Eva de 
 Boissy de Chartel, 1027. 
 
 "5. Robert, Lord of Harcourt, impaling Colede 
 d'Argonges, 1094. 
 
 *' 6. William, Lord of Harcourt, impaling Hue d'Am- 
 boise, 1 1 24. 
 
" 7- Ivo de Harcourt, second son. 
 '*8. Robert de Harcourt, impaling Isabel, daughter 
 and heir of Richard de Camville, died 1202. 
 
 "9. William de Harcourt, impaling daughter and 
 co-heir of Thomas Noel, An. 1209. 
 
 "10. Sir Richard, impaHng Arabella, daughter of 
 Sayerde Quincy, Earl of Winchester, living 1209. 
 
 "II. Sir William, impaling Hillaria, daughter of 
 Henry, Lord Hastings, died 1278. 
 
 "12. Sir Richard, impaling Margaret, daughter and 
 co-heir of John, Lord Beke, living 1250. 
 
 "13. Sir John, impaling Ellen, daughter of Eudo 
 le Zouch, died 1330. 
 
 " 14. Sir William, impaling Joan, daughter of Rich- 
 ard, Lord Grey of Codnor, died 1349- 
 
 " 15. Sir Thomas, impaling ^Luul, daughter of Robert, 
 Lord Grey of Rotherfield, died 141 7. 
 
 "16. Sir Thomas, impaling Joan, daughter of Sir 
 Robert Frauncis, died 1460. 
 
 "17. Sir Robert, K.G., impaling I\Lirgaret, daugh- 
 ter of Sir John Byron, 1463. 
 
 "18. Sir Robert, K.B., impaling Agnes, daughter 
 of Thomas Lymbrake. 
 
 "19. Sir Richard, impaling Edith, daughter and heir 
 of Sir Thomas S. Clare, died 1487. 
 
 " 20. Sir Christopher, impaling Joan, daughter and 
 co-heir of Sir Miles Stapleton, 1474. 
 
 *^ 21. Sir Simon, impaling Agnes, daughter of Thomas 
 
 Darell, died 1547- 
 " 22. Sir John, impaling ^Largaret, daughter of Sir 
 Edward Aston, died 1577. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 287 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 a 
 
 « 
 
 a 
 
 ti 
 
 23. Sir Walter, impaling Dorothy, daughter of Wil- 
 liam Robinson. 
 
 24. Robert, impaling Frances, daughter of Geof- 
 frey Vere, died 1631. 
 
 25. Sir Simon, impaling Anne, daughter of Wil- 
 liam, Lord Paget, died 1643. 
 
 26. Sir Philip, impaling Anne, daughter of Sir Wil- 
 liam Waller, died 1 688. 
 
 27. Simon, Viscount Harcourt, impaling Rebecca, 
 daughter of Rev. Thomas Clark, died 1727. 
 
 28. Hon. Simon Harcourt, impaling Elizabeth, 
 daughter of John Evelyn, died 1720. 
 
 29. Simon, first Earl, impaling Rebecca, daughter 
 and heir of Charles Samborne le Bas, died 
 
 1777- 
 
 30. George Simon, second Earl, impalmg Elizabeth, 
 
 daughter of George, Lord Vernon. 
 
 '' On the opposite side, beginning at the left, Collateral 
 
 Branches married to Heiresses: 
 " Rollo de Harcourt, impaling Roesia, daughter and 
 
 heir of William Peverell. 
 '' Simon de Harcourt, impaling Adeline, daughter and 
 
 heir of Osbert de Arden. 
 *' Sir Robert de Harcourt, impaHng Dionisia, daughter 
 
 and heir of Henry Pipard. 
 " Sir Henry, impaling Emma, daughter and heir of 
 
 William IvLaunsel. 
 ''Sir Richard, impaling Joan, daughter and heir of 
 
 Sir William ShareshuU. 
 " Michael, impaling daughter and heir of Tylney. 
 
 (t 
 
288 
 
 Tapestry Room 
 
 ^'Philip, impaling Elizabeth, daughter and heir of 
 
 Timothy Woodroffe. 
 "Simon, impaling Elizabeth, daughter and heir of 
 
 Sir Pvichard Anderson. 
 "Henry, impahng Frances, daughter and heir of 
 
 Nathaniel Bard. 
 
 " Collateral Matches of the Principal Line : 
 
 "Sir William, impaling Alice, daughter of Allen le 
 
 Zouch, first wife. 
 " Sir John, impaling Alice, daughter of Peter Corbet, 
 
 second wife. 
 " Sir Richard, impaling Eleanor, daughter of Sir Roger 
 
 Lewknor, second wife. 
 "Sir Simon, impaling Grace, daughter of Humphrey 
 
 FitzHerbert, second wife. 
 " Sir Simon, impaling daughter of Sir William Spencer, 
 
 third wife. 
 
 " Robert, impaling Elizabeth, daughter of John Her- 
 bert, first wife. 
 
 " Sir Philip, impaling Elizabeth, daughter and heir of 
 John Lee, second wife. 
 
 " Simon, first Viscount, impaling Elizabeth, daughter 
 of Richard Spencer, second wife. 
 
 " Simon, first Viscount, impaling Elizabeth, daughter 
 of Sir Thomas Vernon, third wife. 
 
 ^^ Alliances ivith Sovereign Houses: 
 
 "John, second Baron of Harcourt, 1288, impaling 
 
 Agnes of Lorraine. 
 "John, third Count, 1302, impaling Alicia of Brabant, 
 
 Lady of Arscot. 
 
 AT NUNEHAM. 
 
 289 
 
 (( 
 
 (( 
 
 (( 
 
 (( 
 
 John, fifth Count, 1353, impaling Blanch of Pon- 
 thieu, Countess of Aumalle, Princess of Castile. 
 
 John, sixth Count, 1374, impaling Catherine de 
 Bourbon. 
 
 John, seventh Count, 1380, impaling Mary of 
 
 AlentjOn. 
 
 Mary, Countess of Harcourt and Aumalle, in her 
 own right, 1430; great great grandmother of 
 Henry IV., King of France, impaling Anthony 
 of Lorraine, Count of Vaudemont." 
 
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 Letters. 
 
 291 
 
 With the few following Letters this volume 
 
 will conclude. 
 
 Lord Harcourt to Lord Jersey :— 
 
 '<■ Tuesday, 1778. 
 «. ... In a few days I shall stake out the boun- 
 dary of the intended garden, that it may be en- 
 closed with hurdles when Mason comes ; the tem- 
 porary (or as G^ G. would call it the temporal) 
 Park is made. Deer are bespoke; and I have 
 seven beautifuU fauns in a stable ready to be 
 turned out. A small part of the deer-park is 
 paled, and paling prepared for a mile more : you 
 find I am going to work in earnest. We have no 
 company ; but Miss Danby comes to-morrow for 
 one night only; and on Thursday we expect 
 M'\ Harcourt and my brother. 
 
 ''Whenever your pregnancy, or Lady Jersey's, 
 which is almost the same thing, allows you to 
 quit London, we shall be glad to see you. 
 
 *'I am all impatience for news from the fleet, 
 and for an account of the motives of M^ Wedder- 
 bourne's resignation, if true. 
 
 '' Ly H. sends her love, and so Adieu." 
 
 Lord Harcourt to Mr. Whitehead :— 
 
 ''August 7, 1778. 
 
 ". . . . The Cavc^ is not near compleated, and 
 will be a tedious and costly business ; to have it 
 
 t In the pleasure-grounds at Xuneham. 
 
292 
 
 Letters. 
 
 well done, and to secure the brains" of those who 
 will most frequent it (for they have brains as well 
 as sculls), I have been obliged to send for a person 
 on purpose, who has chiefly been employed in 
 making artificial rocks. It will, I think, be a 
 pretty thing when complcated, and dry and cool; 
 and yet sheltered from cold winds and rain. It 
 is lighted from the top by a bell glass, blown 
 flater on purpose than usual." 
 
 Lord Harcourt to Mr. Whitehead : — 
 
 " Monday. 
 
 "Notwithstanding the late beautifull alteration 
 in the flower-garden, that favourite spot (like the 
 master of it) has seen its best days. And I fear 
 will never be to me what it has been ; for my 
 poor faithful Walter droped down dead in it on 
 Saturday morning ; and though assistance was at 
 hand, immediately expired. 
 
 "His loss I am very certain can never be re- 
 paired ; for I must not expect to meet with half 
 his skill, or half his merit, in any successor I may 
 make choice of; and I am so much a creature 
 of habit, that I shall ever miss him, who was 
 become, by length of years and faithfull service, 
 a part of the place, and almost of myself I pro- 
 phesy of my orange-trees, that they will all wither 
 
 " The inside of the roof is ornamented with artificial stalactites 
 and stalagmites. 
 
 Letters. 
 
 293 
 
 now he is gone ; and I shall be long before I can 
 take any interest in a place which owed so much 
 of its excellence to the unceasing care of the 
 humble friend I have lost. 
 
 " You, who know how much of my time I have 
 passed for a long course of years in the flower- 
 garden with your old acquaintance, will not be 
 surprized at the shock his death has given me. 
 
 " We dine at the Bp of Salisbury's to-morrow, 
 to avoid seeing or knowing anything of Walter's 
 funeral ; which, because he was universally known 
 and esteemed in all this neighbourhood, will be 
 attended, it is thought, by a vast concourse of 
 people " 
 
 Lord Harcourt to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ Sat night, April 21, 1786. 
 
 ". . . . Our dinner at the Cannons'^ was very 
 agrcable, and he breakfasts with us on Tuesday 
 next. Though you had not desired me to send 
 you an account of our nephew >', I could not have 
 omitted to mention him ; for without any par- 
 tiality, he is the handsomest brat I ever saw of 
 his age ; and has a beautiful complexion. He 
 seems, too, in point of temper, an exact resem- 
 blance of his father and mother ; and every thing 
 Lord Stafl"ord told me of him is quite true. Ed- 
 
 •" Afterwards Archbishop Harcourt. 
 y George Granville Harcourt. 
 
294 
 
 Letters. 
 
 ward says it is a very sensible child ; but that I know 
 nothing of, nor do I believe it, because no infant 
 of that age ever yet had one single grain of sense. 
 **We went to-day in the coach to my neigh- 
 bours, and thence (for as usual he was not at 
 home) to the Abingdon lodge ; and then got out 
 and walked. The drive thence to the gate is 
 formed, and admirably turned, and (as you would 
 like it) at a considerable distance from the boun- 
 dary ; so that a full and perfect view of the reach 
 of the river, terminated by the town of Abingdon, 
 is seen without deviating from the outline of the 
 drive. They are now ploughing the hill, so that 
 the trees cannot be planted ; and of course the 
 drive wants a proper accompanyment The road 
 through the wood is beautiful beyond description, 
 and far superior to the ruinous one set out by 
 M^ Hamilton ; the curves are good ; but some 
 few of the tricks of the embellishing trade are 
 requisite still, to shew those curves to advantage, 
 supposing they could have been done without 
 much expence, which I do not know that they 
 could ; what I mean, relates to sinking the ground 
 in different parts, as Brown used to do in his 
 gravel walks. The descent at each extremity is 
 rather too rapid ; but I believe in that respect 
 it cannot be altered, nor could have been done 
 better than it is. The drive in Black Wood I 
 have not yet seen " 
 
 Letters. 
 
 295 
 
 Earl Harcourt to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " Worcester^ Monday^ August 11, 1788. 
 
 " . . . . To-morrow morn^ I shall see the manu- 
 factory. The King's gift ^ to you is not yet gone 
 hence ; but they promise it shall be dispatched 
 to-night. 
 
 " Remember your promise to endeavour to ex- 
 press (for it is impossible to express it fully) my 
 gratitude to the K. and Q., for all their unmerited 
 goodness to me. Kings can confer honour, but 
 they have no power over the mind ; and unless 
 they are really amiable and agreable, they cannot 
 make any body think them so. Ours is the most 
 angelic of the human race ; and those who know 
 him as you and I do, must have hearts of steel 
 not to love him as we both do " 
 
 » A tea-service in the cabinet in the Centre Corridor at Nuneham. 
 
 END OF VOL. III. 
 
 Iprintfb bn |:Tmrs pnrhrr nnb (To., Crobit fnrb, (Dvforb. 
 
.*♦.- 
 
 :S4 
 
VOLUME 4 
 
 [PUBLISHED AS 
 VOLUME 4 PART 1] 
 
FTZB 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 Natlfantf I (Untritt JffunJi 
 
 for tl|f 
 inrr^ajBi* of tift Utbraru 
 ^BtabliBlird ld0B 
 
 .1 
 
 THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 EDWARD WILLIAM HARCOURT, 
 
 OF STANTON HARCOURT, AND NUNEHAM COURTENAY, 
 IN THE COUNTY OF OXFORD, ESQUIRE. 
 
 VOL. IV. PART I. 
 
 |*rint$h fur ]^rJuitit5 ©irtufelitrn 6^ 
 
 JAMES PARKER AND CO., OXFORD. 
 
 \Only Fifty Copies printed?^ 
 
i 
 
 7, ^ I .S^ z z- f 
 
 
 \ 
 
 . 4 
 
 If 
 
 I 
 
 I ji 
 
 I 
 
 NOTE BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 'T^HE object which the Editor has had 
 in view in printing this volume, is, 
 as has been before noted in the previous 
 volumes, simply to preserve many interest- 
 ing family papers. 
 
 The Editor believes that the record will 
 be more characteristic, and therefore more 
 interesting, if the text of the manuscript 
 is strictly adhered to. 
 
 The treatment would, perforce, have been 
 different, if any idea of publication had been 
 entertained. In that case, all prolixity of 
 narrative, and much uncertainty of ortho- 
 graphy, must have been dealt with. As it 
 is, no alterations have been made in the 
 manuscript, excepting in cases where obvi- 
 

 ous repetitions, and unintelligible sentences, 
 have called for the interference of the 
 
 Editor. 
 
 The following note, in Lady Harcourt's 
 
 handwriting, appears to warrant the Editor 
 in dealinc-- with her compositions according 
 to his discretion :— " If there are any of 
 these papers that appear to you worth pre- 
 serving, you are at liberty to dispose of 
 them as you please." 
 
 In conclusion, the Editor hopes, with Lady 
 Harcourt, that "this little work will never 
 be submitted to any eyes but such as will 
 peruse it with candour." 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89 
 
 Epigram, Written on a Window at Windsor 
 
 Memoir of Georgiana, Duchess of Devon 
 shire 
 
 Ode to Hope .... 
 
 Extracts from Letters, &c. 
 
 Duke of Sussex' Marriage . 
 
 Ship News Extraordinary . 
 
 Portrait of Charles Fox . 
 
 Parody on "God Save the King" 
 
 page 
 I 
 
 269 
 
 273 
 289 
 
 295 
 
 301 
 
 309 
 315 
 319 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE YEARS 1788-89. 
 
 BY 
 
 ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF HARCOURT'. 
 
 * Lady Harcourt was Lady of the Bed-chamber to Queen 
 Charlotte ; she was wife of George Simon, Earl of Harcourt, 
 who was Master of the Horse to George the Third. 
 
—I 
 
 CORRIGENDA. 
 
 p. 265, 1. 8, for " Lugeme" read " Lucerne. 
 319, 1- 15, Pr " device" read "advice." 
 
 m\m% of % |[mrs 1788-89, 
 
 O vain presumption in my own abili- 
 ties, no idle desire of making my 
 name pass to posterity, induces me 
 to take up the pen. This little work, under- 
 taken at the request of a friend, will never 
 be submitted to any eyes but such as will 
 peruse it with candour, and will prefer the 
 truth and sincerity with which it will be 
 written, to the glowing imagination or pointed 
 eloquence of the most polished historians. 
 
 The present period will ever be an im- 
 portant one in the annals of England ; and 
 in a situation to be a witness of many of the 
 events, and to have the best information 
 upon others, I should perhaps be hardly 
 justifiable if I trusted to my memory only 
 for the recollection of circumstances which 
 It may be material for me to remem.ber. 
 I will relate no fact which I do not know, 
 
 B 
 
I 
 
 2 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 or from strong reasons believe to be true, 
 and I will study to prevent prejudice or 
 partiality from influencing me in the cha- 
 racter or accounts I may give of the persons 
 I shall have occasion to mention. 
 
 On the nth of June, 1788, the King was 
 seized with a bilious fever, attended with 
 violent spasms in his stomach and bowels; 
 this disorder lasted some days, and after he 
 was recovered from it, his physician (Sir 
 George Baker) ordered him to drink the 
 Cheltenham waters; accordingly, upon the 
 1 2th of July, their Majesties, with the Princess 
 Royal, the Princess Augusta, and the Princess 
 Elizabeth, left Windsor, and did Lord Har- 
 court and me the honour of calling at Nune- 
 ham, on their way to the wells, which they 
 reached that night. While they were with 
 us, the Queen told me that I was to join 
 her that day fortnight, and attend upon her 
 as Lady of the Bedchamber in the room of 
 Lady Weymouth, who was then with her ; 
 the King asked my Lord to be of the party, 
 graciously adding, '' If you will visit me in 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Gloucestershire, I will call upon you again 
 in my way home." In consequence of these 
 kind commands, we went upon the 26th of 
 July to Cheltenham. I found an apartment 
 prepared for me in Falconberg Lodge ; my 
 Lord had lodgings in the town, but dined 
 every day, and passed the evening with their 
 Majesties. The usual plan of life was plea- 
 sant, but fatiguing ; at six in the morning, 
 the King, the Princess Royal, and myself, 
 went to the wells, and w^alked till past 
 eight upon the public walks, then returned 
 to breakfast with the Queen and the other 
 Princesses ; at ten we went out in carriages, 
 either to see the seats of the neighbouring 
 nobility and gentry, or to view such beautiful 
 scenes and antiquities and manufactures as 
 were w^orth attention ; at four Vv^e dined, and 
 soon after six returned to the walks for an 
 hour, then drank tea, passed the evening in 
 conversation, supped at ten, and went to bed 
 at eleven. This system was adhered to ex- 
 cept when their Majesties made any long 
 excursions, such as to Lord Coventry, Lord 
 
I*' 
 h 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Bathurst, Lord Ducie, the Bishop of Wor- 
 cester, &c. ; or on Sundays, when the King 
 never drank the waters. Frequently, when 
 we went in carriages, he would accompany 
 us on horseback. His Majesty had no sol- 
 diers at Cheltenham, but he was much more 
 magnificently guarded by his people at large, 
 who surrounded him wherever he went, 
 shewino- that real love which always enforces 
 respect. This was carried so far that, the 
 day we went to see the cloth manufactory 
 at Stroud, though thousands crowded round 
 his horse, yet would they neither shout, 
 nor suffer the bands of music to play, until 
 they were assured that the animal was so 
 quiet that their beloved sovereign would 
 not be endangered by the demonstrations of 
 their loyalty and joy ; once satisfied upon 
 this point, they rent the air with their accla- 
 mations. The principal gendemen met the 
 King on horseback, the lower sort of people 
 followed him for miles on foot ; and it is 
 supposed that we did not see less than fifty 
 thousand persons that day. As we passed 
 
 V 
 
 ♦ " 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 i 
 
 through the heart of the clothing country, the 
 immense quantity of cloth that was spread and 
 hung out in honour of the day made a singular 
 and beautiful appearance. Triumphal arches 
 were formed of cloth at the entrance of some 
 of the towns we were to pass through ; in 
 other places there were arches of flowers, and 
 all were adorned with crowns, cyphers of the 
 King and Queen, and emblems and mottoes 
 suited to the occasion. The people were 
 dressed in their holiday clothes, some car- 
 ried flags or streamers, and '' God save the 
 King," '' Long live the King and Queen," 
 echoed from every heart and voice ; and this 
 accompanied by ringing of bells, and the 
 music of different bands, formed a concert 
 that was worthy to be offered by a free 
 nation to him who was at the same time 
 their monarch and their father. 
 
 The cloth manufactory, independent of its 
 beine the first branch of commerce in this 
 country, was in itself a sight well worth atten- 
 tion. A sort of temporary building, open in 
 front, and formed of white cloth, was erected 
 
6 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 upon the side of a beautiful hill ; this was 
 divided into a great many compartments, in 
 each of which a different part of the business 
 was carried on, from the first taking the w^ool 
 off the sheep's back to the making-up the 
 bales of cloth for sale. The men who were 
 employed were dressed in white shirts tied 
 w^ith ribbons, the women as neat as possible, 
 and the instant their Majesties entered the 
 inclosure the w^hole was set in motion. The 
 questions the King asked, and the observa- 
 tions he made, shewed such intelligence as 
 delighted and surprised the manufacturers, 
 many of whom said they had never seen 
 a person have such just and clear ideas of 
 the business who had not been actually bred 
 to it. I have often heard the same remark 
 made when I have attended their Majesties 
 to other manufactories, and have myself been 
 astonished how the King, wdth the many 
 important affairs he has had to occupy him, 
 should have been able to make himself master 
 of so many subjects which naturally fall so 
 little in his way. 
 
 I 
 
 'J 
 
 MeiMOirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 The annual music-meeting, for the benefit 
 of the Sons of the Clergy, was held at Wor- 
 cester upon the 6th of August. Ever de- 
 sirous of promoting benevolent institutions, 
 their Majesties with the Princesses resolved 
 to attend it, and of course all the persons 
 of fashion from the neighbouring counties 
 crowded to the town. The Court was lodged 
 in the Bishop's palace ; w^e remained there 
 three days, during wdiich time the most loyal 
 and affectionate addresses were presented by 
 the County, the Corporation, and the Clergy 
 of the Diocese. From Worcester we again 
 returned to Cheltenham, and stayed there 
 until Saturday the i6th of August, when 
 their Majesties and the Princesses kept their 
 kind promise of dining at Nuneham, and in 
 the evening proceeded to Windsor. The joy 
 which was shewn upon their return thither 
 bore a just proportion to the sorrow ex- 
 pressed upon their leaving Worcestershire ; 
 and every circumstance of their five weeks' 
 tour united to impress upon their minds how 
 much they were beloved by their people. 
 
8 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 On Tuesday, the 29th of August, there 
 was a most magnificent ball at Windsor 
 Castle, given in honour of the Prince of 
 Wales' and the Duke of York's birthdays ; 
 both of which having happened during the 
 King's absence, could not be kept upon the 
 proper days, the 12th and i6th of August. 
 To this ball many of the first nobility were 
 invited, the dancing was in the great guard- 
 chamber, the card-playing in the drawing- 
 rooms, and the supper in St. George s Hall. 
 The royal family supped at a table placed 
 on a platform, raised by steps at the upper 
 end : the guests at two tables, which were 
 down each side of the hall, leaving an 
 avenue up the middle to that where the 
 royal family were. The whole was finely 
 illuminated, and the appearance of the room, 
 the entertainment, and the company was as 
 splendid as possible. On Thursday, the 
 2 1st, there was a drawing-room at St. James', 
 after which I took leave of the royal family 
 until Monday, the 29th of September, when 
 I again returned to Windsor, to be present 
 
 • \ 
 
 :vi 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 9 
 
 at a concert and a supper given in honour 
 of the day, the Princess Royal's birthday. 
 Like every fete at Windsor Castle it was 
 both pleasant and superb. I never saw the 
 King in better health or spirits ; he con- 
 tinued to talk with satisfaction of his Wor- 
 cestershire tour, and to think that Chelten- 
 ham had been of use to him. 
 
 I returned to Nuneham after the drawing- 
 room, upon the 2nd of October. I have 
 been the more particular in what I have re- 
 lated, because it was afterwards said by some 
 ill-disposed persons, that, even at the period 
 of which I have given an account, his Majesty 
 shewed signs of the unhappy malady with 
 which he has since been afflicted. Living 
 with him, as I did, in the most unreserved 
 intimacy from six in the morning till eleven 
 at night, it is impossible but that if this 
 had been true I must have observed it. 
 I can most solemnly affirm that I never saw 
 the least symptom of mental derangement, 
 and that the King was invariably cheerful 
 and good-humoured, and often declared. 
 
10 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 i' 
 
 .1 
 
 that, from the beginning of his reign, he 
 had never known such happiness as he 
 then experienced, from the conviction he 
 felt of being beloved by his people. 
 
 Nothing material happened from the time 
 the royal family returned to Windsor, the 
 3rd of October, till Sunday the 12th; his 
 Majesty then complained of a rash, which 
 continued on the Monday; on Tuesday he 
 hunted, and in the evening he told Princess 
 Elizabeth, from whom I had these particu- 
 lars, that the rash upon his body was gone 
 in, but that there were some remains of it 
 upon his arm, which he shewed her. She 
 told me it looked very red, and in great 
 weals, as if it had been scourged with 
 cords. She advised him to take some care, 
 but he disregarded the caution. On Wed- 
 nesday he went to London, had a levee, and 
 returned to Kew. He ate no dinner, as 
 was frequently his custom upon levee days, 
 and having had no nourishment but a cup 
 of coffee and a bit of dry biscuit (his com- 
 mon breakfast) at nine in the morning, he 
 
 ii 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 11 
 
 went in the evening to the Hanoverian 
 Minister, Baron Albuslabens ; there he ate 
 several pears, but nothing solid. Early the 
 next morning, when the dew was very strong 
 upon the ground, his Majesty walked round 
 Kew and Richmond gardens; and being 
 afraid when he returned that he should 
 hardly be in town time enough for the 
 Queen and Princesses to be dressed for the 
 drawing-room, he only pulled off his boots, 
 which were so wet that the water ran out 
 of them, and, without changing his stock- 
 ines, Sfot into the coach. This was on the 
 1 6th. That night he was seized with spasms 
 in his stomach and bowels, which gave him 
 the most excruciating pain. The following 
 day Sir George Baker gave him physic ; 
 the effect of this being too much, he gave 
 him laudanum to counteract it. It became 
 necessary to repeat the physic ; the lauda- 
 num, too, was again repeated, and within 
 twenty-four hours he took three doses of 
 each. On Saturday the complaint in his 
 elbows subsided, and his legs and feet 
 
iY 
 
 12 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 swelled so much that he could not wear 
 his own shoes and stockings. He was very 
 lame, and those about him hoped he was 
 going to have the gout, of which he had 
 formerly had some slight attacks. These 
 appearances, however, decreased on Tues- 
 day ; and on Wednesday, the 22nd, Sir 
 George Baker gave the King a strong dose 
 of senna. This disordered him so much, 
 that in the morning he sent for the phy- 
 sician to scold him, as he said, for having 
 given him a medicine that always disagreed 
 with him. His Majesty spoke with so much 
 more warmth and displeasure than usual 
 that Sir George was alarmed, and when he 
 returned to town that night he wrote to 
 Mr. Pitt to inform him that he had left the 
 King very ill, and in a state bordering upon 
 delirium. Mr. Pitts anxiety carried him to 
 Sir George's house at two in the morning, 
 and it was acfreed that he should return to 
 Kew early the next day. When he got 
 there, he found his Majesty so much better 
 that he expressed his astonishment to Lady 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 13 
 
 II 
 
 Courtown, adding the same expressions he 
 had made use of in his letter to Mr. Pitt; 
 to which she very naturally answered, 
 '' Good God, Sir George, if you thought the 
 King so ill, how could you leave him ? " 
 
 Mr. Pitt passed three hours with his Ma- 
 jesty that day, during which time he trans- 
 acted business as well as at any period of his 
 life. My brother-in-law, General Harcourt, 
 saw him afterwards ; he was perfectly com- 
 posed, but complained that Sir George Baker 
 had mistaken his case, and that he seemed to 
 follow no regular system in his management 
 of him. On the Thursday he was so well 
 that he walked round Kew Gardens. His 
 Majesty had promised not to go to the levee 
 on Friday, October 24 ; but in the morning 
 Sir George Baker came in great distress, 
 and said, that having an advantageous mort- 
 gage offered to him, he had sold ^18,000 
 out of the stocks, that his doing this just 
 at the moment the King was ill had raised 
 an alarm, that the funds had fallen ten per 
 cent., and that he thought it his duty to 
 
14 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 make the circumstance known. His Majesty 
 now thought it necessary to show himself 
 in public, to quiet the fears of his people. 
 At the levee he related the cause of his being 
 there ; he did not speak to many of those 
 who were present, and stayed but a short 
 time. It was remarked that he looked ill, 
 and that his skin appeared muddled, as if 
 there was an eruption under it that wanted 
 to come out. On Saturday the royal family 
 returned to Windsor. As the coach drew 
 up to the door the King saw his four young- 
 est daughters waiting to receive him, and 
 was so overcome that he had an hysteric 
 fit. His children and his attendants were 
 all struck with the alteration in his looks ; 
 and he said to Colonel Goldsworthy, one of 
 the equerries who had always had a great 
 share of his confidence and favour, " I re- 
 turn to you a poor old man, weak in body 
 and in mind." It is remarkable, that in 
 the former part of his life the King always 
 lauehed at the idea of nervous disorders, 
 and I myself have been often the object of 
 
 I 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 15 
 
 /. 
 
 his pleasantry upon this subject. He gene- 
 rally concluded with saying, '' You may talk 
 of them as you please, but the complaints 
 you call nervous appear to me to be only 
 a greater or lesser degree of insaiiity!' Of 
 what really deserved that name he had 
 a greater horror than any person I ever con- 
 versed with ; and two years before his ill- 
 ness he had declined giving one of his 
 dauo-hters to the Prince of Denmark, upon 
 account of the King his fathers situation ; 
 and I have known him almost express a wish 
 for the death of persons for whom he has 
 had a regard, from the apprehension that 
 such a dreadful calamity was hereditary in 
 their families. From tliis time, however, 
 the 25th of October, he allowed that his 
 disorder was nervous; it was attended by 
 a considerable degree of bodily agitation, 
 and a desire of talking that he was scarcely 
 able to control. When his physicians told 
 him of it it increased the irritation, and hurt 
 him essentially ; at times he would desire 
 those about him to check him, and propose 
 
i6 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 i 
 
 IV 
 
 
 that some one should read aloud to keep 
 him quiet, but these means seldom obtained 
 the desired effect. 
 
 On Sunday, the 26th, he heard Divine 
 Service in the Cathedral at Windsor. Just 
 before the sermon began he started up, 
 seemed to have lost all power over himself, 
 embraced the Queen and Princesses, and 
 then burst into tears. The royal closet is 
 so shut up that none but those within it 
 were witnesses of this scene. The King 
 said to Princess Elizabeth, *' You know w^hat 
 it is to be nervous, but was you ever so 
 bad as this ?*' With great presence of mind 
 she answered, ** Yes." The King soon grew 
 calmer, and in the evening went through 
 some business with Sir William Fawcett, the 
 adjutant -general, perfectly well. The next 
 day he took the air with the Queen. On 
 Tuesday, the 28th, he proposed going to 
 Lady Effingham's, and added, '' Sir George 
 Howard shall give me an account of the 
 campaigns he made in Germany, and that 
 will keep me from talking." Sir George 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 ii..ih 
 
 If 
 
 Baker saw him before he went out, and 
 as the Queen, from his Majesty s choosing 
 to have her constantly with him, had no 
 opportunity of speaking to the physician 
 alone, she ordered Miss Goldsworthy, sub- 
 governess to the Princesses, to see him, 
 and to say that she was very uneasy about 
 the King, that his complaint seemed rather 
 to increase than diminish, and that she de- 
 sired he would let her know what his opinion 
 of his situation really was. Sir George an- 
 swered that the King was certainly very ill, 
 but that there was nothing that alarmed 
 him ; he saw his way, and should set every 
 thing right if they would give him time. 
 
 This answer did not satisfy the Queen. 
 She had observed a particular agitation dur- 
 ine the visit at Sir Georcre Howard's, which 
 the King had prolonged much beyond the 
 usual time ; yet, believing Baker to be both 
 honest and skilful, she thought she might 
 venture to wait a little longer before she 
 pressed the King to have further advice, to 
 which she knew he would be very averse. 
 
i8 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 No material change happened during the 
 next two days. The King rode out, and 
 followed his customary plan of life. It was, 
 however, evident that he thought very ill of 
 his own situation, for much of his conversa- 
 tion seemed as if he intended to prepare the 
 Queen and Princesses for some fatal event. 
 
 In the course of the week, I forget which 
 day, he made a new will ; in the former one, 
 which was made soon after the birth of the 
 Prince of Wales, he had left everything he 
 possessed to his Royal Highness; his family 
 being greatly increased since that time he 
 thouo-ht it rio-ht to make some alterations, 
 but he declared that the misunderstandings 
 that had happened between him and the 
 Prince should never make him act unjustly 
 or unkindly by him ; that everything he ought 
 to have as heir-apparent should be his, and 
 in this he included not only the Crown jewels 
 and all those that had been presented to him 
 by the different Nabobs, but many valuable 
 ones he had himself purchased. His will, 
 and the dispositions he had made in It, was 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 19 
 
 a favourite subject of conversation with him, 
 and he used frequently to mention as a sin- 
 gular circumstance, that during the last sum- 
 mer and autumn, whenever he opened the 
 chest in which it was deposited, this will was 
 the first object that presented itself to his 
 eyes, it often fell upon the ground even when 
 he had put other things upon it. The King 
 commonly added, '' As I am not superstitious, 
 I do not mind it." It was, however, very 
 clear, that whether this accident did really 
 happen, or that he merely imagined it, the im- 
 pression it made upon him was very strong. 
 
 On Friday, the 31st, Sir George Baker 
 ao-ain attended at Windsor, and still per- 
 sisted in saying that the King was not so 
 ill as those about him apprehended ; it was 
 notwithstanding setded that at his next 
 visit Doctor Heberden, an old physician of 
 high reputation, should accompany him, and 
 he did so. On Sunday, the 2nd of Novem- 
 ber, his Majesty attended Divine service at 
 the Cathedral as usual, and was afterwards 
 advised by Baker and Heberden to have 
 
20 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 1 
 f 
 
 f 8^':. 
 
 a blister put upon his head. This was done 
 on the Monday, his Majesty wore his wig 
 over it, and seemed desirous that it should 
 not be known. That day and Tuesday he 
 took the air, once the Princess Royal accom- 
 panied him, the other time the Princess 
 Aucrusta. He behaved to them in the kindest 
 manner, expressed his concern that he had 
 not secured proper matches for them, but 
 alleged as a reason the pain the idea of part- 
 ing with them always gave him ; he said if 
 he got well he would go to Hanover in the 
 summer, and that he would make his Court 
 there as gay as possible to draw the young 
 princes of Germany to it. He told the 
 Princess Royal in particular that, provided 
 it was not a imsalliance, he would consent 
 to her marrying any one of them who was 
 likely to make her happy, for that the happi- 
 ness of his daughters was of more conse- 
 quence to him than the extent of their hus- 
 bands' dominions. Though there was no- 
 thing improper in what he said, yet he spoke 
 with a degree of eagerness and rapidity that 
 
 was distressing to the Princesses ; he con- 
 tinued to do so throughout these days, and 
 paid no regard to the punctuality he used 
 to observe in respect of hours. His dinner 
 waited for him till six o'clock, the drinking 
 coffee and the concert were deferred beyond 
 their usual time, nor could he be prevailed 
 upon to go to bed before two o'clock in the 
 morning; when he went into the Queens 
 room he was particularly anxious to see that 
 all the doors were locked; precautions had 
 however been taken, and two of the pages at- 
 tended in the passage to go in if necessary. 
 
 On Wednesday, the fifth of November, 
 every alarming symptom seemed increased ; 
 the bodily agitation was extreme, and the talk- 
 ing incessant, indeed it was too evident that 
 his Majesty had no longer the least command 
 over himself His eyes, the Queen has since 
 told me, she could compare to nothing but 
 black-currant jelly, the veins in his face were 
 swelled, the sound of his voice was dreadful ; 
 he often spoke till he was exhausted, and 
 the moment he could recover his breath 
 
I « » » ) »■ ■ I . 
 
 beo-an aeain, while the foam ran out of 
 his mouth. Just before dinner the Prince of 
 Wales and the Duke of York arrived ; they 
 had been at Windsor on the Monday, and 
 thought their father so ill, that they resolved 
 not to return as they had intended to Bright- 
 helmstone. The Tuesday they again called 
 to inquire, but only saw the Queen and the 
 Princesses. On this day, Wednesday, the 
 King received them with more than common 
 affection, and said a thousand kind things to 
 them, amongst others he said to the Duke 
 that he loved him so well it was not in his 
 power to refuse him anything, except where 
 the Prince of Wales was concerned ; that he 
 would never injure the Prince, though he 
 had been used ill by him, but he forgave 
 him, he was his son, and he always had 
 loved him, and always should love him. The 
 Prince was so much affected that he was al- 
 most convulsed, and Princess Elizabeth was 
 obliged to rub his temples with Hungary 
 water, but neither this nor the whole party 
 being drowned in tears appeared to have 
 
 .-> 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 23 
 
 the least effect upon the King. As soon as 
 it was possible, the Queen arose from table, 
 she had put a constraint upon herself beyond 
 what she had strength to support, and as 
 soon as she got into her room she fell into 
 an hysteric fit. Lady Elizabeth Waldegrave, 
 Lady of the Bedchamber to the Princesses, 
 was the only person with her, but they 
 were soon joined by the King, who, upon 
 Lady Ely telling him the Queen was ill, said 
 " Then I will take care of her myself." The 
 Queen made Lady Elizabeth a sign not to 
 leave her, and presently the King proposed 
 removing her Majesty into the drawing-room, 
 where he made a sort of bed upon one of 
 the sofas, and placed her on it ; he then fixed 
 where each of the Princesses should sit, and 
 ordered all the candles except two to be 
 put out. Sometimes he hung over the Queen 
 with the kindest solicitude, at others he 
 talked to his children with the most pater- 
 nal fondness, yet in all he said and did the 
 strongest marks of a deranged mind were 
 visible. 
 
24 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 When the Queen's seeing Sir George Baker 
 was proposed, he said, '* He may prescribe 
 if he will, but the Queen shall not be hurt 
 as I have been by taking his medicines/' 
 Towards night it was hinted to him that it 
 was necessary for her Majesty^s health that 
 she should have a separate room ; he con- 
 sented, upon condition that a bed should be 
 prepared for him in one adjoining to it, but 
 it was not till past twelve that he could be 
 prevailed upon to let the Queen retire to her 
 apartment. About one o'clock he came into 
 her room ; he had not been in bed ; he shut 
 the door, and going to the chimney he took 
 up the light, and then went to the bedside ; 
 he held the light to the Queen's face and 
 said, **Yes, I am not deceived, I thought 
 she was here, I thought she would not leave 
 me :" then turning to Miss Goldsworthy, 
 whom he had desired not to leave the 
 Queen, he added, '' Goully, you are honest, 
 I can depend upon you, you will take care of 
 her; they said the King was ill, he was not 
 ill ; but now the Queen is ill, he is ill too ;" 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 25 
 
 he then put down the light, and walked fast 
 about the room. Her Majesty entreated 
 him to take some rest, and he left her, shut- 
 ting the door with violence and locking it; 
 soon after no more noise was heard, yet 
 they believed the King to be still up ; the 
 Queen ordered Sir George Baker to be 
 called, that he might go to his Majesty, 
 but he excused himself, saying, he was in 
 so violent a perspiration he could not rise 
 with safety ; upon hearing this the Prince 
 of Wales sent an express for Dr. Warren, 
 unknown to the Queen, who would never 
 have consented to the calling in a physician 
 to whom the King had a particular objection. 
 From this fatal step many of the evils that 
 followed resulted ; and I have ever been of 
 opinion that Sir George Baker's natural timi- 
 dity, increased by the danger he saw coming 
 on, made him act as he did, that some other 
 of the faculty might be sent for to share 
 with him the responsibility of the situation. 
 Warren was a man of very different cha- 
 racter; he was at that time considered, at 
 
 e 
 
26 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 least by the fashionable world, as being at 
 the head of his profession ; he had a strong 
 understanding, a manner dictating and su- 
 percilious, and that sort of inflexible firmness 
 that is rarely found with a feeling heart, 
 and that his was not of such a nature what 
 I shall hereafter have occasion to relate will 
 fully prove ; yet, such as I have described 
 him, no one was more master of the arts 
 of dissimulation and insinuation, or could 
 practise them with more perseverance, when 
 it was his interest to do so. His medical 
 success in some families of the first distinc- 
 tion procured him the most familiar access 
 to their houses, and here I have seen his 
 brow unbent, the clouds banished from his 
 countenance, and the gloomy politician be- 
 come " le petit medicin des ruelles." To his 
 female patients he recommended himself by 
 assuring them that their health depended 
 greatly upon their spirits ; he therefore sel- 
 dom objected to dissipation in the winter, 
 and often found the water-drinking places 
 they best liked absolutely necessary for them 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 27 
 
 in the summer; and it has been said that 
 he had a still more powerful means of se- 
 curing the favour of many persons of con- 
 sequence by lending them money, which the 
 immense income he derived from his pro- 
 fession enabled him to do. Be this as it 
 may, it is most certain that he was con- 
 stantly received upon the most intimate foot- 
 ing in the houses of the Dukes of Devon- 
 sWre and Portland, as well as in Lord 
 Fitzwilliam's, Lord Spencer's, Mr. Fox's, 
 and many others of the leading men in op- 
 position. Through their protection he be- 
 came known to the Prince of Wales, and 
 Carlton-house soon 'afforded an ample field 
 for the display of his talents in political 
 
 intrigue. 
 
 His being sent for to Windsor gave dis- 
 satisfaction to many of the King's most 
 attached friends, and his Majesty said to 
 him, the first time he went into his room, 
 "You may come here as an acquaintance, 
 but not as my physician ; no man can serve 
 two masters ; you are the Prince of Wales's 
 
physician, you cannot be mine." Similar 
 marks of dislike were shewn to him by the 
 King throughout the whole course of his ill- 
 ness, excepting for a very short time, when 
 Warren had the art to persuade him that 
 he was adverse to the severity with which 
 Dr. Willis thought it necessary to treat him. 
 
 But, to return to my narrative. It was on 
 Thursday, the 6th of November, that War- 
 ren came to Windsor ; he immediately pro- 
 nounced the K inch's life to be in the utmost 
 danger, and declared that the seizure upon 
 the brain was so violent, that, if he did live, 
 there was little reason to hope that his in- 
 tellects would be restored ; though the many 
 expressions the King made use of to him, 
 and many other things he said in his calmer 
 moments, proved that, however his mental 
 faculties might be deranged, they were not 
 destroyed. 
 
 Great quiet was now recommended, and no 
 persons but his pages were allowed to re- 
 main for any time in the King's room. The 
 Queen was removed to a distant part of the 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 29 
 
 house, and though he frequently asked for 
 her and for the Princesses, they were not 
 allowed to go to him, under the pretence 
 that the seeing them would agitate him too 
 much. The same reason was alleged to 
 prevent the gentlemen-in-waiting from fre- 
 quently going into his bed-chamber ; some 
 of these were men of excellent character, 
 high in favour with the King, and so zea- 
 lously attached to him, that they would 
 gladly have shared the attending upon him 
 with the pages ; many of whom, freed from 
 the restraint of being overlooked by their 
 superiors, soon forgot their stations, and be- 
 haved with a degree of familiarity and inso- 
 lence that often irritated and essentially hurt 
 his Majesty. 
 
 The fever increased, and the delirium 
 was more violent than ever on Friday the 
 7th and Saturday the 8th, and that night, 
 and on Sunday the 9th, there were hardly 
 any hopes of the King's recovery. Four 
 men were obliged to be constantly by the 
 bed to prevent his jumping out of it. 
 
30 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 On Monday the loth, I got to Windsor; 
 a letter had informed me of the dreadful 
 situation of a family to whom I was as much 
 attached by affection as by duty, and I hast- 
 ened to them, anxious to do anything in my 
 power to alleviate their sorrows, or at least 
 to share them. Never can I forget what 
 I felt when I entered the town, or the gene- 
 ral grief that appeared in the countenances 
 of people of all ranks. The few persons 
 in the Lodge had hardly any intercourse 
 out of it, and it was so difficult to procure 
 authentic information, that I found it strongly 
 reported and believed that the King was 
 actually dead. When I went to the Lodge, 
 the old porter came to me, and said, with 
 tears in his eyes, '' It seems strange that 
 these gates should be shut against you, but 
 our orders are to admit no person what- 
 ever." I then went to Lady Courtown s 
 apartments in the Castle ; with her I found 
 the Duchess of Ancaster and Lady Pem- 
 broke, and we were soon joined by Lady 
 Sydney and Mr. Pitt. They had just seen 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 31 
 
 Warren, who had told them that the King 
 was not worse than he had been the preced- 
 ino- day, but that there was much to fear 
 and little to hope. From Lady Courtown we 
 heard that it was impossible for the Queen 
 to see any of us ; that the dislike his Majesty 
 had to seeing any but those who were with 
 him when he was first seized had engaged 
 him, at a very early period of his illness, 
 to desire the Queen to promise him that 
 she would admit no others until he was 
 better. By this promise she continued to 
 think herself bound, and, rather than vio- 
 late it, she denied herself the comfort of 
 having anybody with her, excepting Lady 
 Courtown, Lady Charlotte Finch, Lady Eliz- 
 abeth and Lady Caroline Waldegrave, and 
 Miss Goldsworthy; these ladies, by their 
 places, were obliged to be almost entirely 
 resident at Windsor, and the King had 
 therefore seen them so constantly that they 
 continued to be admitted to her Majesty. 
 
 Finding things in this situation, I resolved 
 to go for some days to General Harcourt's 
 
32 • Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 house, three miles from Windsor, where 
 I could receive constant accounts ; he and 
 General Gordon, as Grooms-of-the-Bcdcham- 
 ber, had been ordered to sit alternately at 
 the Castle to receive the visits of those 
 who came to inquire after his Majesty. 
 I did not find General Harcourt at home 
 when I got to St. Leonard's ; Mrs. Harcourt 
 and I met with aching hearts, yet each en- 
 deavouring to inspire the other with that 
 confidence we could not feel. A few hours 
 after I got there our spirits were a little 
 revived by Colonel Digby, who came to us 
 from the Lodge, and assured us that the 
 Kino- was more calm than he had been the 
 two preceding days ; that he had known him 
 when he went into his room, that he had 
 taken him by the hand, expressed pleasure 
 at seeing him, and had mentioned some 
 orders he had given previous to his con- 
 finement with accuracy. He told us that 
 even the Saturday night, when he appeared 
 particularly bad, he had still been capable 
 of observation, for that he had called Gres- 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 33 
 
 well, one of the pages, to him, and remarked 
 that the Prince of Wales had been in the 
 room a little while before. The page an- 
 swered, that it was very true, but that they 
 did not think he had known him. *'Yes," 
 replied the King, " I knew him very well, 
 and he cried," which was also true, *' to see 
 me so ill. The Prince," added he, "has at 
 bottom a good heart ; he has used me ill, 
 but he is iny child ; he is still here," laying 
 his hand upon his heart, " I still love him.'* 
 
 This account naturally led us to inquire 
 what the Prince's general conduct had been 
 since his father's illness. Colonel Digby an- 
 swered, that nothing could be more perfect as 
 long as he acted from his own feelings ; that 
 at the beginning of the illness he had been 
 much affected, and had shewn the greatest 
 solicitude for the King, and the most affec- 
 tionate attention to the Queen ; but that in 
 a very few daj^s Mr. Payne was sent down 
 to him by the Opposition % that they were 
 
 ■ Mr. Fox was not in England, but an express was sent 
 for him. 
 

 |i ' 
 
 34 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 shut up together for some time, and that 
 since this interview the Princcliad appeared, 
 in his general manner, though he had cer- 
 tainly shewn great sensibiUty the preceding 
 evening, very different from what he did 
 before the conversation took place. 
 
 The next day, the nth, the King con- 
 tinued much the same, rarely, and for a short 
 time only, getting any sleep, talking inces- 
 santly, yet, at times, shewing perfect recol- 
 lection. A little boy he had lost a few years 
 before. Prince Octavius, had always been 
 his particular favourite, from the uncom- 
 mon fondness the child had shewn for him. 
 On the night of INIonday he asked for the 
 picture of this child, and wept over it ; those 
 about him flattered themselves that the 
 shedding tears would relieve him, but his 
 pulse continued very high, and his agitation 
 soon returned. I went again to Windsor 
 that morning, to gain what intelligence 
 I could, but found none that was satisfac- 
 tory. From the Queen I had a kind mes- 
 sage, expressing her regret that it was not 
 
 I 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 35 
 
 in her power to see me. The account 
 I heard of her added to my unhappiness ; 
 I feared her health would not support itself 
 under such severe sufferings. I was told 
 that she neither ate nor slept, that she passed 
 a great part of the day in prayer, the rest 
 in weeping and walking backwards and for- 
 wards in her room ; that her daughters were 
 almost constantly with her, endeavouring to 
 give her that comfort they wanted them- 
 selves. The Queen's sons were rarely in 
 her apartments, and their visits rather added 
 to than relieved her distress ; for, prompted 
 by those who wished to alienate them from 
 her, and who tried to persuade them that 
 she intended to take the management of 
 everything into her own hands, and to make 
 them of no consequence, they proposed plans 
 to her, hurried her to decide upon them, and 
 were offended when she felt it her duty to 
 reject them. The attached friends of the 
 King and Queen grieved to see two young 
 men, whose dispositions were naturally affec- 
 tionate and amiable, become the tools of an 
 
11 
 
 It' 
 
 I i 
 
 I 
 
 f * 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 36 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 ambitious party, which, under the specious 
 pretence of zeal for their interests, hoped to 
 seize the reins of government for themselves. 
 It may not here be improper to give such 
 a sketch of the characters of the Princes as 
 I am enabled to draw from my own observa- 
 tion, and from the conversations I liave had 
 with persons who had known them well 
 from the earliest period of their lives. The 
 Prince of Wales was six-and-twenty on the 
 1 2th of August, 1 788 ; the Duke of York was 
 one year younger. Educated together, habit 
 strengthened their brotherly love, and it is 
 just to say nothing has ever weakened it. 
 If the superior situation of the Prince raised 
 no envy in the Duke, he, on his pr.rt, felt 
 no jealousy from the King's known partiality 
 to the Duke ; and when the latter was sent 
 to Hanover to complete his education, the 
 separation of the Princes was a stroke they 
 were hardly able to support ; even in their 
 childhood the word ** Osnaburgh '' would 
 check them in the midst of their play, and 
 the idea that they must be parted when the 
 
 * , 
 
 I 
 
 f 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 37 
 
 Duke should take possession of that Bishop- 
 rick has often drowned them in tears. When 
 he returned to England, after an absence 
 of seven years, the brothers met with trans- 
 port, and from that time became inseparable, 
 the same pursuits and the same friendships 
 united them. 
 
 Unfortunately, during the Duke's absence, 
 the Prince had connected himself too much 
 with those who opposed his father's Govern- 
 ment ; to them it was a great object to per- 
 suade him to consider himself the head of 
 their party, and to insinuate that at his age, 
 and with his abilities, the King and his Min- 
 isters used him very ill in not confiding all 
 their measures to him, and consulting him 
 upon them. Lord North, Mr. Fox, Mr. 
 Burke, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Erskine, men of 
 the most brilliant talents, were tlien the 
 leaders of the Opposition. Perhaps it was 
 not unnatural for a young man just entering 
 into the world to be dazzled by them, and 
 for an open, generous nature not to suspect 
 that it was only their own interest they had 
 
i 
 
 
 
 in view in the attachment they professed for 
 him, and the assiduous court they paid to 
 him. They had the further advantage of 
 beincr as agreeable in society as they were 
 eloquent in Parhament, and by being the 
 constant companions of his convivial hours 
 they still more increased their influence 
 
 over him. 
 
 Nature had been uncommonly liberal in 
 the personal advantages she had bestowed 
 upon the Prince of Wales and the Duke of 
 York ; the features of the latter were the 
 most regular, but the Prince of Wales had 
 great sweetness and expression in his coun- 
 tenance ; his hair and teeth were remark- 
 ably fine, and, though he was rather too fat 
 for so young a man, his air was noble, he 
 was more graceful than any one I ever saw, 
 and his manner was fascinating. He was 
 not twenty when he first emancipated him- 
 self from his father s authority. The great- 
 est care had been taken in his education : 
 to the Archbishop of York (Dr. Markham), 
 and afterwards to the Bishop of Worcester 
 
 Meimoirs of the Years 1788-89. 39 
 
 (Dr. Hurd), both men eminent for their 
 learning, the task of instructing him had 
 been committed ; and the quickness of his 
 parts had made it a pleasing one. The Earl 
 of Holderness and the Duke of Montaeu 
 were his governors, to them was intrusted 
 the forming his manners and address; they 
 had passed their whole lives at Court and 
 in the great world, and were in their own 
 persons perfect models of what a man of 
 fashion should be. In such excellent hands 
 the Prince acquired every accomplishment 
 that could adorn him, and was perfectly 
 grounded in every branch of knowledge it 
 was desirable for him to possess. 
 
 But if the King was free from reproach 
 in regard to the care he took of the Prince's 
 early youth, it must be owned he was wrono- 
 in not endeavouring to make his time pass 
 more agreeably as he advanced in years. 
 Having always been accustomed to restraint 
 himself, he was not aware that the society of 
 the Queen's house,— for, till the Princesses 
 grew up, their Majesties lived in great re- 
 
¥ i 
 
 i 
 
 t 
 
 l> 
 
 
 tirement,— was too confined, too uniform, and 
 not lively enough to please a spirited young 
 man. Whilst his brother was with him he 
 bore It with patience, but when deprived of 
 his company, he soon resolved to throw off 
 the chains that were become too galling 
 
 « 
 
 to him. 
 
 A Prince of Wales, with youth, beauty, 
 and a thousand agremens, mixing with the 
 most unreserved familiarity in the world, was 
 a phenomenon that had not for a long time 
 appeared in our hemisphere. All hailed the 
 genial influence of this new star ; all hoped 
 to bask in its ray? ; and at that moment he 
 mi(^ht have founded an absolute empire in 
 the hearts of his future subjects. Their 
 Majesties made some attempts to check the 
 career their son was determined to run, but 
 this only served to estrange him from them. 
 Nor could it be reasonably expected that, 
 at his age, having once tasted the sweets 
 of liberty, he would be wilHng to relinquish 
 them. Unfortunately, instead of choosing 
 to take the lead, which he was in every way 
 
 1* 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 41 
 
 entitled to, he fancied that to be fashionable 
 and admired he must copy those who had 
 already attained to such an eminence, and, 
 instead of selecting those who pleased him, 
 and making parties for them at his own 
 house, he made it his object to be admitted 
 without ceremony into the houses of others. 
 This disposition was soon understood, and 
 those well versed in the science of the world 
 easily discovered that it was more to their 
 advantage to let the Prince of Wales sup- 
 pose that he received an obligation from them, 
 than that he conferred one upon them. 
 
 The Duchess of Devonshire was at that 
 time the idol of the town ; her house and 
 Lady Melbourne's were perpetually open, 
 and it is not surprising that the Prince 
 should attach himself to two young, hand- 
 some, and agreeable women, who were as 
 fond of amusement as their royal guest. 
 Their friends became his, and these were 
 not well-wishers to his father s Government. 
 From this source his subsequent political con- 
 duct and connections may be traced. It was 
 
in these houses that Mr. Fox, Mr. Burke, 
 and Mr. Sheridan had first free access to 
 him; their animated conversation fascinated 
 him, and from being the entertaining asso- 
 ciates of his idle hours, they became the di- 
 rectors of his serious thoughts and actions ; 
 they were far from wishing him to keep up 
 much intercourse with his own family, or 
 with those approved of by them ; and sens- 
 ibie that the more he plunged into dissi- 
 pation the greater their influence over him 
 would be, they encouraged every pursuit that 
 the thoughtlessness of youth tempted him 
 to engage in ; thus it fell out that in a short 
 time he became devoted to the set that was 
 of all others most obnoxious to the King. 
 
 In this set the Duke and Duchess of 
 Cumberland were included ; the Duchess, 
 when the widow of a private gentleman, 
 Mr. Horton, without either beauty, fortune, 
 or respectable connections to support her, 
 and with a very equivocal character, had 
 persuaded the Duke, who was a remarkably 
 silly man, to marry her; the consequence 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 43 
 
 '*i 
 
 "«i 
 
 of this ill-assorted union was an open rup- 
 ture with the King ; and though, some years 
 afterwards, the Duke was again allowed to 
 come to the drawing-room, the Duchess was 
 never received by their Majesties ; all inter- 
 course of friendship was at an end, and the 
 persons belonging to the Court were desired 
 not to go to Cumberland House. It be- 
 came, then, of the greatest importance to 
 the Duchess to obtain the protection of the 
 Prince of Wales : she had much sense, and 
 still more art; the first shewed her the 
 means, the second gave her the power of 
 pleasing, by teaching her to subdue or hide 
 every passion that could interfere with the 
 great object she had in view, and neither 
 nature nor education had given her any prin- 
 ciples to restrain her. By paying the most 
 assiduous attention to His Royal Highness 
 she soon succeeded in drawing him to her 
 house, where she took care that he should 
 find all those he most liked of both sexes. 
 The politicians were willingly received, and 
 eagerly desirous to be of her parties, as 
 
they afforded them frequent opportunities of 
 connecting themselves still more closely with 
 their royal pupil. 
 
 Much as Mr. Fox and his adherents were 
 disliked by the King, they had, some years 
 previous to this period, been in power for 
 a short time ; the ill success of the American 
 war had rendered Lord North so obnoxious 
 to the nation at large, that he was compelled 
 to retire. A new administration was formed 
 in the spring of 1782, under the direction 
 of the Marquis of Rockingham ; his death, 
 which happened in the following summer, 
 threw everything into confusion ; Mr. Fox 
 and his friends resigned their employments, 
 and were succeeded by the Earl of Shel- 
 burne, Mr. Pitt, &c., who remained in office 
 till the beginning of the year 1783, when 
 Mr. Fox, having formed a coalition with 
 Lord North, again seized the reins of go- 
 vernment. The union of two men who for 
 years had expressed the strongest disap- 
 probation of each other's conduct, and who 
 had loaded each other with the most oppro- 
 
 brious abuse in the face of the House of 
 Commons, could not be pleasing either to the 
 sovereign or the nation. Interest and am- 
 bition formed and cemented this unnatural 
 connection ; each was conscious that he could 
 not stand alone, united they thought they 
 should be irresistible. This confidence in 
 their own strength proved their ruin, for 
 from thence originated the daring plan of 
 seizing the whole government of India into 
 their hands, which, if they had effected, the 
 extent and duration of their power would 
 have been unlimited ; but the voice of a wise, 
 enlightened, and generous people was loud 
 against the bold attempt, and the general in- 
 dignation the coalition had inspired now rose 
 to such a pitch, that the dismissing Lord 
 North and Mr. Fox from their offices restored 
 the King to a degree of popularity he had 
 not enjoyed since the commencement of his 
 reign. Mr. Pitt was declared minister ; young 
 as he was at that time, his splendid talents 
 and his private character were held in the 
 highest estimation. 
 
 
The nation beheld the wisdom and in- 
 tegrity of the immortal Chatham shine again 
 in his son, and looked forward to that pros- 
 perity which a just and virtuous adminis- 
 tration taught them to respect. The Prince 
 of Wales saw this change in a different light. 
 Mr. Pitt was the object of his aversion, his 
 utmost influence had been exerted to sup- 
 port the falling party, and from that period 
 he attached himself more than ever to it. 
 The breach between him and the King grew 
 every day wider, till, in 1786, it came to 
 an open rupture. 
 
 The Prince, under the pretence that his 
 income was not sufficient to maintain his 
 dignity, dismissed the greatest part of his 
 household, and the King was not disposed 
 to assist him, as he attributed his distress 
 to his unbounded extravagance. For some 
 months the Prince absented himself from 
 Court, nor did he pay his duty in private 
 to their Majesties. A reconciliation, how- 
 ever, was effected in the spring of 1787, and 
 Mr. Pitt, with a magnanimity worthy of so 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 47 
 
 great a man, forgot the manner in which 
 he had been treated and spoken of by his 
 Royal Highness, and proposed to Parliament 
 the paying his debts and augmenting his 
 revenue. This measure, though it was not 
 opposed by the King, certainly had not his 
 approbation ; the benevolence of his nature 
 made him overlook every personal cause of 
 complaint, but he wished his son to suffer 
 from his pecuniary embarrassments a little 
 longer, as he thought the doing so would 
 be a useful lesson to him ; and he had in- 
 tended, if he found it had a proper effect, 
 to pay all his debts out of the Privy purse, 
 without imposing any fresh burthen upon 
 the nation. 
 
 Noble as Mr. Pitt's conduct was, it made 
 no lasting impression upon the Prince ; those 
 into whose hands he had unhappily thrown 
 himself, used their influence to keep up and 
 increase his dislike of a minister who was 
 the object of their envy. Things were in 
 this state when the Duke of York returned 
 from Germany. I have already said how 
 
immediate and absolute an ascendancy the 
 Prince and his party obtained over him, and 
 too soon the King's unfortunate malady 
 called upon the royal brothers to act more 
 important parts on the theatre of the world 
 than they had before had occasion to per- 
 form. What their plans were, and how they 
 conducted themselves, will appear in the 
 course of these memoirs. 
 
 On Wednesday the 12th, I again found, 
 upon my return to Windsor, that, though 
 the King s life was not then thought to be 
 in immediate danger, the delirium had by no 
 means abated ; his pulse continued at above 
 one hundred-and-twenty, and every attempt 
 to procure sleep had been ineffectual. On 
 Thursday the 13th, I received the same ac- 
 count; on that day I was obliged to return 
 into Oxfordshire ; before doing so, I settled 
 with General and Mrs. Harcourt that they 
 should twice every day send me the most 
 exact intelligence they could procure from 
 the Lodge. Early on the 14th their first 
 packet arrived, and informed me, that after 
 
 r 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 49 
 
 I left them the preceding day his Majesty 
 had less fever ; that he had answered the few 
 questions put to him with composure and 
 some degree of reason, but that in the even- 
 ing he had relapsed into his former inco- 
 herency; that he had slept some hours in 
 the night, but remained nearly in the same 
 state when he awoke; Dr. Reynolds, how- 
 ever, authorized the General to tell me, in 
 confidence, that he was not without hope. 
 The account I received on the 15th stated, 
 that the King had slept a good deal on 
 Friday, which had lowered his pulse ; that 
 he seemed more disposed to be quiet ; and 
 that, upon the whole, the physicians thought 
 there was a little amendment. 
 
 The Queen had requested that public 
 prayers might be ordered for the King's re- 
 covery ; the Archbishop of Canterbury had 
 prepared one, but would not direct it to be 
 used without the authority of the Privy 
 Council. 
 
 I heard on Sunday, the i6th, that his 
 Majesty had continued much the same on 
 
 H 
 

 f 
 f 
 
 I. 
 
 : 
 
 50 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Saturday, but in future I will give extracts 
 from the letters I receive. 
 
 I had a letter from Mrs. Harcourt; dated 
 Sunday evening, Nov. 16 : — 
 
 **I suffer now from having been too much 
 elated ; we have for two days flattered ourselves 
 that there was an amendment, but it seems to be 
 at a stop, for, though the King sleeps well and 
 has not much fever, he continues to talk inco- 
 herently ; yet there are moments when he is ra- 
 tional : he said last night that he heard he had 
 had a delirious fever, but that it was over ; that 
 they had done right in having two pages on each 
 side of the bed whilst it lasted ; that he was then 
 calm and well, and would order a thanksgiving ; 
 that he was sure his people would rejoice; that 
 the tour he took in the summer had proved to him 
 that they loved him, and had he been as certain 
 of it before he should not have been reduced to 
 the state he had been in; but he spoke with horror 
 of London and Westminster, I suppose in conse- 
 quence of the party violence at the late elections. 
 
 "To-day, the King, knowing it to be Sunday, 
 sent for Dr. Majendie to pray by him ; he pointed 
 out the prayers he would have, and sometimes 
 joined in them with great fervour, and then seem- 
 ed to lose all recollection, and relapsed into his 
 
 V ' 
 
 
 former state. At times he gives his orders and 
 makes arrangements, that would be admirable if 
 they were not all founded in error, for often the 
 persons concerned in them do not exist. At other 
 times his memory seems perfect : last night he 
 repeated a long conversation he had with Gren- 
 ville before he was ill, without omitting a word 
 that passed ; in short, he varies eternally, except 
 in being always equally kind, forgiving, charitable, 
 and devout ; it is impossible to express how much 
 he is the latter. He has no longer that convul- 
 sive motion in his hands, which the physicians 
 thought so bad a symptom ; but, I believe (this, 
 however, is a secret), that they differ in their 
 opinions as to the proper mode of healing his ill- 
 ness. He wishes to get up, and to see his sons 
 and his equerries. Warren is against giving him 
 any indulgence; the others are inclined to allow 
 it ; Heaven only knows which is right. The Queen 
 is full of hope, but distressed by the desponding 
 conversation she hears ; she was very anxious for 
 the public prayers this day, and that every soul 
 should go to Church. The Bishop of Worcester"^ 
 came last night ; she begged him to attend ; all 
 went, excepting the Princes ; if they could ride in 
 
 ^ Dr. Hurd, Bishop of Worcester, was preceptor to the Prince 
 of Wales and the Duke of York ; he enjoyed a greater share than 
 any one of the King's friendship and confidence, and he kept up an 
 unreserved correspondence with him. 
 
i 
 
 52 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 public on such a day, I think they might have 
 prayed in public ; I hope, at least, they did it 
 in private. I hear that persons who were at the 
 drawing-room the King went to the day after the 
 rash was struck in, remarked the peculiar appear- 
 ance of his skin, and that he looked bloated to an 
 uncommon degree. They are going to try a warm 
 chamber-bath ; his pulse is reduced to eighty, but 
 our fears are nearly as strong as ever." 
 
 General Harcourt wrote to Lordi Har- 
 court from Windsor Castle on Monday, the 
 17th of November, as follows : — 
 
 " I am sorry to be obliged to repeat the same 
 sad tale ; for, though his Majesty passed the night 
 quietly, the general state of the disorder continues 
 much the same, and the physicians are disap- 
 pointed that he does not mend as much as from 
 the sleep he gets they might hope he would. He 
 liked the warm bath, and has begged to have it 
 repeated. I fear so much confinement will hurt 
 the Queen's health, but she will not be persuaded 
 to take the air. I am inclined to think that the 
 impropriety of precipitating matters at this sad 
 moment of calamity will prevent any opposition 
 to an adjournment of Parliament ; yet, when I con- 
 sider the ambitious views of a particular set of 
 men, and, above all, the extraordinary and impor- 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 53 
 
 tant occasion of your being called together, I am 
 sure you would not forgive yourself if any advan- 
 tage was to be taken of the lukewarm conduct of 
 the real friends of the King and country, and 
 therefore do not doubt that we shall see you 
 at Windsor on your way to London to-morrow 
 or Wednesday. Mr. Robert Conway has just told 
 me that he is informed by Sir Guy Cooper that 
 an adjournment can only take place from day to 
 day. This, you know, comes from an Opposition 
 quarter. I suppose you have been informed, that 
 Mr. Pitt's circular letter to the members of the 
 Opposition, as well as to those who have sup- 
 ported the Government, states the necessity of the 
 meeting of Parliament at this time. 
 
 "The Prince is certainly paying every attention 
 to the leaders of the Opposition, and actually made 
 a visit yesterday to Lord Sandwich, at Swinley 
 Lodge, without asking for Lord Hinchinbroke*^. 
 It is said that he is endeavouring to detach the 
 Chancellor from Mr. Pitt, that a change of Min- 
 istry is arranged by the Opposition, that they 
 have frequent meetings, and are plotting every 
 possible mischief. Meanwhile, those who are at- 
 tached to the King flock to this place, to inquire 
 after him, with anxious hearts as well as faces. 
 Many come from great distances ; the Duke of 
 
 * Lord Hinchinbroke was Master of the Staghounds at that time. 
 
54 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Richmond from Sussex ; the Duke and Duchess 
 of Northumberland come every other day from 
 Sion ; the Opposition inquire in London, but most 
 of the attached friends come here. The Queen 
 sees the list every night I, or one of the other 
 Grooms -of- the -Bedchamber, sit to receive the 
 company till three o'clock." 
 
 I had no letter on Tuesday, as we were 
 to go to London on Wednesday ; I then re- 
 ceived one from General Harcourt, dated 
 that morning : — 
 
 "Nov. 19th.— This day's bulletin states that the 
 King did not sleep well, the fever having rather 
 increased ; the fact is, that incessant talking with 
 very little coherency, occasionally raises the pulse, 
 which in the course of last night was above a hun- 
 dred. I confess I do not perceive any alteration 
 for the better, though I cannot yet be persuaded 
 that the case is so absolutely desperate. The 
 King has at last been allowed to get up, and I do 
 not hear that he has been more unmanageable 
 in consequence of it. This is called the fourteenth 
 day of the fever, and therefore, though he is less 
 well, it may be a crisis. He talked without ceasing 
 from one o'clock this morning, and when Warren 
 told him that he ought not to do so, he said, 
 * I know that as well as you, it is my complaint ; 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 55 
 
 cure me of that, and I shall be well.' I hope you 
 will have no bustle in London to-morrow ; here 
 it begins, I am sorry to say, to be a party ques- 
 tion whether the King will or will not recover. 
 If he has fair play I feel confident that all will 
 yet end well." 
 
 Everything passed quietly at the meeting 
 of Parliament on Thursday, the 20th of 
 November. On Friday, the 21st, Lord 
 Harcourt and I went to Windsor, and found 
 that no alteration had taken place in the 
 Kings situation. I did not see the Queen, 
 for she still judged it necessary for her to 
 adhere to the promise she had given to his 
 Majesty at the beginning of his illness, to 
 see none but those who were with her at 
 that time. Previous to my leaving London, 
 I received a letter from Lady Margaret For- 
 dyce, from which I subjoin an extract : — 
 
 " Anxious to be informed of the state of his 
 Majesty's health, and of the probability of his 
 recovery, I sent to Sir William Fordyce as soon 
 as I got to town ; and if your fears for the safety 
 of the King are as lively as your good wishes to- 
 wards him, you will be as much satisfied as I am 
 
 ♦I 
 
56 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 with Sir William's sentiments upon the subject. 
 He says, that, from all he has heard or read of the 
 case, he sees no reason for despondency if it be 
 properly treated ; that, in the early part of his 
 life, he was the intimate friend of Dr. Battie, who, 
 bes'ides his skill in other branches of his profes- 
 sion, was the Dr. Munro of his time, and to whose 
 practice and experience he had access. Since that 
 period he has made this dreadful malady his 
 study ; he has seen many, who, from over-fatigue 
 and low diet, have been in situations similar to 
 the King's, and who have perfectly recovered their 
 faculties without ever experiencing a relapse. He 
 has written upon the subject, and explained the 
 method of cure, and he thinks that the physicians 
 now about the King are not pursuing the means 
 most likely to effect a cure ; they appear to him 
 to consider that to be the cause which is only the 
 effect, and by so doing the root of the malady is 
 suffered to remain. Above all, he disapproves of 
 the precipitancy with which physicians call in 
 Munro, and consider that as a desperate case of 
 lunacy which more patience and a different mode 
 of treatment would cure with as much ease as 
 other fevers. To you, my dear Lady Harcourt, 
 I need not say that the most dutiful zeal prompts 
 me to write this letter, and you will not impute 
 it to officiousness. The physicians about the King 
 are desponding; he does not gain ground, and 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 57 
 
 rumours infinitely disagreeable are circulating. 
 Sir William speaks with confidence; get him 
 called in, you cannot doubt that the measure 
 would be a right one, were it only from the firm- 
 ness with which he insists upon much longer time 
 being necessary before the disorder can be deci- 
 dedly pronounced upon ; he considers that, though 
 there may be no visible amendment, the King's 
 having had so much sleep is an excellent symp- 
 tom. The Queen loves you, and has confidence 
 in you, and, if what I have said appears worth 
 attending to, I should think it easy to effect the 
 calling in another physician when there are al- 
 ready so many ; at least, it can do no harm ; and 
 should you, by making the proposal, be the means 
 of restoring health of body and mind to the King, 
 and comfort to the Queen and Princesses, for 
 whose sufferings every heart must bleed, all Eng- 
 land would have reason to thank you." 
 
 I have already explained why at the time 
 I received this letter I could not see the 
 Queen, but, as I thought it my duty to com- 
 municate the contents of it to her, I gave 
 a copy of It to Lady Courtown to lay before 
 her Majesty. 
 
 On Saturday, the 22nd of November, 
 
* 
 
 58 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 
 I acrain called at Windsor on my way home, 
 and found that everything remained in the 
 same state. On Sunday, the 23rd, General 
 Harcourt wrote to inform me, that the pre- 
 ceding evening and night had passed rather 
 better than was expected, but that the King s 
 general situation appeared much the same 
 as it had done the last two days,— far, very 
 far indeed, from what his friends could wish 
 it to be, but still much better than some, 
 who ought to be most anxious, would have 
 it supposed. He added : — 
 
 " It still remains a secret to us who are about 
 him, and possibly it may be so to the Queen, that 
 they mean to remove him to Kew on Saturday 
 next ; and yet I heard it from an Opposition au- 
 thority I cannot doubt." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt wrote thus from St. Leo- 
 nard's on Monday, the 24th of November :— 
 
 « This is a sad day ; the King slept late yes- 
 terday evening for forty minutes in his chair ; 
 when he awoke he was particularly confused, and 
 remained so most of the night. This morning he 
 is less well than he has been for the last five days ; 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 59 
 
 he has returned to some of the odd unconnected 
 ideas he had some time ago, but I still hope the 
 usual change may take place the middle of the 
 week. His friends, however, are sadly disheartened ; 
 Goldsworthy and Digby have just been here, out 
 of spirits to a degree ; yet I think there are vari- 
 ous ways of accounting for his being again worse. 
 I cannot find that they give him anything but 
 opiates, and then physic to counteract their astrin- 
 gent effects. Now it is well known, that though 
 opiates compose for a time, they disturb the ima- 
 gination ; and therefore, when he first wakes, he is 
 always more disordered, and I fear that in the 
 end he must suffer from this management. This 
 morning they thought they would try what effect 
 the letting him see his children in the garden 
 would have. When he was told he was to do so, 
 he at first seemed much pleased, but as the time 
 approached he grew distressed, and said, — * No, 
 I cannot bear it ; no, let it be put off till evening, 
 I shall be more able to see them then.' The per- 
 son who was in the room with him ran to tell this 
 to the physicians, but they said they would try 
 the effect ; so, instead of stopping the royal family, 
 who were just going into the garden, they let 
 them go on. The King seemed to struggle with 
 himself to bear it, but ran to open the windows, 
 which were screwed down. They made a great 
 bustle about his having appeared to wish to break 
 
6o Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 the window to speak to his children ; surely, if 
 he did, nothing could be more natural. As soon 
 as he saw them, he told a gentleman who was with 
 him that he did not want him, and bid him go 
 down and beg them to come near ; they did so, 
 and he called to them through the window. Poor 
 souls, they were all so much affected, and Princess 
 Elizabeth was so near fainting, that they were 
 obliged to go in immediately, but I hope he did 
 not see how much they were agitated ; the Princess 
 Royal was quite overcome, and so was the Princess 
 Mary, and, in truth, they all seemed more dead 
 than alive when they got into the house. Un- 
 luckily the King had his nightcap and gown on, 
 which, with his being very pale, made a change 
 in his appearance that could not fail to shock 
 
 them. 
 
 " I know not what the physicians mean by their 
 conduct ; they seem to be amusing themselves as 
 they would with any other singular character, and 
 feel no more for him than if he were a dog or 
 a cat. I fear, too, that even his best friends will 
 many of them grow hardened, that they will be 
 tired of the restraint, desert their posts, and leave 
 him to strangers, under the pretence of its being 
 better for him, and he will be forgotten by many 
 whose former obligations ought never to be ab- 
 sent from their minds. This will never happen to 
 General Harcourt or Colonel Digby. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 61 
 
 " The Queen*s extreme caution prevents her in- 
 terfering either with respect to public affairs, or 
 what immediately concerns the case of the King. 
 She wishes everything to be said that anybody 
 can suggest, but that it should be to the Chan- 
 cellor, not to herself I do not believe she knows 
 that it is intended to remove his Majesty, but, 
 should this be done, I shall be surprised if she 
 does not insist upon going with him ; if she suffers 
 herself to be parted from him, he is lost for ever, 
 but at such an important moment I hope she will 
 act with spirit ; she has one manly friend who 
 intends to advise it strongly. The Duke has been 
 here oftener than ever. The Prince, in general, 
 behaves well ; however, he corresponds by letter 
 every day with Sheridan, and has met him and 
 others oi the party at Cumberland Lodge.*' 
 
 General Harcourt wrote from Windsor 
 Castle on Tuesday, the 25th November :— 
 
 " Since my letter of Sunday I fear we have gone 
 from bad to worse. The whole of yesterday, and 
 particularly in the evening, the King was more 
 agitated and unmanageable than ever ; so much 
 so, that it was not without difficulty that he could 
 be controlled, and several of the gentlemen in 
 attendance were more than once obliged to be 
 called in. I am not willing to despair, but it is 
 
too certain that no ground whatever has been 
 gained for some days. The Duke of Portland 
 was with the Prince yesterday, and Charles Fox, 
 who is just returned from the Continent, has been 
 with him this morning." 
 
 General Harcourt wrote on Thursday, 
 November 27th, from Windsor Castle : — 
 
 ** Dr. Addington, formerly a physician of emi- 
 nence in London, and who is said to have made 
 this unhappy malady his particular study, has 
 offered his services through Mr. Pitt ; his offer has 
 been accepted, and he has this day been intro- 
 duced to the King. Whether any, or what altera- 
 tions have been adopted in the mode of treating 
 the disorder I have not yet learnt, but I under- 
 stand Dr. Addington's opinion was for more, ra- 
 ther than less, coercion. The Cabinet Ministers 
 are now assembled in the Duke of .York's apart- 
 ment, for the purpose of taking the depositions 
 of the physicians upon the actual state of his Ma- 
 jesty's health. It is supposed that the removal 
 to Kew will take place on Saturday evening." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt wrote from St. Leonard's, 
 Thursday, November 27th :— 
 
 " Somebody or other comes here from Windsor 
 almost every hour, and it is a sort of satisfaction 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 63 
 
 to me to have constant accounts, though I only 
 hear the same sad story over and over again. 
 What gives the King's attendants this liberty of 
 beino- absent from their duty is a circumstance 
 that has shocked all who love him. The day before 
 yesterday they entirely took him out of the hands 
 of his gentlemen and put him into those of his 
 pages, making them, and them only, responsible 
 for all that may happen ; they sit in the room 
 with him and in the next room, and one equerry 
 only in the third room, who is to take no part. 
 This was all arranged with the greatest ceremony ; 
 the Chancellor was sent for, and had a confer- 
 ence with the Prince and all the physicians, sepa- 
 rately and together ; the Prince then called in all 
 the gentlemen, and made them the finest speech 
 that ever was heard upon the sad necessity that 
 obliged the faculty to declare that they found 
 that lenient measures had increased the malady, 
 and that they had determined upon coercive ones, 
 which made it expedient to remove them from 
 their immediate attendance upon the King's per- 
 son. After this scene there was a pause of some 
 hours, supposed to be owing to the agonies of the 
 poor Queen, and the Princess Royal appeared to 
 be in a state of absolute despair, but at last the 
 point was carried. 
 
 " The Chancellor is always with the Prince ; 
 Charles Fox has been at Windsor ; Mr. Pitt is 
 
mm 
 
 left to wait in the outer court ; however, he has 
 succeeded in having Dr. Addington, his own fa- 
 mily physician, called in. The King, at first, was 
 very angry at the removal of his gentlemen, and 
 then sulky, and went to bed that night at seven ; 
 but the next morning he bore the being refused 
 to see them better, and began to talk to the 
 pages, but certainly was less well, as they say he 
 sang a great deal. He is to be removed to Kew 
 on Saturday, at the close of the evening,^ and 
 there, I fear, the sad scene will close for ever." 
 
 Countess of Courtown, Friday, November 
 28th, Windsor Castle : — 
 
 " Another letter is come for you ; I suspect that 
 I should open it, but as you did not direct me 
 to do so I cannot venture. Dr. Addington has 
 been consulted, which gives us great satisfaction, 
 and good hopes of a recovery in time. I flatter 
 myself that things will now go on better here." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, Friday, November 28th, 
 
 from St. Leonard's : — 
 
 "At the Cabinet Council yesterday the phy- 
 sicians unanimously declared the case to be far 
 from hopeless, and that they trusted that time 
 might effect a cure. Dr. Addington, in particular, 
 was strongly of this opinion, but urged the neces- 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 65 
 
 sity of allowing much time. Everybody is glad 
 that there was a Cabinet held, because now things 
 will be done under proper authority; before, there 
 was none that was legal. The King knew Ad- 
 dington directly, though he had not seen him for 
 twenty years. He was delighted to hear that he 
 had been called in at the request of Mr. Pitt, and 
 reminded him of his having refused to be his 
 physician when he came to the crown, which was 
 very true. To-day, and every day since he has 
 seen Addington, he has insisted upon seeing 
 Mr. Pitt, and they were obliged at last to con- 
 sent. I rejoice at this ; it will increase the inter- 
 est he must feel for him. His Majesty suspects 
 that he is to be removed to Kew, and they fear 
 that it will not be easily managed. I suppose, 
 for the convenience and particular interest of some 
 persons, they want to have him nearer London 
 before Parliament meets. The King is certainly 
 not better than when I wrote last. 
 
 " The Chancellor passed an hour and a-half with 
 the Prince yesterday after the Cabinet ; they, with 
 the Duke and Dr. Warren, drank a good deal of 
 wine, and then, with the exception of the Chan- 
 cellor, returned to the company in the other room, 
 saying he was ' a glorious jolly dog.' Your blood 
 would tingle if I had time to write half I hear. 
 Miss Goldsworthy is ill, and Lady Elizabeth Wal- 
 degrave now Hes in the Queen's room. Her Ma- 
 
 K 
 
I 
 
 66 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 jesty sleeps very little, dines and lives wholly in 
 her dressing-room, that which used to be yours, 
 and is much too agitated to attend to any em- 
 ployment ; she passes her time in walking back- 
 wards and forwards, till she is quite exhausted." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, Saturday, November 29tli, 
 from Windsor Castle : — - 
 
 " I am come here to see the General before he 
 goes to Kew ; he, with Goldsworthy and Greville, 
 is to have the painful task of going in the coach 
 that is to carry, I hope it may please Heaven not 
 for ever, our beloved Monarch from hence. The 
 Queen is gone, and they are to tell him so, as 
 an inducement to him to go quietly ; but, if he 
 is not willing, they have promised her that no 
 force shall be used, nor any falsehood told him of 
 her having requested it. I feel much agitated, 
 and I can see that the General is so ; though he 
 says, and I am sure truly, that it is a satisfaction 
 to him to have any duty to fulfil for his dear 
 King. I fear that he will be excessively affected 
 by it, and shall long to hear of him to-morrow. 
 Everybody and ev^erything here seems in a state 
 of confusion. Mr. Pitt was again admitted to-day. 
 His Majesty seemed pleased to see him, and to feel 
 that /ie is a true friend ; but he is certainly, upon 
 the whole, rather worse than better. At present 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 67 
 
 he is not displeased at the thoughts of going to 
 Kew, and expressed great pleasure when they told 
 him that General Harcourt was to go with him. 
 They are not to go till it is dark. 
 
 "Half-past four.— They are just gone, and 
 without any difficulty; may Heaven prosper 
 them." 
 
 General Harcourt, Sunday, Nov. 30th, 
 
 from Kew Palace : — 
 
 " The King s removal to this place having been 
 determined upon, I received yesterday the Prince 
 of Wales's commands to attend his Majesty, to- 
 gether with Colonel Goldsworthy and Greville, in 
 his coach. It was with some difficulty that he 
 was prevailed upon to quit the place, which is, 
 of all others, the one he best loves ; but the de- 
 termination of the physicians being at length sig- 
 nified to him, he acquiesced ; and I have the very 
 great satisfaction to acquaint you, that when he 
 was got into the carriage he performed the jour- 
 ney without the slightest difficulty, and with the 
 highest good humour imaginable : the night, how- 
 ever, was very turbulent, and it was not till near 
 four this morning that he could be put to bed, 
 where he still remains. 
 
 " The Prince, the Duke of York, the Chancellor 
 and all the medical tribe, are now assembled here, 
 in order to arrange the future system of manage- 
 
ment, the necessity of which is, indeed, but too 
 apparent. How long I may be detained here 
 upon the only unpleasant duty I ever had about 
 the person of my good old master I cannot at 
 
 present guess. 
 
 **P.S. Four o'clock.— The consultation is just 
 over, and I am happy to tell you that the Chan- 
 cellor alone is to have the direction of everything ; 
 and that Dr. Willis, a man of independent for- 
 tune, of the fairest character, and who has great 
 skill and experience in treating this unhappy ma- 
 lady, is sent for." 
 % 
 General Harcourt, December ist, Kew 
 
 Palace : — 
 
 " In my letter of yesterday I informed you that 
 the direction of everything is put into the Chan- 
 cellor's hands, and that Willis is requested to un- 
 dertake the care of the King. I am sanguine in my 
 hopes of the success that may be obtained from 
 this measure. Inquiries in general are not received 
 here, but as this order cannot be meant to ex- 
 tend to the Queen's ladies, and as Lady Pembroke 
 has already called, I conclude that you will think 
 it right to do so on your way to London ; where 
 I understand that you will find party spirit raging 
 more violently than ever— the friends of the Con- 
 stitution wishing for a limited Regency, with proper 
 
 provisions to secure the rights of the King in case 
 his reason should be restored ; whilst those of the 
 other party warmly contend for a Regent invested 
 with all the powers of the Crown, especially with 
 those of dissolving Parliament and creating Peers." 
 
 Countess of Pembroke, December 2nd :— 
 
 "I have called at Kew, but did not see the 
 Queen ; she is, I am told, in great distress of 
 mind, but well in health. The King passed last 
 night more quietly than usual, though he had 
 not much sleep, and they think him rather better 
 this morning." 
 
 On the 3rd of December we went to Lon- 
 don, that my Lord might be ready to at- 
 tend the meeting of Parliament, which was 
 to take place on the following day. We 
 found that in the morning the physicians 
 had been examined before the Privy-Coun- 
 cil. Fifty-four members of it were present, 
 of whom twenty-four were in opposition. 
 Many questions were asked respecting the 
 actual state of the King's mental and bodily 
 health, and the probability of his reason 
 being restored. The physicians uniformly 
 
70 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 declared his Majesty incapable of attend- 
 ing to business; that the duration of his 
 malady must be uncertain ; but that, from 
 their experience in similar cases, they enter- 
 tained strong hopes that he would recover. 
 This account was, on the 4th of December, 
 communicated to the Peers by the President 
 of the Council, and by Mr. Pitt to the House 
 of Commons. It was then proposed that the 
 physicians should be again examined at the 
 bar of the House ; to this measure the Min- 
 isters objected, but, on the 8th of December, 
 they agreed that a Committee of twenty- 
 one Peers, with a like number of the Com- 
 mons, should be appointed for that purpose. 
 
 They met the next day, the 9th, and on 
 the loth the Report was brought up, when 
 Mr. Pitt moved to have the journals searched, 
 for precedents of the proceedings in cases 
 where the royal authority had been inter- 
 rupted by sickness, infirmity, or infancy. 
 Mr. Fox objected to this, as likely to pro- 
 duce unnecessary delay, and urged that, by 
 the law of the land, when the Sovereign was 
 
 i1 
 
 I 
 
 unable to exercise the functions of his high 
 office, the heir-apparent, being of full age 
 and capacity, had an indisputable claim to 
 the exercise of the executive power, in the 
 name and on behalf of the Sovereign, during 
 the continuance of such incapacity : he ad- 
 mitted, however, that Parliament alone was 
 competent to pronounce when the Prince 
 ought to take possession of this right. This 
 doctrine was, of course, warmly opposed by 
 the King s friends, and supported with equal 
 warmth by those of the Prince. And here 
 began the great contest respecting the Re- 
 gency, which for many weeks agitated every 
 part of the British dominions. In the mean- 
 time, the King remained nearly in the same 
 state at Kew. 
 
 On the 5th of December Dr. Willis ar- 
 rived ; when announced to the King, he knew 
 who he was and his business, and, after pass- 
 ing some time with his Majesty, he pro- 
 nounced that he would aot only recover, but 
 that he would enjoy better health than he 
 had done before his illness. These assur- 
 
2 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 ances revived the almost desponding spirits 
 of the poor Queen. The doctor discon- 
 tinued the laudanum that night, and his Ma- 
 jesty slept well, and awoke more composed 
 than usual. On Saturday, the 6th, he was 
 permitted to shave himself, Willis declaring 
 that he would be answerable that he might 
 do so safely. Sunday, the 7th, passed less 
 quiedy, but Dr. Willis assured the Queen 
 that there was no cause for fresh anxiety, 
 that frequent changes must be expected, and 
 that the progress must be slow and almost 
 imperceptible. A rapid recovery, he said, 
 would be less certain to be lasting, but that 
 the King will recover he does not doubt. 
 Nothing but the Queen s firmness upon this 
 occasion could have carried the point of 
 Willis's being allowed to have his own way. 
 Dr. Warren, from jealousy, I am unwilling 
 to ascribe his conduct to a still worse mo- 
 tive, generally disapproved, and often op- 
 posed, his opinions, and by Warren the other 
 physicians were guided. He and Sir George 
 Baker came alternately to see the King 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 73 
 
 every morning ; Sir Lucas Pepys, Dr. Gis- 
 borne, and Dr. Reynolds, came (generally 
 two of them) in the evening, and passed 
 the night in the palace. Those who had 
 slept there attended the morning consulta- 
 tion with Warren or Baker and Willis, when 
 the bulletin for the day was prepared, and 
 for the remainder of the day Willis was 
 in charge, with whom was joined his son, 
 Dr. John Willis ; the latter is a man of ex- 
 cellent sense, who has acquired great skill 
 in cases of insanity by acting under his 
 
 father. 
 
 Monday, the 8th. The King appeared bet- 
 ter, in all respects, than he had done since 
 his first seizure ; he went to bed quietly, as 
 soon as Willis desired him to do so, slept 
 seven hours, was very tranquil when he 
 awoke, and continued so during the day of 
 Dec. 9th. This was particularly fortunate, 
 on account of the examination of the phy- 
 sicians before the Committee, which took 
 
 place that day. 
 
 On Wednesday, the lOth, there was little 
 
74 Memoirs of the Years 178S-S9. 
 
 variation; on Thursday, the nth, his Ma- 
 jesty was well enough to walk round Kew 
 Gardens with Dr. John WilHs ; he was very 
 tractable, seemed very happy, and returned to 
 the house when desired to do so. Dr. Willis 
 sat with him whilst he dined ; he ate heart- 
 ily, conversed reasonably, and the doctor's 
 expression was, "the King's recovery has this 
 day taken a greater stride than could pos- 
 sibly have been expected." No unfavourable 
 change appeared on Friday, the 12th. On 
 Saturday, the 13th, he seemed composed, 
 and as he had expressed a strong wish to 
 see the Queen and his youngest child, Prin- 
 cess Amelia, then about five years old, and 
 of whom he was particularly fond. Dr. Willis 
 resolved to venture making a trial of the 
 effect this indulgence might have upon him. 
 The scene was a most affecting one ; he 
 shewed strong marks of tenderness, he 
 parted with them with great reluctance, and 
 the succeeding night was extremely turbu- 
 lent, as much so as at any time since his 
 illness; but this might partly be occasioned 
 
 ■alia 
 
 % 
 
 i 
 
 by an alteration in his medicines, and the 
 application of fresh blisters ; however, Willis 
 was blamed by the other physicians for hav- 
 ing allowed the King to see any of his 
 
 family. 
 
 The Prince's party affect to think Willis 
 
 a creature of the Queen's, against whom they 
 have begun to pour forth the most unlimited 
 abuse, merely because she insisted upon per- 
 forming the duty of a wife, in not leaving her 
 husban'd at a moment when the misfortune 
 he laboured under called for her most vigi- 
 lant and tender care. To separate her from 
 the King had been their great object ; and, 
 instigated by them, when the King was to be 
 moved to Kew, the Prince proposed to her 
 Majesty that she should go to London or re- 
 main at Windsor. She remonstrated against 
 the measure, but his Royal Highness said 
 he was resolved upon it, and that the Minis- 
 ters consented. Her answer was, " Prince of 
 Wales, do it at your peril ; where the King 
 is, there I shall be." A further interference 
 was not permitted to her ; and so little care 
 
i 
 
 76 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 was taken to prepare the palace for the 
 Kings reception, that I was assured by per- 
 sons who witnessed it, that when he arrived 
 the walls of the room he was to sleep in ran 
 down with wet, and this was on the 29th 
 of November, when the weather was very 
 severe. The room was a very small one, 
 with a corner chimney that often smoked ; 
 in a larore one within it his inferior attend- 
 ants waited, and the gentlemen who were 
 in attendance upon him sat in one that pre- 
 ceded it, but were not allowed to see him ; 
 excepting when, from the door being acci- 
 dentally opened, they could catch a glimpse 
 of him. The Oueen and the Princesses were 
 lodged in the apartments over the King s : 
 they used the gallery as an eating- room, 
 and sat in her Majesty's dressing-room. 
 
 As from this time the Queen was com- 
 pelled to take a more active part in public 
 affairs than she had ever before done, it may 
 not be Improper for me to give a slight 
 sketch of her character. The house of Meck- 
 lenbourg, from which she is descended, is 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 77 
 
 one of the most ancient in Germany. When 
 she was married to the King, in September, 
 1 76 1, she was only seventeen. She had 
 been educated in the strictest manner by an 
 exemplary mother, who died a short time 
 before her daughter's marriage took place. 
 My father-in-law, the late Earl of Harcourt, 
 was the ambassador appointed to conduct 
 the young Princess to England, and I have 
 frequently heard him say how much she was 
 beloved in her own country; and he used 
 to relate instances of the amiableness of her 
 disposition, and of the good sense with which 
 she conducted herself. Her understanding 
 was, indeed, of the first class ; it was equally 
 quick and solid. She tasted wit in others, 
 but checked it in herself, from being aware 
 that, dangerous as it is in all situations, it 
 would be particulariy so in hers. Her mind 
 was highly cultivated ; she was fond of read- 
 ing, and well acquainted with the best authors 
 in the English, German, and French Ian- 
 
 • 
 
 cruao-es • and her memory was so retentive 
 that she never forgot what she once knew. 
 
V- 
 
 78 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 In the talent of conversing she had few- 
 equals ; whether the subject was serious or 
 lively, she treated it in such a manner that 
 those must have been very stupid indeed 
 who did not listen to her with pleasure ; no 
 one narrated better than she did, and anec- 
 dotes that had little merit in themselves 
 were made interesting by the way she told 
 them. There w^as a sweetness in her man- 
 ner and an animation of countenance, which 
 caused many who had thought her plain be- 
 fore they conversed with her, to admire her 
 afterwards. She certainly had no preten- 
 sions to beauty, but her hair and teeth were 
 fine, and her eyes expressive ; she was not 
 tall, but her figure was good, and her man- 
 ners remarkably graceful. She understood 
 music, and had a pleasing voice ; she had 
 a decided genius for drawing, which, if that 
 art had been cultivated by her in early years, 
 would have enabled her to excel in it. She 
 was strict and sincere in the performance of 
 her religious duties, and her love of truth was 
 unbounded. She hated flattery, and despised 
 
 i 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 79 
 
 those who practised It. She was very sensi- 
 tive, but always seemed to restrain her feel- 
 ings, from principle. Her unknown charities 
 were extensive, and to those about her she 
 was endeared by the litde delicate attentions 
 by which she seemed always striving to give 
 them pleasure. Her confidence she imparted 
 to few, from a strong fear lest she should 
 be suspected of favouritism. She judged 
 characters quickly and truly, and her warm 
 heart was truly attached to those who she 
 felt loved the individual as much as they 
 respected the Queen. I remember once my 
 saying to her, '' I should like to tell yo7c 
 something, but pray promise never to let 
 the Q7teen know it." She laughed, and said, 
 " Oh no, sAe can have no business w^ith what 
 passes between us in our private, unreserved 
 conversations." 
 
 So it was always with those who shared 
 her private hours ; she then conversed with 
 freedom, wishing them to do the same, and 
 entered into all their concerns with affec- 
 tionate interest. When absent from her, 
 
 1'' 
 
8o Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 she often honoured me with letters, written 
 with a- correctness which few are capable of 
 in a lano-uaee not their own. In politics she 
 never wished to interfere ; she had too much 
 sense not to be aware that they are a science 
 in which women are little qualified to excel ; 
 and when the unfortunate illness of the 
 King compelled her, for his interest, to take 
 a part in the great scene then acting, she en- 
 tered upon it with diffidence, and wished 
 to be wholly guided by the Chancellor'^ 
 and Mr. Pitt. I never can forget the day 
 when the former, after urging her to act 
 with more spirit than she thought becoming, 
 said, " Remember, madam, you have the 
 eyes of eight millions of his Majesty's sub- 
 jects fixed upon you." The idea of such re- 
 sponsibility made her shudder ; for, if there 
 were a shade in her character, it was due 
 to a natural timidity, which caused her to 
 be unjust to her own abilities, and made 
 her lean upon the opinions of others, who 
 were often as inferior to her in judgment 
 
 •* Edward, Lord Thurlow. 
 
 ^ -Tf' 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 81 
 
 as In goodness. Such were my sentiments 
 of the rectitude of her heart, that when it 
 has happened, though it rarely did so, that 
 I have had doubts about the prudence of 
 her actions, I have suspended my judgment, 
 from a conviction that she had good reasons 
 for what she had done, and I have never 
 been deceived in the result of my trust. 
 
 In drawing this slight sketch of the 
 Queen's character, I can most truly say that 
 it is a very faithful one ; and surely no one 
 has had more opportunities of really know- 
 ing her than myself. 
 
 So much care was taken to prevent every- 
 thing that passed at Kew from transpiring, 
 that^om the time of my arriving in town, 
 on the 3rd of December, I had for some days 
 very little intelligence that I could depend 
 upon from thence. Meanwhile the proceed- 
 ings in Parliament were highly interesting. 
 
 On the 1 2th, Mr. Pitt proposed, that, on 
 the Thursday following, there should be 
 a Committee of the whole House, to take 
 into consideration the state of the nation. 
 
 M 
 
r 
 
 82 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 He and Mr. Fox spoke very eloquently in 
 support of the opinions they had before de- 
 livered, Mr. Pitt maintaining, that though 
 the Prince of Wales might be the most pro- 
 per person in whose hands the executive 
 power should be placed, yet he could only 
 hold it by the authority of Parliament, and 
 under such restrictions as in its wisdom 
 should be thought advisable. 
 
 On the 15th, Lord Fitzwilliam said in the 
 House of Peers, that as the majority in both 
 Houses were averse to the Prince of Wales' 
 immediately assuming, unsanctioned by them, 
 the Regency as his right, he hoped that Min- 
 isters would, if possible, avoid bringing the 
 question to a formal discussion, and desired 
 to know from them whether they meant to 
 make any proposition of that nature. He 
 was answered by Lord Camden, who said, 
 that as the right of the two Houses of Par- 
 liament had been questioned by persons of 
 great and respectable authority, he thought 
 it was become necessary that they should 
 not be left doubtful and unsettled. The 
 
 H 
 
 Duke of York agreed with Lord Fitzwilliam 
 in wishing to avoid a question tending to 
 induce a discussion on the rights of the 
 Prince, who, he said, had never himself laid 
 claim to them, and would not desire to as- 
 sume any power not derived from the will 
 of the people expressed by their representa- 
 tives in Parliament; and he was confident, 
 that if his royal brother were addressing 
 them in that place as a peer of the realm, 
 such would be the sentiments he would 
 avow. The Duke of Gloucester followed 
 him, and equally deprecated the discussion ; 
 but the Ministers persevered in their inten- 
 tion, and the Chancellor closed the debate by 
 saying, that, though he lamented the starting 
 such a question, he did not see how they could 
 avoid coming to some determination upon it. 
 Accordingly, on the i6th of December, 
 Mr. Pitt moved three resolutions; the first 
 was, — That it is the opinion of this Com- 
 mittee that his Majesty is prevented by his 
 present indisposition from coming to his 
 Parliament and attending to public business, 
 

 84 Memoirs or the Years 1788-89. 
 
 and that the personal exercise of the royal 
 authority is thereby suspended.— This reso- 
 lution was voted unanimously. 
 
 The second declared it to be the opinion 
 of the Committee, That it is the right and 
 duty of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal 
 and of the Commons of Great Britain in 
 Parliament assembled, and fully and law- 
 fully and freely representing the people of 
 the realm, to devise the means of supply- 
 ing the defect of the personal exercise of the 
 royal authority, in such manner as the exi- 
 gency of the case may require. 
 "^ It was resolved,— That for this purpose, 
 and for maintaining entire the constitutional 
 authority of the King, it is necessary that 
 the said Lords and Commons of Great Britain 
 should determine upon the means whereby 
 the royal assent may be given in Parliament 
 to such bills as may be passed by the two 
 Houses respecting the exercise and autho- 
 rity of the Crown, in the name and on the 
 behalf of the King, during the continuance 
 of his Majesty's present indisposition. 
 
 i 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 85 
 
 Mr. Pitt thought it right, in this stage of 
 the business, to admit that he knew no pre- 
 cedent directly in point; but that circum- 
 stances had occurred in former reigns that 
 proved what had then been the sense of 
 Parliament. He adduced several instances, 
 particularly that of the Duke of Gloucester 
 claiming the Regency in the minority of 
 Henry the Sixth, and applying to Parlia- 
 ment for it as his right. T/ie right was de- 
 nied, but they appointed him Regent. Here, 
 then, was a proof of a claim of right having 
 been actually made, and a declaration of 
 Parliament that no such right existed. 
 
 Many able speeches were made on each 
 side of the House, and, on a division, 
 a majority of sixty-four appeared against 
 a motion made by Lord North, whereupon 
 the second resolution was carried without 
 
 further debate. 
 
 On the 19th, Mr. Pitt, being called upon 
 to inform the House what mode of proceed- 
 ing he intended to adopt, stated, that as in 
 the contemplation of the law the King's poli- 
 

 tical capacity was entire, he should propose 
 that their proceedings should be, under the 
 royal authority, delegated by a Commission 
 under the Great Seal; that Commissioners 
 should be appointed to open the Parliament 
 in the usual form, and afterwards give the 
 royal assent to such a bill as might be passed 
 by the two Houses of Parliament, for ap- 
 pointing a Regent to exercise as much of 
 the royal authority as was necessary during 
 the continuance of his Majesty's indisposi- 
 tion. This he thought the only mode of 
 proceeding that could be adopted consist- 
 ently with the principles of the Constitution. 
 This plan was warmly objected to. It was 
 urged that no power existed to authorize 
 the putting the Great Seal to such an Act ; 
 and the arguing this question occupied some 
 days. On the 22nd of December, however, 
 the amendments proposed by the Opposition 
 were negatived, and all the resolutions were 
 carried. The numbers were— for the amend- 
 ment, 178; against it, 251. 
 
 The resolutions were ordered to be de- 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 87 
 
 livered to the Lords at a conference, and 
 their concurrence desired. The next day, 
 the 23rd, the Lords being returned from the 
 conference, the resolutions were read, and 
 it was moved that they should be referred 
 to a Committee of the whole House ap- 
 pointed to take into consideration the state 
 of the nation. Lord Loughborough ob- 
 jected to their taking from the other House 
 a prescribed rule for their conduct, as being 
 unprecedented ; but on this and some other 
 points he was overruled, and the resolu- 
 tions, with the Report, were ordered to be 
 
 referred. 
 
 While these important transactions were 
 going on, the state of the Kings health 
 remained the same, and every day added to 
 the mental distress of the Queen. I had 
 called several times at Kew to enquire after 
 her Majesty, and received many kind mes- 
 sages from her, but did not see her till the 
 20th of December. She did me the honour 
 of receiving me with the affection of a sister, 
 and many were the tears we shed when 
 
3' 
 
 
 88 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 we talked of the events that had occurred 
 since we met ; she repeated the reasons that 
 had prevented her from seeing me sooner, 
 but added, that the King would not have 
 made such a request to her if he could have 
 foreseen the length of time his illness would 
 last, and that therefore she felt herself more 
 at liberty then than she had done at an 
 earlier period of it, and hoped soon to see 
 
 me again. 
 
 On the following Wednesday, the 24th, 
 I got a letter from Princess Elizabeth, 
 written by the Queen s orders, to say that 
 Lady Courtown, who had been with her be- 
 fore, and from the time of the King's seizure, 
 was not well, that she had given her leave 
 to eo home, had chosen me to supply her 
 place, and wished me to come to her as 
 soon as possible. I gladly obeyed the sum- 
 mons, having no wish more strong than to 
 endeavour to be of some use and comfort 
 to my royal mistress, whose many virtues 
 had long secured my warmest attachment. 
 It was nearly dark before I could leave 
 
 A 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 89 
 
 London, and the ground was covered with 
 snow ; but no obstacle should have deterred 
 me from going to Kew that night, and I was 
 well rewarded by the pleasure my alacrity 
 in obeying her summons seemed to give 
 
 the Queen. 
 
 I shall now continue my narrative by 
 giving extracts from my letters to my Lord, 
 which I desired him to keep for that pur- 
 pose ; and I shall also give extracts from 
 those I received from him, and from the 
 General, and Mrs. Harcourt, all of whom 
 sent me daily accounts of what was passing 
 in London. To these I shall occasionally 
 add a short outline of the proceedings in 
 Parliament. 
 
 My first letter was to my Lord, and was 
 written on the 26th of December : — 
 
 '* The King was less calm yesterday from the 
 irritation the blisters caused, and from having 
 a cold, with a shght degree of fever. The night 
 was not good, yet they say he lay so quiet that 
 sometimes they hardly knew whether he was 
 askep or not ; he is hoarse, and had still some 
 
 |V 
 
 it 
 
 N 
 
 ■fp 
 
 mmamtmtt^^t^mittm 
 
s., 
 
 90 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 fever this morning, but he is good humoured ; his 
 legs are less inflamed, and seem inclined to heal, 
 and upon the whole Willis is satisfied with the 
 way he is going on. He said this morning that 
 he would see no physicians but the Willises. 
 Sir George Baker has complied with this wish, 
 but, I suppose, it must not be mentioned. 
 
 " The Prince and the Duke of York were here 
 yesterday ; they tried to seem at their ease, but 
 probably would have liked a private better than 
 a general conversation, and have preferred seeing 
 the Queen alone rather than in the presence of 
 the Princesses, Lady Charlotte Finch, and myself. 
 
 " You will guess how eager we are for the 
 event of this day ; send me an account of what 
 you hear and observe, and how those about whom 
 there are doubts voted, as the Dukes of Grafton 
 and Marlborough and Lord Lansdown, and what 
 parts Lord Jersey and my brother take. The Queen 
 did not desire me to ask for this information, but 
 I am sure she will like to have it, for she was 
 eager for a similar account of the House of Com- 
 mons ; and, indeed, it is material for her to know 
 who are, and who are not friends. You know 
 you may depend upon my being cautious in re- 
 peating anything you tell me. I was received 
 here like a real friend, and am treated w^ith a de- 
 gree of kindness and confidence that add to my 
 attachment." 
 
 I 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 91 
 
 Earl Harcourt, December 26th : — 
 
 " I would visit you to-morrow if the additional 
 fall of snow had not made the road almost im- 
 passable. The House of Lords, in the memory 
 of those Peers who have sat longest in it, was 
 never seen so full as yesterday. We divided it 
 ten minutes after twelve — 99 against 66. Lord 
 Camden went away after an admirable speech, 
 or we should have been 100. The Duke of Marl- 
 borough's proxy was left with Lord Stafford, but 
 proxies were not called for, so his good intention 
 was of no use. Lord Louvaine was with us, and 
 Lord Romney, whose vote is always a credit to 
 whatever party he gives it. 
 
 "Among the minor speakers Lord Rawdon did 
 very well, but the Chancellor tore all his argu- 
 ments to pieces with as much ease as a giant 
 would tear a sheet of silver paper ; the Chancellor, 
 indeed, spoke in a superior style of real arguincnt 
 and manliness, particularly in that part which re- 
 lated to the Prince of Wales, in which he proved 
 that he was, in fact, far more a friend to the true 
 interest of his Royal Highness than those who 
 courted his favour on the present occasion. The 
 conclusion of Lord Carlisle's speech was decent, 
 respectful, and expressive of feeling for the King. 
 Lord Abingdon, as usual, was short, singular, and 
 bold ; his advice to the Prince very good, and 
 
 wm 
 
 SS^Ei. 
 
 ^S&Sii 
 
92 
 
 Memoirs ok the Years 1788-89. 
 
 his zeal both for the person of the King and the 
 Constitution of the country equally conspicuous. 
 Lord Lansdown always speaks well, but generally 
 with some disapprobation of the very measures 
 he votes for. This was the case last night. Lord 
 Loughborough is grown almost as tedious, pro- 
 lix, and tiresome as Lord Stormont. The Duke 
 of Gloucester was not in the House ; the Dukes 
 of York and Cumberland voted with the Oppo- 
 sition, so did many others who ought to have sup- 
 ported the King, from whom they had received 
 favours. You will easily believe that I had par- 
 ticular pleasure in appearing in his Majesty's 
 uniform." 
 
 Kew, December 28th, to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 "The KiniT has had six hours' sleep, and been 
 quiet the remainder of the night ; this morning 
 he asked for his breakfast, and expressed a wish 
 that the Queen might breakfast with him. Willis 
 said, 'Sir, you are so much better, and so calm 
 now, that it would be wrong to risk anything 
 that might agitate you ; a little patience, and the 
 Queen will always breakfast with you.' 
 
 ''The King answered, 'You are in the right.' 
 Last night the Doctor said to me, ' His Majesty 
 is recovering, while they are disputing about plans, 
 
 i 
 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 93 
 
 and we shall kick all their castles into the dust.' 
 When Sir Lucas Pepys came this evening he was 
 astonished at the change since Wednesday, and 
 candid enough to own that he was so ; he is now 
 so satisfied that all will end well, that he said, that 
 if there should be such a return of violence as to 
 make it necessary for the strait-waistcoat to be 
 worn for a fortnight, it would not shake his opi- 
 nion ; for he saw that the mind was only deranged, 
 and had received no injury, that what he had 
 most feared was the sinking into a state of imbe- 
 cility, which he was now convinced there was no 
 reason to apprehend. 
 
 "Young Willis has just told me that the ma;i 
 would S0071 be well, but that he could not answer 
 for the de/aj/ ' rubs ' might throw in the way of the 
 King-. Tell your brother that I have given the 
 Willises their lesson ; it was hardly necessary, for 
 
 the old man k/iezu G . The Queen was much 
 
 pleased with what I read of your letter, and with 
 what you said of the Chancellor ; it is a comfort 
 for her to have such a man to advise her." 
 
 December 28th, half-past on(^, to Lord 
 Harcourt : — 
 
 "As I have a second opportunity of sending 
 a letter, I will write one line to tell you, that about 
 twelve Willis came to the Queen to say, that, in 
 
 \ 
 
 ■^-^piw 
 
94 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 the hope of seeing her, the King shaved and 
 dressed, and he thought it better to indulge than 
 disappoint him. She went, therefore, and stayed 
 an hour in his room ; she thought he looked thin 
 and ill ; he was tolerably composed, but very un- 
 willing to part with her, wishing to make condi- 
 tions, and wanting her to promise to return to 
 dinner. This the Doctor would not consent to. 
 I have just been to the Doctor's room, and find 
 that his Majesty has been much agitated since 
 this interview. I am sorry it w^as risked, but 
 Willis says it will do no harm, and he likes to 
 know the degree of strength the mind gains by 
 occasionally trying it." 
 
 Earl of Harcourt, December 28th :— 
 
 ''Though it is too late for my letter to go 
 to-night, I will begin it, as I am impatient to 
 thank you for both yours of this day. I tremble 
 at the consequences the interview may have, but 
 if the King passes the night quietly the event will 
 prove that the experiment was not so rash as 
 my fears represented it; but much will Dr. Willis 
 be blamed by his numerous enemies, if the King's 
 disorder should return with any degree of violence. 
 "Lord Louvaine has surely engrossed to his 
 own share all the Percy and Seymour blood of 
 the family, and left only that of the Smitlisons 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 95 
 
 to his brother. He, (the true Percy, I mean,) who 
 had some reason to be displeased with Mr. Pitt, 
 went up to him the other day in the House of 
 Lords, and asked him what was the method to be 
 pursued by a Member of Parliament who wanted 
 to vacate his seat by taking the Chiltern Hun- 
 dreds. This question was received by the Minister 
 with that cold ungraciousness of manner that has 
 offended so much ; but his countenance soon 
 changed when Lord Louvaine informed him that 
 his reason for asking was, to desire his nomina- 
 tion of a member to represent one of his bo- 
 roughs. I must add, that a negotiation had been 
 entered into for the sale of this borough previous 
 to the calamity of the King's illness, and at the 
 price of i^35,000 ; but as soon as he heard of that 
 event, he broke it off by saying, 'That though 
 such a sum would be useful as a provision for 
 his younger children, these were times when no 
 private, no, not even family considerations, should 
 be attended to, if the public good was concerned.' 
 "Lord Parker has been sent for, and threats 
 thrown out, unless his father would vote against 
 the present measures; to which the latter an- 
 swered, he was an independent Peer, and as such 
 he should vote. A person, whose conduct you 
 and I lament, started the other day when I told 
 him that on leaving the Duke of Gloucester, I had 
 said to him, * I am happy to find, Sir, that you 
 

 96 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 will not desert the King.' There are great jea- 
 lousies, as T foretold there would be, amongst the 
 leaders of the Opposition. The Duke of Port- 
 land and Lord Fitzwilliam are much offended at 
 the negotiations between the Prince and Mr. Fox, 
 relative to the securing Lord Carteret in the office 
 he now holds, and have declared they never will 
 consent to Mr. Sheridan's being put into posses- 
 sion of any of the places to which the disposal 
 of the public money belongs; add to all this, 
 that, were all the places double in number, and 
 survivances the mode of this country, there would 
 not be a sufficient number to answer the expec- 
 tations of the several claimants, or the promises 
 that have been held out." 
 
 Monday morning, December 29th, to Lord 
 Harcourt : — 
 
 "Lady Cecilia Johnston has just been here. 
 She told me she was at the play on Friday ; ' God 
 save the King' was played before it began, and 
 at the conclusion was again so loudly called for, 
 that it could not be refused to the wishes of the 
 audience ; and the performers came on and sang 
 it, notwithstanding the feeble hisses of a very few 
 individuals, who had received their lesson, and 
 perhaps their pay, to prevent it. The farce, and 
 it was a favourite one, for Mrs. Jordan played 
 
 r '^;# 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 97 
 
 Nell, began, but affection for the King got the 
 better of the love of laughter, and such was 
 the uproar for a repetition of that song that the 
 actors were obliged to retire, and the singers re- 
 turned again, and were received, Lady Cecilia said, 
 with the most violent plaudits she had then ever 
 heard ; but she soon heard still louder, for when 
 
 the verse, 
 
 " ' O Lord, our God, arise, 
 
 Scatter his enemies,' 
 
 began and ended, the clapping, huzzaing, and 
 thumping with sticks exceeded all imagination. 
 From time to time the same party hisses were 
 just heard, but they only served to animate the 
 majority of the audience, and to increase the ap- 
 plause. No crown is so secure upon the head of 
 a King as that to which a nation put their hands 
 to fix it." 
 
 Kew, December 29th, to the Earl of Har- 
 court :— 
 
 " The King was certainly less quiet yesterday 
 evening, but they think it was not so much owing 
 to his seeing the Queen as to the being obliged to 
 part with her ; he suffered, too, but this they do 
 not choose to have known, from a strong degree of 
 eruption at the bottom of his back, occasioned by 
 his resting upon it, when he was obliged to lay 
 
 o 
 
98 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 his legs up and have flannel drawers on, which 
 rubbed and inflamed it ; his skin is particularly 
 tender, so that when he went to bed Willis was 
 obliged to dress it with Turner's cerate ; he bore 
 the operation well, and made many apologies, 
 with the greatest good humour and good breed- 
 ing, to the Doctor, for giving him the trouble of 
 doing it himself. The night was tolerably good, 
 and this morning he said he would get up and 
 dress, to see the Queen, as he did yesterday. 
 The Doctor answered, ' Sir, that must not be/ 
 His Majesty answered, 'Then I will not get up 
 to-day.' To this the Doctor made no objection, 
 thinking it might be good for his back and legs, 
 which are going on very well. He has since lain 
 quiet, his pulse is good, there is no whiteness 
 upon his tongue, and at this moment he is enjoy- 
 ing a comfortable sleep. I have this moment left 
 Willis, who told me all I have just repeated, and 
 added that he hoped and thought the evening 
 
 would be good. 
 
 *' I have not yet read the debate of Saturday. 
 The Queen was much affected all yesterday with 
 the interview of the morning, and we avoided all 
 conversation that might have led to unpleasant 
 subjects ; but she said she would send the paper 
 into my room, and if I have time I will read it, for 
 I am anxious to sec the arguments used on each 
 side. If my friend should hereafter have as much 
 
 L' 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 99 
 
 influence as she always might have had if she had 
 chosen to exert it, I think the door to preferment 
 will be fast locked against deserters; and I am 
 sure, if it depended upon me, I should add strength 
 to so just a resolution, however sorry I might 
 be for some individuals. I do not wonder you 
 avoided the Sunday party, you would have been 
 so questioned. Baker had asked for the King to 
 see the Queen before she did, and had been re- 
 fused, so he could not object to her going yester- 
 day. Have I no chance of a visit from you.? 
 How long I may stay here I know not ; but I find 
 my visiting you, even for an hour, is out of the 
 question ; I cannot write the reasons, but they 
 are good ones." 
 
 Earl of Harcourt, December 30th : — 
 
 '* We had no division this day, but much speak- 
 ing, and such as I trust I shall never hear again ; 
 Lord Kinnoul, Lord Kinnaird, Lord Porchester, 
 the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Stormont, and Lord 
 King. The Duke of Richmond spoke twice, but 
 shortly, as nothing new remained to be said on 
 one side, or replied to on the other, except an 
 attack from Lord Stormont on the Administration 
 for their not having communicated with the Prince 
 of Wales, which was treated as a mark of dis- 
 respect, but denied to be such by the Duke of 
 
 f 
 
lOO 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Richmond, who justly observed that, not having 
 any authority whatever, the Ministers, till author- 
 ized, could not possibly hold any communication 
 with his Royal Highness on the subject at that 
 time agitating in Parliament, the object of which 
 was to authorize them to hold such communi- 
 
 cation. 
 
 "To shew you to what base artifices our op- 
 ponents resort, I must mention that Mr. Mason 
 has informed me, that handbills have been posted 
 up in all the towns in his neighbourhood, attri- 
 buting to Mr. Fox the very sentiments of Mr. Pitt ; 
 but in general they have been pulled down, and 
 answers to them affixed, and the almost universal 
 cry goes against the measures the Opposition 
 have attempted. I think the Queen will be pleased 
 to hear the account of the politics of Yorkshire ; 
 a loyal attachment of such a county, and so large, 
 is important, and with Lord Fitzwilliam at its 
 head. All persons who are not callous to the 
 feelings of humanity, decency, and respect, repro- 
 bate the conduct of Dr. Warren. Lord Warwick 
 in a circle of Lords this day declared, that he be- 
 lieved Warren was the greatest liar upon earth, 
 and that, if he were there present, he would not 
 scruple to say the same to his face. Whenever 
 a good account comes from Kew, though he 
 knows it to be really such, he goes about the 
 town to contradict, and treat it with contempt ; 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. loi 
 
 W 
 
 and when an improperly particular account of the 
 various changes in the King's health in the course 
 of the day has been transmitted, he carries it to 
 all his patients. Lord Warwick knows this to 
 
 be true. 
 
 " I am flattered and honoured beyond measure, 
 and so I am sure you will be when you see it, by 
 the little note ^ enclosed in your letter ; and I beg 
 you will make my most grateful and dutiful ac- 
 knowledgments to the illustrious person from whom 
 I guess it came, for so distinguished a mark of 
 an approbation, which, setting aside all supe- 
 riority of rank, any person might be proud to 
 receive." 
 
 From the Hon. Mrs. Harcourt, December 
 30th : — 
 
 "We are more than ever anxious for accounts 
 from Kew ; if they are not good, the interview the 
 King's friends wish to be often repeated must be 
 deferred ; and besides, Lord Suffolk will have 
 a better plea for the motion he has hinted his 
 intention of making, which is evidently pointed 
 at Willis, and meant to prove that Arnold may 
 do better. Sir Lucas Pepys has now said pub- 
 licly that he does expect to see the King soon 
 at St. James's. I fear, however, that this cold 
 
 « An anonymous note from the Queen, expressing her approba- 
 tion at Lord Harcourt's conduct. 
 
I02 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 weather is against him. Sir William Fordyce has 
 told Lady Margaret that it is not possible to ex- 
 pect much good till the season is milder, and that 
 she might depend upon it that in March an amend- 
 ment would begin, and go on progressively till 
 the cure was perfect. 
 
 "I find it is a measure of the party to say 
 that the Prince from his amiable character retains 
 a friendship for Mrs. Fitzherbcrt, but that she has 
 not the least remaining influence ; that he is quite 
 tired of her, and in love elsewhere, therefore the 
 public need have no further alarm on her account. 
 She adheres steadily to her resolution of not ad- 
 mitting Mr. Fox into her house, and will never 
 forgive the part he took when her name was 
 formerly brought into the House of Commons. 
 
 " I hear that the Duke of Gloucester has had 
 great offers made to him, and has rejected them. 
 He says he should feel it impossible, while his 
 brother lives, to owe an obligation to any repre- 
 sentative of his power, and in consequence of his 
 refusal he is in complete disgrace. 
 
 " The Duke of Oueensberry has desired Lord 
 Galloway to take his waiting for him at St. James's. 
 This conduct needs no explanation. Lord Malms- 
 bury on his arrival went directly to Mr. Pitt, told 
 him he was come supposing he might be wanted, 
 drew from him an account of what was doing, 
 and of what was intended, and then went to 
 
 Carlton House, and wrote from thence to Mr. Pitt 
 that he had found reason to alter his opinions, 
 and could not have any further connection with 
 him. I hear Mr. Pitt has given him to understand 
 that his conduct has been such that he never in- 
 deed can again be connected with him. How 
 lately is it that he received from the King the 
 power of voting in the House of Lords, and he 
 has given his first vote against him. 
 
 ''Two days ago, after Sir George Baker came 
 from Kew, having written the word better in the 
 bulletin, he was called to account for it ; he made 
 a regular apology, pleading his age and infirmities, 
 which he said made him unable to withstand the 
 worry he suffered; that it was not his opinion, 
 but they had got the better of him, and that 
 since the Queen had been angry with him he was 
 frightened; he added that the King was very 
 bad a day or two before, and described every 
 distressing circumstance. 
 
 "When I mentioned Mrs. Fitzherbert, I ought 
 to have added, that Fox says, what he declared in 
 the House two years ago had been given to him 
 in writing ; this paper they want to get from 
 him again, but he says he has lost it. He some- 
 times seems inclined not to take any part in ad- 
 ministration. This alarms them, for the Duke of 
 Portland will not undertake to form a government 
 without him. The party is believed to be much 
 
 I 
 
^m^fi^m^ 
 
 ■•"T" 
 
 »«••• 1,1 ■ ^1 
 
 ■wnpHvi^'a^p^*'^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 at variance amongst themselves, but Sheridan 
 says, only let us all once get in, and we shall 
 settle the business easily afterwards ; he wishes 
 the Prince to promise anything, and take the 
 Regency anyhow, and act when he has it ; this 
 he declared to a confidential friend of his own. 
 They are outrageous against Cornwallis ; they 
 wanted him before he sailed to the Indies to va- 
 cate his seat for Portsmouth, that Erskine might 
 have it ; he refused, and it is feared that if the 
 party gets in, they will send somebody to super- 
 sede him. Sheridan at present seems so much in 
 the Prince's favour, that the others are very jeal- 
 ous of him." 
 
 Kew, Dec. 30, to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " Do not be alarmed at hearing this morning 
 that the night had not been good. I was only 
 able to leave the Queen long enough to say those 
 few words ; I will tell yo?^ the cause ; but Willis's 
 enemies are so ready to catch at everything, that 
 we are obliged, as far as possible, to keep even 
 trifles from being talked of ; he thinks that nature 
 often points out, by the strong fancy people take 
 for some particular medicine or diet, what may be 
 of use, and therefore indulged the King in his 
 earnest wish to have some whey and butter-milk ; 
 in the course of yesterday he drank at least 
 
 1 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 105 
 
 a gallon, but, not daring to trust entirely to these 
 liquors, the Doctor gave him castor oil, which he 
 frequently takes at night, and this uniting with 
 what he had drunk, produced the same effect upon 
 him, that the same cause would produce upon any 
 other person ; of course, his sleep was interrupted, 
 but he is not the worse for it to-day ; on the con- 
 trary, Willis says that his symptoms of approach- 
 ing recovery increase, particularly he likes a sort 
 of fretful peevishness that usually attends con- 
 valescence. 
 
 "Your account from Yorkshire, and of what 
 passed at the theatre, pleased the Queen. Con- 
 tinue to send us any anecdotes you hear ; it is of 
 consequence to us to know what passes, and how 
 people seem to be disposed to the cause." 
 
 Havino- brought the extracts from the 
 letters I wrote and received down to the 
 end of the year 1788, I will now give a 
 short account of the proceedings in Parlia- 
 ment to the same period. I have mentioned 
 that on the 23rd of December the resolution 
 had been read and referred to a Committee 
 of the whole House, appointed to take into 
 consideration the state of the nation. On 
 
f 
 
 ■ 'r 
 
 io6 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 the 26th, a discussion took place in the 
 House of Lords on the resolutions, and 
 the restrictions to be put on the power of 
 the Regent. 
 
 The Duke of Richmond said, that high 
 as his confidence in the Prince of Wales was, 
 he considered restrictions to be necessary, 
 as without them he would have the power 
 of removing his Majesty's servants, nay, 
 even his physicians ; of seizing his wealth, 
 and perverting it from the purpose it had 
 been his intention to apply it to ; and that 
 on his recovery, such an alteration in his 
 household, and in the state of his personal 
 property, might have the worst possible effect 
 upon him. He w^as sure, from the filial af- 
 fection the Prince had manifested durincr 
 his Majesty's illness, every care would be 
 taken by his Royal Highness; but he rea- 
 soned on the possibility of the case, and it 
 was the duty of their Lordships to guard 
 against the abuse of power to which, from 
 the infirmity of human nature, every man 
 is liable. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 107 
 
 The Chancellor begged to know what the 
 term '' Regent" meant, he knew not where 
 to look for an explanation of it ; to what end, 
 then, address the Prince to take upon him- 
 self an office the boundaries of which were 
 by no means ascertained. What was meant 
 by the Executive Government ? did it mean 
 all the royal authority, all the sovereign 
 functions, without restrictions or limitations 
 of any kind whatever ? If it did, it amounted 
 to dethroning his Majesty, and wresting the 
 sceptre out of his hand ; would any lord 
 contend that such an act ought to be voted 
 in that House ? He conceived that the great 
 Council of the nation assembled in Pariia- 
 ment had the best right to find means to 
 supply the defect in the exercise of the royal 
 authority. He praised the noble qualities 
 of the Prince of Wales, but said there might 
 be heirs-apparent whose lives might have 
 afforded reasons to the two Houses for set- 
 ting them aside from the regency ; and he 
 therefore maintained that it was expedient 
 that Parliament should not abandon such 
 
i 
 
 I 
 
 ■> 
 
 a power, nor, under the circumstances of the 
 case, avoid avowing it to be their right. 
 
 Lord Lansdown wished that, instead of 
 discussing the propriety of putting the Great 
 Seal to the Commission, Ministers had in 
 the first instance acted on such a Commis- 
 sion. Some risk would have been run, but 
 o-reat officers were created for the purpose 
 of doing great and important acts ; if they 
 would run no hazard, they had no business 
 to fill such situations ; and he was sure that 
 the two Houses were fully competent to the 
 acquitting of any ministers who had in such 
 an emergency put the Great Seal to a Com- 
 mission constituting them a Parliament. 
 
 The resolutions were then voted for, and 
 carried by a majority of 33. 
 
 After a short debate, on the 29th of De- 
 cember, the resolutions were finally agreed 
 to, and a Committee appointed to inform the 
 Commons thereof at a conference. A strong 
 protest against agreeing to them was signed 
 by the Uukes of York and Cumberland, and 
 six other Peers. The proceedings of the 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 109 
 
 two Houses were not beheld with indiffer- 
 ence by the nation. The friends of the 
 Ministers were active, and successful in pro- 
 curing addresses from a considerable majo- 
 rity of the counties and corporations of the 
 kingdom in approbation of the measures 
 proposed by them ; on the other hand, peti- 
 tions were presented from the counties of 
 Northumberland and Southampton, express- 
 ino- the strongest disapprobation of the pro- 
 posed plan, and the principles on which it 
 
 was founded. 
 
 The almost sudden death of the Speaker 
 of the House of Commons, who was taken 
 ill on the 29th of December, occasioned an 
 adjournment of some days. During that in- 
 terval Mr. Pitt communicated to the Prince 
 of Wales the plan formed for the Consti- 
 tution of the Regency, and, at his Royal 
 Highness's desire, gave it to him in writ- 
 ing. It stated, that it was the opinion of 
 Parliament that he should be empowered 
 to exercise the royal authority during the 
 Kings illness in the name and on the be- 
 
 - *--■• 
 
no Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 half of his Majesty, and to do all such acts 
 that might be legally done by the King; 
 but that the care of the royal person, and 
 the management of the royal household, 
 with the direction and appointment of the 
 servants therein, should be vested in the 
 Queen, under such regulations as might be 
 thought necessary. That the power to be 
 exercised by his Royal Highness should not 
 extend to the granting the real or personal 
 property of the King, excepting as far as 
 related to the renewal of leases, to the grant- 
 ing any office in reversion, or to the grant- 
 ing, for any other term than during his 
 Majesty's pleasure, any pension or office 
 whatever, excepting such as by law must 
 be granted for life, or during good beha- 
 viour ; nor to the granting any rank or dig- 
 nity of the peerage of this realm to any 
 person, excepting his Majesty's issue, who 
 should have obtained the age of twenty- one 
 years. Mr. Pitt added, that those were the 
 chief points that had occurred to his Ma- 
 jesty's servants ; that their opinions were 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. iii 
 
 formed upon the supposition that the King s 
 illness was only temporary, and might be* 
 of no long duration ; that it might be 
 difficult beforehand to fix the period for 
 which these provisions ought to last; but 
 that, if unfortunately the Kings recovery 
 should be protracted to a more distant time 
 than at present there is reason to expect, 
 the wisdom of Parliament might re-con- 
 sider the provisions whenever circumstances 
 should appear to make it expedient to do 
 so. Mr. Pitt concluded by saying, that if 
 his Royal Highness wished for any further 
 explanation on the subject he should be 
 ready, on receiving his orders, to attend 
 him, or to give it in any other mode he 
 might be pleased to appoint. 
 
 To this letter the Prince delivered his 
 answer to the Chancellor as follows : — 
 
 " The Prince has learnt from Mr. Pitt's letter, 
 that the proceedings in Parliament are now in 
 a train to enable him to communicate to the 
 Prince the outlines of the plan which his Majesty's 
 confidential servants conceive to be proper to be 
 
112 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 proposed under the present circumstances. Con- 
 cerning the steps taken by Mr. Pitt the Prince 
 is silent. Nothing done by the two Houses of 
 Parliament could be a proper subject for the 
 Prince's animadversion ; but if, previous to any 
 discussion in Parliament, the outlines of a scheme 
 of government, in which it is proposed that the 
 Prince shall be personally and principally con- 
 cerned, and by which the royal authority and the 
 public welfare may be deeply affected, be laid 
 before him, it would be unjustifiable in him were 
 he to withhold an explicit declaration of his sen- 
 timents, as his silence might be construed into 
 a previous approbation of a plan, the accomplish- 
 ment of which every motive of duty to his father 
 and sovereign, as well as of regard for the public 
 interest, obliges him to consider as injurious to 
 both. 
 
 *' In the state of deep distress in which the 
 Prince and the whole royal family are involved 
 by the heavy calamity which has fallen upon 
 the King ; and at a moment when Government, 
 deprived of its chief energy and support, seems 
 peculiarly to need the cordial and united aid 
 of all descriptions of good subjects, it was not 
 expected by the Prince that a plan would be 
 offered for his consideration by which Govern- 
 ment was to be rendered difficult, if not imprac- 
 ticable, in the hands of any person intended to 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 113 
 
 represent the King's authority; much less, in 
 the hands of his eldest son, the heir-apparent 
 of the kingdom, and the person most bound to 
 the maintenance of his Majesty's just authority, 
 as well as most interested in the prosperity and 
 glory of the people. The Prince forbears to re- 
 mark on the several parts of the sketch of the 
 plan laid before him; he apprehends it must 
 have been formed with sufficient deliberation to 
 preclude the probability of any argument of his 
 producing an alteration of sentiment in the pro- 
 jectors of it. 
 
 "The Prince trusts with confidence in the wis- 
 dom and justice of Pariiament, when the whole 
 of this subject, and the circumstances connected 
 with it, shall come under their deliberation. The 
 Prince observes, therefore, only generally, upon 
 the heads communicated to him by Mr. Pitt. It 
 is with deep regret the Prince makes the observa- 
 tion, that he sees in the contents of Mr. Pitt's 
 paper a project for dividing the royal family from 
 each other; for separating the Court from the 
 State ; and, by disjoining Government from its 
 natural and accustomed support, for disconnect- 
 ing the authority to command service from the 
 power of animating it by rewards. Thus allotting 
 to the Prince all the invidious duties of Go- 
 vernment, without the means of softening them 
 to the public by any one act of grace, favour. 
 
m 
 
 " 
 
 114 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 or benignity. The Prince's feelings, on contem- 
 plating this plan, are also rendered still more 
 painful to him by observing, that it is not founded 
 upon any general principle, but that it is calcu- 
 lated to infuse jealousy and suspicion, wholly 
 groundless he trusts, amongst those whose con- 
 fidence it will ever be the first pride of his life 
 to merit and obtain. 
 
 "With regard to the motive and object of the 
 limitations and restrictions proposed, the Prince 
 can have but little to observe. No light or in- 
 formation is offered him by his Majesty's Ministers 
 on these points ; they have informed him what 
 the powers are which they mean to refuse him, 
 not why they are withheld. The Prince holds 
 that it is an undoubted and fundamental prin- 
 ciple of this Constitution, that powers and pre- 
 rop-atives are vested in the Crown as a trust for 
 the benefit of the people ; and that those powers 
 are sacred, only as they are necessary to the pre- 
 servation of such a poise and balance of power 
 as experience has proved to be the true security 
 of the liberty of the subject. The Prince must 
 be allowed to observe, that the plea of public 
 utility ought to be strong, manifest, and urgent, 
 which could justify the extinction or suppression 
 of any one of the essential attributes of kingly 
 power, or which could justify the Prince in con- 
 senting that in his person an experiment should 
 
 
 j 
 
 be made, to ascertain with how small a portion 
 of the prerogative the Executive Government of 
 the country could be carried on. If so be, that 
 to obtain security for his Majesty's repossessing 
 his rightful Government whenever it shall please 
 Providence, in bounty to this country, to remove 
 the calamity with which the King is afflicted, be 
 any part of this plan ; the Prince has only to be 
 convinced that any measure is necessary, or could 
 be conducive to such an end, to be the first to 
 urge it as the preliminary and paramount con- 
 sideration of any settlement in which he would 
 consent to share. If attention to what is pre- 
 sumed might be his Majesty's feelings and wishes 
 on the happy day of his recovery be the object, 
 it is with the truest sincerity the Prince expresses 
 his firm conviction, that no event would be more 
 repugnant to the feelings of his royal father, than 
 the knowledge that the government of his son and 
 representative had exhibited the sovereign power 
 in a state of degradation, of curtailed authority, 
 and diminished energy ; a state hurtful in prac- 
 tice to the prosperity and good government of his 
 people, and injurious in its precedent to the secu- 
 rity of the Monarch and the rights of his family. 
 
 " Upon that part of the plan which regards the 
 King's real and personal property, the Prince feels 
 himself compelled to remark, that it was not ne- 
 cessary for Mr. Pitt to suggest to him the restraint 
 
 1 4 
 
ii6 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 he proposes against the Prince s granting away 
 the King's real or personal property. The Prince 
 does not conceive that during the Kings Hfe he 
 is by law entitled to make any such grant ; and 
 he is sure he has never shewn the smallest in- 
 clination to possess any such power. It remains 
 with Mr. Pitt to consider the eventual interests of 
 the royal family, and to provide a proper and 
 natural security against the mismanagement of 
 their affairs by others. 
 
 "The Prince has discharged an indispensable 
 duty in thus giving his free opinion on the plan 
 submitted to his consideration. The Prince's con- 
 . viction of the evils which may arise to the King's 
 interest, to the peace and happiness of the royal 
 family, and to the safety and welfare of the na- 
 tion, from the Government continuing any longer 
 in its present maimed and debilitated state, out- 
 weighs, in his mind, every other consideration ; and 
 will determine him to undertake the painful task 
 imposed upon him by the present melancholy ne- 
 cessity, which, of all his Majesty's subjects, he 
 deplores the most. The Prince will undertake 
 the task, in full confidence that the affection and 
 loyalty to the King, the proved attachment to the 
 House of Brunswick, and the generosity which has 
 always distinguished this nation, will carry him 
 through the many difficulties inseparable from this 
 most critical situation, with credit to himself, with 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 117 
 
 honour to the King, and with advantage to the 
 P^^^^'- "Signed, 'G.P.'" 
 
 This letter was delivered to Mr. Pitt on 
 the I St of January, 1789. 
 
 I return to my account of what was pass- 
 incT at Kew, and to the opinions and con- 
 versations that were held in London. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January ist, 
 
 1789:— 
 
 "You know, my dearest Lord, how sincerely 
 I wish you to see many new years, and that each 
 of them may prove a happy one to you. Thank 
 God 'SS is over, and '89 sets out well, for the 
 King is better than he has ever yet been. Willis 
 had begged us not to mind his having been less 
 well the last day or two ; adding, a storm was 
 always succeeded by fair weather, and that ever 
 since he has attended his Majesty he has found 
 him worse at the beginning, and better at the 
 end of the week. The event has proved him 
 right, and the last storm was slighter, and the 
 present calm greater, than any of the preceding 
 ones. For six hours yesterday evening he not 
 only conversed as well as possible, but was at in- 
 tervals silent, which shews that he has acquired 
 some command over himself; he went to bed at 
 
ii8 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 his usual time, slept six hours, and observed in 
 the morning that he had only awoke once in the 
 night. He is now very composed, has been talk- 
 ino- about his horses, and even naming the stall 
 each stands in. In the course of yesterday even- 
 incr he seemed to be very sensible of the nature 
 of his disorder, and enquired how long it was 
 likely to last ; he played twelve games at back- 
 gammon, kept up his attention, and was not fa- 
 tigued. Willis says he wishes a drawing could 
 be made, with the bulletin written upon the snow, 
 melting away by degrees till all the rats are 
 drowned in it. 
 
 " You may communicate this good account of 
 the King to the Duke of Gloucester, but I wish 
 him not to say that he has ever had any news 
 from me ; for every trifle is made of consequence, 
 and what goes from hence no bigger than a flea, 
 returns to us the size of an elephant. 
 
 "Warren has just said that he left the Speaker 
 with the cold sweat of death upon him. I fear 
 his loss at this time will add to the difficulties 
 Ministers have to encounter. I pressed Dr. John 
 Willis very much this morning upon the subject of 
 the King's general health. He assured me it was 
 good : * a certain degree of low fever,' he said, 'at- 
 tends, or rather perhaps occasions, his complaint ; 
 but that it is of no importance, and that his pulse 
 has never been so good as during the two las\. 
 
 1 2 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 119 
 
 days.' The King told him that it was strange 
 that till he and his father came, he had never been 
 informed how ill he was. Dr. John answered, 
 * Perhaps, Sir, you would not have believed the 
 other physicians.' 'Perhaps not,' he replied; 
 ' I have passed my life in a Court, and with poli- 
 tical persons in such a place, and from such men, 
 one seldom hears the truth ; you and your father 
 come from the country, and are used to being 
 
 sincere.' 
 
 " Could better sense be spoken } When Warren 
 was with him, he took up a Tully that lay upon 
 the table, and, having read a sentence in Latin, 
 construed it perfectly well ; he asked if he was 
 right, saying, ' that he had never been a good Latin 
 scholar, and was afraid he had forgotten the little 
 he once knew, but he would try to regain it.' He 
 talked not only sensibly, but kindly, to Warren 
 about his family; yet that man had the heart to 
 come out of his room as determined as ever to 
 assert, that while there was the least derangement 
 he could not allow that there was any amend- 
 
 ment. 
 
 »» 
 
 Earl of Harcourt, January ist : — 
 
 "Your favourable account of the King is 
 particularly satisfactory, as alarming reports of 
 his bodily health have been circulated in town. 
 
I20 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 There has been a strange one at Oxford of his 
 sino-ular manner when there. You know that when 
 he was with us at Nuneham, the peasants were 
 surprised to see him without his crown and scep- 
 tre, having been accustomed to see kings so repre- 
 sented upon sign-posts ; and perhaps the benign 
 condescension of his Majesty to every person 
 around him, his taking off his hat to whoever 
 bowed to him, and the easy famiHarity with which 
 he treated his nobility, might be taken for symp- 
 toms of derangement of mind by those who have 
 read Wood's account of James the Second's last 
 visit to Oxford, where he went to conciliate the 
 minds of the University; and with royal pride 
 never lost an opportunity of displaying in rude 
 speeches the haughtiness of his disposition. 
 
 " The illness of the Speaker at this moment is 
 unfortunate ; but he is known not to be well af- 
 fected to the present administration. Had their 
 opponents carried their point respecting the Re- 
 gency, it would have put into the power of any 
 ambitious heir hereafter, who might perhaps be 
 only a distant cousin of the then reigning king, 
 to assume all the prerogatives of royalty the first 
 time the sovereign kept his bed with a fever, or 
 was prevented from writing his name by having 
 the gout or rheumatism in his hand." 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 121 
 
 From the Honourable Mrs. Harcourt : — 
 
 " The General is vexed that he is not well 
 enough to resume his attendance at Kew. I have 
 just got the following note : * At Cumberland 
 House last night there were mostly men in oppo- 
 sition, they were violent in their language, but not 
 in spirits. The Duke asked of her son-in-law, if 
 the Duchess of Ancaster had been at Kew, and 
 how things really were ; he answered that she knew 
 nothing about them. This was said with a sneer. 
 The Duchess of Cumberland said that Mr. Pitt 
 was deservedly popular, for that he did the cause 
 he had undertaken much service ; whereas the 
 speakers on their side too often did them harm. 
 I heard the Duke give an account of the pages, 
 and found Ernest the man they most depended 
 on ; he said he was their steady one, but that 
 latterly his hand was so known that he got an- 
 other to direct his letters, unless he could give 
 them unseen to Warren, He mentioned another 
 they heard from, but I could not ask the name 
 without exciting suspicion. Lord Westmoreland 
 and Lord Walsingham were there, and said it was 
 as pitiable to see the long faces at that assembly, 
 as it was delightful to see the happy ones in the 
 streets, from the hope now felt of the King's 
 amendment.' 
 
 R 
 
1 
 
 I 
 
 122 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-S9. 
 
 " Burke was more wild than ever the other day. 
 The Princes and Warren ahvays threaten that 
 they will see the Queen alone, but I fancy they 
 dare not propose it. Warren's intentions of see- 
 ing the King by himself will probably be equally 
 fruitless. A story he told in London some days 
 since gained credit ; he said he asked to go in to 
 the King, but that Willis seemed unwilling that 
 he should do so, saying, that the King was quiet, 
 and that it would disturb him ; but that he had 
 insisted, and found his Majesty remarkably ill, 
 which he then knew was the reason of Willis's 
 refusal. Such falsehoods will be repeated, unless 
 Warren be dismissed. I fear there is little doubt 
 of his principles. He will always plague the 
 Willises, and with minds ill at ease may not they 
 be less able to do good ? His being the Chan- 
 cellor's physician is a misfortune, for he depends 
 on his protection." 
 
 From the Earl of Harcourt, Jan. 2nd : — 
 
 '* My brother is still confined with the gout, he 
 wishes to be at Kew, and I wish you had the 
 comfort of having him with you ; for I am sure 
 the having a man you can confide in, and who is 
 truly attached to the King and Queen, is very 
 necessary to you in your present situation. 
 
 " The Speaker is dead, but it is said that there 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 123 
 
 will be no difficulty about the appointing his suc- 
 cessor. There are two precedents, one at the 
 Restoration, the other at the Revolution, when 
 Speakers were chosen without the choice being 
 confirmed by the King. I cannot desire you to 
 return as long as you can be of use where you 
 are, and where you owe so much for the esteem 
 and confidence with which you are treated." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 2nd : — 
 
 " A thousand thanks for your letter. . I was just 
 going to send Maurice to town with one for your 
 brother when it came, and purposed also writing 
 to you. The King is going on as well as possible. 
 When John Willis went to London yesterday he 
 bid him call upon the Chancellor, and tell him he 
 was better. In the evening he played three games 
 at picquet, with as much judgment as he could 
 have done at any time. He told the Willises 
 that he was convinced their advice was good, that 
 he had found benefit from it, and would never 
 again drink those large draughts of cold weak 
 liquors, which he believed to have been one of the 
 causes of his illness ; he settled the size of the 
 glass he would drink out of, and adhered to it ; 
 he slept well, his bed was not more deranged this 
 morning than when he went into it, and the 
 Willises and his pages think him better. Not so 
 
124 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 that detestable Warren, he sent up the bulletin by- 
 General Gordon f, without any expression in it 
 that would lead the world to think there was any 
 amendment. The Queen ordered the General to 
 say, that as she had submitted to the harsh and 
 alarming expressions that had been used, be- 
 cause she supposed they contained the truth ; 
 the same love of sincerity made her now wish, 
 that those who were anxious about the King 
 should know the favourable change in his situ- 
 ation. 
 
 "Warren begged to be admitted into her Ma- 
 jesty's presence, and was received with a courage 
 and dignity that charmed me. Intimidated, hesi- 
 tating, and embarrassed, yet firm to the plan he 
 has always pursued, he said that while any in- 
 sanity remained, he could not sec that there was 
 any material alteration ; that if a man was per- 
 fectly reasonable for twenty-three hours, and de- 
 rancrcd durincf the other hour of the twenty-four, 
 he considered him in the same light as if he had 
 no lucid intervals. The Queen told him she had 
 understood that he had passed some time with the 
 King, did he judge from the conversation he had 
 with him that he was in the same state as when 
 he had formerly seen him ? He answered that 
 he formed his opinion partly from what he had 
 
 ^ The Groom of the Bedchamber in waiting. 
 
 MexMOirs of the Years 1788-89. 125 
 
 seen, and partly from what he had heard ; and 
 all that could be gained was, that he would add 
 to the bulletin, that his Majesty was in a com- 
 fortable state this morning. After he left the 
 room, we thought it advisable to desire him to 
 say from whom he had the information he had 
 alluded to ; and Lady Charlotte Finch went down 
 with me to enquire. He named Charles Hawkins, 
 the surgeon, for whom I immediately sent, but 
 gained no satisfactory account. I asked Warren 
 what he thought of the King's bodily health, and 
 he said it was good ; and good, thank God it must 
 be, if lie owns it. You may guess how distressed 
 I was when I found myself obliged to have such 
 a conference with him upon so important a sub- 
 ject. I should be glad never to see him again ; 
 the Queen has told me she never will ; to do him 
 justice, he was respectful in his manner to her, 
 and constrained the rage that evidently shook his 
 frame when I saw him again below stairs." 
 
 As there is much conversation at this 
 time in the world, and many reports have 
 gone forth respecting the interview between 
 her Majesty and Dr. Warren ; we, who were 
 present at it, think it our duty to try to 
 recollect, as nearly as possible, every circum- 
 stance that happened, and every expression 
 
that was made use of, and to commit them 
 to writing; so that, in case we are called 
 upon, either privately or publicly, to speak 
 upon this subject, we may be enabled to do 
 it witfi accuracy and precision. 
 
 On Friday the 2nd January, 1789, when 
 General Gordon brought the bulletin to the 
 Queen, her Majesty said, that as she had 
 heard that the King was much better, she 
 thoufdit the physicians might have said In 
 the bulletin that the King contimied mend- 
 mo- and wished to have those words added. 
 General Gordon carried this message to the 
 physicians, and returned with a request from 
 Dr. Warren to be admitted to the Queen. 
 Upon his entrance, her Majesty said, *' I 
 think you might have conveyed what you 
 have to say by General Gordon ;" and added, 
 " how do you find the King this morning?" 
 Dr. Warren replied, that he found his Ma- 
 jesty quiet, but that he was sorry to say he 
 perceived no amendment. The Queen asked 
 him w^hether he observed anything wrong 
 durine the time he was in the King's room. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 127 
 
 Warren said he was disturbed ; and upon 
 being desired to explain what he meant by 
 that word, answered that the King had cried 
 very much. ** If you call that being dis- 
 turbed," said the Queen, **then, indeed, is 
 the whole house disturbed." She inquired 
 what the nature of his Majesty's conversa- 
 tion had been, and was answered that it had 
 been partly in Latin ; and that he had read 
 some passages, construing parts of them, 
 and asking if he was right. The Queen say- 
 ing that she did not think that this gave any 
 strong proof of a great derangement of mind, 
 the Doctor added, that he had formed his 
 judgment that day, partly from his interview 
 with the King, and partly from what he had 
 heard previoits to it, and that he was sure 
 her Majesty wished him to speak the trttth. 
 The Oueen in the stronorest manner asserted 
 her love of truth, and her wish of making it 
 known to the world ; that this alone had 
 made her consent to the bad accounts that 
 had been published ; and the same motive 
 now made her most anxious that the world 
 
128 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 should share the comfort she feh in the 
 amendment which she had reason to believe 
 had begun to take place. The Doctor would 
 not allow that the amendment was begun, 
 but said he hoped the King was in a com- 
 fortable state, tending towards recovery, 
 
 A conversation then ensued upon the dis- 
 order, and upon what changes must happen 
 before the Doctor would allow that there 
 was an actual amendment; he did not seem 
 to consider the present very considerable 
 abatement of the most alarming symptoms 
 in the light of recovery; and urged, that 
 while the King should in the course of the 
 twenty-four hours say or do anything that 
 he would not have said or done before his 
 illness, he should continue to consider him 
 as insane as ever. The Oueen declared her- 
 self unconvinced by his arguments ; but said 
 she would take his own words, and wished 
 that " His Majesty is in a inor^e comfortable 
 state " should be added to the bulletin. She 
 then dismissed Dr. Warren, telling him that 
 it was not her intention to see him again. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 129 
 
 After Dr. Warren left the Queen, she re- 
 collected that he had not said from whom 
 he had heard, previous to his seeing his 
 Majesty, that the King had appeared de- 
 ranged this morning, and her Majesty or- 
 dered us to go down and ask that question. 
 Dr. Warren named Mr. Charles Hawkins. 
 We informed the Queen of this, and were 
 directed to ask Mr. Hawkins, in Dr. War- 
 ren's presence, what he had said. When 
 Mr. Hawkins came into the room, Dr. War- 
 ren told him the occasion of his being sent 
 for, and added, *' I believe you will not think 
 it proper to repeat to these ladies what the 
 King said." Mr. Hawkins answered, '' Cer- 
 tainly not." A little warmth arose between 
 the physicians upon the subject of the King's 
 being better or not ; Dr. Warren asserting 
 that, while he held such language at any 
 time in the twenty-four hours, he should not 
 think him better ; and Dr. Willis and his son 
 maintaining, that a person who was able to 
 converse rationally for a great part of the 
 day, must necessarily be in a better state than 
 
one who had no such intervals. Dr. Warren 
 declared that he had given his opinion, and 
 that he could not depart from it. Dr. Willis 
 thought such an opinion against common 
 sense. Dr. Warren answered, ** Then you 
 say I have not common sense." Dr. Willis 
 replied, ** Upon this occasion you have sa- 
 crificed your common sense." Dr. Warren 
 called upon us to bear witness to what had 
 been uttered, and said, '' That, having given 
 his sentiments, he should make no further 
 answer ;" in which he persisted. 
 
 We expressed our concern at the unplea- 
 sant situation of things, and our earnest wish 
 that there might soon be but one opinion 
 upon the state of his Majesty's health. 
 
 Besides those who have been named, 
 there were present. General Gordon and 
 Dr. Reynolds, but they took no part in the 
 conversation. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Jan. 3rd : — 
 
 "Dr. Willis carried Colonel Greville into the 
 King's room last night ; he was pleased with see- 
 
 ■ 
 
 4 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 131 
 
 ing him, but rather flurried ; the bulletin, there- 
 fore, says he was less calm. He certainly played 
 at back-gammon less well with the Colonel than 
 he had before done with the Willises. The inter- 
 view, however, did him no harm, for he had five 
 hours' quiet sleep, and is tolerably well this morn- 
 ing, though he is always less well when he first 
 gets up. We expect the Chancellor every mo- 
 ment, and when he comes I must go down. His 
 business to-day is to settle with the Queen a plan 
 he proposed yesterday, in consequence of the dis- 
 putes between the physicians : it is to give Willis 
 the power to refuse signing the bulletin, if at any 
 time it be drawn up in such terms as he may not 
 approve of He is also to be at liberty to write 
 to the Chancellor, the Prince, or any other person 
 he chooses, stating that the other gentlemen of the 
 faculty have given opinions which he cannot agree 
 with ; because, after passing the whole of the day 
 with his Majesty, he sees reasons for arriving at 
 different conclusions from those who have only 
 seen the King for a quarter-of-an-hour. 
 
 " I like this plan ; it will prevent future alter- 
 cations ; it cannot be objected to by those who 
 would have been offended by the dismission of the 
 regular physicians, and the public will have the 
 different opinions before them, and, in some de- 
 gree, be enabled to judge for themselves. 
 
 *' The Speaker's death is an awkward circum- 
 
1-^2 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 stance ; in fact, we have now no Government ; nei- 
 ther the King nor the Parhament can act. I fear 
 the Opposition have a better plea than ever to 
 excite the Prince to take some violent step. I have 
 availed myself of being able to command a quar- 
 ter-of-an-hour to begin this letter ; I will finish it, 
 if I have another moment, in the course of the 
 
 mornmg. 
 
 " Four o'clock.— The Chancellor has been here ; 
 but I suppose he has been seduced by the evil 
 spirit, Warren, for he docs not seem disposed to 
 conform to what he said last night ; at the same 
 time, he has not contradicted what he then di- 
 rected. God help us ! I dislike many things that 
 passed, and dread the poor Queen's sinking under 
 all the sorrow and vexation she undergoes. I en- 
 deavour to give her the comfort I cannot feel. 
 Willis is so hurt, that he has just told me that no- 
 thing but attachment to her and the King should 
 induce him to stay here; everybody seems to 
 counteract him. The page you used to like, be- 
 cause you thought he loved his master, has be- 
 haved ill again. I am the only person with whom 
 the Willises feel safe ; I hear their grievances ; 
 I lament, but know not how to redress them. 
 I believe I shall resolve on desiring the Queen 
 to send for Colonel Digby ; this you must not tell 
 your brother, lest it should make him come before 
 he is quite well ; and his being here for an hour 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 133 
 
 or two, and more he cannot be till he is again 
 in waiting, would be of little use to us. As Digby 
 is Vice-Chamberlain, his staying would not be 
 thought improper." 
 
 Upon Sunday, the 4th of January, it was 
 ao-ain Dr. Warren's turn to attend at Kew as 
 visiting physician. When I, as usual, went 
 down to ask from the Queen the state of 
 the Kings health, I found General Gordon, 
 Colonel Greville, Dr. Warren, Dr. Gisborne, 
 the two Dr. Willises, and one or two other 
 persons, sitting around the breakfast-table 
 in the equerry's room. In answer to my 
 questions, Dr. Warren said, that, having 
 found the gentlemen at breakfast, he had 
 been unwilling to disturb them until they 
 had finished, conceiving that it was not ma- 
 terial whether they went into his Majesty's 
 room a few minutes sooner or later; but 
 that they were ready to go that moment, if 
 I thought the Queen desired it. I replied, 
 " By no means, I am sure the Queen would 
 wish the eentlemen to finish their breakfast, 
 and that I would inform her Majesty that 
 
134 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 I had told them so." The Queen approved 
 of what I had done, and in about an hour 
 I again went down stairs. All the phy- 
 sicians were then together in the consulta- 
 tion-room, and Dr. Warren having answered 
 my inquiry in nearly the same words which 
 were afterwards repeated in the bulletin, 
 I was retiring, when he followed me, say- 
 ing, that he hoped the Queen was not dis- 
 pleased with him. Concluding that this 
 question referred to what had passed that 
 morning, and that he was afraid he had 
 offended her Majesty by sitting down to 
 breakfast previous to his visiting the King, 
 and so obliofine her to send twice before 
 she could obtain an answer to her message ; 
 I answered, ** Oh no, I told the Queen what 
 had passed, and she was very well satisfied." 
 This was the whole of our conversation ; 
 yet this is what Dr. Warren chose after- 
 wards to represent to the world in the light 
 of an apology made to him by me for the 
 Queen ; and this is what he meant when 
 he declared in his evidence, that when he 
 
 \- 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 135 
 
 returned to Kew, after Friday, the 2nd of 
 January, he was treated with more civility 
 and respect than had been shewed to him 
 before. When I heard this circumstance, I 
 was so struck with it, that I asked Dr. John 
 Willis, who had been present, whether he 
 had at the moment conceived that what 
 Dr. Warren had said on the Sunday had 
 borne any reference to what had passed on 
 the Friday before, or was simply confined 
 to the transaction of that morning; he an- 
 swered, " I did understand it as referring 
 only to what had just happened, and as 
 a proof that at the time Dr. Warren himself 
 had no other meaning, he added, after your 
 ladyship had shut the door, ' You know, 
 gentlemen, it was not my fault ; it was you 
 who wanted to breakfast, not I.' 
 
 > )> 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 4th : — 
 
 *' I finished my letter last night in great haste, 
 to send it by your servant, and afterwards I pressed 
 the sending for Digby ; but motives of delicacy 
 prevented the Queen from doing what appears to 
 
i\ . 
 
 136 Memoirs of the Years 178S-89. 
 
 me so necessary ; I fear, however, that I shall 
 be obHged to urge it again. Dr. Willis sent to 
 beg to see me this morning, his object was to tell 
 me how ill Ernest had again behaved, and to con- 
 sult with me what should be done. Unwilling to 
 torment the Queen, who has been almost over- 
 powered by the events of the last two days, I 
 thought it best to try once more wdiether he would 
 profit by the strong lesson the Doctor had just 
 given him ; if not, I must inform her IMajesty, and 
 advise her, as far as relates to the pages, to em- 
 pow^er Colonel Greville to settle all such dissen- 
 sions in future ; as Equerry to the King, he will be 
 stationary here for some time. I choose to de- 
 cline speaking to Ernest myself, thinking it a busi- 
 ness quite improper for a woman to engage in ; 
 and well knowing that to such a man nothing that 
 could be said by a woman would have any effect. 
 Added to this, my interference would subject me 
 to misrepresentations that might be disagreeable. 
 
 " When I went down to the physicians this 
 morning, Warren was not /e petit niedcciii whom 
 I have seen drinking tea with fine ladies, but re- 
 spectful ; and I think seemed humbled by the 
 scene of Friday, yet firm to the same opinion he 
 had then given. Willis, who really always speaks 
 as he thinks, said in addition to the report of the 
 other physicians, that to him the King appeared 
 less well bodily ; but that his being so did not 
 
 "1-4 
 
 make him uneasy. When I saw him later in the 
 morning, he told me the irritation was gone off, 
 and his Majesty was as well, if not better, than he 
 has been yet." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 5th :— 
 
 " I find Willis has taken a hint from my having 
 told him that if he had any fresh cause of com- 
 plaint, I would desire the Queen to order Colonel 
 Greville to speak to Ernest ; and he has himself 
 spoken to the Colonel, who has promised to take 
 care that the attendants shall do their duty, and 
 properly too ; so the good old Doctor is easier, 
 and I have one distress off my mind. I could not 
 have borne the idea of a repetition of such scenes ; 
 I could not myself have interfered without im- 
 propriety, and I dreaded adding to the misery of 
 the Queen. Ernest not only sat down in the 
 room'^with the King with his hat on, but told 
 Willis he did many things out of charity. Willis 
 advised him to substitute the word gratitude, but 
 I fancy that is one he does not understand the 
 meaning of Ernest was a child when his father 
 died, and the King then said that he would not 
 take another page in his room till the boy was 
 old enough to have the place. He did appoint 
 him at an early age, and has ever treated him with 
 the greatest kindness. 
 
138 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 " I am sorry to add, that I am uneasy about old 
 Willis. In the interview I have just had with him, 
 he appeared thoughtful and dejected, though he 
 said he was satisfied with respect to the King. 
 Upon his leaving the room, I mentioned what 
 I had remarked to his two sons ; they both agreed 
 with me, and said that he was used to a great 
 deal of air and exercise, and to having a quiet 
 mind. All he now had to think of and to struggle 
 with would, they feared, be too much for him ; 
 and that having no gentlemen to speak with con- 
 fidentially, or to support him, made his situation 
 very distressing. Upon hearing this, I took it 
 upon myself to desire Mr. Thomas Willis to come 
 and reside here, that he may be ready to at- 
 tend to his father, when Dr. John Willis is with 
 his Majesty. Both the brothers seemed pleased 
 with my proposal, and I shall settle the arrange- 
 ment with the Queen. Zeal for the King, and 
 humanity for the old man and his family, sug- 
 gested the idea. 
 
 " The Queen wishes to name Mr. Pitt as one 
 of her Council, but cannot do so unless she can 
 satisfy the scruples he entertains upon the subject. 
 These scruples appear to arise from his thinking 
 that, in the decision of the various questions that 
 may be brought forward, and particularly with 
 respect to the question of his Majesty's being able 
 to resume the reins of government, the public 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 139 
 
 mind would be better satisfied, if it rested on 
 opinions other than his own, as he might be sup- 
 posed to be influenced by the wish of becoming 
 minister again." 
 
 The Honourable Mrs. Harcourt, January 
 6th : — 
 
 " It is hoped that there will be no difficulty in 
 choosing Mr. Grenville for the new Speaker on 
 Monday next. The Opposition wish to propose 
 Sir Gilbert Elliot, or Sir Guy Cooper, but are not 
 likely to succeed. Lord Fielding has just been 
 here, he insisted upon coming in, but we punished 
 him for his intrusion by telling him nothing, and 
 gaining all the information we could from him 
 of the plans of his party. 
 
 " The Duke of Portland is intended to be the 
 First Lord of the Treasury ; Lord FitzwiUiam, 
 Lord Rawdon, and Mr. Fox, Secretaries of State ; 
 Lord Stormont, Privy Seal; Sir Guy Cooper, 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer ; Lord Sandwich, to 
 go Ambassador to France; Lord Malmesbury, 
 to Spain; and Lord Beauchamp^ to Holland; 
 Duke of York, Commander-in-Chief ; Sir Robert 
 Keith, Captain-General; Lord Robert Spencer, 
 and Lord Foley, Postmasters; Mr. Burke, Pay- 
 master of the Army ; Mr. Sheridan, Paymaster of 
 
 e Son of the Eaii of Hertford. 
 
I40 Memoirs of tiik Years 1788-89. 
 
 the Navy ; Mr. Fitzpatrick, Secretary at War ; 
 Lord Spencer, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ; Duke 
 of Norfolk, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; 
 Duke of Northumberland, IMaster of the Ordnance ; 
 Lord Derby, Chamberlain to the Prince ; General 
 Burgoyne, Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance; 
 Lord Maynard, IMaster of the Staghounds. He 
 added, that he does not believe that at present 
 the Opposition will propose a Speaker, because 
 they pretend that none can be legally' appointed 
 
 till there is a Regent. 
 
 "They are angry that the King's private pro- 
 perty is to be taken care of. A person I know, 
 heard Fox the other day, in a mixed society in 
 the house of an acquaintance, talking with great 
 deliixht of the use to which they would apply it. 
 General Harcourt's friend said, 'In this house 
 I can do nothing ; but say as much in the House 
 of Commons, and I will impeach you.' 
 
 " The party are trying to seduce the editors of 
 the newspapers that have hitherto been favourable 
 to the Government. They have succeeded with 
 three out of the four who conduct the ' Morning 
 Post' ; the other, not being able to stand his 
 o-round aiiainst his partners, has sold his share 
 in the concern." 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 141 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 7th :— 
 
 *'If I had written at an early hour to-day, 
 I must have sent you a very indifferent account ; 
 but the fidgetiness, as they call it, is gone off, 
 and the King is as well as he has been any day 
 yet ; the Willises, you know, have always talked 
 oi periodical storms, and they say that if his being 
 less well yesterday and this morning should be 
 all the storm we have this week, it will be a proof 
 of as great an amendment as they can even wish 
 for ; that were it in their power to have his Ma- 
 jesty as perfectly well to-morrow as ever he was 
 in his life, they would not desire it, for that his 
 recovery, to be permanent, must be gradual and 
 
 progressive. 
 
 " Dr. Gisborne told the Princesses this morning 
 that the King had gained a great deal of ground 
 in the last few days ; and I have had a conversa- 
 tion with one of his pages, an attached sensible 
 man, who has attended him throughout his illness, 
 that has given me great satisfaction. He said, 
 *God knows his Majesty is far, very far, from 
 being well, but I am firmly convinced he is es- 
 sentially better within the last week ; at the times 
 when he is worst, he is less violent than he used 
 to be, and when he is calm he continues so longer ; 
 he has more command over himself, and is more 
 
willmcf to listen to advice, and to follow it ; and 
 I am persuaded that he will recover, and that 
 
 perfectly.' 
 
 " We are all better to-day ; the unpleasant cir- 
 cumstances that occurred on Friday and yesterday 
 were almost too much for the Queen, and I was 
 very uneasy about her ; yet the fortitude she exerts 
 is wonderful ; it does not proceed from insen- 
 sibility, for, believe me, she feels, and most acutely 
 too. One of my greatest distresses is, to decide 
 what I ought to mention to her, and what I ought 
 to suppress. I hope the rule I have laid down for 
 myself is right, never to give her pain unneces- 
 sarily, but never to conceal anything that, upon 
 consideration, I think she should be informed of. 
 I trust that those who are now struggling for 
 powder, will only be dressed in a little brief au- 
 thority." 
 
 I must go back to the day before the date 
 of this letter, to resume my account of the 
 proceedings in Parliament; for it was on 
 the 6th of January that Mr. Pitt, having 
 given notice that he should propose to 
 the Houses the restrictions under which 
 the exercise of the royal power should be 
 granted to the Regent, made a motion for 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 143 
 
 the physicians to be again examined, to as- 
 certain whether any change had taken place 
 in his Majesty's malady. This occasioned 
 a warm debate, and a change of Ministry 
 was immediately expected in consequence 
 of the appointment of the Prince of Wales 
 to the Regency. As the restrictions which 
 Mr. Pitt had declared his intention of pro- 
 posing, could not fail to weaken and em- 
 barrass a new Administration, and were only 
 contended for upon a presumption of the 
 Kings speedy recovery, the Opposition 
 caught at a report that then prevailed, of 
 there being a difference in the opinions of 
 the medical gentlemen who attended him. 
 Dr. Warren was known to profess that his 
 were less sanguine than those of some of 
 his associates. Mr. Pitt considered this state- 
 ment to be dictated by partiality for the 
 rising power, and hinted that the warmth 
 with which the idea was taken up, gave 
 reason to suppose that the supporters of it 
 spoke rather from their wishes, than from 
 any convictions they felt. These insinua- 
 
I 
 
 tions were repelled as unjust and illiberal ; 
 and in return Dr. Willis, who was confident 
 in his expectations of effecting a cure, and 
 consequently the favourite of the other party, 
 was represented as a tool employed to serve 
 the designs of Mr. Pitt's faction. 
 
 After much altercation it was agreed, that 
 a new Committee should be appointed, and 
 the physicians again examined. The Com- 
 mittee sat till the 13th, when upon the re- 
 port being brought up, Mr. Wyndham moved 
 that it should be re-committed ; the opinions 
 of the different physicians as to the pro- 
 bability of the Kings recovery not having 
 been sufficiently explained. This was ne- 
 gatived without a division, and the report 
 ordered to be taken into consideration in 
 a Committee of the whole House on the 
 6th of January. 
 
 I again return to what was passing at 
 Kew and in private societies in London. 
 
 1 , 
 
 1 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 145 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 5th :— 
 
 "The pages have made no fresh disturbances, 
 and the Queen approved of what I had done about 
 Mr. Thomas Willis; but we both thought, upon 
 further consideration, that the step must be taken 
 with precaution. His being made an absolute 
 inmate of the house, without assigning any reason 
 for it, might give umbrage to those who are al- 
 ready sufficiently disposed to find fault ; if the 
 true reason were known, it would immediately be 
 said, that the old man is superannuated, and that 
 his son is wanted to take care of him. Mr. Thomas 
 Willis is therefore to lodge in the town, but to be 
 almost constantly here. 
 
 " Mr. Pitt seemed in good spirits this morning, 
 and I still hope all will end well. The advertise- 
 ment you sent me is a most extraordinary one, 
 and I cannot guess what purpose it was intended 
 to answer, unless it be to raise an alarm in some 
 one, who may think it worth while to pay a good 
 sum to stop the publication. 
 
 " I am pleased with the ray of Lord Mansfield's 
 setting sun, and think it would enlighten many if 
 they did not wilfully shut their eyes. The event 
 of to-morrow is important ; in your House, I find, 
 there is to be no business till Monday, when I 
 shall be satisfied if it makes as good a figure as 
 it did in the last debate." 
 
 U 
 
f 
 
 146 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 From Lord I larcourt, January 5th : — 
 
 '^Fox and Sheridan are certainly not upon good 
 terms ; jealousy, and the wish of the latter to be 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer, are the occasion of 
 it. I suppose you know the reason of Lord Stor- 
 mont's not signing the late absurd and dangerous 
 protest was the displeasure expressed by Lord 
 Mansfield at the vote he gave on the division." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, Tuesday, January 6th : — 
 
 " There is a vile report that comes from Warren, 
 that the Chancellor has been at Kew and scolded 
 Willis heartily for his bad behaviour, and that the 
 Queen had sent you down to Warren to make 
 him an apology from her. These stories, I know, 
 cannot be true, but they make a great uproar 
 in London." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 6th : — 
 
 *' I had a good deal of conversation with Mr. Pitt 
 this morning, and was delighted with him ; he 
 seemed so zealous and attached, and looked as 
 cheerful as if he had not a weight to support 
 that would almost require the strength of an 
 Atlas to bear, with poverty staring him in the 
 face if he fails. 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 147 
 
 " I am sorry to say that the King was less calm 
 yesterday evening, owing to the irritation the 
 blisters occasioned, and to a cold attended by 
 a slight degree of fever. The night was not good, 
 but he lay so quiet during part of it, that they 
 hardly knew whether he was asleep or not ; he is 
 hoarse this morning, has still some fever, but is 
 good-humoured ; his legs are less inflamed, and 
 are inclined to heal. On the whole, Willis is satis- 
 fled ; he seems to love the King, and the oppor- 
 tunities he has had of observing his heavenly 
 temper, add to his zeal. Have I ever told you 
 that even in his present unhappy state, his Ma- 
 jesty's piety is as warm as ever ; he never omits 
 his daily prayers, and, however violent he may 
 have been before, the moment he is upon his 
 knees he becomes composed, seems sensible of his 
 situation, and prays to be relieved from it. His 
 devotions flnished, he often becomes directly as 
 wild as ever ; is not this extraordinary .? The kind- 
 ness and confldence with which I am treated here 
 could alone reconcile me to my absence from 
 home." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, January 7th :— 
 
 " The Duke of York and the Duchess of Gordon 
 have had a great quarrel, but it is made up again ; 
 she told him that he and the Prince of Wales 
 
i 
 
 it 
 
 •II 
 I 
 
 were playing for kingdoms, whilst those into whose 
 hands they had thrown themselves could only lose 
 straws. * Do you know,' said she, * what your bro- 
 ther is doing in Ireland ? he is trying to make 
 that country take a separate line of conduct from 
 England. That may be easily done, but it will 
 not be easy to restore order again ; if they choose 
 their own Regent in their own way, they will next 
 choose their own Lord-Lieutenant.' 
 
 " Mr. Harcourt will be at Kew to-morrow ; he 
 is now gone to Mr. Pitt, and will see others, to 
 get the fullest information he can of the business 
 in the House yesterday. Many of the speeches, 
 I hear, were insidious and malignant, and the 
 subject w^as treated in the most indelicate man- 
 ner by those detestable wretches. May Heaven 
 avert their malice ; they will, however, I hope, be 
 taken in their own snares, for it is probable the 
 examination may prove advantageous to the good 
 cause. In the mean time it leaves the King more 
 at the mercy of his enemies ; I hope they will be 
 well watched. I tremble when I think that War- 
 ren is at Kew ; pray do all you can to support 
 Willis, and prevent his spirits from sinking; his 
 son Thomas is alarmed for his health. I fear 
 the Queen will be much affected by this inquiry; 
 let me know how she bears it." 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 149 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Wednesday, 
 January 7th : — 
 
 ^' The little degree of judgment I may possess 
 was never tried as much as it is now ; I live in 
 constant dread of forming a wrong one upon occa- 
 sions when, by so doing, I might mislead others. 
 Yesterday, though in the morning I sent you 
 a tolerable account of the King, was a most dis- 
 tressing day to the poor Queen ; I dread her sink- 
 ing under all she goes through, and think her 
 so ill that I shall press her to have some advice ; 
 I try to keep up her spirits, yet I see many causes, 
 independent of the all-absorbing one, why I can- 
 not expect her to attend to me. In the first 
 place, I want the comfort I endeavour to give, 
 and have fears I cannot conquer. 
 
 " Strange reports reach us, and, though I say 
 they cannot be true, I tremble lest they should 
 turn out so. We expect the Chancellor to-morrow, 
 when many things w^ill be settled. I told you 
 that Mr. Pitt w^as all w^armth and zeal ; not so our 
 other visitors ; so much coldness, reserve, and con- 
 straint wxre visible on all sides, that the interview 
 had much better have been spared. I have men- 
 tioned the Duke of Gloucester's wishes ; if he 
 comes he will be received, but do not tell him 
 this at present ; some time hence you will be 
 
If H, Ml . I i> >i 
 
 •^"^ 
 
 T" 
 
 150 Memoirs of the Years 1788-S9. 
 
 authorized to do it, and for the sake of all parties 
 I shall be glad. 
 
 "I shewed the printed papers to the Queen; 
 she thinks it as extraordinary as we do, and can 
 as little guess what purpose it was intended to 
 
 answer. 
 
 From Lord Harcourt, January Sth : — 
 
 " I do indeed grieve for the situation of the 
 poor Queen, and for you, who are a constant wit- 
 ness of it ; but she has a very strong mind, and 
 an equally strong judgment: in them I trust. If 
 she does not take proper care of her health, never 
 cease to represent to her that everything depends 
 upon her, and that it is her duty not to neglect 
 
 herself. 
 
 " From what I hear, I believe the Duke of 
 Gloucester is firmly attached to the good cause, 
 and that there is no intimacy between him and 
 his nephews. Have you heard that Mr. and Mrs. 
 Sheridan are now Hving with Mrs. Fitzhcrbert .?" 
 
 General Harcourt, Thursday, Jan. Sth : — 
 
 *' I lost no time in conveying her Majesty s com- 
 mand to Lord llawkesbury, who desires me to 
 express his gratitude to her for having been gra- 
 ciously pleased to approve of any attention of his ; 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 151 
 
 and to add, that there is no thought of appointing 
 any one to be of her Council whom she does not 
 herself name, or w^iom she could not change or 
 dismiss when she thought proper; and that she 
 will not be considered as under an obligation to 
 consult any of the members of it, unless she should 
 wish to avail herself of their advice and support, 
 as circumstances may require. The persons fixed 
 upon should be of consideration, and must neces- 
 sarily be chosen before the present Government 
 is dissolved ; otherwise the new Ofiicers of State 
 may expect to be advised with, and may occasion 
 great trouble to her Majesty. 
 
 " I had written thus far when Mr. Steele, 
 Mr. Pitt's confidential secretary, called upon me, 
 and told me that Mr. Pitt certainly waited upon 
 the Queen yesterday evening, in order to explain 
 to her every part of the Regency Bill, which the 
 present Ministers hope will meet her Majesty's 
 wishes entirely. Lord Hawkesbury has been pre- 
 vented by illness from attending the Council the 
 last two days, but is confident that there is no one 
 who has the most distant thought of doing any- 
 thing her Majesty does not approve of." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 9th : — 
 
 " It will give you pleasure to hear that Sir 
 Lucas Pepys told Lady Charlotte Finch this 
 
1^2 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 17SS-S9. 
 
 morning, that there was an evident amendment 
 in the King in the last fortnight ; that he had 
 passed a considerable time with him yesterday 
 evenincr, and was much pleased with his conver- 
 sation; that he thought, but this must not be 
 repeated, that exercise would do him good ; that 
 he should have no objection to riding out with 
 him ; and would as soon w^alk up and down 
 St. James's-street with him as with any other per- 
 son. I do not mean to say that he thinks him 
 sane, but that he is in a fair way to be so. Sir 
 Lucas added, that he knew he should be abused 
 by many for saying this, but that it is his opinion, 
 and, as an honest man, he must give it. We, how- 
 ever, think it would be unfair to publish it till he 
 makes it more generally known himself, which is 
 the reason of the caution I have given you." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, Friday, January 9th :— 
 
 " Warren said publicly the other day, ' Can they 
 pretend to say that the King is better, when he 
 holds such language as Charles Hawkins heard 
 yesterday?' and then repeated things, which, if 
 his Majesty did say, any man of common honour 
 or humanity would have suppressed. 
 
 " I find that, before the Princes went to Kew, 
 they declared they would see the Queen by her- 
 self, and that positively no lady should be in the 
 
 fk> 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 153 
 
 room ; they spoke also of many things they in- 
 tended, which, by your account, did not take 
 place. The General will tell you much that I have 
 not time to write. I have been much agitated 
 yesterday and to-day, from the fear that good old 
 Willis, in the warmth of his heart, should say any- 
 thing in the Committee that those who do not 
 wish well to the King can lay hold of. 
 
 '* I never have been so uncomfortable as since 
 this examination began ; I do not tell you all the 
 horrors I hear ; many, I hope, may not be true. 
 A member of the Opposition, but a candid man, 
 has just told me that at Brookes's the party ap- 
 peared to catch at the intelligence obtained in the 
 Committee. They said that fine things had come 
 out about the Queen's interference ; that she had 
 sent you and Lady Charlotte Finch down to dic- 
 tate to the physicians, and make them alter the 
 bulletins, and that they thought it very likely they 
 might have you both before the House of Lords. 
 
 " Lord Lothian called upon the Duchess of Rut- 
 land the other day ; all her children got round 
 him, and began pulling his hair, and calling him 
 a ' Rat ;' he was in agonies, for fear his wig, which 
 it has been the object of half his life to conceal, 
 should be dragged off. As he went out the 
 Duchess called after him, that now her children 
 had smoked one old rat, she should go to the en- 
 quiries at St. James's in the hope of smoking an- 
 
 X 
 
other, as she supposed she should find the Duke 
 of Queensberry there ; but I believe his conscience 
 made him ashamed to take his waiting, and that 
 he eot another Lord to attend for him. 
 
 " The Duke of York has had a dinner of above 
 twenty of both Houses of Parliament. He made 
 them a speech, to explain his conduct from the be- 
 ginning of the King's illness, and abused Mr. Pitt 
 as the invader of the rights of the Prince of Wales. 
 The editor of the * Morning Post ' has received 
 ;£'5,000 to be silent ; the party was afraid of its 
 attacks. I hear that at White's, where almost all 
 the members are loyal, they wish that Willis was 
 in Parliament, that he might take care of Mr.Burke, 
 and hold up his finger at him when he is going to 
 expose himself by his violence. You know he 
 proposed to have Charles Hawkins examined." 
 
 General Harcourt, Friday, Jan. 9th : — 
 
 " The proceedings of the Committee of Enquiry 
 are deemed secret until the report is made to the 
 House ; but, from what I can learn from Steele, 
 who was with me last night, and whom I have 
 called upon since the arrival of your letter, we 
 have great reason to believe that the cause will be 
 rather benefited than injured by the examination. 
 Of course, the conduct of the Willises will appear, 
 as it ought to do, full of anxious and honest zeal, 
 
 
 T 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 155 
 
 r 
 
 with well-grounded hopes of success in the great 
 work in which they are engaged. The object of the 
 Opposition in instituting this enquiry was a per- 
 sonal attack upon the Queen, and to enable them 
 to boast at their Club, and with their friends, that 
 they have discovered an improper interference, 
 and a desire of throwing out false hopes of the 
 King's recovery. Believe me, however, their threats 
 and their boasting will be but of little avail ; and, 
 should they dare to introduce her Majesty's name 
 improperly in another place, Mr. Pitt is prepared 
 to call forth the best powers of his eloquence to 
 do all the justice to the Queen that the most 
 amiable motives and the most perfect conduct so 
 highly deserve. There has been much ill-humour 
 and altercation in the Committee ; and as every 
 question has been carried by Government in the 
 proportion of 20 to 9, Mr. Montague not having 
 attended, a sort of threat was thrown out of 
 an appeal from their proceedings to the House. 
 This has created a necessity for us to be upon our 
 guard, and our friends are therefore summoned 
 to give constant attendance, which will probably 
 baffle their attempt to take us by surprise." 
 
 Lord Harcourt, Friday, January 9th : — 
 
 '' The dreadful state of the roads prevents my 
 visiting you ; not that I should fear any danger 
 
 4 
 
156 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 for myself, but I will not risk the servants having 
 any accident. So long since as Sunday last I was 
 asked at Gloucester House if there was any 
 truth in the Queen's having made an apology to 
 Dr. Warren for the warmth of her expressions to- 
 wards him. I could only answer, * that I did not 
 think it probable.' Your name was not then men- 
 tioned, nor did I know that it ever had been in 
 question till the Bishop of Salisbury told me so 
 yesterday morning; for though Mr. Haggitt had 
 heard the report in Portland-place, yet, lest it 
 should make me uneasy, it had been agreed that 
 I should not be informed of it. My brother sent 
 for me last night to talk over this affair, and some 
 other subjects. 
 
 '' Lord Fife makes no secret of two messages 
 having been sent to him. If facts are w^anted, let 
 him be applied to ; but, for my own part, I cannot 
 enter into my brother's reasoning, that, because 
 the Queen is attacked, she ought to attack in 
 her turn. What does it signify what the Club at 
 Brookes's say of her ; are they the English nation .? 
 and can their malice destroy the character that has 
 stood the test of twenty-seven years in various 
 trying situations, and is beloved, approved of, and 
 almost venerated by the people at large ? You 
 know I abhor every species of warfare, and can 
 the Queen, consistently with her own high dignity 
 of mind and of rank, place herself on a level with 
 
 men, w^ho are most of them low in birth, and still 
 lower in character ? Besides, she receives the 
 heads of t/ie party, and, while she does so, she 
 cannot declare war against their adherents." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Saturday, Janu- 
 ary the loth : — 
 
 " It is two o'clock ; this is the first moment I 
 could command to-day ; and now the Queen has 
 desired me to dress, and return to her as soon as 
 I can. The King had been so particularly w^ell 
 the last three days, that he hoped to see the 
 Queen yesterday, and was partly promised that 
 he should ; but his being again disappointed made 
 him rather uneasy in the evening, and the night 
 was not good ; restless, but not violent ; and this 
 morning he is calm, and good-humoured. 
 
 '' Both the Willises are gone to be examined ; 
 if my turn comes, do not be uneasy. I promise 
 you I shall not be frightened, for I shall have no- 
 thing to conceal, and by declaring the truth, I 
 may be able to vindicate injured innocence ; and 
 bring some things to light, which those who may 
 occasion my appearing had rather should remain 
 in darkness. You give me no opinion as to what 
 I oucrht to do with regard to Warren's gross mis- 
 representations. Do not, with your usual diffidence 
 in your own judgment, say that you do not love 
 
I «l 
 
 to give advice. Remember that this is a matter 
 of consequence to me ; I have been accused of 
 speaking words I never uttered, and of using the 
 Queen's name, without being authorized by her, 
 to unsay what she had said ; this is no light charge, 
 and to whom should I apply for advice but your- 
 self? Remember, too, that I am in a situation 
 of some responsibility, and one that raises envy 
 and jealousy in many who would be glad to find 
 fault with me ; they would be cured of those bad 
 passions if they could for one day feel the anxiety 
 I do ; sincere love and attachment for the Queen 
 can alone support me under it ; but when I wit- 
 ness her wretchedness, I cannot think of myself. 
 
 " Seven o'clock. — I wrote the enclosed in haste 
 before dinner, but not having any opportunity of 
 sending it, will add a few lines in the cover. The 
 King has been quiet all day, though both the 
 Willises were absent ; we kept Gisborne, in case 
 anything should be wanted. Doctor John Willis 
 is just returned, without having been examined. 
 The old man, whom I fancy they wish to kill, has 
 been the whole day in attendance upon the Com- 
 mittee, and is not yet dismissed. Warren and, 
 I believe, Baker, have been again called for. It 
 may seem odd to send you London news from 
 hence ; but, if you are sitting over your own fire, 
 these particulars might not reach you till to-mor- 
 row. All our accounts tend to convince us that 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 159 
 
 this attack will end in the defeat of the assail- 
 ants. The messenger can wait no longer." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, Saturday, Jan. loth : — 
 
 "I hear that the wrangling every day in the 
 Committee is beyond conception violent, and the 
 language abusive. Burke's passions are quite 
 frantic, and burst forth every minute to interrupt 
 the business. It is thought that one great object 
 of the Opposition in creating this delay, was to 
 have time to see what they could do in Ireland, 
 where they are labouring to do all the mischief 
 they can ; and they are trying to get the Prince 
 declared Regent there before the Bill passes here. 
 
 ''The report of his Royal Highness being tired 
 of Mrs. Fitzherbert gains ground. The old Duchess 
 of Bedford said at a party she had the other day, 
 that she knew he had written to her to say that 
 he could not stand the unpopularity occasioned 
 by his connection with a Catholic, and that he 
 entreated her to go to France, or anywhere abroad, 
 and he would give her ^10,000 per annum; she, 
 however, refused ; saying that she would take her 
 chance in England. The agitation the proposal 
 had caused her, brought on a violent illness, for 
 which Turton was attending her ; this, they say, 
 was the reason she did not appear at the supper 
 at Lady Elizabeth Lutterell's. I doubt the truth 
 
 ) ' \ 
 
of this story ; it is a measure of the party to per- 
 suade people that the Prince is grown indifferent 
 about the lady in question, which I do not be- 
 lieve ; because Sheridan, who quite lives with her, 
 is entirely the Prince's counsellor. I hope we 
 shall see Steele to-day, and probably Dundas ; 
 I particularly wish to see the latter, because he is 
 on the Committee. 
 
 " Dundas ^^ has just been here, and I am sure you 
 will be glad to have all the particulars we learnt 
 from him. He told us that Mr. Fox began with 
 a speech insinuating that there were plots and 
 conspiracies carrying on that it would be neces- 
 sary to bring to light Dundas answered that 
 those were strong words, that they implied much, 
 and that they ought to be explained or proved, 
 and that he called upon Mr. Fox to do so, or to 
 retract them. Much altercation ensued, and in 
 the end he did soften his assertion, but not suffi- 
 ciently so to satisfy his opponent, who still pushed 
 him to the point, till he said he would not be 
 dictated to by him. 
 
 "Burke was vehement, indecent, and almost 
 outrageous ; all the bent of his questions tended 
 towards making out that the King is incurable, 
 in which he failed, as he deserved. He asked 
 Warren which were the common methods of cure 
 
 *» Henry Dundas, afterwards Lord Melville. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 161 
 
 in cases of insanity. 'Were blisters efficacious?' 
 'Yes.' 'Had they been tried?' 'Yes.' 'With 
 effect ?' ' No.' ' Were there not medicines that 
 sometimes did good ?' ' Yes.' ' Had they all been 
 given?' 'Yes.' 'With success ?' 'No.' He con- 
 tinued to ask about coercive measures, and re- 
 straint of mind and body ; all of which Warren 
 said had been resorted to, without any benefit 
 being derived from them. 
 
 " Mr. Scott then said, ' Pray, Dr. Warren, al- 
 lowing that all the powers of blisters, of medicine, 
 of mechanism, and management, have been tried 
 hitherto without effect, are you, or are you not of 
 opinion, that the probability is still in favour of his 
 ]\Iajcsty's recovery?' Obliged by this question to 
 speak the truth, Warren answered, ' I think it pro- 
 bable he may recover.' This one reply did away 
 with all the effects of Burke's questions. He 
 asked Dr. Willis what were the signs of the dis- 
 ease in an incurable state. He answered, ' I will 
 tell yoii^ laying such an emphasis on the word 
 you, and making such a pause after it, as to alarm 
 his friends a little, as they thought, however just 
 the application might be, it was going rather too 
 far in that place ; however, he soon relieved them, 
 by continuing with the explanation of the common 
 symptoms of the disease when incurable, which 
 were of a totally different nature from those of 
 his Majesty's case. 
 
i62 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 "All they could prove of the Queen's interference, 
 amounted only to her having objected to an un- 
 favourable bulletin on a day when the Kin^^ was 
 known to be particularly well, from her wish that 
 the public should be informed of the truth ; and 
 that she had been the cause of Warren's inserting 
 the w^ords, ' his Majesty is in a comfortable state/ 
 instead of his makinc^ a more unfavourable repre- 
 sentation of the King's situation. On this trivial 
 circumstance coming out, and as no other proof 
 of the Queen's interference could be proved, the 
 party looked discomfited. 
 
 " At this stage of the proceedings, Dundas luck- 
 ily observed Sheridan whisper something to Fox 
 which at first he did not appear to understand. 
 Sheridan repeated it, and Dundas caught enough 
 to make him think that he was advising Fox to 
 make it appear as if Warren from delicacy had for- 
 borne entering into more particulars ; this Dundas 
 determined should not have the effect intended. 
 Fox, in consequence of Sheridan's hint, said to 
 Warren that he concluded that delicacy to a great 
 personage prevented him from saying more ; and 
 that they should be sorry to push him beyond 
 what that delicacy required. Warren seemed to 
 acquiesce, and gave a tacit consent to that idea. 
 Thereupon Pitt and Dundas called upon him for 
 every possible explanation, and dared him to re- 
 peat every circumstance ; for that truth, the whole 
 
 •*'»»<•.»'« 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 163 
 
 truth, was what they wished to appear, and no 
 insinuations. W^arren was then obliged to confess 
 that he had not suppressed anything, and had no 
 farther information to give. His duplicity was 
 afterwards proved with regard to the letter Willis 
 had been said to write to Mr. Pitt ; which shewed 
 the constant communication between the Prince 
 of Wales and Warren. He prevaricated much ; 
 saying on the first day that he had forgotten how 
 he had heard of the letter ; and sliewing the next 
 day that he recollected every circumstance about 
 it This gave Mr. Pitt a noble opportunity of 
 demonstrating the duplicity with which he had 
 acted, and that the whole affair of Willis's letter to 
 him (Pitt), which they had made such a bustle 
 about, was a false representation of facts, and 
 meant to prejudice the public against Willis. 
 
 " Sir Lucas Pepys's evidence was candid in 
 favour of the King's amended state, and the pros- 
 pect of his recovery. On the whole, Mr. Dundas 
 said, and Mr. Steele confirmed it afterwards from 
 Mr. Pitt, that their opinion is that the examina- 
 tion disappointed the expectation and intentions 
 of the persons who proposed it ; that it had made 
 the Queen's conduct stand, if possible, in a higher 
 point of view than ever ; and would rather give 
 the country more hope than less of the King's 
 recovery. Meantime, as the proceedings of the 
 Committee are not yet made public, the Oppo- 
 
I 
 
 sitlon pretend that it has had a contrary effect, 
 both as to her Majesty's conduct, and as to his 
 Majesty's state of health. Lord Mansfield said 
 the other day to the Chancellor, ' I hear, my lord, 
 that they want to disparage the Queen ; are they 
 all insane ? Why, her Majesty has more character 
 than all of them together, if what each has could 
 be united in one.' " 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January nth :■ 
 
 *' I wish I could send you a better account ; but 
 the night was restless, yet such as a month ago 
 would have been thought good ; this morning the 
 King is peevish and fretful, which they think arises 
 from his having been teazed for the last two or 
 three days with hopes of seeing the Queen, and 
 going out to take the air ; but his disappointment 
 was especially owing to the Committee's keeping 
 the old Doctor from eight in the morning till late 
 at night, and yesterday they took the young one 
 away also. That his Majesty should be no fur- 
 ther vexed, it was settled that he should go out 
 to-day ; but, as he has been in a profuse perspira- 
 tion, it is thought it will be better to defer it, and 
 we hope the perspiration may do him as much 
 good as it has done before. 
 
 " Colonel Digby's return is a great comfort to 
 me ; I have, however, not yet had a moment's 
 
 X 
 
 «v 
 
 I 
 
 ] 
 
 l 
 
 conversation with him, for I am less than ever 
 out of the Queen's room ; and much as I wish to 
 return to you, the kind things that are said about 
 my staying here, put it out of my power to pro- 
 pose going away. I hope you will soon come 
 again to see me, for I can always stay as long as 
 I please in my room, when I have so good a rea- 
 son for being absent from her Majesty." 
 
 Monday, January 12th: — 
 
 " I had a message before I was up this morning 
 from the Queen, to beg me to go down as soon 
 as possible to Dr. John Willis, to desire him not to 
 leave the house till after Dr. Warren was gone ; 
 and not to mention anything the King had said 
 of Thomas Willis to any of the physicians or sur- 
 geons, except that he had ordered him to come 
 to him this morning. This message was conveyed 
 to me in a note from Princess Augusta, who added 
 that the Queen would speak herself to Dr. Gis- 
 borne about his staying here." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, January 12th : — 
 
 ''I can think and wTite of nothing but Kew, 
 indeed, I hear of nothing else ; for at last people 
 becrin to credit that there is an amendment in the 
 King. The belief has been gradually advancing 
 
'0 
 
 V- 
 
 for some time, though their hardened hearts would 
 not willingly accept it. 
 
 " The General and I think it right you should 
 know what will grieve you as much as it does us ; 
 but it will shew you how necessary it is that 
 Warren and leaker, I know not which is the worst, 
 should be dismissed ; they are doing what may 
 be irreparable injury to the King's character, by 
 misrepresenting everything he now says. They 
 declare that he is quite sane enough to speak the 
 true dictates of his heart, and his real opinions, 
 though not prudent enough to conceal them ; 
 they want to prove that he was false in his pro- 
 fessions when well, and that he dislikes those he 
 formerly pretended to be attached to. If you 
 could hear the particulars, you would be aware 
 of the infinite consequence the propagating these 
 ideas is to the future political comfort of the King. 
 I shudder when I think what harm those men 
 may do ; by alienating his affection from the 
 Queen, who has kept the crown upon his head ; 
 and by setting him against those who have been 
 most true and faithful to him, they may give im- 
 pressions that may destroy his peace, and throw 
 him back into delirium. 
 
 *' Mr. Pitt has got Mr. Hoare, the banker, to 
 stand for Surrey, in the room of Lord Grantley, 
 who, by succeeding to his father's peerage, vacates 
 his seat. Mr. Hoare's purse may hold out against 
 
 
 1 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 167 
 
 the Duke of Bedford's, but the Duke of York, by 
 having Oatlands, has great interest in the county, 
 and is very active in it. 
 
 *' The General begs you will not mention any- 
 thing we have told you of the proceedings of the 
 Committee till they come out in form, as nothing 
 should be supposed to transpire till then. 
 
 " Pray give my love to Lady Charlotte Finch, 
 and tell her that I expect a most admirable de- 
 fence will be made at the bar of the House of 
 Lords by her, and by you. I do not know two 
 women's heads in England fitter for the purpose. 
 I intend going to see you there. 
 
 ** Since I wrote the above, Thomas Willis has 
 been here ; he wants much to talk to you pri- 
 vately, and I have promised you will see him." 
 
 Lord Harcourt, January 13th : — 
 
 " The Chancellor came up to me in the House 
 of Lords yesterday, and with a smiling counte- 
 nance, and more appearance of cheerfulness and 
 good humour than is usually seated on his majestic 
 brow, told me he had not long before given you 
 a squeeze of his hand. * Has she asked you a ques- 
 tion,' said I, 'which I desired she would?' 'No,' 
 replied he, 'but what is it .?' 'I will not tell you,' 
 returned I ; and so ended our short conversation, 
 which would have been still shorter if I had re- 
 
I 
 
 t5»^'«:'i-»-»-?s 
 
 ceived your letter before it took place, as I find 
 from it you think it better not to name the subject 
 at present. Burke, in going in or out of the Com- 
 mittee, I know not which, said to somebody, ' The 
 question is now come to this. Is it to be the House 
 of Hanover, or the House of Strelitz that is to 
 govern the country ?' Did you ever hear such un- 
 feehncT, insolent nonsense ? but from that political 
 charlatan what can surprise one ? 
 
 " The mysterious pamphlet I hear is very bad, 
 and far too indecent in the slanderous style for 
 me to send it to you. The Prince and Mrs. Fitz- 
 herbert are supposed, and I believe with some 
 reason, to be less well together ; but she had some 
 hold over him that will prevent an open rupture. 
 The Sheridans still live in her house, and it is sup- 
 posed that there is some other reason for it, than 
 the having been driven out of the house he hired 
 by his landlord's frequent executions. 
 
 " It is said that Charles Fox has not even the 
 e;aree of Carlton House ; but this I do not believe. 
 
 "The Lieutenantcy of Ireland goes a begging, 
 from the certainty of expense, and from the uncer- 
 tainty of the tenure, and of the disposition of the 
 party in that country." 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 169 
 
 General Harcourt, Tuesday, Jan. 13th :— 
 
 " I am just returned from the Chancellor, whom 
 I found in a very good humour, and as firmly 
 attached to the good cause as we can wish him 
 to be ; he desires the Queen may be informed, that 
 if the physicians think it necessary that the King 
 should take the air, there cannot be any impro- 
 priety in his being attended in his carriage by 
 Dr. Willis, or his son; his expression was— 'our 
 first and great object ought to be, to do every- 
 thing that may tend to forward his Majesty's 
 recovery, and it will be time enough to think of 
 State when that is effected ;' he added, that he 
 * hoped the Queen would treat with the indignation 
 and scorn it deserved every attempt made to mis- 
 represent her conduct or disturb her repose ;' but 
 he could not give me any information respecting 
 the proceedings of the Committee, further than 
 that he found his friend Scott had had some 
 altercation with Mr. Fox. He said, that, so far 
 from shrinking from bringing the proceedings 
 of the Committee before the House, he should 
 be happy to have the subject introduced there, 
 and should meet the Opposition upon it with 
 pleasure. 
 
 '' Mr. Pitt was engaged upon the Committee till 
 midnight, and you may venture to assure her 
 Majesty, that, though her name has never been 
 
mentioned, Mr. Pitt is determined to resist every 
 attempt to introduce any other persons than those 
 already employed about the King. I trust, there- 
 fore, that her anxiety on that subject will be 
 removed." 
 
 Lord Harcourt, Tuesday, January 13th : — 
 
 " Lord Aylesbury will probably have related to 
 you to-day the heads of the debate yesterday. 
 In general, we had good speaking, but I wish 
 I could give you an idea of the Chancellor's 
 speech in opposition to Lord Rawdon's motion 
 of an amendment, which contemplated leaving 
 out of the Queen's power all that related to the 
 household ; and the part of his speech in par- 
 ticular, in which he described the wretched, de- 
 serted, and deplorable situation the King would 
 be left in, if that power was taken from her 
 Majesty, was allowed to be a tirade of such shin- 
 ing excellence, as has seldom been equalled in 
 spirit, pathos, and real eloquence. The tear that 
 glistened in his eye while he spoke, and the 
 majesty of his voice and countenance, perfectly 
 corresponded with the sentiments his heart had 
 dictated ; and the effect it had upon every man 
 of feeling was evident. Think, then, with such 
 a preparation, what heightening that effect re- 
 ceived when his description of the abandoned 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 171 
 
 King concluded with this sublime quotation, that 
 he would be like Darius, great and good,— 
 
 ' Deserted at his utmost need, 
 By those his former bounty fed.' 
 
 Did I mention to yoia how much I was pleased 
 with a former speech of the Chancellor's, in which, 
 after naming the King, he said most solemnly, 
 * if ever I forsake him, may Heaven forsake me.' 
 
 " The Opposition only gained one vote yester- 
 day, that of Lord Carteret, who swam away from 
 our 'glorious but sinking ship; more honourable 
 in its wreck than that which will be made to sup- 
 ply its place, though gilt and painted with a pro- 
 fusion of false glare, and with ' youth at its prow 
 and pleasure at its helm.' Send me word that 
 your cold is better. Your letter, however short, 
 will be acceptable." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Tuesday, Jan. 
 
 1 3th :— 
 
 " I thank you for your letter of this morning, 
 and for your affectionate solicitude about my cold; 
 it is better ; how can it be otherwise, when that 
 sweet creature. Princess Elizabeth, is my nurse and 
 my physician-' The medicine makes, and gives.' 
 Seriously, were it at all necessary, I would con- 
 sult Dr. Willis, who has already more than once 
 bid me take care of myself. I have just left him ; 
 he told me the King had ate a very good dinner. 
 
c 
 
 1 
 
 but that he was very hustling; this, %ve know, 
 in his days of perfect health would not have ap- 
 peared extraordinary to us. The Doctor, how- 
 ever, added, that he had made him quieter ; all 
 will end well if the old man has his way, and if the 
 attending the Committee does not kill him ; he 
 has sometimes, and that when his presence here 
 has been very necessary, been kept by the Com- 
 mittee from an early hour in the morning till 
 a late one at night, and has returned teazed, de- 
 jected, and exhausted. 
 
 More than once I have been afraid he would 
 ask to be dismissed. The Queen always desires 
 me to go down to him as soon as he comes 
 back, not only to learn what had passed, but in 
 the hope of my being able to soothe him and 
 keep up his spirits. One night I found him very 
 much elated by a triumph he had had over Burke, 
 who, with his usual intemperate violence, asked 
 him wluit method he used to subdue the King 
 when he was outrageous ? Willis answered, ' I do 
 it by my eye,' and at the same time darted such 
 a look at his antagonist as made him shrink 
 into himself, and stopped his questions for that 
 time. It is very lamentable that a man of such 
 pre-eminent abilities, and whose character, in 
 many respects, is that of an amiable man, should 
 be so warped by party spirit as to become illi- 
 beral, unjust, and cruel. 
 
 /:^> 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 173 
 
 *'I rejoice that your brother's gout is better, 
 and that he is coming here ; I hope he will be 
 able to assist in inspiring the Queen with the 
 courage it is so necessary for her to have. Her 
 timidity arises from her not doing justice to her- 
 self; few persons are her equals in understanding, 
 yet she is afraid of deciding upon any point, with- 
 out the opinion of some one less capable of form- 
 ing a just opinion. I adore the Chancellor for 
 the speech he made yesterday, and can well 
 conceive the effect it must have had upon his 
 auditors." 
 
 Mrs. Harcourt, Wednesday, Jan. 14th : — 
 
 '' I find that Charles Hawkins talks more than 
 ever, and does inconceivable mischief. I cannot 
 tell you particulars without breaking my promise 
 to my informer ; suffice it to say, that the other 
 day he expressed his wishes openly and most im- 
 properly ; I have also reason to think that it was 
 from him' that Lord Rawdon had the intelligence 
 which he produced at the enquiries, when, seeing 
 everybody in spirits about a good bulletin, he 
 said he knew the King could not be much better, 
 for that yesterday (Tuesday) he was all day in 
 the attitude of one catching butterflies, fancying 
 he was playing with them, and that he was 
 making the Chancellor a Marquis. If there was 
 
'l 
 
 t^t 
 
 any truth in this, how vile in one of the medical 
 attendants to repeat it. I wish the poor King 
 could be prevented from seeing, or rather from 
 being seen, by such persons as this man and some 
 others ; I fear things of a much more evil na- 
 ture have been circulated within these few days, 
 which could only be known by the physicians and 
 apothecaries in attendance. 
 
 "What I am going to tell you I beg you not 
 to repeat to anybody but the Queen, who I know 
 is safe, or it will ruin my friend. The Duke of 
 Cumberland complained to one who shall be un- 
 named, tliat the removal of the Pages was the 
 most d-d measure that had ever been thought 
 of, for now they did not know half so much of 
 what was going on ; that, till then, they knew 
 everything very exactly, but now they were ob- 
 liged to depend upon the physicians alone, and 
 that d— d old fellow Willis was always with the 
 King, and prevented Warren from getting him to 
 himself; but they were determined that Warren 
 should have some private conversation with the 
 King, and they ordered him to see his Majesty 
 alont yesterday, which he promised he would do. 
 I hear W^arren himself said positively to a person 
 the other day, that he was resolved he would see 
 the King a/o;u% in spite of j'cm all. Now, it is 
 of the utmost importance that no one you are not 
 sure of should see him ; for it is not doubted that 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 175 
 
 their intention is to poison his mind with accounts 
 of persons and things, so as to serve their own 
 objects." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Thursday, Jan. 
 
 15th:— 
 
 '' I hear, to borrow an expression from Lady 
 Bab Lard'oon, that ' I came out at full length 
 to-day.' I certainly was sorry when you first 
 heard of what Warren had said about me, as 
 I feared it might vex you, and therefore did not 
 name it myself. Your brother and General Golds- 
 worthy are to send me full information as to what 
 has really been said, and advise me what to do ; 
 and, as I conclude you now know all the par- 
 ticulars, pray send me your opinion ; my own 
 clearly is not to suffer my name to be tacked to 
 a falsehood, but I will be guided by my friends. 
 After the threats that have been thrown out, 
 I shall not be surprised if my evidence be called 
 for. Do not think I should be nervous upon such 
 an occasion ; no, I repeat the assurance I gave 
 you in a former letter,-! should feel the courage 
 of a heroine, when speaking the language of truth 
 warm from my heart in defence of injured and 
 oppressed innocence. Thank God, this examina- 
 tion, which I consider as levelled at the Queen, is 
 likely to end to her glory. To-day she is a little 
 revived, but she has all this week been very low, 
 
 }'i 
 

 I 
 
 and very far from well. Can we wonder at it, 
 with such a weight of woes as she has to sustain ; 
 her husband in so deplorable a state ; her sons 
 acting in a way she disapproves of, and which, 
 in the end, she feels will injure themselves ; and 
 her own conduct attacked because she performs 
 her duty as a wife. If I can afford a single spark 
 of comfort to one so truly wretched, and where 
 I am so strongly called upon by humanity, as 
 well as by duty and affection, can I hesitate, can 
 I murmur, at the melancholy life I lead, or even 
 at being detained from you ? No ; you would 
 despise me if I did. Adieu ; it is one in the 
 morning, but I would not go to bed without writ- 
 ing to you, and I had no time in the day. This 
 will go by the early messenger." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Friday, January 
 
 1 6th :— 
 
 « The night was good, and the King is nearly, 
 if not quite, as well as he was yesterday ; but you 
 will see your brother in the course of the morn- 
 ing, and he will give you a more particular ac- 
 count. The Chancellor looked very surly when 
 he came this morning, but before we parted he 
 said, 'God bless you,* and gave me a kind squeeze 
 of his hand ; he has more kindness in his nature 
 than many people give him credit for. I had 
 
 \i 
 
 a strong proof of this one day when the poor 
 Ouccn had been particularly wretched, and I had 
 been exerting myself to the utmost to try to keep 
 up her spirits. She was not able to see the Clian- 
 cellor immediately, and desired me to go to him ; 
 it was no longer in my power to command myself, 
 and when I got into the room where he was I had 
 a violent fit of crying. I assure you all the stern- 
 ness of his brow vanished, and if he had been 
 my brother he could not have taken more pams 
 to soothe and comfort me." 
 
 From Mrs. Harcourt, Friday, Jan. i6th :— 
 
 "The Irish will be punished for their conduct 
 by having every needy Englishman pensioned 
 upon them ; and half the House of Commons 
 here will be paid by Irish Peerages. We have 
 just seen a man, who, though connected with the 
 Opposition, is warm with us. He said, that if 
 the King should recover, it was known through 
 the Pages that he was determined never to reign 
 again, but that they had reason to believe his ill- 
 ness would end in reducing him to the state the 
 great Duke of Marlborough was in before he died. 
 He shewed us a letter from Bath, where, you 
 know, Fox now is. It says that he really seems 
 well, but is very anxious at present to keep out 
 of the way, as he disapproves of every measure, 
 
 A a 
 
and is angry that the Post-Office is refused to 
 Lord Robert Spencer. Lord Hinchinbrooke is 
 to retain it; Lord Maynard to have the House- 
 hold ; the Duke of Bedford insists upon it. Lord 
 Cartaret, notwithstanding his vote, is to go out. 
 The majority last night was much increased. 
 Sir Charles Gould, and other rats who had for 
 some time crept into holes, came out and voted 
 with us. 
 
 "Lady Charlotte Bertie and Lady Willoughby 
 appeared at the Opera on Tuesday in Regency 
 Caps. During the dance the account came of the 
 Prince's being voted out of the Queen's Council. 
 The Duke of York was very angry, and said it 
 was meant as a personal slight to him. The man 
 who brought the account went on, and told him 
 they talked of bringing him before the House ; * in 
 short, Sir,' he added, ' I cannot tell you how they 
 talked of you.' The Duke of Cumberland said, 
 * I suppose they may talk of bringing me, too, 
 before the House ; but I will tell them I won't go, 
 for I never go anywhere T do not like.' The fact 
 is, that Lord Graham said on the 22nd that one 
 objection to having the Princes in the Council 
 was the putting them into a responsible situation, 
 which viigJU make them liable to be called before 
 the Bar of the House to be examined ; and this, 
 in their high situations, would be improper. You 
 may see by this how things are misrepresented ; 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 179 
 
 but the Princes hear only one side, and see with 
 the eyes of those whose interest it is to delude 
 them. This strikes everybody ; but what grieves 
 us most is, that some people are beginning to find 
 fault with the Queen for want of resolution, and 
 for what they impertinently call trimming be- 
 tween the parties ; as if it were not as much her 
 duty, as it must be her inclination, to support the 
 King and at the same time to avoid an open rup- 
 ture^vith the Princes. Some of the violent mem- 
 bers of the Opposition are insolent enough to say 
 that they have got her down, and that she dares 
 not dismiss the physicians ; ' nor shall she,' say 
 Messrs. Burke and Sheridan. You know best if 
 anything can be done, and I am sure are deeply 
 wounded by the language some of those tools 
 of faction use, to speak of our beloved Monarch as 
 * A pageant dressed up with useless splendour and 
 degrading dignity; a sick King, smitten by the 
 hand of Omnipotence, hurled from his throne, and 
 plunged into a condition below the meanest of 
 his subjects.' Can Burke ever again pretend to 
 have the common feelings of humanity > It was 
 supposed that he was a Jesuit, and this speech 
 
 proves it. 
 
 " The glorious speech Mr. Pitt made was a strik- 
 ing contrast to Burke's. He expressed himself 
 so beautifully that night in the House, that there 
 was hardly a dry eye. They tell me the debate 
 
i8o Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 is not done justice to in the papers, and that there 
 never was any thing so fine as the manner in 
 which the Chancellor mentioned his beloved Sove- 
 reign's illness, and the effect of it upon the heart 
 of every Briton. He adores the King and Queen, 
 and the object of Opposition is, to ruin that attach- 
 ment and deprive their Majesties of his powerful 
 support. They hope to make his unfortunate 
 partiality for Warren the means of effecting this ; 
 but I trust he is too firm in the good cause to 
 be shaken. 
 
 " I was at Lord Harrington's the other night ; 
 there was a great assembly ; the Regency Caps 
 nodding at each other all over the room, and 
 boasting against those who were without them, 
 and against those who wore the Constitutional 
 Coats, which were also very numerous. You may 
 be sure the Duchess of Rutland did not wear the 
 cap ; she repeated the story of Lord Lothian, and 
 told me he saved his wig from being pulled off 
 by her children with the utmost difficulty; they 
 had a paper written to pin upon his back, but 
 could not contrive to do it. He said (how un- 
 grateful !) that he had no obligations to the King, 
 and therefore ought not to be blamed for joining 
 his enemies. One Duchess spoke highly of the 
 Prince of Wales ; said how she loved him, and 
 how she pitied his being so deluded by those 
 w^ho had no real object in view but their own 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 interest, and added, 'those caps make me sick.' 
 I see Burke and Sheridan perched under every 
 feather. Charles Lennox ^ was at a club the other 
 day when they were playing * God save the King' 
 in the street, on which some of the Opposition 
 produced a new and very vile song made to go to 
 that tune, and said they would go to the playhouse 
 and sing it. On this Charles fired, and answered 
 with great spirit that no words were so good and 
 so proper as the old ones, and he was quite sure 
 the Duke of York (who was present) would concur 
 with him in that opinion. This silenced the whole 
 crew. George Selwyn says he hopes the restric- 
 tions will extend to the Jewel Office, or he shall 
 see them all brought to Brookes's in crucibles, 
 and a new Mint established there. Some of the 
 heads of the party talked much yesterday of all 
 that had come out in the Committee, and seemed 
 to enjoy the idea of what the nation would think 
 of the Queen's interfering about the physicians, 
 and sending her ladies to try to deceive the pub- 
 lic ; but Steele assures us he has been told by 
 Mr. Pitt that nothing will do her Majesty and the 
 cause so much good ; that she is adored by the 
 people in general ; and that her name mentioned 
 in the House of Commons would produce a burst 
 of applause ; and that no one would dare to speak 
 of her without respect ; that everything that ap- 
 
 » Afterwards Duke of Richmond. 
 
 ■it^ 't'3M jiifT mmittb:'<ie:i0tU6iB 
 
■ j^ <3w nf-mmtOb '.Je.iMM6f9' . 
 
 MM* 
 
 mm 
 
 182 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 peared in the Committee so entirely proved her 
 perfect love and attachment to the King ; and 
 that all her motives and ideas had no other 
 object but his health, his comfort, and his ho- 
 nour ; so that she must gain the greatest glory 
 from the examination. As for Mr. Pitt himself, 
 he says he quite adores her, and would as little 
 bear as you or I should, a syllable uttered to her 
 disadvantage. Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox had violent 
 words in the Committee. There were many divi- 
 sions ; our friends gained by one vote." 
 
 I return to an account of what passed hi 
 the House of Commons on the i6th of 
 January. On that day Mr. Pitt, after ex- 
 pressing his satisfaction at having consented 
 to the re-examination of the physicians, said, 
 that it had justified his former opinion as 
 to the probability of his Majesty's recovery ; 
 and then proceeded to open the business he 
 had to lay before the House. He divided 
 it under three heads ; first, the nature of 
 the King's illness ; secondly, the principle 
 upon which Parliament was authorized to 
 act upon this occasion ; and thirdly, the ap- 
 plication of the measures he should propose 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 18 
 
 
 for remedying the present defect in the per- 
 sonal exercise of the royal authority. He 
 stated that all the physicians were agreed 
 that his Majesty was rendered incapable 
 by his illness of attending to the duties of 
 his station, but that it was probable he 
 would recover and resume them ; that it was 
 remarkable that those least conversant with 
 the disorder his Majesty was afflicted with 
 were least sanguine ; that others who, with- 
 out having had great experience in such 
 maladies, but from being in more constant 
 attendance upon him, had opportunities of 
 being better acquainted with the general 
 state of his health, were more confident that 
 he would recover ; while those who had 
 been most accustomed to the treatment of 
 such complaints, and who were in still more 
 close attendance upon his Majesty, had no 
 doubt that he would recover, and possibly 
 in a short time. Mr. Pitt reprobated a dis- 
 position some Members of Parliament had 
 shewn to discredit what had been said by 
 the physicians, as if undue influence had 
 
. / 
 
 i84 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 been used to induce them to publish opi- 
 nions they did not really entertain. The 
 fact he alluded to, he said, he should not 
 hesitate to state, on account of the respect- 
 able personage involved in it, as he was 
 convinced that the more her conduct was 
 investieated, the more it would redound to 
 her honour. ** Surely," he added, '' it must 
 be allowed that it was natural for the Queen 
 to wish that the people, to whom she knew 
 that the Kincr was so dear, should be made 
 acquainted with any, even the slightest, al- 
 teration for the better in his health ; and 
 thinking that such an alteration had one day 
 taken place, as would justify a more favour- 
 able report than that the physicians had 
 siened, was it wonderful for her to express 
 a desire that the bulletin might be so changed 
 as to contain what she conceived to be a 
 more correct statement of the case ?" 
 
 Having explained this transaction, Mr. Pitt 
 proceeded to consider the principles upon 
 which Parliament was authorized to act, in 
 providing for the deficiency in the Execu- 
 
 % 
 
 Memoirs of thi: Years 17S8-89. 185 
 
 tive Government. It had been determined 
 that the right of supplying it devolved on 
 the two Houses of Parliament. There was 
 reason to hope that the occasion would be 
 temporary, and that they had only to pro- 
 vide for a short interval ; if, however, his 
 Majesty's illness should be unfortunately 
 protracted. Parliament might then do what 
 at present was clearly unnecessary, and con- 
 sider of a more permanent form of Gov- 
 ernment. They were now only to provide 
 for the immediate exigency, and to guard 
 against the King's having any embarrass- 
 ment in a re-assumption of his Royal autho- 
 rity, whenever it shall please God to en- 
 able him to exercise it again. Such powers, 
 therefore, and none others, should be granted 
 as were requisite to carry on the Govern- 
 ment of the country with energy and effect. 
 
 I shall not attempt to follow Mr. Pitt in 
 the able and eloquent speech which he 
 made. The general outline I have given 
 is sufficient for my purpose. Mr. Pitt 
 was answered by Mr. Powis, Lord North, 
 
 Bb 
 
. ^m • ^^ 
 
 I 
 
 1 86 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Mr. Sheridan, and Mr. Fullerton ; and they 
 were again repHed to by Mr. Grenville (the 
 Speaker), who defended the proposed plan 
 on the same ground Mr. Pitt had taken. 
 The resolutions suggested by the Ministry 
 were carried by a considerable majority, 
 with the exception of those which referred 
 to committing the care of the King's person 
 to the Queen, and granting her Majesty the 
 power of removing from, and appointing to, 
 all the offices of the household. The debate 
 upon these subjects was postponed to the 
 following Monday, January 19th. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 17th :— 
 
 "The King has had a bad night, but they tliink 
 it was owing to the fatigue which the emetic lie 
 had taken occasioned him. It brought away a 
 great quantity of bile, and has prepared him for 
 the bark, from which it is hoped he will derive 
 great benefit ; although it did not agree with his 
 Majesty when it was tried before, from his stomach's 
 being too much loaded. This morning he is very 
 calnr; Dr. John Willis heard him say to himself in 
 a low' voice, ' Here I lie, like Patience on a monu- 
 
 Memoiks of the Years 1788-89. 187 
 
 
 ment. I had no sleep all night, but I hope the 
 Queen slept well, that will comfort me.' The 
 physicians say they found him better this morn- 
 ing than they expected, but I believe he was very 
 incoherent, and I own my very sanguine hopes 
 a little flag. I cannot think he has gained any 
 ground the last two days, but they tell me, not- 
 withstanding, that all is going on well." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 18th :-- 
 
 "The King was so much better yesterday even- 
 in-T, that the Queen passed an hour and a-half 
 wiUi him. I find that the Opposition try to make 
 it be bcliex ed, that allowing him to see those he 
 loves will hurt him. They have attacked Willis 
 upon it, but he asserted that at proper times it 
 would be beneficial. We have a strong proof of 
 this, for Sir Lucas Pepys told me this morning 
 that he was a long time with him after her Ma- 
 jesty left him, and that he had never yet seen 
 him nearly so well ; and he has slept seven hours 
 without interruption. This morning he is a little 
 agitated from recollecting that it is the day on 
 ^^'llich the Queen's birthday used to be kept, and 
 wishing to~keep it as well as he can ; but they 
 hope he will be calmer before evening, that they 
 may be able to gratify him by letting him see her. 
 " .Mr. Pitt's speech was beautiful, and I hope he 
 

 . I , 'Tt"- 
 
 
 has now secured the safe return of our beloved 
 Sovereign to his throne, notwithstanding the at- 
 tempts that have been made to prevent it." 
 
 To Lord Ilarcourt, Kew, January 19th :— 
 
 " The Queen was great part of yesterday even- 
 ing with the King ; when she retired to her room, 
 she told me that he had been so much pleased 
 with a sermon Thomas Willis has published lately, 
 that he made him give him several copies of it ; 
 that some he had set apart for her and the Prin- 
 cesses, and that he had said you and I should 
 each have one ; but before he gave them to her 
 for us, he wrote in the margin of each a few lines 
 that will please you as much as they do me, for 
 they prove that even in his present state he thinks 
 of us with kindness. In yours he alluded to the 
 boyish days you passed together. I shall keep it 
 till I see you." 
 
 Every one had looked forward to the iQth 
 of January as an important day. Mr. Pitt 
 opened the debate by reprobating the con- 
 duct of those who seemed to suppose it pos- 
 sible, that the power to be placed in her 
 Majesty's hands might become the instru- 
 ment of any factious opposition ; if an Op- 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 189 
 
 B 
 
 « 
 
 position should be formed to the Govern- 
 ment of her son. He was supported by 
 Mr. Dundas. 
 
 The Solicitor-General, Lord Maitland\ 
 and Mr. Grey ^ took up the other side of 
 the question. They objected to the limita- 
 tions of the Regent's power, and argued that 
 were he inclined to make a bad use of it, 
 what could oppose him, invested as he 
 would be with the patronage of the army, 
 the navy, and all the great offices of the 
 kingdom ? Surely not the Lords with the 
 white staves, or the feeble bands of the 
 Household ! With regard to granting the 
 patronage of the Household to the Queen, 
 they observed, that it would be destructive 
 of that political disinterestedness that made 
 her the fittest person to have the care of 
 his ALajesty. They urged that, upon gene- 
 ral principles, the possession of the power 
 oiven her by the resolutions, and the com- 
 plications arising therefrom in case of the 
 continuance of the King's illness, would 
 
 ^ Aflciwards Earl of Lauderdale and Earl Grey. 
 
K 
 
 \ 
 
 190 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 tend to disqualify her for the greater trust. 
 Amone all the virtues that adorned her cha- 
 racter, was there any that exceeded her mo- 
 deration ; was there any part of her pub- 
 lic or private conduct that recommended 
 her so much to the esteem and reverence of 
 a loyal people, as that prudent caution with 
 which she had, through the whole course of 
 her life, abstained from any interference in 
 the affairs of Government ? And was it 
 wise, they asked ; was it proper ; was it con- 
 sistent with a true regard for her interest 
 in the affection of the nation, to place her in 
 a situation new to herself, unknown to the 
 Constitution, and which might, eventually, 
 draw her aside from that line of discreet and 
 amiable moderation which she had hitlierto 
 followed with so much circumspection, and 
 for which she had obtained so much praise ? 
 The amount of the patronage proposed 
 to be oriven to her was one-fourth of tlie 
 Civil List. Her Majesty might have bad 
 advisers as well as the Prince ; and by the 
 mention of a Council of Advice, it appeared 
 
 H 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 191 
 
 that she was to have advisers, and it was 
 pretty evident who those advisers would be. 
 The present resolution did not even secure 
 its professed object, the continuance of his 
 usual attendants about the King's person, 
 as it gave the Queen not only the power to 
 continue, but to remove them. 
 
 Here I must remark, that though the jus- 
 tice done to the exalted character of her 
 Majesty could not fail to give pleasure to 
 her real friends, they were yet well aware 
 that this apparent candour was of a most 
 insidious nature. She stood so high In the 
 estimation of the public, that a direct attack 
 upon her would not have been borne ; there- 
 fore those who wished to deprive her of all 
 power, pretended that they were actuated by 
 personal regard for herself. 
 
 To continue my account of the debate, 
 I must state that Mr. Fox spoke at large on 
 the several points of the subject in question, 
 and concluded by asking the Right Honour- 
 able gentleman opposite him, to what period 
 of time he proposed to confine the llmita- 
 

 192 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 tioa ; what revenue would be assigned to the 
 Prince during his Regency ; and who were 
 the persons of whom the Queen's Coun- 
 cil of Advice would consist ? Mr. Pitt an- 
 swered, that whenever the physicians should 
 pronounce his Majesty's recovery less pro- 
 bable than it had been, he should think it 
 necessary to remove most of the restric- 
 tions, and to re-model the Household. The 
 Queen's Council would consist of the great 
 Officers of the Household, and four Pre- 
 lates. As for the revenue to be provided 
 for the support of the Regent's dignity, 
 he should not be deterred by the unpopu- 
 larity of such a measure, from proposing, as 
 his last act, whatever additional tax it might 
 be necessary to impose for such a purpose. 
 
 After an attempt by the Opposition to 
 make some alterations, the resolutions were 
 reported, and agreed to be delivered at a 
 conference to the House of Lords. 
 
 n 
 
 ''I 
 
 Memoirs or the Years 1788-89. 193 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January the 19th, 
 Monday : — ■ 
 
 " After the alarm we had while you were with 
 me this morning, you will be glad to hear that 
 towards evening the King grew calmer." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Jan. 20th :— 
 
 " The sad scene of yesterday will make you 
 impatient for a letter to-day. His Majesty had 
 a very indifferent night, and the morning began 
 ill ; but about ten o'clock he grew better, and 
 about half-past twelve he sent to desire the Queen 
 to take the air, and that she might be told that 
 he would walk : he did so for an hour and twenty 
 minutes, saw his exotic garden, was pleased with 
 it, was very good-humoured and quiet, and has 
 continued to be so since he returned to the house." 
 
 From Lord Harcourt, Jan. 20th : — 
 
 " If you are not satisfied with the last division, 
 you are very unreasonable indeed, it exceeded the 
 most sanguine expectations of those the most 
 zealously attached to the present Administration ; 
 and, consequently, made many Opposition faces 
 an ell long. Do not be the dupe of Mr. Sheridan's 
 fine compliments to Mr. Fox, they are merely 
 
 c c 
 
194 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 made to jctter dc la poussicre ajix ycnx, since the 
 jealousy conceived of him by Mr. Fox and his 
 friends is certainly very far from being diminished. 
 A few days since, at Devonshire House, the 
 Prince, in view of many of the principal persons 
 of the party, took Sheridan by the arm, and drew 
 him to a remote part of the room, where they had 
 a long tetc-a-tetc. What satisfaction this gave to 
 the rest of the company you may easily suppose. 
 
 "Whatever may be said to the contrary, Fox 
 is really in so bad a state of health, that nothing 
 but a course of Bath waters, relaxation from busi- 
 ness, and mental repose for a considerable time, 
 can restore it ; and if this be his only chance for 
 life, it is a very poor one. As long as Sheridan 
 enjoys the sole and exclusive confidence and di- 
 rection of the Prince, jealousies and smothered 
 animosities will subsist, which may tend as much 
 to the overthrow of the party as if they broke out 
 into a visible flame. 
 
 "Assure his Majesty, with my duty, that the 
 sermon you delivered to me was carefully sealed 
 up and deposited in my strong box, before I went 
 to bed on Monday night ; and that within the 
 paper that enveloped it, I left a note hinting what 
 is to be done with it at my death. The few 
 w^ords written on the first page shew that un- 
 equalled goodness of heart which forms the basis 
 of the King's character, and betray no symptom 
 
 t 
 
 of any mental derangement ; but, mixed with 
 a soothing kind of melancholy, produced many 
 gloomy reflections in my mind when I compared 
 the days to which those words alluded, with the 
 present time I 
 
 " A curious handbill has been stuck up at 
 Whitehall, which perhaps you have not seen. 
 ' The Right Honourable Edmund Burke had last 
 night three hours' sleep ; he is calm this morn- 
 ing, but tending towards unquietness.' A thou- 
 sand thanks for your note last night, which was 
 more satisfactory than I expected." 
 
 From General Harcourt, Tuesday, Jan. 
 the 20th : — 
 
 " Enclosed you have the Chancellor's answer to 
 her Majesty's letter. In the short conversation 
 I had with him, he asked me if I knew of any 
 fresh inconveniences that had arisen, which oc- 
 casioned his receiving his Majesty's commands. 
 I told him that the letter had been delivered to 
 me by a private hand, but from something that 
 had passed, I had reason to believe that the in- 
 convenience that had been felt had arisen from 
 the long absence of the Willises, which might be 
 
 1 The Sermon is still at Nuneham, but the scissors of the curious 
 have deprived it of the King's writing, which probably constituted 
 its greatest value. 
 
tttmm 
 
 196 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 obviated in future ; and that it was thought de- 
 sirable that the younger Willis should also be ex- 
 amined. I hear from Mr. Steele that they have 
 great hopes the Committee may make their re- 
 port to-day, though they are by no means sure 
 of it." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 21st, 
 
 Wednesday : — 
 
 '* The King continued remarkably well yester- 
 day evening ; he chose that those who were in 
 the room with him should keep at a great dis- 
 tance ; he read a good deal. I do not know what 
 his book was, but his favourite, Shakespeare, is 
 what he generally prefers, and he particularly 
 likes to read King Lear. I believe I told you that 
 when Willis thinks him well enough, the Princesses 
 take it by turns (I mean the three eldest) to ac- 
 company the Queen. Sometimes she takes more 
 than one with her. When they went into his 
 room one day he said he had been reading Lear, 
 but in some respects he was not like him, he had 
 no Goneril, nor Regan, but three Cordelias. Judge 
 how this affected them all. For four hours before 
 he went to bed last night he talked very little ; 
 he slept quietly and without interruption for eight 
 hours and a-half; he was agitated when first he 
 awoke, but is now growing calmer ; and, if it is 
 fine, will walk presently. 
 
 
 [ 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 197 
 
 "Three o'clock. — The rain has prevented the 
 King from going out, but he is very calm, and 
 has never had so good a day after so good a night ; 
 for, strange as it may seem, sleep sometimes ap- 
 pears to give strength to the malady. Lord Salis- 
 bury will convey this to you. Surely I shall hear 
 from you to-morrow. I hardly dare hope for 
 another visit after our disappointment on Mon- 
 day. I really hardly saw you, but it could not be 
 helped. My advice is taken, and for the present 
 the bad behaviour of the Pages will be overlooked ; 
 it has not been repeated since. I think it pro- 
 bable that I shall stay here a little, but not much 
 longer. After saying some very kind things of 
 me to a person the other day, the Queen added, 
 ' She will be a great loss to me when I must part 
 with her.' This looks as if she begins to think 
 that on your account it will be right to dismiss 
 me ; but I am sure you will not wish me to pro- 
 pose leaving her, while she thinks that I am any 
 use or comfort to her." 
 
 From General Harcourt, Wednesday, 
 January 21st : — 
 
 " I fear I must have expressed myself very ill, 
 when I had the honour of communicating to the 
 Queen that part of the proposed plan that re- 
 spected the appointment of her Council, which 
 
^ 
 
 I ought to have said was particularly meant to 
 stand between her and the advisers of the Prince, 
 and was intended to consist of the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, the Chancellor, the Bishop, and two 
 others to be named by her. I again repeat that 
 this was only the general idea, subject to such 
 alterations as may be thought necessary, and 
 which, of course, she will be informed of by the 
 Chancellor, or Mr. Pitt, before the plan is carried 
 into execution. I must beg you to say for me, 
 that I will not lose a moment in signifying her 
 Majesty's commands ; but as the intelligence came 
 from Lord Hawkesbury for her private informa- 
 tion, and merely to prepare her for its coming in 
 a more regular form, I believe it will be proper 
 for me to communicate with him in the first in- 
 stance. The Speaker being taken ill, I know not 
 whether the illness be real or political, the busi- 
 ness in the House of Commons is put off till 
 to-morrow." 
 
 On the 22nd of January the Lords, in 
 a Committee upon the state of the nation, 
 proceeded to take the resolutions into con- 
 sideration. The debate chiefly turned upon 
 the same points that had been discussed in 
 the Lower House. On the same grounds 
 the same alterations were proposed and 
 
 1 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 199 
 
 negatived. The debate was renewed the 
 following day, the 23rd, and the resolutions 
 were agreed to, though fifty-seven Peers 
 signed a protest. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Sunday, Jan. 
 25th :— 
 
 " I tvritCy and you will read, my letter with 
 pleasure to-day, for Dr. Gisborne assures me he 
 thought the King better last night than he had 
 ever seen him since his illness. He slept six 
 hours, awoke composed, and is remarkably well 
 this morning ; and you will think these few lines 
 worth a volume. I send them by the messen- 
 ger, that you may share my pleasure as soon 
 as possible." 
 
 From Lord Harcourt, Sunday, Jan. 25th : — 
 
 " It was a measure of the Ladies of the Oppo- 
 sition party, I suppose to shew their vulgar folly, 
 to come to the Opera in the new bonnet a la 
 Rcgence ; and to endeavour to make people stare 
 at the silly ornaments that decorated their sillier 
 
 heads. Lady dressed herself, and, I am 
 
 sorry to say, her daughters too, in this absurd 
 costume, when she appeared at a great assembly. 
 Lady B was to accompany her to the Opera, 
 
 :» 
 
.. 
 
 so she insisted on her hkewlse purchasing one of 
 these mountains of tumbled gauze, with three 
 large feathers in front, tied together with a knot 
 of ribbon, on which was printed in gold letters, 
 ' Honi soit qui mal y pcnse, de la Regence/ 
 This collection of trumpery costs seven guineas 
 
 and a-half. 
 
 " I believe I did not mention that when I was 
 at Gloucester House the other night, I was con- 
 vinced, from the conversation I heard, that all 
 is t^oing- on well for our friends ; Lord Charles 
 Spencer owned that all was going on ill for the 
 party which he belongs to. Mrs. Keppel, with her 
 usual violence, abused Mr. Pitt, and assured us 
 that England was become an absolute Republic. 
 An odd kind of Republic this, and such as I have 
 never read of, the object of which is to secure the 
 throne to a popular Sovereign. 
 
 " If the Oueen has not seen a * Letter from a 
 Country Gentleman to a Member of Parliament,* 
 persuade her to peruse it, for it is not only the 
 best publication of the present period, but one of 
 the best I ever read on any political subject. It is 
 strong, but perfectly decent and candid, and ad- 
 mirably written. I only disagree with the author 
 upon one point — the impossibility of a King's 
 havinjT a friend— difficult it is, I allow ; but if they 
 would choose amongst the nobility such men as 
 are free from political ambition, not subject to 
 
 ./ 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 178S-89. 201 
 
 gossip, or to repeat improperly, and too high- 
 spirited to be importunate beggars, Kings and 
 Princes might pass their days with more comfort 
 
 than they usually do. 
 
 " I suppose you know that the Duke of Glou- 
 cester employed the Duke of Cumberland to ob- 
 ject, in the House of Lords, to his name's being 
 inserted in the Commission to set the Great Seal 
 in the manner proposed. People could scarcely 
 believe their own ears when they heard the objec- 
 tion made, and many concluded that the Duke of 
 Cumberland did it unauthorized. Pray read what 
 Lord Camden said respecting these royal names. 
 Some of the oldest and wisest heads in the House 
 were indignant at the Duke of York's telling the 
 two Houses of Parliament that, throughout the 
 whole business, they had acted illegally and un- 
 constitutionally ; and said that they were per- 
 suaded it was the first time the House of Lords 
 had ever been told by one of the Royal family 
 that they had acted iikgally and tcuconstitu- 
 
 tionally. 
 
 " You ought to read in one of last week's papers 
 a short speech of the Duke of Richmond's, in vin- 
 dication of the Chancellor's speech, in which he 
 makes the nice, but just distinction, between speak- 
 ing to the passions, and speaking to the feelings 
 of the House ; and at the conclusion gives a won- 
 derful proof of his acutcness, by stating to demon- 
 
 D d 
 
m 
 
 lI 
 
 stration that the Opposition objected to the Reso- 
 lutions on one principle, and protested against 
 them upon another very different one, in which 
 'the truth came out.* It is said that Lord Spencer 
 has agreed to take the Vice-royalty of Ireland, 
 if no other person will. Jack Payne is to be 
 Secretary of the Treasury, and Lord Sandwich 
 one of the Secretaries of State. Mr. Fox's friends 
 make no secret of their opinion that his journey 
 to Bath was undertaken more to get out of the 
 way of the intolerable teasing he met with here, 
 than for the sake of his health. IMr. Rolla's im- 
 pending motion is a more likely cause of his 
 absence, than any other that has been assigned 
 for it." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 26th, 
 Monday : — 
 
 " I had some hope of seeing you to-day ; when 
 I cannot have that pleasure, your letters are the 
 greatest comfort I can have, in a situation which 
 / knoiv some envy ; but -w hich, believe me, is so 
 deplorable, that, did not humanity and principle 
 strongly call upon me not to imitate the wretches 
 I despise, I should wish myself away ; but I can- 
 not be a copy of the Duke of O , and desert 
 
 the Queen in *her hour of need,' for never sure 
 did any woman need a friend more than she does 
 at this moment ; and I know you will never desire 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^ 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 203 
 
 me to add to her distress by leaving her. She 
 has now an inflammation in her eyes, which obliges 
 her to sit in a room almost dark ; her spirits are 
 very loiv ; one cannot wonder that they are so. 
 The King grew very high towards night ; he had 
 walked twice in the day ; before he went to bed 
 he was put into a warm bath ; but he had little 
 more than three hours' sleep, is very violent, and 
 has been under coercion most of this day. It will 
 not do if other means are not tried ; the Willises 
 vmst have their ozvn way; they have just given 
 in a plan, and I shall do all I can to enforce it." 
 
 On the 27th of January, Mr. Pitt, after 
 recapitulating the steps that had been taken, 
 observed that, before they proceeded further, 
 he thought it would be most respectful to 
 the Prince of Wales, and most expedient in 
 the order of their proceedings, to endeavour 
 to know whether his Royal Highness was 
 willing to accept the Regency upon the terms 
 of the Resolutions the House had come to ; 
 and he therefore moved, that a Committee 
 should be appointed to wait upon him for 
 that purpose. This motion gave rise to 
 much altercation. Ministers were accused 
 
204 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 of having, throughout the whole course of 
 their proceedings, treated the Prince of Wales 
 with the most shameful want of attention 
 and respect. On the other hand, the Min- 
 isters defended their conduct. The motion 
 was voted without a division, and ordered 
 to be carried to the Lords for their con- 
 currence; together with a similar resolution 
 for a Committee to lay before the Queen 
 what had passed in the House relative to 
 the care of his Majesty's person. These 
 Resolutions were read in the House of 
 Lords on the 28th of January; the Duke of 
 Northumberland moved an amendment, but 
 it was neratived without a debate. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 27th, 
 
 Tuesday : — 
 
 "Your™ brother is going to town to the Chan- 
 cellor, so I hope things will be put in a better 
 train, for I am wTetchcd at the ground we lose. 
 The King had a sleepless night, but was quiet, 
 and is so now. He will be particularly anxious 
 to see his family, and it may not be thought 
 
 m 
 
 General Ilarcourt. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 205 
 
 right to indulge him. The Queen^s eye is better, 
 but she is very low, very thin, and eats no- 
 thing. The Princesses are unhappy about her ; 
 shoidd she fail, what will become of the poor 
 King ? Her not being well is a secret ; it is best 
 that'' it should be so ; for there are those who 
 would rejoice at it. The King anxiously com- 
 bines circumstances in a manner that quite sur- 
 prises us. When he was told of the death of the 
 King of Spain, he said : 'I am glad of it, for it 
 will be better for England ; the late King was in 
 his heart a Frenchman ; the present King is an 
 Englishman.' This is very true, for it has always 
 been known that the Prince of the Asturias was 
 well-inclined to this country. I have not a chance 
 of going to town for an hour or two ; there are 
 reasons I could TELL, but cannot WRITE to you, 
 that will make it necessary for me to be always 
 ready in case I should be wanted." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 28th, 
 Wednesday : — • 
 
 " After I wrote to you yesterday we had some 
 great visitors. I acted the part of Flora, and 
 *got the Doctor clear off;' it was not more neces- 
 sary for her to conceal the Colonel from Don 
 Falia than for me to secrete young Willis. How- 
 ever, gone he was, before those we did not wish 
 
 t 
 
 \ 
 
2o6 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 to see him entered. They sent no Page to an- 
 nounce their arrival ; and, as it was the hour they 
 must have supposed me dressing, I fancy they 
 hoped to see the Queen alone. The abord on 
 each side was a la glace. Little as I was disposed 
 to enter into conversation, I found I must do it, 
 or there would be that sort of silence that would 
 distress all present ; and, luckily, the merits of 
 Mrs. Siddons and Mrs. Abingdon, who are both 
 favourites, afforded us a subject that held out 
 tolerably well throughout the visit. A few mi- 
 nutes to four they said they believed it was din- 
 ner-time, and bowed off; they found your brother 
 below in the library, and told him they understood 
 that the King was not at all better. Mr. Harcourt 
 assured them that his Majesty was a great deal 
 better. 'Aye, so old Willis says,' was the answer. 
 * Not only Dr. Willis,' replied your spirited bro- 
 ther ; * Sir Lucas Pepys told me the same thing 
 this morning.' Nothing further passed. 
 
 " Is it not dreadful that there should be wretches 
 who labour to poison and pervert minds naturally 
 amiable } The exemplary conduct of the Queen 
 has been so misrepresented to them, as to make 
 them think she acts unkindly and unjustly by 
 them ; and they have been brought to believe that 
 Warren is the only one of his physicians on a\ hose 
 accounts they can rely. You know he declares 
 he shall not think the King better until he is quite 
 
 well. This new doctrine has produced the fol- 
 lowing epigram from Dr. Willis's youngest son : — 
 
 "' That the sick ere they're well must be better, I thought, 
 'Tvvas agreed would hold true to the letter, 
 But Warren, reversing this maxim, has taught. 
 
 That the sick must be well to grow better. 
 
 1 }) 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 29th, 
 Thursday : — 
 
 '' I hope I have a prospect of returning home 
 at no distant time. The Queen means soon to 
 see Lady Weymouth »; she is a great favourite 
 of the King's, so there can be no objection on 
 his account. We already find the good effects of 
 his being kept more quiet ; he has not seen his 
 Pages since yesterday morning, and to Dr. Willis s 
 men he does not wish to talk. He was a little 
 displeased last night when he found THEY were 
 to put him to bed, and that none of the others 
 were to sit up in the room ; but he soon com- 
 posed himself, began his prayers, and was asleep 
 before he had finished them. He slept fully six 
 hours, and awoke calm. Sir George Baker told 
 me this morning, of his own accord, that he found 
 his Majesty better than when he last saw him. 
 He has walked quite round the garden (nearly 
 
 " Afterwards Marchioness of Bath, and sister to the Duke of 
 Portland. 
 
2o8 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 three miles), has come back quiet, and eaten a 
 good dinner. I am writing in Dr. Willis's room; 
 he likes your account of Mr. Emery's friend so 
 much that he wishes to have him ; but we think 
 it right to speak to the Queen before he is sent 
 for. She is now setting about receiving the ad- 
 dresses, with Lord Aylesbury ; he and Lord Wal- 
 degrave are to bring that from the House of 
 Lords to-morrow; that from the Commons will 
 be brought by four of the King's household. We 
 are anxious about some points in the Bill, which 
 I have not time now to explain. This has been 
 a hurrying day ; the Queen has not had leisure 
 to take the air. I must not omit telling you, 
 that, in his walk, the King called at the Observa- 
 tory, and the old attached man who resides there 
 thought him so well that his joy quite over- 
 came him." 
 
 From the Earl of Harcourt, January 29th, 
 Thursday : — 
 
 "Your letter of this morning, by Lord Ayles- 
 bury, gives a most excellent account of his Ma- 
 jesty; may Heaven, in mercy to the nation, and 
 to those who love him as sincerely as I do, con- 
 tinue this amendment. If you read the debates, 
 you will certainly observe, by the various attacks 
 in both Houses on the famous speech of the Chan- 
 
 W 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 209 
 
 cellor's, how much the Opposition are galled by 
 it ; how earnestly they endeavour to do away the 
 effect of it ; and how, by so doing, they in fact 
 acknowledge its transcendent excellence." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 30th, 
 
 Friday : — 
 
 " The King had only three hours' sleep last 
 nieht ; he is disturbed this morning, and certainly 
 less well than yesterday ; but they say we must 
 not mind these little changes. We are all un- 
 comfortable about the ceremony of this day ; the 
 Queen and Princesses dread it. The Lords and 
 Commons are to come together ; from the former, 
 the Lords Ailsbury and Waldegrave are deputed ; 
 from the latter. Lord Cranborn, Mr. Howard, 
 Mr. Villiers, and General Manners. The Queen 
 will read her answer, and then give it to them. 
 I think you will be pleased with it : it expresses 
 her duty and gratitude to the King, and her obli- 
 gations to the nation ; her pleasure in having the 
 assistance of a Council ; her desire of deserving 
 the confidence of Pariiament, and of acquitting 
 herself properiy of the important trust in which 
 her own happiness, and what is of more moment, 
 that of a great and loyal people is concerned. 
 This is the substance of her speech. She will 
 want me to be with her before the deputation 
 
 E e 
 
2IO Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 arrives, so I must hasten to dress myself in 
 readiness. 
 
 ** Four o'clock. — I was so nervous when I left 
 the Oueen, to receive the Lords and Commons 
 and conduct them to her, that it was with diffi- 
 culty I could speak to any of them. Her Majesty 
 was much agitated, but endeavoured to command 
 herself, and went through the trying scene quite 
 as well as I could expect ; her voice faltered 
 a good deal, but her manner was dignified. Lord 
 Waldegrave and Lord Ailsbury are now with me, 
 and will carry this to you. Send us the man 
 Emery recommends to-morrow morning ; we like 
 the account of him, but Dr. Willis wishes for an 
 interview before he makes an engagement ; he 
 must ask for Jiim, and be told that except to ////;/, 
 he must not say by whom he is recommended, 
 and he must consider himself as Dr. Willis's ser- 
 vant for the time. Let him be here by nine if 
 possible. I could not write upon this subject 
 yesterday. I waited in vain for an hour and 
 a-half in the Doctor's room ; but the Queen was 
 with the King, and of course all the Willises 
 were in waiting. His Majesty saw her at the 
 window when he was walking in the garden, and 
 wanted to go up to her; this could not be al- 
 lowed, so she went down and walked with him 
 for a short time, and then sat by him while he 
 dined. I believe she did not think him better. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 211 
 
 He is not very connected this morning, though 
 his pulse is that of a person in perfect health ; 
 I own I am disheartened, but the Willises say 
 there is no reason for being so, though they 
 lament the numberless circumstances that are 
 a"-ainst them, and which must retard his Majesty's 
 
 recovery. 
 
 " This has been a dreadful day to the poor 
 Queen and the faithful friends who share her sor- 
 rows. You know the Address stated the trust 
 to be reposed in her. The following was her 
 answer, which as I have now time I will tran- 
 scribe, though I have already given you the sub- 
 stance of it. 
 
 '*'My Lords and Gentlemen, — My duty and 
 gratitude to the King, and the sense I must ever 
 entertain of my great obligations to this country, 
 will entirely engage my most earnest attention to 
 the anxious and momentous trust intended to be 
 reposed in me by Parliament. It will be a great 
 consolation to me to receive the aid of a Council, 
 of which I shall stand so much in need, in the 
 discharge of a duty in which the happiness of my 
 future life is indeed deeply interested,^ but which 
 a higher object, the happiness of a great, loyal, 
 and affectionate people, renders still more im- 
 portant.' 
 
 » >) 
 
212 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 From the Earl Harcourt, January 30th, 
 
 Saturday : — 
 
 " There is so much feehng and propriety in the 
 Queen's answer, that I should suppose it was her 
 own composition, and, if so, she writes our lan- 
 guage with more eloquence than the person em- 
 ployed to draw up the Prince of Wales's answer ; 
 for it is cmbrouille in point of style, and the pe- 
 riods unharmonious and ill-turned. I was shewn 
 a copy of it at Gloucester House last night. The 
 Duke of Dorset has had the offer of remaining 
 at Paris. His answer was, that till he received 
 overtures from those who were authorized to treat 
 with him, he could say nothing." 
 
 The Queen and the Prince of Wales' 
 answers having been read on the 31st of 
 January, the Lord- President moved, as the 
 only plan that in the present exigency could 
 be resorted to, that a Committee should 
 be established to open and hold the Par- 
 liament in due form ; which resolution, at 
 a convenient time would be followed by 
 another, for empowering the Royal assent 
 to be given in his Majesty's name to the 
 bill of Regency, by the same or by another 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 213 
 
 T 
 
 Commission ; he therefore moved, that It is 
 expedient and necessary, that letters patent 
 under the Great Seal of Great Britain, be 
 empowered to be issued by the authority 
 of the two Houses of Parliament, in the 
 tenor and form following. Here followed 
 an exact transcript of the writ usually is- 
 sued under the sign manual, empowering 
 certain Commissioners to open and hold the 
 Kincr's Parliament at Westminster. The 
 Commissioners proposed to be named in the 
 present letters patent were the Prince of 
 Wales, the Royal Dukes, and the other 
 persons usually inserted therein. This mo- 
 tion was seconded ; but Lord Porchester " 
 observed, they were now going to do by 
 a pretended Act of Parliament, what should 
 have been done two months sooner by a de- 
 claration of the two Houses; that this ap- 
 plication of the Great Seal was a fiction ; 
 and that, by two Acts of Parliament, the 
 sien manual was essential to the validity 
 of any Act. 
 
 o Afterwards Earl of Carnarvon. 
 
Lord Camden replied, that those Acts 
 were merely affirmative, that is, that they 
 merely assented that Acts so signed were 
 legal, but not that they could not be legal- 
 ized by any other form ; and instanced a pre- 
 cedent in point, that of the twenty-eighth 
 of Elizabeth, which had passed under the 
 Great Seal only, withoitt the sign manual. 
 
 The Duke of York said he would not 
 sanction the proceedings with his name ; 
 his opinion of the system was known ; he 
 deemed the measure proposed, as well as 
 any other that had been taken on the same 
 subject, unconstitutional and illegal, and de- 
 sired that his name, and that of his brother 
 the Prince of Wales, might be left out of 
 the Commission. 
 
 Lord Camden said he should not for a mo- 
 ment resist the Royal Duke's desire, and 
 would readily omit his name and that of 
 the Prince of Wales. The Duke of Cum- 
 berland then desired that his name and 
 the Duke of Gloucester's might also be 
 omitted. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 215 
 
 Some difficulty arose as to the means of 
 complying with these requests, but at last 
 It was settled, that the motion should stand 
 as it was ; and that when reported to the 
 House, Lord Radnor should move as an 
 amendment, that it might appear on the 
 journals, that it was at the desire of the 
 Dukes of York and Cumberland (being pre- 
 sent), that their names and those of the 
 Prince of Wales and the Duke of Gloucester 
 were omitted. 
 
 The resolution, as passed by the Lords, 
 was communicated by Mr. Pitt to the Com- 
 mons on the 2nd of February, for their con- 
 currence therewith. It gave rise to a warm 
 debate, but the resolution was at last agreed 
 to without a division. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, January 31st, 
 Friday : — 
 
 " I have hardly recovered from the affecting 
 scene I went through yesterday, but can have the 
 comfort of telHng you that the King is remark- 
 ably well this morning, and is now walking be- 
 fore the house ; he looks hardly altered. The old 
 
i6 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Doctor has this moment come in, and says he 
 never saw him walk so well." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, February 2nd, 
 
 Sunday : — 
 
 " I hope the visit we have had from the Chan- 
 cellor this morning will be of great use to us, for 
 he seems disposed to enforce the authority of the 
 Willises, and I believe thinks a late inquiry as 
 silly, as it appears wicked to us. I took an oppor- 
 tunity of telling him my tale, but without making 
 a serious business of it ; so if you see him in the 
 House of Lords to-morrow, take no notice of it. 
 I believe (but he says little) that he approves of 
 my letting the business drop." 
 
 From Lord Harcourt, February 3rd, Mon- 
 day : — 
 
 "I was at Gloucester House last night, where 
 I heard nothing, and saw nothing but two Regency 
 Caps which I had not before been near enough 
 to examine. They have the Prince's complete 
 crest : three feathers issuing out of a diamond or 
 pearl coronet, with the simple motto, ' Ich dien.' 
 The motto I had before been told of, was a mis- 
 representation." 
 
 A 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 217 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Monday, Feb- 
 ruary 3rd : — 
 
 " Dr. Reynolds, who always seems to me very 
 cautious, told Lady Charlotte Finch this morn- 
 ing that he thought he saw the King's mmd 
 taking the preliminary steps. Now Warren always 
 speaks as if he thought no such thing could hap- 
 pen, and as if there must at once be a jump from 
 the present state to perfect health, for degrees 
 he admits not of Mrs. Harcourt, in a letter I had 
 from her yesterday, speaks of a report there is, 
 that Warren had been refused admittance to 
 
 the King. 
 
 The true state of the fact is, his Majesty 
 had passed the night very indifferently, but had 
 been in a quiet sleep for about an hour when 
 Warren came. He was told this, and desired not 
 to go in ; he answered, that he would go in, and 
 added, ' Gentlemen, I am a spy upon ye all, and 
 must sec what is going on.' He did go in, and 
 awoke the King, who (to use his favourite words), 
 was for some hours after much disturbed. Could 
 any conduct be more inhuman? I think this 
 passed soon after I came here, and know not 
 why I did not mention it before; for it shews 
 what that man is capable of; but the truth is, 
 I always write in such haste, and am so often in- 
 terrupted when I am writing, that I hardly know 
 
 V f 
 
what I have or have not said. We have now 
 a errand cmlmrras about the Kings going out; the 
 Willises wish it, and go he must ; but the manner 
 is the difficulty ; it is too cold just at present for 
 him to walk, and there is no place where he may 
 go in a carriage, without being in some degree 
 exposed to the observation of the curious. Rich- 
 mond Gardens seem the most eligible ; but even 
 there he must be seen from the terrace, and if 
 he found himself near it he would not be easy 
 without walking upon it. I foresee another dis- 
 tress : the Oueen is not aware that it will be 
 absolutely necessary for one of the Willises to 
 be in the carriage ; she speaks as if only Colonel 
 Greville is to go with him. This must not be ; 
 but I shall say nothing about it, till I see whether, 
 as the moment draws nearer, she may not recol- 
 lect that some person ought to be with him who 
 can check him if he wishes to let down the glasses, 
 or do anything improper. 
 
 "I am not partial to Dundas, but he pleased 
 me this morning by confessing that the last week 
 had been better than any of the preceding ones ; 
 that in his worst hours the King is never nearly 
 so violent as he was formerly, but will listen to 
 advice. Tell me all you can ; every anecdote, 
 every circumstance is interesting to us, and of use, 
 by making some little variety in the conversa- 
 tion, and for a time drawing the Queen's thoughts 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 219 
 
 from the one great object they are usually fixed 
 
 upon. 
 
 *' Half-past three. — I have just returned from the 
 Willises. The King is going on as well as they 
 can wish ; his present employment is drawing 
 plans of houses, which he does methodically and 
 upon a rule, and does not like to be interrupted. 
 You know this was always a favourite amuse- 
 ment, and his returning to it is a good sign. I am 
 diverted with a report about myself, and so will 
 the Queen be ; she is better to-day, and I believe 
 no two persons were ever less disposed to part, 
 though I regret being absent from you." 
 
 From the Earl Harcourt, Tuesday, Feb- 
 ruary 4th : — 
 
 "The first news I heard in my morning walk 
 was, that Mrs. Fitzherbert is to be created a 
 duchess. This cannot be true ; for how can the 
 Reeent make a Peeress when he is restricted from 
 making any Peers. It appears to me an abso- 
 lute impossibility. Mr. Fox will probably now 
 again come forward on the stage, but he cannot 
 ever be a favourite after what has passed. After 
 resisting every effort that has been made use of 
 to induce him to give up the letter which autho- 
 rized him to make the famous declaration he 
 made in Parliament two years ago, he says he 
 
i 
 I 
 
 220 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 17S8-89. 
 
 has lost it. This is not very likely, considering 
 what a very important one it was. I hear that 
 the Prince of Wales has declared that no diffi- 
 culties, no exigence whatever, shall make him 
 forfeit 'the oath he has taken,-^never to employ 
 Mr. Pitt for his Minister ; an oath, however, not 
 very alarming, as sooner or later Kings of Eng- 
 land must employ such men as can transact the 
 national business, whether they like them or not. 
 Witness the Prince's great grandflither, who hated 
 the late Lord Chatham as heartily as he can pos- 
 sibly detest his son. They say that no ladies, 
 except such as wear the distinguishing ' Cap,' are 
 spoken to." 
 
 On this day (February 3rd), the Speaker, 
 with the Commons, being at the bar of the 
 House of Lords, the Earl of Bathurst, in 
 the absence of the Chancellor, acquainted 
 them that the illness of his Majesty made it 
 necessary that a Commission in his name 
 should pass the Great Seal ; the Clerk read 
 It, and then Lord Bathurst opened the cause 
 of their meeting, and stated the objects for 
 which they were to provide. When the 
 Commons returned to their House, Mr. Pitt 
 moved for leave to bring in a Bill to pro- 
 
 vide for the care of the King s person, and 
 for the administration of the Royal autho- 
 rity during his illness ; leave being given, 
 the bill was brought in, and read without 
 a debate on the following day, and com- 
 mitted. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, February 4th, 
 Wednesday : — 
 
 " I did not write to you yesterday as I heard 
 you were at the House of Lords. The King con- 
 tinued so well, that in the evening the Queen 
 and Princess Mary passed an hour with him, and 
 her Majesty returned more delighted than I have 
 ever seen her after any of her visits. She said he 
 was calm and collected. Twice she believes he 
 was going to say something wrong, but he put his 
 hand upon his mouth, and said Miush,' and then 
 in a moment spoke propedy. He slept near seven 
 hours last night, and awoke composed ; he walked 
 out this morning more than two hours, ate a good 
 dinner when he returned, and is just gone out 
 again. Our spirits and hopes are much revived, 
 but the Chancellor's illness at this time is very 
 unfortunate ; he was to have come here to-day, 
 so was Mr. Pitt. The first sent word he was not 
 
222 Memoirs of the Years 17SS-S9. 
 
 well enough. I do not know what prevents 
 the other." 
 
 From Earl Harcourt, Wednesday, Feb- 
 ruary 4th : — 
 
 "The improved state of the King's health, I 
 believe, causes no small confusion amongst the 
 Opposition. They say Mr. Titt is to remain in 
 (to be suffered, is the expression) till the Mutiny 
 Bill, and the Land and Malt Taxes are passed, 
 and I suspect they now wish to delay the business 
 they appeared so eager to settle ; for their own ar- 
 raneements are not made, nor can they be so, for 
 Vice-Treasurers of Ireland may possibly grow 
 cautious of accepting offices that require a long 
 and expensive journey, and for which they must 
 risk their seats in Parliament ; and lose them at 
 last (perhaps) without gaining any lucrative em- 
 ployment to discharge the cost of a re-election. 
 
 ** I hear Lord Spencer has taken alarm about 
 the Vice-royalty, which originally he accepted 
 very reluctantly; he is obliged to make more 
 and handsomer plate than what he inherited, 
 though his mother gave up her service to him 
 
 in addition. 
 
 ** Old O.P is gone to Paris, and has left behind 
 
 p Duke of Queensbury. 
 
 
 him a legitimate claim to wit, which I never could 
 have supposed he would have been entitled to. 
 Three or four ladies having attacked him at once 
 upon his political apostacy : ' How,' said he, ' can 
 one poor solitary rat defend himself against so 
 
 many cats ? ' 
 
 " I must be just enough to own that Warren's 
 acknowledgment of the improved state of the 
 Kinjr's health is fair, candid, and open ; and the 
 remarks he has made upon the present stage of 
 the disorder judicious, and highly necessary to be 
 observed. What may be his motives for acting 
 as he now does, I am sure I cannot pretend to 
 guess, but I hope for his sake that a respect to 
 truth gave rise to it. The removal of this man 
 is expected, but when the time for taking such 
 a measure does come, it will be productive of 
 much disapprobation, and of every species of 
 abuse, which in some measure his late conduct 
 
 may justify. 
 
 *' It is said that old O. is sent to Paris to desire 
 the Due D'Orleans to speak less openly of what 
 
 relates to the P and Mrs. F . That he has 
 
 been sent thither is indeed more than probable, 
 for he has been more in the secret of that mys- 
 terious business than anybody, and more in the 
 confidence of the parties ; for Mrs. F 's settle- 
 ment is an annuity payable out of his estate ; 
 which circumstance being now known, it is justly 
 
supposed that he might possibly, be asked dis- 
 agreeable questions by Lord Abingdon, or some 
 other Peer in Parliament ; and therefore had bet- 
 ter be out of the way of such enquiries." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, February 5th, 
 Thursday : — 
 
 " The Queen and Princess Sophia were an hour 
 with the King yesterday evening. He was very 
 calm, though rather in high spirits ; he had five 
 hours' sleep in the night, and lay so quiet for two 
 more, that they were uncertain whether he was 
 awake or not. At eleven he went into Richmond 
 Gardens, where for two hours he was so well 
 that not a look, word, or action, would have led 
 any one to suspect his situation. He earned the 
 Willises into the tea-room ; shewed them Hogarth s 
 prints, with which they were unacquainted, and 
 explained them all with method and composure. 
 He took up a book of plays, and read a witty 
 prologue with judgment. At the menagerie, he 
 asked very proper questions, and was then return- 
 ing home ; his walk was however prolonged half- 
 an-hour, and he unluckily met the shepherd-boy, 
 who not being properly prepared, answered his en- 
 quiry of how many men were at work, by saying, 
 'None' 'Good God,' he cried, 'then those poor 
 creatures must be in distress ; must they starve 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 225 
 
 because I have been ill ? I will have them all 
 sent for and set to work again, for I am well now. 
 This idea dwelt upon his mind, which, even m his 
 present state, feels its accustomed benevolence. 
 However, he was satisfied that they would be sent 
 for and came in composed, declaring that he had 
 not passed so happy a morning since his illness 
 began. I conclude he will go out again pre- 
 sently ; the air is certainly of more use to h.m 
 
 than anything. 
 
 "The Willises are in ecstacies to-day. /i 
 younger son of the Doctor's (the same who wrote 
 the letter I repeated to you the other day) is the 
 author of the Epigram. 
 
 " I will read the speeches you recommend, ine 
 Opposition must be distressed to find a Viceroy 
 if they can think of Lord Pelham. I do not think 
 the Duke of Dorset will joir^ the new Admin- 
 istration, but surely we may now hope there will 
 be no occasion to form one." 
 
 Mr. Burke attacked the principles of the 
 Bill, when it was read the second time in 
 the House of Commons, with a warmth that 
 caused him to be called to order. This was 
 on the 6th of February ; on the following 
 day, the 7th of February, Mr. Burke agam 
 
 ti g 
 
226 Memoirs of the Years 178S-89. 
 
 objected, without effect, to several of the 
 thirty-two clauses of which the Bill consists. 
 On the seventh clause bein^ read, which 
 provides against the Prince of Wales's not 
 residing in England, or marrying a papist, 
 Mr. Rolle rose, and mentioned the rumour 
 that had formerly prevailed of his Royal 
 Highnesses marriage, and concluded by mov- 
 ing, that the words, or lu/w is — or shall be, 
 married in laiv — or in fact, to a papist — shall 
 be added. This occasioned much altercation, 
 in which the mover was answered with 
 great asperity by Lord North, Mr. Sheridan, 
 Mr. Grey, and Mr. Courtney. Mr. Wilson 
 Ellis desired the Royal Act to be read, by 
 which it is enacted that the marriages of 
 any of the descendants of George II. shall 
 not be valid without the Royal assent. He 
 stated that it was a full answer to all cavils, 
 as that could not be valid in fact that was 
 not good in law. The amendment was ne- 
 gatived without a division. Some of the 
 other clauses brought forward that day were 
 opposed, but carried. 
 
 t ' 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 227 
 
 On the 9th of February, Monday, the 
 twelfth clause was read, when Mr. Anstruther 
 expressed doubts as to the safety of the 
 Kings private property, unless a Commis- 
 sion should be appointed to empower the 
 Queen, the Princes of the blood, the Lord 
 Chancellor, the Chief Justice, and the Great 
 Officers of State to take care of it. Mr. Pitt 
 answered, he was satisfied it would be safe 
 in the hands it was already deposited in. 
 
 When the fourteenth clause was read, it 
 was urged that the expenses of the House- 
 hold micrht be diminished. Mr. Pitt replied 
 that his Majesty's situation rather tended to 
 increase than lessen them. 
 
 The sixteenth clause, relating to the King s 
 privy purse, was opposed on the ground of 
 the impropriety of refusing to the Prince, 
 who was to support the dignity of the Crown, 
 the power of disposing of the amount of it. 
 ;^6o,ooo was the sum granted to the King 
 for his privy purse, soon after his accession, 
 as a compensation for his giving up the 
 demesnes of the Crown ; and out of this it 
 
2 28 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 was proposed by the clause in question, to 
 give the Queen ;^ 16,000 per annum. This, 
 it was urged by Opposition, was for pur- 
 poses unknown to Pariiament, and they cen- 
 sured the idea of locking up the remainder 
 during the continuance of his Majesty's ill- 
 ness. On the other side, the clause was 
 supported on the plea of the propriety of 
 not suspending the King's benefactions ; and 
 of not seizing the moment of his calamity 
 to strip him of his property. Out of the 
 ;^i 6,000 to be given to the Queen, ^^ 12,000 
 was to pay a list of charities settled by the 
 King, and the other ;^4,ooo to enable her 
 to assist persons who were not on that list, 
 but who, she knew, received charities to that 
 amount. Sir William Molesworth thought 
 they ought to agree to the sum proposed to 
 be taken for benevolent purposes, but that 
 the residue should be paid to the Prince's 
 treasurer. The House divided, and the 
 clause passed. 
 
 The twenty-seventh was then read; Mr. 
 Powis objected to the part of it that gave 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 229 
 
 her Majesty power over the Household. 
 He condemned it as a division of influence 
 with the Executive Government, that was 
 inadmissible ; that, and the restraining the 
 Prince from creating Peers, not only gave 
 a dano-erous control over the two Houses, 
 but put it into irresponsible hands. After 
 arguing upon tlie mischief that might attend 
 such a^'measure, he moved an amendment to 
 the preamble of that clause, leaving it open 
 for future revision. Mr. Pitt consented to 
 this, and said that in the whole course of 
 the business, one of the principles he had 
 invariably maintained was, that the whole 
 of the Bill ought ever to be kept open to 
 the future revision of Parliament, and to any 
 alterations it might be expedient to make. 
 
 Sir Peter Burrell " objected to the patron- 
 age being so loosely worded and given, that it 
 was impossible to ascertain the amount of it. 
 Mr. Pitt answered that the whole was about 
 /200,ooo per annum ; that of this one half 
 went to the payment of tradesmen's bills ; 
 
 1 Afterwards Lord Gwydir. 
 
{. 
 i 
 
 230 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 that the salaries of the Household, from the 
 highest officer to the lowest turn-spit, did 
 not amount to more than the other / 100,000. 
 Of that sum about ^30,000 was received 
 for salaries by members of the two Houses 
 of Parliament. There wxre seven in the 
 House of Commons whose salaries amounted 
 to about ^4,000 per annum, and eio-hteen 
 Lords in the other House whose salaries he 
 estimated at about ^20,000. Such influence 
 he could not conceive likely to produce any 
 considerable alteration in the system of 
 economy adopted in the present exigency. 
 Mr. Burke and Lord North objected, on 
 the old ground of her Majesty having any 
 share in the Executive Government. They 
 thought that dividing that power would be 
 unconstitutional and dangerous, and feared 
 it might operate as a pernicious precedent. 
 There was a majority of fifty-five in favour 
 of the clause as it stood. 
 
 On the clause relating to the Queen's 
 Council being read, Mr. Pitt proposed that 
 it should consist of the Great Officers of the 
 
 Household, viz. the Lord Chamberlain, the 
 Lord Steward, the Master of the Horse, 
 and the Groom of the Stole for the time 
 beino-; to whom should be added, John, 
 Archbishop of Canterbury; Edward, Lord 
 Thurlow, Lord Chancellor; William, Arch- 
 bishop of York; and Lloyd, Lord Kenyon, 
 Lord Chief Justice. He meant that the four 
 last should be appointed Councillors by name, 
 and not as persons filling, for the time being, 
 tlie stations they now hold. The Council 
 was objected to on account of the omission 
 of Princes of the blood, and on that of the 
 nomination being In some instances personal, 
 and in others official ; and because some 
 other eminent persons were left out, whose 
 situations made them fit subjects to be 
 chosen. 
 
 Lord Graham advised that there was no 
 necessity for inserting the names of the 
 Princes of the blood, as her Majesty could 
 at all times procure their advice; and he 
 thought respect to them might prevent those 
 actlnof as Commissioners under the Great 
 
232 Memoirs of tpie Years 1788-89. 
 
 Seal, from putting them into situations which 
 would reader them responsible to Parlia- 
 ment, and mio^ht cause them to be brouq-ht 
 to the bar of that House, to answer for the 
 discharge of the trust reposed in them. 
 
 Colonel Phipps said that another strong 
 reason for omitting the names of the Princes 
 was, that the two Houses having agreed that 
 the Regent would not have the custody of 
 the royal person, those ought not to be ap- 
 pointed Councillors to the Queen who might 
 be supposed to be as much at the devotion 
 of his Royal Highness ; and, for the same 
 reason, it was not proper that the two Arch- 
 bishops, the Chancellor, and the Chief Jus- 
 tice for the time being should be named ; for 
 then, in case of any change, the Regent would 
 have the nomination of Councillors to advise 
 the Queen about the care of the King's per- 
 son, with which he was not to interfere ; 
 the Officers of the Household in right of 
 their offices might be appointed, because the 
 Bill had put them entirely under the control 
 of her Majesty, who could alone remove 
 
 them. And Mr. Phipps added, that it was 
 held a principle in law, that in all cases, 
 those who by their proximity could be sup- 
 posed to have any possible interest in the suc- 
 cession, were for that reason excluded from 
 the care of the principle if he required 
 being taken care of. This, therefore, was 
 a co^iclusive reason why the Princes of the 
 blood should not be allowed to have any 
 participation in the Council appointed to ad- 
 vise the Queen, which in its nature, of course, 
 included the care of the King's person. 
 
 The names of the Lord Mayor of London, 
 and of the Chief Justice of the Common 
 Pleas, were those that the Opposition wanted 
 to have added ; the omission of the latter was 
 strongly animadverted upon, and Ministers 
 were^accused of looking to the politics of 
 men, as the criterion of their qualifications 
 for the trust to be vested in them. A divi- 
 sion took place, on a motion made by Lord 
 North that the Duke of York should be one 
 of the Queen's Council, which was negatived 
 by a riiajority of fifty-three. Prince Wil- 
 
 H h 
 
a 
 
 I 
 
 If'"" 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 ! . 
 
 liam , Prince Edward ^ the Dukes of Glou- 
 cester and Cumberland, were also proposed 
 and negatived, as were proposals for naming 
 the Speaker of the House of Commons, and 
 the Lord Mayor of London. 
 
 The twenty-sixth clause provided for the 
 resumption of the royal authority and govern- 
 ment by his ]\Lajesty. Mr. Pitt said, that 
 though the right of resumption did not de- 
 pend on the votes of eidier House of Parlia- 
 ment, yet as the King of this country was 
 not capable of doing any act of State by 
 himself, but was obliged to make use of 
 the medium of persons responsible to the 
 laws for such act; so, in the present case, 
 the bare consciousness of his Majesty that 
 his incapacity was removed, ought not to 
 be admitted as a proof of the fact, but 
 he should employ some organ known to 
 the country to satisfy the people of so de- 
 sirable an event. It would not be reasonable 
 that he should be obliged to resort to the 
 political servants of the Regency to desire 
 
 ' Afterwards Dukes of Clarence and Kent. 
 
 them to take the proper steps for restoring 
 him to power ; for the servants of a Go- 
 vernment that would be destroyed by such 
 a measure, were certainly not the most fit 
 to carry it into execution. His proposal, 
 therefore, was, that as soon as it should 
 appear to the eight Councillors of the Queen 
 that his Majesty's health was restored, they 
 should signify it, under their hands, to the 
 political servants of the Regency, who should 
 be bound to record the presentment in the 
 Council Books; to signify it to the Lord 
 Mayor of London; and afterwards to^the 
 public in the " London Gazette." The King 
 should then summon a number of such mem- 
 bers of the Privy Council as had belonged 
 to it before his indisposition, or had been 
 added to it by the Regent. The number he 
 should propose would be nine. These, sit- 
 ting in Council with his Majesty, would 
 have an opportunity of judging whether his 
 incapacity was really removed or not ; and, 
 should six of them be of opinion that it 
 was, then a proclamation, signed by the 
 
I 
 
 King, and countersigned by these six Privy 
 Councillors, notifying his Majesty's capacity, 
 should immediately be published, and in- 
 stantly all the power of the Regent should 
 cease and be determined. These six per- 
 sons should be responsible for the opinion 
 thus given under their hands, and that re- 
 sponsibility would be the people's security 
 that the trust reposed in these persons would 
 not be abused. Having said this, he moved 
 that a blank left for the names of those 
 Councillors should be filled up with the 
 word ''nine." 
 
 Mr. Powis replied, that of all the measures 
 the right honourable gentleman had pro- 
 posed in the course of this unprecedented 
 business, this was the most extraordinary. 
 He had first maintained that Parliament had 
 a right to settle everything relating to the 
 present exigency; he now abandoned that 
 principle, and did not intend to suffer the 
 interference of Parliament in the restoration 
 of the King to his authority. He thought 
 the public would not have much conhdence 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 237 
 
 in the responsibility of the nine Privy Coun- 
 cillors, picked and chosen from their col- 
 leacrues in the manner proposed. What, he 
 aslTed, would be the nature of their respon- 
 sibility ? Their grounds for declaring the 
 King restored to health could not be ascer- 
 tained, and if they were wrong, it could not 
 be proved whether they were so wilfully, or 
 from an error in judgment. Of what use 
 then, would a responsibility be, that would 
 not draw down upon them the punishment 
 and vengeance of the law, because it would 
 be impossible to bring such proof as might 
 shew that it was not from error, but design, 
 that they had deceived the public. 
 
 Mr. Sheridan strongly urged the necessity 
 of the King's capacity to resume the Go- 
 vernn^ent being ascertained by Parliament 
 rather than by the Queen's Council, and ob- 
 served, that, by the present Bill, everything 
 that may be done by his Majesty durmg 
 his incapacity was declared to be invalid 
 and of none effect. Now, should it be re- 
 solved by the nine Privy Councillors during 
 
238 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 the recess of Parliament that he was capable 
 of resuming the Government, the most seri- 
 ous consequences might ensue ; for, before 
 the two Houses could meet to ascertain the 
 fact, the Great Seal might be put to a Com- 
 mission of Regency, that would put it out 
 of their power to interfere any more should 
 his Majesty relapse ; and thus these Council- 
 lors, whether from error or desien, would 
 be the means of making an incapable King 
 establish a Government which Parliament 
 could not afterwards overturn. 
 
 A clause to remedy this objection was 
 proposed by Mr. Marsham ^ but rejected. 
 Mr. Powys then moved that the physicians 
 should be examined upon oath by the 
 Queen's Council. This was also negatived. 
 Mr. Sheridan again urged the necessity of 
 Parliamentary investigation on the recovery 
 of his Majesty, and moved that the Reeent 
 should be obliged, if it should take place, 
 to notify it to Parliament. The House 
 
 » Afterwards Lord Romney. 
 
 i 
 
 divided upon this motion, and there was 
 a majority of sixty-eight against it. 
 
 The Committee having gone through the 
 whole Bill, the report was brought up and 
 agreed to, and the third reading ordered 
 for the next day, Thursday, February 12th; 
 when two clauses were prepared, one by 
 Mr. Pulteney, limiting the restrictions rela- 
 tive to the creation of Peers to three years, 
 which was adopted ; the other, by Mr. Wil- 
 liam Smith, reserving to the Regent the 
 power, in certain cases, of giving the Royal 
 assent to a Bill, or Bills, for the relief of 
 Dissenters from the Church of England, was 
 withdrawn. The Bill then passed, and was 
 ordered to be carried up to the Lords. 
 
 On the 17th, the Regency Bill, having 
 passed in that House through the previous 
 steps without opposition, was committed, 
 after two new clauses were added to it ; the 
 first, placing all the palaces, houses, parks, 
 gardens, &c., possessed by his Majesty, under 
 the control and management of the Queen ; 
 the second, committing to her the care of 
 
mm 
 
 mi^i$imi/ m7^V*^^F9 
 
 all the Royal offspring under the age of 
 
 twenty-one. 
 
 I would not interrupt my account of the 
 dissensions that took place in Parliament 
 upon the Regency Bill, by reverting to what 
 was passing at Kew ; from whence, on Satur- 
 day, the 7th of February, I was able to in- 
 form my Lord, that the King had passed the 
 preceding day much better than any day 
 since his first seizure. He was good-hu- 
 moured, quiet, asked for his medicines him- 
 self, and in the evening played five games 
 at backeammon with perfect composure, and 
 perfectly well. I saw some directions he 
 wrote about a Commission; nothing could 
 be clearer, more concise, or better expressed. 
 The night was good ; for, when he did not 
 sleep, he was quite tranquil. I have this 
 instant returned from a long conference 
 with Dr. Willis, who assures me that the 
 Kine is still better than he was yesterday ; 
 that he has every symptom that attends 
 those who recover, and no^ one that attends 
 those who do not. In his own mind he has 
 
 ';'_T' 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 241 
 
 not a doubt as to the state of convalescence. 
 He has this morning had a conversation 
 of three hours with his Majesty, who had 
 hardly ever rambled in the course of that 
 time, but had given him accounts of various 
 things that had happened at Cheltenham 
 and in other places. Some of these Willis 
 repeated, and the King seems to have ex- 
 pressed himself in the same words I have 
 heard him use when speaking on the same 
 subjects. 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Feb. 8th :— 
 
 " Prepare yourself, my dear Lord, for hearing 
 me abused ; the storm is gatliering ; a complaint, 
 and that a strong one, is already made of my re- 
 maining in the room the other day when certam 
 persons wanted to see the Queen aioue; and her 
 reply will not lessen their displeasure, but I care 
 little about it. The scene of happiness we have 
 had this morning would have rejoiced your feel- 
 ing heart, and I am now firmly persuaded that 
 a short time will perfectly restore the Kmg s 
 health. When I had written thus far I went down 
 to Dr Willis's room, and upon my enquiring after 
 his Majesty, Thomas Willis said, ' I almost won- 
 
 I 1 
 
 . '1 
 
242 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 der you ask now ; we can only answer, ' better and 
 better.' He has been walking in Richmond Gar- 
 dens, and we, instead of stopping the works, sent 
 to all the men to go on, that the King might have 
 the pleasure of seeing them, for we knew he would 
 neither say nor do anything wrong. As he came 
 near them he said he was much pleased to see 
 them, and we think it best to accustom him by 
 degrees to seeing people. He now speaks of his 
 old system as having been a bad one, and de- 
 clares his resolution of keeping more quiet, and 
 being less abstemious in future ; in short, it would 
 be endless to attempt telling you how right he is 
 growing upon every subject." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, February 9th : — 
 
 " You will rejoice to hear that the Queen and 
 Princesses found the King remarkably well yes- 
 terday evening, and that he has had a good night. 
 When I went down as usual to the physicians 
 at their breakfast-hour, I said to Warren, ' Sir, 
 her Majesty desires to know how you found the 
 King this morning.*^' 
 
 " Dr. Warren. — ' His Majesty, madam, has had 
 a good night, and is very composed.* 
 
 " Dr. Reynolds. — ' I never saw the King near 
 so well.* 
 
 " Dr. Warren. — * Part of his Majesty's conver- 
 
 liMlMii*' 
 
 sation was very good ; part shewed marks of his 
 
 complaint.' 
 
 " Dr. Reynolds.—' I never saw the King so near 
 
 being himself.' 
 
 " Does not this little dialogue tell a great deal ? 
 Warren entirely lowered his note, and Reynolds 
 said all he dared. Thomas Willis followed me 
 out of the room, and told me that the King is 
 perfectly sane ; that the only thing Warren could 
 ground an idea of anything wrong upon was, 
 a question he asked him about a message he 
 has for this fortnight wanted him to carry to the 
 Chancellor, and about which Warren has kept up 
 his illusion by always promising to do it. The 
 old Doctor is jumping about the house, and can- 
 not command his joy, and you will easily believe 
 that we are all in high spirits ; but to the world 
 you had better only say, that your accounts are 
 particularly good ; for, as a relapse is possible, 
 we would not give our enemies a greater triumph 
 by seeming too secure. The King talked of you 
 last night, and said he concluded you attended 
 Lady Cecilia to the Opera as usual. He asked 
 after my cold in the kindest manner ; adding, he 
 hoped it was not so bad as one I had at Chelt- 
 enham. He expressed having more pleasure m 
 reading than ever he had, and said he should not 
 dispute with me about Poetry again, for that he 
 was growing to like it as well as I could do. You 
 
 1 
 
 
will see no symptom of a deranged mind in this 
 account." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Tuesday, Feb- 
 ruary loth : — - 
 
 "'Oh, I never saw the King so well since his 
 illness began as he is this evening.' This was 
 the Queen's joyous exclamation as she entered 
 the room after her visit last night ; to which she 
 added, * there has not been a look or word un- 
 like himself/ The Princesses spoke of him in the 
 same manner. The night was good, and in answer 
 to my enquiry this morning, Sir George Baker 
 said, * I have the pleasure, madam, of being able 
 to desire you to inform her Majesty that I have 
 never found the King so well as he, is to-day.' To 
 which Reynolds added, ' I have never seen him 
 so like himself.' 
 
 " I shall send this by the messenger, for I can 
 but half enjoy the happiness I feci until you share 
 it with me ; but I must not omit telling you, that 
 as his reasoning faculties return, his mind opens 
 to the ideas that must naturally arise in it. He 
 now enquires how business has been carried on 
 during his illness ; what his sons have done, &c. ; 
 but he asks these questions without agitation, 
 and acquiesces in the propriety of his not dwell- 
 ing upon such subjects at present. If he goes on 
 
 
 gaining ground as fast as he has done the last 
 two or three days, Mr. Fox will hardly have time 
 to be re-elected for Westminster, or the fine ladies 
 to wear out their Regency Caps." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, February loth, even- 
 ing :— 
 
 " Though I wrote to you this morning, as I have 
 an opportunity of sending a letter, I cannot resist 
 telling you that when the King went out this 
 morning Willis ordered his man to keep at a dis- 
 tance, and said he should hardly object to his 
 walking quite alone." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, February nth, 
 
 Wednesday : — 
 
 "The Queen has employed the Princess Royal 
 to find out my wishes about returning home, not 
 thinking it reasonable to detain me, now that the 
 state of things is so much improved, if my pro- 
 longing my stay should be attended with any 
 inconvenience to you or myself. I answered, 
 that though nothing should have induced me to 
 leave her in the distress she was in some time 
 ago, I would not deny that, now her mind was 
 more at ease, I felt that I ought to return to you, 
 after having been absent from you more than twice 
 as long as I ever had been in my life. I added. 
 
T:'>-':> -^ 
 
 246 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 that I knew you wished to have me at home 
 again, though, from attachment to her, you would 
 not ask for me to be dismissed. In consequence 
 of this conversation, I think you may expect to 
 see me very soon. 
 
 " I have just been with the physicians ; Warren 
 said, ' The King is better, there was nothing the 
 least wrong while I was with him this mornino- 
 His bodily health has gradually improved for the 
 last fortnight ; but Saturday was the day I was 
 most favourably struck with the change in his 
 countenance. I must however observe, that it 
 is the most critical moment in his disorder, the 
 greatest care and quietness are necessary ; all ideas, 
 of business should be kept from him, at least 
 they should not be presented to him, and if they 
 occur to him they should be got rid of as soon 
 as possible.' Sir Lucas Pepys confirmed all that 
 the other had said. I have given you his very 
 words as neariy as I can. Old Willis whispered 
 to me as I went out of the room, ' The Kin^ is 
 well, but we must not say so.' His sons told me 
 afterwards, that there was only a shade of deli- 
 rium left, that they had said so to his Majesty, 
 and convinced him of the necessity of the utmost 
 care to remove it. This care he now seems on 
 all occasions desirous of taking, and to you I will 
 own that I am not clear whether the shade they 
 talk of may not be merely his own natural man- 
 
 ner, which being different from that of the gene- 
 rality of the worid, and very unlike what they 
 may expect from a King, may perhaps be con- 
 sidered by them as some remains of disorder. 
 Confine the answers you give to enquiries, to say- 
 ing, that your accounts are better and better ; it 
 is important that just at present his Majesty 
 should not be thought TOO well. I will tell you 
 w/ij when we meet. If the business in Pariia- 
 ment is not likely to be over very soon, I think 
 I shall be desired to stay a little longer. We 
 are to-day very uneasy at an intimation we have 
 received that one of Willis's men is in the pay 
 of Charles Fox. God knows what mischief this 
 may produce should it prove true." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Thursday, 
 
 February 12th : — 
 
 '' The bulletin will tell you that the King con- 
 tinued in a state of progressive amendment since 
 the account of yesterday. Sir George Baker's 
 expression to me this morning was, ' I have the 
 pleasure to inform you that his Majesty is a great 
 deal better.' Gisbourne gave the same account, 
 and what confirms it to me is, that the King said 
 himself last night, ' I must indeed be well, since 
 Warren allows that I am better.' Of course, this 
 remark must not be repeated. 
 
248 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 "Thursday evening. — I was eager this morn- 
 ing to tell you what I had heard from Baker and 
 Gisbourne, but you will observe that I did not 
 name the Willises. I have now had an interview, 
 and am sorrry to tell you that Thomas Willis 
 says that his father, his brother, and himself, do 
 not think the King quite so well to-day as he was 
 yesterday, but he added, ' it is only a shade, and 
 so slight a one, that we think the Queen and 
 Princesses will not perceive it ;' as to the opinion 
 of the physicians, he says, that * as they could not 
 see when he was a little better, it is not extraordi- 
 nary that they should not see when he is a little 
 worse' The King returned from his walk rather 
 more irritable than he has been for some days, 
 but that the Willises do not mind, they rather 
 think he has a slight cold that may heat him 
 a httle ; and besides, as they justly remark, no 
 man is always in the same temper. 
 
 " I felt encouraged by the good account I had 
 heard in the morning, to mention to the Queen, 
 during our airing, my return home. Nothing 
 could be kinder than she was about it ; she said 
 she should be very sorry to part with me, but as 
 her mind was now more at ease, she felt that she 
 ought not to detain me any longer from you. 
 I have therefore written to Lady Effingham * (who 
 has been very desirous to be sent for) to come 
 
 ' First Lady of the Bedchamber. 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 249 
 
 here on Saturday, and I think nothing is likely 
 to prevent our meeting on that day." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt, Kew, Friday, Feb. 
 1 3th :— 
 
 "Let the coach be here by twelve to-morrow. 
 If I do not attend the Queen in her airing, I 
 shall be at home by one ; if I do, not till three. 
 I have promised that my absence shall be a short 
 one. This has been a busy morning ; the Princes 
 and Mr. Pitt have been here, and I must in haste 
 finish what I hope will be my last letter." 
 
 I left Kew on the following day, and on 
 the next Colonel Digby wrote to me from 
 thence, and said : — 
 
 ''After you left us yesterday, I saw our good 
 King in everything nearly himself, nothing in- 
 correct, but his manner in some small degree 
 hurried, which you know was not unusual before 
 his illness. I felt very well satisfied with all he 
 said, and everything since has passed well. The 
 Prince of Wales has signified a wish to visit him, 
 but his Majesty has desired to postpone the inter- 
 view for a few days, till after he shall again have 
 seen the Chancellor. Warren has written this, 
 he, Gisbourne, and Willis, have signed it, and the 
 
 K k 
 
 HH 
 
u._- 
 
 250 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Queen has enclosed it to the Prince. I have been 
 writing letters for Willis, and been completely 
 hurried all day. Adieu." 
 
 From Lady Charlotte Finch, Kew, Mon- 
 day evening, Feb. 16 : — 
 
 " I have delivered your letter to the Queen, she 
 orders me to thank you for it, and assure you that 
 she is pretty well. The King continues as yester- 
 day, that is, as near well as possible, without being 
 quite so. You will be pleased to hear that the 
 Queen walked with him this morning, and that 
 I was made happier than I really can express, by 
 a few very gracious and connected words I had 
 from him. I was standing at a window that 
 looked into the garden, and he called me to open 
 it, that he might speak to me. The Princesses 
 send their love, and join with me in regretting 
 that you have left us." 
 
 On Friday the 20th of February, as soon 
 as the Lords were assembled, the Chancellor 
 rose ; and, after observing that it had ap- 
 peared from the official accounts of the phy- 
 sicians that his Majesty had for some time 
 been in a state of convalescence, he in- 
 formed them, that the accounts just received 
 
 i 
 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 251 
 
 conveyed the happy intelligence that the 
 improvement continued to be progressive ; 
 which he was sure would be highly gratify- 
 ing to every man in the kingdom. In this 
 situation of things he conceived that they 
 could not possibly proceed with the Bill be- 
 fore them, and he therefore moved that their 
 Lordships do adjourn to Tuesday, February 
 
 the 24th. 
 
 Before the question was put, the Duke of 
 York said, he trusted their Lordships would 
 do him the justice to believe, that no one in 
 that House could feel equal pleasure with 
 himself at the favourable account the noble 
 Lord on the Woolsack had given, and the 
 motion he had made, in which his Royal 
 Highness assured them he heartily concurred. 
 He added, that he should have had great 
 satisfaction in making the same communica- 
 tion to the House, if he had been enabled to 
 do it from any certain information ; he said 
 he had thought it his duty on the preceding 
 day, in consequence of the favourable re- 
 ports given to the public, to request to be 
 
^mm 
 
 m»m«mm 
 
 ti 
 
 252 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 admitted into his Majesty's presence, but 
 that from some reasons that were no doubt 
 very justifiable, it had not been thought right 
 to allow him that satisfaction. His Royal 
 Highness declared, that though he had not 
 had any immediate communication with his 
 brother on the subject of the present motion, 
 he was convinced that he felt equal if not 
 greater pleasure than himself, in the hope 
 of his Majesty's recovery ; as it would re- 
 lieve him from the embarrassment of the 
 situation in which the Bill would have placed 
 him, and which nothing, but a strong sense 
 of his duty to the public, would have in- 
 duced him to undertake. 
 
 On Saturday, February the 21st, I re- 
 turned to Kew. The countenances of the 
 Oueen and Princesses were alone sufficient 
 to prove the happy improvement that had 
 taken place in the King's health, during the 
 week I had been absent. They told me he 
 had for the last two or three days come up- 
 stairs to visit them ; and, while we were 
 talking, one of the pages opened the door, 
 
 I 
 
 ^ 
 
 and I heard Colonel Digby tell the King as 
 they came along the passage, that he would 
 find me with the Oueen. He answered, 
 '' Oh, how glad I shall be to see her," and, 
 as soon as he came into the room, he em- 
 braced me with the affection of a brother ; 
 and, in the kindest manner, expressed his 
 pleasure at finding me with the Queen. I 
 stayed some time with their Majesties, and 
 everything the King said convinced me that 
 he was quite well. He continued to be 
 so, and on Tuesday, the 24th of February, 
 the Chancellor informed the House of Lords 
 that he had on that day attended his Ma- 
 jesty by his own express command, and had 
 found him perfectly recovered ; but that in 
 order to bring the pressure of public affairs 
 as gradually as possible before his mind, he 
 should propose an adjournment to the Mon- 
 day following. 
 
 On that day the House again adjourned 
 to Thursday, the 5th of March, when the 
 Lords were informed by the Chancellor that 
 his Majesty would signify his pleasure to 
 
B PJj i ' ' in \i i ,m 
 
 254 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 255 
 
 both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, 
 March the loth ; on which day, the Com- 
 mons, with their Speaker at their head, 
 being at the bar of the House of Lords, 
 the Chancellor stated that the King, not 
 thinking it then fit to be present in per- 
 son, had caused a Commission to be issued, 
 authorisino- the Commissioners, who had been 
 appointed by former letters patent, to hold 
 that Parliament, and to open and declare 
 certain further causes for holding the same. 
 
 The Commission being read, the Chan- 
 cellor addressed the two Houses in the 
 name of the Commissioners, and informed 
 them that his Majesty having recovered 
 from his late severe indisposition, and being 
 again enabled to attend to the public affairs 
 of his kingdom, had commanded them to 
 convey his warmest acknowledgments to 
 Parliament, for the additional proofs he had 
 received of affectionate attachment to his 
 person, of anxious concern for the honour 
 and dignity of his crown, and for the secu- 
 rity and good government of his dominions. 
 
 The Chancellor added, that he was further 
 commanded by his Majesty to acquaint them 
 with the treaty of defensive alliance signed 
 with the King of Prussia, &c. ; and to in- 
 form the House of Commons that the esti- 
 mates for the current year would forthwith 
 be laid before them. 
 
 An Address of Congratulation was moved 
 in the House of Lords by the Earl of Ches- 
 terfield, and seconded by Lord Cathcart ; 
 and in the Commons, by Earl Gower and 
 Mr. York. Some doubts were expressed by 
 Earl Stanhope as to the regularity of their 
 proceedings, from their not having the King s 
 recovery ascertained in the manner pro- 
 posed in the Regency Bill ; but they were 
 overruled by the Chancellor. 
 
 In the Lower House, Mr. Fox observed, 
 that though the praise bestowed in his Ma- 
 jesty's speech on the proceedings of the two 
 Houses, appeared to be designed to prevent 
 his joining in the Address, yet he should 
 readily do so, considering it merely as the 
 Minister's eulogium upon himself. He was 
 
256 Memoirs of the Years 1788-S9. 
 
 confident that it would be considered in no 
 other licrht, because it had fallen to his lot to 
 know, from authority, that those who alone 
 could inform his Majesty of the reasons 
 and crrounds of the different opinions and 
 doctrines which had been formed and main- 
 tained, had not had an opportunity of giving 
 such information ; and he knew his Majesty's 
 sense of justice and duty too well, to believe 
 that, without any explanation on the subject, 
 he would give a decided opinion. At the 
 same time, Mr. Fox remarked, that on such 
 a step as that, he conceived at least that the 
 Right Honourable gentleman (Mr. Pitt) might 
 have been kept in the background, in order 
 to let his Majesty stand forward as a pro- 
 minent figure. 
 
 Neither the Minister nor any of his friends 
 thought proper to make any answer to this 
 illiberal attack, and the Address was voted 
 unanimously; so was one to the Queen, 
 proposed in the House of Lords by the 
 Earl of Morton, seconded by Lord Hawkes- 
 bury; in the House of Commons, the mover 
 
 and seconders were Lord Graham, and Mr. 
 
 Hamilton. 
 
 I have endeavoured, as briefly as I could, 
 to give some idea of the transactions in 
 Parliament during the important period to 
 which my narrative relates. It was neces- 
 sary sometimes to connect them with it, to 
 shew the difficult situation in which the 
 Queen was placed, and from which nothing 
 but her good sense and strict integrity could 
 have extricated her, with the approbation 
 of her own heart, of the King, and of the 
 nation. 
 
 It may not be improper here to say, that 
 while party spirit raged in England, It shewed 
 itself with equal, if not greater, violence in 
 Ireland. Mr. Fox had many and powerful 
 connections in that country. The Lord 
 Lieutenant wished as much as possible to 
 delay any resolutions being taken by the 
 Irish Parliament, until the resolutions of 
 the English Parliament could be proposed to 
 them for their concurrence; but this desire 
 was opposed as derogatory to the Independ- 
 
 L 1 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 
258 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 ence of Ireland ; and Mr. Gratton*s motion 
 for an early meeting of the House was car- 
 ried, after some severe animadversions upon 
 the Lord Lieutenant, by a majority of fifty- 
 four. 
 
 On the 1 6th of February, Mr. Conolly 
 moved an Address to the Prince of Wales, 
 praying him to take upon himself, as Regent, 
 the government of Ireland during his Ma- 
 jesty*s incapacity. This was voted in the 
 Commons, as was a similar one proposed 
 by Lord Charlemount in the House of Lords, 
 but a protest signed by twenty-seven Lords 
 was entered in the Journals. 
 
 On the 17th both Houses waited on the 
 Lord Lieutenant, to request him to transmit 
 their Address ; this he refused to do, return- 
 ing for answer, that, under the impression of 
 his official duty, and of the oath he had 
 taken, he did not consider himself warranted 
 to lay before the Prince an Address, the pur- 
 port of which was to give his Royal High- 
 ness power to take upon himself the govern- 
 ment of that realm, before he should be 
 
 1 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 259 
 
 enabled by law to do so ; and he was there- 
 fore obliged to decline transmitting the said 
 Address to Great Britain. 
 
 On the 20th of February, Mr. Gratton 
 said, that as his Excellency had thought 
 proper to refuse the request of the Houses 
 of Parliament, he must move that a com- 
 petent number of members should be ap- 
 pointed to carry the Address to England, 
 and present it to the Prince of Wales. This 
 motion was carried without a division, and 
 a message sent to the House of Lords, 
 praying them to appoint some members of 
 their own body to join with the Commons ; 
 this being agreed to. Commissioners were 
 named, who lost no time in repairing to 
 London, where they arrived on the 25th of 
 February. The next day they presented 
 their Address to his Royal Highness; but 
 as the King's convalescence was then appa- 
 rent, the Prince, after thanking them for it, 
 and expressing the satisfaction he received 
 from the proof it afforded of their loyal and 
 affectionate attachment to the person and 
 
H P * " ^ * ■■ 
 
 Government of his Majesty, acquainted them 
 with the fortunate change that had taken 
 place ; and added, that he hoped in a few 
 days the joyful event of his Royal Father's 
 beino- able to resume his functions, would 
 put it in his power to give them a final 
 answer, and make it only necessary for him 
 to repeat the assurances of the gratitude and 
 affection he felt for the loyal and generous 
 people of Ireland, sentiments which would 
 ever remain indelibly impressed upon his 
 heart. In March the delegates returned, 
 and reported to the two Houses the Prince's 
 
 answer. 
 
 I have mentioned that an official declara- 
 tion was made to Parliament on the loth 
 of March of the complete restoration of his 
 Majesty's health. In the morning of that 
 day the bells of all the churches were rung ; 
 at noon, the Park and Tower guns were 
 fired, and the standard hoisted on the White 
 Tower; and nothing could exceed the joy 
 that was felt and expressed by the generality 
 of the people, who were eagerly desirous to 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 261 
 
 see their beloved Monarch again. But quiet 
 for some time had been strongly advised, 
 and it was thought that change of air and 
 scene would be beneficial and pleasing to the 
 Kino-. The iroinor to Windsor was there- 
 fore proposed, and he was delighted with the 
 plan. Their Majesties did me the honour 
 of desiring me to be of the party, and it was 
 settled that we should go as soon as the 
 Lodge could be aired and prepared. 
 
 Everything was ready on the 14th of 
 March ; the King and Queen went in their 
 post-chaise, the three eldest Princesses and 
 I followed in the coach. His Majesty was 
 at the door when we arrived, and took each 
 of us in his arms as we got out of the car- 
 riage. The pleasure the returning to his 
 favourite habitation gave him ; his gratitude 
 to God for the restoration of his health ; his 
 joy to find himself again living in society 
 with his family ; their happiness in having 
 him with them, altogether formed a scene 
 so interesting and affecting, that the remem- 
 brance of it will never be effaced from my 
 
- > 
 
 262 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 mind. At night there was 7i fcm-dc-joic from 
 the Round Tower. The old embattled walls, 
 lined with soldiers, had a strikinof effect, and 
 carried our ideas back to the chivalrous days 
 of Edward the Third. The fireworks and 
 illuminations were beautiful, and the air was 
 rent with acclamations that came from the 
 heart. The Kings own heart overflowed 
 with kindness to every creature about him, 
 and the only alloy to our satisfaction was the 
 fear of his suffering from the agitation it was 
 impossible for him not to feel. The next 
 day (Sunday, the 15th) he went to church 
 between eight and nine to receive the Sacra- 
 ment, and returned at ten to a service that 
 lasted nearly four hours. The Bishop of 
 Worcester was then at Windsor. From the 
 time of his being preceptor to the Princes 
 the King had been very partial to him ; this 
 made the Queen think he would be glad 
 to have him of the party. 
 
 On Monday, the i6th, the Earl of Ches- 
 terfield desired to see me ; he was deputed 
 by the club at White's to say, that they 
 
 I 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 263 
 
 meant to give a fete to celebrate the King's 
 recovery, and that they should be highly 
 gratified if the Queen would honour it with 
 her presence. I carried the message to her 
 Majesty, and was ordered to return her 
 thanks, but to say she must decline accept- 
 ing the invitation. When I went down to 
 breakfast on Wednesday, the i8th of March, 
 I saw, by the looks of intelligence that 
 passed between their Majesties, that there 
 was something I was to be told ; at last 
 the Oueen said, '' The Kinof lones to see 
 Lord Harcourt, and wishes he would make 
 him a visit here." He interrupted her, say- 
 ing, '' I would not ask him till every place 
 was warm and well-aired, for we must make 
 him comfortable if he will come." The 
 Queen added, " that she would do all in her 
 power that he might be so." I mention their 
 very words, to shew how kind they are to 
 those they honour with their regard. 
 
 The King went out as soon as breakfast 
 was over, but the Ouecn bade me not fail 
 to settle a time for my Lord's coming, as 
 
264 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 soon as he returned. I had no opportunity 
 of askincT his orders till after dinner, and he 
 
 o 
 
 then desired me to write by that night's 
 post, adding, '' The sooner I have him with 
 me the better." I said, I knew my Lord 
 would eagerly comply with so kind an in- 
 vitation, but that I should advise his not 
 coming till Friday, as there was so much 
 to be done the next day (Thursday), when 
 we were to go to Kew, full- dressed, at half- 
 past nine in the morning, for their Majesties to 
 receive the Address of the City of London. 
 
 The King was more than ever displeased 
 with the physicians after reading the account 
 of their examination by the Committee, and 
 told me he must have some conversation 
 with me about the part in which I was 
 
 named. 
 
 I accompanied their Majesties and the 
 Royal Family to St. Paul's on the 23rd of 
 April. The fete at Windsor took place on 
 the 1st of May; the French Ambassador's 
 fete on the 29th of ]\Liy ; the Spanish Am- 
 bassador's fete at Ranelagh on the 9th of 
 
 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 265 
 
 June; and the entertainment at White's 
 Club also took place in June. 
 
 The following is an account of the cere- 
 mony of receiving the Queen at the fete 
 given (by order of the King of France) in 
 commemoration of the King of England's 
 recovery. It was given by the Marquis 
 de la Lueeme, the French Ambassador, at 
 his house in Portman Square, May 29th, 
 1789:— 
 
 "ORDRE DE LA FETE. 
 
 " La Reine entrera par Portman Square. Elle 
 trouvera un tapis rouge qui couvrira tout Tespace 
 depuis sa voiture, en traversant Tantichambre 
 jusqu'au grand escalier. A la portiere de la Reine 
 se trouvera TAmbassadeur de France, sa niece et 
 sou neveu, qui auront I'honneur de la recevoir. 
 
 "D^s le premier antichambre seront I'Ambas- 
 sadeur d'Espagne, et celui de Naples. Au bas 
 du grand escalier elle trouvera le reste du corps 
 diplomatique qui lui rendra ses respects. Apres 
 quoi sa Majeste entrera dans le salon du dais, ou 
 elle se reposera quelques minutes. Du salon du 
 dais, la Reine se rendra par I'escalier de la salle 
 du bal. Elle trouvera cette salle illuminee et tout 
 
 i\ 
 
 [\ 
 
 M m 
 
preparee pour la recevoir. Cent vingt ou cent 
 trentc personnes de celles qui composent la fete 
 auront ete prieer de se trouver dans cette salle 
 un quart d'heure avant que la Reine arrive, ce 
 qui fera assez de monde pour la recevoir d^- 
 cemmcnt, et pas assez pour qu'elle soit pressee 
 ou foulee. 
 
 " Sa Majeste, si cela lui plait, se promenera 
 un peu dans les parties du jardin illuminees, et 
 verra en general le local. 
 
 ** Apres qu'ella se sera promenee, elle sera sup- 
 pliee de prendre place, ainsi que les Princesses, 
 sur I'estrade qui sera preparee pour la recevoir. 
 On sonnera alors une Pamphare et Ton verra sor- 
 tie du fond de la Salle, M"® Guimard et douze 
 danseurs ou danscuses qui representeront un Ballet 
 adapte a la circonstance. 
 
 "Apres que les acteurs auront donn^ le petit 
 Ballet, qui ne durera pas plus d'une demie heure, 
 les Princes et Princesses, les danseurs et danseuses 
 qui se trouveront dans la salle, seront pries de 
 commencer la premiere contrcdance, et le reste 
 de la compagnie qui est invitee pour dix heures 
 et demie s'asscmblera successivement. Alors le 
 Bal general continuera et durera jusqu' a une 
 heure du matin. L'Ambassadeur se propose de 
 faire souper la Reine dans le salon dc compagnie 
 a une table de six converts pour elle et les Prin- 
 cesses. Dans cette chambre, mais a quelque dis- 
 
 tance, sera une autre table de vingt deux per- 
 sonnes que sa Majeste aura plus particulierement 
 
 designees. 
 
 "En face du salon ou soupera la Reine est 
 celui du dais ou I'Ambassadeur se propose de 
 placer une table de vingt quatre converts pour les 
 Princes et les personnes qu'ils auront designee 
 pour souper avec eux. 
 
 " Pendant que la Reine sera a souper, le reste 
 de la compagnie soupera aussi a des tables pre- 
 parees a cet effet. 
 
 "Enfin apres le souper de la Reine, elle re- 
 descendra dans le salon, le Bal recommencera et 
 durera le temps qu'il plaira a sa Majeste." 
 
 A fete was given (by order of the King 
 of Spain) in commemoration of the King 
 of England's recovery, by the Marquis del 
 Campo, the Spanish Ambassador. It was 
 very magnificent, and took place at Rane- 
 lagh, on June the 9th, 1 789. The Queen was 
 received there in great state. A beautiful 
 service of china, with appropriate medallions 
 and mottoes, was manufactured at the Royal 
 Sevres Porcelain Works for the occasion. 
 
 On the 24th of February, 1 796, the Mar- 
 quis del Campo was appointed by the King 
 
 I 
 
 t 
 
1 
 
 268 Memoirs of the Years 1788-89. 
 
 of Spain Ambassador to the French Re- 
 public. The departing Ambassador sent 
 the following notes to Harcourt House : — 
 
 "The Marquis del Campo presents his best 
 compliments to Lord and Lady Harcourt, and 
 begs they will accept kindly the small case he 
 takes the liberty of sending by the bearer." 
 
 This case contained the china above al- 
 luded to, and which is now preserved at 
 Nuneham. 
 
 The second note was of a true Castillian 
 character; it was addressed to Lady Har- 
 court, and ran as follows : — 
 
 "At the foot of Windsor Castle "^ an honest Spaniard lies, 
 A goddess dwells within doors ; who might order, ' get 
 up, rise !'" 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 No trace is to be found amongst Lady Harcourt's 
 papers of the painful quotations which Jesse gives in his 
 Life of George IIL, vol. iii. pp. 82—89, under the head- 
 ing of " Lady Harcourt's Diary ; Massey's History of 
 England, vol. iii. pp. 384, 385." 
 
 " Lady Harcourt was in waiting at Windsor. 
 
 i 
 
 EPIGRAM, 
 
 Written on a Window at Windsor, 
 BY an Eton Scholar. 
 
 \/0U may send, if ought should ail ye, 
 
 To Willis, Heberden, or BaiUie ; 
 All exceeding skilful men, 
 Willis, BaiUie, Heberden ; 
 But doubtful which most sure to kill is, 
 BaiUie, Heberden, or Willis. 
 
 hi 
 )(| 
 
\ 
 
 MEMOIR 
 
 OF 
 
 GEORGIANA, DUCHESS OF 
 DEVONSHIRE, 
 
 BY 
 
 ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF HARCOURT. 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 t i 
 
 
 *l 
 
 1 'I 
 I I 
 
 f 'I 
 
i 
 
 ft 
 
 S 
 
 I 
 
 ii*-'', 
 
 I'd 
 
 glcmoir ai ^coipitnii, gitrljtss of 
 
 gebousljiit. 
 
 i^EORGIANA, Duchess of Devonshire, 
 ^-^ was the eldest daughter of John, Earl 
 Spencer. At the time of her marriage with 
 William, Duke of Devonshire, In the year 
 1774, she was just seventeen, and might 
 have sat for the portrait of a Hebe ; youth, 
 health, cheerfulness, and good humour, gave 
 a glow and animation to her countenance, 
 that well supplied the want of regular fea- 
 tures ; her complexion was brilliant, her 
 hair beautiful, her teeth remarkably fine, and 
 her smile fascinating. Her person was tall 
 and showy, but her limbs were not finely 
 formed, and her deportment was neither 
 dignified nor graceful, except when dancing ; 
 in that accomplishment she as far surpassed 
 all the women of her time, as the Prince 
 of Wales did all the men of his. 
 
 N n 
 
^' 
 
 When she first entered into a world of 
 which she soon became the idol, a great 
 degree of natural timidity and unfeigned 
 modesty gave an awkwardness to her man- 
 ner that mieht have been excused in favour 
 of the amiable qualities from whence it pro- 
 ceeded ; but which was declared to be be- 
 coming, because it was the law to admire 
 whatever the Duchess of Devonshire did 
 or said. This ill-judged flattery induced 
 her to continue from vanity what originated 
 in humility, and strange as it may seem, the 
 slaves of fashion rather than not resemble 
 her in something, would gnaw their fans, 
 and imitate tricks for which a boarding- 
 school girl would have been reproved, stick 
 out their chins, and affect to be short- 
 breathed : — 
 
 " Till those who boasted sixteen quarters, 
 Might be mista'en for chandlers' daughters." 
 
 But happy would it have been for her if 
 flattery had stopped here ; unfortunately, as 
 she advanced in life, it took a more per- 
 nicious turn. I have ever thou^rht, and still 
 
 T 
 
 Duchess of Devonshire. 
 
 275 
 
 :| 
 
 think, that nature never formed a more 
 charmine creature : she had sense, she had 
 information, she had talents ; few women 
 ever wrote as well both in prose and verse ; 
 and few could converse more agreeably ; her 
 temper was excellent ; she was affectionate, 
 warm, and steady in her friendship ; charit- 
 able, and benevolent; but a want of judg- 
 ment, and too great a facility in yielding to 
 the wishes and opinions of others, obscured 
 the good and great qualities of her head 
 and heart ; and it was her misfortune to 
 fall into the hands of those who availed 
 themselves of the weak part of her cha- 
 racter. 
 
 Married as she was before errors of cha- 
 racter could be corrected, and placed at an 
 early age in the highest rank, with the un- 
 controlled disposal of an immense fortune, 
 she enjoyed a degree of admiration I never 
 saw bestowed upon others, her equals In 
 situation, and her superiors in beauty. Can- 
 dour must acknowledge that there is more 
 cause for regret than surprise, that her sub- 
 
276 
 
 Memoir of Georgtana, 
 
 sequent conduct did not answer the expec- 
 tations of her real friends. 
 
 The Duke of Devonshire was a sensible 
 man, and had some good qualities, but was 
 of too indolent a temper to guide an inex- 
 perienced wife. He wished her to be happy, 
 but the indulging her in unbounded expense 
 and dissipation was the only method he 
 adopted of making her so ; fire and water 
 could not be more opposite than their dis- 
 positions, everything w^as indifferent to him, 
 everything was an object to her. They 
 had been married many years before they 
 had any children, and, having no object at 
 home to engage her affection and occupy 
 her time, she became too much devoted to 
 the world. Her house was open to all w^ho 
 found it pleasant, or convenient to resort to 
 it; her thoughdess good-humour checked her 
 powers of discrimination ; the gay and the 
 profligate were received, their society amused 
 her ; it w^as their interest to estrange her from 
 her more respectable connections, and from 
 all who were likely to be a restraint on them ; 
 
 Duchess of Devonshire. 
 
 277 
 
 and though she never ceased to love, and 
 behave with respect to her mother, they 
 weakened the influence she ought to have 
 had over her. A thousand follies in which 
 she had litde share were sanctioned by her 
 name, and such was the popularity she had 
 acquired by her affability, the sweetness 
 of her manners, and her constant desire to 
 please and oblige, that for some years even 
 the most rigid were inclined to be indulgent 
 to her, — but — 
 
 " Never let man be bold enough to say, 
 Thus, and no further shall my passions stray." 
 
 Her associates had brought her to tolerate, 
 and by degrees they brought her to partake 
 of, many of their failings. The love of 
 o-amino- was not natural to her, in their so- 
 ciety she acquired it ; she played too ill and 
 too carelessly to be successful, and while 
 she lost large sums in the evening, she was 
 pillaged in the morning by crowds of trades- 
 men, who attended her toilette with trinkets, 
 silks, laces, and a variety of things she nei- 
 ther wished for nor wanted, but which they 
 
278 
 
 Memoir of Georgiana, 
 
 knew she would not have the resohitlon to 
 refuse buying. And thus with a pin-money 
 (^1,500 per annum) large enough to have 
 supplied her with everything she could de- 
 sire, and to have allowed her to gratify 
 her generosity and benevolence, she became 
 distressed ; and that distress was attended 
 by its natural consequences, mean resources 
 at first, and desperate measures afterwards. 
 
 She had unfortunately adopted the fashion- 
 able but spurious idea, that fashion was such 
 an old hobbling beldame, that it was im- 
 possible to make her keep pace with gene- 
 rosity. Had she permitted herself to reflect, 
 her irood sense would have told her that she 
 
 o 
 
 could not be generous, if she was not just ; 
 and that when she made a present she did 
 not pay for, the gift was not hers, but the 
 unfortunate mechanic's who, deceived in his 
 expectations, and defrauded of his profit, 
 might for a time be patient, but would not 
 fail in the end to claim his right, and ex- 
 pose her to difficulty and disgrace. This 
 she fatally experienced ; after suffering great 
 
 Duchess of Devonshire. 
 
 279 
 
 anxiety of mind, and trying every subterfuge, 
 it became impossible to conceal her situation 
 from her husband ; he paid her debts, and she 
 resolved not to contract new ones. It was 
 not in her nature, however, to keep a resolu- 
 tion that called for prudence, subjected her to 
 restraint, and exposed her to the ridicule of 
 the parasites by whom she was surrounded, 
 and who had found their advantage in her 
 extravaeance. Her usual habits were re- 
 sumed, and from increased distress there was 
 too much reason to believe that she gambled 
 in the alley, and obtained money in ways 
 that were shamefully disgraceful. 
 
 Previous to the time I am speaking of, 
 a new source of expense had opened itself 
 to her. Party rage ran high in the years 
 1783 and 1784. The Duchess of Devon- 
 shire had passed a great deal of time in 
 France ; she was connected with many of the 
 first persons in that country, and very con- 
 versant with French literature, it was there- 
 fore natural for her to think that there was no 
 impropriety in a woman's being a politician. 
 
 t 
 
28o 
 
 Memoir of Georgiana, 
 
 Some of the leaders of Opposition, and 
 many of their dependants, were of her so- 
 ciety. To have constant dinners and sup- 
 pers, and a large house always open for 
 them to meet and cabal in, was an object 
 of no small consequence. They, therefore, 
 changed their battery, and from flattering her 
 as the arbitress of fashion, they taught her 
 to think she had talents to be the head of 
 a party. Celebrity was the idol to which 
 she was ever ready to sacrifice ; Devonshire 
 House became a second Hotel de Longue- 
 ville; and when the contested election for 
 Westminster was carried on with the most 
 indecent violence between Mr. Fox and 
 the member supported by the Ministry, the 
 Duchess of Devonshire was seen in every 
 dirty alley soliciting and purchasing votes 
 from chimney-sweepers and butchers. It was 
 in vain that every print-shop was filled with 
 caricatures, and that the Press teemed with 
 lampoons and satires; she was intoxicated 
 with the praise bestowed upon her by her 
 selfish associates, and ascribed to envy the 
 
 Duchess of Devonshire. 
 
 281 
 
 honest indignation which the more thinking 
 part of the community could not but feel, 
 when they witnessed conduct so disgraceful 
 to her sex and rank. The sums she squan- 
 dered upon this occasion were enormous ; 
 nor did the folly end with the election ; she 
 would have ceased to be the head of the 
 party if her purse had ceased to support it. 
 
 There was, however, another motive for the 
 court paid to her by the Opposition. The 
 enthusiasm she inspired was at its height, 
 at the time when the Prince of Wales first 
 mixed in the fashionable society of London. 
 It was natural for him to give his prefer- 
 ence to the society of a woman not much 
 older than himself, and who possessed, in no 
 uncommon degree, the power and the in- 
 clination of contributing to his amusement : 
 most of his time was passed at Devonshire 
 House, and those who felt the importance 
 it was to them to obtain the favour of the 
 heir-apparent, had opportunities of knowing 
 and making themselves agreeable to him 
 tliere, which they assiduously cultivated. 
 
 o o 
 
t 
 
 282 
 
 Memoir of Georgiana, 
 
 It is foreign from my intention to go deeper 
 into the politics of that time than is necessary 
 to illustrate that part of the Duchess's cha- 
 racter ; yet, in justice to her and to the Prince, 
 I must observe, that whatever might be the 
 cause that first united them, a sincere and 
 steady friendship (which was only interrupted 
 for a very short time) subsisted between 
 them for near twenty-five years, and was only 
 terminated by the death of the Duchess. 
 
 Late hours, dissipation, and anxiety of 
 mind had early in life affected her constitu- 
 tion ; but, as it was naturally a strong one, 
 she was enabled to struggle against repeated 
 and violent illnesses. One of these gave 
 a fatal blow to her beauty, by depriving 
 her of the sight of her right eye, and dis- 
 figuring the appearance of it so much, that 
 for a time it was distressing to her to bear ; 
 but here the sweetness of her temper had 
 an occasion of manifesting itself. She bore 
 extreme pain with firmness and patience, 
 and when all hope of recovering her eye 
 was lost, she submitted to the misfortune 
 
 ^ 
 
 y 
 
 I 
 
 Duchess of Devonshire. 
 
 283 
 
 without a murmur. The seeds of religion 
 that had been early implanted in her mind 
 were never eradicated ; and when sick- 
 ness '' left her leisure to be good," she suf- 
 fered agonies of mind, that one might have 
 hoped would have been productive of a last- 
 ing reformation ; but with returning health 
 her good intentions vanished, and the world 
 regained its power. 
 
 On the 6th of March, 1806, she was seized, 
 while at dinner at the Marquis of Stafford's, 
 with the illness that, on the 30th of the 
 same month, put an end to a life which 
 had been more splendid than happy. From 
 the time of her seizure she was thought to 
 be in danofer ; several of the most eminent 
 physicians attended her ; they differed in 
 their opinions as to the nature of her dis- 
 order; and it proved to be a complication 
 of diseases, that baffled all their skill. For 
 many days she was delirious, and the weight 
 that oppressed her mind evinced itself in 
 the things she said; she reproached herself 
 for the injury she had done to others by her 
 
284 
 
 Memoir of Georciana, 
 
 extravag-ance, and lamented her misconduct 
 in the most afifectinof terms. Her sufferlnors, 
 bodily and mental, were such, that those 
 who loved her most must have considered 
 her release from them as an act of the 
 Almighty's mercy. 
 
 Thus died the once lovely and amiable 
 Duchess of Devonshire, affording" a most 
 striking and awful lesson, that every advan- 
 tage human nature can possess is insufficient 
 to bestow happiness and ensure esteem, with- 
 out a proper sense of moral rectitude and 
 a well-regulated mind. She was snatched 
 from the world before she had completed 
 her forty-ninth year, and at the moment 
 when the first wish of her heart seemed to 
 be accomplished ; for the death of Mr. Pitt 
 about two months before, had placed her 
 friends in the situations she had so ardently 
 desired to see them obtain. To the honour 
 of those friends it must be said, that they 
 truly lamented her loss. To her children it 
 was a severe one ; there could not have 
 been a fonder parent ; and, conscious of her 
 
 ^1 
 
 own deficiencies, she had entrusted much 
 of their education to an excellent woman. 
 Under her care Lady Georgiana Morpeth 
 and Lady Harriet Cavendish were taught 
 to love and practise every virtue ; and, too 
 sensible of the consequences of bad ex- 
 amples, the Duchess rarely suffered them to 
 mix in the society she had not herself the 
 resolution to give up. Their grief at her 
 death was sincere, and that of their brother 
 knew no bounds ; he passed hours sitting by 
 and kissing the lifeless remains of an adored 
 mother. Even the natural apathy of the 
 Duke of Devonshire gave way, and, bathed 
 in tears, he endeavoured to make her sen- 
 sible in her illness, that if she recovered all 
 should be forgiven, and every step in his 
 power taken to make her conscience easy 
 with respect to others. 
 
 The affliction of her sister, Lady Bess- 
 borough, was such as to alarm her family, 
 and though the strong and religious mind 
 of Lady Spencer enabled her in the trying 
 scene to attempt giving that comfort to those 
 
286 Memoir of Georgiaxa, &c. 
 
 s 
 
 around her which she herself wanted, there 
 is too much reason to fear that she will 
 never recover the loss of a darlinor daughter, 
 once as much the object of her pride as she 
 always was of her affection. 
 
 During the last days of the Duchess's life 
 Devonshire House was crowded with persons 
 who came to make anxious inquiries, which 
 her servants were hardly able to answer, 
 from the concern they felt for a mistres 
 whose constant kindness had warmly at- 
 tached them to her. Surely the good qua- 
 lities of a person so beloved must have pre- 
 cedence above her failings. Let us, then, draw 
 a veil over the errors of her character, and 
 view the brighter parts of it with pleasure. 
 Perhaps it was not in human nature to resist 
 the temptations to which she was exposed ; 
 had she done so, she would have been an 
 aneel. Let not man, — weak erring man— 
 presume to judge her too severely ; but let 
 us rather hope that "the deeds of mercy she 
 has done, the orphans' and the widows' cries 
 may rise to Heaven, and draw a blessing 
 on her." 
 
 ODE TO HOPE, 
 
 BY 
 
 GEORGIANA, DUCHESS OF 
 DEVONSHIRE. 
 
 1 78 1. 
 
 ■^ I ' ■ 
 
I 
 
 ODE TO HOPE. 
 
 DECEIVER ! Shadow though thou art ! 
 Fair Hope, thy rays dispense, 
 With fancied blessings fill my heart, 
 
 And mock the rules of sense ; 
 By canker'd sorrow when opprest 
 Thy fairy dreams shall soothe my breast, 
 
 And drown in future joys my pain ; 
 The happy hours the fates bestow 
 Should teach in brighter hues to glow, 
 
 And fix their wayward reign. 
 
 Whilst passions fierce, and sorrows wan, 
 
 Extend their iron sway, — 
 Whilst guilt, and woe, attend on man, 
 
 And veil his brightest day,— 
 Thy fostering hand, and gentle smile. 
 Can e'en the sighs of pain beguile, 
 
 Can grief assuage, can comfort bring ; 
 Thy whisper soft, and buxom cheer, 
 Can deck with early bloom the year. 
 
 And winter turn to spring. 
 
 By rosy youth, with dimpled cheek, 
 
 With eyes that fire impart, 
 With looks that frolick pleasures speak. 
 
 And credulous of heart, 
 
 P p 
 
Thy precepts are ador'd as true ; 
 From joy possest, they fly to new, 
 
 They cull the rose, nor heed the sting ; 
 Pleasure with them no period knows, 
 To them her syren wiles she shews, 
 
 And hides her rapid wing. 
 
 For thee no thought too wild appears, 
 
 But clad in fancy's trim, 
 O'er the deep flood of passing years 
 
 Thy airy bubbles swim ; 
 By thee, the wretch in dungeon pent 
 Can schemes of future power invent. 
 
 Can kingdoms give, and sceptres wave ; 
 Though prest with chains, his bosom beats 
 For conquered realms, and warlike feats, 
 
 Nor feels that he's a slave. 
 
 Thou lov'st with flattering hand to paint 
 
 New wreaths on virtue's brow, 
 Misfortune veil in colours faint. 
 
 And guilt, reluctant shew ; 
 E'en love with thee no falsehood knows, 
 His purple light serenely glows 
 
 With sparkling blaze, yet still the same ; 
 Friendship to thee no dream appears, 
 But on her snow-white shrine she rears 
 
 A pure, though fainter flame. 
 
 ODE TO HOPE. 
 
 291 
 
 Come, then, I woo thy summer reign, 
 
 Thy fleeting moments hail. 
 Though short-lived blessings fill thy train, 
 
 And disappointment pale. 
 All nature courts the gladsome hour ; 
 To meet the sunbeam, blows the flower, 
 
 And blossoms through its little day ; 
 Thus I, though fate no bliss bestow, 
 Thy frail, but radiant gleams would know, 
 
 And bask beneath the ray. 
 
■ V ■ ■ ■ '^■v 
 
 
 I 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HON. MRS. HARCOURT, 
 
 TO 
 
 ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF HARCOURT, 
 
 1791. 
 

 I 
 
 (BxixixdB from %dttx$, i'L 
 
 ■pXTRACTS from the letters I received 
 ^^ from the Hon. Mrs. Harcourt when 
 she was at Weymouth, while their Majesties 
 were there in the months of September and 
 October, 1791 : — 
 
 "I suppose by this time the three youngest 
 Princesses have left Nuneham, and am sure you 
 and Lord Harcourt will regret them. I shall 
 comply with your request, and inform you of all 
 I can learn here respecting our future Duchess 
 of York. Upon the whole, the accounts of her 
 are good, and we have nothing to do with any 
 former attachments she may have had. Sydney 
 Smith (who is just come from Berlin) is here, 
 so is Lindsey, and we talk eternally of that Court 
 and the persons who compose it. They say that 
 the old Queen Dowager of Prussia cried for joy 
 when the marriage was announced to her, and 
 said her dear child would now be the happiest 
 of mortals. The King said to the Princess,—* Ma 
 Fille vous avez attendu longue temps mais vous 
 avez tire le gros lot.' He is to give her ^30,000, 
 and it is said that he will privately pay the Duke s 
 
 11 
 
 ihi 
 
 
296 Extracts from Letters, &c. 
 
 debts ; they are supposed to amount to ;^200,ooo. 
 A proposal is to be made to Parliament to give 
 him ;^25,ooo per annum, which (with Osnaburgh) 
 will make his income Ao,ooo. Opposition will 
 probably make this a pretence to ask something 
 for the Prince of Wales. 
 
 "The Duke behaves so well at Berlin that 
 everybody is charmed with him ; he is now quite 
 Prussian, and outrageous with Opposition for 
 sending Mr. Adair to Petersburgh, and for other 
 parts of their conduct. I am glad St. Leger is 
 with him ; he is so right-headed, and unlike many 
 of the set in behaviour and opinions. 
 
 "The Duke and the Princess are so much in 
 love with each other, that they are like the hero 
 and heroine of a romance, and talk of nothing but 
 retiring to Oatlands, and living with and for each 
 other. The Prince of Prussia is to come here ; 
 we shall see which of our three goddesses will 
 have the apple. Princess Wilhelmina (who is to 
 go to Holland) is the most angelic creature that 
 ever was seen. Our future Duchess is very lively, 
 so there have been fetes without end at Berlin, 
 and the Court dreads the losing them. Lord 
 Malmesbury is gone to Berlin ; I fear he will do 
 
 no good. 
 
 " According to the Marriage Act, the King must 
 give his consent in Council to the marriage of 
 any of the royal family ; this has been delayed 
 
 
 
 till this very day (Sept. 28), and the Duke is to 
 be married to-morrow. Lord Frederick Camp- 
 bell, Lord Walsingham, and Mr. Dundas, came 
 for this purpose last night; Lord Chesterfield, 
 Lord Grenville, and Mr. Pitt were here before. 
 It is thought that the 29th was fixed for the wed- 
 ding in compliment to the Princess Royal, as it is 
 
 her birthday. 
 
 "I have just got a letter from Lord James 
 Murray, who is at Berlin ; he tells me that the 
 Princess said to him the other night, * demandez 
 beaucoup d'indulgence pour moi en Angleterre ;' 
 she repeated it twice with emotion ; Lord James 
 adds, 'she is very little, not handsome, and has 
 not good teeth ; but she has fine eyes, fine hair, 
 a pleasing countenance, a lively manner, a great 
 deal of conversation, and, by all accounts, an 
 exceeding good temper.' The Prince of Wales 
 has uniformly declared that he will join in doing 
 everything that is kind by his brother, but begs 
 it may be understood that he by no means says 
 he shall never m^arry. 
 
 "Before the King came here, I thought he 
 looked heated, and full of blood ; and he was 
 sometimes sleepy, but now he is delightfully well. 
 He told Mr. Harcourt yesterday he had never 
 felt so well since his illness, nor so strong. 
 
 "The Princesses enjoy the ease they have here ; 
 even the Queen walks about with only a lady, 
 
 Q q 
 
298 Extracts from Letters, &c. 
 
 and goes into the shops. Yesterday she gave me 
 a pretty pair of travelling candlesticks, made upon 
 a new plan. The plays here are good ; the Royal 
 Family go twice a-week. Lady Poulett, Lady 
 Digby, I, or any of the persons of fashion here, 
 secure the boxes on each side of theirs to keep off 
 improper company. Once a-wetk they go to the 
 Assembly, where people crowd to see them ; and 
 those who have any claim to their notice are asked 
 to drink tea with them in an inner room. The 
 other nights they have parties at home, but Lord 
 Chesterfield, and the gentlemen in attendance, 
 are the only men who are invited ; they do not 
 wish to encourage people to pursue them here. 
 
 ''The King was at Lulworth yesterday, and in 
 the course of the morning rode thirty-two miles 
 as fast as he could go. We were all afraid it 
 would be too much for him ; it was a warm day, 
 he perspired violently, and is so well after it, that 
 General Harcourt says, that though bathing does 
 him much good, he thinks hunting will be still 
 better for him. Everything goes on quietly and 
 comfortably, no jealousies, no contretemps, to dis- 
 turb any of the party. 
 
 mnummatmmti 
 
 AN ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DUKE OF SUSSEX' MARRIAGE, 
 
 BY 
 
 ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF HARCOURT 
 
 1793 
 

 TN the month of March, 1793, Prince 
 Augustus (who had for some years 
 chiefly resided in Italy, upon account of 
 his health,) met Lady Augusta Murray at 
 Rome ; though fourteen years older than 
 himself, she was still handsome, and her 
 manner, which was always insinuating, easily 
 made an impression upon the heart of a 
 youth naturally full of affection and sen- 
 sibility, and who had long been separated 
 from his family and friends. 
 
 A thorough knowledge of the world gave 
 Lady Augusta a great advantage over her 
 artless lover, and she had the address to 
 conceal, or to gloss over, some of the earlier 
 transactions of her life, and to persuade the 
 young Prince to marry her, in defiance of 
 the Act that made the marriages of the 
 descendants of George IL illegal, unless the 
 consent of the King and Parliament were 
 
 '•J 
 
 Mi«Hl« 
 

 ;02 
 
 Duke of Sussex' Marriage. 
 
 previously obtained. This ill-assorted union 
 was, however, kept secret ; and Prince Au- 
 gustus, being tolerably recovered, was al- 
 lowed to come to England in September, 
 
 1793- 
 
 Some months before this, his marriage had 
 
 been pretty publicly talked of both at Rome 
 
 and in London ; but if the rumour did reach 
 
 the Royal Family, they gave no further 
 
 credit to it, than as supposing that the 
 
 lady's friends wished it to be spread to 
 
 excuse an attachment which no one could 
 
 doubt subsisted between her and the Prince. 
 
 To his sisters, to me, and a few others, he 
 
 sometimes dropped hints, but never spoke 
 
 clearly ; and, indeed, we all avoided the 
 
 subject as much as possible, considering any 
 
 ceremony that had passed abroad as a mere 
 
 farce, to reconcile Lady Dunmore to her 
 
 daughter's conduct. 
 
 In November Lady Augusta came to 
 
 England, in a situation which she took no 
 
 pains to conceal ; the Prince saw her by 
 
 stealth, but it must have been very seldom, 
 
 Duke of Sussex' Marriage. 303 
 
 as he was only in town once in a fortnight 
 for two days at a time ; and there is no 
 reason to believe that he visited her from 
 Windsor. They, however, took lodgings, 
 he in Audley, and she in South Molton- 
 street, and were asked three times in the 
 Parish Church of St. George's Hanover- 
 square, by the names of Augustus Frederick, 
 and Augusta Murray; and on Thursday the 
 5th of December, at eight in the morning, 
 they were again married (or rather the cere- 
 mony was again repeated) in that church, 
 in presence of the persons with whom she 
 lodged (a coal-merchant and his wife, of the 
 name of Jones). To these people she had 
 previously said, that she had married a 
 Mr. Frederick in Italy, but, as he was under 
 age, they thought it right to be married 
 ao-ain in Encrland. She added that she 
 (though some years older) was by a parti- 
 cular rule in her own family still a minor, 
 and that they were obliged to be very se- 
 cret in what they did, as his father, who 
 was a baronet, and hers, who was a gov- 
 
304 Duke of Sussex' Marriage. 
 
 ernor abroad, would oppose their union if 
 they were apprised of it in time. 
 
 After this second wedding the Prince con- 
 tinued to Hve with his family as usual ; Lady 
 Augusta retired into Essex, where, on the 
 13th of January, she was brought to bed of 
 a son. When first she was taken ill, she 
 told the man-midwife who attended her, 
 that, to prevent his having any suspicion 
 injurious to her character, she would shew 
 him the certificate of her marriage. She did 
 so, and did not enjoin him to secresy ; of 
 course he mentioned what he had heard, 
 and, about the same time, some persons ac- 
 cidentally saw the entry in the Register. 
 Questions were asked of the clerk, who said 
 he remembered that couple were married 
 almost before the Canonical hour ; that the 
 man looked like a foreigner (which certainly 
 the Prince always did) ; that he was muffled 
 up in a great-coat, buttoned over his chin ; 
 and that the lady was covered with a veil, 
 and they spoke very little English. These 
 circumstances soon became the topics of 
 
 o-eneral conversation ; numbers went to see 
 and copy the Register, and much curiosity 
 was excited as to the consequences that 
 would attend this event. 
 
 On Tuesday, the i6th of January, the 
 Prince left England, after repeatedly declar- 
 ing that it would be many years before he 
 returned, if, indeed, he ever did. It was 
 not, however, to his father that these decla- 
 rations were made, and he certainly at that 
 time flattered himself that the Prince had 
 only felt a boyish attachment for Lady 
 Augusta, which time and absence would 
 cure; but after the levee on Friday, January 
 the 24th, the Lord Chancellor (Lord Lough- 
 borough) asked an audience. The King 
 was struck with his manner when he entered 
 the room. He walked up to his Majesty, 
 and, with an assumed firmness, said, " How- 
 ever painful the task may be, I am sure. 
 Sir, you would wish me to do my duty." 
 Seeing the King struck with this address, he 
 added, '' Your Majesty's Proctors have been 
 at work for some days to settle the manner 
 
 R r 
 
r 
 
 i. 
 
 306 Duke of Sussex' Marriage. 
 
 of proceeding to set aside Prince Augustus's 
 marriage; for, as the Royal Marriage Act 
 was formed under your own immediate direc- 
 tion, I can have no doubt that it will be your 
 pleasure to have it enforced." 
 
 The King signified his acquiescence, and 
 the Chancellor issued the writ the next day. 
 Their Majesties were much grieved by the 
 imprudent step their son had taken, but 
 never expressed themselves with any bitter- 
 ness against him to the very few to whom 
 they ever spoke upon the subject. 
 
 
 I 
 
 t 
 

 
 "PORTSMOUTH, July 8th. — Remains fast 
 ■^ at anchor, the ' Conqueror,' flag-ship, Admi- 
 ral Pitt ; the Union flag, it is said, will be dis- 
 played in a few days at her main top-mast head. 
 Also, at their several moorings, as per last, the 
 ' Modeste,' Captain Dundas ; the ' Lively,' Captain 
 Grenville ; the * Heart of Oak,' Captain Rich- 
 mond ; the 'Trusty' (formerly 'la Patriote'), Cap- 
 tain Loughborough; and the 'King's Fisher,' 
 advice-boat, Hawkesbury, master and commander. 
 The 'Vigilant' (Chatham guard-ship) continues 
 riding only at single anchor, and has been ex- 
 pected to quit her station every day, being kept 
 here, it is supposed, merely for temporary pur- 
 poses, till some other ship is appointed to supply 
 her place. 
 
 " N.B. The 'Amherst,' an old hospital ship, in 
 her station, very much out of repair, and totally 
 unfit for service. 
 
 " July 9th. — Some steering for port ; the ' Im- 
 pregnable,' Commodore Porthmd, with the follow- 
 ing vessels under convoy : — The ' Alarm,' Captain 
 Fitzwilliam ; the 'Discovery' (a new launch), Cap- 
 tain Spencer ; the ' Dissonant,' Captain Windham ; 
 and the 'Nimble' cutter, Captain Mansfield. 
 
 
310 Ship News Extraordinary. 
 
 "July loth. — Wind blows hard and contrary, 
 with frequent squalls ; the squadron, however, 
 continues working and beating up against wind 
 and tide, and making every exertion to get into 
 harbour. They appear most of them in a very 
 leaky condition, and as they have been so long 
 a time at sea, some apprehensions are entertained 
 for them. 
 
 *'July II. — This morning the whole squadron 
 arrived safe in port, the * Alarm' had been visibly 
 more than once in danger of parting company. 
 Captain Fitzwilliam thought it advisable at one 
 time to alter his course and bear away, but after- 
 wards rejoined the squadron, and brought to under 
 the Commodore's stern, to which he instantly tied 
 his vessel, and was towed in with some difficulty. 
 In their passage the squadron gave chase to three 
 sail, which they discovered at a considerable dis- 
 tance, and which at first appeared to approach 
 them, but soon put about and stood from them. 
 For a few days they seemed to gain a little in the 
 chase, but the wind shifting, and a thick fog com- 
 ing on, they lost sight of them, and the next day 
 they had the mortification to find that they were 
 no longer discernible, even with their glasses, from 
 the main-top. We since understand that they are 
 supposed to have been the good ship * Integrity,' 
 a Devonshire * Snow,' and two small stout brigs, 
 called the 'Good Intent,' and the ' Steady Sailer,' 
 
 John and George Cavendish owners, homeward 
 bound ; they were originally part of the convoy, 
 but separated in the late hurricane. 
 
 "July 17. — This day, to our surprise, the 'Im- 
 pregnable' wore out into dock, when Commodore 
 Portland took the opportunity to have her sides 
 daubed and covered, which was thought abso- 
 lutely necessary previous to her intended voyage." 
 

 PORTRAIT OF CHARLES FOX, 
 
 BY 
 
 LAVATER. 
 
 - 
 
 
 s s 
 
I 
 
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 L 
 
 ^artnxtt tre Charles gm, i^m 
 
 n\\\^ 
 
 FRONT inepuisable — plus de richesses 
 d'idees, et d'lmages que je n'ai jamais 
 vu peint sur aucun physionomie au monde. 
 Sourcils superbes, regards dominants, les 
 yeux remplis de genie, percants, fascinants, 
 magiques. Nez mediocre, les joues sen- 
 suelles. Bouche pleine d une volubilitc sur- 
 prenante, et agreable, et le bas du visage 
 doux, affable, sociable. 
 
 " Mon premier est un Tyran, 
 Mon second fait horreur, 
 Mon tout est le diable." 
 
 Answered by Charles Fox : — 
 
 " Ouand on aime le premier 
 On ne craint point le second, 
 Et le tout fait le parfait bonheur." 
 
i 
 
 t 
 
 
 •i 
 
 PARODY ON "GOD SAVE THE KING," 
 
 BY 
 
 SHERIDAN. 
 
 - '•■i.^j 
 
-..^-.- V4 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 f*i> 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 r 
 
 PARODY ON 
 "GOD SAVE THE KING. 
 
 FROM the assassin's blow, 
 From each false friend and foe, 
 God save the King. 
 From Ryder's flippancy, 
 Rochester's piety, 
 Auckland's apostacy, 
 God save the King. 
 
 From Pepper Arden's law, 
 From Buonaparte's paw, 
 
 God save the King. 
 From war and want of bread. 
 From Portland's stone and lead, 
 From Boge Grenville's head, 
 
 God save the King. 
 
 From Billy Pitt's device, 
 Dundas's Scotch device, 
 
 God save the King. 
 From Windham's sophistry, 
 Pybus's poetry, 
 From my Lord Ilawkesbury, 
 
 God save the King. 
 
 M 
 
-J 
 
 Oh Lord our God arise, 
 Send us some new allies, 
 
 That we may treat ; 
 And should their amities 
 End in new perfidies, 
 Get back our subsidies. 
 
 That we may eat. 
 
 From Rose's knavery, 
 From West Indian slavery, 
 
 God save the King. 
 From Chatham's silence, 
 Westmoreland's nonsense, 
 And Lord Eldon's conscience, 
 
 God save the King. 
 
 
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 %' *»■ <'-ii ** . 
 
 
 
THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 EDWARD WILLIAM HARCOURT, 
 
 OF STANTON HARCOURT, AND NUNEHAM COURTENAY, 
 IN THE COUNTY OF OXFORD, ESQUIRE. 
 
 VOL. IV. PART 11. 
 
 ^r5nl0tt for yvhnit §mnMm 6i| 
 
 JAMES PARKER AND CO., OXFORD. 
 
 [Only Fifty Copies printed?^ 
 
^-2, -/^^.-z-f 
 
 ?4% 
 
 
 .\ 
 
 a 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Anecdotes relating to the Years 1792— i795- 321 
 
 Prophecy by the Bishop of Arles, a.d. 542 . 645 
 
 Account of Suwarrow 649, 650 
 
 Anecdote 652 
 
 Anecdote • 653 
 
 Epigrame 654 
 
 Anecdote of Tallien 655 
 
 EXTRAITS DE PLUSIEURS LETTRES DE FRANCE . 656 
 
 Rapport de ce qui s'est pass^ A Varsovie le 
 
 25 Fevrier 1803 658 
 
 France in 1800 664 
 
'*jliX-<W6^W«WiBw**WK. ''••^ ••* .■raw^^^^.tiMUM 
 
 \ 
 
 CORRIGENDA. 
 
 p. 356, 1. I, and else\vhere,>r " Cruy," reaci " Croy." 
 
 411, 1. 19, and elsewhere, /or "Emanuel," rc(7^f "Em- 
 manuel." 
 
 ANECDOTES 
 
 RELATING TO 
 
 THE YEARS 1 792-1 795 
 
 BY 
 
 THE HOiNOURABLE MRS, HARCOURT 
 
 : 
 
 321 
 
 * 
 
 : 
 
-/ -v. 
 
 1792— 1795. 
 
 tars 
 
 ^ I "HE many curious scenes Mrs. Harcourt 
 was witness to in the course of the 
 time she passed upon the Continent, in the 
 years 1792, 1793, 1794, and 1795, and the 
 many interesting circumstances that came to 
 her knowledge, appear to me so well worth 
 attention, that I have resolved to extract 
 them from her letters (where they are in- 
 termixed with some family concerns), and 
 to collect them together in such a form as 
 may allow hereafter of their being read by 
 any person who may like to be acquainted 
 with some of the more private transactions 
 of a period that will furnish much matter 
 for the ablest historians. 
 
 In the month of August, 1792, General 
 Harcourt, being desirous of seeing the Aus- 
 trian and Prussian armies, then engaged in 
 war with the French Republicans, went, ac- 
 
 T t 
 
322 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 companied by Mrs. Harcourt, to Bruxelles, 
 from whence her first letter is dated. 
 
 August 23rd. — We arrived here yesterday, 
 and Mr. Harcourt is already gone. I trust, 
 in the mercy of Heaven, that we shall meet 
 again ; you know I exist but for him, and 
 can ill bear any separation, however short. 
 Yet, believe me, I am glad we undertook 
 this journey ; he had so long and so strongly 
 wished to come, and, thanks to the King's 
 extreme goodness to him, he visits the 
 armies under such favourable circumstances, 
 that he must find amusement and every sa- 
 tisfaction. Our Minister here, Lord Elgin, 
 has been very kind, and has done all he 
 could to facilitate the plan. A messenger 
 is gone with the General, and he has a pass- 
 port from the Austrian Minister, who says 
 there is not a doubt of his getting up to 
 the Duke of Brunswick, and being well re- 
 ceived. Whether he may be allowed to stay 
 any length of time none here can know. 
 
 General Hohenloe's army, which was on 
 the right, is expected to join the Duke about 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 { 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 323 
 
 this time, so the General will have his wish 
 of seeing the Austrian and Prussian troops 
 together. He will probably join them at 
 Metz, whither they are going. To-night he 
 will stop at Namur, where, you know. La 
 Fayette is prisoner on his parole. I am told 
 he protests against what, from his being 
 taken upon neutral ground, he calls an in- 
 frineement of the right of nations. He for- 
 gets how long he has set the example of 
 spurning all rights, and how much he has 
 been the cause of all this confusion and 
 misery. I find he is held in abhorrence 
 here, and little credit is given him for the 
 apparent return of attachment he latterly 
 shewed to the King. 
 
 The Emigrants are in sad disrepute with 
 the allied army; their absurdity, and their 
 unreasonable language and expectations, dis- 
 gust all parties, and the ostentation and 
 numerous attendants of the French Princes, 
 when compared with the simplicity of the 
 King and Prince Royal of Prussia, appear 
 quite ridiculous. I shall stay here at pre- 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
 
,f 
 
 i! 
 
 if 
 
 i! 
 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 324 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 sent, because I can have the most constant 
 and authentic intelligence from Lord Elgin, 
 who shews me every possible attention. 
 
 August 24th. — I wrote yesterday, but as 
 another messenger is going I will send an- 
 other letter, for writing to you is some relief 
 to my mind, and I am a melancholy being. 
 Bruxelles looks like a desert ; so would any 
 place where ^^Ir. Harcourt Is not. The town 
 Itself is certainly a fine one, and there Is 
 much to see in it. We hear to-day that the 
 army has not made the expected movement ; 
 probably General Harcourt will come up 
 with it before it reaches Thionville, and be- 
 fore Prince Hohenloe joins the Prussian 
 division. I have great satisfaction in Sir 
 James Murray's being with the General ; he 
 always likes his society, and it will be par- 
 ticularly pleasant to him upon the present 
 occasion, they suit each other so well. We 
 hear of nothing but horrors from France; 
 perhaps intelligence reaches England sooner 
 than it does this place, for the communica- 
 tion we have with Paris Is a difficult one. 
 
 |i 
 
 
 
 tjie Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 25 
 
 The distress of the poor Arch-Duchess is 
 areater than words can tell : she every day 
 expects to hear that her sister is assas- 
 sinated ; yet, while she dreads it, she says 
 it will be her release from misery. 
 
 To leave this sad subject for awhile would 
 be a relief, if I were not going to enter upon 
 another not less dismal, but all our minds 
 are so occupied by it, I mean the minds 
 of the English here, that I must tell It you. 
 A very beautiful young Englishwoman, who 
 had resided nine months in one of the hotels 
 in this place, died three days ago, (leaving 
 behind her a little girl of fourteen or fifteen 
 months old,) whose connections we have no 
 means of tracing. There is reason to be- 
 lieve that the mother died of despair, but 
 she has left no papers that lead to a dis- 
 covery of her history. Some letters, with- 
 out dates, Lord Elgin says, seem, by the 
 persons named in them, to have been writ- 
 ten from Naples about the year 1786. They 
 speak of sending her money from time to 
 time, and advise the cultivation of her dif- 
 
y. 
 \ 
 
 1 
 t 
 
 J 
 
 \ 
 1 
 
 326 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 ferent talents, particularly that of music ; 
 they appear to have been addressed to her 
 while she resided in some convent. They 
 express strong attachment, but express it 
 with great delicacy. She went here by the 
 name of Dillon, but drew for the money 
 by the name of Trevor. So careful was she 
 to conceal herself, that she never was more 
 than three times out of her apartments while 
 she lived here. Nothing could be more ir- 
 reproachable than her conduct ; her extreme 
 beauty and uncommon hue figure made many 
 attempt to see and speak to her, but she 
 never would receive any visitors. 
 
 Her servants were of this place, and know 
 no more of her than that she hired them here. 
 She has so carefully erased every signature 
 of the letters that have been found, that it 
 is impossible to guess who they were from. 
 They mention the writer's living a great 
 deal in the society of Lord Gower and Lady 
 Sutherland at Naples ; express great fond- 
 ness for painting and sculpture ; and men- 
 tion the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 327 
 
 being gone, or going, from Geneva to Eng- 
 land. A fracrment of a letter, written evi- 
 dently in another hand, speaks of a treaty of 
 marriage, which seemed to have gone off. 
 She lived with the greatest economy, yet 
 had contracted a debt at the hotel that lay 
 heavy on her mind ; and the not having 
 latterly received any money seems to have 
 hastened her death. She was too high-spi- 
 rited to apply to any one for assistance, and 
 shewed a great instance of honour and in- 
 tegrity in her conduct with respect to her 
 banker, who, having received a hundred 
 pounds from some unknown person, sup- 
 posed it might be for her, and sent it to 
 her ; she returned it, saying she was sure it 
 was a mistake. At that time she was in the 
 extremest distress. It is believed that the 
 people at the hotel treated her latterly very 
 hardly, and were urgent for money. 
 
 It is suspected that she took something 
 to hasten her death, for she had repeatedly 
 inquired for Lord Elgin, who was not then 
 arrived; and when they told her he was 
 
328 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 I 
 
 come, she said, ** It is now too late." She 
 was delirious for the last five or six days ; 
 talked much, but always in English, which 
 those about her did not understand ; so dis- 
 covery could not be made from what she 
 said. Lord Elgin is wretched he did not 
 know her situation sooner; he sent for the 
 child, but the wretches at the hotel said they 
 would keep it as a pledge for their bill; 
 however, Lord Elgin has applied to the 
 Minister, who says he will insist upon its 
 being given up. 
 
 August 27th, Bruxelles.— General Harcourt 
 eot to Namur on Friday, and to Arlon on 
 Saturday; he was then within two leagues 
 of Longwy, where he expected to come up 
 with Clairfait's division, and in the evening 
 he hoped to reach the Duke of Brunswick. 
 They had travelled all night ; I was afraid 
 they would, and heat and fatigue are what 
 I dread for him. I understand that the idea 
 of taking Metz is given up, and that Clair- 
 falt will go to Mont Medy, and the Duke 
 of Brunswick proceed to take Verdun; but 
 
 THE YexVrs 1792 — 1795. 
 
 329 
 
 little is known, and probably they must act 
 as circumstances arise to direct them. I shall 
 stay here, because I can have good intelli- 
 gence. As to the place, it may be a pleasant 
 one to those whose minds are at ease, 
 and who can see, hear, or enjoy. I can do 
 neither while General Harcourt is absent ; 
 but remember that, uncomfortable as I am, 
 I would not have him anywhere else for the 
 world, and I should be easier if I were sure 
 of his being received, and fulfilling the ob- 
 ject of his journey. Lord Elgin and Mr. 
 Jenkinson are kind, and call many times 
 every day. 
 
 We have no further lights as to the poor 
 child, though Lord Elgin has used every 
 means to obtain some. He has shewn the 
 best heart and the best principles upon this 
 melancholy occasion. He is wretched he 
 was not informed of the mother's situation 
 in time to mve her the comfort of knowing 
 that her child should be taken care of I find 
 the master of the hotel did send for a phy- 
 sician, and that the physician does not think 
 
 u u 
 
 ft 
 
V 
 
 330 
 
 Anfxdotes relating to 
 
 she had any symptoms of havinor taken 
 poison ; but that grief caused her illness and 
 death, and the deliriums coming on so soon 
 prevented her taking any steps for her 
 daughter's safety. She has left jewels and 
 trinkets enough to discharge all she owed 
 at the hotel and to her servants, but nothing 
 remains for the infant. 
 
 Captain Wood, who was once in the Gene- 
 ral's regiment, has just called upon me ; he 
 comes from the siege of Longwy, which only 
 lasted six hours. When summoned to sur- 
 render, the garrison answered they would 
 die rather than do so, but upon one old 
 woman being killed they capitulated. The 
 white flag is hoisted, and two Prussian regi- 
 ments are left in the place. Clairfait was 
 civil to Captain Wood, but would not let him 
 go beyond Longwy. He says he never saw 
 such miserable-looking people as the Emi- 
 gres; they appear half-starved. The King 
 of Prussia has ordered them a daily allow- 
 ance of bread, but, as they cannot get it 
 regularly, they often go without that or any 
 
 
 ••% 
 
 V 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 331 
 
 food the whole day. Captain Wood heard 
 one of them, with a ribbon that had once 
 been red, tell the Comte D'Artois he had 
 been two days without a meal; while, by- 
 the-bye, he and the other French Princes 
 live in the greatest luxury. They have im- 
 mense suites of waggons, all ticketed ; one 
 marked '' Toilette de Monsieur," another 
 '' Toilette du Comte D'Artois,'' another '* Bat- 
 terie de Cuisine de Monsieur," another '' Vin 
 de Monsieur," &c. 
 
 I have just got your letter; your being 
 at Weymouth is a comfort to me, for at 
 the same time that I hear of you and 
 Lord H., I hear of all our beloved Royal 
 Family. Tell me all you do ; who bathes ; 
 who sails ; who drives and rides ; do you 
 go to the play ; to Delamotte's ? All, all 
 is interesting to me. I want to know if 
 Lord Gower has left Paris. All commu- 
 nication from hence is stopped ; what we 
 hear comes from the army. The Arch- 
 duchess is at Mons; she is gone for a day 
 or two to see the Duke of Saxe Teschen. 
 
I 
 
 i 
 
 ' 
 
 h P 
 
 332 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 When here she lives alone, and is very low ; 
 her nephew, the Arch-duke Charles, is with 
 the army. Unfortunately she is very un- 
 popular with all ranks of the people, even 
 with those most attached to the Austrian 
 Government ; her pride is said to be the 
 reason, which is odd, for it is not the fault 
 of her family. She is sensible she is dis- 
 liked, and laments it. 
 
 There was a Grand Mass yesterday for 
 the King and Royal Family of France ; 
 the whole Church was in tears, in which I 
 heartily joined, and stayed tlie whole time. 
 I thouofht some of the women would have 
 fainted. I have just heard that the Com- 
 mandant of Longwy drowned himself the 
 day after the capitulation. The Command- 
 ant of La Fayette's advanced guard came 
 into Luxembourg, desiring to be received ; 
 they did not know what to do with him, and 
 he met with some insults and much re- 
 proach ; the consequence was, his fighting 
 a duel with a Prussian ofticer. The Emigres 
 are perpetually fighting duels with each 
 
 T 
 
 t* 
 
 other. Every man has a different plan in 
 his pocket for a new Constitution, and a new 
 form of Government. Each thinks his own 
 the best, and, till they marched, they were 
 frequently challenging each other for some- 
 thing to do. Many of these combats ended, 
 fatally. Thus every way these poor devoted 
 French seem to be hastening their own ex- 
 tirpation. Yet they inspire one widi more 
 horror than pity ; and many a mournful les- 
 son does their past conduct and present 
 situation convey. 
 
 It is curious to trace the small causes from 
 whence great events arise. The anecdote 
 I am going to tell you, you may depend upon. 
 
 In November, 1790, the Bishop D'A 
 
 and the Abbe Gregoire went to confer with 
 Necker upon the proposal the clergy were 
 to make of a Do7i Grahii^e. The sum 
 they would have raised was to be sufficient 
 to make up the deficit, the finances would 
 have been cleared, the Government of course 
 enabled to act with vigour, and there was 
 every probability that the Revolution would 
 
 V 
 
334 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 |! 
 I 
 
 I 
 ■ K- 
 
 have been at an end. The Minister felt 
 these advantages, and was upon the point 
 of adopting the measure, when his wife, who 
 very unfortunately was present, cried out, ''If 
 you consent to this, you establish the Catho- 
 lic religion in France for ever." Necker 
 instantly broke off the conference ; and thus 
 the inconsiderate zeal of an insignificant 
 woman against one mode of worship, has 
 eventually been the means of banishing all 
 religion from one of the largest countries 
 in Europe. 
 
 Bruxelles, August 30th. — I have just got 
 a letter dated from Longwy, the 26th, of 
 which I will send you an extract : — • 
 
 " We arrived here yesterday, and proceeded to 
 the Duke of Brunswick's quarters immediately. 
 He received us with the greatest politeness, but 
 without touching upon the subject of the letter 
 which we had previously sent to him. He was 
 out all this morning with the King of Prussia ; 
 we went to the parade, and were presented to His 
 Majesty, with whom we had afterwards the honour 
 of dining, but nothing was said as to whether we 
 might or might not stay with the army. Pro- 
 
 ft) 
 
 bably this will be decided to-morrow. The Duke's 
 quarters are in a gentleman's house at Procourt, 
 about five miles from hence. The King encamps 
 in the centre of the army, upon an adjoining 
 height ; Prince Hohenloe about three leagues in 
 front, between Thionville and Metz, with the ad- 
 vanced guard. He reconnoitred yesterday within 
 a small distance of the last -mentioned town. 
 Clairfait is about a league from hence to the west- 
 ward. Marshal Luckner was encamped at Riche- 
 mont, upon the Orme, but is said to have retired 
 to the other side of the Moselle. We hear that 
 the army of the Princes, which is five or six 
 leagues from hence, is to march to-morrow, and 
 to occupy this place when they reach it. We 
 have been fortunate in getting tolerable quarters, 
 and in having fine weather, but we have found 
 great difficulty about horses ; to-day we hope to 
 provide ourselves with some. 
 
 " The particulars of the siege of this place must 
 by this time have reached Bruxelles. The Prus- 
 sians had only one man killed and three wounded ; 
 the garrison lost three or four, w^hom they them- 
 selves shot upon the outworks, and two w^ho suf- 
 fered from the shells. The garrison consisted of 
 2,400 men, all national troops, except the regi- 
 ment D'Augouleme. They were dismissed, upon 
 condition of not serving again during the war. 
 Monsieur came here to-day and harangued the 
 
 .i 
 
 I 
 
citizens ; lie was answered with cries of ' Vive le 
 Roi.' The inhabitants of the villac^cs quitted 
 them at first, upon the appearance of the Trus- 
 sians, but have almost all returned, and seem 
 resigned to their fate. The country bears no 
 marks of desolation." 
 
 You see the General has had no distress 
 but from want of horses ; how unlucky that 
 he brouo-Ht none from England, and could 
 get none here. A report that Mons was 
 attacked, or likely to be so, caused a great 
 alarm in this town a few days ago. That 
 place in possession of the French, nothing 
 could impede their coming hither, where 
 they may do much mischief; and it is a won- 
 der they have not attempted it. Had they 
 arrived, we should have fallen back to Ant- 
 werp, or proceeded to Spa, but I hope no 
 such measure will be necessary ; it is, how- 
 ever, supposed that they will attack some 
 part of the frontier to the westward, to make 
 a diversion in the Duke of Brunswick's 
 army. Ill as I was in crossing the sea, 
 I bless our insulated situation, that enables 
 
 
 f- 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 337 
 
 us to remain in peace and tranquillity, and 
 with other causes makes us the wonder and 
 envy of the world. I went yesterday to see 
 a beautiful litde villa of the Arch-duchess', 
 called Le Lac ; it is about three miles from 
 hence, and the situation is very fine; the 
 garden is comfortable, and laid out in the 
 English style. We Afterwards went with 
 Lord Elgin to a play that was tolerably per- 
 formed ; by we, I mean Charlotte and my- 
 self, for I am not connected with any other 
 
 woman. 
 
 August 30th. — Late in the evening, just 
 as I was going to send this, a messenger 
 came with a letter from the General ; he 
 is allowed to stay, some days longer at least, 
 with the army. Nothing but the King's 
 goodness in the letter he kindly gave him, 
 could have obtained this permission. Pray 
 tell his Majesty so, and that he could not 
 have conferred a greater obligation upon him. 
 
 Sept. 3rd. — I wait for the next messenger, 
 before I decide whether I will remain here 
 or go for a week to Spa. The seeing 
 
 X X 
 
338 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 a pretty place that 1 have heard so much of 
 might amuse me, but probably there I might 
 be alarmed by hearing a thousand false re- 
 ports from the army. Just now this place 
 is called a desert, as most of the principal 
 people are at their country houses ; many in- 
 deed are with the army. The Arch-duchess 
 comes here for a day or two at a time, but 
 sees nobody, and is chiefly at Mons with 
 her husband. However, in so large a town 
 there must always be society, and I receive 
 great civility from the family of Stolberg. 
 
 The house of the Comtesse d'Abret, who 
 was a Princess of Stolberg, is open every 
 evening, and I go when I please. She is 
 a charming woman ; handsome in her per- 
 son, and elerant in her manners. You know 
 how sensible and agreeable Madame d' Al- 
 bany, the late Pretender's widow, is ; she is 
 with Madame d'Abret, and, though in need 
 of consolation herself, takes great pains to 
 be of use to us. She fled from Paris about 
 ten days ago, after the horrid events of the 
 loth of August; her escape was effected 
 
 %^ I: 
 
 ( 
 
 ^. 
 
 THE Years 1792— 1/95 
 
 00* 
 
 with difficulty, and she left all she had to 
 the mercy of the populace. Three of the 
 company \vho had been at her house the 
 evenino- before were massacred ; and she 
 hears that her houses have been seized, to- 
 gether with everything she had of any value. 
 She looks broken-hearted; so in truth do 
 half the people 1 see, for most of them 
 are emigrants, and persons once high in 
 rank and fortune. 
 
 Great is the impatience to hear that 
 Thionville and Verdun are taken ; it is sup- 
 posed that the news may come to-morrow, 
 but tedious are the operations of war, and 
 difficult the means of transporting subsist- 
 ence for men and horses. I saw the first mes- 
 sen^Ter that went to General Harcourt, and 
 had crreat comfort in hearing that his quarters 
 were good, and in a safe situation ; I hope 
 he will be as w^ell off at Verdun. When 
 the army marches from thence, I shall be 
 anxious about his return. There are no 
 places of consequence between that place 
 and Paris, Chalons and Rheims being quite 
 
i 
 
 1 
 
 ft 
 
 iA 
 
 .1 
 
 '4 
 'I 
 If 
 
 ;40 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 defenceless. At present, the Democratic 
 party have no appearance of making any 
 preparations against them, which is very 
 wonderful ; but the French here, who abuse 
 their nation all day long, say they never 
 believe anything they do not like ; and that 
 till the army is cannonading the town of 
 Paris, they will give no credit to there being 
 such an idea. I cannot tell you a twentieth 
 part of the stories I hear from them, but 
 they fill me with horror. 
 
 I met this evening at the Comtesse d'A- 
 bret's, the Duchesse d'Aumberg, and her 
 daughter the Princess Pauline. I am sorry 
 they are only come for a day or two, for 
 they seem charming w^omen. The young 
 one is very pretty, speaks English with 
 ease, and appears to have been well brought 
 up. They gave me a good account of Prince 
 Augustus, who is now at Spa ; they say he 
 is delightful, and adored wherever he goes. 
 They saw him often at Mayence, and he 
 was well enough to dance with the Empress 
 one night. The Emperor was an old friend 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 41 
 
 of his when he was in Tuscany. Lord Elgin 
 has taken the poor litde orphan into his own 
 house, and will provide for her; he is an 
 excellent young man. The General has sent 
 for pencils, and tea ; and says he wants 
 nothinir else. The curiosity he feels is so 
 natural in a military man, that I rejoice it 
 is indulged in, even at the expense of 
 my comfort. 
 
 A lady I have just seen told me that the 
 French King, having a button, or buckle, 
 undone at his knee, desired one of the 
 Guards to fasten it ; the man knelt down to 
 do so, and was broke for being guilty of 
 such a dasscsse. They also assure me that 
 the Queen waits upon herself, and has 
 been seen dusting and cleaning her clothes ; 
 
 the Duchesse de , I forget her name, 
 
 but she is sister to Madame de Tarente, 
 told me this. I believe that INIadame de 
 Tarente is about INIadame Royalle. 
 
 September 7th.— We know that Verdun 
 is taken ; they say that Stenay is too, but 
 no courier is arrived; surely one must 
 
M 
 
 u 
 
 i 
 
 - ♦ 
 
 come to-day. The accounts from Thiouville 
 are less good ; it is reported that in storm- 
 ing part of the fortress, the Austrlans lost 
 400 men; probably, however, by this time 
 it must be taken. 
 
 The horrid accounts we heard yesterday 
 from France exceed belief, and the despair 
 of the cuiigrds is beyond measure. They say 
 that 600 persons are in the prisons, and 300 
 monks have been massacred in cold blood ; 
 the Princesse de Lamball, and the two Mes- 
 sieurs de Montmorrin, are amongst those sa- 
 crificed by the fury of the mob. Mesdames 
 de Tarente and de Tourzelles are supposed 
 to be in the Salpetriere ; you know that 
 prison used to be devoted only to the most 
 abandoned women. Horrid, horrid country! 
 no age, no climate, ever produced such in- 
 stances of savage barbarity. It is believed 
 that the Kincr and Oueen are still safe, but 
 they save only to tormicnt and insult them. 
 
 They went to Madame d'Albany's house 
 to take her up the day after she left Paris ; 
 this last news will half kill her. All lay- 
 
 TiiE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 343 
 
 men are with the army, but I see many 
 Bishops and Abbes at Madame de Mire- 
 mont's. They know, or pretend to know, 
 a o-reat deal ; and from them I hear, that 
 the dreadful business of the 20th of August 
 was owing to a discovery of the King's 
 intending to escape. The plan was well 
 laid, but treacherously betrayed ; La Fayette 
 was privy to it ; and Madame de Lamball's 
 being suspected of having conveyed a letter 
 from him to the King, was the reason of 
 her being murdered. They say the King 
 was to have gone to Rouen ; and, if he 
 had not eone to the National Assembly, 
 might have escaped. If Bishops might 
 swear, they would swear to the truth of 
 
 this account. 
 
 A propos to Churchmen ; a person ex- 
 pressed some surprise to the Cardinal de 
 Rohan that he had not taken more pains 
 to clear up the strange business of the dia- 
 mond necklace that had made so much 
 noise. His answer was : '' The truth of 
 that story is, that the Queen and I were 
 
 \ 
 
^'■H 
 
 both duped, and the less that is now said 
 about It the better." 
 
 Little Louise is settled at Lord Elgin's ; 
 she is the most beautiful child you can 
 conceive, with the fairest complexion, and 
 bright blue eyes; but, from having been 
 always secluded from the air, looks delicate. 
 It is impossible to see her, and think of the 
 sad fate of her mother, without being af- 
 fected. She has a little green silk cradle, 
 and her linen is of the finest kind, with lace 
 edo-ino-s. She cannot speak, but seems lively 
 and good-humoured. Luckily the wife of 
 Lord Elein s servant has been used to chil- 
 dren, and makes an excellent nurse. What 
 happiness it will be to him, if, after saving 
 this little creature, he should one day be 
 able to restore her to her father, whoever 
 he may be. I would have contributed to- 
 ward the maintaining of Louise, but Lord 
 Elgin will take the whole upon himself, and 
 wishes the story not to be talked of, for he 
 thinks there is such an appearance of deli- 
 cacy in the writer of the letters, that he is 
 
 I 
 
 
 tL.' 
 
 more likely to find him out by private than 
 by public means; Mr. Jenkinson is at work 
 for that purpose in England. 
 
 September 9th.— This is the tenth day 
 since the messenger went, and not a line 
 have I had in all that time from General H., 
 nor have we heard anything of the army 
 since the taking of Verdun. Judge, for you 
 can, of the anxious state of my mind. I 
 incessantly watch the road to Namur; Lord 
 Elgin pretends to laugh, but I can see that 
 he is uneasy. The man must travel a long 
 way through an enemy's country, and may 
 be taken. Longwy is on the frontiers; 
 Verdun Is fifteen leagues within. Report 
 says that Prince Hohenloe has got on with 
 the advanced corps as far as Chalons, and 
 that the Duke of Brunswick is at Cler- 
 mont ; if so, the distance is still greater. 
 I should have no fears for General Harcourt 
 if I were sure of his being with the army, 
 but I must have many for his journey back ; 
 and who can say that his insatiable thirst 
 after military business may not lead him 
 
 Y y 
 
 i 
 
346 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 from army to army, or Induce him to go 
 upon reconnoitrinnr parties, forg-etting- that 
 he was sixteen years younger when he went 
 seventy miles without stopping through an 
 enemy's country, when he took General Lee ; 
 and that though they were enemies, they 
 were not savages, barbarians, monsters ; in 
 a word, they were not French. In all my 
 letters I have begged him rather to prolong 
 his absence than run any risk in returning. 
 
 It IS stranofe the Minister here has so 
 seldom any news from the main army ; they 
 think more of what is doing at Mons and 
 Tournay, because those places are near, and 
 many of their connections are there. The 
 Duke Albert, from Rlons, took possession 
 of the camp that was evacuated by the 
 French ; and at Tournay there have been 
 various little skirmishes, only to keep the 
 troops in motion, for they were deserting, 
 from remaininof so lonof in a state of in- 
 action. 
 
 There is to be a ori'^nd mass here to- 
 morrow for the souls of Madame de Lam- 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 347 
 
 ball, and all the poor sufferers in the last 
 massacre. Her head was stuck upon a pole, 
 and carried, streaming, to the King and 
 Queen ; and her body was dragged round 
 the temple where they are confined, and ex- 
 posed to every indecency and indignity. 
 When her head was carried by some place 
 where that wretch the Due d' Orleans was, 
 he looked at it, and said, ^' Ah oui c'est elle, 
 je la reconnais a sa belle chevelure." You 
 know his wife was sister to her husband, and 
 that it is supposed he drew him into all the 
 vices that caused his early death, in order 
 to inherit his large fortune. Poor Princesse 
 de Lamball ! it is just five years since she 
 was at your house in the country ; how little 
 could she then foresee the horrid fate that 
 awaited her! The Assembly have given 
 the honours of the "Seance" to the woman 
 who particularly distinguished herself the 
 day of the massacre. 
 
 September 30th. — The messenger is come, 
 and all is well ; it seems that the General 
 wrote constantly by the post, but not a 
 
 1 
 
I 
 
 348 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 line have I got. He was in good lodg- 
 ings at Verdun when the man left him, but 
 was going in a day or two to the Prince's 
 army ; he wished to take two or three more 
 marches with them, and then to return. I 
 lament the delay occasioned by the siege 
 of Thionville ; it gives spirits to the party, 
 and gives them time to prepare. It always 
 seems to me, that great enterprises fail, or 
 are rendered difficult, by delay ; the loss of 
 a month has been of great importance, and 
 is a great misfortune. The days shorten, 
 the weather grows bad, and the means the 
 French have of defending themselves in- 
 crease every hour. I see General Harcourt 
 has conceived a bad opinion of the general 
 disposition of the people of the country to 
 la bonne cause ; and I fear, from his expe- 
 rience in the American war, that he is but 
 too good a judge. As it must be ten days 
 or a fortniirht before he can return, I think 
 I shall begin my journey to Spa this even- 
 ing, and return here to meet him. 
 
 I am most distressed about the Due and 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 349 
 
 Duchesse d'Harcourt; they are at Aix-la- 
 Chappelle, and they were so good to me 
 in their prosperity, that I ought not to be 
 within six leagues without visiting them. 
 I shall see what I can do. 
 
 On St. Amand being taken, the Arch- 
 duchess came to Bruxelles, and last night 
 walked on the parade to receive compli- 
 ments upon the occasion, as it was her hus- 
 band's army from Mons that gained the 
 victory. But, poor soul, she looked far from 
 gay. Strong lines of sorrow and anxiety 
 marked her countenance ; she walked very 
 quickly; had only one lady with her; no 
 crowd followed her ; little attention was paid 
 her; and, had not I been told that it was 
 the Arch-duchess, I should scarcely have 
 distinoruished her from the rest of the 
 company. 
 
 I hear much in praise of the King of 
 Prussia and his sons ; of their case of man- 
 ner, affability, and general attention ; never 
 exigeanit, no difficulties, ever pleased and 
 pleasing, and good-humoured. Many here 
 
350 
 
 Anecdotes reeating to 
 
 knew them at Coblentz and Mayence, and 
 they also speak much of their manner of 
 livinorwith each other. The Kino- of Prussia 
 
 o o 
 
 and the Duke of Brunswick were the first 
 persons our courier met in the camp ; they 
 spoke to him, of which he is not a Httle 
 proud, bid him come again in the evening, 
 and sent to tell General Harcourt that he 
 was there. The General goes every day to 
 head quarters, and has at last been lucky 
 enoueh to cfet some ofood horses. I dread 
 his hearing of poor Colonel Gardner's death, 
 for it will ijrieve him to the soul. 
 
 Spa, Sept. 15th. — It is said that 200,000 
 men are gone from Paris to give battle to 
 the allied army on the march. If this be 
 true, I fear General Harcourt will remain 
 with them, from the wish he will feel to 
 witness the event. I have not allowed my- 
 self to interfere, except by writing to re- 
 mind him of his promise, made in Windsor 
 Castle to one to whom he is bound by 
 every tie of duty and affection, to be in 
 Encfland the be^innincf of October. 
 
 ] 
 
 V, 
 
 ¥ 
 
 \4Rl 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 351 
 
 The situation of this place is so singular 
 and romantic, and the ease so great, and the 
 variety of company from all nations so curi- 
 ous, that if I were in spirits, and the Gene- 
 ral here, I should be amused. I ride an 
 excellent little horse, of which there are 
 numbers, called escalins (sixpence), because 
 they used to be let for a ride at that 
 price. When I see a pretty view I stop 
 to sketch it. In the evening I usually am 
 of a party at Lady Templedown's, where 
 there is music, and tea from 6 to 8 ; and 
 then go to the Rooms. At these concerts 
 a French lady plays on the harp, and a 
 Spanish Comtesse and a Polish Count sing. 
 He has taught the celebrated Madame de 
 Ritz to sing with them ; I had heard so 
 much of her, that I was anxious to see her. 
 Her daughter, the Comtesse de la Mort, is 
 with her ; she is an immense girl of thirteen 
 years old, and acknowledged as his child 
 by the King of Prussia. She is a little 
 like Princess Sophia Matilda ; has a clever 
 countenance, and a lively manner. Her 
 
-I 
 
 / I 
 
 352 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 mother has a fine figure, but can never have 
 been very handsome. You know the King 
 of Prussia has always shewn her the greatest 
 regard and attention, however he may have 
 been engaged elsewhere. 
 
 This place is full of emigres ; some never 
 appear ; others come out in the hope of 
 hearing news; such only reaches them as 
 must fill them with horror. The ladies have 
 cut their hair short, and wear a ribbon or 
 a handkerchief tied round their heads. The 
 '' Friseur" I sent for to cut my hair, asked 
 me if I would have it cut ^*en Emigre ou 
 en demi Emigre." I saw a Pole yester- 
 day who escaped most wonderfully from 
 Paris. He was witness to all the horrors 
 of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and his account of 
 them exceeds all I could have conceived. 
 I have been walking in the convent garden ; 
 there a Capuchin Friar told me that there 
 had been a battle, and that Luckner was 
 defeated ; but this may not be true. I have 
 heard from the General, he was to leave 
 the army on the 15th, so I shall stay for 
 
 
 e 
 
 HIE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 353 
 
 him here, and then we shall visit the Due 
 and Duchesse d'Harcourt at Aix-la-Chapelle. 
 Sept. 23rd. — I have been too happy to 
 write. The General returned to Spa on 
 Thursday, and I never saw him in better 
 health or spirits. I perceive, however, that 
 he regrets not going on with the army, more 
 than I could wish ; but I am not as uncom- 
 fortable upon that account as I should be 
 were I the sole cause of his return ; for, had 
 he delayed it, he could not have kept his 
 promise to the King of being in England 
 by the beginning of October. He saw the 
 last engagement on the i6th, when the 
 enemy was forced to retire towards Chalons, 
 and were dispossessed of the heights they 
 occupied. This was what he waited for, 
 and nothing can happen for ten days to 
 come but a quiet march to Chalons. Sir 
 James Murray was twice knocked up by 
 the fatigue they went through : the General 
 is not at all the worse for it. They were 
 sometimes without beds, and often without 
 food ; eternally wet, and constantly on horse- 
 
 > 
 
 z z 
 
354 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 back from ten to fifteen hours every day. 
 I find they once went too close to the enemy, 
 and were very near being taken. As he is 
 safe, I am rdad he went, but still more so 
 that he is returned. 
 
 I write from Aix. — You know it is impos- 
 sible to get the start of these very good 
 Harcourts in any one instance of civility or 
 friendship. I wrote from Spa to say I meant 
 to visit them for one day, as soon as I heard 
 from the General. I sent this by an Eng- 
 lishman ; they got it at eleven at night, and 
 the next day, to my great surprise, they ar- 
 rived at Spa, a journey of ten hours, through 
 the most abominable roads that make it fa- 
 tiguing, though it is only thirty-five English 
 miles. This was on Tuesday ; on Thurs- 
 day the General arrived ; and on Saturday 
 we all came here ; we shall stay two days. 
 I never saw such charming, good, kind- 
 hearted people in my life, and I could shed 
 tears whenever I think of them. The re- 
 verse, too, in their situation, and their manner 
 of supporting it, is affecting beyond descrip- 
 
 
 I'; 
 
 V' 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 355 
 
 tion. They are unlike the generality of the 
 emigres; they see, alas, the whole business 
 too plainly as it is; the little chance, at 
 their age, that they have of beholding their 
 country restored to tranquillity, and the im- 
 possibility of their ever regaining the en- 
 joyments they have lost. Yet their lan- 
 guage is mild, humane, and moderate ; they 
 lament the general suffering of their fellow- 
 creatures ; they call for no vengeance on 
 the heads of those who occasioned it ; in 
 short, they inspire the greatest pity and the 
 highest respect. 
 
 The poor old Duke seems quite broken- 
 hearted ; he has lost his spirits and activity ; 
 but is calm, reasonable, and resigned, and 
 does not flatter himself with the hope of 
 better days during his life. He suffers most 
 for the sake of the two next generations of 
 his family, who are the objects of his affec- 
 tion, and are indeed worthy of being so. 
 I never saw three more charming girls than 
 his grand-daughters ; they are very pretty 
 and very amiable ; the eldest, the Princesse de 
 
 
35<3 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Cruy, has two lively little boys ; the second, 
 the Princesse de Craon, is with child ; Victo- 
 rine is still unmarried, and likely, in these 
 times, to remain so. Her sisters' husbands, 
 and her father, the Due de Montmart, are 
 with the army. The Due d'Harcourt is 
 particularly low, and hurt that he cannot 
 assist the general cause, and in being un- 
 employed when all but priests are serving. 
 But at his age, and with his health, it is 
 impossible ; besides, I suspect that in his 
 heart he thinks almost as ill of some of the 
 leaders of his own party as of the others, and 
 would almost as little like to follow them. 
 
 We were sorry to find on our arrival that 
 they had had a considerable alarm in this 
 town. It is supposed that some low French 
 who were here had received some Jacobite 
 emissaries from Paris, who, with the valets 
 of some of the emigrcSy had formed a con- 
 spiracy to massacre all the persons of any 
 consequence ; in truth, it would have been 
 an attack on bishops, women, and children. 
 The idea raised a great panic; Government 
 
 i "ij 
 
 interfered, confined some of the ringleaders, 
 and promised inquiry and protection. I fancy 
 they would have proceeded little farther than 
 words and wishes, and that some of the 
 valets had been holding ''des mauvais pro- 
 pos." Certain it is, that every Frenchman 
 who would gain by " egalitc " is a complete 
 democrat. 
 
 A disagreeable thing happened the night 
 we left Spa, but one is so used to hor- 
 rors that it seems a trifle. Madame de 
 Ritz, with another lady, a Polish Count, 
 and Lord Templeton, were airing along the 
 " Chaussee,'* out of the town; a man stopped 
 
 the carriage, and asked if the Prince of 
 
 (they could not distinguish the name) was 
 in it? They said, ''No;" and he was so 
 ill-looking they bid the coachman drive on. 
 On their return, when it was near dark, the 
 same man fired a pistol into the coach ; it 
 was loaded with ball which passed through 
 the carriage, but luckily missed them. Lord 
 Templeton ran to a place where there were 
 soldiers, got two, pursued, and took the 
 

 58 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 man. He is a Frenchman, and says he 
 came from Poictiers, but the cutlass he had 
 on was Hke those taken at Longwy, with 
 the same regimental mark upon it. The 
 Commandant not being in the town, he 
 could not be examined that night ; and as 
 we left Spa the next day, we are igno- 
 rant of the result. You, who know the 
 place, will easily conceive what a sensation 
 such an event would make there, particularly 
 amongst the emigres. They are not all such 
 heroines as the Duchesse d'Harcourt : I ad- 
 mire her to the greatest degree. Much as 
 she must feel the want of all her former 
 luxuries, she never makes a complaint ; 
 all her anxiety is for the Duke's health, 
 though she herself is very lame and inhrm, 
 and unfit for the journey she took to see 
 me at Spa. We can only stay two days 
 with them, and I am sorry for it. 
 
 We hoped to have been in London by 
 the 3rd of October, but, as you say the 
 Drawinir-room will not be till the 21st, I the 
 less regret the delay we have been obliged 
 
 to make upon poor Charlotte's account. We 
 stayed one day at Maestricht, and another 
 at Namur, on our way hither from Aix. 
 We preferred that road; first, because the 
 great depot for the army is at Maestricht, 
 where General Baron de Reitheizel com- 
 mands 8,000 troops ; and next, because we 
 could see a corps of 4,000 emigres, almost 
 all gentlemen, commanded by the Duke de 
 Bourbon. It was a scene I never can forget. 
 The banks of the Meuse, near Namur, are 
 finer than those of the Rhone, and more 
 picturesque. You may imagine a valley 
 of thirty miles, with rocks and woods, and 
 then suppose it enlivened by tents, Huzzars, 
 Chasseurs, &c. In some places gentlemen 
 were rubbinor down their horses, others were 
 sleeping under sheds, some carrying knap- 
 sacks, others eating their dinners under the 
 trees ; all were just come in, having been 
 sent from a place about fifty miles off. They 
 are to be cantoned upon the river till their 
 next destination is settled. From Namur 
 we came here yesterday ; the distance was 
 
but forty miles, yet Charlotte must rest, or 
 we shall not get her on to Ostend. We left 
 the dear Harcourts with regret ; they took 
 our visit kindly. I think of them inces- 
 santly. Their conduct, their conversation, 
 is charming ; and their situation so affecting, 
 that tears come into my eyes every time 
 I speak of them. They charged us with 
 many assurances of their regard for you and 
 Lord Harcourt, and lament that they can- 
 not take refuge in England with their own 
 family ; such they have ever considered it, 
 as we have always experienced. 
 
 In a few days after the receipt of this 
 letter, the General and Mrs. Harcourt re- 
 turned to England ; and circumstances soon 
 arose to induce the Duke and Duchesse of 
 Harcourt ; their son-in-law, the Duke de 
 Montmart; his daughter, the Princess de 
 Beaveau, and Madame de Montmart, with 
 the husband of the former, to seek the 
 asylum they wished and deserved to find 
 with their English relations. A house was 
 provided for them at Sunning Hill, at the 
 
 TIIK YkARS 1792 — ^795- 
 
 361 
 
 expense of Lord and General Harcourt, till 
 they purchased another for them at Staines, 
 where they resided, and received an annual 
 income from the two brothers. 
 
 After the execution, or rather murder, of 
 the unfortunate Louis XV L, his brother, the 
 Comtc de Provence, took the title of Regent 
 of France, and immediately wrote to the 
 Duke of Harcourt to say, that though the 
 position he was in, from not being acknow- 
 ledged by the Court of England, prevented 
 his giving him regular credentials as Ambas- 
 sador ; yet, as his friend, he hoped he would 
 not refuse to execute the functions of that 
 high office ; and begged him to let it be un- 
 derstood that it was through him he wished 
 to transact any business that might arise 
 either with the Government of England, or 
 with any French residing in that country. 
 
 Thouirh well aware that the danger and 
 fatio-ue would be more than equal to the 
 honour of the employment, the Duke of 
 Harcourt could not decline an opportunity 
 of trying to prove his attachment to the 
 
 '» A 
 
h 
 
 if 
 
 h 
 
 in 
 
 362 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Royal Family of France, and of serving the 
 infant King, who would have been placed 
 by his father under the Duke's immediate 
 care after the death of the first Dauphin, to 
 whom he was governor, if the unfortunate 
 turn of affairs had not prevented it. From 
 this time, though his family still remained 
 at Staines, the Duke lived chiefly in Lord 
 Harcourt's house in town^ 
 
 Early in the year 1793, England declared 
 war against France, and a body of troops 
 was soon afterwards sent into Flanders, under 
 the command of His Royal Highness the 
 Duke of York. General Harcourt's love of 
 glory would not suffer him to remain inactive 
 at such a time, and he earnestly solicited, 
 and at length obtained, orders that his regi- 
 ment should be sent to the Continent, and 
 that he should serve with it. He embarked 
 in the month of July, leaving Mrs. Harcourt 
 in a state little short of distraction ; but with 
 a promise of being allowed to join him in 
 a few weeks. I shall continue the extracts 
 
 ■ Harcourt House, in Cavendish Stjuarc. 
 
 ••m 
 
 from her letters from this time, as she fre- 
 quently mentions those she receives from 
 the General, as well as the accounts which, 
 from her living near Windsor, and the kind- 
 ness of the Royal Family, she had oppor- 
 tunities of hearing. 
 
 St. Leonard's, Sunday. — You know the 
 extreme kindness and good nature of the 
 King; my sufferings have awakened it all; 
 and yesterday evening, while I was riding 
 out, he came here himself with some letters 
 for me that had been sent in his packet. 
 At the bottom of the hill he met my coach- 
 man, who told him I was out ; so he gave 
 them to him, and bade him assure me that 
 he had seen a gentleman who left the Gene- 
 ral well on Monday. He asked the coach- 
 man where he was going. 
 
 " To Windsor, Sir." 
 
 '' For what .^" 
 
 " To put my mistress's letters into the 
 Post." 
 
 " Then," said the King, " I will save you 
 the trouble ; give them to me, I will send 
 
I 
 
 li 
 
 them ;" he took them, and put them into 
 his pocket. 
 
 How few of his subjects would have had 
 so good-natured an idea; how many, if they 
 had, would have been afraid of lessening 
 their imaginary consequence by giving way 
 to it. The letters his Majesty brought only 
 tell me that the two sieges are likely to take 
 up much time. General Harcourt does not 
 seem pleased with the management of things, 
 but that must not be said. Of our young 
 Princes he gives a good account ; and, what 
 is best of all, he assures me that he is him- 
 self well, though he is seldom less than 
 twelve hours on horseback, and sometimes 
 sixteen and seventeen out of the twenty-four. 
 God grant that so much fatigue may not be 
 more than he can bear. 
 
 Wednesday. — I know not how to tell you 
 all that has happened, i am so agitated; 
 but General Harcourt is well. He wrote 
 me a few lines after having been seven hours 
 in action, and nearly thirty-one on horse- 
 back. The position they have been in has 
 
 > 
 
 c. 
 
 'f 
 
 TJiE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 365 
 
 lon^^ been considered as unsafe, and I found 
 from the King last night that General 
 Sporrhen was sent over to tell him so by 
 General Freytay, who commands the cover- 
 ing army near Bergues. Who placed our 
 troops in such a position I know not, but 
 on the 6th and 7th of September the French 
 attacked them with an immense force. Gene- 
 ral Harcourt says : — 
 
 *' They were repulsed on every point of the 
 compass ; but at length, borne down by weight of 
 numbers, we were obh'ged to give way, whieh 
 made it necessary for us to retire to Honds- 
 chonete, in order to concentrate our force. What 
 effect such a movement may have, is but too easy 
 to be guessed ; but it was unavoidable. In the 
 scramble of a retreat, made in the darkness of the 
 night, Prince Adolphus and Field Marshal h^reytay 
 were both wounded and taken, but both retaken ; 
 the Prince was wounded in the shoulder, and had 
 a deep cut with a sabre so near the eye that it is 
 a wonder it escaped." 
 
 General Harcourt says it is impossible to 
 do justice to the valour of the troops. I 
 have given you all his letter. I received it 
 as I was going to the Lodge ; I was greatly 
 agitated, and found the Royal P^amily not 
 
,66 
 
 Anecdotes keeatixc. to 
 
 less so. When the Queen heard that Prince 
 Adolphus was wounded she was much af- 
 fected ; and the Princesses all cried very 
 much. At the same time that these de- 
 spatches reached the King-, he had a mes- 
 senger from the Duke of York's army. The 
 g-arrison of Dunkirk had made a sortie, and 
 a most desperate one, in which our only 
 engineer was killed ; he was one of the 
 greatest men in his way that ever lived, 
 and all depended upon him ; you must have 
 heard of Colonel IMoncrief llicre cannot 
 be a heavier loss ; and this retreat to Honds- 
 chonete will make the situation of the be- 
 siegers very critical. The whole prospect 
 is sad, but I bless God that General Har- 
 court is well and not wounded ; and 1 hope 
 he will not suffer materially from this dread- 
 ful fatimie. 
 
 The re-taking Freytay and Prince Adol- 
 phus, was fortunate; his wounds are not dan- 
 gerous; he received them from the Hussar 
 who took him. He is now at Fumes, and 
 has written to the Kino-, the Oueen, and 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 ■*: 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 r 
 
 THE Ykars 1792 — 1795. 
 
 3^7 
 
 Princess Augusta. The surgeon who at- 
 tends him writes word that he has fever, 
 but that he does not doubt his doinsr well. 
 Freytay was more wounded ; lay long in 
 a ditch ; was taken, and carried into a house ; 
 which was forced by the party who re-took 
 him. He is old ; and, if he recovers, I fear 
 will be of no use this campaign. His loss 
 will be irreparable. These wretches rise up 
 like mushrooms all around, we have not 
 force enough to cope w^ith them. The Dutch 
 are of no use, and the other allies are other- 
 wise employed. 
 
 The King w^as kind to me last night 
 beyond measure ; he came into the room 
 where I was, and read me his letters ; he 
 felt like a father for his son, and seemed 
 like a father to me. How I do love him ! 
 The Duchess of York was there, and as 
 her letters had been sent to Oatlands, she 
 did not get them till after ten o'clock, and 
 finished her game before she read them ; 
 she is, you know, the granddaughter of a 
 hero. However, she is a charming woman ; 
 
 f 
 

 368 
 
 Anecdoies relating to 
 
 she truly loves her husband, and her con- 
 duct is most exemplary. 
 
 The King; expects further accounts hourly ; 
 if any come before he sets out for the levre 
 to-day he promised to let me know ; if not, 
 I shall have an express from London the 
 moment a messenger arrives. I am quite 
 alone ; it is best, in the worried state of my 
 mind, that I should be so ; and I employ 
 myself in preparing to go, if any circum- 
 stance should either oblige me to hasten 
 my journey, or make my going easier. 
 When all is ready I shall be more comfort- 
 able, and I trust that nothing will detain 
 me beyond the end of this month ; but I will 
 see you first. I forgot to tell you that the 
 French who attacked Freytay's army came 
 from Cassel ; and, by forcing him to quit 
 his position, have made themselves a clear 
 staee from thence to Dunkirk. If you look 
 at the map you will understand this. 
 
 I this moment hear, that on the 8th the 
 French attacked Freytay's army again, and 
 it was forced to retreat to Furnes, and 
 
 \\ 
 
 i 
 
 T 
 
 0'^ 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — -1795. 
 
 3^9 
 
 to send to the Duke of York to assist them ; 
 so the sieee of Dunkirk is raised, and that 
 army is gone to join the other. No English 
 officer Avas killed or wounded in this last 
 affair ; this is comfort, but I have no letter 
 yet from the General, and cannot doubt that 
 he was as hotly engaged on the 8th as he 
 was on the 6th. It may be Aveakness that 
 makes me dwell on the dangers he has 
 passed, when I ought, perhaps, only to think 
 of and be grateful for his escape. Our whole 
 force is by this time together at Furnes, and 
 can only act upon the defensive. It seems 
 doubtful whether Freytay will recover. I 
 am sure you will be glad to hear a little 
 truth from me, for public accounts are made 
 for the pitblic, and, of course, so dressed out 
 as to turn away the attention from the naked 
 truth, which is most certainly as bad as it 
 well can be. 
 
 Now that the whole force is got together, 
 it is formidable ; and, acting upon the defen- 
 sive, no danger is to be apprehended unless 
 they overpower us with numbers. What is 
 
 3 B 
 
V- 
 1 
 
 370 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 to be done next nobody knows ; the raising 
 of the siege and the junction of the armies 
 were the last acts when tlic accounts dated 
 the 9th came away. The royal auigi^es 
 behaved extremely well ; many of them are 
 
 killed. 
 
 St. Leonard's, Sept. 12th. — I have a note 
 from the General dated the 9th, assuring me 
 he was well ; till I got it, after the chance 
 intelligence I had received, I was wretched. 
 Thank God all we love most are safe. The 
 British have suffered little ; but sad, sad in- 
 deed, has been the slaughter of the Hano- 
 verians, and the loss of all the artillery is 
 dreadful. It seems that the French had col- 
 lected forces from every point for this grand 
 purpose, and too well have they succeeded. 
 If the Duke of York had not marched in- 
 stantly to join Freytay's army, all tlie cavalry 
 would have been lost. How the danger, 
 though passed, makes me tremble. All are 
 just now safe ; all our force is concentrated ; 
 but so we shall not rest. 
 
 The rec^imcnt from Windsor marched at 
 
 o 
 
 1 
 
 *\ 
 
 six this morning ; more Guards, everything 
 is going; may Heaven protect us ! I hope 
 the Prince of Coburg will take advantage of 
 the French having marched so far ; they are 
 no longer at home, and will find difficulty 
 in subsisting. If the Prince comes in their 
 rear they may be much harassed ; but will 
 he abandon the Austrian objects of Mau- 
 beuge and Le Ouesnoy? It is too true the 
 French never were so powerful as at this 
 moment, nor so able to carry every plan into 
 execution. 
 
 I had resolved to meet you in London on 
 the 24th, and sail for Ostend by the first 
 packet-boat ; but in the present sad circum- 
 stances of the army, I must wait to know 
 General Harcourt's wishes. I cannot think 
 of self where he is concerned, and will not 
 add another care to his mind, probably too 
 much oppressed already ; still I hope I shall 
 go ; I live upon that idea, and it has long 
 been my consolation and support. The Royal 
 Family will return to Windsor to-day at 
 two, I am going to meet them. I am alone, 
 
i 
 
 and glad to be so ; society that I could not 
 enjoy would only be a constraint to me, 
 and I am now ready to go at a moment's 
 
 warnmg. 
 
 I open my letter again to say, that a mes- 
 senger from Mr. Dundas has just brought me 
 one from the General. He was well on the 
 nth; the army was ordered to march to 
 Ypres, to assist the Dutch who were at- 
 tacked ; but most fortunately Beaulieu came 
 up, or all would have been ruined every- 
 where. The Austrians have driven back 
 the enemy, and we are saved for the pre- 
 sent. The General says he is well in health, 
 but sick at heart, and hopes never to serve 
 such another campaign. Prince Adolphus is 
 going on well ; he is at Ostend, and Prince 
 Ernest is with him. 
 
 Le Quesnoy is taken ; this, I hope, will 
 enable the Prince de Coburg to co-operate 
 w^ith the English. Great accounts are ex- 
 pected by the next mail ; but all, however 
 good, must be purchased at the expense of 
 much danofer and fatigue, therefore I tremble. 
 
 1 
 
 k 
 
 The Princesses wrote to you the moment 
 Prince Adolphus arrived ; so you know that 
 he is come, and his wounds almost healed. 
 The Queen brought him here yesterday, 
 which was particularly kind, for he came 
 but the day before ; he was as glad' to see 
 me as if I had been one of his family. You 
 know he always loved you, and he longs to 
 see you ; I am sure you will come as soon 
 as you can. You will be delighted with 
 him ; he is very handsome, very brave, and 
 as lively, good-humoured, and affectionate, 
 as he was when a boy. I do not suppose he 
 will stay long in England, for he will soon 
 be well, and he is eager to serve again. 
 
 His escape was wonderful, and a young 
 Hanoverian officer, who is his great friend, 
 almost sacrificed himself to save him on the 
 horrid night when he was twice wounded, 
 made a prisoner, and re-taken. He told 
 me that poor Marshall, whom you and I 
 knew and liked, was killed that night, and 
 almost all the officers of the Hanoverian 
 Guards. He added, that General Harcourt 
 
-^ 
 
 J 
 
 74 
 
 Anecdotes rei.ating to 
 
 was engaged for four hours with only 5,000 
 men against 28,000, and that if the French 
 had availed themselves of the advantage 
 they had, all would have been lost. Eighty- 
 three Hanoverian officers were killed. The 
 young hero shed tears when he gave me 
 this account. 
 
 An officer who attends him told me in 
 the evening at Windsor, that there is a pos- 
 sibility of an attempt upon Lille. They 
 hope all thoughts of Dunkirk will be given 
 up ; for though it would be a great object 
 for this country, the undertaking under the 
 present circumstances would be too difficult 
 and hazardous. What do your guests (the 
 Duke and Duchess of Harcourt) say of the 
 conduct of the English at Toulon ? I own 
 I have such a horror of the French nation, 
 that I shudder at the thoughts of our ships 
 being in any harbour belonging to it ; and 
 fear some treachery may ruin us at last. 
 Have you heard that they murdered all the 
 porters at Paris because they were called 
 des Suisses, and all the tradespeople of that 
 
 Tl 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 '» 
 J 
 
 75 
 
 country ? Lord Howe's fleet is ordered out 
 with all expedition ; half-fitted, and not at 
 all equal to the enemy. 
 
 The correspondence was interrupted here, 
 for a short time, by my going to Windsor. 
 About the same day that I returned home 
 Mrs. Harcourt set out for Deal, from whence 
 her next letter was written. 
 
 Deal Castle, October. — Here I am, and 
 I hope I shall sail to-morrow. Admiral 
 Macbride will, by my uncle's desire, carry 
 me over himself I go in a frigate, with a 
 cutter to accompany me. The last is a little 
 armed vessel into which we shall eet when 
 we are three leagues from Ostend, and the 
 frigate will watch us till we are in ; so you 
 need have no fears. Think how I was 
 elated before I left London by getting a 
 letter from the General, dated the 9th, in 
 which he said I must come directly to Tour- 
 nay ; that his camp was within seven miles 
 of it, that he was likely to stay there till the 
 reduction of Maubeuge, probably to the end 
 of the campaign ; and that we should meet 
 
376 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 often, very often. This raised me to the 
 highest pinnacle of happiness. 
 
 When I went to dine with my uncle, 
 there were Lord Chatham, and the Admirals 
 Gardner and Macbride. All were important 
 and full of mystery, and would only tell me 
 I had better not go, but if I did I must pro- 
 mise to return from Ostend, and not go one 
 step further if General Ainsley bid me not ; 
 and that General Harcourt was moved from 
 Cisoing, they did not say where. With an 
 aching heart I returned home, and got no 
 rest ; next morning, on my way out of town, 
 I called upon my uncle, and made him tell 
 me all he could. There had been an alarm 
 that a ereat oreneral attack had been in- 
 tended by the French on all our posts at 
 once, from Menin to Ostend ; and that, at 
 the same time, a descent would be made 
 on Jersey or Guernsey ; and, if they could, 
 on England. My uncle says it is imprac- 
 ticable, and is only given out to make us 
 keep our fleet at home, that their great con- 
 voy may come in ; and this was the reason 
 
 ' 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 377 
 
 of Lord Howe's being ordered out imme- 
 diately. 
 
 In regard to General Harcourt's being 
 moved from Cisoing, I understand that the 
 Prince de Coburg has asked for the British 
 cavalry to join him in his attack on the in- 
 trenched camp at Maubeuge ; and this is 
 the part most painful to me. As to my per- 
 sonal safety, with proper care and directions, 
 I have not an idea of danger. 
 
 Deal Castle, Oct. T5th. — I do not sail till 
 after dinner : Admiral Macbride cannot be 
 ready sooner. It vexes me, for I want to be 
 on the other side ; the next mail may pro- 
 bably bring me orders from General Har- 
 court not to come, and I now know why 
 Lord Chatham wanted me to stay another 
 week ; but that very reason makes me more 
 impatient to go. Should anything happen, 
 I should never forgive myself for having 
 delayed so long ; and, at any rate, I shall 
 be nearer intelliirence. The French are de- 
 termined to make one great effort ; they 
 have sent all their northern army, to the 
 
 3 c 
 
378 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 amount of 200,000 men, against the Prince 
 of Saxe Coburg ; and we, in consequence, 
 have sent all ours to his assistance. The 
 Duke of York is gone, and all the army is 
 gone from Cisoing to Ostend, except about 
 6,000 men. 
 
 The attack is to be general on both 
 sides, and will determine the fate of the 
 campaign, I might almost say, of England ; 
 for if we are beaten, perhaps the invasion 
 will instantly take place. Their prepara- 
 tions are all ready, from Dunkirk to Dieppe. 
 They have small vessels that will hold 
 150 men each, who are to throw them- 
 selves on shore ; and from St. Malo a 
 similar descent is intended on Jersey and 
 Guernsey ; therefore all our small craft are 
 stationed all along this coast to receive them. 
 The orders are, not to fire upon them, but 
 to run them down at once, as a touch, they 
 say, will send them to the bottom ; they have 
 the same hopes with respect to the floating 
 batteries the French are said to have built, 
 so that though it is right to prepare against 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 379 
 
 them, they do not seem to fear them. How- 
 ever, the French are desperate, and mean 
 to make a desperate attempt that must be 
 decisive one way or other. 
 
 I intend to go straight to Bruxelles, from 
 thence I can go nearer to General Harcourt 
 when he chooses it; and, as the Emperor 
 is to be there on the 17th, I shall be sure 
 of the best intelligence. I suppose I shall 
 find letters at Ostend, but am advised not to 
 stay there, or at Bruges, or Ghent, as those 
 places are full of democrats and French 
 emissaries. A train of powder has been dis- 
 covered at Ghent passing through three 
 houses to one great magazine of powder ; 
 and thirty persons are taken up. The lines 
 of Weissemberg were certainly to be at- 
 tacked this week; w^hat a critical moment 
 this is ! 
 
 Ghent, October i8th. — I hoped to have 
 found some news of the General here, but 
 though we have some troops in the place, 
 and General Mansel is with them, they 
 know nothinor. I shall Q-Qt to Bruxelles as 
 
r 
 
 380 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 fast as I can, where I am sure of knowing 
 what passes, and hope at least to hear that 
 the camp and town of IMaubeuge, now sur- 
 rounded, will soon fall. Bruxelles cannot 
 be above fifty miles from hence ; and the 
 feeling that I every hour draw nearer to 
 General Harcourt gives me a degree of com- 
 fort I cannot describe. I met with no dif- 
 ficulties, nor was there a suspicion of danger, 
 althouoh, arainst General Ainslie's advice, 
 I went by Thourout instead of Bruges. 
 The latter road is ten miles round. I travel 
 with my own horses, and am impatient to 
 finish my journey. 
 
 I found the people at Thourout and 
 Coolscamp in safety at present, but alarmed 
 at all the troops being sent to Maubeuge ; 
 for, if things should not go on well there, 
 '•they will be pretty sure of another visit 
 from the French. They have almost un- 
 furnished their houses, and hidden every- 
 thing that is valuable. Poor souls ! for 
 a year past they have lived in perpetual 
 alarms, and been the • quarters of almost 
 
 
 >\ i 
 
 i 
 
 every nation ; and yet I see no difference 
 in the appearance of the country. No trees 
 are destroyed ; the fields are in the highest 
 state of cultivation ; and everything looks 
 as neat as the kitchen-garden at Nuneham ; 
 and, except that there are fewer crosses and 
 chapels by the roadside, one would not 
 think that any army, friends or enemies, 
 had passed that way. 
 
 At this place, Ghent, they say the people 
 are ill-disposed, and would be glad of another 
 visit from the French. Seven persons were 
 taken up yesterday as disaffected, and nine 
 the day before ; they are to be tried this 
 morninor. It is believed that there are not 
 less than seven thousand ready to rise if 
 they dared ; I hope they will never have 
 an opportunity. I shall be at Bruxelles early 
 to-morrow. I have written to Mr. Bruce to 
 procure me lodgings, and hope to find them 
 ready. We go on perfectly well, though 
 not a creature with me spea:ks a word of 
 French. General Harcourt sent a pair of 
 horses for Sir Gilbert's chaise, and two dra- 
 
I f^ 
 
 382 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 goons of his own regiment to be my escort. 
 I brought over my own carriage and horses. 
 You would laugh to see our procession, 
 and to see me drawincr for foraee at all 
 the military posts, and passing the turnpikes 
 en militah^e, without paying. 
 
 I take more care of Sir Gilbert than he 
 does of me ; but it was necessary to General 
 Harcourt's comfort that I should have a man 
 with me. I never feel that I want assist- 
 ance, excepting when I am with General 
 Harcourt, and then the pleasure of being 
 under his protection makes me fancy I can- 
 not do without it. The two dragoons he 
 has sent were with him in America, and 
 have been twenty years in the regiment. 
 They assured me the General would not 
 send any he could not trust, and seemed not 
 a little proud of the distinction. I wanted 
 them to have beds at the inns, but they 
 would only have straw in the stables, for 
 they said they never laid in a bed in America, 
 and had made a vow they would not during 
 this war till they arrived at Paris. I never 
 
 7 
 
 i 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 
 83 
 
 saw anything so charming as their zeal, and 
 I do believe if I had met with ten or a dozen 
 straggling French, (and such pillaging parties 
 were what General Ainslie dreaded,) I should 
 have been perfectly safe with these brave de- 
 fenders. 
 
 Bruxelles, October 21st. — I had only time 
 to write to the Duke of Harcourt yesterday. 
 Alas, what sad news ! The poor Queen of 
 France ! What a massacre ! It makes one's 
 blood run cold with horrors ; to force a child 
 to depose against its mother and aunt ; 
 a child of seven years old; a King given 
 up to the instruction of common women ! 
 ''livrez a quatre filles." I think these the 
 worst of all their crimes, or of all the crimes 
 that ever were committed since the martyr- 
 dom of the Saints. Wretches ! monsters ! 
 they cannot prosper long ; and even we may 
 live to see their downfall. 
 
 I found uncomfortable news here from our 
 side of the seat of war : the sieee of Mau- 
 beuge is raised, and the Prince de Saxe 
 Cobourg retired after a victory, which, 
 
! • 
 
 M 
 
 384 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 strange as it may sound, he did not find 
 out to be one. I shall have a constant com- 
 munication with General Harcourt; for Le 
 Quesnoy, near which place he is, is only 
 fifty miles from hence, and the post goes 
 every day. I cannot describe the joy I feel 
 to be again so near him ; anxious I must 
 be, but here I have opportunities of having 
 my anxiety relieved, and I would not take 
 millions to be again in England. I shudder 
 when I look back to the misery I used 
 to feel ; listening to every creaking door 
 that opened ; expecting letters, and afraid to 
 read them when they came ; fancying my 
 own shadow that of some one come to tell 
 me bad news ; and, if good arrived, knowing 
 that time enough had elapsed since its date 
 to have it followed by bad. Thank God, 
 I know now he is safe and well. 
 
 Since the English army came near the 
 Prince de Cobourg not a soul has stirred ; 
 indeed, not since the 15th, when both armies, 
 mutually thinking themselves beaten, re- 
 treated. No one knows what is become 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ■V 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 385 
 
 of the French army ; 80,000 men seem to 
 have disappeared from the face of the earth ; 
 and, as it is not likely that it opened to swal- 
 low them up, however much they may ap- 
 pear to us to deserve it, it seems strange that 
 in five days they cannot be heard of; yet 
 this is actually the daily account from the 
 army. It is imagined they are gone towards 
 Namur ; but this is only guess, and great ap- 
 prehensions are entertained lest they should 
 re-appear somewhere when and where they 
 are least expected. It is said that the Aus- 
 trians pay their spies so ill that they never 
 have good ones ; the allies are always in the 
 dark, and the French know all that passes in 
 every quarter. 
 
 General Beaulieu is in the neighbourhood 
 of Namur, which is the only hope of safety 
 to that part of the country. The French 
 fear him so much that his name is worth 
 20,000 men. I hope they are not gone 
 towards Ostend, for all is defenceless on 
 that side. What horrors docs war occasion ! 
 The empty waggons are at this moment re- 
 
 3 i> 
 
386 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 turning by my window, loaded with wounded 
 men, from the affair of Maubeuge ; sixty 
 came here the day before yesterday ; twenty 
 more yesterday ; and every hospital in every 
 town between this and the army is full. 
 The crier goes about for old linen, and all 
 that can be collected is given. I am well 
 lodged here ; and as for society, there are 
 many Englishmen, no women, and several 
 respectable Frenchmen. Madame de Vau- 
 dreuil, and the Princess Joseph de Lorraine, 
 with whom I lived so much last year, are 
 close by me. Poor souls, they are broken- 
 hearted at the death of the Queen ; and 
 I well know how that event will grieve the 
 Due and Duchesse d'Harcourt. 
 
 The taking the lines of Weissemberg is 
 a little ofood news to counterbalance the 
 bad. It is also believed that Landau sur- 
 rendered on the 1 6th; that the only bargain 
 the garrison made was to return to France, 
 which was granted them, and that 6,000 
 men marched out for that purpose. It is 
 said, too, that the Prussian army is within 
 
 a leao-ue of Strasbourg, and expects it to 
 open its gates, and that the French army 
 is surrounded, and in great distress. It is 
 strange that private letters without end name 
 all this, and yet there is no official account. 
 This is always the case with these patient, 
 slow-moving Germans, who only think of 
 savine messencrers because they cost money. 
 The Arch- duke Charles is here, and very 
 well spoken of; but he has no Court, and 
 nobody sees him ; he is kept very like 
 a child, and shut up with his tutors. They 
 say he looks five years younger than he is ; 
 but he is clever and very brave, and they 
 could not prevent his constantly exposing 
 his person, which was the reason they sent 
 him away from the army. I heard the Du- 
 chesse de Mortemart had escaped to Eng- 
 land from Dunkirk. As soon as the Duke 
 of York heard that I was at Bruxelles, he 
 told General Harcourt he should insist upon 
 his makino: me a visit as soon as he could ; 
 this was truly kind. I hope laurels, and 
 everything St. Leonard's could furnish, were 
 
II 
 
 388 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 sent to decorate the fete at Froymore 
 against the Accession-day. 
 
 Bruxelles, October 25th. — Landau is not 
 taken ; and it is said that the army is 
 marched from Englefontaine and gone again 
 towards Cisoing. Luckily Mr. Bruce went 
 to the army the day before yesterday, and 
 on his return I shall have good informa- 
 tion. Another Englishman went yesterday ; 
 a very good-natured litde man, known in 
 London by the name of little Tommy Tyr- 
 whitt. There I did nut know him, but 1 am 
 glad I met him here, for he is perpetually 
 going to the army ; and he very kindly car- 
 ried a cook I got here for the General, in 
 his own chaise, though he knows no more 
 of the General than he does of me. All 
 the well-disposed here are very sorry for 
 the failure before Maubeuge ; if things do 
 not mend, this country will be again over- 
 run. The general tone of the common peo- 
 ple here is not good, any more than in the 
 other towns of Brabant and Flanders. 
 
 I see such misery here that I can hardly 
 
 ] 
 
 i 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 • 
 
 THE Years 1792 — ^1795. 
 
 389 
 
 refrain from tears all day long. Poor 
 Madame de Vaudreuil loved the Queen per- 
 sonally, and is in perfect despair. The 
 treatment the King met with was merciful 
 in comparison to what the Queen expe- 
 rienced. I never read anything so fine as 
 her answer to the National Assembly ; nor 
 anything so touching as her asking her 
 Counsel afterwards if she had answered too 
 haughtily, because she had heard a woman 
 in the crowd say, '' Qu'elle est fiere." Even 
 in that miserable state she wished to save 
 
 her life. 
 
 A Monsieur Mandrayon came here yes- 
 terday, who made his escape the day after 
 the execution ; he had been so long con- 
 cealed that he did not know many details ; 
 but he says the Queen was certainly in 
 a most wretched state of health, and the 
 physicians had declared she could not live 
 above a month, and might die in a few days. 
 This made them determine to hasten her 
 execution, and, as they could not keep her 
 any longer as a hostage, they resolved to 
 
390 
 
 Anecdotes relxVTIng to 
 
 make use of the rest of her existence, and 
 its termination, to inspire fear and dismay. 
 It is not confirmed that the Httle boy did 
 depose against his mother ; but they keep 
 him always drunk, and teach him every 
 horror ; thus, at the same time, pouring poi- 
 son into his mind and body. 
 
 People are alarmed for the Princesses. 
 One of the Convention was denoncc for beine 
 in love with Mad"'' Elizabeth, as a thine 
 below the dignity of a Republican, and it 
 is feared that they mean to force her and 
 her niece into marriage, or abomination of 
 some kind. Perhaps it is already done. 
 A Mad""" de Bettiset is here, whom I knew 
 last year ; she had then a daughter with her, 
 a very charming girl of sixteen. She went 
 afterwards with her grandmother to Paris, 
 in the hope of saving some of their pro- 
 perty ; and Madame de B. has just heard 
 that this darling child is married to the son 
 of one of their Generals, Rosignol, and she 
 is in perfect despair. 
 
 You cannot have forgotten the famous 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 391 
 
 story of the Queen of France's diamond 
 necklace ; indeed, I believe you have a draw- 
 ing of it ; a person lately said to the Car- 
 dinal de Rohan, that, as in the present state 
 of things, there could no longer be any use 
 in concealing it, he wished he would tell 
 him the truth of that story. He answered, 
 that more importance was, from bad mo- 
 tives, given to it than it ever deserved ; 
 " the real truth," he said, " is, that both the 
 Queen and I were egregiously duped." As 
 I have begun repeating anecdotes of Queens, 
 I will tell you another, which I should suppose 
 to be the fabrication of the present times, if 
 I had not been assured by respectable per- 
 sons that they had heard it all their lives, 
 and that mention is made of it in some, 
 I forget which. History of France. 
 
 Mary de Medicis, the second wafe of 
 Henry IV., was strongly tinctured with the 
 superstition of the age she lived in, and was 
 passionately fond of astrology. One day 
 she desired a man, in whom she had great 
 conlidence, to shew her in a olass the fate 
 
 i/- 
 
392 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 of her descendants. She saw Louis XIII., 
 the splendour of Louis XIV., and the two 
 kings who succeeded him, with many in- 
 ferior branches of the House of Bourbon. 
 While she was considcrincr them the whole 
 race at once disappeared, and was succeeded 
 by an innumerable quantity of rats and mice, 
 who ran to and fro, and devoured each 
 other ; she saw no more. Strange as this 
 account may seem, it is too well authen- 
 ticated for me to be ashamed of repeat- 
 ing it. 
 
 I dined yesterday with our old friend 
 Monsieur de INLauleverer (now Colloert) ; he 
 has lately lost a charming wife ; his sister- 
 in-law, wife to '' le petit Crenolle qui es- 
 perait tant que la fantaisie de la marier ne 
 passerait pas par la tete de son pere," is 
 a pleasing woman, and I see them often. 
 Mons. de Colbert is left with four children ; 
 what a change in the times ! he says he 
 never shall forget you. I meet with great 
 civility from old Marshal Bender, the Com- 
 mandant of Bruxelles ; his wife is a Pro- 
 
 I 
 
 ) 
 
 f 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 393 
 
 testant, and doats upon anybody of her own 
 religion, who is English and married to a 
 military man. Of course I am a favourite. 
 Her husband is eighty years old, but wishes 
 himself with the army, and is outrageous at 
 all these failures, which, I fancy, he thinks 
 he could have prevented. He will be use- 
 ful in facilitating my communication with 
 the General. 
 
 I am very uneasy to-day ; the French 
 have taken Furnes, and are attacking Menin 
 and Neinport ; and I fear our troops are 
 gone that way. Monsieur de Boisgetin, who 
 married Mdlle. d'Harcourt, the Duke de 
 Beauvion's daughter, is here ; he says all is 
 quiet at Amiens, and none of the family 
 arrested. The Emperor is to leave Vienna 
 the 5th of November, and will not be here 
 before the 15 th. 
 
 Bruxelles, Oct. 28. — All is again quiet, 
 and no further alarms for this country. The 
 poor French emigres a few days ago thought 
 themselves again at Jemmappe, and if the 
 savages had not been stopped, they would 
 
 J 
 
 3 1-- 
 
 /aii: 
 
 Mi'' it' 
 
394 
 
 AXKCDOTKS RKI.ATIXC; To 
 
 have found this winter Hke the last. Tlie 
 misfortunes of the campaion have l)een com- 
 pleted by this last march of our troops to- 
 wards Maubeuge, where w^e arrived after 
 the Prince de Saxe Cobur^r had suffered 
 himself to be attacked, and then so unac- 
 countably retreated, leaving all our posts 
 defenceless. They have been pillaged. 
 Ostend and all our maorazines are ao-ain 
 in the greatest danger. Nobody can com- 
 prehend his conduct, he has 75,000 of the 
 finest troops in the world at Bermarain, 
 w^aiting for the French to attack him. Nor 
 will they be slow to do this if they can, 
 for they know the advantacre it will o-ive 
 them. When they come on wn'th impe- 
 tuosity they can do great things, but they 
 cannot stand being attacked themselves, and 
 it is feared that they are stronger than was 
 supposed. 
 
 We have re-taken our posts, and are 
 nearly in the same position we were in after 
 the siege of Dunkirk, with only the loss of 
 men and baggage, harassed by an unneces- 
 
 k 
 
 *'#, 
 
 «ii' 
 
 tup: Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 395 
 
 sary march, and with Generals still more 
 out of humour. 
 
 The cry against the Prince dc Coburo- 
 is great indeed ; they say he has done no- 
 thing since Colonel Mack left him, and that 
 he is not equal to the command he holds. 
 I had the comfort yesterday of receiving 
 a letter from General Harcourt from Tour- 
 nay. I hope soon to be allowed to join 
 him there, for our poor little army is so 
 reduced by illness and errors, it can attempt 
 nothing but to guard West Planders. Un- 
 less some unforeseen event happens, all 
 activity on our part is over for this cam- 
 paign. It is said that our Government has 
 made representations they will withdraw our 
 troops, employ them elsewhere, and leave the 
 Prince de Coburg to guard West Planders 
 himself. May Heaven defend our friends 
 from going to Pouton, I should be dis- 
 tracted. 
 
 Tournay, Oct. 31st. — If so much agitation 
 did not tear my poor mind to pieces, I 
 should almost say it w^as worth while to 
 
 \ 
 

 I 
 
 '1 
 
 96 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 have been wretched to feel the happiness 
 I have this day experienced. The moment 
 I had leave I set out for this place. 1 ar- 
 rived at 9. The General did not expect 
 me so early, but at 1 1 he came from the 
 camp, has dined here, and is this moment 
 returned. Not ojic would I lose before I 
 express to you, my beloved friend, the joy 
 my heart has felt this blessed day ; after 
 thanking Heaven, for having, in its mercy, 
 once more united mc to all my soul holds 
 dear upon earth. I never saw him look 
 better, and he says that what fatigues others 
 does him crood. 
 
 My coming was sudden, and, to me, un- 
 expected. The late successes on these 
 frontiers, since the return of our troops 
 from MaubeuiTe, made General Harcourt 
 
 o 
 
 send an express for me. I am in an ex- 
 cellent house, whicli was his head-quarters 
 when he was in Tournay, and where his 
 heavy baggage still remains, with some 
 dragoons to guard it, so that I feel quite 
 at home ; and to-morrow I am to have the 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 397 
 
 great delight of passing the day at the camp, 
 or rather at the farm-house near Cisoincr, 
 where the General's present head-quarters 
 are. You may find it in the map, about 
 half-way between Lille and Tournay, on the 
 road to the former. 
 
 Yesterday completed the deroute of the 
 French outpost in this neighbourhood ; the 
 English and some Austrian troops attacked 
 them at Marchiennes, about ten miles from 
 here, and drove them completely away. They 
 took nearly 2,000 prisoners, whom they are 
 just bringing into this town, on their way, 
 probably, to Hungary, where, General Styartz 
 told me the other day, there are already 
 1 30,000, of whom above 700 are officers. 
 These poor miserable wretches are likely to 
 die of disease, from hard living and want. 
 I am sorry to say, if we may judge from 
 those who have died at Bruxelles, that the 
 last scene of most of their lives must make 
 a thinking being humble. They refuse all 
 spiritual assistance, and, as I am informed, 
 tell their priests they do not want them, for 
 
 

 98 
 
 AXKCDDTES RKLATING TO 
 
 that there is no God, and tlicy go to eter- 
 nal sleep. 
 
 This country is in a difl^ercnt situation 
 from what it was a w^eek ago ; all the Aus- 
 trian frontier was then attacked, and even 
 at Bruxelles people began to think the hor- 
 rid time of Jemma[)pe (never to be forgot- 
 ten by them) was coming over again. Now, 
 all is much as it was before the business 
 of Maubeuge ; and when some of my kind 
 friends at Bruxelles said they were sorry 
 I was going to Tourna}', I told them, with 
 truth, that they ought to rejoice at it, as the 
 General sending for me was a proof that 
 the frontier was cleared of the monsters who 
 had infested it. They pillaged fifteen or 
 sixteen villages ; almost destro} ed Menin ; 
 and committed the most horrid cruelties 
 within the last fortnight. This town, Tour- 
 nay, was saved by about eight hours. The 
 French were within a league and a-halt ot it 
 when the English army returned on the 25th. 
 These late transactions will have restored 
 some degree of credit to the campaign. 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 399 
 
 The Prince de Coburg has wTitten to 
 the Duke of York to thank him for having 
 saved West Flanders by his late successes. 
 Alas! the French have still their multipli- 
 city of strong fortified tow^ns, in which they 
 conceal themselves like wild beasts in their 
 dens, till they find a convenient time of 
 sall)'ing forth to do mischief There can, 
 therefore, as yet be no general winter-quar- 
 ters, and we are beirinninix to lose men and 
 horses by lying out in bad weather. 
 
 As for myself I shall be well if I can 
 sleep to-night, which I have hardly done 
 since I had leave to quit Bruxelles. I can 
 hardly believe I have really seen the Gene- 
 ral. I am much a^ritated ; but it is a relief 
 to me to write to you, who are likewise in- 
 terested in the object that interests me. 
 I bless every step that brought me nearer 
 to Tournay, and yet I have had more happi- 
 ness than I expected. I did not think he 
 could stay so long with me, or that I should 
 be allowed to go to the camp. My greatest 
 comfort of all is, the assurance he gives me 
 

 400 
 
 Anecdotes kklating to 
 
 that there will be very little more done, at 
 least by the cavalry, this year. Not a horse 
 will be left if they do not soon go into can- 
 tonments ; and then the General will come 
 into this house. Now, was I not wise to 
 come ? Even if I hear firing, I am sure 
 I shall not suffer half so much from it as 
 I did from all the horrors my imagination 
 used to picture to me sitting in the Gothic 
 room at St. Leonard's. There I really felt 
 such misery that I shudder to look back upon 
 it. I left Sir Gilbert at Bruxclles, because 
 I could not bear to have any one with me 
 when the General came ; and when he was 
 gone I wanted to be alone to think of my 
 happiness, and to write it to you. Alas, 
 my poor Charlotte, she is gone ! to whom 
 I used to tell my every pain and every 
 pleasure. 
 
 Nov. I St. — I am just come from passing 
 a happy day with General Harcourt. I went 
 early, and dined with him en fauiillc ; his 
 quarters are at a farm-house about a mile 
 from the camp, which I passed but could 
 
 ^*«>^ 
 
 >t 
 
 / ' 
 
 **-.^ 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 401 
 
 not stop to see, as it rained incessantly. 
 The farmhouse consists of a room for the 
 General, a kitchen, and one more room, 
 which serves poitr le salon in the day ; and, 
 covered with straw and bearskins, makes 
 a bedchamber at night for Amedee and 
 Captain Beckwith, and the brigade major. 
 With all this I never saw a better dinner, 
 or more comfort ; but all is comfort to me 
 here; our friend Lord Herbert looks well, 
 and, by all accounts, is very active and clever 
 in his profession. He lost all his baggage, 
 but he assures me he has now got six or 
 seven shirts, and that as for the rest he 
 finds it more convenient to do without what 
 are commonly called conveniences. 
 
 As I was going out of Tournay this morn- 
 ing, a young officer on the Lisle road stopped 
 my chaise and asked me eagerly, by my 
 name, how I did ; on my staring at him he 
 said, " Do not you know me V 
 
 '' No," said L 
 
 '' Not know me," he cried, " when I am so 
 
 glad to see you ? " 
 
 3 F 
 
• ' 
 
 402 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 *' Good Heaven," I exclaimed, " are you 
 my dear Prince Ernest ?'' 
 
 It was indeed he, and I felt deliorhted to 
 see him, and provoked at my own stupidity 
 in not recollecting him. He knew me by 
 my escort. I fancy he is more altered from 
 what he was when a boy than Prince Adol- 
 phus, but he is very handsome. 
 
 The Prince and Princess de Cruy have 
 just left me ; they are come to pass some 
 days here to see me, and to hear accounts 
 of their relations in England. You see I 
 have society everywhere ; here I wish for 
 no more than General Harcourt's visits 
 give me ; and, independent of the happiness 
 of being near him, the scene about me is 
 so curious, and suits so much my desire of 
 seeing w^hatever is new and strange, that 
 I should be very sorry not to have come. 
 What are called difficulties are to me the 
 greatest amusement, and make the whole 
 more interesting. Odd as it may be, I do 
 believe I love a little risk ; for I had par- 
 ticular pleasure to-day in going six miles 
 
 
 vagk 
 
 s 
 
 along tlie Lisle road, and knowing that I 
 was within three of a French post. The 
 busy scene of this whole country amuses me ; 
 the military appearance of everything ; the 
 troops of so many nations ; in short, I can- 
 not tell you how it all suits me ; but perhaps 
 it is the one great cause of happiness that 
 seasons all the rest, for certain it is that 
 I have not for fifteen years found any plea- 
 sure independent of him. 
 
 In justice to Amedce I ought to say a 
 great deal from him to you. General Har- 
 court never stirs without him, he says he is 
 the greatest comfort to him ; that he has not 
 found an error in him ; and that everybody 
 loves him. To say half the kind things the 
 General desired to you and Lord Harcourt 
 is impossible. Madame le Brun, the mil- 
 liner, is here, much suspected of being a spy ; 
 she buys up assignats at this place, purchases 
 goods at Lisle with them to carry to Eng- 
 land, and has constant communication with 
 persons in the last-mentioned town. 
 
 Tournay, Nov. 2nd. — Prince Earnest passed 
 

 / 
 
 404 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 yesterday with me ; he is excessively liked 
 here, but would not do in England ; he talks 
 too much, and I am sure he would not bear 
 the life of Windsor three days. He is a true 
 Hussar ; but open, lively, and very good- 
 natured. His manner, when he pleases, is 
 good ; something between the Prince of 
 Wales's and the Duke of Clarence's. I find, 
 but it is a great secret, that we are very 
 soon to go to Bruges and Ghent for winter 
 quarters. I shall be happy to tell it to the 
 General when he comes to-da}', for he has 
 no idea of it, and thinks we are to stay here ; 
 but I discovered this, and some other things, 
 in a conversation I had last night with a per- 
 son in office. You will know whom I mean. 
 Tournay, Nov. 6th, Wednesday. — I have 
 been here a week ; I could not have be- 
 lieved it ; time does not creep now with 
 such sad slowness as it did at St. Leonard's. 
 Strange as it must seem, the General's 
 health is even better than in England. The 
 officers and servants are, in general, well ; 
 but I fear the poor soldiers and horses must 
 
 \ 
 
 i 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 405 
 
 now begin to suffer cruelly, for the weather 
 is dreadful. It rains incessantly, and the 
 men have now nothing but wet straw to lie 
 upon, while the horses are up to their fet- 
 locks in mud, with the rain pouring in upon 
 them. I believe they would have been can- 
 toned to-day if intelligence had not been 
 received of a large camp being forming at 
 Holleme, near Lisle. The General, with a 
 large detachment, went yesterday to recon- 
 noitre it ; and it is thought so considerable, 
 that, instead of venturing to lessen ours at 
 present, it is possible that it may be neces- 
 sary to send for further reinforcements from 
 the Austrian army. The French are so har- 
 dened, no season hurts them; and so nu- 
 merous, that they do not care how many 
 they sacrifice if they can plague and ex- 
 haust us. 
 
 The Prince de Coburg does nothing, but 
 I hope England is satisfied with all the suc- 
 cesses in this quarter. Prince Ernest never 
 comes to Tournay without calling upon me. 
 W^e dined together at the General's quarters 
 
yesterday, and had a very merry party ; 
 the Prince is beloved, and thought a good 
 officer. I have not seen the Duke of York, 
 but he has sent me word he will call upon 
 me the first time he comes to Tournay. 
 I have many visitors, and it is impossible 
 for anybody to be more in their element 
 than I am. I know, indeed, that there are 
 cannon balls in that odious French camp, 
 but I know, too, when they are not firing 
 them, and at St. Leonard's they were ever 
 in my imagination. Sir Gilbert has joined 
 us ; 1 really did not want him on the road ; 
 I love travelling, and like to arrange every- 
 thing in my own way. When I ride, I take 
 an orderly dragoon instead of a servant ; 
 and you who know me, will conceive that 
 I enjoy what would be terrible to most 
 women. 
 
 Amedee is perfection ; not only beloved 
 by the General, but by the aides de-camp, 
 the seniors, and all those one should expect 
 to be jealous of him. General Harcourt 
 says his military knowledge is extraordinary, 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 407 
 
 and that he is of real use to him. I feel 
 that he stands between him and danger, 
 for I know he has often checked Gene- 
 ral Harcourt's going too far unnecessarily. 
 I have just been riding towards the camp, 
 and shall go to the play to-night, though 
 there is not now one w^oman here of any 
 kind that I know, which I am not sorry for. 
 It is very odd that I am the only zvife here ; 
 there are, I believe, two or three ladies of 
 another description. I dreaded the effects 
 of this rain, and am this moment told that 
 three men and several horses were found 
 dead in the tents this morning. We expect 
 to hear that the Prince de Coburg has at- 
 tacked the French near Loudrecy ; if he is 
 beaten, I am to be sent off to Bruxelles di- 
 recdy. It is said that our army is to be 
 augmented by 30,000 men ; how will this go 
 dow^n in England ? 
 
 Tournay, Nov. nth. — I have the comfort 
 now of beinor under the same roof with 
 General Harcourt, which, besides the joy of 
 having so much more of his society, prevents 
 
his being out so late in an evening. 1 am 
 happy to tell you that the troops are all now 
 cantoned ; it would have killed them to have 
 been out longer; and as the French set 
 the example we were not afraid to follow it. 
 They do not, however, yet think of winter- 
 quarters ; when they are able to do that, 
 I suppose the destination of the British will 
 be Ghent and Bruges, and these quarters 
 upon the frontiers will be filled with Aus- 
 trians. The bad weather has obliged them 
 to renounce all thoughts of further enter- 
 prise, and I fear it will be the same on the 
 side of Alsace. If Landau had been taken, 
 or if Strasbourg had surrendered, it would 
 have made a great difference ; as it is, I fear 
 the abandonment of the lines of Wissem- 
 boure will be of little use. 
 
 Eight officers dine with us every day; 
 and, as we have a large hotel, all come 
 who choose to do so. Prince Ernest never 
 misses; the King has given him a regi- 
 ment, but he is sorry to quit that of Light 
 Dragoons, in which he has served five years. 
 
 THE Years 1792— ^795- 
 
 409 
 
 He loves the officers of it like brothers. 
 His own regiment is Heavy Draooons, which 
 is a service he hates; but it is safer, and 
 probably the King and the Duke of York 
 have made this arrangement to prevent his 
 being killed or taken, as his spirit and cou- 
 rage make him expose himself whenever he 
 can. The Duke of York looks well, and has 
 been very kind to me ; some of the things 
 reported in England may be true, but I 
 am persuaded that he is both good-natured 
 and humane, although, by sometimes talking 
 absurdly, he gets a contrary character. 
 
 Amedce is miserable about his brother, 
 who is serving, by compulsion, agamst us. 
 He is known to be at one of the French 
 outposts, near Oretais, which is not far from 
 hence ; he is probably wishing to desert ; if 
 he attempts it, whether he succeeds or fails, 
 it will ruin his family. This keeps Amedee 
 in ao-onies, for he adores his mother and 
 sister, and feels inexpressible horror at the 
 idea of meeting his brother opposed to him, 
 or seeincT him killed or brought in a prisoner. 
 
 3 G 
 
 -l 
 
 ll 
 
 t 
 
4IO 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 The news of that monster the Due d'Orleans 
 being beheaded has just reached us. 
 
 Tournay, Nov. 19th. — All is well, and we 
 are as quiet as if there were no French 
 within two hundred miles of us. General 
 Harcourt is doubtful what to decide upon. 
 Of course, I do not give an opinion, for 
 should I persuade him to leave his present 
 situation, and should he be obliired to ^^o 
 where there would be more danger, or where 
 my means of communicating with him would 
 be more difficult, I should be wretched. We 
 shall, at any rate, return home when the 
 army goes into winter- quarters. Perhaps 
 the General means then to give the thing 
 up, and the pain of resolving to do so may 
 occasion the vexation he seems to feel. He 
 loves his profession to a degree of enthu- 
 siasm that makes it necessary that I should 
 never interfere in these matters, and I every 
 day rejoice that I came here. My health 
 and nerves are better for the air and way 
 of life. I ride all the morning. In my last 
 letter I told j'ou how we pass the rest of the 
 
 THE Years 1792—1795- 
 
 411 
 
 day. I have heard no female voice ad- 
 dressed to me but my own maid's, and you 
 know how seldom she speaks, since I left 
 Bruxelles. This I like. 
 
 There are here some pleasant Austrian 
 officers, some French and Hanoverians, be- 
 sides the British, and my evening parties 
 are laree. The Duke of York comes some- 
 times ; Prince Ernest always ; so do Lord 
 Harrington, Lord Herbert, and Sir James 
 Murray. I think you will hear of no more 
 fighting on this side at present, but I fear 
 that the next campaiofn will be a difficult 
 one. The times are wonderful and tremend- 
 ous, and unforeseen events may happen to 
 frustrate all present plans and instructions. 
 
 Since I wrote the above a most interestinof 
 circumstance has happened to poor Amedee, 
 and indeed to all of us. His brother Ema- 
 nuel, who was forced to march wTth the 
 mass, has deserted, and is got here safe. 
 The boy managed it very cleverly, but the 
 attempt was hazardous. He is very little, 
 but a fine lad, and like Amedee in the face. 
 
 
 ^» 
 
:l 
 
 [•' 
 
 |l 
 
 \'\ 
 
 . 
 
 It 
 
 h 
 
 
 I 
 
 ^ 
 
 412 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Poor soul, he wants much nursing to recover 
 him ; for, what with the fatigue of a march 
 of twenty-four miles in the night through 
 a marsh from the French outpost, and his 
 then lying in his wet clothes in a wood till 
 daylight, he was quite ill. So, after having 
 him well washed and provided with new 
 apparel, we sent him to bed. He really 
 had a good deal of fever, but he is better 
 to-day, and will, I dare say, soon be well. 
 Amedce was excessively affected ; indeed, 
 quite knocked up, by the event. He had 
 not seen his brother for four years, nor, for 
 a loner time, even heard of his family. They 
 are all well, but in a state of arrestation 
 at Amiens, where, however, they are well 
 treated. I said a//, but his fatlier is not in- 
 cluded ; he is in prison at Paris, and his old 
 nurse is sent to the Conciergerie, which he is 
 very sorry for. I can only add, that the good 
 faith of the Prussians is strongly suspected ; 
 they will shake off our alliance if they can. 
 
 Tournay, Sunday, Nov. 24lh.— It is set- 
 tled that, for the present, Emanuel shall 
 
 
 \ 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795 
 
 413 
 
 serve as a volunteer in the General's regi- 
 ment. He and his brother are delighted 
 with this arrangement. Since he deserted, 
 almost all his company have followed him. 
 Fifteen arrived three days ago; they all de- 
 sire to unite themselves to him, and expect 
 soon to be followed by their Captain. They 
 say that most of the new-raised troops would 
 desert, if they were not checked by the 
 double fear of wanting bread, and injuring 
 the friends they have left in France. 1 
 see no certain prospect of returning home. 
 They talk of 20,000 men assembled on the 
 Lys river; and there is a positive order 
 from England for no leave of absence to 
 be granted to any officer at present, which 
 makes the Guards grumble not a little. We 
 were to have gone to Ghent for winter-quar- 
 ters on Thursday, but it must be deferred. 
 It may seem odd, but I am not sorry ; I like 
 this living in a state of uncertainty ; enjoy- 
 incr the existinor moment, and always ready 
 to move the next, it necessary ; in short, 
 1 like everything. We may go home in 
 
 I 
 
m •' ' ■>r»«<^M»T^ 
 
 ! 
 
 / 
 
 I 
 
 414 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 January, perhaps sooner ; perhaps not so 
 soon ; whether to return or not I do not 
 ask, and beheve none can say. I dare not 
 have an opinion, except that of four evils 
 this IS the least; the West Indies, Toulon, 
 La Vendue, would be worse. Do not fancy 
 that all this worries my nerves ; my health 
 mends daily, and I am happy here ; in Para- 
 dise compared with what I sulTered in Eng- 
 land. I cannot look back on that time with- 
 out shedding tears. 
 
 I should be unkind to Prince Ernest if 
 I did not do justice to his regard fur you, 
 and send you all the love he gave me for 
 you. He carried me yesterday to a convent 
 in the countr)-, where he was quartered for 
 a week last summer. I had some difficulty 
 in endeavouring to make him behave well. 
 He would kiss the Abbess, and talk non- 
 sense to all the poor nuns. I know a thou- 
 sand traits of the goodness of his heart, but 
 I fear he is too wild for Encrland. We see 
 
 o 
 
 the Duke of York often at my evening par- 
 ties. He is very civil, and says fine things 
 
 ) 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795 
 
 4^5 
 
 of General Harcourt, meaning more by it 
 than mere eood breedinor. But the Gene- 
 ral's opinion is formed ; as a man, he likes 
 him better than he thought he should, as 
 an officer, less. 
 
 Tournay, Nov. 29th. — Our way of life 
 is now very comfortable ; we breakfast en 
 famille ; after that I leave the General till 
 dinner, that I may not be in his w^ay ; in the 
 morning I ride. We have company at din- 
 ner, and my being here prevents their sitting 
 long afterwards ; for they come up to tea to 
 play at Cassino. I often visit the nuns, and 
 the two Lady Abbesses came to see me the 
 other day ; they not only allowed the Gene- 
 ral to return the visit with me, but to go 
 into the interior of the convent and see all 
 the community. Many of the nuns were 
 young and handsome, and we pitied them 
 much. We are anxious for news from La 
 Vendee ; nothing happens here but slight 
 skirmishes on the outposts, that keep up 
 the spirits of the troops. 
 
 December 17th. — We are now at Ghent, 
 
4i6 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 [- « 
 
 and find this once mao^nificcnt town, which 
 is usually too thinly inhabited, looking cheer- 
 ful from being filled with soldiers. The 
 General's own regiment is at Oudenarde, in 
 a fine healthy air. I slept there one night 
 on my way here, and all I met with seemed 
 like a romance. 
 
 December 22nd. — We should be comfort- 
 able here if we did not wish to be out of 
 the scrape, and to get to England. An idea 
 that originated there prevails here, that the 
 army is to move to prevent the Carmagnols 
 from eoinof towards La Vendee ; but they 
 are all now within their strong walls, and 
 a sieee cannot be undertaken in these short 
 days. Even to encamp at this season would 
 destroy our troops. The Duke is gone to 
 Mons ; Count Morsfelt to Tournay. Great 
 civility is now shewn to the English gen- 
 erals ; they are flattered and coaxed, but 
 neither consulted with, nor treated with 
 confidence ; and are often ignorant of the 
 plans till the troops are ordered to march. 
 They have state sentries ; Hulans, with flags, 
 
 r 
 
 Ah 
 
 THE Yl'ARS 1792 — 1795. 
 
 417 
 
 attend them ; and there is much outward 
 show of respect ; but their advice is not 
 asked, and no military councils are held. 
 All is Austrian ; and the English and Hano- 
 verian generals are mere cyphers. 
 
 Lady Finlater means to pass the winter 
 here with her father, Cotmt Murray. I went 
 with her last night to the Bishop's, where 
 there was an assembly as full as a London 
 one. There are balls, concerts, or assem- 
 blies everv eveninof, to which our officers 
 are invited ; and there is a play four times 
 every week. The inhabitants are parti- 
 cularly civil to the English. I think the 
 town is larger than any in England, except 
 London ; they say it stands upon as much 
 ground as Paris. It contains many fine con- 
 vents, churches, and hotels ; and, though the 
 country about it is flat, the rides are good ; 
 the soil is light, and the roads dry. It is 
 intersected with rivers, over which there are 
 bridges ; and the chateaux and plantations 
 on the banks enliven the scene. 
 
 The divine service as performed in the 
 
 3 II 
 
i 
 
 418 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 army is a striking sight ; in fine weather it is 
 out-of-doors here ; at Tournay it was in a 
 large town-hall, round which, all the infantry 
 at one time, and all the cavalry at another, 
 were assembled. You may judge how im- 
 mense the space must have been. The 
 officers and the clergyman are placed in 
 the middle. I am usually the only woman, 
 for none of the officers* wives are here ; 
 the greatest regularity is observed, and the 
 whole, taking in the circumstances of our 
 situation, is more awfully solemn than can 
 be conceived by any who have not been 
 present. 
 
 Dec. 24th, Ghent. — More and more re- 
 ports of a general movement ; the project 
 is said to be Lord Loughborough's, or some 
 of the Cabinet Ministers in Eneland who 
 planned the pretty siege of Dunkirk. Why 
 will they not satisfy themselves with form- 
 ing the general oudine of the campaign, and 
 supplying men and money, without attempt- 
 ing to direct particular military operations ; 
 having no knowledge of the art of war, being 
 
 
 J 
 
 I 
 
 ,vf 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 419 
 
 iornorant of local circumstances, and at too 
 great a distance to know the important and 
 sometimes very sudden changes that arise. 
 The present scheme is against the opinion 
 of all here, who say the whole army will be 
 sacrificed to no purpose if it be pursued ; but 
 that consideration seems of little weight in 
 England. Lardou is capitulating. 
 
 Dec. 29th, Ghent. — You will see us by 
 the birthday ; General Harcourt or Sir Wil- 
 liam Erskine must go to England upon mili- 
 tary business, and as Sir William does not 
 choose to go, we shall avail ourselves of 
 the opportunity. The late promotions make 
 great changes here, but none of our officers 
 are impatient to quit Ghent, for they are 
 delighted with the life here. Lady Finlater 
 has seventeen cousins, all pretty young wo- 
 men ; they wear a white uniform with a 
 blue sash, are lively and good-humoured, 
 and dance, so we have balls without end. 
 The English find every house open to them. 
 At the Bishop's, on Christmas-day, there 
 were fifty-seven card-tables. 
 
 Ill I" 
 
 111 
 
 III: 
 
r ' 
 
 
 ii 
 
 420 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 January 7th. — You will see us now very 
 soon ; I really think no business here is done 
 but by, or throuL^h General Ilarcourt. He 
 eoes to E norland with orders without end ; 
 and army requisitions for the Duke of York. 
 Except for the sake of seeing; you, and a 
 very few of my friends, I had rather stay 
 here than return home ; the air, though cold, 
 airrees with me, and braces me. We meet 
 for the evening before you dine in England, 
 and go to bed sooner than jou go to as- 
 semblies, all but General Ilarcourt, who is 
 often kept up by business. This morning 
 he sat up writing till four o'clock. 
 
 It is very unfortunate that these vile 
 French have beaten us in Alsace. I fear 
 we shall all be undone before we have a 
 chance of peace. The whole campaign on 
 this side is lost ; but the Duke of Brunswick 
 has behaved gloriously, he has at once acted 
 the part of the greatest general, and the 
 bravest common soldier. He risked his life 
 a hundred times, and used every endeavour, 
 every persuasion, but Wormscr would not 
 
 
 ■•■■««*< 
 
 \ 
 
 
 I 
 
 n 
 
 ■a 
 
 # 
 
 '4 
 
 THE YeAKS 1792 — 1795. 421 
 
 Stay. Allied armies of double number are 
 not equal to half their force of one nation, 
 and under one commander. It was ever 
 thought so in former times, and, in our 
 own, Toulon has proved it. The cold slow 
 Spaniards, and the enervated Neapolitans 
 ruined us there ; all our hope now, I verily 
 think, depends upon La Vendee, and even 
 that is not great. 
 
 Soon after the receipt of this letter the 
 General and Mrs. Harcourt returned to Enir- 
 land ; they stayed some weeks, and then 
 again joined the army in Flanders. 
 
 Extracts from Airs. Harcourt's letters, con- 
 tinued after her return to the army. 
 
 Courtray, March 25th, 1794. — I have been 
 at Menin and Mount Hallouin, which hav- 
 ing been taken and re-taken seven times, 
 shew more completely what wretchedness 
 war can occasion than anything I could have 
 conceived. In Menin, which is a large town, 
 there are hardly one hundred of the original 
 inhabitants left ; in Hallouin, none. The 
 Duke ol York is much disposed to be civil 
 
 ji 
 
422 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 and kind ; he will do what he can to pro- 
 mote the raising of a regiment of emigres 
 for the Due d'Harcourt. The plan does not 
 seem to be hked in England, it is a pity, 
 for we could get 500 men towards it directly. 
 The more I see of Prince Ernest the more 
 I like him, in good hands he might be 
 made a charming young man. I never 
 knew a better temper, or a kinder heart. 
 You know how truly amiable Prince Adol- 
 phus is. Madame Walmoden is here; she 
 has a daughter with her, very like our Royal 
 Family, 
 
 March 30th. — I write from the Hermitage, 
 the Prince de Cruy's, near Conde ; a most 
 delightful house, full of comforts we have 
 no idea of in England. The garden is in 
 the old French style, with bosquets that 
 hide fine oaks, and a beautiful wood. It is 
 singular that a relation's house should be 
 given us as a quarter. The Prince and 
 Princess are come to pass a day or two 
 with us. Amedce, Emanuel, and other com- 
 pany visit us daily, and the Princess is 
 
 s 
 
 
 amused with the novelty of the scene. We 
 dined with Prince Ernest, at Tournay, on 
 our way here ; and he carried us to the play 
 in the evening. General Clairfait came into 
 the box. He has an expressive countenance, 
 and a wonderfully quick, penetrating eye, 
 with the manners of a man of fashion. 
 
 April I St. — We dined yesterday at the 
 head-quarters, at St. Amand, by the Duke 
 of York's invitation. Prince Ernest, Prince 
 Adolphus, and Prince William of Gloucester, 
 were there ; so we had a fine riotous day, 
 but they were so good-humoured it was im- 
 possible not to be pleased. We are to dine 
 with the Prince de Saxe Coburor the end 
 of the week, and to-morrow and next day 
 our English princes are to dine with us. 
 The Prince de Saxe Coburg had bespoke 
 a play at Valenciennes for some famous 
 French actresses. With difficulty we excused 
 ourselves, the whole world was going. 
 
 The day before yesterday 25,000 French 
 attacked the Austrians, drove in their posts, 
 but were repulsed by about 7,000 collected 
 
In haste. Seven hundred and eighty French 
 were left on the field, besides the wounded ; 
 and there were sixty prisoners. The Aus- 
 trians lost one hundred and fifty men and 
 two ofificers ; this, for the first affair, is 
 thought to have ended well. I write to you, 
 mixing fighting, dinners, dramas, trumpets, 
 and plays altogether, as they are in war so 
 mixed ; to give you, though it is almost im- 
 possible, some idea of what our life is. It 
 cannot, however, drown the heart-ache I feel 
 from morning to night at the approach of 
 a campaign the result of which is so un- 
 certain. 
 
 April 8th, Hermitage, the Prince de Cruy's 
 chateau.— It is odd, as I said before, that we 
 should be quartered at the house of a rela- 
 tion. Since I wrote we have dined at Valen- 
 ciennes with Marshal Coburg ; I like him 
 excessively ; he seems the best sort of man 
 that can be ; and, though old and pitted with 
 small-pox, is well-looking from the goodness 
 of his countenance ; he is very well-bred ; 
 I sat by him, and we conversed a great deal ; 
 
 * \ 
 
 i 
 
 . 
 
 i( 
 
 Till' Years 1792— i 795- 
 
 425 
 
 in the evening he carried us to the play. 
 The heavy rains have made the roads so 
 bad the campaign cannot begin yet. 
 
 April 20th, Jallai.K.-Nothing can be more 
 interesting than the scene I have just been 
 in. I was pleased to be in the midst of so 
 many distinguished characters, not forgetting 
 dear General Mack; but the fatigue was 
 great. My present very comfortable abode 
 I owe to the kindness of the Prince de Co- 
 burg. I thank God I supported the parting 
 with General Harcourt, though 1 suspected 
 the campaign was to begin the next day. 
 From hence I distinctly heard the cannonade 
 at Laudruy, which continued without inter- 
 mission from five in the morning till ten at 
 night. I could distinguish the flames of the 
 villages on fire, and imagination cannot pic- 
 tured scene more awful. In the morning 
 of yesterday twenty-six waggons loaded with 
 wounded passed by this place, it was a sight 
 I never can forget. In the evening a large 
 party of Carmagnol prisoners passed. I felt 
 a little sorry for the common men, but not 
 
 3 I 
 
f 
 
 for the officers ; they were very insolent, and 
 as they went along said to the mob : '' Ce 
 n'est rien, cela ira bien pour nous." These 
 broken sentences were often interrupted b)' 
 a fierce "Tar Tevil" from the Austrian 
 Hussars, that made them hasten their steps. 
 There were about 300 of them ; they were 
 well clothed ; but, if possible, the officers 
 looked more vulgar than the soldiers. 
 
 The moment is come when I trust the 
 cause of virtue will triumph over vice. The 
 Hanoverians killed 300, and took 150 pri- 
 soners yesterday, near Menin. At Tournay, 
 General Clairfait and Prince Ernest were 
 on a reconnoitring party, they were about 
 twenty yards in front of a detachment of 
 ninety soldiers, headed by a major ; a can- 
 non-ball passed between the General and 
 the Prince, killed the Major, and wounded 
 twenty-four men. Prince William of Glou- 
 cester was under General Ilarcourt's com- 
 mand yesterday ; he writes word he has 
 cool collected couraije, and is one of the 
 finest J'oung men he ever saw. 
 
 i 
 
 Si 
 
 THE YkARS 1792 — 1795. 
 
 427 
 
 April 24th. — An attack on the Austrians 
 was expected yesterday, but did not happen. 
 This pleasant little chateau is but 150 yards 
 from the road by which all our magazines 
 must pass, so I have constant communica- 
 tion with the army. The weather is so fine 
 that even the oaks are out, and the planes 
 beginning to shoot ; I think everything a 
 full month more forward than it usually is 
 in E no-land ; the thermometer at eii^ht this 
 morning was 8o^ Laudruy is expected to 
 be taken in a week or ten days. The se- 
 cond parallel was finished yesterday ; other 
 sieges will then take place, and my present 
 situation is a central one, being about ten 
 or twelve miles from Laudruy, Maubeuge, 
 and Pouchain, and not much farther from 
 Cambray. 
 
 It is wonderful how use enables me to 
 bear things that at first seemed tremendous ; 
 I hear the cannon from morning to niorht ; 
 and yet I feel more tran([uil than if 1 were 
 quietly sitting in England, for here I know 
 exactly how things really are. The exertions 
 
 1 
 
i! 
 
 428 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 on our side are prodigious, and seem to 
 slacken on theirs, so that we may hope this 
 horrid war cannot last long. In the last 
 three days we have taken thirty-two pieces 
 of cannon, and killed near 6,000, but I fear 
 that the Austrians have lost about 2,000 in 
 killed and wounded. 
 
 April 28th.— We are in high spirits on 
 account of our great victories on this side 
 of the country, but we are a little afraid for 
 Ypres and Caml)ray, as in the pocket of 
 a French General who was taken yesterday, 
 they found a plan against the whole of West 
 Flanders ; the attack was to have been made 
 with 50,000 men. Many sciuadrons are gone 
 to-day to their relief. I grieve for the Hano- 
 verians, who throughout the campaign have 
 had the most dangerous posts, which they 
 have nobly defended ; but numbers must 
 overpower them, if the succour does not 
 come in time. My stay here must be uncer- 
 tain ; if we had not beaten the French on 
 the 24th T must have been off, as the attack 
 was to cut off the conununication on this 
 
 > 
 
 i 
 
 
 t 
 
 - 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 429 
 
 side ; the village was alarmed ; they had 
 orders to house their cattle ; and my horses 
 were harnessed till ten at night. A patrol 
 of the enemy did come within three miles to 
 reconnoitre, but the defeat that day, and the 
 glorious victory of Saturday, secures this 
 place ; and, should 1 want it, 1 have a retreat 
 at Ouiverain ready; it is a village on the 
 road between Mons and Valenciennes. 
 
 However, when we get Laudruy I must 
 move, for I understand from some of my 
 Austrian friends, who are more communi- 
 cative perhaps than they ought to be, that 
 the next siege will be one that will leave this 
 country much exposed. In that case I shall 
 go to Mons. Avesnes is the place they 
 mean to attack next, and then Phillipville ; 
 keep this to yourself, for the sake of my 
 informers, who say further, that, these towns 
 in our possession, Maubeuge, which is the 
 great object, and by other means impreg- 
 nable, will have its resources so cut off that 
 it will fall into our hands. 
 
 I am now so used to wounded men that 
 
s 
 
 ii 
 
 the shock is over, but the deh'eht of assist- 
 ing them is great indeed. Only those who 
 can be cured are carried to the distant hos- 
 pitals, so that I have not the misery of be- 
 holding the dying. The waggons pass at 
 the bottom of my garden, and there I have 
 a little depot of spirits, water, and bread ; 
 you cannot think how much they are re- 
 freshed by this means, nor how cheerful they 
 are, though some have lost their lim])s ; they 
 are all Austrians, for the English do not 
 come this way; perhaps I should feel still 
 more for them. 
 
 The loss the Austrians have sustained Is 
 prodigious ; many more such victorious days 
 would completely put an end to the allied 
 army. There has been nearly as much fight- 
 ing in the last fortnight, as in a whole cam- 
 paign of the Seven Years' War. The Aus- 
 trians have lost, since the i6th, 4,000 men; 
 the British loss is small in proportion ; the 
 French not less than 10,000, and just 100 
 pieces of cannon. Poor General Mansel 
 fought nobly, he had three wounds; the first 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 431 
 
 in his leg, the second in his arm ; both 
 times he bid his men advance, saying, '' It 
 is nothing, come on my boys, come on ;" at 
 last a cannon-ball carried off half his head. 
 Captain Aylett of the 15th Light Dragoons, 
 w\as run through the liver wath a bayonet, 
 and rode three quarters of an hour after it, 
 but they fear he will die. The instances of 
 bravery exceed belief. General Capay owais 
 that the French fear, and that they cannot 
 stand ao-alnst us. I believe the wretch is 
 an Irislunan. The conduct of the Light 
 Drao-oons is beyond all praise. Saturday 
 this crreat effort w^as made to save Laudruy, 
 but it must be ours. Though their officers 
 are not skilful in action, their plans are well 
 laid, and their hatred to our cause as great 
 as ever. The Stadtholder is arrived, and 
 the Dutch, this time, have fought nobly, and 
 seem resolved to retrieve their character. 
 
 The cannonade against Laudruy is stronger 
 than ever to-day ; from my window, last 
 night, I saw the town on fire, and the bombs 
 flying in the air. The Duke of York is 
 
 i 
 
 "^p" 
 
i 
 
 hiHft 
 
 well, and grows deservedly more popular 
 every day. Prince Ernest lives much with 
 General Clairfait, who is a charming man, 
 and much attached to him ; the Emperor 
 has returned to the army, whicli puts every- 
 body in spirits. The battle of the 24th was 
 commanded by General Otto. Tliree squad- 
 rons of British were with the Austrians, under 
 his orders; they drove the Carmagnols, 
 15,000 in number, back to the walls of Cam- 
 bray, and it was hoped the rest of the siege 
 would be undisturbed; but on the 25th they 
 mustered 2,600 men, came secretly in the 
 night, and very early on the 26th surprised 
 the camp at Cattena; this occasioned the 
 loss we had, and that of General IMansel. 
 
 Enele Fontaine, April 30th. — The two 
 next days will be very critical, and probably 
 decide the fate of West Flanders. I fear 
 that charming town, Courtray, has been pil- 
 laged ; but the noble Clairfait has begun to 
 turn the stream, and has re-taken Moneron 
 and eight pieces of cannon ; and the French 
 are so hemmed in near the town that pos- 
 
 f 
 
 THE Years 1792— i 795 
 
 4-> ', 
 0J> 
 
 sibly we may have a complete victory on 
 tliat side of the country to rejoice in. The 
 place 1 write from, Engle Fontaine, is three 
 miles from Laudruy. General Harcourt sent 
 to me to meet him and Prince William of 
 Gloucester here; but I have this moment 
 a note to say there has been an alarm, and 
 they cannot come; they have been under 
 arms since three this morning. These alarms 
 are so common here, that I have grown not 
 to mind them, and find that in a campaign 
 nothing surprises or disappoints, habit and 
 necessity reconcile the mind to anything. 
 I am always ready to march in a quarter- 
 of-an-hour, and experience no inconvenience. 
 This moment a man has come in, who says 
 Laudruy capitulates, and, as the firing has 
 ceased, I do not doubt it. I have my horse, 
 and am <;oing to ride to a hill that com- 
 mands the walls ; it is now safe, but would 
 not have been so a few hours ago. 
 
 I add a line in the evening to say, that 
 Laudruy capitulated at one o'clock. General 
 Harcourt is dining here. I am to go to see 
 
 3 ^- 
 
■^ 
 
 — 
 
 434 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 the trenches in the morning ; but, alas, poor 
 West Flanders is undone. General Wal- 
 modens conduct has been glorious; he de- 
 fended Courtray for some hours with only 
 250 men, and then went and fought ten hours 
 with Clairf^iit. I wTite this in my chaise 
 with my pencil before the gates of Laudruy, 
 from whence the garrison is now marching 
 out. I told you before of poor Mansel's 
 death; he w^as an amiable man. By some 
 mistake, on a former day, his brigade, con- 
 sistino- of three recriments, did not support 
 the Light Cavalry ; the Duke was angry, 
 and talked of an inquiry. On the 26th, 
 Mansel and his men washed away the error 
 with their blood; they rushed on against 
 26,000 French, and carried such dismay 
 with them, that in three minutes they threw 
 the w^hole line into confusion. The cavalry 
 backed on to the infantry, the infantry on to 
 the artillery, and from that time the rest of the 
 engagement w^as a pursuit and cutting down 
 of the French. The General encouraged his 
 men to come on, even after a second wound ; 
 
 THE Years 1792 — i 795' 
 
 435 
 
 a third stopped the most perfect heroism 
 
 ever beheld. 
 
 May 6th.— I am now at Bruxelles. Never 
 was any crisis of last year equal to the 
 present moment. There have been many 
 actions on the left, and every instant I ex- 
 pect to hear of one on our side. The Prus- 
 sians do not march. Were they here we 
 should be safe ; meantime the Carmagnols 
 make every effort. Pichegru is a second 
 Dumouriez. Our line is obliged to be too 
 extended, and therefore some places must 
 be thin. These are the points which the 
 wretches will penetrate ; the sacrifice of the 
 troops left at such points seems cruel, and 
 this it is which the Hanoverians, to whose 
 lot such a position usually falls, complain of. 
 
 How nobly one of their regiments behaved 
 the other day. It was shut up in Menin 
 wdth two regiments of emigres, namely, the 
 British Hulans and the York Rangers ; they 
 told them that they would not desert them ; 
 that all should perish or be saved together. 
 In the night they made a sortie, forced their 
 
 ' ■ i.. 
 
 1^ 
 
X 
 
 43<^ 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 way through the French troops, and car- 
 ried off twelve pieces of their cannon. It is 
 one of the finest actions ever known, and 
 General Hammerstein, who commanded the 
 Hanoverians, deserves to be immortalized 
 for it. 
 
 My life is, and has been, a singular one, 
 and full of more adventures than I can 
 attempt to relate by letter. Wlien I am 
 in any town with the General I must live 
 in public; at Jallaix I was quiet. The day 
 before I came from thence, Fitzroy and 
 Crawford came to ask for refreshment ; they 
 were both ill, and not a little pleased when 
 they found w4io inhabited the chateau. Ill 
 as they were they were obliged to go on, 
 as the army was to reach St. Arnand that 
 night. Scarce were they gone w^hen the 
 British wounded passed by ; I gave them 
 all the relief I could, and w^as happy to see 
 them so well taken care of; so many sur- 
 geons, such excellent carriages, every com- 
 fort their situation could admit of The 
 poor Austrians have no comforts ; one of 
 
 \ 
 
 4" 
 
 the surgeons told me that they had two 
 officers on one of the waggons who must 
 remain there all night, as the village afforded 
 no lodeine. I had them, and a sergeant of 
 the General's own regiment, carried to the 
 chateau. Mrs. Nugent, whose activity and 
 benevolence on such occasions knows no 
 bounds, helped me to nurse them. One of 
 the officers, Mr. Estrldge, a boy of seven- 
 teen, was so much wounded that the blood 
 streamed from his leg when he w^as lifted 
 from the cart. We told him and his com- 
 panion, that if they could get to England it 
 would be their best plan to do so as soon 
 as possible. They said, not for the world ; 
 they must be cured in Flanders, and fight 
 again. The same spirit prevails amongst 
 the 'men; many, who w^ere scarce able to 
 speak, uttered invectives in broken sentences 
 against the French monsters, and attempted 
 to huzza and cry, '* God save the King." 
 
 May 13th. — Saturday, the 10th, was a glo- 
 rious day. Rejoice with me, for the credit 
 of it is our dear General's ; he had the whole 
 
438 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 command, as only the cavalry were em- 
 ployed. The infantry remahied in camp 
 with the Duke of York and Sir William 
 Erskine, ready to support if wanted. When 
 the General returned, the Duke made him 
 a very handsome compliment, and I hear 
 that the whole army speaks highly of this 
 affair. There has been a victory near Char- 
 leroy, which has calmed the fears of the 
 people here at liruxelles, for yesterday they 
 thouo'ht the French would breakfast with 
 us to-day. 
 
 A letter from Mrs. Marcourt to Mrs. Nu- 
 gent, written from Bruxelles on the 14th of 
 May, a short time after the latter returned to 
 England, contained the following particulars : 
 
 I suppose Lady Harcourt will have sent 
 you my letter of the 13th. I am in great 
 anxiety ; a forward move they talk of por- 
 tends an eniraLrement to the ri^ht ; if the 
 Prussians were come all would be well. 1 am 
 told that Clairfait has done well throughout, 
 but the Austrians hate him ; they only think 
 of their own place in the centre, and com- 
 
 plain of their wings, which they leave too 
 much exposed to support the immense army 
 that is opposed to them. Yesterday was 
 the strangest day I ever passed. I sent off 
 my letter to Lady Harcourt in the morning, 
 in which I said that it had been reported 
 that the French were to breakfast here, and 
 that the inhabitants had been calmed by the 
 news of a victory near Charleroy. That 
 victory was not so good as it was at first 
 
 said to be. 
 
 The cannonading began more violendy 
 than ever; they said the French were ad- 
 vancincr, and near Nivelles; every moment 
 bao-o-ao-e came from all quarters ; all the 
 *' Chanoines," from the Abbey at Nivelles; 
 all the valuable effects of everybody at 
 Mons ; the bustle exceeded description. Six 
 expresses arrived at Marshal Benders in 
 an hour; and the 8,000 French prisoners we 
 had here were removed instantly towards 
 Maestricht. This was a relief to my mind, 
 for, with the bad disposition of some of the 
 Bruxelles people, I thought we had much 
 
 ^^^^mm 
 
 tA:-*'' 'i--^,^ - '^ ■ 
 
440 
 
 Anecdotes ret.ating to 
 
 to fear from them. The Metternichs, (you 
 know he is Minister here,) were alarmed; 
 they carried it off as well as they could, but 
 packed up everything they possessed. 
 
 Conceive, if you can, the situation of the 
 poor emigres while all this passed. Many 
 were almost deprived of their senses by the 
 horror they felt ; they came running to me 
 for information I was unable to give them ; 
 they assured me that Clairfait was beaten 
 on the rieht, that the French could advance 
 in every direction, and that all was over. 
 These unfortunate creatures were without 
 horses, without money, without means of re- 
 moving ; some with sick children, some ill 
 themselves, some with friends lying-in ; all 
 without refuge. They told me that in their 
 last flight from Bruxelles they had been 
 obliged to give twenty, thirty, nay, even 
 fifty pounds for carriages to convey them to 
 Mechlin and Antwerp; and now they had 
 no money nor means left. If I were to tell 
 you the names of those who actually came 
 to beg of me you would scarce believe it 
 
 possible. With my mind oppressed, as you 
 may easily suppose it to have been, I sat 
 down alone to dinner, and it was hardly over 
 when I heard an extraordinary noise over 
 my room, and glass and all sorts of things 
 falling against my window. I saw the square 
 full of poople, all looking up, and screams 
 echoed from every part of the house. I ran 
 to my door, and saw the upper floor over 
 my room all in a blaze ; the flames burst out 
 at the windows, and, by forcing the glass, 
 occasioned the noise I had heard. Luckily 
 my room was within ten or twelve steps of 
 the ground ; I snatched up my portfolio, bid 
 Sophia take "Tiny," and we were in the 
 scpiarc in an Instant. There I met the 
 Prince de Chimay, who begged me to come 
 to his house ; but he has a large family, and 
 I wished to avoid making new acquaint- 
 ances. My best plan seemed to be to send 
 my horses, servants, and baggage to Lord 
 Eknn's, if the fire continued, and to follow 
 them myself; f^', thougli he was absent, our 
 intimacy would have, authorized this liberty. 
 
 3 i^ 
 
 
r 
 
 w 
 
 442 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 The tocsin sounded, as is usual, for the 
 fire; the emigi^cs thought the French were 
 comine, and the confusion increased. How- 
 ever, by great exertions, the flames were ex- 
 tinguished, and only two rooms in this im- 
 mense hotel were burnt. Luckily it was 
 in the daytime, and did not seize the roof, 
 though it was on the upper floor. How it 
 happened none can say; it was in a poor 
 Frenchwoman's room, who had had no fire 
 all the day ; she was out at dinner, and not 
 a soul upstairs. It began in the wainscot 
 and floor opposite the chimney, and had not 
 the flames broken through the windows, and 
 been seen in the street, the house must have 
 been destroyed. I concluded that those it 
 belono-ed to would take care it did not break 
 out aeain, and resolved not to move. 
 
 The alarm from the fear of the French 
 approaching continued ; every horse was be- 
 spoke, and I thought it necessary to order 
 my servants to watch my stable night and 
 day. Towards evening another express ar- 
 rived, with news that the French had retired 
 
 f 
 
 the Yea.rs 1792 — 1795 
 
 443 
 
 towards Philipville. Madame de'Metternich 
 went to the play, to give an idea that all was 
 well and safe, and the gates were ordered 
 to be shut, that none might go in or out. 
 
 The Prince de Croy had just arrived from 
 Hall, three leagues from hence, where he 
 had left his family; they had fled from 
 Havre, near Mons, and were waiting the 
 event. He came for information, meaning, 
 if necessary, to go and try to save some of 
 his efi'ects from the Hermitage ; the precau- 
 tion may be right, but the danger never ap- 
 peared so great to me as it did to the people 
 here. Such an army as ours is not easily 
 conquered, and a great part of it is between 
 the French and this place, and would, of 
 course, fall back to protect it. My horses 
 are always ready, but things must be bad 
 indeed to alarm me or make me move ; all 
 1 care about is the army; the right wing 
 safe, and I am easy. My friends who are 
 living quietly in England will think my sit- 
 uation more distressing than it is. I am 
 used to sudden changes and unexpected 
 
I 
 
 i 
 
 
 444 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 events, and few things now seem tremend- 
 ous to me. 
 
 Here ends the extract from the letter to 
 
 Mrs. Nugent. 
 
 May 1 6th.— The French are retired from 
 Binche, but have not all re-crossed the Sam- 
 bre ; they seem desirous of intrenching in the 
 woods on this side ; and this still alarms people 
 here ; but I hope the plan will be prevented. 
 The Austrians are supposed, in the different 
 actions that have happened lately, to have 
 lost nearly 10,000 men. I fancy, upon the 
 whole, near 15,000. The Dutch in the affair 
 of Thuin did wonders; 400 resisted 5,000 
 for many hours, and repulsed them. Two 
 Dutch officers were brought to this house 
 last nio-ht much wounded. General Winck- 
 ham, an excellent Austrian officer, was killed 
 at Binche; his poor wife followed him two 
 years in the Turkish war, and he is killed 
 almost at home. The fear to-day is that 
 an attempt will be made on Charleroy. 
 
 May 20th.— I write; but what can I write 
 while such impending storms threaten us; 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 445 
 
 such another defeat as that of Sunday the 
 18th, and the cause is ruined. One victory 
 o-ained by these wretches is usually followed 
 by another ; Pichegru is at least a Dumou- 
 riez, and their resources surpass those of all 
 other nations. The present state of the cam- 
 paign is beyond measure alarming. Heaven, 
 I trust, will have mercy upon us ; and I 
 thank God that, as the cavalry could not act. 
 General Harcourt had no concern in the ap- 
 parent success of Saturday, or the next de- 
 feat of Sunday. So much does he think the 
 creneral cause in danger, that, by his cstafctte 
 of yesterday, he sent me every arrangement 
 for my removal, if the consequences of this 
 affair should require it. If the French come 
 on this side the effect will be dreadful, but 
 it will be worse if they go on our right from 
 West Flanders, as they would destroy our 
 magazines and every support of our army 
 
 on their route. 
 
 For details you must wait ; I have, as yet, 
 no particulars ; what comfort I can have here 
 I receive from Madame de Walmoden and 
 
 r 
 
t 
 
 ■' 
 
 
 i 
 
 446 
 
 Anecdotes ri:lating to 
 
 Madame de Metternich. They are both 
 charminLl women. The old Marechalle de 
 Bender, too, is very kind to me ; she is cou- 
 sin to our Queen ; their grandmothers were 
 sisters, Princesses of Mecklenburg. The 
 terror here is less than wdien they thought 
 the French approaching on the side of Mons. 
 It is distressing to me to go into society, as 
 too many unjustly like to throw the blame 
 of this sad business on the English. 
 
 May 22nd. — Everything is in a state of 
 suspense and uncertainty ; we have as much 
 to fear as to hope. The Duke of York has 
 been in no fault, nor the English ; on the 
 contrary, their conduct was perfect. The 
 Austrians alone were to blame ; the plan 
 was a glorious one, but the arrangement 
 such that it could not be executed. It was 
 still more marred by the failure of General 
 Kingsky, who never brought the left column, 
 which is called the Arch-duke's, to the sup- 
 port of the Duke of York. The British, 
 therefore, were left open to the whole 
 French force, from Lille on one hand, and 
 
 ] 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 447 
 
 to that from Courtray on the other. The 
 Hanoverians were sacrificed, as usual ; for 
 the Austrians gave them the worst place at 
 the beo-innine of the action. The effect is 
 bad in every way; I fear it will cause ill- 
 blood, and ruin the unanimity of the army. 
 Though the Emperor has taken pains to 
 lay the fault, as it should be, on his own 
 Generals, yet he cannot check the tongues 
 of the foolish emigres, nor of the jealous 
 Austrian officers. 
 
 The vile Liegeois desire no better than 
 the arrival of the French, who may any day 
 make an excursion into that country if the 
 Prussians do not come forward. There are 
 alarms and danger everywhere. I have per- 
 sonally nothing to fear ; my horses are always 
 ready, and I can retreat to Antwerp. The 
 terror here yesterday was increased by the 
 French re-crossing the Sambre, and General 
 Kaunitz was much abused for permitting 
 it, but they will be forced to retreat to- 
 morrow. The Metternichs send couriers to- 
 wards the Sambre for intelligence perpetually ; 
 
mKp 
 
 W flliM 
 
 i 
 
 448 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 however, many of the inhabitants are gone 
 off. The Prince de Croy stays to take care 
 of his affairs, but he has sent his wife and 
 children to Dusseldorf. General Harcourt 
 is well, but the events of the 17th and i8th 
 have vexed him sadly. I rejoice that the 
 corps he commands was not there ; it was 
 left to mask Lille on the side of Orchies 
 from Tournay. Read the enclosed letter 
 from Amedce. Colonel Crawford came here 
 yesterday ; he delighted me by telling me 
 how highly General Harcourt is spoken of 
 for his conduct on the loth ; his resolution 
 carried the whole, and it was done with 
 1,300 men against the whole French army. 
 When the Duke of York thanked him he 
 presented him with his own sword. 
 
 Letter from Amedce. 
 
 "Froidment, le i Jiitn, 1794. 
 
 ''Voiis avcz bicn raison, Madame, la simplicity 
 
 et la modestic devroient etre I'apanagc dc I'adver- 
 
 site, commc la vcrtu ct la religion de Tinfortune, 
 
 vous etes revoltee de trouver le contraire ;' graces 
 
 '• 
 
 
 "\ 
 
 It'll 
 ■ I 
 If 
 
 lV 9 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 449 
 
 h. vos conseils, a votre exemple, j'ai I'avantage 
 de trouver comme vous moins d'interet dans le 
 luxe et I'elegance qui regne encore a Bruxelles, 
 moins de graces dans la coqueterie outree de nos 
 belles dames, que dans I'interieur simple et touch- 
 ant de cclle que nous avons vue Tun et I'autre a 
 Gand. Peut-etre I'exemple d'un monde nombreux, 
 la necessite d'y paroitre, ont ils malheureusement 
 change ses manieres ; mais je compte sur la bonto 
 de son cceur assez pour croire qu'il est encore le 
 meme. Si je le croyois moins pur, le charme se- 
 rait detruit, tout sentiment serait eteint pour elle. 
 Je ne suis pas etonne de vous voir sensible au 
 malheur des autres, vous le sericz d'avantage en- 
 core si ceux dont vous me parlcz etaient aussi re- 
 spectables que malheureux, ct je sens avec vous 
 que, quelque grande qu'elle soit, la lecon n'a pas 
 suffi pour nous corrigcr ; I'ecole de I'adversite n'a 
 developpe que nos defauts, nos ennemis sau- 
 ront en profiter, et F Histoirc future ajoutera, a la 
 haine de notre patrie, le mepris bien plus merito 
 dont r Europe paye deja notre conduite. Je vous 
 remcrcie avec mon frere de vos bons conseils, dont 
 j'espere que nous tirerons quelque profit ; nous 
 serious plus coupablcs que d'autres si Ics exemples 
 de vertu et de bonte dont nous sommcs journel- 
 lement temoins ne faisaicnt pas quelque impres- 
 sion sur nous. Pourrois je ne pas chercher a imiter 
 ce que je me plais tant a aimer et admirer tous 
 
 3 -^^ 
 
450 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 les jours. Si vous voyez en noir vouz pouvez bien 
 croire que je suis loin de voir en blanc, il me 
 parait plus que jamais difficile dc penotrer en 
 France ; la contre revolution me semble entiere- 
 ment impossible, parceque tons les partis s'unissent 
 de plus en plus contre Tennemi commun, qui en- 
 vahit son territoire. Les allies sont degoutes, tout 
 le monde souhaite la paix ; puisse-t-elle faire le 
 bonheur du genre humain, elle perdra notre cause, 
 ruinera tous mes amis, mais quoique beaucoup, 
 nous sommes une trop petite portion du monde 
 pour que nos interets puissent regler en rien ceux 
 des puissances de I'Europe ; ceux qui s'y attendent 
 sont des fous et des malheureux, tous ceux qui 
 nourrissent depuis trois ans une foUe esperance, 
 seront doublement frappes d'un coup, que beaucoup 
 n'auront pas la force de supporter. Nous avons 
 vu hier Orchies qui, si nos renforts n'arrivent pas, 
 doit etre le premier point ou I'ennemi tachera de 
 penetrer ; cette ville est assez bien fortifiee, mais sa 
 faible garnison pent difficilement etre secourue ct 
 si nous perdons ce poste, il faudra necessairement 
 quitter notre position actuclle pour passer I'escaut 
 ou s'emparer du camp de Maulde. Je ne vous 
 parle pas aujourd'hui du General, parcequ'il vous 
 park de lui-meme, il est tres bien et tres occupe, 
 toute sa cavalrie va mieux de jour en jour, et les 
 remontes et recrues que nous attendons bientot, la 
 remettront sur un pied respectable, (vous savez 
 
 qu'outre ce qui manque au compte on doit rcce- 
 voir deux troupes par Regiment de plus)." 
 
 May 23rd.— Count Kilmanseg came here 
 by 8 this morning, after fighting twelve 
 hours yesterday, and travelling all night ; the 
 enemy attacked us near Tournay, on the 
 side where the Hanoverians w^ere. They 
 were 20,000 strong against our few remain- 
 ino- brave Hanoverians, yet they nobly re- 
 pulsed them ; but these perpetual attacks, 
 and our critical situation everywhere, is very 
 ao-itatino-. No Prussians appear ; Beaulieu 
 has made a little diversion by taking Bouillon, 
 but the French are in force on this side of 
 the Sambre, and Kannitz does nothing. 
 
 May 24. — You must now be too much 
 used to anxious news to be surprised at my 
 accounts. This has been a curious day. In 
 my last I told you that we had just got In- 
 telli^Tcnce of the attack of the 22nd on our 
 troops near Tournay. I find it was still 
 more serious than we were at first told. In 
 this ao-e, and, I believe in the annals of history, 
 
452 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 there never was one so furious, so uninter- 
 rupted, or that lasted so long. The French 
 were 80,000 strong. The attack began. at 
 half-past six in the morning, and had not 
 ended at half-past seven at night. Six times 
 they were repulsed, and as often returned to 
 the charge, till they were totally defeated 
 by General Fox and his little brigade of 
 British, who came in time to assist the 
 Hanoverians, and performed prodigies of 
 valour. The French were engaged to sup 
 at Tournay, and had been offered the pil- 
 lage of the town if they succeeded, and 
 threatened with the guillotine if they failed.^ 
 
 People here are still alarmed by what is 
 passing on this side of the Sambre. A 
 French post advanced yesterda)- u ilhin eight 
 leagues. General Kaunitz, in whom none 
 have any confidence, and wlw commands 
 because he is brother to the minister, was 
 ordered to attack. It was known that the 
 French intended a general attack upon all 
 the posts to our left. Kaunitz sent word 
 his force was not sufficient, desired every 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 453 
 
 precaution might be taken, and preparations 
 made for the defence of Bruxelles, as he 
 could not answer for the event. Enough of 
 this was reported to cause a general panic ; 
 numbers went away in the night; most 
 packed up; the shopkeepers were all in 
 tears, and every soul in the most anxious 
 expectation. I only gave my usual orders 
 for my horses to be ready, and felt that 
 Heaven would not desert us, and that we 
 should again be safe. 
 
 Madame de Metternich came to me and 
 insisted that I should give up all idea of 
 going to Antwerp ; the town is so ill-dis- 
 posed. She said that she and the minister 
 should stay till the last safe moment, and 
 that if they were obliged to fly, I should go 
 with them to Breda; so you see 1 am in 
 good hands. However, I proved to be in 
 the ri'dit ; we had no occasion to move, for 
 in a few hours a courier came galloping 
 through the Grande Place, crying out " Vic- 
 tory, victory." In a minute twenty peo- 
 pie came to tell me that Kaunitz had sur- 
 
 V 
 
454 
 
 £ 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 prised the enemy's camp ; completely beaten 
 them ; driven them across the Sambre ; taken 
 twenty-three pieces of cannon ; and that this 
 town was again safe. All the poor emigres 
 came to me to hear what my accounts were, 
 and the scene was changed to comparative 
 comfort. Important as this is, the general 
 safety or ruin of the cause lies on the Tour- 
 nay side ; alas ! how many weeks, and how 
 many thousand lives, have been lost by that 
 unfortunate step of leaving the right wing 
 so defenceless. The French, who now know 
 our weak point, and that the country is ad- 
 vantageous to their mode of making w^ar, 
 and to their superior numbers and inferior 
 skill, wall remain to plague and harass us 
 as much in that quarter as they can. 
 
 Between Lille and Dunkirk there are still 
 150,000 men ; they have orders to conquer, 
 or the euillotine is their portion ; this makes 
 them desperate, and worn out as we are 
 with incessant attacks, we have much to 
 fear. Our army lessens daily, while theirs 
 increases ; how dearly have we paid for 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795 
 
 455 
 
 Laudruy ; and, had they resisted for twenty- 
 four hours longer, we should never have had 
 it. The Emperor has made every amends in 
 his power to the Duke of York for the cruel 
 event of the iSth, and has publicly declared 
 that he, and the British troops alone, of 
 the whole army, did their duty ; that their 
 existence is almost a miracle, and is solely 
 owing to their wonderful good conduct and 
 bravery. Poor old Kingsley, who command- 
 ed the left column, and occasioned our de- 
 feat, is ordered to give in his dismission. 
 The column has been a little reprimanded, 
 and Otto, who commanded on the right, was 
 directed to make an apology. In short, the 
 Emperor has done all he can, but he can- 
 not give us back the 700 men we lost, nor 
 repah: the evil done by the encouragement 
 this has given to the Carmagnols. 
 
 May 26th.— We find now that the inten- 
 tion of the monsters, on the 22nd, was to 
 pass the Scheldt ; and, as they have got this 
 trick of crossing the Sambre, no part of 
 Brabant south of Bruxelles will be secure 
 
 <l!t 
 
456 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 till the face of the campaign Is changed. 
 For the present, therefore, I shall remain 
 here. I hear every twenty-four hours from 
 the General, and can hear by estafette in 
 twelve, if anything material happens. 
 
 June 3rd.— An important attack is pro- 
 bably at this moment being made on the 
 Emperor's side ; that expected to-morrow 
 in the same quarter will be still more im- 
 portant, as the resistance will be greater. 
 The escape of Madame de Cluzelles, a young 
 nun, a child of five years old, and an Abbe, 
 is most wonderful. They walked twenty 
 leao-ues on foot, and arrived here about a 
 fortnio-ht aero. Before they set out they were 
 hid three weeks under a staircase, where 
 they could not stand upright ; they were 
 supposed to be gone, which prevented the 
 search after them when they did go ; in all 
 that time the child never cried nor com- 
 plained, being told its mother would be 
 killed if it did. Their adventures on the 
 road are like a romance ; disguised as pea- 
 sants, they were sometimes hid in cottages, 
 
 sometimes In woods. The husband, who 
 was at Maestricht, is come ; he cries all day 
 for joy, and can scarce believe that they are 
 safe. An order to carry them to Paris had 
 been sent down, and escape was their only 
 chance for life. I hear nothing good from 
 
 Tournay. 
 
 June loth.— After the end of my last 
 letter, you will not be a little astonished to 
 hear that I am actually at Tournay ; I can 
 scarcely conceive it myself. I was going 
 to take a country-house near Bruxelles, and 
 had no hope of seeing General Harcourt 
 these six weeks; when, at ten at night, I 
 received a letter to say his horses should 
 be on the road, and I might come the next 
 day. I found a quarter had been ready for 
 me in Tournay for ten days, and that he 
 had always intended to send for me, though 
 he would not tell me for fear of disappoint- 
 ing me ; which, with the uncertainty of war, 
 might have happened. I am only two miles 
 from the camp where his own quarter is, 
 1 ride there to dinner every day ; and, leav- 
 
 
 
458 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 ing him there, return in the evening. Many 
 friends call upon me here. Prince Ernest 
 and Prince WiHIam of Gloucester never 
 fail, and the Duke of York comes when 
 he can. 
 
 I fear Prince Ernest's arm is a bad busi- 
 ness ; the wind of a ball is often worse than 
 a wound, as it deadens all tlie flesh ; it is 
 much swollen, is in a sling, and he has 
 hardly any feeh'ng in it, or use of it. He 
 has an excellent heart ; I wish him to go to 
 England, but not to stay there long. Prince 
 Wilham turns out admirably, everybody likes 
 him, he has good sense and prudence, his 
 conduct is perfect, and he is respected uni- 
 versally. The Duke of York is delighted 
 with him, and shews him the greatest kind- 
 ness. He has been much with General Har- 
 court, who says he is as cool and steady 
 as possible, and gives him every praise for 
 his behaviour in the field, and out of it. 
 Prince Adolpluis is not here ; Ypres is be- 
 sieged ; if it falls, Ostend must follow it in 
 a week, but part of the troops are to move 
 
 THE Yevrs 1792 — 1795' 
 
 459 
 
 1 
 
 to-day, and march to its relief to-morrow. 
 I hope they will be able to raise the siege ; 
 it is absolutely necessary, and if you hear 
 that they do not succeed you may tremble 
 indeed. 1 may perhaps return to Bruxelles ; 
 I could not bear being always there, but 
 these excursions break the time, and will en- 
 able me to support the dreadful five months 
 that are yet to come. INI ay they be better 
 than the month of May, which has so over- 
 turned our plans and hopes, and the ideas 
 we had formed of the end of the campaign. 
 
 A friend of mine, from the Austrian 
 quarter, who breakfasted with me yesterday, 
 made me very low by the opinion he gave 
 upon the present state of affairs. He is 
 a clever man, a great speculator, and, by 
 difterent means, has full information of the 
 state of France. He says its power is be- 
 yond any idea we can form of what any 
 Government can possess. It is concentrated 
 in a few who are masters of the whole, and 
 arrange it by riumerous dependants whose 
 obedience to them is implicit. They direct 
 
every measure everywhere, from the march 
 of their immense armies, to the piece that is 
 to be performed at the Opera House ; they 
 have nothing to counteract them, and their 
 
 will is law. 
 
 Other Governments are full of party and 
 opposition, and obliged to bend to one cir- 
 cumstance, to submit to another, and to act 
 so as to please different interests and dif- 
 ferent alliances. Therefore no measure is 
 vi^n:)rous, and the moment is lost that might 
 make it effectual. I grieve to add, that scarce 
 a soul here has any hope left. Heaven 
 only can assist us by means yet unforeseen. 
 Lord Cornwallis may persuade the Prussians 
 to march, and 1 suppose he will act with 
 them ; but they come too late, and per- 
 haps will only be sufficient to replace those 
 already lost. 1 fear our numbers will not 
 Q-o much beyond those we had at the be- 
 ginning of the campaign, before fresh rein- 
 forcements arrived. 
 
 The next three days may decide the suc- 
 cess of the campaign in this quarter ; the 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 461 
 
 plan is again an extensive, and combined, 
 and important one. My Austrian friend 
 detailed it all to me ; and, strange to say, 
 I knew the whole yesterday, whilst General 
 Harcourt did not know till half-an-hour ago 
 that the army was to move. The cavalry 
 are only to make a litde appearance where, 
 by the arrangement, I see, they will have 
 nothing opposed to them, and cannot act. 
 The weiMit must rest on the infantry, and 
 my next will probably tell you whether we 
 are saved or undone. 
 
 P.S. I find General Harcourt, being in the 
 left wing, which only marches to appear to 
 cover Lille, will be absent but a few hours. 
 Prince Ernest will go, lame as he is ; think 
 of the danger of riding with one arm in 
 a sling, increased as it is by his not seeing 
 ten yards before him. 
 
 June 13th.— Circumstances, too long to de- 
 tail, arose to prevent the plan I announced 
 in my last from being executed ; all is quiet 
 at present, and expected to be so for some 
 days ; so I shall not remove. I usually dine 
 
462 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 with the General in camp, and return on 
 horseback at niyht. This evening I rode 
 to see the field of batde of the 22nd, but 
 the stench from the dead bodies was so 
 dreadful I could not bear it. Some bodies 
 w^ere half out of the ground, and others 
 not deep enough ; the trees around were all 
 broken with the cannon ; such a scene ! when 
 will Heaven, in mercy, permit this war to 
 end ? Ypres is not yet taken, and there are 
 slight hopes that it ma)* be saved. We 
 know that there has been fighting to-day, 
 but we do not know the event, and the 
 
 courier is going. 
 
 June 17th. — I fear some of my letters 
 failed to reach you, or you would not have 
 been so long without one, for I have seldom 
 missed writing twice in every week since 
 I came to the Continent. Very contrary to 
 our expectation this has been a most quiet 
 week, with no more appearance of war than 
 if the French were fifty miles off ; but alas, 
 it is because they have bent their whole 
 force against poor Ypres, which must fall, 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1 795- 
 
 463 
 
 and with it ten brave battalions that cannot 
 escape. Amongst them there is one of 
 Hanoverians. Whether the wretches will 
 massacre them according to their savage 
 desire, I know not; certain it is, no victory 
 ever came at so fortunate a moment upon 
 every account as Lord Howe's. It may 
 save many lives, and materially aid the cause. 
 It raises our spirits, and puts England in 
 cTood humour; in short. What does it not 
 do ? I am glad too for the Howe s, and 
 our dear litde Lady Mary. 
 
 The Duke of York dined with the Gene- 
 ral and me at his litde cottage in the camp, 
 the day before yesterday. He is as kind as 
 possible on every occasion ; and, of his own 
 accord, has given Emanuel a Lieutenancy 
 in one of the Hulan regiments. He is very 
 eood, too, to Amedce, who is essentially use- 
 ful to the General, and beloved by every- 
 body. It is impossible to deny that things 
 grow worse ; nothing like the loss of Cour- 
 tray and Ypres happened last year. I fear 
 Ostend, too, must fall ; and, in short, that 
 
 L 
 
464 
 
 Anecdotes ret.ating to 
 
 /I 
 
 the defensive part the alhes must now act, 
 will with difficulty save the Low Countries : 
 everything looks black and tremendous. I 
 shall be sent back to Bruxelles whenever 
 poor Ypres is taken, as the immense force 
 now occupied in besieging it will then turn 
 Its mischief elsewhere. May the Almighty 
 avert their blows, but I cannot help sup- 
 posing that this country must f^ill. 
 
 I see a ereat deal of the Austrians ; I 
 think they have less hope than we have, 
 and they seem to have no plan, no manage- 
 ment, no money, no troops, to cope with the 
 power against them ; and their army is so 
 dwindled that if the Prussians come they 
 will do litde more than replace their losses. 
 In the midst of these misfortunes you would 
 be surprised at the gaiety of the camp ; the 
 mixture of the horrors of war, and the ex- 
 cess of pleasure and amusement, give al- 
 together a strancre picture of human nature. 
 I lodge opposite to a church full of the 
 wounded ; I see them mutilated and dying ; 
 I go to the camp, I see houses burnt all 
 
 THE Years 1792—1795- 
 
 465 
 
 round, the finest fields of corn destroyed; 
 I hear the music of the bands on one side, 
 and the necessary discipline of flogging some 
 culprit on the other. 
 
 In the English camp, every evening, the 
 young officers are to be seen making matches 
 and running horse-races; in the Hungarian 
 lines litde groups of music and dancing are 
 to be seen, different according to the dis- 
 tricts they belong to, and curious in the ex- 
 treme. There are the poor Croats and 
 Servians, brought so many hundred leagues 
 from their own homes, and most comfortable 
 states, where a sheep costs eighteenpence, 
 a calf three shillings, and wine nothing, to 
 be massacred or starved in this country, 
 where all is so dear that their little pay 
 will hardly produce them potatoes and water. 
 These scenes, and the apparent prosperity 
 of the wicked are strange to us who occupy 
 but an atom in infinity of space, and know 
 only what passes in one moment of that tune 
 that ever was, and will be to eternity ; but 
 the -reat Director of all cannot err, and may 
 
 3 " 
 
 I 
 
'\ 
 
 466 
 
 Anecdotes rflatixg to 
 
 ^ • 
 
 graciously intend to bring future good out of 
 present evil. 
 
 P.S. News IS this instant come that 7,000 
 are killed or taken on the Sambrc, with 
 twenty pieces of cannon and thirty -seven 
 caissons, and Charleroy is delivered ; but 
 this is little to the general cause, and will 
 not save Ypres. I was just now regretting 
 the destruction of life my orderly-man had 
 thought necessary in a little encounter, when 
 Emmanuel said, '' Madame, votre compassion 
 est si mal placce, dc grace gardez la pour les 
 poulets et ne la donnez pas aux Carmag- 
 nols." He is a fine-spirited boy ; I enclose 
 a letter from his brother; it is of old date, 
 but I send it, as it does his head and heart 
 credit. 
 
 Letter from Amed^e. 
 
 " Nous nous portons tous bicn, mais Ic ccuur est 
 bien malade ; Ic malheur d'hicr, aussi facheux qu' 
 innatendu, est un affront dont les suites sont plus 
 a craindre en An<jleterre qu'en Flandres, car la 
 defaite ou plutot la deroute de I'armee, ^/// ;/'^ 
 pa-i/u que pen dc mondc nc fait que remettre les 
 
 I 
 
 THE Years 1792 — i 795 
 
 467 
 
 choses au point ou elles en etaient le 15 ; avec 
 20,000 hommes de plus formant le Corps de 
 rArchiduc, qui s'est reuni avec celui du Due 
 d'York sous les murs de Tournay. 
 
 " Les gardes et la 2^^^' Brigade d' Infanterie n'ont 
 pas perdu plus de 200 hommes, plusieurs officiers 
 ont ete blesses ou prix mais aucun tue, et les 
 canons sont la seule perte rcelle que I'armee ait 
 essuyee, ils sont tous pris, hors 3 ou 4, mais les 
 hommes tous sauves, et il est bien heureux encore, 
 d'avoir conserve cette classe superieure dans votre 
 
 armee. 
 
 " Le General est bien affecte, il en a ete malade 
 toute la nuit, croyant le mal plus grand qu'il ne 
 se trouve en eftet. Nous avons aujourdhui moins 
 d'inquietude et plus d'espoir, et nous nous con- 
 solons avec celui d'avoir bientot une bonne re- 
 vanche. Le Due d'York a ete lui meme entoure par 
 I'ennemi pendant une heure et demie, et aurait 
 ete pris s'il n'avait pas ete assez heureux pour 
 passer avec sa troupe dorce au travers d'une ligne 
 d'Infanterie. Le l6^''"^ est venu a son secours et a 
 perdu beaucoup de monde en le sauvant. 
 
 " Lord Frederic Montagu a ete touche par trois 
 balles, sans etre blesse. C. Murray a perdu son 
 cheval aupres du Due, mais s'est echappe heur- 
 eusement, avec une seule contusion a 1 epaule. 
 
 " Le General et moi vous demandons, de ne pas 
 vous effrayez de tous les rapports qu'ou vous fera, 
 
k 
 
 
 468 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 et de voiis croirc tres en surcte jusqu'ci cc que vous 
 aycz de nos nouvelles ; ordonnez sculement a votre 
 ordonnance dc rester dans recuric jusqu'ci ce que 
 le moment dc terreur soit passe, pour veiller sur 
 vos chevaux, que les plus presses seraient capables 
 de vous enlever. Vous ferez bien aussi de garder 
 Emmanuel, le General le desire, s'il manque d'argent 
 venillez bien lui donner le montant du memoire de 
 
 M^*^ Lefebvre que j'ai paye . On rejetera 
 
 toute la faute sur le Due d'York, il n'en est pas 
 plus coupable que vous. L'Archiduc Charles, 
 n'ayant pas vu Favance a temps avec son corps, 
 est cause que la gauche, n'ayant pas eu d'appue, 
 a ete attaque par deux cotes a la.fois, entouree, 
 et obligee de faire son chemin au travers de toute 
 rarmee ennemie, qui, par une marche aussi sa- 
 vante que bien executee, s'etait emparee de La/i- 
 noy, sans que person ne s'en doutat. 
 
 *'Dans le trouble ou on est encore, on ne fait 
 rien, ou on craint beaucoup et on espere pen. 
 N'ayant pas etc au milieu de cette action malheur- 
 euse j'ai plus de raisons pour bien juger les choses, 
 et je ne doute pas que nous nc reparions bientot 
 la gloire de I'armee, mais c'est tout ce que j'espere. 
 La France sera republique, tant que les etrangers 
 se ligueront pour la conquerir, les Francais ne 
 seront vaincus que par les FrcUK^ais, et leurs guerres 
 intericuics ccderont toujours pour se liguer tons 
 contre les envahisseurs. V^uila mon opinion. 
 
 \ 
 
 THE Years 1792— 1795< 
 
 469 
 
 " Adieu, n'ayez pas peur, consolez vous, croyez 
 que le mal ne pent pas aller plus loin, et croyez 
 moi toujours le meiUeur et le plus affectionne de 
 
 vos amis. 
 
 " A. H. 
 
 "Tournay, le 19, a Midi." 
 
 Tournay, June 20th.— I am still here, and 
 very comfortable. I ride with the General 
 every evening round the camp, and some- 
 times to the outposts, after dining at his 
 cottao-e. This inaction cannot last, and, in- 
 deed, ought not to do so ; for the quiet here 
 loses Ypres, and the cause sinks daily. 
 
 Twelve thousand men from this army 
 marched towards that place the day before 
 yesterday, and a reinforcement was to be sent 
 to join them from the Sambre after our vic- 
 tory there. This plan was, however, stopped 
 by the French re-crossing the river, and again 
 attacking Charleroy, for they have orders to 
 take it, or submit to the guillotine. So our 
 troops marched back here yesterday, tired 
 and disheartened. General Harcourt exerts 
 himself more than all the other Generals ; 
 
 .r 
 
470 
 
 AXFXDOTES RKLATING TO 
 
 he is always on horseback ; his aides-de- 
 camp say they cannot ride as he does, and 
 that he will kill them both. Six weeks must 
 do much of some sort ; I fear, not much 
 good. I am often surprised to find how 
 much time is spent in the occupation of 
 the moment, and enjoyed without reflection. 
 Prince Ernest is gone to England, happy 
 to return for a time to his family, and wish- 
 ing much to see you and Lord Harcourt. 
 Prince William rises more . and more in 
 esteem. 
 
 Bruxelles, June 27th, Friday. — I have been 
 longer than usual silent, but I got here only 
 just before the post went out, and was obliged 
 to write to my uncle. So many events have 
 happened since my last, I know not how to 
 recount them. Too sure, however, it is, that 
 all goes on as ill as possible, and that the 
 cause in this country is undone. This letter 
 must go by Holland, our communication with 
 maritime IHanders is cut off. Bruges is 
 taken ; and Neiniport and Ostend must fall. 
 The chanires 1 have been witness to are so 
 
 extraordinary and so rapid that none w4io 
 did not see could believe them. 
 
 I left poor Tournay, probably for ever, on 
 Sunday. The Austrian army, leaving a small 
 garrison, departed on Saturday. On Tues- 
 day the Duke of York's army moved to 
 a place called Renaix, near Oudenarde, to 
 guard the Escant. There they now are, 
 hoping, in that position, to support Clair- 
 fait's remaining army, which is at the gates 
 of Ghent. A sad situation for them, for the 
 town IS so ill-disposed that the inhabitants 
 tried to set fire to the magazines, and in part 
 succeeded. The remains of our ammunition 
 is sent to Antwerp, where the people are 
 quite as ill-disposed, and perhaps even worse. 
 Tournay, Ypres, Courtrai, and all the frontier 
 towns that were friendly to us, are, or must 
 be, sacrificed. The good suffer, and the bad 
 triumph. 
 
 While I am writing I am told that Char- 
 leroy is taken, which will make my retreat 
 from Bruxelles also necessary. I fancy 1 
 shall go a stage to-night; be easy, I am 
 
 } 
 
472 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 in no danger nor difficulty ; I have my own 
 horses and carriage, two dragoons and Emma- 
 nuel with me; I have acquaintances every- 
 where, or make them whenever I see a mili- 
 tary coat. I rather think I shall sleep at 
 Lein, near Antwerp ; there I shall know how 
 things go on, and can setde whether to go 
 to Antwerp or to Breda. To-day I go to 
 Malines, where, at the Commandiere, I and 
 the Generale de Bcllegarde are to be lodged. 
 The Metternichs go off with the Austrian 
 Government towards Maestricht. I cannot 
 go with them, because our army must retreat 
 on Holland, to save that if possible. 
 
 I have seen war in its most brilliant 
 state ; I now see it in its greatest reverse ; 
 none can be c:reater. Would to God our 
 brave British and their com,manders were 
 safe at home arain. Prince Lichtcnstein, 
 aid-de-camp to the Prince de Coburg, was 
 brought here the day before yesterday, mor- 
 tally wounded ; they think he must die, and 
 he is but nineteen. I low much misery and 
 how little irood results from war; what hor- 
 
 f 
 
 THE Years 1792— i 795 
 
 473 
 
 ror I shall feel if I live to hear of another. 
 My journey from Toiirnay hither, written by 
 Sterne, would have furnished more subjects 
 for a romance than he ever made use of. 
 I came with the heavy baggage and the 
 wounded, through roads where war had not 
 yet been known, nor its effects seen. 
 
 I forgot to tell you that a gentleman, 
 who some time since escaped from Paris, has 
 added to the despair of the poor emigres 
 here. He says the number of cannon and 
 firelocks they make, the quantity of powder 
 they possess, their plenty of money, the en- 
 thusiasm of all Paris, and, above all, the 
 guillotine, makes all hope, at present, of 
 a counter revolution vain. He says that 
 Paris is made the strongest place in the 
 world ; that it is guarded by 2,000 cannon, 
 and has every possible means of defence. 
 He adds, that Robespierre is directed by the 
 Abbes Seyes and Gregoire; that he is incor- 
 ruptible; that power, not republican prin- 
 ciples, is his object ; that he is ambitious, but 
 cares not for money ; that he has no great 
 
 3 1' 
 
 I 
 
■ *■■ ^ i^w 
 
 474 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 %i 
 
 talents, but much arranoement ; that the con- 
 fidence in him IS unbounded ; and that his 
 orders are impHcItly obeyed. He says Paris 
 is flourishing, and that the country appears 
 so too ; but the people in the country com- 
 plain, whereas all at Paris are enthusiasts. 
 
 P.S. I have just seen the evacuation of 
 Bruxelles, and it was the most awful sieht 
 I ever beheld. Madame de Belleofarde waits 
 to carry me to Malines. 
 
 Antwerp, July 6th. — I could not write till 
 I reached this place ; here I am nobly lodged 
 in the Bishop's Palace, surrounded by Eng- 
 lish protectors and friends, but, I believe, in 
 the truest Carmagnol town that ever was 
 known. The inhabitants have made no pre- 
 parations, because they say the French will 
 do them no harm ; and even the priests and 
 convents seem glad that they are expected. 
 Meantime all the hospitals, baggage, and 
 depots of every kind belonging to the British, 
 or those in British pay, are here. I came 
 from Malines, because, on Lord Elorin's leav- 
 ing Bruxelles, my communication with the 
 
 \ 
 
 army was more difficult. St. Leger put me 
 into this palace on my arrival ; it is to be the 
 Generals quarters. I shall see him soon, 
 for our troops are gendy falling back ; rather 
 too gently, because it is done to oblige the 
 Austrians, whose conduct to us does not de- 
 serve such indulgence. They thought only 
 of themselves ; so might we. What is to 
 come of all these strange events ? A coun- 
 try abandoned by its possessors, without any 
 apparent reason ! It is so strange, so won- 
 drous strange, that none can comprehend it ; 
 there must be treachery somewhere, though 
 we know it not. 
 
 The plans were concerted before the 
 Emperor's departure ; if his Ministers are 
 bribed, it is a pity he did not know the 
 sum France gave, so as to buy them with 
 the double. Great is their jealousy, their 
 spite to England, and to gratify those 
 passions they will ruin themselves. The 
 consequences of such dispositions are often 
 seen in individuals, but seldom in a' nation. 
 Yet, undoubtedly, their conversation leads 
 
-^.-«l- 
 
 476 
 
 Anecdotes relating to. 
 
 one to believe the Austrians are so in- 
 fluenced. 
 
 They talk of our naval success, of the 
 islands we have taken, of Prussias being 
 paid by Poland, Sec. ; they add, that we have 
 suffered them to exhaust themselves without 
 a possible recompense ; that many of their 
 troops came a four montlis' journey to guard 
 a country that can never pay them. They 
 say that these Revolutions have more than 
 taken the fruits of twenty yoars' rest : that 
 they do not want this country ; that it is 
 their ruin, but that it is our interest they 
 should have it, and therefore we have drawn 
 them into lighting for it. 
 
 The Ministers hate Flanders ; they have 
 twice been driven out of it. Metternich 
 alone loves it, and is beloved by the people ; 
 he is sacrificed to a cabal. It is all cabal 
 within cabal ; how are things to end here ? 
 how in Italy ? If the Austrians make a sepa- 
 rate peace, who is to protect Piedmont ? 
 What will the Prussians do if the French 
 attack Holland ? W^ill they not then tremble 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 477 
 
 for Wesel, and join us with their promised 
 50,000 ? or will there be a general peace ? 
 But why attempt to conjecture, time alone 
 can shew; never was there so important 
 a moment as the present. I should be sorry 
 not to be on the Continent, and as near as 
 possible to the centre of intelligence. 
 
 The French are at Mons and Tournay ; 
 their fancy now is to suffer no pillage, and 
 four men were put to death for attempting 
 it at Mons. They give out that they neither 
 mean to interfere with the religion, politics, 
 or property of the country. I think some 
 resistance will be made here ; but why should 
 there? What have we to do beyond Hol- 
 land ? The danger is from the different par- 
 ties in this country, and the offers they may 
 make us, by which we may be duped, and 
 tempted to continue a war that surely now 
 has litde chance of success, and which, in 
 one week, brings more misery on mankind 
 than can be told or conceived. 
 
 I am admirably situated here; in a fine 
 house, with a delightful garden, and in a 
 
478 
 
 Anecdotes relating t(3 
 
 town full of magnificent churches, with the 
 finest pictures in the world. I have many 
 friends amonor the officers, and I know all 
 that passes. I am sorry to say the British 
 officers, in general, must lose their heavy 
 bao-o-acTe ; it was left at Valenciennes. We 
 lost all our magazines at Tournay, and 
 a great part of those at Ghent. All our 
 24-pounders were obliged to be left at Oude- 
 nard ; this, thanks to our allies, w^as inevit- 
 able. The States offer to raise 60,000 men, 
 if EnMand will take them under its pro- 
 tection. I dread these proposals being ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 Antwerp, July loth.— I pity you who are 
 at a distance ; one is puzzled enough upon 
 the spot to form any judgment of what is 
 passing. The finest army of British that 
 ever w^as seen, in number about 22,000, 
 with the small but precious remains of the 
 poor Hanoverians, is now encamped wltliin 
 SIX miles of this place. The Dutch are 
 coming to protect our flanks to the right 
 and left, but our treacherous allies, the Aus- 
 
 TiiE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 479 
 
 trians, have completely left us. The Prince 
 de Coburg had promised to keep a position 
 ao'reed upon, that was of great consequence, 
 from Lou vain to Namur ; he has abandoned 
 It, absolutely against all laws of honour. 
 The Duke sent a letter to him yesterday, 
 which, General Harcourt says, was one of 
 the finest he ever read. He declared in it 
 his belief that the common cause w^as sold 
 and betrayed. I saw the aide-de-camp who 
 carried it, on his return, and he gave me 
 a very extraordinary account of the Austrian 
 army, I ought rather to say he gave it to 
 Lord Cornwallis, who was with me. 
 
 The Prince de Coburg, he said, is in 
 a state of depression, and says, ** tout est 
 ensorcelle ;" the officers are almost ready to 
 mutiny, and the common men in confusion, 
 deserting, or abusing their officers. From the 
 Prince de Coburg he w^ent to dine with the 
 Archduke, who had not had any commu- 
 nication with Coburg till he sent for him 
 to shew him his letter, for the Duke of York 
 wrote to them both. The Archduke openly 
 
48o 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 talked of treachery ; and at dinner he and 
 his gentlemen publicly said diey wondered 
 how much the Austrian rtat-Major received 
 for that day; how much for the preceding 
 one ; and so on. The Prince of Waldech, in 
 particular, is suspected, and General Fisher, 
 and my former friend Ferissar, the Adjutant- 
 General ; but how it is, or who it is, none 
 can say with certainty. The cause is ruined ; 
 I suppose it is the will of Heaven that it 
 should be so, and we must submit. Our 
 position here is very critical. If the French 
 advance, as they threaten, with 200,000 men, 
 we must retreat into Holland ; they can 
 come to the Tete de Flandres, on the oppo- 
 site side of the Escant, and bombard this 
 town and our shipping. 
 
 We had eighty transports came yesterday 
 with the crarrison of Ostend. That of Nim- 
 port, alas ! is invested ; and though it may 
 hold out three months, it will be difficult for 
 the troops to get off. In it are two Hano- 
 verian regiments, and the veteran company 
 of emicryh, all old officers. Croix de St. 
 
 i 
 
 ^^|| '■■iiii 
 JP'""¥ 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 y 
 
 \ 
 
 Louis, everybody, is anxious for them. Lord 
 Cornwallis is going direcdy to England ; 
 but he goes without a plan, and declares he 
 knows not what can be done. Holland must, 
 if possible, be saved, but the means do not 
 appear. He is miserable, and says the pro- 
 voking part is that the Austrians have fled 
 from shadows, and that this campaign is 
 absolutely given away — given, not lost. 
 General Harcourt is vexed to the heart, and 
 a litde oppressed with the heat after march- 
 ing two whole nights together. The ther- 
 mometer with us for this week has been 
 from 80" to 87^ I shall remain here unless 
 the French advance ; in that case I shall 
 go to Bergen-op-Zoom, and then to Breda. 
 The well-disposed of this country, who are 
 all attached to their old constitudon in pre- 
 ference to the Austrian yoke, want to have 
 the Archduke, who is universally and person- 
 ally beloved, married to an English Princess, 
 and declared Duke of Brabant. 
 
 P.S. They have just begun to inundate the 
 country on the opposite side of the river ; 
 
 3 Q 
 
" ' 
 
 all the fine crops are destroyed ; it goes 
 to my heart, but it is necessary ; oh war ! 
 cruel war ! 
 
 July 15th, Antwerp. — I have just been 
 dining with the General, and begin to think 
 this retreating a pretty kind of thing, (don't 
 tell) ; but it is certainly better than the state 
 of suspense we have been in ever since the 
 22nd of May. Advancing and good success 
 is best of all, but next to that, this ** running 
 away," for it gives an idea of personal safety 
 for those who interest one, and a hope of 
 peace, that first of blessings. Even a bad 
 peace is better than war, unless the war be 
 so successful as to secure good terms in 
 a short time. In my daily excursions to and 
 from the camp, I sometimes forget that those 
 monsters may pursue us ; they did come to 
 the river, near Malines, and fire upon our 
 posts. They came to the town the day be- 
 fore yesterday, calling out to know how long 
 we meant to stay there, and when we would 
 retire further, as they were impatient to pur- 
 sue us into Holland. They were, however, 
 
 mt 
 
 ..^ 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 483 
 
 repulsed, as they did not come in force. 
 Once they sat on one side of the river sing- 
 ing the Carmagnol hymn and ''9a ira," which 
 our men tried to silence by singing in a still 
 louder key, " God save the King," *' Britons 
 strike home," &c. Each party had previously 
 asrreed not to fire on the other. 
 
 The opposite shore is now completely in- 
 undated, which secures this town and the 
 shipping ; but think of the despair of the 
 wretched inhabitants at seeing the labour of 
 the past year, the finest crops imaginable, 
 destroyed just as they were preparing to 
 reap them. They shot at the officer who 
 carried the order, and killed two soldiers. 
 Poor peasants ! who can wonder at this effect 
 of their despair. This sad barrier, however, 
 secures us but on one side. The Duke 
 went yesterday to Tirlemont to try to stop 
 the flying Austrians, I do not yet know his 
 success ; he rises daily in esteem, keeps up 
 no state, has no unnecessary people with him, 
 sometimes hardly a servant, and generally 
 wears a plain coat. 
 
 / 
 
^MMMMMBlt^H 
 
 4 
 
 M 
 
 T 
 
 Antwerp, July 21st.— I am happy at pre- 
 sent, for a Court of Inquiry has obHged 
 General Harcourt to be here for some days ; 
 but we must soon leave this charming place 
 to the mercy of the savages. Such chateaux, 
 such pictures, such statues. The Austrians 
 retreat, and so must we, for we cannot afford 
 to have our left flank turned ; but this move- 
 ment of ours will make the frontier of Hol- 
 land so strong that nothing can penetrate it ; 
 and being there, and acting with our own 
 natural allies, will be better than protecting 
 those who were so ready to desert us. 
 
 Though they do not suspect me of being 
 a friend to the French, yet I am told that 
 I am half a democrat, because I wish that 
 this country may in time be free; at least, 
 as far as concerns the navigation of the 
 Scheldt. What right has any nation to take 
 from another such a wonderful natural ad- 
 vantage as this town possesses in that noble 
 river? It cannot be right, though I dare 
 not say so to the London, Rotterdam, or 
 Amsterdam merchants. 
 
 t ,., 
 
 The guillotine is hard at work at Ghent, 
 Tournay, and Bruxelles. Poor le Febous, 
 who was making some ormolu for me, is 
 amongst their victims ; they spare the in- 
 dustrious mechanic no more than the nobles, 
 and neither age nor sex can give security. 
 They have ordered nothing but assignats to 
 be used, and the inhabitants are obliged to 
 give their specie in exchange for them at the 
 French bureau, so that they will soon have 
 all the specie in their own hands. They com- 
 pel the people to take arms with them ; Ghent 
 was compelled to furnish 10,000 men. Still, 
 I think, in time they will suffer for their 
 conquests in Brabant : how can they, with- 
 out an immense expense of men and money, 
 maintain a country a hundred miles beyond 
 their garrisons, which render them but state 
 prisons ? How much of the present misery 
 originates from the ill-judged policy, or ra- 
 ther parsimony, of the Emperor Joseph in 
 dismantling his frontier towns ! We tremble 
 for Neinport, and the 300 emigres in it. 
 
 Antwerp, July 22nd.— We have stayed 
 
486 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 here till the last safe moment. The French 
 want to turn our left flank and cut us off 
 from Breda, and we are to march as fast as 
 we can to, or near, that town. I am advised 
 by no means to stay here beyond this day ; 
 so, I think, in the evening I shall set out 
 and go a league beyond where the army will 
 be likely to halt the next day ; three Light 
 Draeoons and Emanuel will be with me. 
 1 have an emigre boy for my cook, and a 
 little carriage with all my necessaries, so 
 I set myself down where I please. 
 
 When I have travelled as far as I like, 
 I send Emanuel and a Dragoon forward to 
 the first chateau ; they mark it as General 
 Harcourt's quarter for his baggage ; and 
 I put myself into a good bed, and my horses 
 into a eood stable. How strano^e it would 
 seem to Lord Harcourt if some foreign 
 troops were thus to take possession of Nune- 
 ham. We are all low and angry to-day ; 
 the Austrians have marched easily, and we 
 have left those poor cniigrvs to their certain 
 destruction at Neinport. If I wished for 
 
 I — ^^'y ^mw 
 
 -^*^ 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 487 
 
 the society of women, I could have that of 
 the Princesses de Vaudemont and Leon. 
 They march with the emigre regiments, of 
 which we have numbers, but I am more 
 comfortable by myself. 
 
 P.S. I open my letter to tell you that our 
 troops are to march at three in the morn- 
 ing ; I must instantly be off for Breda ; the 
 treacherous Austrians have left our left flank 
 uncovered, and have gone towards Maes- 
 tricht. 
 
 Rosendaal, July 29th. — I meant to have 
 sent you a long letter to-day, but an un- 
 expected order for the army to march to- 
 morrow, which obliges me to set off this 
 evening, prevents it. I shall go directly to 
 Breda, and to-morrow, I believe, to Bois le 
 Due, or at least to the neighbourhood of 
 that place. I have been happy here, in a 
 comfortable house, in a comfortable little 
 town, in the same house with the General, 
 close to head-quarters. We have been here 
 five or six days, but the position is bad, and 
 dangerous for the army ; and it is necessary 
 
•mtiv-^mi 
 
 to move ; alas ! none are safe ; we must get 
 beyond Bois le Due. I fear nothing can be 
 worse than our state altogether, and it is 
 little likely to mend; the Prussians have 
 lately been beaten. The Duke, Prince Adol- 
 phus, and Prince William, sat with me while 
 I dined ; they were waiting for the Prmce 
 of Orange, who was to dine with them. They 
 charged'' me with their best love to you. 
 I am glad Prince Ernest is liked, he has an 
 affectionate, good heart. 
 
 Osterhout, between Breda and Gurtruden- 
 berg, Aug. 8th.— After the first day's march, 
 it was resolved that the army should remain 
 here instead of going to Bois le Due, for 
 the French have made such a progress to- 
 wards Sluys, that our advancing would have 
 left Breda and Bergen-op-Zoom in danger. 
 I am settled with the General in a charm- 
 ing house, with a large Dutch garden full of 
 curious shrubs, and herbaceous plants. The 
 Duke's quarters are not above 200 yards 
 from us ; he has a still finer garden ; Prince 
 William is on the other side ; and we all 
 
 THE Years 1792—1795- 
 
 489 
 
 live together in a very pleasant style; this 
 life suits me; I love travelling and seeing 
 new things, and we are well. Amedee is 
 dearer to us every day. 
 
 As to the cause, it is an enigma. 
 
 The Austrians continue to make promises, 
 and to run away ; but I fancy Lord Spencer 
 is to make them declare their intentions; 
 and we are told that the change of ministry 
 at Vienna is to have a great effect. The 
 Prussians are also to come; we have just 
 sent them ^130,000 more ; and the plan is, 
 that we are to retake all we have abandoned 
 before Conde and Valenciennes are lost. I 
 shall dread the moment of advancing if ever 
 it happens, but as one cannot foresee events, 
 I never allow myself to form wishes. I fear 
 we shall lose nearly five Hanoverian battal- 
 ions at Sluys, and the Dutch as many more ; 
 alas! our losses are innumerable; that at 
 Neinport was the most cruel ; and it was 
 not the Duke's fault that it was not evacu- 
 ated. Do not be uneasy at my being with 
 the army, I am never in the way ; and, 
 
 3 R 
 
490 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 with the uncertain disposition of this country 
 towards the cause, my own security makes 
 it necessary. The Dukes kindness I can- 
 not say enough of, he is a man of the 
 strictest honour and integrity; the very 
 counterpart of his father, only shier ! he is 
 as regular as possible in attending divine 
 service. I go, too, when I can, at head- 
 quarters. When I was at Breda I went to 
 a French church, and liked their service 
 very well, though I much prefer my own 
 when I can attend it. 
 
 We stayed at Breda just five days ; ex- 
 cept their cleanliness, I do not like the 
 Dutch ways at all ; they are rough, dull, and 
 democratic. Our position here is a very 
 strong one ; and if the Austrians do stay at 
 Maestricht we may be quiet for some time. 
 Their number trebles ours, yet they run 
 away ; why or wherefore, no one can say. 
 The circumstance of feeding and maintaining 
 an army requires a method and arrangement, 
 at which, though I have witnessed it for 
 months, my surprise does not lessen ; yet 
 
 1 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 491 
 
 , 
 
 how small are our numbers compared to our 
 
 enemies. 
 
 The dry season has been unlucky ; it has 
 prevented the inundations, and their failure 
 has enabled the French to invest L'Ecluse ; 
 there too, we shall lose two more brave Hano- 
 verian battalions ; but what do we not lose ? 
 At Antwerp I find we were obliged to burn, 
 to prevent their falling into the enemy's 
 hands, 24,000,000 bundles of hay, valued at 
 ;^ 1 00,000, and we left 70,000 sacks of oats 
 worth a pound a sack. At Conde we have 
 quantities of ammunition; our cannons are 
 everywhere ; the standards of the cavalry, 
 and the heavy baggage of half the officers, 
 are at Valenciennes, where also, to our mis- 
 fortune, are the General's wine and my 
 clothes. But what is all this to the harvest 
 of Flanders ? Such a harvest as never was 
 seen, the ground covered with corn enough 
 to feed all France and her armies. Odious 
 Austrians ! had they behaved well, this had 
 not happened. It half killed me when I 
 saw our men march out of Breda on the 4th. 
 
Not a regiment but had many women be- 
 longing to It ; most of them had infants 
 in their arms, and half had no shoes. It 
 rained hard, and they looked so wretched, 
 what heart would not have felt for them ! 
 
 Aug. 1 2th, Osterhout.— Our cannon are 
 firino- for the Prince of Wales's birthday, I 
 had rather hear them than those of the 
 enemy. Many guns, however, were heard 
 yesterday on the side of Sluys. I fear we 
 cannot save the forts there, which contain 
 five Hanoverian, and many Dutch battalions. 
 We are, I fancy, to stay here some time, and 
 they have begun intrenching the camp, which 
 is in a good position. We have a fine open 
 plain before us, in which the cavalry could 
 act. Some of the inundations have taken 
 place, so if the enemy dared attack us I 
 hope we should punish them. 
 
 If the Austrians keep their promise, and 
 their post near Maestricht, the French can- 
 not get on our left, and we are as well here 
 as we should be at Bois-lc-Duc ; nay better, 
 for we preserve Bergcn-op-Zoom ; and if we 
 
 
 ii 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 493 
 
 can prevent any fresh sieges for two months 
 to come, it will be too late for the enemy to 
 beo-in them. It will not, however, be too 
 late for us to advance, and such is certainly 
 the intention if the Prussians come according 
 to their last promise. We may then still 
 have our winter quarters in Flanders. 
 
 Much must be done to bring all this 
 about ; and who can conduct such a plan, or 
 guess if it will succeed. Robespierre's death, 
 of which I conclude you are informed, makes 
 this a most critical moment. The account 
 came to us from the Prince de Coburg's 
 army, where a French officer, a deserter, 
 had just arrived with the news; it is con- 
 firmed by other deserters who are come 
 here. The account they give us is, that 
 a girl came to Robespierre's house, and said 
 she wanted to see the tyrant who meant to 
 enslave her country and make himself dic- 
 tator ; that, being refused admission, she 
 went to the Convention with the same de- 
 mand ; that this caused a tumult, and that 
 they came to blows; that Robespierre went 
 
494 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 out on one side, and called the National 
 Guard, who all joined him ; that Barras went 
 out on the other, and called on the citizens 
 of Paris ; that his party was victorious, 
 though Robespierre was assisted by all the 
 prisoners of Paris, whom he had liberated; 
 that Robespierre was driven into a house, 
 where, as they were going to seize him, he 
 attempted to kill himself; that Barras then 
 had him guillotined, together with his bro- 
 ther, who had thrown himself out of a win- 
 dow; that Couthon and St. Just were also 
 guillotined with them. 
 
 They say 10,000 persons were killed in 
 the fray ; but I doubt if any account which 
 can be depended upon is yet known. If the 
 prisoners were on Robespierre's side, and 
 the citizens of Paris on the other, we may 
 possibly be worse off than ever, excepting 
 that the confusion may bring forth unfore- 
 seen events. I shall never forget that it was 
 General Mack's positive opinion that Robe- 
 spierre waited only for a favourable moment 
 to bring about a counter revolution, if he 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 495 
 
 could do it with security to himself; and 
 that, in destroying the great faction of Dan- 
 ton, &c., he did more towards it than could 
 have been done in any other way, as they 
 were the most determined republicans in the 
 country. Many things have confirmed this, 
 though I must own some have seemed to 
 contradict it. At all events, our preparations 
 must go on. 
 
 Eight more regiments are coming to join 
 us, and there never has been an idea of any 
 of the cavalry returning. The French fri- 
 gates, gone to the north, mean mischief 
 Some say they are to join the Danes ; if so, 
 I hope the Empress of Russia will come 
 forth and punish them all. 
 
 I have a good horse, and the rides about 
 the camp are beautiful ; yet the country is 
 flat and sandy. It is covered in many places 
 with hillocks of sand ; they are so singular 
 that I long for a naturalist to tell me whether 
 they were made by wind or water ; the sand 
 is so loose they may have been formed by 
 either. The whole country, except here and 
 
496 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 there a lawn, is covered with firs and oaks, 
 that grow spontaneously on, or amongst, 
 these hills. It resembles an English garden ; 
 half the firs are broad shrubs, the rest grow 
 to fine trees. The roads are all sand, and 
 are innumerable. From hence to Prince 
 Adolphus quarters is really one of the pret- 
 tiest rides I ever saw. 
 
 Osterhout, August i6th.— I am busy to- 
 day preparing a great dinner, which the 
 Generals are to give to the Duke on his 
 birthday. It will be a beautiful fete. It is 
 to be held in the avenue that reaches from 
 our house to his ; one hundred and thirty 
 people are to be at it; the guns are to be 
 fired as often as he is years old ; sentries are 
 to be placed between the trees, and bands of 
 music at proper distances. If the French do 
 not come and eat up the dinner, it will be 
 charming. A patrol of ours a few days ago 
 did find a foraging party of theirs at din- 
 ner in a churchyard about twenty miles off. 
 They took thirty horses and twenty-seven 
 prisoners ; but we shall not be so surprised, 
 
 i 
 
 the Years 1792 — t795- 
 
 497 
 
 for we have reason to believe that the 
 French have retired, and are gone off to- 
 wards the side of Sluys, and that they are 
 not in force in our front. However, we 
 
 know but little. 
 
 The Antwerp papers, published by their 
 permission, have reached us, and mention 
 the death of Robespierre, and the suppres- 
 sion of the Jacobin Club; but what has 
 passed since at Paris we know not. We 
 hear that the French fear that our retreat 
 is a feint, and that we want to draw them 
 on into Holland, or, at least, towards that 
 country, and then to get the Austrians and 
 Prussians to cut them off. 
 
 P.S. I have just heard that the Princess 
 of Orange is come to Breda. The Duke of 
 York is crone to her ; and there is a report 
 that the Austrians are advanced five leagues 
 before Macstricht ; if so, we shall probably 
 advance also aoain towards Antwerp soon. 
 The French have raised nearly four millions 
 sterlino; in Flanders ; they have put every 
 third sack of com, every fourth beast, in re- 
 
 3 « 
 
498 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 quisition; and seized all the blue and red 
 cloth, and every other article that would be 
 of use to their army ; nothing but assignats 
 are allowed to circulate, and they have guil- 
 lotined numbers of the bourgeoisie at Tour- 
 nay and Bruxelles. 
 
 Auo-ust 22nd. — I am living comfortably at 
 Osterhout, and three days ago I tliought we 
 mio-ht have remained here a month longer ; I 
 now fear w^e must move soon, for yesterday 
 our spies and some deserters brought us an ac- 
 count that the French were going to change 
 their position near Antwerp. Some supposed 
 Breda, others Bois-le-Duc, to be their ob- 
 ject ; if the latter, our army must try to be 
 beforehand with them ; if the former, we shall 
 wait for them. The heavy baggage must 
 cross the Meuse ; perhaps I shall go with it. 
 I still hope the alarm may be a false one, as 
 our intelligence is miserably bad, whilst that 
 of the French is altogether as good ; for we 
 are hated, and they are courted, in the coun- 
 try we pass through. It is strange the peo- 
 ple should not yet have their eyes opened. 
 
 \ 
 
 THE Years 1792— i 795' 
 
 499 
 
 The French may find some little move- 
 ment necessary to keep their army from 
 the discontent idleness creates, and which is 
 more likely to arise from what has happened 
 at Paris. By the Monitctirs we have seen 
 down to the 9th. it appears that the state 
 of things was little changed; the general 
 power o'f the Convention is perhaps strength- 
 ened by the death of Robespierre. It was a 
 lucky event for Mr. Pitt's credit, as it proves 
 the truth of his assertion, that it was impos- 
 sible to attempt treating with the French 
 when the faction that governed one day 
 might be destroyed the next. Barras seems 
 our greatest enemy ; I wish him gone, though 
 I fear there are many to take his situa- 
 tion. If the report of the enemy's advancing 
 proves false, I shall not be sorry it reached 
 us. Something to make them a little alert is 
 good for our officers and men, and prevents 
 the army from sinking into a camp of amuse- 
 ment, which often ends in licentiousness. 
 
 The fete given by the officers to the Duke 
 went off admirably, and the day was fine. 
 
500 
 
 Anecdotes relxVting to 
 
 The whole was well maiiagccl, and the scene 
 was very pretty. My garden opens to the 
 avenue, and my room made the drawmg- 
 room, where I had tea in the evening for all 
 who could come. The company amounted 
 to one hundred and fifty, as many Hano- 
 verians as English. I received them before 
 dinner, but dined by myself. The whole 
 expense will be paid by ten General officers, 
 and will amount to about ^40 each. Prince 
 Adolphus dined with me yesterday, and the 
 Prince de Schwartzberg ; he is about twenty- 
 three years old, and very amiable : I wish 
 he were rich enough to obtain one of our 
 Princesses. 
 
 A man was shot by sentence of a Court 
 Martial the other day, for drawing his sword 
 upon an officer ; it was made a most so- 
 lemn scene; the whole army turned out, 
 and remained under arms. The soldier was 
 marched along the lines with the ceremony 
 used for deserters ; the drums were muffled, 
 and solemn music played ; he was blind- 
 folded, and knelt down, and the shot was so 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 501 
 
 well aimed that he died at once without 
 moving a limb. I saw the previous prepa- 
 rations ; and though the example was a pro- 
 per one to give, and he deserved his fate, 
 for he had committed many other crimes, 
 yet it is not to be told how affecting such 
 a death is. 
 
 At Rosendaal I saw an event that was 
 new to me, the arrival of an officer with 
 a trumpeter from the enemy ; they were 
 brought blindfolded from the outpost to 
 head-quarters, which were opposite to my 
 window. I went out and spoke to the of- 
 ficer ; his manner was gentle and pleasing, 
 and unlike a Carmagnol. I called him Mori- 
 simr, and, in his answers, he called me 
 Madame, but stammered as if he had not 
 pronounced that word for a long time. He 
 brought an impertinent letter to the Duke; 
 when he was told it was so he was much 
 concerned, said he did not know it, and that 
 he was sorry to have been employed on such 
 an occasion. We found out that he is well 
 born, and serves to save the lives of his 
 
502 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 family ; he looked, as far as I could judge, 
 melancholy, but he had a white handkerchief 
 tied over his eyes; he seemed not more 
 than twenty. Having never seen a flag ar- 
 rive before, I thought the scene curtous, and 
 was glad to be present. 
 
 Osterhout, August 27th. — The changes 
 here are great, but not good; the French 
 seem disposed to amuse their army by at- 
 tacking us; perhaps they find it dangerous 
 to give them nothing to do at a moment 
 when there is so much apparent disturbance 
 at Paris. I fear we have stayed here too 
 long, for they appear in force half round us. 
 We have been detained by the Dutch, who 
 employed their best negotiator, the Princess 
 of Orange ; she and all the Stadtholder's 
 family have been at Breda near a week. 
 The Duke has frequently had councils with 
 them ; he desired me on Sunday to receive 
 them at his quarters, where they were to 
 dine with him. I was glad to have so good 
 an opportunity of seeing them. We are to 
 have another party to-day ; to-morrow they 
 
 THE Years 1792— i 795- 
 
 503 
 
 will return to the Hague, and then, I sup- 
 pose, this army will move. 
 
 Its retreat will not be so easy as it would 
 have been a few days ago ; the French, who 
 know everything, have probably found out 
 that the Austrians will soon be reinforced, 
 and that then there will be a forward move. 
 Their business is to attack us separately, 
 and beat our division first, if they can ; 07ir 
 business being to avoid that, we ought to 
 have eone off sooner to a position where 
 it would have been more difficult to attack 
 us. The garrisons of Bergen-op-Zoom, Wil- 
 liamstadt, and Breda, however, were not pre- 
 pared to defend themselves, and the Dutch 
 wished us to stay here on that account. 
 
 This wonderfully clever woman, for her 
 like I never saw, made her son s illness a 
 pretence for coming to Breda, and prevailed 
 upon the Duke to remain here. All our 
 outposts were attacked yesterday, and two 
 Dutch ones driven in; but it was rather 
 a reconnaissance than a real attack, and 
 they retired ; but so well did they know our 
 
( - 
 
 504 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 position that they did not miss one post. 
 Our spies tell us that Pichegru is at Lou- 
 vain, ready to advance and direct all move- 
 ments, equally against us, and against the 
 Austrians at or near Maestricht. Many 
 thought they would have come on to-day 
 in crreater force, but some of our outposts 
 are ten miles off, and they must carry them 
 all before they can attack the main army. 
 Beckwith owed his not being- taken yester- 
 day to the swiftness of his horse. 
 
 The last three weeks have been so quiet 
 I could almost forget the anxious moments 
 war occasions, which, however, strange as it 
 may seem to you, are less dreadful on the 
 spot than at a distance. None can conceive 
 this who have not experienced it. Our din- 
 ner on Sunday was very magnificent ; an im- 
 mense tent was pitched in the Duke's garden, 
 and there was music in every part of it. The 
 Princess of Orange fully answered my ex- 
 pectations ; she is like Lady Pembroke, but 
 darker, with the finest eyes 1 ever saw ; her 
 countenance and her manner would convince 
 
 THE Years 1792— i 795- 
 
 505 
 
 one how sensible she is without hearing her 
 speak ; and Lord St. Helen's tells me she 
 is superior to any man or woman he ever 
 conversed with. The hereditary Princess is 
 pretty ; her face a mixture of the Duchess 
 of Dorset's and the Princess de Laon's ; her 
 figure like Mrs. Anderson's ; she is fair, has 
 pretty blue eyes, and her deportment is 
 graceful. Three ladies attended them. The 
 Stadtholder and his sons are perfect Dutch- 
 men. There was a council after dinner, 
 which made them too late to see the camp. 
 This, and the invitation to eat turtle and 
 venison from Oatlands\ is an excuse for 
 returning here to-day. 
 
 Our dinner is over; it was a pleasant 
 one ; and as there were no women but the 
 Princesses and myself they became quite 
 easy; they have pressed me so much to 
 come to the Hague, that, if any circumstance 
 .should make such a measure advisable, my 
 knowing them here will have been fortunate. 
 Upon seeing the young Prince again I have 
 
 >■ The Duke of York's country-house. 
 
 3 r 
 
5o6 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 grown to like him ; he is very fond of the 
 Princess, and they seem comfortable. They 
 all return to the Hague to-day. Breda is 
 not thought a safe residence for them ; and 
 their being in that place might have made 
 the monsters attempt something. 
 
 I am going to Henseden, to be ready to 
 cross the Meuse, or join the army, as events 
 shall decide ; there is a little fear that the 
 French have corrupted the Danes. If they 
 attack the King's possessions through Hol- 
 stein, the Hanoverians must return to defend 
 them. How these wretches are at work 
 everywhere. In America a Convention of 
 800 is sitting, with the French Minister at 
 their head ; they treat the Congress with 
 contempt, and demand a Republic, one and 
 indivisible. 
 
 Aug. 28th. — The garrisons of Valenciennes 
 and Conde have made incursions as far as 
 Orchies and Tournay, and carried off all the 
 cattle and forage. Sluys is not yet taken ; 
 an assault has been attempted, and 1,500 
 French were killed. 
 
 i> 
 
 '« 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 507 
 
 Bois-le-Duc, Sept. 2nd. — I hope you got 
 my last, but when I am not with the army 
 I cannot write regularly. Our march was 
 very very sudden. I set out for Gurtruden- 
 berg at seven in the evening, and the camp 
 marched off its ground at one in the morn- 
 ing. The army was not harassed in its re- 
 treat, which I was particularly glad of, as 
 General Harcourt commanded the cavalry, 
 which composed the rear guard, and covered 
 the main body. I wish we had moved soon- 
 er; such retreats made suddenly on the ap- 
 pearance of an enemy give courage to their 
 men, and dishearten ours ; but it was owing 
 to the Dutch. I went from Gurtrudenbere 
 to Gorsum, where I crossed the Meuse, 
 which at that place is a mile and a-half 
 broad. The Prince de Coburg is congcdic. 
 Clairfait commands for the present. Beaulieu 
 is Ouarter-Master-General. 
 
 There w^as a conference here yesterday 
 of the three powers ; the Duke of York 
 for the EnMish, the Prince of Orancre for 
 
 o o 
 
 the Dutch, and Beaulieu for the Austrians. 
 
5o8 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 England, through Lord Spencer, has insisted 
 on the Austrians acting offensively again; 
 and I suppose we shall soon move forward. 
 I tremble at the idea. 
 
 A trumpeter came to Breda the other 
 day with two French officers, to summon it 
 to surrender; they talked in the style of 
 true bombast, for which their nation was 
 always f^xmous. They said that now Robe- 
 spierre was dead, they should give laws to 
 the universe by their justice and clemency, 
 as well as by their arms. That they should 
 be universal conquerors, but that cruelties 
 would be heard of no more. That they 
 should be merciful, and that even emigres 
 need not fear them. The folsehood of these 
 assertions, however, was proved a day or 
 two afterwards; for a young man of the 
 Prince de Salm's regiment was taken on 
 a patrol, and, declaring himself to be an 
 cmi'-ri, was shot the same evening at head- 
 
 quarters. 
 
 If the Duke d' Harcourt is with you, tell 
 him that as I was travelling along the dis- 
 
 ■ •» 
 
 ^1 
 
 mal marshes between Gurtrudenberg and 
 Gorsum, 1 saw a chateau rising amongst fir- 
 trees, in the midst of the marsh ; and asking 
 at an ale-house, where I stopped to refresh 
 my horses, to whom it belonged, and if any- 
 body there could speak French, a good- 
 lookincr man came forward, who had the air 
 of an old courtier, and offered me his assist- 
 ance. I was surprised to find such a person 
 in such a place ; but found on talking to him 
 that he was the master of the solitary ruined 
 casde ; his name was dc Croix. This is the 
 last remains of his once great possessions ; 
 if driven hence, he will have nothing left, 
 and he has no comfort but in the daily walk 
 he takes to this ale-house, where he hopes 
 occasionally to meet with some one who 
 can o-ive him a little intelligence of what is 
 going on. He was formerly a friend of the 
 Duke's. It would fill volumes were I to 
 tell you all the strange scenes I see, and all 
 the extraordinary things I hear. 
 
 September 8th, Camp of Berlicom, near 
 Bois-le-Duc— The date of my letters will 
 
5IO 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 be old now before they reach you ; the dis- 
 tance IS increased, and the passage uncer- 
 tain. The sands are heavy, and great de- 
 tours must be made to avoid inundations ; 
 but we are in a safe situation, I hope an 
 unassailable one ; but the offensive opera- 
 tions of the French will probably be di- 
 rected elsewhere, and that may compel us 
 to change our position. 
 
 The consternation here at the loss of 
 Valenciennes and Conde, is extreme ; they 
 ought to have held out against a blockade of 
 the whole winter, all the operations and plans 
 of the campaign of the different powers were 
 formed upon the expectation that they would 
 do so. Now we have no further business 
 in Flanders ; our army, without strong places 
 to hold to, would be driven backwards and 
 forwards like a shuttlecock. New arrange- 
 ments must be made, but what can do us 
 good, or even save us, none can say. Think 
 of the lives lost in the last campaign to take 
 Valenciennes, &c., and all to no purpose. 
 The poor Croys are now no better off than 
 
 the other emig7^es ; they kept hope longer, 
 but the sweet place I was at at the begin- 
 ninof of the summer is now orone. The bae- 
 gage and ammunition lost in those towns 
 IS immense. The colours of the Generars 
 regiment were there en depot, and we feared 
 they were taken, but the soldiers of the 
 Austrian regiment de la Tour very hand- 
 somely brought them off by wrapping them 
 round their waists. The loss of these places 
 is the severest blow the cause has had. 
 Our prospect is not a pleasant one. 
 
 Winter-quarters on the frontiers of Hol- 
 land would ruin our army. The effect would 
 be like the West Indies, and disease would 
 destroy those the sword has spared. In 
 autumn the country is not unhealthy, be- 
 cause the inundations are fresh ; but the end 
 of winter and spring is cruelly destructive. 
 Perhaps a frontier will be formed, making 
 Antwerp one flank and Maestricht the other ; 
 it might have been Antwerp and Namur, 
 but that is gone. We expect Breda to be 
 attacked ; if it is we must s^o and ficrht them. 
 
512 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Sluys being gone, sets that besieging army 
 at liberty. In all our distresses we have the 
 comfort of seeing our troops in health and 
 spirits, and ready to undertake any service. 
 Had not Valenciennes and Condc been taken 
 we should, in concert with the Austrians, 
 have advanced in a day or two possibly, 
 and been in South Flanders in less than 
 
 a month. 
 
 Our present quarter is quite in the country, 
 and very comfortable, with good rides about 
 us, thoucrh it is too flat to be pretty. The 
 weather is like what we have in England 
 at this season, windy and rainy. The Comte 
 d'Artois is co m.i ng ; I'm sorry for it. The 
 General was afraid he should lose Amedce, 
 but he very sensibly came to him and said 
 that if he acted in two situations, he should 
 feel like a spy on each. That he would go 
 with the other French to pay his respects 
 to the Count as soon as he arrived ; and then 
 say he was so occupied by the General, who 
 he desired to support him in this, that he 
 had no time for any other person or purpose. 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 |l rA 
 
 The Duke of York does not like the Comte 
 d'Artois' coming. It was settled in Eng- 
 land ; perhaps our Government did not know 
 how to dispose otherwise of him. 
 
 Sept. 14th, near Bois-le-Duc. — I rather 
 expect to march to-day, for there is a little 
 alarm, though it may come to nothing. I 
 am secure of an excellent retreat here, for 
 I am but fifteen miles from Grave, where 
 I can cross the Meuse, and then eighteen 
 more miles will carry me to Madame de 
 Walmoden, at Cleves, where I have for some 
 time wanted to go ; and I may as well 
 take this opportunity of doing so. How- 
 ever, the French may again retire, and in 
 that case I shall not move. Their wish is 
 to drive us across the Mouse, by which they 
 would get rid of us, and would have nothing 
 to prevent the blockades and sieges by which 
 they hope to get possession of this frontier. 
 They expect to frighten us by appearing in 
 force in our front, as they did at Osterhout. 
 There we had no retreat in case of a de- 
 feat, but here we are sure of a good one. 
 
 r 
 

 I 
 
 
 and therefore can stand a battle. I think 
 we should beat them finely ; but, from what 
 I hear, I do not believe they will attack us, 
 and I daresay we shall not attack them. 
 A few skirmishes on the outposts is all that 
 IS likely to happen, if they could beat us 
 they would immediately attack Breda ; per- 
 haps the force they have shewn is only to 
 place an army of observation before they 
 begin the investment of the place. Their 
 posts are in front of Tilbourg and Oster- 
 wich, and we think they will make the latter 
 their head-quarters. We suppose them to 
 be about 55,000 strong. 
 
 The Comte d'Artois is expected to-mor- 
 row, he is to be quartered within a league 
 of head-quarters, and serve as a volunteer. 
 His son will be with him. The Duke of 
 York dreads their arrival. The Duke de 
 Mortemart is at Dusseldorf, trying in vain 
 for recruits, none are to be had in the neieh- 
 bourhood. Had he obtained his regiment 
 while we were at Tournay or Ghent, we 
 could have got any number for him. I have 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 515 
 
 now been ten days in this comfortable habi- 
 tation, but I am so used to change, and to 
 go off at a moment's warning, that I expect 
 to find it difficult to settle again, if ever the 
 time comes when it may be in my power. 
 I wish it was come, for then war would be 
 over, and its horrors none can conceive who 
 have not seen them. I feel even for the 
 sufferings which the Dutch endure, thouo-h 
 they are an odious people, and half of them 
 Carmacrnols. 
 
 The Austrians near Maestricht have been 
 reinforced. They seem to be growino- more 
 moderate in France. The Duke has just 
 shewn me a letter General Hammerstein has 
 received from Pichegru about some prisoners. 
 It began *' Monsieur le General," and was 
 directed in the same manner. The disci- 
 pline in their army is a lesson for all others. 
 Clairfait assured the Duke's aide-de-camp 
 the other day that he knew it to be so. 
 Part of the Austrian army is near Lieo-e, on 
 one side of the river; the French are on 
 the other. The greatest quiet and order 
 
''^m*' 
 
 u 
 
 516 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 seem to be observed amongst the French, 
 and the sHghtest misdemeanour is instantly 
 punished with death. The Austrians are in 
 an uncomfortable state ; the Walloon regi- 
 ments are reproaching the Germans for being 
 their ruin. All their property is gone. Clair- 
 fait tried to send orders to Valenciennes 
 and Conde, but they could not be got in, 
 and the commanders of the two places came 
 out with the Prince de Coburg's orders to 
 evacuate in their pockets. 
 
 Eleven at night. — All was supposed to be 
 over to-day, and I was told I might stay, 
 but the General is just gone out upon a 
 fresh alarm, and my horses are harnessed, 
 and my things in the chaise. Still he may 
 return in an hour or two, and I may stay to- 
 night ; at all events I will go to-morrow. Two 
 poor soldiers are just come in, driven over 
 the inundations, it is a miracle that they were 
 not drowned. The French have taken one of 
 our outposts to-night, at Bostcl. The Duke 
 and every soul is now out, but if the enemy 
 comes on to-morrow, they will be beaten. 
 
 im mm 
 
 ■■"^W 
 
 I 
 
 if 
 
 October 2nd. — Near three weeks have 
 passed since I wrote to you. I have been 
 ill, very ill, in consequence of my own im- 
 prudence ; I had for some time been in such 
 high health I thought nothing could hurt 
 me, and I risked too much. I am now re- 
 covering fast, and in a comfortable situation 
 at Nimeguen. The town stands on a gravelly 
 hill, above the river ; the country is dry and 
 hilly, and even romantic on the side of 
 Cleves, very unlike the rest of Holland. A 
 branch of the Rhine runs close to the town, 
 over which, at a place where it is 350 yards 
 broad, our troops in twenty-eight hours have 
 made a bridge, not of boats, but of ships, to 
 facilitate a retreat. The position of the army 
 is alarming ; the French are in immense 
 force on the other side of the Meuse. The 
 river is narrow in that part, so that in four 
 hours the enemy can, if they choose, throw 
 pontoon bridges over it in several parts at 
 once, and attack us where they think it most 
 advantageous. The line we have to euard 
 between Gorran and Vento is so lone that 
 
 I 
 
 ft 
 
mf^ 
 
 ■*— •■ip^^^^-^W^^ 
 
 518 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 our army is drawn out to a thread, and I 
 can see that every one is full of apprehen- 
 sions. The French certainly are ill-provided 
 with tents, and many other things ; but they 
 are monsters, not men, and mind neither 
 weather nor fatigue. They often talk across 
 the river with our men, and express regard 
 for the English, but abhorrence for the Han- 
 overians, and indeed for all the Germans. 
 
 The Duke has pleased us much by his 
 kindness to our two PVench cousins, Amedee 
 and Emmanuel. You may remember that, 
 attributing the glory of the loth of May to 
 General Harcourt, he presented him with 
 his own sword on the field of battle ; in that 
 action the two young Harcourts also dis- 
 tinguished themselves. They, at the head of 
 five dragoons took a howitzer from fifteen 
 French, killed some, and made others prison- 
 ers. The Duke has had a sword made for 
 each of them, the handle of which is a how- 
 itzer, ready to fire ; and upon it is engraven 
 the loth of May, the Duke s name, and the 
 young men's. Eighty pounds, the sum Gov- 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 5^9 
 
 ernment pays for an howitzer, was also or- 
 dered to be given to them, but this they 
 declined taking, and begged it might be di- 
 vided amongst the five dragoons who as- 
 sisted. Poor as they now are, this act of 
 generosity has done them great credit. 
 
 Arnheim, October the 9th. — I have but 
 a moment to tell you that I am well, and 
 happy in the thoughts of joining the General 
 between Emerich and Wesel. The Duke 
 has just appointed him to command a large 
 body of cavalry that is to form an army of 
 observation along the banks of the Rhine. 
 He is happy with it, and we shall be in 
 a healthy country; but you will hear less 
 regularly, as our distance from head- quarters 
 will be great. Things grow daily more cri- 
 tical and alarming. The fear spreads in 
 Holland, and they say has even reached the 
 Hague. Yesterday 800 French crossed the 
 Meuse near Maes-de-Bommel ; to-day we are 
 to try to dislodge them, but their position is 
 strong. You will probably know the event 
 by the courier who carries this. The Comte 
 
I 
 
 ■l ■ 
 
 I 
 
 h 
 
 520 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 d'Artois IS much liked ; he has sent me 
 many messages ; I was too ill to see him, 
 and now my removal will prevent our meet- 
 ing at present. 
 
 Oct. 1 2th, Arnheim. — The General, with 
 his army of cavalry, halted here last night ; 
 to-morrow I follow him to Emerich. We 
 shall be in a good country, from whence I 
 think w^e cannot be driven. The General 
 has now a regular establishment, and Dr. 
 Shapter is at the head of his hospital. The 
 Duke gave him this command in the hand- 
 somest way imaginable ; but he is always 
 kind, and I love him, and am sorry this 
 separation will make us see him less. Alas ! 
 Bois-le-Duc is taken ; it will give the wretches 
 shelter, who, without it, would have been 
 half-drowned. 
 
 Oct. 1 8th, Emerich.— We are comfortably 
 settled in a good house, in a fine dry country, 
 on the banks of the Rhine ; and I wish our 
 eternal pursuers may let us stay in quiet, 
 at least a few weeks ; but they are taking 
 Vento, which, as usual, the Dutch have left 
 
 m 
 
 
 I 
 
 I. ''"*' J 
 
 half-garrisoned, and will give up in about 
 ei^^ht days. Probably then we must decamp. 
 The sieo-e of Bois-le-Duc was child's play; 
 they took it with two pieces of cannon, and 
 only two or three of the garrison were killed. 
 It was a sad business, and the Governor, 
 the Prince of Hesse Philipstadt, deserves to 
 be diso-raced for ever. The possessing this 
 place gives the French shelter on that part 
 of the frontier of Holland where they could 
 not have stayed without it, for the inunda- 
 tions would soon have obliged them to 
 seek winter quarters near Antwerp. They 
 are o-oino- to besiecre Grave ; if they take 
 that and Vento, they will be masters of 
 great part of the IMeuse ; and, should 
 they get Maestricht, will have the key of 
 Holland. 
 
 The fate of the emigre regiment of Beon, 
 at Bois-le-Duc, was horrid. On its shame- 
 ful capitulation the garrison was allowed 
 the honours of war, and liberty to return to 
 Holland, except the emigres, who the French 
 insisted should be given up to them. The 
 
 3 ^ 
 
522 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Dutch did indeed disguise as many as they 
 could ; some as servants, some as soldiers. 
 Unluckily, one being taken they made him 
 to save his life discover the rest, and as 
 they were marching out they massacred 
 them. Pichegru called his men to order, 
 and did all he could to check their fury; 
 they say he even sent to the poor emigres 
 to bee them to discruise themselves. Those 
 who were found in the town were carried 
 into the market-place and butchered with 
 bayonets, excepting a few who were sent 
 to Paris. Not more than eighty in all es- 
 caped. Your acquaintance Monsieur de Col- 
 bert, with Monsieur de Crenolle and his wife, 
 are here, refugees from Cleves. If Monsieur 
 de Colbert had not some time ago been 
 severely wounded, he too would have been 
 at Bois-le-Duc ; so a great misfortune pre- 
 vented a still greater ; but he is heart-broken 
 at the destruction of his regiment. His 
 wife had lain in but eight days when she 
 w^as brouQrht here. 
 
 General Harcourt finds Monsieur de Stein 
 
 the Years 1792—1795- 
 
 523 
 
 a sensible, well-informed man, which is lucky, 
 as they will have much business together. 
 You know we are now in Westphalia, within 
 the Duchy of Cleves, and Monsieur de Stein 
 is Regent of the part of this country that 
 belongs to Prussia. The beautiful city of 
 Cleves is but two leagues off, but I dare not 
 go thither. The assistance we were to have 
 had here from the Prussians will come to 
 nothing. Clairfait is sendincr us an Austrian 
 Major-General with a detachment. General 
 Harcourt's command here is very flattering, 
 and we have many pleasant people with us, 
 but we recrret beinor absent from the Duke. 
 The swords he gave Amedee and Emman- 
 uel for taking the howitzer, the loth of May, 
 are most beautiful and magnificent. You 
 know the Kin or sent General Hammerstein 
 a sword for the noble act he did in saving 
 the garrison and emigres at Menin ; the only 
 swords besides this that have been given we 
 have the credit of having in the Harcourt 
 family— the General's, Amedee's, and Em- 
 manuel's. Here, in Westphalia, the other 
 

 day, seven of the French and English of the 
 family dined by chance together ; we agreed 
 how oddly, in these strange times, people 
 are parted and re-united. 
 
 The Duke de Mortemart was one in the 
 flight from Dusseldorf, which was the most 
 sudden of any, excepting that from the Pays 
 de Liege. He was obliged to move the 
 dep6t of his regiment ; and the road, being 
 almost impassable, the horses failed, and the 
 waggon, with all their effects, stuck fast. 
 They had nothing for it but drawing it them- 
 selves, and the Duke, at the head of forty 
 men, with ropes, did draw it for many miles. 
 What changes happen in this world. A very 
 few years ago, to the highest birth and rank 
 he joined the largest fortune in France, for 
 he was the Duke of Bedford of that country. 
 What a lesson for pride and ambition ; not 
 that he had either, for a better or less pre- 
 suming man never existed. 
 
 We have here the company of veterans 
 of La Chartres regiment. It Is truly affect- 
 ing to see and hear them. They are grate- 
 
 i 
 
 \^ 
 
 THE Years 1792— 1 795- 
 
 525 
 
 fill to Britain in the extreme. But for our 
 country they must have starved, and it is 
 a noble charity; yet they are only soldiers, 
 and not having billets from the magistrates 
 above other soldiers, many sleep upon straw. 
 Many of them are seventy, some more than 
 eighty; almost all have the Croix de St. 
 Louis. I never feel that I can return their 
 salute with a bow low enough. General 
 Harcourt employs them upon little light 
 guards, and tries to soften their situation 
 as much as possible. They have a shilling 
 a-day ; and this country being cheap, they 
 could live very well if they had tolerable 
 
 quarters. 
 
 Our weather is good, so is my health ; the 
 busy scene around me I like, and shall be 
 satisfied if we are not driven from hence. 
 A deserter alarmed me the other day by 
 saying the Convention had ordered their 
 armies not to pass the Rhine this winter. 
 There was so much cleverness in his man- 
 ner that we were doubtful whether he was 
 not rather a spy than a deserter, so the 
 
*m n. * » 
 
 General sent him to the Duke of York. 
 We have now a daily ordou7iance that goes 
 from the General to the Duke, so we know 
 all that passes. 
 
 Emerich, October 27th. — We are well, 
 and feel tolerably safe, for we have now two 
 regiments of infantry close to us, and all the 
 ports and islands of the river properly occu- 
 pied. When first we came all was open ; 
 and had the French known it was a Gene- 
 ral's quarter they could have carried us all 
 off with twenty men ; but General Harcourt, 
 by his extreme diligence and good arrange- 
 ment, has put the thirty miles of coast he 
 had to guard in such a state of defence as to 
 make it secure against everything. When 
 the 20,000 Austrians we daily expect to 
 come to our left arrive, they will find all pre- 
 pared, and have nothing to do but to place 
 their posts accordingly. I never before saw 
 General Harcourt in a situation so great 
 and responsible, and I can truly say he 
 shines in it, and is beloved, admired, and 
 respected by all the nations he is concerned 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 527 
 
 with. All who can, endeavour to get under 
 his command. Probably we shall soon move 
 a little to the right, as the Austrians can- 
 not eet their men under cover without 
 this town. 
 
 It is said that the Duke of Brunswick 
 is cominof to take the oreneral command, but 
 whether with others, or to replace them, 
 I know not. We are well, and the General 
 is occupied day and night. He seldom rides 
 less than thirty or forty miles in a day; he 
 has letters to receive and answer every hour, 
 and seldom passes a night without being 
 called up. Could you have thought him 
 strong enough to bear all this ? We are un- 
 easy about General Walmoden ; he has the 
 care of Nimeguen, which is daily expected 
 to be attacked, and cannot be maintained. 
 His wife was with me the other day ; she 
 is seven months gone with child, and knows 
 not where to lie in. We hear of insurrec- 
 tions in France, and hope them true. You 
 cannot think how entertaining the spy busi- 
 ness is, and how wonderfully we get intel- 
 
 % 
 
- 
 
 i 
 
 528 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 ligence ; better, I must say, than was got 
 before. Our quartier-general is pleasant. 
 The General has neither time to speak to 
 me, nor hear me ; but I am happy, for I 
 can see and hear him. The French can 
 see us, and we them, but the river is a fine 
 breadth between us. 
 
 Chateau de St. liirringberg, Nov. 2nd. — 
 I wish Lord Harcourt could see this castle. 
 I fancy myself all day at Otranto or Udol- 
 pho. We moved here on the arrival of 
 25,000 Austrians, a seasonable reinforcement 
 to assist us in defending the Rhine, and to 
 relieve the harassed garrison of Nimeguen. 
 They have been long expected, and I hope 
 are not come too late. Had they been 
 a month sooner the French must have win- 
 tered at Antwerp ; even one fortnight sooner 
 would have prevented their establishing 
 themselves north of the Meuse. 
 
 But to return to our castle, where fortu- 
 nately we were obliged to come, to leave 
 the town of Emerich for the Austrians. It 
 stands at the foot of a high range of hills, 
 
 mostly covered with wood, that run at right- 
 angles to the Rhine. It is immensely large ; 
 much of it is not habitable, but part very 
 comfortable. The hall of entrance is above 
 eighty feet long, full of stags' horns and old 
 armour. A large staircase at one end is 
 taken off by iron gates. There is a saloon 
 of sixty feet, with smaller square rooms on 
 each side. The doors are of brown walnut ; 
 the hangings of old tapestry. There are 
 large windows in the angles, looking two 
 ways, with broad low seats. The chimneys 
 are high, and the closets innumerable; and 
 there are many comforts not to be found 
 In a modern house. The part of the casde 
 we inhabit is lofty ; a small river fills a moat 
 above fifty yards broad, and to get at us two 
 long drawbridges must be passed. 
 
 My apartment, though only up one pair of 
 stairs, seems so high that it is tremendous to 
 look down from the window to the bridges, 
 and to the water that washes the walls of the 
 castle on three sides. On the fourth side 
 there is a large area, and the entrance is 
 
 3 ^' 
 
530 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 through this area, up a very large double 
 flight of steps, with lions and giants to sup- 
 port them. Some part of the building, which 
 IS very irregular, is modern, but the greater 
 part very old, and not habitable, except the 
 chapel. Though I have explored much, 
 I have not yet seen all ; there are number- 
 less square and round towers, and it will 
 take many days to explore the whole. The 
 gardens, when in repair, must have been 
 magnificent. They are of great extent, as 
 well as the woods, where there is a cliasse 
 of every kind of game, from a hare or a rab- 
 bit to a wolf or wild boar. 
 
 If we had been sure of staying here, and 
 the weather had been fine, I should have 
 enjoyed the rides and drives ; but I fear in 
 a few days we shall move again, for I con- 
 clude this crisis must make a change for good 
 or for bad ; God grant the former ; mean- 
 while I rejoice to have witnessed this extra- 
 ordinary scene, amongst many others. What 
 adds to the romantic effect of it is, that this 
 being General Harcourt's head-quarters, the 
 
 • 
 
 r 
 
 the Years 1792 — i 795' 
 
 531 
 
 whole has a military appearance. The guards 
 without; the sentry in the hall; the ordon- 
 nances that wait in the saloon ; the perpetual 
 rattlino- of the hussars, with their litde Hun- 
 garian horses, over the drawbridges ; the 
 artillery under the immense high trees, just 
 on the outside of the gate ; nay, the deep- 
 toned clock, and the bugle-horn that echoes 
 through the wood. Altogether it equals 
 anything that Mrs. Radcliffe describes in her 
 charming, terrifying book. 
 
 In the adjacent village, close behind the 
 castle, is quartered the General's own regi- 
 ment, and Chrisenel's hussars. I always ad- 
 mired the latter as a fine corps, but they 
 seem to suit this place particularly. Their 
 uniform is almost a black green, with gold, 
 and they have large nodding black plumes 
 in their caps, like old knights in black ar- 
 mour. I actually started at an orderly-man 
 as I passed him in the saloon last night, 
 with no light but a small wax taper that I 
 carried in my hand. 
 
 This morning my attention is engaged by 
 
^f 
 
 r .. Ill » r iiMfc. 
 
 .J-. 
 
 
 
 a noise well suited to the situation I am in ; 
 incessant firing ; I hear it both from Nime- 
 guen and within four miles on the other 
 side ; for we are constantly employed in pre- 
 venting the French from establishing posts 
 on the other side of the river. When at 
 Emerich we used to expect to be saluted 
 with a cannonade ourselves, as that town is 
 upon the river ; but here we are out of their 
 reach. The cavalry cannot be employed, 
 so General Harcourt cannot be in danger, 
 though he may be useful ; perhaps the next 
 ten days may decide our fate. What an 
 awful crisis ! 
 
 I just broke off my letter because I heard 
 the bugle-horn, and went to my window to 
 see the dear i6th regiment pass the bridge. 
 At the same instant, this being Sunday, the 
 finest church-bell tolled that I ever heard. 
 Does not all this account remind you of old 
 times, which, if they were not better, were 
 at least very different to those we live in. 
 This castle belongs to a Prince with a hard 
 name I cannot write, but I will learn how 
 
 he spells it. He resides in a distant part of 
 Germany, and seldom comes here. It is 
 only inhabited by a concierge and his wife, 
 who supply us with excellent forage for our 
 horses, and good milk and butter for our- 
 selves. It is the best quarter we have ever 
 had, for it accommodates General Harcourt 
 and his staff officers, and altogether they 
 have nearly a hundred horses. 
 
 November 7th, Castle of St. Hirringberg.— 
 The events of yesterday were so singular, 
 that I shall not be able in my description to 
 do justice to them. We were at breakfast, 
 listening, as usual, to the distant cannonade 
 at Nimeguen, and trying to guess, from its 
 being more or less frequent or violent, what 
 events were passing there. All of a sudden 
 we heard a shot that seemed much nearer 
 to us ; it was repeated, so General Harcourt 
 immediately ordered his horse, and I my 
 chaise to carry me to a convent at the point 
 of the hill above the river. I heard a heavy 
 cannonade all the way I went, but it was 
 ceasine when I arrived. The French had 
 

 '-* ' 
 
 •^■■r' *v 
 
 i I 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
 534 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 just effected their purpose of destroying two 
 ferry-boats that we had moored on the shore, 
 and were carrying off their cannon. 
 
 Meeting General Harcourt, he told me he 
 was going to the ferry, and that I might go 
 with him. When we arrived we found the 
 poor people belonging to it in great conster- 
 nation ; but though many shells had fallen 
 within a few yards of the house, it remained 
 untouched. The picquet, too, of Choiseul s 
 regiment, and one of Austrian infantry, at 
 that post, were unhurt ; the ground was strewn 
 with cannon-balls and shells, several of which 
 had not burst. The destroying the boats 
 was the only mischief done. We mounted 
 the bank of the river, and saw four French 
 hussars and four infantry come from a house, 
 where they had a post, opposite the ferry. 
 At first they only seemed to be observing 
 our group, which was pretty considerable, as 
 the General's aides-de-camp were with him. 
 Presently, however, one of the soldiers went 
 down to the edge of the river, and putting 
 his foot into it to get nearer to us, he fired 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 535 
 
 directly at us; but the river was broad, so 
 the shot fell short. Seeing this, we remained, 
 while he amused himself with firing two 
 more unavailinor shots. The hussars then 
 drew their swords, brandished them, and 
 called to us, in a loud and insolent tone, 
 " Avancez, avancez, esclaves," and various 
 other words we could not distinguish. 
 
 Just as this passed we heard firing begin- 
 ning higher up the river, and imagining it 
 was at Emerich, we went there directly. On 
 enterinof the town we were told that the 
 French had just sent a flag of truce by an 
 officer, with a trumpeter, to demand the sur- 
 render of the town, and that the boats, of 
 which the harbour was full, should be sent 
 to them ; that if they were refused the can- 
 nonade would begin again, and they would 
 reduce the place to ashes. They had a 
 strong battery of guns placed on the oppo- 
 site side of the river, which the Austrians, 
 with their Generals, then in Emerich, had 
 taken no precautions to prevent. General 
 Harcourt went to the Quai, and I drove to 
 
Monsieur de Colbert's, and made his sister, 
 Madame de Crenolle, who had just lain in, 
 get into my chaise, with her little children, 
 and a few clothes got together in haste, and 
 carried them off. 
 
 The shells were now beginning to fall in 
 the town, and Captain Hawker told me since 
 that one fell just where my chaise had stood 
 a very few minutes before. Already the 
 inhabitants were beginning to fly, and the 
 screams of the women were dreadful. How- 
 ever, we got safe off, leaving Monsieur de 
 Colbert, the nurses, and two infants to fol- 
 low in his coach, for which we promised to 
 send horses, and a waggon to convey their 
 effects. General Harcourt I left, most un- 
 willingly, in the town. He stayed till seve- 
 ral houses were on fire, and went upon the 
 tower of the church, which is ever one of the 
 most dangerous places, as it is generally the 
 mark they aim at. Seeing that this was 
 the case, and that a shell had fallen on each 
 side, he came down. The Austrians had 
 just drawn their troops out of the town ; 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 537 
 
 they would have been right had they left 
 a sufficient number to extinguish the fire, 
 but none of them gave any assistance. 
 
 As soon as I got to the castle I arranged 
 everything as well as I could for the recep- 
 tion of the numerous guests who, I knew, 
 would be glad to seek refuge even under 
 its unfurnished roof. Chairs, tables, and 
 such things as we could spare, we put into 
 an apartment for Monsieur de Colbert and 
 his family, and sent Emmanuel and Captain 
 Cumberland upon the road to Emerich, to 
 offer as an asylum for the night the walls 
 of the castle and some straw, to all distressed 
 families they met who had not any acquaint- 
 ance within reach. All the rooms that were 
 habitable I had laid with straw in such 
 quantities as to serve for seats as well as 
 beds. I ordered fires wherever there were 
 chimneys, and candles in every room, for it 
 was now dark. Fear had given wings to 
 the poor fugitives, for they soon arrived, 
 French, Brabanions, Liegois, almost every 
 emigre that had remained at Emerce. To 
 
 3 z 
 
I 
 
 11 
 
 f 
 
 I* 
 
 
 
 
 "K' 
 ,1 
 
 538 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 one of the magistrates, who had shewn Gene- 
 ral Harcourt much attention, we gave an 
 apartment ; many ladies and children of his 
 family were with him ; they brought some 
 mattresses and coverlids with them, so they 
 were tolerably comfortable. 
 
 We heard the cannonading continue with 
 great violence ; the town was seen from the 
 windows of the castle to be on fire in dif- 
 ferent places. General Harcourt and his 
 aides-de-camp were not returned ; and even 
 the scene I was engaged in could not occupy 
 my mind enough to prevent my feeling com- 
 pletely wretched, till I heard the trampling 
 of horses on the bridge, and could distin- 
 guish his voice. He brought an extraordi- 
 nary piece of news ; that the next morning, 
 at seven, every Austrian was to march, and 
 that we were to be left at this moment, when 
 we most wanted their assistance, in the state 
 w^e were before they came ; with this differ- 
 ence, that then the enemy had hardly begun 
 to approach our coast, and that now they 
 had lined the whole river with troops and 
 
 batteries. It was settled that I should be 
 ready to move, and then stay as long as 
 I could. In the midst, then, of all our con- 
 fusion, and while we were trying to protect 
 others, we were obliged to pack up many 
 things and prepare, not knowing how soon 
 we also might be fugitives ourselves. 
 
 As it struck the General that the ill-dis- 
 posed at Emerich might wish to deliver the 
 boats to the enemy, and that the terrified 
 inhabitants might consent to save their town, 
 whilst we had no English troops to pre- 
 vent them ; he resolved to put it out of 
 their power to do the French this service, 
 by having them all sunk immediately, which 
 was accordingly done. Meantime the firing 
 relaxed and soon ceased, after having de- 
 stroyed some houses, and all our magazines. 
 Amono-st the houses that were destroyed 
 was that of Monsieur Bach, whose family 
 was with us. He had remained in the town, 
 and the agony his wife felt on his account 
 made her insensible to the loss of their pro- 
 perty. Judge of the joy when an account 
 
540 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 came, after the firinij had ceased, that he 
 was safe. Madame de Crenelle, too, was 
 relieved by the arrival of Monsieur de Col- 
 bert, and the children. Their hunger re- 
 minded us that it was time to think of 
 dinner; we had ordered meat to be boiled, 
 baked, and roasted as fast as possible. We 
 divided our own dinner with our guests, 
 sending what we could spare into the large 
 room, where fifty of the fugitives were col- 
 lected ; but 1 saw Amedce and Emmanuel 
 stealing all the good things they could get 
 to carry into their own bedchamber. 
 
 On enquiry we found that they had got 
 there two old gentlemen and four young 
 ladies, whom they had met on the road, 
 and to whom they had given their beds 
 and apartment. The girls were prctt)', the 
 dauehters of a Monsieur de Grand ; and the 
 men with them were their uncle, and father- 
 in-law, the Count de Ryland. Their mother 
 had gone to Arnheim the day before, on 
 business ; and they had suffered great dis- 
 tress at Emerich. We had heard of it be- 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 541 
 
 fore, and this had interested our young men 
 strongly for them. I was glad to see their 
 anxiety to assist them, for it is dreadful how 
 much the constantly witnessing these horrid 
 scenes hardens many hearts that are natu- 
 rally good and feeling. 
 
 In the midst of all this distress, some, 
 especially amongst the servants, seemed to 
 think more of the trouble the bustle the 
 house was in would give them, than of en- 
 deavouring to assist the sufferers. Even 
 amonest the fucritives themselves, some shew- 
 ed so much selfishness, that they looked with 
 the greatest ill-will on all who were added 
 to their number. Many, when once placed 
 under shelter themselves, were desirous of 
 keeping out the others. Amongst them was 
 Sir J. Irwin's widow, with two French ladies 
 who lived with her; she, as an English- 
 woman, (you remember who and what she 
 was,) seemed to think she had a right to 
 more attention than the rest. I was not 
 inclined to give it, because I thought she 
 wanted it less ; but she got the better of us 
 
542 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 all, and made us give up our own eating- 
 room to accommodate her and her party 
 separately. The General recollects her as 
 Mrs. Kew, a famous courtesan, who after 
 ruining Sir John, made him in his old age 
 marry her. As she could not be received 
 in Eno-land, she has lived abroad ; and 
 had been driven by the French from place 
 to place, till she got to Emerich, where 
 she stayed for want of money to proceed 
 further. 
 
 The next morning, 7th of November, we 
 provided breakfast for our different guests, 
 amounting to 200 persons ; and I went into 
 the different rooms to visit them. The old 
 and reasonable I found melancholy, regret- 
 tino- the sad events that caused their misery ; 
 but many of the young ones seem enchanted, 
 and to enjoy the novelty and singularity 
 of their adventures, without reflecting upon 
 the cause or consequences. The castle and 
 gardens delighted them ; some of them were 
 beautiful young women, who found admirers 
 enough amongst our officers. The prettiest 
 
 I 
 
 •^1 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 543 
 
 of these girls had narrowly escaped being 
 killed by a shell that glanced by her head, 
 and just bruised her cheek. Many of our 
 fugfitives were inured to alarms and mis- 
 fortunes. Some had before fled from Dus- 
 seldorf when it was bombarded ; and from 
 the badness of the weather and the country, 
 had experienced greater difficulties. 
 
 The old uncle of Amedce's friends told 
 me that he had fled with the Mareschal de 
 Broglio's family, and that in the most rainy 
 and tempestuous night imaginable the ladies 
 had been obliged to walk two leagues up to 
 the ankles in mud ; that the terror had been 
 such that many families w^ere separated in 
 the flight ; that many had lost their children 
 and friends, and had never heard of them 
 since. 
 
 You know the palace w^as destroyed, 
 but luckily the fine collection of pictures 
 was moved out of the town the day before. 
 Numberless persons lost their property, but 
 less by fire than by pillage, for the Palatine 
 troops behaved most shockingly, many ran 
 
away, and those who did not, only stayed 
 to plunder the town. 
 
 ]sjov. 9th.— All continuing quiet at Erne- 
 rich, those who did not leave the castle 
 yesterday are gone this morning, except 
 Monsieur de Colbert and his family, who 
 will set off to-morrow for a distant part of 
 Germany. General Harcourt has an ac- 
 count that the Austrians are at last going to 
 cross the Rhine at Wesel, where the bridge 
 is near finished; and he has orders, on 
 General Verneck's demand, to send what 
 British troops are required. Under the pre- 
 sent circumstances he cannot send all, so 
 he has kept one regiment of cavalry, the 
 Irish Carabineers, which happened to be the 
 worst, and least fit for service, and the 19th 
 regiment of infantry. He has sent all the 
 rest of the British cavalry, with the Hes- 
 sians, under General Dundas, to join Gene- 
 ral Verneck at Wesel. The Hanoverians 
 he kept back till he had a further account 
 from the opposite side, and till he heard 
 again from head-quarters ; ordering them. 
 
 however, to be ready to go at a moment's 
 
 warnmg. 
 
 We had heard no firing from Nimeguen 
 for many hours, and were beginning to be 
 very anxious to know the event, when the 
 sad account reached us that the French bat- 
 teries, having succeeded in firing upon the 
 bridge, had damaged it so much that the 
 place was judged no longer tenable ; and 
 that the British had evacuated it in the 
 night without any loss. Three hundred 
 Dutch who were on the flying bridge, were, 
 by the cord being cut, carried down the 
 river; I have not heard if any of them 
 escaped. This account made us miserable 
 to the greatest degree ; Nimeguen gone, the 
 Waal is no longer a defence; and the pro- 
 posed expedition is of no use, which was 
 intended to save the town, and after destroy- 
 ing their magazines, to drive the French 
 over the Meuse ; whereby the Dutch frontier 
 and Grave might have been saved, and good 
 quarters secured to our army. 
 
 Now, Heaven knows what is to happen 
 
 4 A 
 
546 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 next ; the consternation is extreme, and well 
 it may, for this is out of all calculation, and 
 the French are now so situated, and so in- 
 toxicated with victory, that they may attempt 
 anything, and succeed in anything. They 
 set no value on the lives of their soldiers, 
 and a winter campaign is to them of litde 
 consequence, therefore they may continue to 
 harass us till January at least. That Gene- 
 ral Walmoden and our troops have done all 
 that could be done at Nimeguen, I have no 
 doubt ; but the position was not strong, and 
 when once the enemy had so placed them- 
 selves that their batteries could attack our 
 boat-bridge, they were masters of the field. 
 
 All continues quiet at Emerich, but the 
 people say that the French are erecting a 
 new battery opposite the town. General 
 Harcourt went this morning to see what 
 damage was done. In poor Bach's house, 
 in the very room where he himself had been 
 on the point of sitting down to write to the 
 Duke of York if some one had not called 
 him away, he saw five balls. Bach had made 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 547 
 
 fine surveys of all the country, and many 
 very good drawings ; and all his plates are 
 shattered to pieces, which seems to grieve 
 him more than the loss of his house. I 
 wrote part of this long account on the 7th, 
 and part on the 8th, and am not sure whe- 
 ther I marked where the one ended and the 
 other began, but I hope you will under- 
 stand it. 
 
 Nov. the 9th. — A little after four this 
 morning an express arrived from the Duke 
 of York, to say that General Harcourt might 
 keep the Hanoverians for the defence of this 
 coast. A few minutes afterwards a letter 
 arrived from General Verneck to say that, 
 in consequence of what had happened, (the 
 evacuation of Nimeguen,) he was returning 
 with all his troops to this country ; that he 
 should want all the cantonments from Wesel 
 to Arnheim, and that he desired General 
 Harcourt immediately to give up the whole 
 of them. Thus we are ever treated by the 
 Austrians. I am persuaded they never meant 
 to cross the Rhine, and at last only appeared 
 
548 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 to consent, intending to delay and defer It 
 till it became impossible. Had they crossed 
 a fortnight, ten days, nay, even a week ago, 
 all would have been saved. 
 
 Just at the instant General Verneck's 
 courier arrived, a messenger came in great 
 haste from Lobeth, one of our posts below 
 Elton, saying that the French were appear- 
 ing in great force on the opposite side of 
 the river. The General directly ordered all 
 to be packed up, and is now gone with his 
 aides-de-camp to reconnoitre ; while I am 
 preparing to leave the castle, at all events 
 to-morrow, perhaps sooner. They tell me 
 now that the batteries are again seen from 
 Emerich, and the alarm having been general 
 in the night, numbers of the poor ladies 
 are returning here ; some are already come. 
 Since four this morning the rattle on the 
 bridges has been incessant, for orderly-men 
 have been every instant arriving for Captain 
 Beckwith, besides those he has sent off to 
 General Harcourt. Each brought accounts 
 that the French were appearing in great force 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 549 
 
 on the opposite side. The ordonnance who 
 brought the Duke's letter said he had heard 
 musket-shots, and from the castle walls we 
 could plainly hear the cannon louder than 
 usual. 
 
 The evening of the 9th November. — The 
 French, after firing three shots at Eme- 
 rich, began jumping and dancing, and then 
 with the speaking-trumpet called across the 
 river : — 
 
 " Nimegue est pris 
 Dansons la Carmagnol 
 
 Nimegue est pris 
 Ceux qui veulent danser 
 
 Venez ici." 
 
 They then fired a feti-de-joie all along the 
 coast. The firing at Lobeth was of a dif- 
 ferent nature; it was against some battery 
 we had been making, and a dyke we had 
 been repairing. General Harcourt went to 
 the spot, they fired at him, but It was too 
 far for musketry to reach. Two of our can- 
 nons were fired at them, and sent them off. 
 The Austrlans are all returned. General 
 
1 
 
 550 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Harcourt has sent word he cannot quit his 
 quarters without an order from his Com- 
 mander-in-chief; all the English squadrons 
 that went with the Austrians are returned to 
 theirs. We wait to know our destination; 
 I suppose it will be to move, but to what 
 place we cannot guess. Everybody seems 
 to think the loss of Nimeguen a decisive 
 event, and that it is impossible the war on 
 the Continent can go on, we shall only lose 
 
 more and more. 
 
 The Germanic body, except Hanover, have 
 all voted for peace. The brother of the 
 Elector of Mayence is going to Paris to 
 sue for mercy. Heavens ! what a shameful 
 humiliation ! probably the peace may be gen- 
 eral, but I really believe if England is not 
 included we shall make a better figure by 
 ourselves, and fighting on our own element, 
 than embarrassed with all our ill-disposed 
 allies upon the Continent. I this minute 
 hear that the French have been firing near 
 Wesel, and are preparing to bombard it ; 
 having driven the Austrians, who were in 
 
 1 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 551 
 
 garrison at Buric across the river. They 
 cannot take the town, but I lament the alarm 
 they will occasion to Madame de Walmoden, 
 and Madame de Stein, who is every moment 
 expected to lie in. 
 
 Just before Madame de Crenolle left us, 
 her little daughter, who she had put out to 
 nurse, was brought to her by the woman's 
 husband. It is but five weeks' old, and not 
 yet weaned, and the cruel wretches would 
 not keep it because, they said, as it belonged 
 to an emigre y it might be left upon their 
 hands to maintain. No security any of us 
 could give, nor even that offered by the 
 people of the castle, nor the money Madame 
 de Colbert tendered them, could prevail ; 
 and she was obliged to carry the infant with 
 her, after we had provided the best means 
 we could to enable her to supply the place 
 of a wet nurse. 
 
 The weather is now good, and my health 
 better, which enables me to examine more 
 particularly this ancient casde. The north 
 tower, which appears to be the oldest part 
 
552 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 of it, is one of the most curious buildings 
 I ever saw, it is a square of an immense 
 size. In a large lobby upon the first floor, 
 near my own apartment, I saw two doors 
 thirty feet from each other; the one went 
 down a small staircase into the large room 
 I mentioned when first I came here; the 
 other, up a little winding stair till it ^ came 
 to a narrow dark passage, on each side of 
 which were doors barred, and so rusty I 
 could not force them open. Another wind- 
 ing staircase conducted me to many more 
 doors, one of which was nailed up; but 
 through the cracks I could just distinguish 
 a space that had been a room ; but they 
 said it must not be opened. I could not 
 help imagining that I saw something moving 
 in it, for the crack at times was darkened 
 as if some one passed between it and the 
 light. Up higher was another room with 
 iron grates; and, at the top of all, four 
 round turrets, upon the corners of the roof, 
 that had the appearance of separate cells, 
 or prisons, with a window to each. On the 
 
 i 
 
 x 
 
 
 outside I can see various small windows ; 
 many grated, some only with broken case- 
 ments ; but I cannot contrive to explore all 
 this tower within. There is over the gate- 
 w^ay another large round tower, which, if 
 we stay here to-morrow, I shall visit. At 
 the entrance hangs a gun ten feet long, fit 
 only for a giant. 
 
 What a long letter this is ; but it contains 
 the full history of four extraordinary days ; 
 such, to me at least, the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 
 9th of November, 1794, will ever appear. 
 News is just come that Maestrlcht has sur- 
 rendered ; if it be so, it is the completion 
 of our misfortunes, and I fear it, because 
 I know they had not half powder enough 
 to sustain a siege. The Austrians say there 
 was only sufficient powder for seventeen 
 days, and that the Dutch had been so supine 
 it was with difficulty even so much had been 
 got into the town ; the rest arrived too late, 
 and had to be taken back ao-ain. This has 
 caused much anxiety for the place, yet surely 
 it cannot be gone ; so many misfortunes can- 
 
 4 li 
 
not fall upon us altogether. Once more, 
 adieu for the present. 
 
 Nov. 1 2th. — We are still at St. Hirrine- 
 berg, but cannot stay more than a clay or 
 two longer ; everything grows worse and 
 worse since the loss of Nimeguen, and our 
 troops can have no rest though harassed to 
 death. Heaven's will be done ! I hope Eng- 
 land is not dispirited, though she has occa- 
 sioned this mischief by forcing the alhes to 
 make this fatal campaign. Surely no nation 
 in the annals of history ever stood so high 
 as France does at this moment. Think of 
 the brother and heir of the first Elector 
 going in person to sue for peace for the Ger- 
 manic body, Hanover alone excepted. Now, 
 in future ages, when the crimes are forgotten, 
 the glory will be admired; this is truth, 
 though we may not like to own it. Peace 
 there must be with all but England, and my 
 only hope is, that having nothing more to 
 fear for Holland, or to do with' the Con- 
 tinent, and free from our puzzle-headed, or 
 treacherous allies, we may shew the world 
 
 x 
 
 1 
 
 that Great Britain alone can resist the for- 
 midable power of France. Let us man every 
 vessel ; send troops enough to guard the 
 West Indies ; and, if they invade us, rise in 
 a mass, and drive them into the ocean. 
 
 Nov. 24th, Arnheim. — Winter quarters, or 
 at least that sort of rest after the campaign 
 that this present cantonment occasions, makes 
 so many idle persons that this house is like 
 a coffee-house from breakfast till bedtime. 
 I scarcely have a moment to myself, so you 
 must not expect a long letter ; indeed, I 
 have little to tell you but that the French 
 are quiet at present. Whether they mean 
 any further progress we shall know when 
 the surrender of Grave, which is daily ex- 
 pected, opens to them the navigation of the 
 Meuse. It is to be hoped that they will 
 give their troops and ours a winter's rest ; but 
 victory does not fatigue like defeat. Though 
 we are but nine miles from the French, I 
 think Madame de Walmoden will lie in licre. 
 The princes arc well, and send their love to 
 you ; they are to dine with us to-day. 
 
Nov. 27th. — The cavalry is not going 
 home ; what could occasion the report ? Pray 
 try to learn whether the Duke of Brunswick 
 is coming here. The French continue quiet, 
 but certainly have some project in view, for 
 they are making millions of boats and rafts. 
 
 Dec. 4th. — I am sure you will be as much 
 surprised as we were at the Duke's sudden 
 journey ; he got his orders suddenly and 
 unexpectedly. Most unluckily, Sir William 
 Erskine being gone to England, the com- 
 mand of all the British devolves upon Gene- 
 ral Harcourt, an honour by no means to be 
 wished for in these times when responsibility 
 is become so tremendous from the critical 
 situation of affairs. He therefore most anxi- 
 ously wishes the Duke's speedy return ; and 
 I am sure I . do, for the weight the General 
 will have upon his mind may hurt his health ; 
 business never hurts him; vexation always 
 does. If anything happens it must be bad ; 
 no good event can come at present ; nor can 
 any credit be gained in this vile country. 
 If it is to be defended against the common 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 557 
 
 enemy, or the bad disposition of its inha- 
 bitants, it must be by greater numbers than 
 our army can boast. 
 
 Dec. 6th. — All here are puzzled and un- 
 easy at the Duke's beinof sent for to Eno-. 
 land. I hope he will not be ill-used there, 
 for he does not deserve to be so. God 
 grant that he may soon return. Affairs are 
 in a tremendous state; and the responsible 
 situation General Harcourt is in makes me 
 wretched. 
 
 Dec. 8th. — I am in rather better spirits; 
 since the British have been entirely under 
 General Harcourt's command, I think he 
 has been of great use to them in some re- 
 spects, and he will be of more. Craig is 
 gone, and all goes on well with his deputy. 
 Colonel Don. I hope no frost will come 
 to make a bridge for the French over the 
 Waal, and things may mend. Tremble for 
 us if it freezes. If the Duke should not re- 
 turn, I suppose the Duke of Brunswick or 
 Lord Cornwallis will come to take the com- 
 mand here. Write all you hear. I hope the 
 
558 
 
 £ 
 
 \nfxdotes relating to 
 
 dear Duke will not be ill-used ; he has often 
 been so. 
 
 Dec. nth. — Grave cannot hold out many 
 days longer, and then the French will at- 
 tempt something against us. General Mar- 
 court and General Walmoden are great 
 friends ; they act in concert, and will do all 
 the eood that can be done. We are still 
 very anxious about the Duke's return, and 
 the treatment he may have in England. It 
 will be cruel, indeed, if they use him ill, for 
 he does not deserve it of them, for his strict 
 obedience of Cabinet orders has often hurt 
 himself and the cause. I am sure he will 
 return if the Duke of Brunswick should be 
 persuaded to take the command, for I know 
 he wishes to serve with him. If General 
 Harcourt's health does not suffer I shall be 
 elad that Sir William Erskine was orone be- 
 fore the Duke went, as it has given him an 
 opportunity of shewing himself to the army. 
 I dread some attack from the French, which 
 our weakened and, I grieve to add, very un- 
 healthy army, ill-supported by such allies, 
 
 cannot resist. Remember not to repeat a 
 thing I say, lest it should be quoted as 
 General Harcourt's opinion. 
 
 Yesterday we had the principal Dutch fa- 
 milies to dinner, and two ladies, which was 
 an event, as almost all of them have left the 
 frontier. We keep the best table in the 
 army on the Continent, and it is a constant 
 one. The staff and many officers dine with 
 us ; but our grandeur will ruin us, for our 
 housekeeping expenses are near ^50 a-w^eek. 
 Before I return home, if ever that happens, 
 I must pass a week at the Hague. I cannot 
 avoid it, but I shall hate the bustle and ex- 
 pense, for I agree with you, that, after thirty, 
 fetes are tiresome things, and they must ap- 
 pear doubly so to a person who has been 
 engaged in such scenes as I have. 
 
 The country about this place is beautiful ; 
 the banks of the river on our side are hioh 
 and hilly ; beyond are pretty little valleys, 
 and many chateaux. The Dutch seem to 
 like the country, by the expense they are at 
 to ornament it ; and they are great planters. 
 
 '^1 
 
56o 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 The weather is very fine, clear, and constant 
 sunshine. The thermometer is two or three 
 deo-rees above freezing - point, and in the 
 day it is quite warm ; the soil is sandy, 
 therefore dry ; but alas ! our troops are in 
 a different situation, which is the cause of 
 the sickness amongst them. All the country 
 between the Lok, or Rhine, and the Waal, 
 IS like the province of Holland, flat, and full 
 of dykes, ditches, and inundations. Many of 
 our poor men are still hutted, to guard the 
 banks of the Waal all night, which is the 
 cause of the illness amongst them. I fear 
 we have between 6,000 and 7,000 sick, but 
 this must not be known. 
 
 Dec. 1 2th. — You will hear a thousand 
 stories how ill the Dutch and we agree. 
 Many of them are false ; they cannot bear 
 the inconveniences of war, and are not used 
 to it as the Flemish are. I fear our infantry 
 do pillage a little, and are not so regular as 
 they should be, owing to their having been 
 recruited at so many strange places, and it 
 being necessary to get men at any rate ; the 
 
 I 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 561 
 
 very dregs of London were taken, but none 
 of them have behaved so ill as the Dutch. 
 Four of their men met an officer quietly 
 returninor home about ten o'clock, and, with- 
 out the slightest provocation, almost cut him 
 to pieces with their swords ; he had not even 
 time to draw his. General Harcourt has 
 made the strictest enquiries ; some soldiers 
 are taken up on suspicion, but nothing as yet 
 is discovered. By additional guards and pre- 
 cautions I hope such atrocities will be pre- 
 vented in future. 
 
 As to the English cavalry, they are so 
 beloved, that the people are as glad to have 
 them as they are desirous of being rid of 
 other troops. It is with difficulty they will 
 accept their money, and they say they gain 
 too much by them. When we were in West- 
 phalia the authorities thanked General Har- 
 court for the discipline he had kept up, and 
 were miserable when he left them. The 
 Comte d'Artois is often with us, and a charm- 
 ing rnan he is. 
 
 Late at night. — I open my letter again to 
 
 4 ^ 
 
say that there has been a general attack 
 upon all the numerous posts on the river. 
 The enemy, for the present, is repulsed. 
 The Dutch also have been attacked at Bom- 
 mel, which is forty miles from hence ; the 
 account is not yet come of the event. This 
 is a torment that will never end. A winter 
 campaign is always a sad thing ; we must be 
 for ever on the watch ; and our poor sick 
 men, how will they bear the fatigue ? Gene- 
 ral Buche is killed ; poor old man ; a cannon- 
 ball took off his arm and part of his side, 
 and he never spoke afterwards ; a Hano- 
 verian major, and about thirty men, are 
 also killed. 
 
 Dec. 15th. — All has been quiet since the 
 last attempt four days ago; but we know 
 that immense preparations are making, and 
 we expect, the first foggy night, to hear that 
 they are making an effort upon every weak 
 point. Weak and sick as our army is, I 
 hope we shall be able to resist them, and 
 that every attempt will be repulsed with 
 equal success, till we tire them out. They 
 
 ' 
 
 
 t 
 
 \ 
 
 THK Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 56 
 
 
 do not mind sacrificing lives, and are ready 
 to risk everything else. I am glad I am 
 here ; it is a relief to the General's mind 
 to have one he can safely speak to. I 
 can write his private letters, and take some 
 of the idlers off his hands, who like to 
 lounofe in the house of the Commander- 
 in-chief. 
 
 We like Prince Frederick of Orange very 
 much. I wish he could marry one of our 
 Princesses ; his father is rich, and if this 
 business ends well he could establish them 
 comfortably. The Hereditary Princess is so 
 good-natured, that she would not let her su- 
 perior situation be felt by the younger bro- 
 ther's wife, who, after all, would be most 
 to be envied, for Prince Frederick is charm- 
 ing, and beloved by everybody. As a mili- 
 tary character he is expected to make a great 
 ficTure. Prince Frederick of Hesse, to whom 
 Princess Amelia left her fortune, has lately 
 passed a day with us ; he talked of his 
 nephew's hope of a future alliance with 
 England. 
 
564 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Dec. i8th. — I have had an aijreeablc clay; 
 Prince Frederick of Orange has been with 
 US ; he is the only man worthy of our Prin- 
 cesses ; he even deserves Princess Augusta, 
 all angel as she is. We had also the poor 
 Comte d'Artois, who I am always glad to 
 see, for he is very interesting and very plea- 
 sant. He lives very retired, and the society 
 in this house is his only resource ; it cer- 
 tainly is a good one, and we have no reason 
 to complain of our situation ; but we long 
 to get home, for no good can be done, and 
 much evil may happen. 
 
 The French have not renewed their at- 
 tack, but we know their intentions, and ex- 
 pect them every day. Monsieur d'Ar^on, 
 a famous engineer from Paris, is come to 
 construct something to assist them in pass- 
 ing over the Waal. In short, w^e may 
 resist, but it must be at a great risk, 
 because the line of defence is so long, 
 and guarded by so many different nations, 
 and under so many different people's care. 
 Wherever the passage is forced the ruin 
 
 
 will be equal to all, but the discredit will 
 fall upon us. 
 
 Arnheim, Dec. 22nd. — Three mails are 
 due; not one line from England this aee, 
 and it is of such importance to General Har- 
 court to get his letters. No one can wish 
 to be in the responsible situation he is now 
 in, under the attendant circumstances. No 
 one was ever in a more critical position ; 
 dependent upon so many events, not only 
 for security, but for absolute existence. You 
 would tremble if you knew half, and pro- 
 bably, bad as it appears to me, even I do 
 not know the whole. The frost is now very 
 severe ; all the small rivers and still waters 
 are frozen ; and as the French had there 
 all the boats and rafts for passing the Waal, 
 they cannot now move them, nor effect their 
 projected attack, which was to have taken 
 place about four days hence. In that one 
 respect the frost has been in our favour, but, 
 if it continues a little longer, it will be against 
 us in a much greater degree ; for if the larger 
 rivers freeze we shall have the French upon 
 
566 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 us, in the most easy manner for themselves, 
 and the most formidable one for us. The 
 Waal very seldom freezes ; it has not been 
 frozen since the winter the King was ill, i 785, 
 and not for many years before, therefore we 
 had little reason to expect it. But alas ! there 
 is now every appearance that it will happen ; 
 the Ice IS beginning to come down from 
 Germany in large islands, and as soon as 
 that attaches itself to any part of the banks, 
 or fixes in any bend of the river, it soon will 
 accumulate, unite, and form a bridi^^e for our 
 enemies. Meantime these flakes, as they are 
 called, have another dreadful effect ; they 
 prevent the passage of our magazines, and 
 the army is nearly widiout provisions, fur 
 all navigation on the river is stopped. Add 
 to this, that we had built bridges of boats, 
 and were, with the greatest eagerness, pre- 
 paring to build more, to facilitate the pas- 
 sage of troops to assist in case of an attack, 
 and to secure a retreat in case of defeat. 
 
 The coming down of these islands of ice 
 broke one of these bridges all to pieces, and 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 567 
 
 obliged us to take up the rest ; thus we are 
 without communication with the troops be- 
 low, and they almost without the means of 
 subsisting, and dying every day of the fatigue 
 and cold they endure by watching the enemy 
 on the banks of the Waal. I really feel 
 ashamed of having a good fire, and a good 
 bed to lie on. 
 
 We hear strange reports of negociations 
 with the French, and all sorts of unaccount- 
 able things. If these negociations are not 
 against us we may be saved that way ; if 
 they fail, they will only occasion an imme- 
 diate and more vio^orous attack. In short, 
 without news from England, without a pos- 
 sibility of guessing what will happen here, 
 our fate seems to depend upon so many and 
 such uncertain circumstances, that to think 
 of it is distracting. The weather even may 
 decide it, and we incessantly w^atch the ther- 
 mometer. You must not repeat a word, 
 for the tenth part of our difficulties, and of 
 which all I say can hardly give you an idea, 
 oudit not to be knowm, it would only de- 
 
press and discourage. Pray for us ; our 
 help cannot come from man ; and when 
 things seem at the worst, and are most criti- 
 cal, an unexpected change sometimes hap- 
 pens. God grant that this may be our case. 
 
 I often hold this language to General 
 Harcourt, who seems to me to have more 
 ideas occur to assist the situation, in every 
 way, than I could suppose any man capable 
 of forming. Unluckily, many are, and must 
 be, counteracted, because the Dutch are dif- 
 ficult either to lead or drive. I always ex- 
 cept one, Prince Frederick, for the more I 
 see of him the more I like him ; I think him 
 something like what Lord Carlisle was at 
 his age, only he is fairer and has more sweet- 
 ness in his countenance ; everybody loves 
 and respects him. Adieu. The frost in- 
 creases ; the thermometer from 26** to 30^ 
 though seldom so high but at mid-day. 
 
 Dec. 23rd. — Two mails are come ; every- 
 one flocks here for intelliirence. Prince Wil- 
 liam is ordered to return, and is in ecstasies. 
 Do not be uneasy about my health. I might 
 
 not stand another campaign, but I shall be 
 able to go through the remainder of this, 
 and I trust that General Harcourt will not 
 serve another. If it pleases God to give 
 us success now, and that he is safe, I shall 
 be thankful, and rejoice that he has had an 
 opportunity of fulfilling the duties of the pro- 
 fession to which he was bred, in every dif- 
 ferent rank, and, I may almost say, on every 
 possible occasion. I shall rejoice, too, that 
 I have not impeded him, and that I came 
 here, and have been a witness to scenes the 
 remembrance of which will ever be interest- 
 ing- to me, and enable me to talk over things 
 with the General that he will like to recol- 
 lect, and that I could not have comprehended 
 if I had not seen them. 
 
 As to our return, the General thought it 
 handsomer to the Duke and to the Ministry 
 to say that he meant to resign when an ar- 
 rangement to replace him could be made, 
 than to stay till near the opening of another 
 campaign, and then declare it. If nothing 
 disastrous happens, I shall be glad we stay 
 
 4 i> 
 
570 
 
 Anfxdotes relating to 
 
 just now, because we guess, by the accounts 
 this last mail has brought, that there may be 
 an end this winter, and the General will find 
 more pleasure in seeing the work completed 
 than in leaving it undone. I give you my 
 thoughts as they occur, but I believe they 
 sometimes chancre with the thermometer. 
 If a thaw saves us they will remain such 
 as I have just expressed ; if the rivers freeze, 
 I shall not be so stout, but shall regret the 
 having stayed here so long. I am glad the 
 Duke of York speaks of us with regard ; he 
 has himself been cruelly dealt with ; he had 
 every impediment to success when here, and 
 ill-usacre from home and at home to en- 
 counter. As for General Harcourt, I do 
 believe he stands very high in the opinion of 
 all here, and, I hope, everywhere. General 
 Walmoden and he arrange their joint com- 
 mand in the most satisfactory manner, and 
 have but one interest, both seeking to pro- 
 mote the general good. 
 
 Dec. 24th. — A conversation I have just 
 had with the General has sunk my spirits. 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 571 
 
 \ 
 
 Our situation is even worse than 1 con- 
 ceived ; any and every calamity may be ex- 
 pected. How will Ministers answer for their 
 conduct ; they are distracted, absolutely dis- 
 tracted ; they reason on false principles, and 
 against probability. In a week the Waal 
 will be sufficiendy frozen to bear man and 
 beast; and so uncertain are these streams, 
 that the farther river may freeze first before 
 this, which is called the Lok, or Rhine. All 
 this depends on the winds, and other acci- 
 dental circumstances. Adieu, pray for us ; 
 it freezes harder than ever. 
 
 Christmas-day.— A merry one I fear it 
 cannot be to many of the inhabitants of 
 Europe; may the New Year bring with it, 
 if not happiness, at least a suspension of 
 misery, and, above all, peace ; and may we 
 deserve the blessing. We are much in the 
 same state as when I wrote last, except that 
 it has frozen harder. The thermometer in 
 my window stood at 8" when put out, and 
 at 13" in the inside of my room, though I 
 have a constant fire. This river, however, 
 
•3C^*^»*^.J>«.*."»-W>»--' ■ 
 
 572 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 still moves though covered with ice. To- 
 day we have had snow, and, too probably, 
 the interstices being filled up by it, the ice 
 will fix to-morrow, and then it will be pass- 
 able immediately. We hear that the other 
 river is fixed in some places, therefore we are 
 impatient for this to do so likewise, as the 
 army is between the two, and to-day almost 
 all communication with them has been cut 
 off, for the river now is neither ice nor 
 w^ater. We hear the French have ordered 
 many thousand pairs of cramps to be made 
 for their shoes, to enable them to pass the 
 inundation upon the ice, and we must ex- 
 pect their visit if the rivers harden ; but it 
 may still thaw, and in Heaven's mercy we 
 must trust. 
 
 The cold has been such that, close to the 
 fire, my ink has frozen, so that it was neces- 
 sary every minute to melt it, and to hold 
 the pen to the fire ; the water upon my table, 
 which stands almost in the fire, freezes ; and 
 a little that was spilt fastened my handker- 
 chief so that I removed it with difficulty. 
 
 ( 
 
 il 
 
 My breath freezes on the sheets at night; 
 judge then what the poor soldiers must suffer 
 on the banks of the Waal watching night 
 and day, almost wathout clothes, in their 
 wretched huts ; and the sick in the barns 
 that are our only hospitals. General Har- 
 court has worked hard to procure them some 
 comforts, and has taken upon himself to 
 order blankets for the sick, and for those in 
 huts; and to provide half-a- pound of meat 
 a-day for every man on duty. These and 
 other liberties which he has taken, were 
 rio-ht and necessary, and had the Duke been 
 here he would have done the same. If you 
 see him, tell him how ardently we wish 
 for his return. I hear that the Princess of 
 Wales will be at Utrecht next week, on her 
 way to the Texel, and that the Duchess of 
 Brunswick will go on to the Hague. 
 
 December 29th. — We are in a state of 
 great anxiety, and packed up to remove if 
 things turn out ill, the frost having enabled 
 the French to cross ; but Heaven may in 
 mercy spare us. It thaws a little, and has 
 
 » s 
 
 I i 
 
im 'w^ C '0 1 I f' l 'M h 
 
 i>>i" li *' 
 
 J^ 
 
 not frozen much these twenty-four hours, 
 therefore all may be well ; but we are in 
 a dreadful situation. The necessity of re- 
 movinp: the sick, with the snow now fallinof 
 upon them, and the many woes I see, would 
 make your heart ache ; but you would be 
 pleased to see the pains the General takes 
 to procure them all the comfort he can. 
 Think what he has at stake, himself, our 
 existence, the cause, his credit, everything ! 
 
 Jan 1st. — I hope this year will be a hap- 
 pier one than that which ended yesterday ; 
 may it bring the blessing of peace ; and, if 
 that first of blessings is restored to us, may 
 we deserve it. This day does not begin 
 propitiously, for it freezes unusually hard, 
 and it is one of those miserable cold days 
 that make it difficult to wTite ; and, though 
 my hands are wrapt up in fur, it gives such 
 pain to my fingers I can hardly bear it. 
 Think of the sufferings of those who watch 
 all nii^ht on the banks of the Waal, and of 
 the sick who must be moved in open wag- 
 gons, or left to the mercy of the enemy ; the 
 
 A 
 
 soldiers who are in huts made of earth, 
 without fires, little straw, and few blankets, 
 with clothing worn out, and many of them 
 without shoes and stockings ! Think, in the 
 hospitals, of a man in an ague creeping into 
 the bed of a man with a high fever, to warm 
 him ; think but of a hundredth part of the 
 miseries attendant upon a winter campaign, 
 and you will, as I do, wish the whole Cabi- 
 net quartered in huts upon the banks of 
 the Waal, witnessing the scenes around, 
 and sharing a little of the distress they have 
 brought upon so large a portion of mankind ! 
 Distress which they seem more inclined to 
 prolong than the French ; and which, if not 
 speedily ended, will finish the existence of 
 numbers, without a battle. 
 
 I enclose a bit of a letter I wrote for the 
 last post, I did not send it for fear of alarm- 
 ing you ; the event turned out prosperously. 
 The French were attacked at the moment 
 intended, and beaten back over the ice, leav- 
 ino- their cannon. We had six men killed, 
 and Major Murray, a' very good officer. 
 
mm 
 
 576 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 
 The consequences of this affair would have 
 been great if a thaw had followed ; as it is, 
 it has renewed the spirit of the British, so 
 little used of late to see the French fly be- 
 fore them ; and It has made the French 
 know that we shall not always leave the 
 field undisputed. Had the thaw come we 
 should have gained quiet winter quarters 
 for the future ; but a still harder frost has 
 succeeded, and, by freezing the river lower 
 down, has opened other passages for the en- 
 emy, so that they may penetrate in many 
 points perfectly impracticable in common 
 years. 
 
 The situation of Holland is now most 
 critical, and the position of our litde sick 
 army not less so. We have no defence 
 from the river, and an enterprising enemy 
 several times our number before us, who 
 may turn our right or left, and drive us into 
 the sea. Behind us are false friends ready 
 to rise in our rear if the enemy advances. 
 We have no magazines, and so many dis- 
 tresses that cannot be described, that you 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 577 
 
 would wonder how so much evil could be- 
 fal human creatures. Not the least of our 
 miseries is, that we have no communication 
 with England; four mails are due to us, 
 and three from hence are frozen up in the 
 harbour of Helvoetsluys. All these horrors 
 would end with the frost. If a thaw comes 
 in three days, or even in a week, we may 
 be saved, but what prospect is there of it 
 when the thermometer is at 18°, and the 
 moon nine days old ! 
 
 I cannot tell you how strongly it strikes 
 me that we must have been wrong; that 
 we had no right to interfere with the in- 
 ternal arrangements of other countries ; nor 
 to spread the calamity of war upon the 
 Continent. All these extraordinary events 
 happen, not by chance, but by the will of 
 Heaven. That they may produce future 
 and extensive good I doubt not, though we 
 wretched individuals suffer now. Let us 
 hope that the end of our punishment is near, 
 and that Providence may interfere in our 
 favour, for all the art of man is powerless to 
 
 4 E 
 
•mm 
 
 mMt 
 
 I ■■ I ■! » I- 
 
 fmn 
 
 im*-^ 
 
 imtmmmm 
 
 578 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 •si' 
 
 % 
 
 I- 
 t 
 
 save Holland if the frost lasts. My health 
 is better than I could expect, but I am 
 anxious. I see the General grow thin and 
 look nervous ! he has seldom a night undis- 
 turbed by expresses, and is often called up 
 in two hours after he gets to bed. His situ- 
 ation is honourable, but never, never more, 
 may such honours fall upon him ! 
 
 Amedce is to set out to-morrow for Bent- 
 ham, to meet Lord Malmesbury, in conse- 
 quence of a request from Lord St. Helen's 
 that some person of trust might be sent to 
 give him an account of the state of things 
 here, and inform him, from the General, 
 whether the Princess may safely come by 
 Utrecht. We think she may, and suppose 
 she will pass in a day or two. To tell you 
 the truth, I wish to avoid the bustle this 
 will occasion, and dread falling in her way, 
 for I have not spirits just now for things 
 that seem of so different a kind, and of so 
 little consequence, compared with saving our 
 poor sick soldiers, or placing them in com- 
 fort. It seems more congruous just at pre- 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 579 
 
 sent to send an escort for them, rather than 
 for a Princess about to be married. Prince 
 Ernest is moved from hence with a brigade. 
 To-morrow we are to move more to the 
 right and nearer to Utrecht, to be more 
 in the centre of our position. I shall not 
 be with the General, but I shall keep near 
 the army for safety. 
 
 Copy of the letter alluded to in letter 
 dated January ist. — I cannot help writing 
 at this moment, perhaps one of the most 
 anxious of my life, not for the personal safety 
 of General Harcourt, but for his future com- 
 fort, and the salvation of the army, and this 
 country. In the front, far beyond our posts, 
 or the part the Dutch guarded, the river is 
 become passable, and the French have cross- 
 ed in force ; they have turned our right flank, 
 and mean to enter the province of Holland. 
 They must be driven back, and therefore an 
 engagement at break of day to-morrow is 
 resolved upon. I fear our force is very in- 
 ferior in numbers, but time does not admit 
 of concentration, for our reserves are two 
 
IHii^Piltl 
 
 -i-*-.^^ 
 
 rniimmm 
 
 i>fci^ ^ "" "Sr 
 
 9VtS 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 days' march from hence, and are drawn out 
 in a line of fifty miles long, so it is not easy 
 to bring numbers to one point ; and as the 
 strength of the enemy would mcrease m 
 proportion to the delay, an immediate attack 
 is determined upon. All is in agitation; 
 our situation becomes worse, and though this 
 engagement may affect our present salvation, 
 it will be of little strategical use, for the 
 same thing, if the frost continues, may hap- 
 pen again and again, and finally Holland 
 
 must be lost. 
 
 Amerongen, Jan. 4th.— Three mails are 
 come, and we have had the blessing of hear- 
 ing from England. Everything here wears 
 the appearance of a campaign, only with 
 frost and snow, instead of sun and summer. 
 Judge of the difference that makes in all 
 resp^ects. General Harcourt moved to this 
 village the day before yesterday, he is in a 
 miserable house, and his servants are obliged 
 to sit up in the kitchen ; but these are trifles 
 scarce worth naming. The great misfortune 
 is that the sick are obliged to be moved, 
 
 4» 
 
 saw* 
 
 with the thermometer at S*" and 12°. Above 
 2,000 must be sent nearly sixty miles, and 
 doubtless many will die on the way. As 
 I came here to-day I met some of them on 
 the road. Poor souls, they could not arrive 
 at their destination for the ni^ht till lone 
 after dark, and then, while unloading, have 
 to lie a great while in uncovered waggons. 
 I will not, cannot tell you half the miseries. 
 For many days I have witnessed such scenes ; 
 for their first stop is at Arnheim, and the 
 number carried through each day is about 
 250. Unluckily my servant in coming here 
 was run over by a little chaise, and is a good 
 deal hurt ; he is the chief person I have to 
 depend upon. Prince Ernest hearing of my 
 distress, has offered me one of his, which 
 I shall accept, for I only stay here to-night 
 on my way to Utrecht, as there is not room 
 for me at this place. I think General Har- 
 court will have to move frequently now, so 
 I shall stay at Utrecht, which is about five 
 leagues off, till things are more settled. 
 
 It freezes harder than ever ; everything, 
 
B^ 
 
 ^»-*i 
 
 >»y iw 
 
 582 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 everywhere, is all ice and snow. The Dutch 
 are negotiating, but that does not stop the 
 French ; nor will they stop when all be- 
 fore them is a plain. A week must bring 
 all to a crisis ; all will end by a thaw, or by 
 neeotiation, or we shall be driven out of 
 Holland ; never was there a more anxious 
 moment than the present. 
 
 The General is sadly off for want of more 
 people. Major Beckwith was obliged to be 
 left at Arnheim on account of a bad fall 
 from his horse, and Amedee is gone to Os- 
 naburgh to attend the Princess. It really 
 was a compliment to send him with the in- 
 formation Lord Malmesbury wanted ; but 
 being his own relation, an^ his aide -de- 
 camp, he thought him the most proper per- 
 son he could employ, and that it would be 
 a mark of respect to the Prince of Wales. 
 I shall be wretched if anything serious hap- 
 pens while he is gone, for I always feel that 
 he is so attached to the General that in 
 action he would risk his own life to save 
 him; he has a new aide-de-camp to-day, 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 583 
 
 Captain Hawkesworth, but he and Captain 
 Taylor, the Duke's secretary, are all he has 
 with him, and he ought to have four or 
 five. His situation is truly awkward, for he 
 IS left with the appliances of a Lieutenant- 
 General, and the w^ants of a Commander- 
 in-Chief. 
 
 I suppose I shall see the Princess if she 
 comes to Utrecht ; she was to stay at Osna- 
 burgh till Amedee arrived, but would pro- 
 bably leave it to-day, and be at Utrecht on 
 Tuesday or Wednesday. The Duchess of 
 Brunswick is to accompany her, and to re- 
 turn as soon as she has delivered her up to 
 the ladies. I do not hear that the ships are 
 yet come, I fancy General Harcourtwill send 
 Captain Stopford with the Princess from 
 Utrecht to the Texel, that he may have 
 Amedee again. The frost is as violent as 
 ever ; while it lasts the prospects of the 
 French are too good for them to grant peace, 
 or even a truce, to the Dutch. 
 
 January 6th. — I was prevented from going 
 to Utrecht yesterday. To-day General Har- 
 
584 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 court will move to another village. The 
 French have passed the Waal again ; they 
 came on with such fury yesterday they forced 
 one of our posts, but were repulsed ; they 
 are now in force upon our right, and nothing 
 but a thaw can save us. Sir Robert Laurie 
 is slighdy wounded in the face with a sabre. 
 Twenty French hussars penetrated through 
 all the ranks to get at the Generals. They 
 were all killed, but their bravery was pro- 
 dio-ious. General Harcourt is well, but sadly 
 harassed. If he has one quality above the 
 rest, it is quickness of decision; General 
 Walmoden is the reverse, he is undecided 
 and slow ; but he is a very clever man, and 
 good and amiable. 
 
 January 9th. — I have but a moment to 
 tell you that General Harcourt is well, though 
 he was all yesterday morning in action, after 
 passing two nights without rest in confer- 
 ences, &c. This campaign is indeed severe ; 
 much more so than any we have had. I 
 write from Utrecht ; we had some hope of 
 a thaw, but it freezes harder than ever. 
 
 Three times yesterday the French returned 
 with fresh troops ; we had none to relieve 
 ours, yet we beat them. Colonel Duller was 
 killed. Colonel Hope dangerously wounded, 
 and three other officers. I do not know 
 where we shall go ; all depends upon Hea- 
 ven's will and the weather. Most probably 
 we shall go off towards Germany, and you 
 may hear of us wintering at Osnaburgh. 
 I know not how I shall ever get home by 
 long sea ; people tease me now to go off by 
 Helvoet, but that I will not do. Things may 
 mend ; but if a thaw does not come you will 
 see all the Orange family emigres in Eng- 
 land. Lord St. Helen s has sent to stop the 
 Princess at Osnaburgh, or at Bentheim. I 
 hope my next letter will be more comfort- 
 able. Remember, you must never quote me. 
 Deventer, Overysel, Jan. 14th. — Such a 
 campaign was never known ; such hard ser- 
 vice of body and mind. I came off to this 
 place in a hurry, had a sad journey, and 
 am very anxious, knowing nothing of the 
 General. 
 
 4 F 
 
586 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 Jan 1 6th.— Mr. Paget will give you an 
 account of our horrid situation ; of such dis- 
 tresses as no army ever suffered ; and of 
 every misfortune weather can occasion to 
 human creatures ; and I pray God that he 
 may be able to tell you that he has stood 
 the horrors of the three last days ; I have 
 
 not heard of him. 
 
 Deventer, Jan. 22nd.— I thank God that 
 I am here ; I should have died of suspense 
 in England. The mail went yesterday with 
 despatches ; a duplicate of them goes to-day 
 by a different means. 1 have only time to 
 send a few lines to all those I love, to beg of 
 you to make your minds easy as to our per- 
 sonal safety ; we are here, on the banks of 
 the frozen Yssel. The French are at Arn- 
 heim and its environs, in great force ; their 
 chief army is marched into the province of 
 Holland which we were obliged to leave, or 
 our troops would have been sacrificed, and 
 you would have heard of us as prisoners on 
 
 the road to Paris. 
 
 The march of our army, over the most 
 
 __ 
 
 horrid dreary wastes you ever saw, was 
 shocking beyond conception. No tree, no 
 house was there to shelter our troops, no- 
 thing but wild heaths, covered with snow, 
 and the severest frost that ever was known. 
 
 I need not tell you that many are lost, by 
 being out on such nights, and of those that 
 are come in, numbers have lost their limbs 
 and features by their being frozen. General 
 Harcourt gave his own chaise to bring off 
 two women who had just been brought to 
 bed. He was near losing his fingers, but 
 they are recovered. He is not ill, but he 
 has a bad cough, looks thin, and cannot sleep 
 from anxiety ; but he is satisfied that, under 
 the existing circumstances, no human power 
 could have done more. The fall of Holland 
 is the will of Heaven, and to that we must 
 submit. We shall stay here as long as the 
 French will let us. Our outposts between 
 this place and Arnheim were attacked yes- 
 terday. It was a Hanoverian post ; they 
 drove the French back, and killed nearly a 
 hundred. Since I wrote last, Major Beckwith 
 
 '(i 
 
has been with a flag and trumpet about 
 money for our prisoners; he dined with 
 General Vaudame, and it was a curious day. 
 Deventer, Jan. 28th.— I feel for the anxiety 
 I am sure you suffer; but we are still safe, 
 and Heaven supports General Harcourt 
 through difficulties hard to bear. His cool- 
 ness and serenity never forsake him, and 
 conscious rectitude consoles him ; his mind 
 seems to rise with adversity. He has no 
 assistance, but thinks of everything, and his 
 exertions have saved the army ; for thus far 
 it is saved, except the part of it that cold 
 and hardships have destroyed, and that, 
 alas ! is not inconsiderable. 
 
 I could not tell you all I have seen; a 
 heart of stone would be moved; children 
 frozen on their mothers' breasts; women 
 lying-in in baggage- waggons, frozen while 
 they were in labour; others carrying their 
 new-born infants till they dropped ; no pos- 
 sible shelter for miles. No, you cannot con- 
 ceive such horrors ; surely they will have an 
 end; at least, I trust that we shall have 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 589 
 
 a little rest here before we again encounter 
 fresh dangers and fresh fatigues. Such, how- 
 ever, we must expect to find in the whole 
 province of Over-Yssel, and in that part of 
 Westphalia to which we may be driven. 
 
 The thermometer to-night is at 1 1°, and 
 it is a month since the rivers began to freeze. 
 General Harcourt prophesied the frost would 
 last six weeks, and, long since, would, if 
 he might, have acted accordingly. How- 
 ever, much has been saved by his having 
 this opinion, though twice, upon the appear- 
 ance of a thaw for a few hours, he was 
 persuaded to stay. Perhaps it is as well 
 that he did so, for it proved incontestably 
 the necessity of a retreat. Even the Dutch 
 scarce wished us to remain any longer ; they 
 knew our little army could not save them, 
 and they thought that as they must fall, they 
 might perhaps be able to make better terms 
 without us. Our staying has been the means 
 of expediting many stores and sick that must 
 have been left if we had gone sooner ; but 
 this has been done by incredible exertions, 
 
 t r 
 
 ii 
 
) 
 
 T 
 P 
 
 590 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 and in spite of every difficulty the ungrateful 
 Dutch could throw in our way. 
 
 Ill-nature, malice, and envy cannot attempt 
 to throw any blame on General Harcourt for 
 these calamities. All who know things as 
 they are, must be, and are, convinced that, 
 under the existing circumstances, no human 
 power could have saved Holland. The 
 country has no defence but its waters ; and 
 a superior enemy, in such a season as this, 
 will always be irresistible. Had we re- 
 mained, or tried to go off another way, the 
 army must have laid down their arms, or 
 have been put to the sword. What remains 
 of It after this long campaign, and all the 
 fati^aies and hardships they have under- 
 gone, will now, I hope, soon be in a place 
 
 of safety. 
 
 Surely the French, having Holland for 
 their object, will not pursue us much fur- 
 ther. Here we are by no means out of their 
 reach ; and, if the Austrians are not steady 
 on our flank, we shall be in a bad situation. 
 We must, at any rate, maintain our ground 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 591 
 
 till our sick and stores are moved, and maga- 
 zines are made elsewhere. 
 
 January 29th. — To-day the thermometer 
 is at 9"", and our sick are being moved. We 
 have 1,600 sick in this town, and cannot get 
 sufficient waggons for them, so poor is this 
 country. I never knew what cold was be- 
 fore ; and the people here seem to make no 
 provision against it. Their houses are ill- 
 built, few rooms have chimneys, and none 
 have any stoves, as in Germany. The in- 
 habitants make use of a few embers in 
 chauffepieds ; they say they never knew such 
 a winter as this, and that it is wonderful 
 to have so long a frost. Is it not won- 
 derful that, with my indifferent constitution, 
 I should have been able to go through so 
 much, and never to have been prevented 
 moving when it was necessary ? Though 
 my rest is often broken, I can sleep again ; 
 this is not the General's case ; he has too 
 much to think of, and you must expect to 
 see us ten years older. 
 
 I fear England will suffer by the loss of 
 
 H 
 
!■' 
 
 Holland, from the French getting all the 
 shipping, stores, and sailors belonging to the 
 Dutch. The power of French requisition- 
 ing will bring all into use against us, and 
 fifty sail of the line may easily be fitted out. 
 All Europe may be influenced by this event, 
 and no one can say what will be the situa- 
 tion of any kingdom twelve months hence. 
 Sanguine persons say it will unite all the 
 powers more strongly, and make them exert 
 themselves still more. Here is a climax ; 
 all have been united ; all have exerted them- 
 selves against the French, and what has it 
 availed ? It has proved that no combination 
 of armies from different countries can make 
 head against the forces of one great nation 
 which is in earnest and acts with spirit. 
 
 Voltaire says this ever was, and ever will 
 be so ; the Crusades proved it ; we proved 
 it in the last war, when so many Powers 
 united against us; and the French prove it 
 now. I shall like to know what is said in 
 England ; but you will hear less than others ; 
 first, because you live so much at Court ; 
 
 and next, because General Harcourt has 
 been so much concerned in these late trans- 
 actions. Remember, that though, from the 
 proportion the British bear to the Hano- 
 verians, and from other circumstances, Gene- 
 ral Harcourt's share in all that is done is 
 great ; an equal degree of responsibility, per- 
 haps apparently more, falls upon General 
 Walmoden. 
 
 I think now we shall go to Osnaburgh. 
 The fate of the Orange family cuts me to 
 the heart ; you will hear of them before I 
 shall. The Stadtholder and the two Princes 
 nobly determined to stay to the last. A per- 
 son present told me, that when it was pro- 
 posed to him to go off, he said, ''No, I 
 and my sons are at the head of the coun- 
 try, and if it falls we will fall with it; my 
 wife, my daughter-in-law, and the poor In- 
 fanta, shall embark this night in a fishing- 
 boat. I fear the inclement weather for his 
 tender age, but Heaven will preserve his 
 innocence." 
 
 The person answered, *' Sir, remember 
 
 
 4 G 
 
594 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 B 
 
 IF 
 
 what a pledge you would be in the hands 
 of the French ; remember the guillotine." 
 
 " I see It," replied the Stadtholder, '' be- 
 fore me, and the fate of the King of France ; 
 and I pray God that, in courage and forti- 
 tude, I may follow his example if the same 
 lot awaits me." 
 
 That angel, Prince Frederick, in all this 
 trial, has proved as great and good as he 
 w^as expected to be. General Harcourt says 
 he is a bright jewel, and probably one day 
 will make a great figure in Europe. We 
 have heard from Lord Malmesbury that he 
 is carrying the Princess back to Hanover. 
 I am anxious about Lord St. Helen's ; the 
 flieht of the em/c^es from Holland has been 
 more dreadful than any I have witnessed 
 before. The poor Comte d^Artois is gone 
 to Osnaburgh. 
 
 Rhine, Feb. 2nd. — I write, but I know not 
 when you may get my letter. I hear that 
 no water is to be seen from any of the Ger- 
 man ports ; and the despatches of General 
 Harcourt, sent ten days ago, with their du- 
 
 *. 
 
 plicates, are still upon the Continent. Our 
 sufferings since my last letter have been 
 great, perhaps even greater upon this march 
 than on the former one ; much too great for 
 you to conceive, and I see no end of them. 
 The weather is dreadfully severe ; and poor 
 and barren as was the country we have left, 
 we find this still worse; it is still more de- 
 void of comforts ; there are less means of 
 covering and feeding our poor little army ; 
 and we have the double regret of feeling, 
 that, while we are starving ourselves, we 
 shall make a famine in the wretched places 
 we pass through. 
 
 We stayed to the last moment we could 
 keep the Yssel ; we knew we had an army 
 of altogether near 150,000 men against us, 
 and that 60,000, who were in the imme- 
 diate line opposed to us, were supposed to 
 be preparing to pursue us. General Har- 
 court did not himself think the danger so 
 very pressing, and it was to him a great 
 object to get off, from the town of the Yssel, 
 all our sick and all our ammunition. This 
 
. 
 
 I 
 
 ft 
 
 % 
 
 i 
 I 
 
 596 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 General Walmodcn could not feel so anxious 
 about ; his troops, being fewer, were already 
 gone. From the difficulty of procuring wag- 
 gons, a small part of ours only could be 
 moved each day ; much therefore did Gene- 
 ral Harcourt wish to stay a little longer, but 
 he could not overcome General Walmoden's 
 apprehensions. The Austrians, too, were 
 desirous of falling back, and a new line of 
 defence was determined upon. The bat- 
 teries and forage were all removed, and the 
 two first days' march were taken, when a 
 message arrived from General Walmoden 
 to beg us to return, which was then im- 
 possible. 
 
 The means were all gone ; besides which 
 our poor fatigued soldiers were harassed to 
 death, and we had no means of subsisting 
 them had we gone back. This unsteadhiess 
 makes Walmoden, though one of the clever- 
 est men of the world, totally unfit for war. 
 Perhaps more harm may be done by chang- 
 ing a plan every other day than by ad- 
 he'i-incr to a bad one, so much confusion 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 597 
 
 must be occasioned in an army by every 
 new system. 
 
 Like all the Generals of the present time, 
 Walmoden is more of a politician than a 
 soldier. Letters from Vienna, from Berlin, 
 from Brunswick, shake his resolutions ; he 
 is always negotiating, and cannot attend to 
 the immediate necessities of the army. Then, 
 of course, he is partial to his own troops, 
 and gives ours the worst country to canton in 
 and to march through. General Harcourt's 
 firm, decided character suits better with mili- 
 tary operations. When we marched from 
 Deventer he would not let me go by myself, 
 for we had heard so much, and knew so 
 much, of the ill-disposition of the province 
 of Over-Yssel, that he thought it necessary 
 to keep me with the army. You may ima- 
 gine that I made no objection ; it was plea- 
 santer, as well as safer, than being sent 
 alone to Osnaburoh, which I could not have 
 reached under four days. I therefore made 
 the same marches and halts as our column, 
 and stayed at head- quarters, but such head- 
 
 I 
 

 II 
 
 t:, 
 
 .) 
 
 ■a1 
 
 598 
 
 Anecdotes rI'J.ating to 
 
 quarters ! The poorest villages you ever 
 saw ; the worst ale-houses were our habi- 
 tations. The dirt of them cannot be de- 
 scribed ; but we had food and shelter, which 
 last was not the case with our poor soldiers. 
 Their wretched wives, who were obliged to 
 walk, and to walk in such weather! Oh! 
 you cannot conceive the scene it was. 
 
 Unluckily, the morning we set out it 
 thawed; it had rained all night, which had 
 melted much of the snow, and this made the 
 roads intolerable through which these poor 
 creatures were to wade. Any one might 
 have traced our route on the first day's 
 march by dead horses, broken waggons, and 
 struo-o-lino- convalescents, who were too weak 
 to keep up with the baggage or their regi- 
 ments. I took up one man half dead under 
 a hedge ; I came up with a woman leading 
 a young man, who could hardly crawl, wrap- 
 ped up in a blanket, a little child followed 
 her, and she had another in her arms. I 
 asked who she was leading? "It is my 
 son," she said, *'he has the fever; my hus- 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 599 
 
 band is dead of it; he and my son were 
 fellow-soldiers ; these others are my chil- 
 dren." Another soldier and his wife have 
 died of fever in twenty-eight hours; they 
 have left a little girl of six years old. In 
 the wretched ale-house where we slept the 
 bed was wet from the snow that had pene- 
 trated to it. 
 
 The next day was worse ; it rained all the 
 morning ; all our poor people walked till they 
 were soaked with the wet ; towards niofht it 
 began to freeze again, and their clothes were 
 already frozen upon their backs. The officers, 
 when they came in, had long icicles all over 
 them ; their hair all stiffened. We had that 
 day a better quarter ; General Harcourt did 
 not come in till very late. I fear little now 
 for any officer ; the misery of the poor sol- 
 diers occupies all my thoughts. Sick wag- 
 gons overturned, pressed drivers running 
 away with their horses, and leaving the wag- 
 gons on the road, — ■ these are the horrors 
 which surround us, and which I rejoice you 
 cannot know. It snowed all night, but the 
 
6oo 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 next day we halted, so the road got a little 
 
 tracked. 
 
 On the 30th we marched again, and this 
 was the worst of all ; it had frozen very 
 hard, but not sufficiently to enable the in- 
 undations caused by the thaw to bear the 
 weio-ht of the carriages. There was still 
 a thick bed of old ice beneath, and I cannot 
 describe the difficulties this produced. Gene- 
 ral Harcourt, for the first time, went with 
 me himself, and I knew his kind reason was 
 the danger of the roads. We found great 
 impediments from two rivers that had over- 
 flowed, and we were nine hours going six 
 leagues. I was obliged to walk half-a-mile 
 over an inundation, with the ice cracking so 
 much all round that we expected it to break 
 in at every moment, as, indeed, it did in 
 many places. One poor woman and child 
 slipped in up to her shoulders just before 
 me ; however, it was kept as thin of passen- 
 gers as possible till I got over. The crowd- 
 ine toeether, of course, increased the danger. 
 At last, by the help of three convalescent 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 601 
 
 grenadiers, we arrived safe at a house ; but 
 such a house ! and yet they called It a farm- 
 house ; the cattle and people, who hardly 
 seemed in a state of civilization, were all 
 huddled together. I could only compare 
 the appearance to my idea of a wigwam. 
 They had a turf fire in the middle of the 
 floor, and a hole in the roof served instead 
 of a chimney to let the smoke out. Round 
 this fire they sat warming their feet and 
 hands, and eating black stuff they called 
 bread, with now and then a bit of raw bacon 
 or raw sausage to flavour it. Truly glad 
 was I to join the party round this fire, hav- 
 ing for my companions two poor Scotch- 
 women, with their infants, a sick man, a 
 driver, and the inhabitants. 
 
 Dirt and cleanliness are now become so 
 nearly the same to me that I really do not 
 mind things that would have made me sick 
 in England ; nor have I a fear left, so much 
 will habit reconcile one to everything. The 
 General was then gone to the passage to 
 help to bring on the chaise and baggage. 
 
 4 H 
 
 Ir 
 
There the scene was still more dreadful : 
 a channel was cut for a road, but the water 
 was so full of broken ice that nothing could 
 get through but my four strong Flemish 
 mares. One baggage-cart was an hour in 
 the water ; many were overturned, and seve- 
 ral horses drowned. When we could pro- 
 ceed I took leave of my Scotch-women, after 
 having, with great difficulty, persuaded them 
 that they might yet live to see their own 
 country again. They informed me that the 
 house we had met in was one of the most 
 considerable farms in those parts, and that 
 none were cleaner. What can be expected 
 where the soil is too bad to encourage cul- 
 tivation, and where there is no commerce. 
 This is, I believe, the case in a great part 
 of Germany. 
 
 We were now entering the Kings pro- 
 vince of Bentheim. The town of that name 
 is as miserable a place as ever you saw ; 
 the castle, an old building, and not large, 
 is singularly situated, as it stands on a rock 
 in the midst of sandy heaths. We only 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 603 
 
 stopped there to refresh our horses. I 
 wished to go into the castle, but would not 
 venture as there was a hospital in it for 
 800 Hanoverians, some of whom had a very 
 bad fever. The next nine miles were ter- 
 rible ; the river Veight was overflowed, and 
 there was a stream that could not be passed 
 on foot, so, after waiting two hours, I got 
 through in my chaise, almost frozen. Our 
 baggage, and that of many others, was 
 oblieed to be left on the other side ; and, 
 alas, the waggons of sick and wounded 
 without end. They could have had no 
 chance of passing that night, but, by great 
 exertions. General Harcourt got 100 pea- 
 ' sants and as many soldiers to let off the 
 water, sufficiendy to make the road passable. 
 The moon helped us, and we arrived here 
 safely three days ago. Probably we shall 
 stay here a week or ten days. 
 
 We are at the post-house, it is the best 
 in the village ; and, except dirt, we are 
 tolerably comfortable. The turf fires are 
 one cause of the extreme filth, and all head- 
 
6o4 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 quarters must be dirty from the number of 
 persons constantly coming in covered with 
 mud and snow, which there are no house- 
 maids to take away. In my own room, how- 
 ever, I have a stove, which is such a dehght 
 I shall be sorry to go from hence. There 
 are no women here, which is also a comfort, 
 for my health and spirits are not equal to 
 any form or constraint. 
 
 General Harcourt is sadly vexed at oc- 
 currences which he cannot help, and that all 
 his endeavours cannot prevent pillage. So 
 long has the discipline of the army been 
 relaxed, and so difficult do the times make 
 it to restore it. The miseries, too, that the 
 soldiers suffer make them more inclined to 
 seize any relief, and indeed they almost render 
 them desperate. Our great plagues are the 
 e7mg7^e corps ; they are insufferable, and ruin 
 our credit wherever we go. The General 
 is determined to make the most severe ex- 
 amples of those who pillage themselves, or 
 do not prevent others from doing it, whether 
 they be British or foreign, whether officers, 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 605 
 
 soldiers, or servants ; and I hope, at last, 
 he will get the better of this cruel and dis- 
 graceful practice. 
 
 I will continue to write from time to time, 
 though Heaven knows when my letters will 
 reach you, or when I shall hear from you. 
 Adieu ! the snow is very deep, and the frost 
 very hard. The King of Prussia has been 
 trying to prevent our getting food or forage 
 from his country ; this is too bad ! In gene- 
 ral we passed quietly through the Dutch pro- 
 vince of Over-Yssel ; we saw many groups 
 of armed peasants, but they did not molest 
 us. We shall stay here till the ammunition 
 and sick have all got into their stations, 
 which must detain us a week at least. 
 
 Rhine, Feb. nth.— The thaw, which be- 
 gan the day before yesterday with incessant 
 rain, gives us hopes of once more having 
 the means of communication with dear Eng- 
 land, from which of late we have felt com- 
 pletely cut off. A messenger is going, and 
 I write, though I believe some of my letters 
 to you are still lying at Embden. We are 
 
 \ 
 
if 
 
 still at this dirtiest of all dirty places, and 
 still very, very anxious about our troops, 
 who are worn-out with fatigue and want of 
 rest, and are still at outposts with an enemy 
 coming on in force after them. How will 
 this end, and when ! 
 
 General Harcourt wished to have stayed 
 longer on the Yssel, and then to have marched 
 away from all Dutch territories at once ; but 
 General Walmoden controls him in all the 
 most essential points, and being a politician 
 by nature and habit, and connected by nego- 
 tiation with all the German powers, he cares 
 comparatively but little about the British in- 
 terests. In himself he is good and amiable; 
 we like him, and are well with him ; but he 
 is a politician, not a warrior ; a German, not 
 a Briton ; and this we feel to the cost of 
 our poor suffering army. We fear he is mis- 
 taken in the means he takes to procure the 
 end he desires ; for, by not departing from 
 the Dutch provinces immediately on leav- 
 ing the Yssel, we have drawn the French 
 after us, who are pledged to those provinces, 
 
 It'- 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 607 
 
 which are ripe for revolution, and which have 
 invited the invaders. Had we left them, a 
 few French commissioners would have done 
 what will now be effected by an armed 
 force ; and, instead of keeping the seat of 
 war from Germany, we have drawn it nearer 
 to it. Perhaps General Walmoden may 
 make a merit of it with the Kine and the 
 Duke of York, that instead of letting our 
 troops go into another country for rest, he 
 has kept them to guard Hanover and Osna- 
 burgh. This is very possible, but would be 
 very unfair. 
 
 The French are a wonderful people ; not 
 all this frost, nor snow, nor barren heaths, 
 can deter them from following us ; and, un- 
 less the King of Prussia will send at last 
 20,000 men, they will soon have all this 
 country. The King is the more likely to 
 do so, because he has just failed in a nego- 
 tiation which he has for some time been 
 carrying on with the French, and is at this 
 moment outrageous against them, and pro- 
 mises great things. To shew you, however. 
 
 ■-n 
 
6o8 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 how little he was to be depended upon whilst 
 he had any hopes that his treaty might suc- 
 ceed, he positively forbade our coming, even 
 the sick, into East Friezeland, or that any 
 magazines should be erected, or any forage 
 be drawn from thence ; and this prohibition 
 is but just taken off. How strange is our 
 situation ; we have heard nothing from Eng- 
 land since the loth of January. The frost 
 has now lasted ten weeks, and it will still be 
 many days before any port will be open for 
 vessels. We know not where the Orange 
 family are, but hope in England ; they got 
 off from Scheveling. 
 
 Osnaburgh, Feb. 23rd. — At last we have 
 had the consolation of hearing of you and 
 of all our beloved friends in England. You 
 can have no idea of the ecstasy the arrival 
 of the courier caused us all, and what a sen- 
 sation it made. Fortunately, I have not met 
 with one person who has not had good news 
 of their families, and I know of only one 
 who has lost a friend. All our society have 
 excellent accounts from those they care 
 
 i 
 
 about ; but we think the excessive misery 
 this army has gone through has not been 
 felt enough in England ; and in our suffer- 
 ings we had some consolation in the idea 
 that you all pitied, and grieved for us ; and 
 in some sort, shared our woes, and were not 
 dancing and singing while we were sorrow- 
 ing. In general I fear we have been little 
 thought of; however, I plainly see that has 
 not been the case at Harcourt House, for 
 I am afraid you and Lord Harcourt have 
 been in the other extreme. 
 
 Our personal situation is now perfection ; 
 from the dirty village of Rheine we arrived 
 the second day at Osnaburgh, where we are 
 lodged " chez le Grand Prevot" in a very 
 magnificent hotel, beautifully furnished ; and 
 our host is the most civil man I ever knew. 
 Of course, there is no woman here, as he 
 is the head of the Church. He is greatly 
 attached to, and has the highest opinion of 
 our King ; he says he is his hero for virtue 
 and goodness, and that he values these qua- 
 lities more and more, as the appreciating 
 
 4 I 
 
 - } 
 
6io 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 them, alone can restore peace and comfort 
 
 to Europe. 
 
 We had a better march than usual to this 
 place, but since I came I have not been 
 well. I brought on a bad headache by in- 
 dulging too much in the pleasure which the 
 war^mth of this house gave me ; it may be 
 heated to any degree by the delightful stoves 
 they have here; so that though the ther- 
 mometer yesterday was at 23° out of the 
 window, I, upon a sofa at the farthest end 
 from the stove of a very large room, with 
 great folding doors opening into a suite of 
 rooms, found that the thermometer near me 
 was at 60°. The having no appearance of 
 fire, in a cheerful apartment upstairs, where 
 I do not see the snow, makes me forget that 
 it is winter ; and the lounging from room to 
 room, with tables and parties in every corner, 
 is such a luxury, and such a change from 
 the situation I have long been in, that it is 
 difficult to remember that I am relaxing my- 
 self to death. From this I have already 
 suffered, for the moment I breathed the out- 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 611 
 
 ward air I felt the effect of it, and must be 
 more careful ; and, delightful as these stoves 
 are, perhaps it is necessary to have been 
 always used to them not to suffer from them. 
 The cleanliness here is another joy, and if 
 I had health and spirits equal to living in 
 society, I should be very comfortable; but 
 both are sadly broken, and the exertion of 
 the two first days was too much for me. 
 
 General Harcourt is well ; but has so 
 much business to settle, and so much writ- 
 ing, that he cannot go out enough ; and, in 
 truth, the temptation to do so is not strono-, 
 for the ground is again covered with snow, 
 and the frost is wonderfully hard. Amedee 
 is no longer in our family, he is in the Ad- 
 jutant-General's office, which is a creditable 
 thing for him, though not more profit- 
 able ; it will make him w^ork very hard, and 
 his talents will become known, which must 
 be an advantage to him. Major Beckwith, 
 and the Captains Stuart, Hawkesworth, and 
 Taylor, and some others of the staff, are now 
 always with us ; besides which, it is neces- 
 
 n 
 
6l2 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 sary to ask so many of the other officers, 
 that we are never less than from fifteen to 
 twenty at table. No wines but Port and 
 Madeira are drunk, but they are six and 
 seven shillings a - bottle ; and our house- 
 keeping costs us from ^80 to £90 a-week, 
 so that in every way we shall be ruined if 
 we stay much longer here. I do not mean 
 that we need continue to have constantly so 
 large a table as we have had. 
 
 Upon the march, and in the horrors of the 
 last two months, it was necessary to feed all 
 the department belonging to head-quarters, 
 as we had better means of being provided 
 than others, and it was impossible not to 
 wish to assist all. Now that we are setded, 
 I hope many may be otherwise taken care of. 
 We have been obliged to maintain nearly 
 as lartre a number, except servants, as the 
 Duke did ; and so must every Commander- 
 in-Chief, whether he is in permanent or tem- 
 porary command, makes no difference. The 
 Duke's pay was ^10 a-day, and ^12,000 
 a-year for his table besides. 1 hope General 
 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 613 
 
 Harcourt, for the time he has had the com- 
 mand, will be allowed the ^10 a-day, as 
 IS usually the case ; if this is done he will be 
 satisfied, for it will nearly pay the extra ex- 
 penses, and we shall not lose much. He 
 does not mean to serve another campaign 
 here, though he would not desert the cause 
 in the great moment of difficulty. We now 
 hope he may obtain leave to return home 
 without any possible blame or objection. 
 He told the Duke his wishes and inten- 
 tions before he went, and has repeated them 
 since. 
 
 It is necessary for the general good that 
 a person should be appointed so high in 
 military rank as to be entitled to take the 
 whole command. Two separate commands, 
 or English commanded by foreigners, can 
 never do well in the end, unless the com- 
 mander were some great sovereign who put 
 himself at the head of the whole army. 
 
 From what I have said, you will see that 
 it is probable we shall return in April or 
 May ; and it will be well for you to prepare 
 
the world for our coming. If Heaven had 
 allowed success, such precaution would not 
 be necessary, but as Holland is lost, though 
 nobody was in fault, it is proper to have it 
 understood that it is not from being dis- 
 missed or recalled that General Harcourt 
 leaves Germany, but in consequence of a re- 
 quest long since made, and which even yet 
 is not granted. I have the happiness of 
 seeincT him liked and loved by the army, and 
 am sure he will be regretted ; but we can 
 live but once, and ten years are passed in 
 the last two, so much older are we both in 
 looks, health, and spirits. 
 
 Lord Cathcart has acquitted himself par- 
 ticularly well in a very difficult command, 
 that of the right column of our army. It 
 was to pass through the province of Gron- 
 incren, which we knew to be remarkably hos- 
 tile ; and, being cut off from the rest of our 
 troops by immense morasses, we were under 
 o-reat apprehensions for him and his corps. 
 He managed, however, so well, as to get 
 safely to this post ; partly by treating the 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 615 
 
 people civilly, and partly by making them 
 afraid of him. The Province and the town 
 of Groningen had declared for the French, 
 and mounted the white cockade, before the 
 column passed. All Lord Cathcart^s reports 
 are clear and exact, and the General thinks 
 highly of him. 
 
 We have been sadly vexed at the negli- 
 gence of Hunter, the messenger, by going 
 in a chaise when he ought to have rode ; 
 stopping to go to bed, he loitered so long 
 upon the road that when he got to the sea- 
 shore the ships were sailed. This really 
 may be of serious consequence to General 
 Harcourt, for the letters of officers and others 
 will arrive in England, whilst no despatches 
 or army-bag of later date than January will 
 be forthcoming. There was no other mes- 
 senger to send; this man had come from 
 Embden but the week before, and must 
 have been drunk or mad to act as he has 
 done. How can they employ such people 
 in Government places of such importance ; 
 it will be a shame if he is not broken im- 
 
1 
 
 \ 
 
 mediately. For the General's sake make 
 Hunter's conduct known. The Elbe is 
 frozen again, but a channel is cut, and ves- 
 sels may get in. Tell the Duke of York 
 how everybody likes Osnaburgh, and how 
 good the inhabitants are to the troops ; we 
 all wish he was here. I long to know how 
 you like the poor Orange family. Prince 
 Ernest and Prince Adolphus are to come 
 here to a ball to-morrow night. 
 
 Osnaburgh, March ist.— I have no good 
 news to tell you ; as far as we can judge, 
 the French have no intention of letting our 
 poor troops enjoy the rest they hoped to 
 find here. They attacked our outpost the 
 day before yesterday, on three different 
 points, and though we are still in possession 
 of them, it is at the expense of lOO men 
 killed and wounded. The regiment of La 
 Chartre behaved most nobly, they main- 
 tained the post eight hours till they had no 
 communication left, two of their men were 
 killed and fifty wounded. This was an essay 
 the French chose to make. We knew that 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 617 
 
 they were coming on in greater force the 
 next day, and we must have abandoned all 
 our posts or have been annihilated ; but 
 what was very extraordinary, on the march 
 they received an estafette, and turned about, 
 and for the present have quitted the posts 
 they had opposite to us. Whether they 
 mean to collect, and attack us more to the 
 right, we cannot tell. 
 
 General Harcourt's great anxiety has been 
 for Lord Cathcart, whose situation has been 
 most dangerous, the water having carried 
 away his bridge of communication ; and we 
 have been in constant dread of hearinof that 
 his Httle corps was attacked. He is all spirit, 
 and, though in by far the most disagreeable 
 position of any person in the whole allied 
 army, has never grumbled, but done his duty 
 like a soldier, while others complain if they 
 have any exertion to make. I hope the 
 bridge will be rebuilt in a few days, and 
 then, in case of an attack, he will be able 
 to get off. 
 
 I cannot think the chance of our staying 
 
 4 K 
 
 *r 
 
 ■<iMaiiN«Ma*«««nn>««ii 
 
\\. 
 
 6i8 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 here is great ; if the French advance, our 
 little army must retire, though not without 
 making an effort first. We have a large 
 body of Prussians coming in our rear, who 
 p7^etend to us that they mean to assist us to 
 keep our post ; but we know that the truth 
 is that they are upon the march backwards, 
 in consequence of an arrangement with the 
 French. In short, we know such horrors, 
 and the situation of everything is so truly 
 desperate, that it would take volumes to ex- 
 plain it ; and the General foresees such 
 misery, and is so truly wretched, he would 
 give half he is w^orth in the world to get 
 home, at any rate. 
 
 The difficulties increase ; God grant him 
 strength of body and of mind to struggle 
 with them ; but he is sometimes so dis- 
 tressed that I can hardly stand it; luckily 
 he has perpetual business, he says himself 
 it is of use to him as it takes him from re- 
 flection. I am at times so low, and such 
 a wretch, you would hardly know me, but 
 always glad to be here ; suspense would 
 
 MM 
 
 ^■■•1 
 
 ■* . ■■■■> 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 
 
 619 
 
 have killed me in England, and it is of use 
 to the General to have a friend he can open 
 his heart to without reserve. This retreat 
 of the French, however, may be a respite ; 
 the complete thaw we now have, which has 
 just broken up the rivers, may have made 
 them determine, or they may be ordered, to 
 repose for the present. We must hope the 
 best, and wait as patiently as we can for 
 letters from England ; the last were dated 
 the 27th of January. 
 
 The delay of that abominable messenger 
 was most unlucky, and may have hurt Gen- 
 eral Harcourt's interest more than anything 
 else could have done. He missed the ves- 
 sels by drinking and idling upon the road ; 
 and God knows whether he or his letters 
 will ever get home. Do not fail to make 
 his conduct known. His father is an old 
 messenger, a favourite with the Prince of 
 Wales. He was found in bed at eio-ht in 
 the morning, whereas he should have set out 
 in the night. He was told that the General 
 would be displeased, to which he answered 
 
N>i 
 
 - 1 
 
 that " he might be displeased if he chose, for 
 he had a good friend at Carlton House who 
 would bring him off/' What impertinence. 
 
 And now, though with a heavy heart, 
 I will write upon a pleasanter subject, and 
 tell you that two days ago I had a visit 
 from the Duke of Oldenburg. He came in 
 the morning about some business relative 
 to his Duchy ; and, as he was to go away 
 the next day, I sent instantly to Madame de 
 Walmoden, who is a great friend of his, to 
 beg that she would contrive that I might see 
 him. He came after dinner, and spent the 
 evening with me ; unfortunately, I had a 
 great deal of other company, and whenever 
 I had got into a comfortable conversation 
 some one interrupted it ; but I think 1 said 
 enough to make him understand, with what 
 Madame de Walmoden said to his Grand 
 Marechal, that he is much considered and 
 esteemed by our Royal Family. He is, 
 indeed, a delightful man; I never heard 
 such general praise of any one ; his manner 
 is sensible, open, and charming, and one 
 
 mm 
 
 I'nm 
 
 mmtt» 
 
 
 may see that he is good-natured ; he is tall 
 and upright ; his face is long, and has strong 
 lines, and he looks older than he really is, 
 for you would suppose him to be forty-five, 
 and he is only thirty-nine years old. 
 
 He talked with extreme affection of his 
 children, and said he felt the danger his 
 country was in, for their sakes, not his own. 
 He praised England ; said he was once 
 there ; and what he particularly admired was 
 the domestic happiness he observed there ; 
 and spoke of his having once enjoyed it 
 himself. I was going to seize this oppor- 
 tunity of leading his thoughts towards what 
 we wish, when four ladies came to be intro- 
 duced to me. I could have seen them 
 beaten, with pleasure, but I did say a good 
 deal, and seemed so w^ell informed about 
 him that he was surprised, and asked how 
 I came to know so many particulars. I an- 
 swered, that I had the honour of livino- a 
 great deal with our Royal Family, and that 
 virtues like his must naturally be the object 
 of their attention, but I was sure they would 
 
 ^M^-»i»kMi**'i>*n,- 
 
^ , 
 
 \ . 
 
 r 
 
 ) 
 
 be glad to see him, and that I wished he 
 would visit them when there was a peace. 
 
 He said he was afraid his friends in Eng- 
 land had forgotten him. I replied, I did not 
 want him to see any friends but the Royal 
 
 amily. 
 
 Surely this, with what Madame de Wal- 
 moden said to the Grand Marechal, must 
 suggest to him the idea that an alliance 
 might take place. Perhaps he may return 
 here ; if he does he shall dine with us, and 
 then I may be able to sound him farther. 
 He had just said he meant to take his chil- 
 dren to England ; and, I think, was going 
 to add, to be educated there, when another 
 interruption stopped him. I never had so 
 many people come to be presented to me 
 as that night, which was very tormenting. 
 
 I suppose I need not tell you that the 
 Duke of Oldenburg is the identical Prince of 
 Holstein, Bishop of Lubeck, we have so often 
 talked of, and my meeting him and becom- 
 ing acquainted with him seems like a dream ; 
 but who can say, in these strange times, what 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795. 623 
 
 will or will not happen. Eagerly as I lono- 
 to return to England, I dread the voyage 
 for my health, and a little from the possi- 
 bility of being taken by the French. They 
 may perhaps prevent our attempting to go, 
 for as their object is to cut off our commu- 
 nication with the sea, they may probably 
 soon have Embden. We know they point 
 all their force northwards, and that they 
 are assembling at Groningen. The General 
 is going upon a reconnoitring party to see 
 Lord Cathcart, and visit all our posts ; it is 
 right he should go, but he will be absent 
 four or five days. 
 
 We have had a complete thaw, and though 
 the ground is again covered with snow, and 
 it freezes, no frost at this advanced season 
 can injure us. In the house the stoves keep 
 us so warm that we are often oblisfed to have 
 a window open. We have constant intelli- 
 gence from Lord Malmesbury, and hear that 
 the Princess of Wales has a very brilliant 
 Court at Hanover. General Harcourt means 
 to put public thanks in the orders to-day to 
 
 r 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 i 
 
624 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 t 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 t • 
 
 / 
 ( 
 
 the corps of Royal anigrcs ; they behaved 
 excellently well in the late affair, as is usual 
 with them all. Colonel Monsieur de Char- 
 tres was not with them ; none of these Colo- 
 nels ever are with their men when they are 
 upon duty, but upon some pretence at the 
 depot, or in the rear. This regiment always 
 conducts Itself so admirably, that General 
 Harcourt means to recommend it in England 
 to particular attention. 
 
 We sent Johnston, Lady Cecilia's son, 
 with a flag the other day to the French 
 army ; he stayed with it two days, and the 
 account he brought back was a very extra- 
 ordinary one. They owned that nothing but 
 the frost could have given them Holland, 
 and talked much of making a descent upon 
 England. Johnston executed his commis- 
 sion very well. 
 
 Osnaburg, March loth. — The letter I have 
 just received from you, and those that ac- 
 companied it, gave me less surprise than 
 concern. From little things I had heard 
 I thought this event not unlikely, if General 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795 
 
 625 
 
 Harcourt obtained the leave to return he had 
 so lono- solicited. If his leave had not been 
 granted, you could have answered for me, that 
 nothing would induce me to quit the Con- 
 tinent. The difficulty attending any lady s 
 coming over at this time to fetch the Prin- 
 cess made me think it not improbable that 
 I, being upon the spot, might be applied to. 
 As to rank, miHtary employments give it in 
 Germany, and the women share it with the 
 men; therefore, as General Harcourt's is of 
 the highest kind, I cannot be looked upon 
 as an improper person, and had I health 
 and spirits I would not call this nomination 
 a misfortune. I should then only feel the flat- 
 tering distinction, and the pleasure of being, 
 once in my life, able to be of some use to 
 those I truly love and honour ; but I really 
 now am unfit for anything, and want myself 
 all the attention I should be expected to pay 
 
 to another. 
 
 I am always wretchedly ill at sea, and how 
 I am to stand such a voyage, at such a sea- 
 son, I know not. In a frigate to ourselves, 
 
 4 L 
 
626 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 which we might easily have had, I could 
 have had every accommodation, and even 
 have waited for wind and weather ; however, 
 the die is cast, and I will do my utmost to 
 fulfil the duty that is imposed upon me as 
 I ought, or, at least, as well as I am able ; 
 and I pray God to grant me strength to go 
 through it. As to my conduct towards the 
 Princess, my line is very straight and easy ; 
 I would not accept of the first situation with 
 the first Empress in the world in the state 
 of health I am in, and am likely to be in. 
 I have no family ; no near relations ; I there- 
 fore can have no speculations, nor views upon 
 this earth, but to live a little longer quietly 
 upon It, if it pleases God that I should do 
 so, in peace and tranquillity, with General 
 Harcourt; and for his sake as well as my 
 own, to keep clear of all tracasseries what- 
 ever. Therefore, above all things, I should 
 wish to avoid prejudicing the Princess for 
 or against anybody. At her age, her likings 
 and her dislikes will probably be determined 
 by the circumstances of the moment; and 
 
 the Years 1792— i 795' 
 
 627 
 
 I ardendy and earnestly wish, for her own 
 sake, and for the sake of the King, the 
 Queen, the Prince of Wales, and our sweet 
 angelic Princesses, that her first and great 
 partiality and friendships may be in her own 
 respectable family, for nothing do I know 
 like them in any country. 
 
 I hear that the Princess is so amiable 
 and good-tempered that^ I cannot doubt her 
 pleasing them, and truly do I hope she will 
 make the Prince happy, who, I agree with 
 you, deserves to be so. I believe his heart 
 is naturally good, and his turn so domestic 
 and affectionate, that if he is loved, as I think 
 the Princess must love him, he will make the 
 best husband in the world. 
 
 There never was anything so unlucky as 
 General Harcourt's being absent at the mo- 
 ment of my receiving the letters from Lord 
 Malmesbury. I got them two days ago (the 
 8th). The general was not returned from 
 his excursion to our outposts, and was too 
 far off for me to be able to communicate with 
 him. I was therefore unavoidably obliged 
 
 i I 
 
*> 
 
 to detain the messenger ; for I could take no 
 step without him, nor can I set off before the 
 1 2th, nor hope to reach Hanover in less 
 than four or five days. By all accounts 
 the roads are intolerably bad, and above the 
 axle-tree every step ; a deep snow fell last 
 night, which is melting to-day, and, of course, 
 must make them worse. To add to all, I 
 have an inflammation in my eyes and face 
 that kept me in bed all day yesterday. I am 
 better this morning, and, as I will make no 
 unnecessary delays, I know I shall be in 
 time ; for the mouths of the rivers are still 
 too much frozen for any vessel to come in ; 
 and the Ems, six leagues from Embden, is 
 still passable for horses to go upon the ice ; 
 probably the Elbe is so too. I know not 
 what I shall do for clothes upon this occa- 
 sion, I have none with me, and as to money, 
 we are really ruined ; the miseries we see 
 make us think it wicked to spend upon our- 
 selves more than mere necessaries require, 
 and I have absolutely nothing to wear. 
 I must make some purchases at Hanover 
 
 for the voyage ; I shall, 1 have little doubt, 
 be in bed all the time. 
 
 Osnaburgh, March i rth.— I sent you a 
 letter yesterday, and since that I have re- 
 ceived one that frightens me to death. I 
 hope and believe the King knew nothing of 
 It; if he did, I should be barbarously and 
 cruelly taken in; and, unless I am satisfied, 
 I cannot go, for my health is not in a state 
 to bear further anxiety, or a long separation 
 from the General. Believe me, you would 
 scarce know me. I am weak, debilitated, 
 and emaciated beyond description. I will, 
 at all events, go to Hanover, and at all 
 events go on with them to Stadt, and then 
 embark, or not, as I am able. I certainly 
 will, if I can, for it would grieve me not 
 to pay this mark of duty to those I love 
 and honour; but I feel a coward now; the 
 idea of parting with General Harcourt to- 
 morrow kills me ; he is better than before he 
 went his tour ; eternal writing had hurt him ; 
 ridine 200 miles has done him good. I hope 
 that, at any rate, even if the troops stay, he 
 
630 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 will be allowed to give up his command ; but 
 the delay would be great, and I may be 
 many weeks in England, if I go, without 
 him; this I could not bear; in short, my 
 mind is sadly agitated. 
 
 Osnaburgh, March 12th.— One line only, 
 for I am just setting out for Hanover, and 
 my mind is relieved ; a letter of the 3rd had 
 alarmed me, but most fortunately this morn- 
 ing a naval officer is arrived with full powers 
 to settle the whole embarkation with General 
 Harcourt. Had I gone in the state of un- 
 certainty I was in yesterday, I could not have 
 lived. I hear Commodore Payne is off the 
 Elbe ; in it he cannot be, on account of the 
 ice; it snows, and I am going through the 
 vilest roads imaginable, and must be at least 
 four days going post 120 English miles. 
 I think it just possible they may not have 
 waited for me, and that I shall find them set 
 out, as I know they are very impatient ; but 
 I could not set out sooner. Pray say to the 
 Prince, from me, that I shall do my best 
 to discharge my duty to the Princess. 
 
 The arrival of the naval officer has re- 
 lieved me, so I hope to get through it. I feel 
 better than I have done this age ; the Gene- 
 ral came with such a joyful face into my 
 room to announce the good news, that it re- 
 vived me ; how fortunate that it arrived 
 before I was gone. Besides parting with 
 the General, I feel a litde low at leaving 
 head-quarters; we have lived like one fa- 
 mily, all harmony ; and the attention shewn 
 to me has been such, that I must ever look 
 upon each individual as a near friend. They 
 all love the General as he deserves to be 
 loved, and that adds to my regard for them. 
 This journey will complete our ruin. You 
 will wonder when I tell you that we shall be 
 thirteen people, and that I am to have fif- 
 teen horses with me ; but this is not for state, 
 or parade, but from necessity in these times 
 and these roads. 
 
 Hanover, March 17th.— I have an oppor- 
 tunity of sending a letter, and will not lose 
 it, thouo-h I have but a moment, and, with 
 these good Princesses, have no chance of 
 
*; 
 
 Ui • 
 
 / ' 
 
 r \ 
 
 I \ 
 
 632 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 having any time to myself. I arrived here 
 better than I was when I set out, and though 
 it snowed all the way, and was a hard frost, 
 the air and exercise did me eood. I am 
 nervous to-day, for playing at cassino in 
 a hot room for three hours, and then supping 
 at the Grand Convert, with above one hun- 
 dred persons standing over us, after my jour- 
 ney, and not getting to bed till after twelve, 
 was too much for me, and I could not sleep. 
 I must ask to be excused supping to-night. 
 I have been six hours with the Duchess of 
 Brunswick and the Princess this mornino-, 
 and am delighted with them. The good and 
 affectionate heart of the Duchess, and her 
 strong likeness to the King, makes me feel 
 partial to her; and the Princess is so very 
 good-natured, and has so great a desire to 
 please, that it is impossible she should not 
 succeed. 
 
 I fancy we shall go from hence to Stadt 
 on Tuesday, the 24th, and wait there. The 
 Duke of Brunswick is to meet us at the first 
 post, to take leave of his daughter, and carry 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 633 
 
 back the Duchess, who is unable to go fur- 
 ther, being quite worn out with agitation 
 
 and anxiety. 
 
 We must contrive not to arrive in Eng- 
 land in Passion Week, as a public marriage 
 could not at that time take place. The 
 Princess appears to have good health, and 
 her complexion is beautiful ; her great desire 
 is to be well with the Royal Family, and 
 particularly to be directed by the Queen 
 in everything, and this the Duchess seems 
 to inculcate, and to depend upon Her Ma- 
 jesty's goodness to form her by precept and 
 
 example. 
 
 I am lodcred in the Palace, in Prince Adol- 
 phus' apartment; everything here is very 
 mao-nificent, and kept up with as much state 
 as if Hanover was the actual residence of 
 the Elector, and has quite the air of a Court. 
 The horses and equipages belonging to the 
 Kino- are uncommonly fine ; the town is neat 
 and handsome, and the approach to it very 
 striking. I am pleased with Lord Malmes- 
 bury ; he seems to do his duty like an honest 
 
 4 M 
 
s-:'\k 
 
 634 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 man, who has the happiness of the Royal 
 Family at heart. 
 
 Hanover, March 6th.— To tell you that 
 I have no time to write is tiresome, but it 
 is true. Before I have breakfasted the dear 
 good Duchess comes into my room to talk 
 over those she adores in England, and to 
 cry over the sad idea, but yet pleasing cause, 
 of her separation from her beloved daughter. 
 She has quite captivated me by her affec- 
 tionate, tender heart, and her excellent prin- 
 ciples, and her desire, her anxious desire, 
 that the Princess should be directed only by 
 the King and Queen, and that she should 
 entirely put herself into Her Majesty's hands. 
 Never did I see anybody wish anything 
 so strongly ; and, I must say, it seems as 
 strongly the Princess's intention. I am sure 
 the Prince will love her, she is so affection- 
 ate, and he is so good-natured, and her de- 
 sire to please is very engaging. In looks 
 I think her most like a daughter of the Duke 
 of St. Alban's, perhaps a litde like Lady 
 Elizabeth Lambert, only fatter, and there 
 
 the Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 635 
 
 is some resemblance, in miniature, to what 
 Mrs. Fitzherbert was when young. She is 
 all openness of heart, and has not a shadow 
 
 of pride. 
 
 Our day keeps fixed for the 24th, and we 
 shall be four days going to Stadt ; the wea- 
 ther has been dreadful, and the ships are 
 driven out to sea, so it was lucky we were 
 not in them. I grieve to say that the 
 Duchess is not well enough to undertake 
 the journey ; she cannot even venture to go 
 to the first night's stage, as she intended ; her 
 nerves are torn to pieces with the excess of 
 her feelings and affection. I quite deHght 
 in her, but, nervous as we are, we are bad 
 companions for each other; she will move 
 gendy towards home the day we set out, and 
 she says the seeing the Duke again will sup- 
 port her. He is to meet us that night, and 
 join the Duchess the next day; I dread all 
 the parting scenes, to witness them will half 
 
 kill me. 
 
 As for impressions and tracasseries, I am 
 sorry to say that somebody has been wicked 
 
636 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 enough to write foolish anonymous letters 
 not only to the Duchess and Princess, but 
 even to the Duke. When they spoke to me 
 upon the subject I could only say, and it 
 was the exact truth, that, having been so 
 long out of England, I knew less of what 
 was passing there than anybody. I said 
 that I knew that, in the forming of all new 
 Courts and establishments, there were so 
 many competitors, that a thousand jealousies 
 must naturally arise ; that I supposed those 
 who could not get the good things were 
 angry with those who did; but that I did 
 not understand the stories, and concluded 
 that they were above half, or perhaps en- 
 tirely, lies. However, these letters are un- 
 lucky ; they came long ago ; they have had 
 
 none lately. 
 
 The Princess seems of a cheerful temper, 
 perfectly void of art or design. I cannot 
 praise Lord Malmesbury's conduct too much ; 
 it is excellent, and he is greatly respected 
 here; he has been really to the cause, as 
 well as to the Royal Family, of essential use. 
 
 
 o*'- 
 
 He does his duty by the Princess like an 
 honest man, and I am sure will be the most 
 useful man at Carlton House, if he is ad- 
 mitted there. My prejudices formerly were 
 not in his favour, so that I speak very im- 
 partially. I thank God I have a good ac- 
 count of General Harcourt, and I hope his 
 return will be facilitated and advanced by 
 some late movements in the allied army. 
 I think Hanover a delightful place ; London 
 and Paris excepted, I have seen none so 
 elegant; the Court is magnificent, and the 
 way of life comfortable. I am sure the 
 Prince will adore his wife, and she is pre- 
 pared and disposed to adore him, and to do 
 her duty by him. Assure those I love and 
 honour that I will do mine by her. 
 
 Stadt, March 27th. — We arrived here 
 perfectly well ; the Princess's reception was 
 delightful ; indeed, every village we passed 
 through did its utmost to shew its loyalty ; 
 I think the more you see of the Princess 
 the more you will like her, as I do. I see 
 our English captains are enchanted with 
 
M 
 
 
 her ; they all came here to pay their re- 
 spects. We shall go on board the cutter 
 that is to carry us to the ships to-morrow 
 morning ; the Princess is now in good spirits 
 ao-ain, but we had two painful separations, 
 from the Duchess, at Hanover, and from 
 the Duke, upon the road. My own spirits 
 are much improved by knowing that the 
 General is advancing fast towards the coast, 
 and hoping that he may embark in ten days. 
 Oh what joy to think that we are all upon 
 the point of being re-united ! 
 
 April the 3rd, 1 1 o'clock in the forenoon, 
 abreast of Aldborough, about four miles from 
 the dear English shore, on board the "Ju- 
 piter." — There never was so fine a passage 
 made, everything has been favourable and 
 propitious, and we are in health and safety 
 within si^ht of our blessed coast. The wea- 
 ther began to be fine the day we left Han- 
 over; the wind was fair, and though, by 
 being so gentle, it prolonged our voyage. 
 It gave us a sea smooth as glass, so that 
 we have not felt the motion of the ship. 
 
 f >-, 
 
 THE Years 1792 — 1795- 
 
 639 
 
 Our accommodations were good, our society 
 agreeable, and the whole has been like a 
 party of pleasure. 
 
 The Princess's sweet temper and affability 
 of manners has charmed and delighted every 
 one ; and all the officers of the ship declare 
 they should have had more trouble with any 
 London lady than Her Royal Highness has 
 given. She is always contented, and always 
 in good humour; and shews such pleasant, 
 unaffected joy at the idea of her prospect 
 in life, that it does one's heart good to 
 see anybody so happy. I do not yet know 
 where we are to land, and it may be Mon- 
 day or Tuesday before we get to London. 
 The courier who carries this will bring back 
 our orders. As for myself, the voyage has 
 certainly done me good, for the ship was 
 so steady that I was as well as if I had 
 been on shore, and am .now better than 
 I have been this age. 
 
 I should be quite content if I could be 
 sure that General Harcourt and our dear 
 army will have such a voyage. I fancy they 
 
■I* 
 
 mmm 
 
 ■w 
 
 i 
 
 M 
 
 will embark on Monday. We came up yes- 
 terday with a convoy of our poor sick and 
 wounded. They sailed from Embden four 
 days before us, and their smooth passage 
 has been fortunate for them, I did not think 
 the sea would be in such a state so far 
 
 from shore. 
 
 Good Friday, April 3rd, 12 o'clock.— I 
 open my letter again to ' say that it now 
 seems determined that we shall without loss 
 of time proceed to the Nore, as the wind is 
 fairer for that place than for Harwich. The 
 Princess is so well here, and so well ac- 
 commodated that it is certainly wisest to let 
 her remain on board till further orders from 
 His Majesty arrive, and the doing so will 
 save her much inconvenience and trouble. 
 If the wind should increase when we anchor, 
 it will be easy to change the plan. We 
 should have been close to the shore on 
 Wednesday, but so thick a fog arose that 
 we were obliged to anchor in the open sea. 
 I think everybody will be pleased with 
 the little treasure the "Jupiter" brings to 
 
 Eneland. I continue to be morfe and more 
 pleased with Lord Malmesbury. 
 
 Saturday night, April 4th. — We are here 
 in the Thames, on board the ''Jupiter," 
 and to-morrow we shall go in the yacht to 
 Greenwich, and from thence to London. 
 Have you got my letters ? Have you said 
 what I desired to the Oueen ? Seven mes- 
 senders have arrived since we have been 
 off land, and not a line from you. One pri- 
 vate letter would have been worth fifty de- 
 spatches to this dear Princess, for then she 
 would have euessed when she is to be mar- 
 ried ; she hopes not to-morrow. I wish it 
 may be on Tuesday, it will make the Duchess 
 of Brunswick so happy, for all the Bruns- 
 wick family think nothing good that does 
 not happen on that day of the week. 
 
 Here ended the correspondence. On Sun- 
 day, April 5th, the Princess landed at Green- 
 wich, where the King's carriages waited for 
 
 4 N 
 
r^-- .. T-» ii - i.i rT« <. 
 
 642 
 
 Anecdotes relating to 
 
 M 
 
 her. She was met by the Countess of Jersey, 
 her first Lady of the Bedchamber ; and the 
 Hon. Mrs. Aston, her first Bedchamber wo- 
 man ; the former, with Mrs. Harcourt, at- 
 tended the Princess to London, where she 
 arrived about two o'clock, and went imme- 
 diately to the apartment prepared for her 
 at St. James's, where, soon after, the Prince 
 of Wales visited her. After passing half- 
 an-hour with her, he went to the King and 
 Oueen, and then returned to dine with Her 
 Royal Highness. 
 
 In the evening their Majesties, and all 
 the Royal Family, drank tea with her, and 
 she shewed herself at the window to a great 
 concourse of people who were assembled to 
 see her. It was settled that the marriage 
 should not take place till Wednesday the 
 8th of April. The two intermediate days 
 the Princess dined and passed the evening 
 at the Queen's house. All the Royal Fa- 
 mily were there, and the ladies of the 
 Queen's Bedchamber, and a few of the great 
 Officers. 
 
 On Wednesday the Princess again dined 
 with their Majesties, and then retired to put 
 on her bridal dress. It was made of white 
 silver tissue, richly trimmed with silver, and 
 ornamented with a profusion of jewels. Upon 
 her head she had a coronet, and she wore 
 a robe of crimson velvet, lined and bor- 
 dered with ermine. It hung loose from her 
 shoulder, and was carried by Lady Mary 
 Osborne, daughter to the Duke of Leeds ; 
 Lady Charlotte Spencer, daughter to the 
 Duke of Marlborough ; Lady Caroline Vil- 
 liers, daughter to the Earl of Jersey ; and 
 Lady Charlotte Legge, daughter to the Earl 
 of Dartmouth. 
 
 At half-past eight the Queen's ladies, her 
 Lord Chamberlain, and her Master of the 
 Horse, were summoned into Her Majesty's 
 bedchamber, where all the Royal Family 
 were assembled. The Princess, led by the 
 Duke of Clarence, and attended by her 
 bridesmaids, and by the ladies of her house; 
 hold, passed through the room on her way 
 to the Chapel Royal ; the Prince's proces- 
 
644 
 
 Anecdotes, &c. 
 
 sion went next; and their IMajesties, the 
 other Princes and Princesses, followed. At 
 the altar the king stood next to the Princess, 
 the Queen on the Prince of Wales' right 
 hand, her daughters were ranged near her 
 during the ceremony. The Prince gave his 
 hat, which was ornamented with a magnifi- 
 cent button and loop of diamonds ^ to Lord 
 Harcourt to hold, and when, after the cere- 
 mony was over, he would have returned it, 
 His Royal Highness desired him to keep it 
 for his sake. 
 
 About ten the procession returned to the 
 Queen s closet, where her velvet robe was 
 taken off by her Mistress of the Robes, the 
 Marchioness Townsend, whose perquisite it 
 was. All the Court was then dismissed, 
 and the Royal Family went to the Queen's 
 house, where they supped together. 
 
 *= These diamonds are now at Nuneham amongst the family 
 jewels. 
 
 
 PROPHECY 
 
 BY 
 
 < 
 
 THE BISHOP OF ARLES, a.d. 542 ; 
 
 ANECDOTES, &c. 
 

 
 I . 
 
 AN. DOAI. 542. 
 
 nPRANSLATION from a Prophecy of 
 Cyarius, Bishop of Aries, written in 
 the year 542, taken from a book intituled 
 Liber Mirabilis ; the original is in the 
 National Library of France, Rue Richelieu, 
 at Paris : — 
 
 "The Administrators of this kingdom (France) 
 are so blinded, that they will leave it without de- 
 fenders. 
 
 " The hand of God will be stretched out on 
 them, and the rich and the noble will be despoiled 
 of their possessions. 
 
 ** A schism shall arise in the Church of God, 
 there will be two bridegrooms, the one true, the 
 other adulterate ; the legitimate bridegroom will 
 be put to flight, there will be as much shedding 
 of blood as in the times of the Gentiles ; the uni- 
 versal Church, the whole world, will deplore the 
 ruin and destruction of the most celebrated city, 
 the capital, and mistress of France. 
 
 
 ■ 
 
" The altars and temples will be destroyed ; 
 
 ** The holy virgins will suffer outrages, they will 
 fly from their monasteries : 
 
 **The pastors will be driven from their sees : 
 
 " The Church will be despoiled of its temporal 
 possessions, but the Black Eagle will appear, with 
 the Lion coming from afar. 
 
 "Misfortune to thee, thou opulent city! thou 
 wilt first rejoice, but the end shall come ; 
 
 " Misfortune to thee, city of philosophy ! thou 
 shalt be subjected ; 
 
 " A captive king shall be humbled to confusion, 
 but he shall receive the crown of the fleur-de-lys, 
 and shall destroy the children of Brutus." 
 
 This prophecy has occasioned much curi- 
 osity and interest in Paris, and has been 
 alluded to in the English House of Com- 
 mons. 
 
 g^ctoimt 0f Sxilnarrolxr, 
 
 From an Officer serving with him. 
 
 T_T E dines at eight o'clock in the morn- 
 ing ; sleeps all day ; goes about some- 
 times in his shirt, sometimes naked ; has 
 buckets of water thrown over him in battle 
 to cool him ; never sees anybody on busi- 
 ness. I could fill a volume with all the 
 stories that are circulated about him in the 
 army without the least reserve. His beha- 
 viour the first morning I dined with him 
 was not to be withstood. We all laughed 
 a gorge deployce from the beginning to the 
 end of the repast, v/hich seemed to afford 
 him great entertainment. With all this, they 
 positively declare that he commands the 
 army, which I could hardly believe if I did 
 not observe how much they are all at bot- 
 tom afraid of him. 
 
 
 w 
 
 4 o 
 
 11 
 
From Captain Swinbourne. 
 
 T T E gets up about three, dines at eight, 
 unless he wishes to pay a particular 
 compliment to Lord William Bentinck, when 
 dinner is put off till nine. He wears no 
 coat, but a thousand stars and ribbons upon 
 his waistcoat sleeves. He is always fur- 
 nished with a horsewhip, which he lays, 
 without ceremony or distinction, on the back 
 of General or Fifer if they happen to offend 
 him. When his shirt is too dirty, he stops 
 at any pool, takes it off, washes it himself, 
 and puts it on in the sight of the whole 
 army. They think him inspired, and would 
 follow him anywhere; but lest he should 
 give way to his feelings, there are four 
 officers always stationed by him, to drag 
 him off the place when he rushes into 
 
 w 
 
 4 
 
 r 
 
 danger. Such is the account given of him 
 by Captain Swinbourne, and it has been 
 confirmed by Dr. Bayeson, physician to 
 the late Empress. 
 
 
 . 1 
 

 I^ntcbotc. 
 
 \1 T'HEN the " Feast of Reason" was to 
 be celebrated at Paris, the Conven- 
 tion proposed to a beautiful young lady, of 
 a good family in Lorraine, to personate the 
 Goddess of Liberty ; struck with horror at 
 the idea of profaning the Temple of the true 
 God with such a mockery, she declined the 
 offer, and was instantly sent to the guillo- 
 tine. The goddess was afterwards repre- 
 sented by M"^ Soulnier, a tall and awkward 
 dancer, who was formerly upon the English 
 stage ; and to her, in the first church in 
 Paris, the homage due to a divinity was 
 impiously paid. 
 
 Ul 
 
 A T a moment when the emigrants were 
 "^^ in great distress, the Countess D'A. 
 gave, to enliven them, 1 34 medals ; many 
 were exquisitely worked, and of great value ; 
 some were seven inches in circumference ; 
 they represented all the great events, from 
 the Veign of Peter the Great to the pre- 
 sent time. 
 
 ! 
 
 4 
 
 \i 
 
Y 
 
 a f il rien au monde do pire 
 Que Merlin, Chabot, et Bazire ? 
 
 Est il ricn de plus Coquin 
 Que Bazire, Chabot, ct Merlin ? 
 
 Non il ny a rien de plus sot 
 Oue Merlin, Bazire, et Chabot. 
 
 g^mrbote d ^uWmx. 
 
 T^HE Duchess of Cam 
 
 dined with 
 
 Tallien, with forty English, and Mrs. 
 Fox. Tallien took the latter, and carried 
 her up to the table, placing her on his right 
 hand. The Duchess complained afterwards 
 of this to Mr. Merry, who said that he was 
 as much surprised at seeing her there as she 
 was at her reception, but that the Republic 
 piqued themselves on despising titles and 
 distinguishing merit; and that he doubted 
 not but that when Her Royal Highnesses 
 merits were better known, she would take 
 the place of Mrs. C. Fox. 
 
 5 
 
 ■ii 
 
1^ 
 
 ^^tritits trc prluskiirs ItiixtB tr^ 
 
 IL s'en faut bien que les Scelcrats qui vien- 
 nent de commettre le plus grand des for- 
 faits puissent se flatter d'en tirer un grand avan- 
 tage. Toutes les classes, et meme tous les partis, 
 a Texception des coupables et d'un petit nombre 
 de complices, montrent de I'horreur et de la sen- 
 
 sibilite. 
 
 " II paroit que Dumourier en allant a Paris 
 avoit le projet de faire un parti pour le roi, il 
 avoit meme fait jurer a plusieurs deputes de ne 
 le point condamner, mais ils Tout trahi, ou n'ont 
 pas eu le courage de tenir leur promesse, et Du- 
 mourier a dit, en passant par Amiens pour re- 
 joindre son armee, qu'il regrettoit ses succes, qui 
 avoient hat^ la mort du roi dont il a fait beaucoup 
 d'eloges, et dont il porte encore le portrait sur 
 une boite. 
 
 "Les nouvelles de la Belgique portent aussi 
 que le crime du 21 Janvier y a repandu une dou- 
 loureuse sensation, que partagent meme beaucoup 
 de soldats de la republique, et surtout un grand 
 
 EXTRAITS DE PLUSIEURS LETTRES, &C. 657 
 
 nombre, d'officiers qui quittent I'armee en foule 
 depuis cette affreuse nouvelle. 
 
 *' Les Autrichiens, au contraire, se renforcent 
 et ont eu depuis quclques jours plusieurs avan- 
 tages. Le regiment des Hussards de Boutieux a 
 quitte presque en entier I'armee Frangoise, pour 
 se joindre a eux. 
 
 " Et tout s'accorde a faire croire que les Francois 
 ne resteroient pas longtemps dans leurs nouvelles 
 conquetes, ou les vexations et les crimes les font 
 hair d'un pcuple encore religieux, et qui, non con- 
 tent de pleurer la mort heroique de Louis XVI., 
 a fait publiquement des prieres pour ce prince 
 qu'on regarde pour un saint." 
 
 4 P 
 
glnpport tre re qui Bt^t passe a 
 ITarsobie It 25 jfcbrler 1803. 
 
 " T E Roi Louis i8 fut instruit par M\ I'Abbe 
 -L-' Edgeworth que M^, le President de Mayer 
 arrivant dc Berlin etoit charge d'une mission au- 
 pres de lui, de la part de S. M. le Roi de Prusse. 
 L'objet de cette mission etoit d'obtenir la renon- 
 ciation pleine et entiC're de toute la Maison de 
 Bourbon au Trone de P^ ranee, ainsi qu'a tous les 
 Domaines qu'elle avoit possedes. Pour prix de ce 
 sacrifice Buonaparte lui assureroit des indemnites, 
 et meme une existence brillante. 
 
 " Le Samedi matin 26, le Roi re^ut M^ le Pre- 
 sident. Apres les assurances du tendre interet que 
 S. M. P. prenoit a M'". le Comte de Lille, et a sa 
 famille, INP. le President exposa le sujet de sa mis- 
 sion, il observa que Buonaparte n'avoit point ren- 
 verse le Trone de P^rance, qu'il n'avoit eu aucune 
 part aux horreurs de la Revolution, qu'il I'avoit 
 terminee ; il s'etendit sur les bien qu'il avoit fait 
 a la France, et meme a I'Europe ; il dit que la Re- 
 volution etoit consolidee ; plus de faction au de- 
 dans, plus de guerres au dehors ; toute reaction 
 impossible, parceque par tout se trouve le besoin 
 
 RAProRT, &c. 
 
 659 
 
 du repos, pgr tout se rencontrent des interets 
 crees par elle, et incompatibles avec le retour a 
 I'ancien ordre de choses ; la Religion a consacr^ 
 le nouveau, les Souverains de I'Europe Font re- 
 connu ; un systeme politique, commun a tous les 
 peuples, s'est etabli sur cette base, et les Rois 
 les maintiendront par conscience, par devoir, et 
 
 par interet. 
 
 « La consequence fut que la Maison de Bourbon 
 restoit sans appui, et sans moyens d'existence pour 
 I'avenir, car les secours qu'elle revolt de la Russie 
 peuvent du moins manquer aux enfants, et aux 
 successeurs du Comte de Lille, que dans quelques 
 annees Buonaparte ne trouveroit plus d'avantage 
 h mettre un prix a la resignation, qu'il scroit plus 
 sage de profiter du moment actuel ou leur droits 
 n'etoient pas encore present pour transiger hono- 
 rablement, utilemcnt et siirement. 
 
 - Utilement, car le P^ Consul feroit a la famille 
 de Bourbon un sort brillant, siirement, parceque 
 la Prusse, la Russie, et les autres Puissances garan- 
 tiroient le Traitc, honorablement, puisque cette 
 famille consolideroit le repos de la France et de 
 I'Europe entiere par ses sacrifices." 
 
 Sa Majeste le Roi Louis 18 repondit :— 
 
 **Je ne confond pas M^ Buonaparte avec ceux 
 que I'ont precede. J'estime sa valeur, ses talents 
 
 !i 
 
militaire, je lui scais gre de plusieurs actes d' Ad- 
 ministration, car le bien que Ton fera a mon peuple 
 me sera toujours cher ; mais il se trompe s'il croit 
 m'en^^ager a transiger sur mes droits, loin de la, 
 il les etabliroit lui meme s'ils pouvoient etre liti- 
 gieux, par la demarche qu'il fait dans ce moment. 
 
 *' J'ignore quels sont les desseins de Dieu sur 
 ma race, et sur moi, mais je connois les obliga- 
 tions qu'il m'a impose par le rang on il lui a plut 
 de me faire naitre. Chretien, je remplirois ces 
 obligations jusqu'a mon dernier soupir. Fils de 
 S^ Louis, je scaurais, a son exemple, me respecter 
 jusques dans les fers, successeur de Francois P., 
 je veux du moins pouvoir dire comme lui : Nous 
 avons tout pcrdit fors rJionncury 
 
 Le Lundi 28 le Roi remit a M^ le President 
 de Mayer cette reponse civile revetue de I'adhe- 
 sion de M^'^ le Due d'Angouleme en ces termes : 
 " Avec la permission du Roi mon oncle j 'adhere 
 de cceur et d ame au contenu de cette note." 
 
 Signe "Louis Antoine. 
 
 »» 
 
 Et une lettre pour S. M. le Roi de Prusse, 
 dont suit la copie : — 
 
 " M. M. F. et Cousin, j'ai cru devoir mettre par 
 ecrit ma reponse aux offres qu'il a plut a V. M. 
 de me transmettre, et je prie M^ le President de 
 Mayer de la lui faire parvenir. Mais jc ne puis 
 
 me refuser a y joindre cette lettre, d'abord pour 
 la remer(^ier dcs expressions pleines d'amitie pour 
 moi qu'elle a ordonne a M^ de Mayer d'employer 
 en s'acquittant da sa mission, ensuite, pour de- 
 poser dans le sein de V. M. quelque reflexions 
 que je n'ai pas cru devoir placer dans ma re- 
 ponse. 
 
 " Non seulcmcnt la demarche actuelle de M^\ 
 Buonaparte etabliroit mes droits s'il etoit neces- 
 saire, mais elle devoile encore ses anxietes ; et je 
 me felicite de les voir en des mains aussi au- 
 gustes, je scais tout le parti que je pourrois tirer 
 de cet aveu, mais j'aime mieux garder le silence, 
 si Ton ne mie force pas a le rompre. C'est un 
 egard que je crois devoir au Souverain genereux 
 qui m'accorde un asile dans ses etats. La grande 
 ame de V. M. m'est trop connue pour ne pas se- 
 parer ses pensees des mcssures que ses relations 
 semblent lui dieter. 
 
 " Les Rois pour epargner a leurs sujets les hor- 
 reurs de la guerre, ont pu ceder a des circon- 
 stances imperieuses ; le malheur me prete son ap- 
 pui, je suis seul, c'est ^ moi a maintenir les droits 
 de tons, en ne sanctionnant jamais une revolution 
 qui finiroit par renverser tous les Trones. 
 
 " M^ Buonaparte pouvoit marcher a la gloire, 
 il a prefere la route qui conduit a la celebrite ; 
 mais si jamais, ecoutant la voix du devoir, et de son 
 veritable interet, il n'osoit cependant pas s'en fier 
 
662 
 
 RAPPORT, &C. 
 
 k ma seiile parole, ce seroit alors que je verrois 
 avec joye V. M. devenir Mcdiateur cntrc nous, et 
 donner sa loyaute pour garant dc nos engage- 
 ments reciproques. 
 
 "Je vais transmettrc, (ainsi que je I'ai fait a 
 I'eeard de mon Neveu,) a mon frere, et aux autres 
 mcmbres de ma famille, I'ouverture qui vicnt de 
 m'etre faite ; V. M. voit la reponse de mon Ne- 
 veu, je mettrois les autres sous ses yeux aussitot 
 qu'ellcs me scront parvenues. 
 
 "Le Samedi matin 19 Mars 1803, Ic President 
 de Meyer, ayant demande au Roi de France une 
 audience, est revenu a la charge, non plus sur le 
 fond, mais sur la forme, en execution des ordres 
 dates du 15 Mars, qu'il vcnoit de rcccvoir par es- 
 tafifette de Berlin. Le Roi de Prusse paroit craindre 
 que la phrase qui terminc la premiere ^//;/m de 
 la reponse du Roi ne choque Buonaparte, et on 
 auroit voulu que le Roi la changeat. S. M. a re- 
 pondu au President, que Buonaparte auroit tort 
 de se choquer de sa reponse, qui est aussi douce 
 que possible, puisqu' cnfin, si ellc Tavoit appello 
 rebelle ct usurpateur, ellc nc lui auroit dit que 
 la verite. 
 
 '* Le President a fait envisager des dangers ; les 
 quels a dit le Roi ? les malvcillants exigeront du 
 Roi dc Prusse de me renvoyer ? je le plaindrois 
 et je m'en irai. Oh non reprit le President, mais 
 Buonaparte pourroit exigcr de I'Espagne, et de la 
 
 
 Russie, dont le Ministere est versatile d'oter au 
 Comte de Lille ce qu'cUes lui donnent ; le Roi a 
 repondu, je ne crain pas la pauvrete, s'il le falloit 
 je mangerois du pain noir avec mes enfants ct 
 mes fideles serviteurs, mais ne vous y trompcz 
 pas je n'en seroit jamais reduit la. J'ai une autre 
 ressource dont je ne crois pas devoir user, tant que 
 j'ai des amis puissants, c'est de faire connoitre 
 mon etat en France, et de tcndre la main, non 
 au Gouvernemcnt usurpateur, cela jamais, mais 
 a mes fideles sujcts ; et, croyez moi, je serois bien 
 — tot plus riche que je ne le suis." 
 
1:1 
 
 • Cj)£ State 0f J[rinicc in tlje 
 
 .Slimmer, 1800, 
 
 'TPHE whole appearance of the city is very 
 much improved since the Revolution, 
 all the streets are cleaner, and many fine 
 houses are built. A magnificent new street 
 has been constructed as an approach from 
 IMontmartre into Paris, very wide, and plant- 
 ed on each side the road. All the Royal 
 Palaces are put into perfect order; the Lux- 
 embourg is so beautifully cleaned that it 
 looks like a palace of ivory, and there is 
 a design to complete it by adding the other 
 wing. All the public Libraries are in the 
 highest state of preservation, and have re- 
 ceived orreat additions of most valuable 
 books from Rome, and the other conquered 
 countries. A person expressing his surprise 
 at the number of these books, and the ac- 
 curacy of the accounts of them, was shewn 
 a large bundle of papers, which contained 
 the orders given to the Generals to inquire 
 
 France in 1800. 
 
 665 
 
 L 
 
 for such and such books in the various 
 conquered towns, with the answers of the 
 Generals, shewing how and where they had 
 procured the books, or the reasons why 
 they failed. The library of the Queen of 
 France was preserved as she had left it, 
 not a book having been displaced. 
 
 The inhabitants are as much improved 
 in their appearance as the streets ; the lower 
 orders of people are better dressed and 
 better mannered ; gaiety prevails through- 
 out all ranks ; there are more places of pub- 
 lic amusement than ever, and there is more 
 eagerness in flocking to them. 
 
 Scarcely an appearance of religion is left. 
 The churches that are now opened have 
 not even had the bricks and rubbish re- 
 moved which were left in them when the 
 altars were destroyed ; where an altar is 
 left perfect, a few, very few, people may be 
 seen kneeling about it ; but an almost uni- 
 versal Deism, bordering upon Atheism, is 
 professed by all ranks ; and when religion 
 is mentioned it is spoken of as a mummery, 
 
 4 Q 
 
666 
 
 France in[ 1800. 
 
 too ridiculous to be credited by an en- 
 lightened people. For the battle of Ma- 
 rengo a Te Deum was performed in Notre 
 Dame ; the priests attended in their habits, 
 and the church was crowded ; but it was 
 considered only as a political ceremony. 
 
 Great preparations had been made to do 
 honour to Buonaparte on his return after 
 that victory, but he refused the honours, and 
 desired all the preparations might be applied 
 to increase the magnificence of the celebra- 
 tion of the loth of August; which was ac- 
 cordingly distinguished by very extraordi- 
 nary splendour. All the monuments of the 
 Arts are preserved, with the most exact at- 
 tention to science and taste. 
 
 In the Gardens of the Sorbonne is the 
 National Museum ; in which are all the 
 pieces of statuary and sculpture collected 
 from the different parts of the kingdom, 
 from public buildings, and churches ; ar- 
 rancred accordincr to the centuries, from the 
 eighth to the present. In the Louvre is a 
 gallery for pictures, 1,400 French feet, or 
 
 a quarter-of-a-mile long ; half of it filled with 
 the most capital works of French, Flemish, 
 and Dutch painters, the other half with 
 
 Italian. 
 
 The state of morals is such as might be 
 expected amongst a people who have cast off 
 religion. To give a specimen of it. A lady 
 told an Englishman who had been Intro- 
 duced to her acquaintance, that he had it 
 in his power to be of very essential service 
 to her, in a transaction which would cost him 
 very little trouble. Upon his desiring to 
 know how he could be of use to her, she 
 told him her mother had been obliged to 
 leave France at the beginning of the Revo- 
 lution ; that she wished to bring her home, 
 but, as a preliminary step, it was necessary 
 to have a deposition from three persons in 
 the district where she had lived, that she had 
 never left the place of her abode ; and that, 
 as her daughter had now no communication 
 with that part of Paris, and this Englishman 
 had, her request to him was, to procure her 
 such a deposition. 
 
 .f 
 
■ >J '1 
 
 "V*-* 
 
 ifc li M* 
 
 «» » 
 
 668 
 
 France in 1800. 
 
 He expressed his surprise at her request. 
 She said that was his Encrlish prejudice ; the 
 matter was thought nothing of in France; 
 and that the Deputy, before whom the depo- 
 sition was to be made, knew the circum- 
 stances, and had consented to it. Upon the 
 Englishman's still refusing, she asked if he 
 would conduct her to three persons, and 
 leave her to prefer her own petition. To 
 this he consented. The first person to 
 whom she applied, agreed to do it without 
 scruple ; the second made some little diffi- 
 culty, but consented afterwards ; the third 
 again made no objection ; so that these three 
 persons, living in French credit, solemnly 
 deposed that, of their own knowledge, a per- 
 son had been living in a particular part of 
 Paris, whom they knew to have been eight 
 years in Brussels, and the Deputy consented 
 to receive their deposition, knowing the false- 
 hood of it. 
 
 Madame Buonaparte is well behaved in 
 society, and associates chiefly with persons 
 of the old aristocratic families. The people 
 
 ]• 
 
 fi 
 
 France in 1800. 
 
 669 
 
 in general are looking forward to a restora- 
 tion of monarchy, saying that France cannot 
 subsist under any other form of Govern- 
 ment ; but they have an unconquerable dis- 
 like to the present King and Monsieur : 
 they have everywhere either pulled down 
 the Trees of Liberty, or suffered them to 
 wither. 
 
 The person who gave this account, break- 
 fasted with Abbe Sieyes, at the house of 
 a friend of the Abbe's. In the course of 
 the morning, being taken into the private 
 cabinet of this person, he was surprised to 
 see the finest picture he had ever seen of 
 the late Queen, and, as a companion to it, 
 Mary de Medicis. 
 
 -♦♦- 
 
 Jtinttb bj) ^sm» garhtr ani Co., Crolnn gatir, ©datti. 
 
 '♦ 
 

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THE 
 
 HARCOURT PAPERS 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 EDWARD WILLIAM HARCOURT, 
 
 OF STANTON HARCOURT, AND NUNEHAM COURTENAY, 
 IN THE COUNTY OF OXFORD, ESQUIRE. 
 
 VOL. VI. 
 
 ;prtRt<-it for ^rtuatc ©irtulation i^ 
 
 JAMES PARKER AND CO., OXFORD. 
 [Only Fifty Copies printed?^ 
 
1 
 
 ihilii 
 
 i ^ 
 
 i 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 
 TDEFORE commencing this sixth volume, 
 it is incumbent upon the Editor to make 
 an acknowledgement of an error which is to 
 be found on pages 75 and 122 of the second 
 volume, and in the foot-notes to those pages. 
 It is there recorded that the only Latin epi- 
 taph which exists in the church at Stanton 
 Harcourt is one to the memory of the Hun- 
 tingdon family, and that the Latin epitaph 
 to his son, by Lord Chancellor Harcourt, is 
 nowhere to be found. 
 
 At the time of writing these foot-notes, it 
 was impossible for the Editor to go to Stan- 
 ton Harcourt ; and his own strong convic- 
 tions in reference to the existence of the 
 epitaph in question, were reluctantly over- 
 ruled by the determined and reiterated as- 
 sertions of a friend on the spot. On the 
 Editor's subsequent visit to Stanton Har- 
 
IV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 court, he saw the Chancellors epitaph ex- 
 actly where he expected to find it, and he 
 now inserts it here : — 
 
 " Plorate, 
 
 Studia quicun(iue colitis venustiora, 
 
 Afferte hue lacrymas ac suspiria ; 
 
 Hoc enim sub saxo jacet 
 
 Ille eruditie juventutis Flos, 
 
 Vestri gregis decus, 
 
 Vestrce laudis cultor atque Hortator 
 
 Simon Harcourt. 
 
 Qui 
 
 Cum Ingenio, Literis, amicitijs vigebat, 
 
 Turn etiam domesticis rebus prospere usus est. 
 
 Felix erat Lectissima Conjuge 
 
 Elizabetha, Joh. Evelyn Armigeri Surriensis Filia : 
 
 Felix et sobole, 
 
 Sibi nempe superstites rcliquit 
 
 Natum unicum Simonem, 
 
 Breves quidem Patris 
 
 Diuturniores (faxit Deus) Avi Dclicias. 
 
 Natas tres, Elizabediam, Martham, Mariam, 
 
 Maternai virtutis imitatrices, 
 
 His et mariti et parentis dulcissimi 
 
 Eo luctuosior Mors obtigit 
 
 Quod peregrino in roelo, 
 
 Dum Parisios Hospes reviseret, 
 
 Non domi 
 
 t 
 
 ^1 
 
 i 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Non inter suorum planctus atq. amplexus. 
 
 Animam efflavit 
 
 Jul. I, A.D. 1720, set. 35. 
 
 Simon vicecomes Harcourt et Baro de Stanton Harcourt, 
 
 Nuper 
 
 Annoe Reginae Optima a secretioribus Consiliis, 
 
 Et Magnce Britannice Cancellarius, 
 
 Tanto aetatis suce jam provectae subsidio, 
 
 Tali curarum suarum participe avulso, 
 
 Maerore acerbissimo pene oppressus 
 
 In memoriam Filij 
 
 Magis Magisque indies desiderati, 
 
 Hoc Monumentum Fecit." 
 
 The Editor has yet another confession to 
 make. On page 236 of the third volume, 
 ''a snuff-box with a miniature of Queen 
 Victoria set in diamonds," is described, on 
 the authority of a friend ; the description 
 should have run thus, — ''a snuff-box with 
 the monoQfram of Oueen Victoria set in 
 
 diamonds." 
 
 The present volume, in continuation of 
 the Memoirs of George Simon, Earl Har- 
 court, and of Elizabeth his wife, is chiefly 
 occupied with correspondence from Queen 
 

 VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Charlotte, from George the Third, and from 
 other persons. 
 
 This form of Memoir will probably be 
 extended through some of the succeeding 
 volumes. 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 cost r n t s. 
 
 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Memoir 
 
 of George Simon, Earl Harcourt . 
 
 I 
 
 Letters 
 
 FROM Queen Charlotte . 
 
 4 
 
 From 
 
 George the Third . . .14, 
 
 23» 29 
 
 Supplement to the London Gazette . 
 
 116 
 
 Anecdote of King George the Third when 
 
 
 Prince of Wales 
 
 117 
 
 Letters 
 
 FROM THE Prince of Wales . 
 
 119 
 
 From 
 
 THE Duke of Clarence . 
 
 121 
 
 FrOxM 
 
 THE Duke of Kent . 
 
 
 123 
 
 From 
 
 the Duke of Sussex 
 
 
 126 
 
 From 
 
 THE Duke of Cambridge . 
 
 
 127 
 
 From 
 
 the Princess Royal . 
 
 
 148 
 
 From 
 
 THE Princess Augusta 
 
 
 170 
 
 From 
 
 Princess Elizabeth . 
 
 
 236 
 
 From 
 
 THE Princess Mary . 
 
 
 272 
 
 From 
 
 THE Princess Sophia 
 
 
 281 
 
 From 
 
 THE Princess Amelia 
 
 
 286 
 
 From 
 
 William Henry, Duke of Glou- 
 
 
 CESTER 
 
 290 
 
 From 
 
 Maria, Duchess of Gloucester 
 
 291 
 
 From William Frederick, Duke of Glou- 
 
 
 cester 
 
 307 
 
 From 
 
 THE Princess Sophia Matilda. 
 
 310 
 
J 
 
 Hand Bill 
 
 Scarcity of Ideas, and a Plan for putting 
 THEM in Requisition . . . • 
 Notice by Lord Aldborough 
 Singular Inscription 
 
 340 
 341 
 
 { 
 
 nnaxx ai ^taxQt 3ma\x, 
 ^ml "Muxtanxt 
 
 T N Massey's ** History of England during 
 the Reign of George the Third %" we 
 read, vol. iii. p. 312 : — 
 
 " The Queen (Charlotte) had none of those en- 
 dearing qualities of her sex, which often maintain 
 harmony and happiness in a family. Bred up in 
 the rigid formality of a petty German Court, 
 her manners were cold and punctilious ; her un- 
 derstanding was dull, her temper jealous and 
 petulant. 
 
 " It is not surprizing, therefore, that the younger 
 members of the family longed for the day when 
 they should be emancipated from the sober state 
 and grim decorum of the palace. The princes 
 rushed into the brilliant world of pleasure and 
 excitement which awaited them, with headlong 
 impetuosity. But the less fortunate princesses 
 were doomed to repine in their dreary captivity, 
 longing for marriage, as the only event which 
 could release them." 
 
 The Editor of these Papers carefully 
 guarded himself, in his Preface to the first 
 
 * Parker, Son, and Bourn, i860. 
 
 B 
 
Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 volume, against being supposed to assume 
 the office of an historian. He feels sure, 
 however, that those who may happen to 
 peruse the following extracts, selected from 
 a large collection of Queen Charlotte's let- 
 ters, will find in them abundant internal 
 evidence that those historians who have 
 saddled upon the Queen the responsibility 
 of being the cause of disorders in the con- 
 duct of her children, have done so with very 
 slender knowledge of the facts of the case. 
 
 The unhappy events which hung as a 
 cloud over the Court of George the Third, 
 were in themselves sufficient to damp the 
 joys of domestic life. What is chiefly ex- 
 hibited in the correspondence which follows 
 is, I think, an anxious desire on the part 
 of the Queen to do what was right, entire 
 self-sacrifice, devotion to her husband and 
 children, cheerfulness under great trials, 
 and extreme reticence in relation to public 
 affairs. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be said that these letters 
 are totally destitute of general interest, as 
 
 «t 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 all State matters and politics were care- 
 fully excluded from them. 
 
 They are, however, germane to the object 
 which the Editor has in view ; and which 
 has been best expressed by Gibbon, when, 
 in answer to D'Alembert's proposal that, 
 after a selection of facts had been made at 
 the end of each century, the rest should be 
 delivered to the flames : he says, — 
 
 **Let us preserve them all most carefully, a 
 Montesquieu will detect in the most insignificant, 
 relations which the vulgar overlook." 
 
 Various reasons have prevailed in influ- 
 encing the insertion of the several letters. 
 For instance, the first two letters addressed 
 to Simon, Earl Harcourt, are given, to 
 shew how completely the Queen's style 
 of writing was altered after a short resi- 
 dence in this country. It is the intention 
 of the Editor to let the letters speak for 
 themselves, and to add only such notes and 
 remarks as may appear to be absolutely 
 required. 
 
I ■ 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — ■ 
 
 "My Lord Harcourt,— I cannot help but 
 return you as soon as possible a great many 
 thanks, for having taken so much trouble in exe- 
 cuting your Commissions so well in France ^'. 
 I beg you will, when you return, bring the list 
 of the Expenses to what a compleat Table Ser- 
 vice of White China will come to. 
 
 "The King of Danmarck does amuse himself 
 with Plays, Operas, Balls, Assemblies, & seeing 
 the Beauty of the Contry of England. This 
 latter part I must Confess I do envy him. 
 
 " You will pardon my not being a good Chris- 
 tian there, for, though I hate envy, I think here 
 it is allowable; and as I could not have that 
 happiness before, I only now wish to imitate 
 him. 
 
 " On Monday we arc to give a Ball to the King 
 of Danmarck, when I flatter myself to see L^'^ and 
 L^^>' Newham, having sent a express this morning. 
 In my Family you will find a change by your 
 return, Miss Meadows having very Imprudently 
 married Collonel Compton ; in which place, Miss 
 Vernon, Lady Harriet Vernon's Daughter, is 
 come. 
 
 "To the Sons of Duke Harcourt you will say 
 
 ** Lord Harcourt was at this time Ambassador to France from 
 the Court of St. James's. 
 
 < 
 
 K 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 every polite thing from my Person, as also to 
 
 Madam de Guerchy. 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 "i6/// Ocf., 1770." 
 
 "My Lord Harcourt, — You must by this 
 Time have formed a very bad opinion of my Pro- 
 mises, as well as of the performance of Hamilton *^ 
 the Painter. The blame cannot fall upon me, as 
 my Orders were given even before your Depar- 
 ture ; but I believe that the great encouragement 
 he has met with, has made him rather neglectfuU ; 
 however, this delay is fully repaired in the Draw- 
 ing, as I think it even better than the Original 
 one you saw in the Sumer last. 
 
 "You have been very obliging in sending me 
 the different things I wishd for; and I own that 
 your great accuracy made my delay appear the 
 stranger. Madame de Guerchy finds my Compli- 
 ments here ; & I beg you to assure her that 
 I was glad to hear how well she got over the 
 Small Pox. 
 
 " I won't detain you any longer, as I am afraid 
 you will be so much taken up with preparing 
 yourself for the Dauphin's Wedding. 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 "Q. Jl.y the 2yd March, i77o-" 
 
 «= A miniature of Queen Charlotte, by Hamilton, is now 
 at Nuncham. 
 
Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Simon, Earl Harcourt, as we have seen 
 in a previous volume, died in the year 1777 ; 
 and was succeeded by his eldest son, George 
 Simon, with whose memoir we are now oc- 
 cupied. Elizabeth, wife of George Simon, 
 to whom the letters that follow were chiefly 
 addressed, was a Lady of the Bedchamber 
 to Queen Charlotte, and was possessed of 
 a large share of her friendship and esteem 
 for a period of something like forty years. 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt, — We 
 
 have lived, if you can call it living, in a con- 
 stant round of company and amusements, a situ- 
 ation in which reflexion shares but little ; & yet 
 I know few moments in which the most serious 
 reflexion is not more called upon than the pre- 
 sent. It is true, on the one hand, we see a degree 
 of Sunshine, for nothing is more favorable than 
 the accounts from Italic, which gives hopes that 
 by degrees all the right owners will be placed 
 again in their former situations ; & it is pleasing 
 to think that the Almighty blesses the endeavours 
 of this Kingdom to establish Justice again in 
 Europe ; & I only wish that, as we have reason 
 to rejoice in our success, so may we increase in 
 
 « I 
 
 4* 
 
 V » 
 
 I 
 
 if 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 our Trust and love of that Great being, without 
 whose gracious interference we should fall to 
 
 nothing. 
 
 " I always fear Prosperity will make us forget 
 ourselves, & give to our own Power what is due 
 to a far greater one. Our Secret Expedition is 
 gone, & more are to follow; in the Second, the 
 Dukes of York & Cumberland will be included. 
 
 "I have no Idle fears, nor ever allow myself 
 any bad Presentiments, but I will aver that the 
 Duke of York's situation is a very serious one ; 
 & my sincere wishes attend Him, that He may 
 get through this responsible situation with Honor, 
 and satisfaction to the World. The former I have 
 no reason to doubt, but the latter is a difficult 
 Task, and God grant that His Conduct may 
 prove satisfactory to His Conscience; if so, the 
 slander of the World may hurt & offend Him, 
 but cannot suppress His spirits. 
 
 ** We are happy in our Weather ; for since our 
 arrival we have had no rain, and our three ships 
 are safely arrived. The reports of the * S^ Fiorenza' 
 having been lost, made me not write on Monday, 
 for indeed I was unable to do any thing else but 
 to listen to vague reports. At last, by 4 that after- 
 noon, a letter from the Commissioner at Ports- 
 mouth restored us again to ease & comfort; & 
 yesterday afternoon we saw Her arrive in the Bay, 
 & the Commander & Crew were joyfully received. 
 
8 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 " Lady Charlotte Bruce is arrived with the 
 Captain on board the * Anson.' She is indeed the 
 very picture of Happiness ; & I had great satis- 
 faction to hear lady Neal say thrt Her Conduct 
 & Civility had gained every body at Plymouth; 
 & in particular, that she had left off Her manner 
 of shewing partiality to particular People. I find 
 she sees and lives with every body Civily ; and, 
 as in Her Husband's situation she must associate 
 with many of inferior Birth, she always appears 
 glad to see them as His Friends. 
 
 ** We have at present only the Poulets, Darners, 
 Idy Mansfield, & C. Grevill, L^^ & l"^^ Charles 
 Somersett, for our Society. The Pitts are ex- 
 pected, but not arrived ; that will be a Mclan- 
 choly meeting, for V^y Pitt is very low indeed. 
 The Sudleys I expect on Sunday, & my little 
 Grand Daughter on Tuesday : L^^ Powes is here 
 with his Militia, & very pleasant in Society. 
 
 "Adieu, my dear Lady Harcourt ; say every 
 thine kind to your lord, remember me to lady 
 Elizabeth, & believe me unalterably, 
 
 "Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 " Weymouth, the 21st August, 1779." 
 
 "Madam,— According to our agreement, I must 
 desire you, if not inconvenient, to come to Wind- 
 sor, in order to celebrate the Prince of Wales's 
 
 ' > 
 
 Birth Day in a quiet way, I leave it entirely to 
 your own choice. Madam, whether you will come 
 on Wednesday to Dinner, or not till Thursday, 
 assuring my dear Lady Harcourt sincerely, that 
 she can never come too soon for me. 
 
 " I must likewise mention, that I shall be glad 
 to accomodate Lady Harcourt, & flatter myself 
 that it will be as convenient at least as any lodg- 
 ing she coud meet with at an Inn. 
 
 " As we are in the Country, our Dress will be 
 Italian Night Gowns, but not the Uniform on 
 the Birth Day. 
 
 " I beg my Compliments to lord Harcourt, 
 & desire you will tell Him, that, as I know 
 the value of the Treasure He sends me, I in- 
 tend not to deprive Him too long of your Ami- 
 able Company, & flatter myself that by be- 
 having so very discreetly, I shall the oftener 
 enjoy the pleasure of your Company. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Queen's Lodge^ Windsor, August the ^th^ 1784." 
 
 "Madam,— I am particularly happy in the 
 King's Commands of acquainting you that we 
 propose Storming your Castle at Newneham, on 
 Saturday the i8th of this month, if perfectly 
 convenient to you & Lord Harcourt, & though 
 we shall be a large Party, pray don't be alarmed, 
 for we are all good Friends & well wishers to 
 
the Owners of the Castle, but none more Sincerely 
 so than my dear lady Harcourt's 
 
 *' Very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Queen's Lodge, Windsor^ Sept. the i^ih, 1784." 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt, — May expect us 
 about Ten a Clock, but should the Weather not 
 be propitious, we shall defer the pleasure of Visit- 
 ing you till the Monday following; I flatter my- 
 self, however, that on the first mentioned day, 
 Phcebus will smile upon us. 
 
 .... I do not doubt but W^. Harcourt will 
 already have informed my dear lady Harcourt of 
 the arrival of Madame de Genslis. She brought 
 over with Her a new Edition of Her Theatre 
 d'Education, with an additional Volume of Sacred 
 Dramas, which are extreamly pretty, strictly ad- 
 hering to the text of Scripture, with some small 
 additions here & there, without which no Drama 
 can subsist ; as, for instance, in the Drama o^ Isaac, 
 where Scripture tells us that Abraham implicitly 
 obey'd the Lords Command in offering His Son. 
 She has composed a Scene, in which Abraham, 
 though submissive to the decree of Providence, 
 undergoeth a severe struggle betwixt the love 
 of a Father, & the love of His Duty, which 
 makes the Piece much more interesting, & could 
 not well be a Drama without this Scene ; & an- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 II 
 
 other between Him & Sara, when she accused 
 Him of Murthering Her Son. This shows how 
 very judiciously she has gone to work. To come 
 back to the Author, She has a pleasing appear- 
 ance, neither Handsome nor Ugly, a pretty Figure, 
 Her conversation Modest, reflections just, but 
 totally void of all pretensions whatever, and what 
 the French would call (icne Figure inter essante), 
 I saw Her for about an hour, not without great 
 fear to appear before so great a Critick, being 
 very sensible of my own deficiencies in every 
 thing ; but must own that I should not have 
 been sorry, after a quarter of an Hour's Con- 
 versation, to see more of Her; She has, like 
 every body else, two Characters. I neither do 
 accuse nor excuse Her, but I own myself a great 
 admirer of Her Works. She is to go as to 
 Day to Oxford, to see Blenheim, & what else 
 she has time to see, I wish she could go to 
 Newnham, & to know your opinion of Her. 
 
 "I beg my Compliments to Lord Harcourt 
 & lady Vernon, who I was extreamly sorry 
 to have missed again at M^^ Harcourt's. How 
 pleasant it is to enjoy the Country air when 
 the rest of the World are doing penitence in 
 a warm House of Lords. I long to see an end 
 to that buisness, as the King will not be able 
 to fidfill His promise dhowt the visit to Newnham 
 till that is over. 
 
 • 
 
12 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 "I am, my dear lady Harcourt, present or 
 
 absent, 
 
 " Your very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the j^th/tdy, 1785.'* 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt,— I have this 
 
 instant received the King's Orders to acquaint 
 both you & Lord Harcourt with His intention 
 of visiting Newnham next Munday, if not in- 
 convenient. I am also to add that in case 
 General & W^. Harcourt are still with you, the 
 King hopes to see them there. Oh, how happy 
 shall I be to see the Possessors of Newnham 
 again, & therefore, Madam, you will not doubt 
 my Sincerity when I say, that the King never 
 could choose any body who more gladly did 
 convey His intentions, than, 
 
 " My dear lady Harcourt, 
 
 ** Your very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ** Queen's Lodge, Windsor, 10th of Sep. 1785." 
 
 " My dear lady Harcourt, — My first em- 
 ployment to day is, as it ought to be, that of 
 returning thanks both to you & Lord Harcourt, for 
 the Numberless Civilities we received during Our 
 Stay at Newneham. 
 
 "Were I to say all I think upon that Subject, 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 13 
 
 my Sincerity perhaps might be suspected, & 
 therefore I will in a very few words only tell 
 you, that you did contrive to make us all feel 
 happy, which is a thing but seldom obtained. 
 
 "I shall, however, feel an additional pleasure 
 when I hear that neither yourself nor W\ Har- 
 court are the worse for the Fatigue you expe- 
 rienced on our account. 
 
 "I am, my dear lady Harcourt, with great 
 
 Sincerity, 
 
 " Your very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ** (2. L. W, the i^th Sept, 1785." 
 
 " My dear lady Harcourt, — .... The 
 
 King orders me to say that He hopes you, 
 dear lady Harcourt, will not Quarrel with Him 
 for giving you a Neighbour at Christ Church, 
 by having appointed your Brother, M^. Vernon \ 
 a Canon of that Place. 
 
 "I congratulate, & rejoice with you on this 
 event, & am with unalterable affection, 
 
 " My dear lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Very Sincere Friend, 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Queen's Lodge, Windsor, the iSth Sept, 1785." 
 
 •1 Mr. Vernon was then twenty-nine years of age, he became 
 afterwards Archbishop of York. 
 
., 
 
 14 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Letter from George III. to George Simon, 
 Earl Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ Windsor, Aug. 6th, 1786. 
 
 " Lord Harcourt, — It would be want of 
 justice to my feelings if, in writing to you, did 
 I not first express my sensibility at the affec- 
 tionate manner with which you received the 
 account of my Providential escape on Wednes- 
 day. This has been very exactly stated to me 
 by M'^. Harcourt, and your intention of being 
 next Wednesday at St. James'. I desire both 
 you and Lady Harcourt will not think of com- 
 ing, as the Queen & I propose, if not incon- 
 venient to you, coming on Saturday to Newn- 
 ham, agreable to obliging hint before you left 
 Town of wishing we could come this Summer. 
 
 " We mean to bring the three eldest Princesses 
 with us, and stay a couple of days with you. 
 When I have received your answer, I will then 
 let Major General Harcourt into my secret, and 
 desire him to go and communicate to you what 
 we wish to see, that you may the better arrange it. 
 
 " This trouble your very hospitable conduct the 
 last year has drawn upon you, from those who 
 very sincerely regard both you and your excel- 
 lent Countess. 
 
 " George R." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt,— It is His Ma- 
 jesty, not me, who is to give notice to Lord 
 Harcourt of the arrival of the Bande Joyeuse, 
 & more joyeuse than ever after what has hap- 
 pened. God be praised for preserving the Life 
 of the best of Princes & of Men, & I will only 
 add, may He live for ever, Amen. A Thou- 
 sand thanks for your attention upon this Oc- 
 casion, I do assure you it is not lost upon us, 
 nor will it be forgotten. 
 
 "I now come to a point upon which I beg 
 you to answer Sincerely. The D. of Ancaster 
 & Her Daughter are with us, & should it so 
 happen that, as Lady Elizbeth Waldegrave not 
 being here, the Dutchess should go with us, may 
 lady Charlotte come.? this is only amongst Our- 
 selves, & I beg you will not take notice of it to 
 them, as perhaps it may still be some other lady, 
 for the Dutchess is not quite well. I also beg 
 to know if my bringing Miss Planta & the 
 Princesses Maid Servant will not be inconve- 
 nient ; should it be indiscreet. Pray, my dear 
 Madam, say Sincerely yes or no, & you will 
 
 really oblige me. 
 
 " I take this opportunity of inclosing a Speci- 
 men of my Summer's Work ; may I flatter my- 
 self that you can find a place for it in your 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 1 6 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Packets, & that in examining it closely, you will 
 discover every knot to be the Tie of Friend- 
 ship of your affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 «M^ dth of August^ 1786." 
 
 The following note, in Lady Harcourt^s 
 handwriting, is attached to a copy of the 
 Form of Thanksgiving which was issued 
 upon the occasion of the Kings preser- 
 vation from the murderous knife of Mary 
 Nicholson : — 
 
 ** This was the form of Prayer ^ the King made 
 
 • " A Form of Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the Providential 
 Preservation of His Majesty's Sacred Person, in the late Attempt 
 upon it, on the 2»"^ Day of August, 1786. 
 
 " To be used at Morning and Evening Service, After the General 
 
 Thanksgiving, ^ 
 
 «* Throughout the Cities of London and Westminster, and else- 
 where within the Bills of Mortality, on Sunday the Thirteenth 
 Day of August, 1786 ; and in all Churches and Chapels through- 
 out England and Wales, on the Sunday after the Ministers there- 
 of receive the same. -London : Printed by C. Eyre and the Exe- 
 cutors of W. Strahan, Printers to the King's most Excellent 
 Majesty, 1 786. 
 
 A Form of Thanksgiving to Almighty God. 
 
 **0 Lord God of our Salvation, in whose Hands are the Issues of 
 
 Life, and by whose Almighty Power all the Kingdoms of the Earth 
 
 are governed, We humbly prostrate ourselves before Thee with all 
 
 Thankfulness for the Providential DeUverance of Thy Servant, our 
 
 \ 
 
 f 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 17 
 
 use of, when he returned thanks in the Parish 
 Church at Nuneham, in Oxfordshire, on Sunday, 
 August the 13th, 1786, for his escape from Mary 
 Nicholson. 
 
 " The King, Queen, and three eldest Princesses, 
 came to Nuneham on the 12^^ and staid till the 
 15^^ of August." 
 
 During this visit to Nuneham, the King 
 and Queen drove over to see Blenheim. 
 The two following letters from the Duke 
 of Marlborough relate to this event. 
 
 The Duke of Marlborough to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 Sovereign, from the great Danger to vi^hich his Life was lately ex- 
 posed. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, O God, Thou Preserver of 
 Men, for this Signal Instance of thy Goodness to these Nations. 
 We laud and magnify thy glorious Name that, notwithstanding our 
 manifold Sins and Transgressions, Thou hast not forgotten to be 
 gracious to thy Servants. 
 
 ** Continue, wejjbeseech thee, the Favour of thy Countenance to 
 thine Anointed, and to us his People. Let thy Almighty Hand ever 
 be over him ; let not the Arm of Violence approach to hurt him. 
 Bless him in his Person, and in his Royal Family. Sanctify the 
 Means and Instruments of all his righteous Purposes ; direct his 
 Counsels, and prosper his Undertakings, to the Establishment and 
 Promotion of thy true Religion, and to the Comfort of thy faithful 
 People. Finally, let the Manifestations of thy Mercy and Loving- 
 kindness ever create and maintain in us sorrow for our Sins, Re- 
 formation of our Lives, and Trust in thy salvation, through our 
 Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.'* 
 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 t ' ♦ 
 
i8 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 ^^ Blenheim, August lo//;, 1786. 
 
 *' My Lord, — I am much obliged to your 
 Lordship for the information contained in your 
 letter. 
 
 "The Dss. of Marlborough has at present a 
 little feverish complaint, in consequence of the 
 fatigue she underwent at the Races, where she 
 was obliged to sit up three nights successively. 
 She is very anxious to be well enough to receive 
 the honour intended her on Monday next. But 
 as your Lordship mentions their Majesties in- 
 tention of passing some days at Nuneham, it is 
 possible that Tuesday morning may be as con- 
 venient as Monday, & a day gained would make 
 a difference in the Dss. of M. indisposition, as 
 it proceeds entirely from over-fatigue. 
 
 "Your Lordship will excuse my mentioning 
 this circumstance; but I thought it possible that 
 you & L'^y Harcourt might have the arrange- 
 ment of the plan, & I have sent a servant with 
 this to know whether you think it practicable or 
 not. If Monday must be the day, I much doubt 
 whether the Dss. of M. will be well enough to 
 appear. 
 
 " I have the honour to be your 
 
 " Lordship's most obed^, Humble Servant, 
 
 " Marlborough." 
 
 ■Mllfi 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 19 
 
 The Duke of Marlborough to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ^^ Blenheim, August iiih, 1786. 
 "My Lord, — As I wrote to your Lordship in 
 a great hurry yesterday, I can't help troubling 
 you with a line just to say, that I only proposed 
 Tuesday instead of Monday, under an Idea, that 
 it might be equally convenient, & that the Dss. 
 of M. would be more certain of being well enough 
 to appear. But should Tuesday be found incon- 
 venient, I shall at all Events hope for the honour 
 of the intended Visit on Monday, and I will 
 trouble your Lordship with another line on Sun- 
 day to know the hour their Majesties would wish 
 to have Breakfast. 
 
 " I hope you will excuse my giving you this far- 
 ther trouble, & not think of answering this letter. 
 
 " I am, with great Truth, 
 "Your LordsPs most Obed*, Humble Serv*, 
 
 " Marlborough. 
 
 ^^ August 12t?U 
 
 " I meant to have sent this letter to your Lord? 
 yesterday. But I thought, upon second thoughts, that 
 it would be best to send it to day, that I might 
 not be obliged to trouble you again on Sunday." 
 
 Lord Howard to Lord Harcourt : — 
 " My Lord, — Having had it whisper'd to us by 
 a Friend that we may soon expect their Majes- 
 
ties gracious Intentions toward Audley End made 
 known to us, induces Lady Howard and myself 
 to avail ourselves of the Indulgence your Lord- 
 ship did us the honour to permit in the beginning 
 of the Summer, in case such an Event should take 
 place ; which I hope you will, my Lord, be kind 
 enough to admit as a plea for the Liberty I am 
 taking, & for the Trouble I am going to give 
 you for a few friendly Instructions ; & may I 
 trespass still farther upon your Lordship's Good- 
 ness to intercede with Lady Harcourt to excuse 
 Lady Howard's taking the Liberty of applying 
 to her Ladyship for some few informations. 
 Such Questions, or rather Instructions, that I 
 shall presume to ask of your Lordship, I have 
 taken the Liberty, in hope of giving your Lord- 
 ship less Trouble, to note down on a separate 
 enclos'd paper ^. 
 
 "Whatever other Etiquette or attention that 
 seems to be necessary, I shall think myself much 
 honor'd by your Lordship's further Instructions for. 
 
 " I beg leave to offer my best Respects to Lady 
 Harcourt, & to be believ'd with the highest Regard, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 "Your Lordship's most obedient 
 & most humble Servant, 
 
 *' Howard. 
 
 ^^ New Burlington Street^ August 29, 1786. 
 
 ' This consisted of six sheets of questions. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 21 
 
 " P.S. Lady Howard is just recovering from 
 a dangerous illness, with a Tendency to Inflama- 
 tion in her Bowels, which will keep us in Town 
 till next Saturday." 
 
 Lord Howard to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " My Lord, — Lady Howard & myself are too 
 sensible of your Lordship's Goodness, in the honor 
 you have done us by your kind Instructions, that 
 you will, we trust, excuse our troubling you with 
 our grateful acknowledgments. You will however, 
 my Lord, permit me to ask you one Question or 
 Two more, — Whether your Lordship's Chaplain 
 appeared to say Grace, & if before & after Dinner. 
 
 "We have at Audley End a regular Service 
 every morning, which being well known to the 
 King, his Majesty may possibly order to be used 
 on Sunday morning before they set out for Cam- 
 bridge. We have a Gallery handsome enough 
 & big enough. It is about four Steps above the 
 general Floor, which is divided with what is call'd 
 the Nave, & the two Aisles. Within the latter 
 all our Family usually sit with their Backs to the 
 Wall, & reading Desks in their Front to kneel to, 
 the Women on one Side, the Men on the other. 
 The Upper Servants nearest ourselves. We have 
 also over head a Gallery. 
 
 " We should be happy to have your Lordship's 
 
22 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 opinion whether we should, before their Majesties, 
 introduce the Livery Servants & lower class of 
 Maids, into the Chappie. We shall, to be sure, 
 be comparatively thin without them ; in the whole, 
 we generally muster about Thirty on Sundays. 
 
 " Indeed, my Lord, I feel myself at this moment 
 growing again very troublesome, but I should be 
 glad to know if I shall have anything to do at 
 Cambridge, by way of presenting Persons with or 
 without addresses. I will now relieve your Lord- 
 ship, adding only our joint Respects to "yourself & 
 to Lady Harcourt, if returned to Nuneham. 
 
 " I have the honor to be, with the highest 
 Regards, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 " Your Lordship's most obedient 
 
 & most obliged, humble Servant, 
 
 " Howard. 
 
 ^^ London^ Sept, 2, 1786." 
 
 On the occasion of the Kings driving 
 over to Oxford from Nuneham, the Royal 
 bounty and clemency was exercised in re- 
 spect to the prisoners ^confined in Oxford 
 jail. The transaction is fully explained in 
 the following letters. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 23 
 
 Letter from George III. to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 " Windsor, Sept. <)th, 1786. 
 
 "I AM much obliged to Lord Harcourt for 
 the intelligence he has sent me concerning the 
 Debtors & convicts in Oxford gaol ; but could 
 have wished that Mr. Willoughby's modesty would 
 have permitted him to propose such sum as he 
 thought necessary for compounding the Debts. 
 Having no ground to fix what may be required, 
 I have looked back to see what had been neces- 
 sary at Salisbury and at Maidstone, and find each 
 amounted to near ;£'300. I have, therefore, en- 
 closed that sum ; if not enough, I trust Lord 
 Harcourt will have the kindness to acquaint me 
 what sum may be necessary, and it shall be in- 
 stantly transmitted to him. 
 
 " I approved much of Mr. Willoughby's plan of 
 employing the Convicts in the Gaol, & shall be 
 very ready of shortening the duration of the con- 
 finement of those that worthy magistrate may 
 think deserving of such favour. I therefore Au- 
 thorize Lord Harcourt to inform him of my wish- 
 ing he will examine who of them deserve that 
 indulgence. 
 
 "I thought I could not have this delivered in 
 so pleasing a manner to Lord Harcourt as by his 
 
24 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 truly deserving Lady, who is so obliging as to 
 be the bearer of it. 
 
 " George R." 
 
 Mr. John Cooke to Earl Harcourt : — 
 
 "My Lord, — I am requested to convey to 
 you the enclosed papers, containing the thanks 
 of a (once unhappy) set of people, who now hope 
 to avail themselves of that great instance of 
 Royal Bounty and Mercy which your Lordship 
 had the goodness to communicate to them yester- 
 day. The distinguished part, my Lord, you have 
 taken in the forwarding his Majesty's most gra- 
 cious intentions towards these miserable objects, 
 speaks (I doubt not) in reflexion, as much com- 
 fort to your own Breast, as it does in actual Ser- 
 vice to tJmn. And when I consider how greatly 
 the Magistrates' hands are strengthened by so 
 signal an extension of Royal Mercy to the Con- 
 victs on their representation, I should be wanting 
 to my own feelings, as well as to the Interests of 
 the Commission under which I act, if I omitted 
 this opportunity of expressing the obligations 
 we all owe to him thro' whom alone that re- 
 presentation could with equal propriety have 
 been made. 
 
 "May I beg, my Lord, my most respectful 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 25 
 
 Compos to Lady Harcourt, and that you will ever 
 believe me to be, 
 
 " Your Lordship's Most obliged & 
 faithful Servant, 
 
 "John Cooke. 
 
 " Oxford^ Corpus Christi College^ 
 Sufiday, Sept. 17M, 1786." 
 
 Mr. Christopher Willoughby, Chairman of 
 Quarter Sessions, County of Oxford, to Earl 
 Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^Baldon House, "jth October, 1786. 
 
 " My Lord, — As Chairman of the last Quarter 
 Sessions for the County of Oxford, I have the 
 honor of sending to your Lordship an order ^ then 
 
 K "Oxfordshire, 1786. At the General Quarter Sessions of the 
 Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King holden at Oxford, in and 
 for the County of Oxford, on Tuesday, in the first week next after 
 the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, in the twenty-sixth year 
 of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Third, King of 
 Great Britain and so forth, before Christopher Willoughby, Es- 
 quire, John Fane, William Lowndes, William Vanderslogen, Es- 
 quires ; Joseph Chapman, John Cooke, William Harrison, and 
 Thomas Nowell, Doctors in Divinity ; Edmund Goodenough, and 
 Henry Gabell, Clerks ; and others their fellows, Justices of our 
 said Sovereign Lord the King, assigned to keep the Peace of our 
 said Lord the King within the County aforesaid ; and also to hear 
 and determine divers felonies, trespasses, and other misdemean- 
 ours within the said County done and committed. 
 
 "Ordered that the Rifjht honourable the Earl of Harcourt be 
 requested to make known to the King the most humble and grate- 
 ful acknowledgements of the Magistrates of the County of Oxford, 
 
 E 
 
\ 
 
 26 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 made, expressing the grateful acknowledgements 
 of the Magistrates of the County for his Majesty's 
 most gracious attention to the respective Prisoners 
 confined in the Gaol of their County; which order 
 I am to request your Lordship to transmit to the 
 King, in any manner & at any time your Lordship 
 shall think most proper. 
 
 " I have likewise the pleasure to enclose an 
 order ^ of the same Sessions, requesting me to re- 
 turn the thanks of the Magistrates of the County 
 to your Lordship, for the very polite manner in 
 
 for his Majesty's most generous and benevolent donation for the 
 relief of the Debtors confined in the Gaol of their County. And 
 more especially for the very gracious manner in which the King 
 has by the Earl of Ilarcourt expressed his Royal approbation of 
 the Plan introduced by the Magistrates of the County, of punishing 
 Offenders by Hard labor within the Castle Gaol. And likewise 
 for his Majesty's most gracious attention to the application of the 
 Magistrates reporting the ready submission and decent behaviour 
 of the several Convicts and Prisoners now confined within the 
 Castle Gaol to hard labour, by remitting to each Prisoner who 
 was thought worthy of such indulgence a part of his imprisonment 
 remaining to be undergone and performed. And at the same time 
 to assure his Majesty that his faithful Magistrates of the County of 
 Oxford will at all times be happy and studious to use their utmost 
 exertions to carry the Laws of their Country into execution, and 
 more especially to preserve the peace and good order of their own 
 
 County." 
 
 •» " Ordered that the Chairman be desired to signify the above 
 order of Sessions to the Right honourable the Earl of Harcourt ; 
 and at the same time to return the thanks of the Magistrates of the 
 County to his Lordship, for his very humane and kind attention to 
 the unfortunate Debtors. And also for the very polite and friendly 
 manner in which his Lordship has been pleased to signify his 
 
 which your Lordship was so kind as to make 
 known to them his Majesty's sentiments. And 
 I am very happy to comply with this request, as 
 it gives me an opportunity of expressing their una- 
 nimous sentiments of gratitude to your Lordship, 
 for your very great humanity to the Prisoners, & 
 for your Lordship s kind and friendly assistance 
 in promoting a plan introduced by them, which 
 they hope will be of public utility. 
 
 "I feel myself particularly obliged to your 
 Lordship for the very great friendship shewn to 
 me on this & every occasion ; and I am very glad 
 of the opportunity of expressing the respect and 
 esteem with which I am, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 " Your much obliged & most faithful h^^^ ServS 
 
 '' Chris^. Willoughby." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " My DEAR Lady Harcourt, — I have been 
 
 about this fortnight writing to you, & every 
 Time was interrupted by something or other to 
 prevent me. I do therefore Seize this Morning, 
 as every body is gone to Church, to desire my 
 
 Majesty's most gracious approbation of the mode of punishment 
 introduced by the Magistrates of the County by hard labor witliin 
 
 the Castle Gaol. 
 
 "Taunton, 
 
 " C/erJ(: of the Peace of the said County. " 
 

 
 28 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 dear lady Harcourt of returning thanks to Lord 
 Harcourt for the Drawing He has been so oblig- 
 ing to send me with so much expedition. It 
 is so pretty, & of so much Taste, that I can 
 hardly see nor admire it enough, & shall think 
 myself very happy if I can but one day or other 
 arrive to do a quarter as well, at least will I 
 try to copy it in my Humble way, which still 
 continues to Amuse me, though the King says 
 it is the shabbiest way of Drawing in the World ; 
 & as hope always does keep up our Spirits, I 
 flatter myself in Time to arrive to some per- 
 fection. 
 
 " I have of late seen several ladies just returned 
 from Paris, some very much improved in looks, 
 & others far otherwise. M^^. Eden by wearing 
 an Enormous Quantity of Rouge looks much 
 more pleasing, & M". Goldburn, by Hiding Her 
 Fine Complexion, on the Contrary loses by that 
 Ornament; the latter is quite Formidable by 
 Three immense Feathers, which so directly run 
 into my Eyes when she was presented, I was 
 under the necessity of drawing myself back in 
 order to avoid Mischief, & I rejoiced a little in 
 lady Claremont's distress who presented Her. . . . 
 
 "The Thames is at present quite in its glory. 
 Fields & Gardens are all under its Dominion, 
 & should the Isis be less Powerful ? No, Heaven 
 forbid ! for to its Powers alone I shall be indebted 
 
 / 
 
 I m 
 
 \ 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 29 
 
 for the Pleasure of assuring you a Viva Voce how 
 
 Sincerely I am, 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 « Windsor, 17M Dec, 1786." 
 
 Letter from George III. to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 " Windsor, July ^tJi, 1788. 
 
 "It is 'out of my power, after the attention and 
 cordiality I have met with when I visited the 
 possessors of Nuneham, to pass by the gate of that 
 beautiful place without calling to see them. This 
 is therefore a friendly notice to Lord Harcourt, 
 that on Saturday, the Queen and my three eldest 
 daughters will, with me, thank him for some break- 
 fast a little after ten, as by twelve we must con- 
 tinue our journey to Cheltenham. 
 
 "This will enable me to pay due Respect to 
 the Venerable Tapestry, and just cast an eye 
 on the more beautiful Flower Garden. 
 
 '' I hope everything that is proper will be said 
 in my name to the Excellent Countess, and that 
 this season may be the time of Lady Vernon and 
 her Daughter's visit at Nuneham. 
 
 "George R." 
 
30 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Letter from George III. to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 " Cheltenham, July i^fh, 1788. 
 
 " It may not be improper, as time is necessary 
 to prepare a Wardrobe for any Water-drinking 
 Place, that Lord Harcourt should be apprized 
 that on coming on Saturday to Cheltenham no 
 one appeared with a cocked hat but the modest 
 Lieut-General Borough. This has obliged round 
 hats alone to be worn and the Plain coat, the 
 other is kept for more public occurrences ; on 
 communicating this hint, the writer is desired 
 to add that Lady Harcourt is desired, when she 
 comes, to bring Linncn gowns for the morning, 
 as silk ones are instantly destroyed. This night 
 is the Ball given by the Master of Ceremonies 
 to the company. He thinks it will be very 
 brilliant, and Lord Oxford is arrived, and he 
 means to beg his Lordship to open the Ball ; 
 but if he cannot succeed, there is no doubt that 
 Lieut-General Borough, who dances every night, 
 will make that conspicuous figure, to which the 
 fame of having long been an admirer of the di- 
 vine Cecilia' gives him a just claim. 
 
 The prospects on the hills are beautiful be- 
 yond description, but from the trial of this morn- 
 ing unattainable by a carriage, and too difficult 
 
 * Lady Cecilia Johnston, daughter of Lord Delawarr. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 31 
 
 of access for walkers ; riding is the only mode 
 possible of getting to the summits of them ; it 
 is hoped therefore Lord Harcourt will not fail 
 to bring his little poney, or rather borrow one 
 of the offered Spaniards, who, as they bend 
 their kness very much, will be perfectly safe ; 
 but should neither be agreable, there are mules 
 employed in this Country to carry coals, one 
 of which shall be secured, that Lord Harcourt 
 may not miss the satisfaction of riding up Cleve 
 Cloud Hill. 
 
 Letter from George IIL to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ** Cheltenham, July 26///, 1788. 
 
 " It will not be thought improper by the Earl 
 Harcourt that H.S. should fulfil his offer to his 
 Lordship in equipping him for the beautiful 
 rides at this place. He therefore, after con- 
 gratulating his Lordship on His safe arrival at 
 Cheltenham, makes bold to present him with 
 the packet that accompanies this." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "Dear Lady Harcourt, — Pray be so kind 
 as to procure me from lady Salisbury a kind 
 of Aigrette which is to hold the Sultana. My 
 Daughters are going wild about it: lady Wey- 
 mouth comes to Morrow, therefore it will be safe 
 
32 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 in Her Hands, & I promise to be very carefull 
 
 of it. 
 
 " Adieu, excuse great haste, for Dinner is upon 
 the Table. I intend to Eat Chicken in order 
 to appear more beautiful! when I see you next; 
 but in case it docs not succeed, beheve me Equally 
 handsome as Chicken can make me, or Ogly as 
 
 I am. 
 
 " Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the ^th April, 1789." 
 
 " Weymouth, the 20///, 7//?, 1791. 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt,— I take the ear- 
 liest opportunity of thanking you & My lord for 
 your very unbounded goodness and attention to 
 my youngest Daughters ; they arc perfectly drunk 
 with the pleasure they have felt, & are still feel- 
 ing, of being with you, & will, like me, retain an 
 everlasting remembrance of your kindness. 
 
 " Our Company is increased within this 
 
 week by H & l^y Chesterfield ; they are very 
 welcome: for wherever He is, He makes time 
 pass agreablc; & I have also the satisfaction of 
 seeing l^x Chesterfield much better. 
 
 ". . . . What does pass in your part of the World 
 about \J^ Blendford's Marriage; is it supposed 
 that His income will be increased or not, or are 
 the mighty to be inexorable; I think it lucky, 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 33 
 
 after all that has happened, that His choice has 
 been a Woman of Fashion. 
 
 «*.... The Newspapers of the 19th mention 
 General Parker's death ; should it be true, I 
 should be happy to hear that at least, if not all, 
 some part of His Fortune is gone to his Brother's 
 Children ; but I fear my hopes will be disap- 
 pointed, as I remember hearing, at the time He 
 married l^y Cotterell, that He had settled all His 
 Fortune upon Her. As the Family live in your 
 neighbourhood, you may perhaps be able to know 
 something about it. . . . 
 
 " Your very affectionate friend, 
 
 '' Charlotte." 
 
 Left by Queen Charlotte on Earl Har- 
 court's table at Windsor, v^ith a pair of old- 
 fashioned gold-fringed gloves, 1 79 1 : — 
 
 " Go, happy Gloves, bedeck Earl Harcourt's hand, 
 And let him know they come from Fairy-land, 
 Where antient Customs still support their Reign, — 
 To Modernize them all attempts were vain. 
 * Go,' cries Queen Mab, ' some Noble owner seek, 
 Who has a proper taste for the Antique.* 
 
 " C." 
 
Ot" 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " Weymouth^ ^th SeJ>t.^ 1791. 
 
 "My lord, — I am sure that yourself & lady 
 Harcourt will be glad to hear of our arrival at 
 Weymouth in 13 hours & an half; & we should 
 have done it exactly in twelve had we not been 
 detained by the Wheels of the Princesses Coach 
 taking Fire about 8 miles from Salisbury. This 
 accident, though not uncomon, might have been 
 prevented by the Wheels being made upon the 
 same principle as those of the King's Carriage. 
 I have therefore desired Colonel Gwynn to write 
 to Hatchet, & inquire if such Wheels could not 
 now be made immediately, and forwarded to Wey- 
 mouth before our departure; as a delay at that 
 time of the year, when Dark comes upon us sud- 
 denly, would be truly inconvenient 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "My Dear Lady Harcourt,— I should 
 
 like to know how my Lord has bore the journey. 
 .... Perhaps a few days quiet in Town, the sight 
 of his friends, and above all the company of the 
 Divine ^ may by degrees recover him entirely; & 
 I beg in particular that my Lord will not by over 
 attention to me make himself worse : that would 
 
 ^ Lady Cecilia Johnston. 
 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 35 
 
 be no compliment to me, nor pleasure to his 
 
 friends, amongst which I reckon myself. 
 
 " Dear Lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Your affectionate friend, . 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, ^ Jan., 1792. 
 
 "Pray make L^ Harcourt drink the King's 
 health twice a-day. A little more wine is neces- 
 sary, you know ; that is St. Paul's advice." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt :— 
 
 " Odds Bodykyns, Lord Harcourt, The Ks orders 
 me to say, that He is of oppinion y^ presence at 
 Windsor during this week (Race Week) would be 
 very agreable to Him & to us all. I do assure 
 you, & I promise you faithfully, that when we 
 have done Broiling at Ascot, you shall Cool y^ 
 self at Frogmore, where it looks very Riiralistic 
 at present, & the Plants have not suffered much 
 from the Frostes of last week ; &, Oh dear Heart, 
 every thing comes on us one could wish ; & the 
 good lady & little Mistress approve of all that is 
 done, which I hope you will also grace with y' 
 approbation. . . . 
 
 " I beg my best Compliments to l^x Harcourt, 
 & hope to see you to-Morrow by Dinner-time. 
 For though I have wrote in Green's Language, by 
 
36 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 way of making you laugh, it is notwithstanding 
 true that the Kg ordered me to invite you. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ''the ^th of June, i793-" 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt,—. ... At our ar- 
 rival here, the King received the account of the 
 Duke of Brunswic's having entirely surrounded 
 Dumourier's Army, & that the French General 
 had offered to give up His Canons, Baggage, & 
 Tents; but the Duke sent for answer, nothing 
 would satisfy him but the French delivering up 
 
 their Arms. 
 
 "The Event of this Message was not known 
 when the Messenger left Brussels ; & now, my 
 dear lady Harcourt, receive once more my thanks 
 for all y^ attention & kindness during our Party 
 at Weymouth ; and believe me when I say it, & 
 you may even repeat the same to y^ Lord, that 
 it never will be forgot by 
 
 " Y^ affectionate Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 '' Windsor^ the 2nd Oct,, 1792." 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt, — I was ex- 
 treamly happy to hear that L'"^ Harcourt bore 
 the going down to Newneham so well ; & still 
 
 \ 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 37 
 
 more so for his continuing to feel the Air of His 
 sweet Place, so salutary to His Health. How 
 happy must the change have been from Waves 
 & Winds, & Bleak Downs, to a Cheerful well 
 wooded Country, & the sweet odours of the 
 Flower Garden so universally Admired by every 
 Body ; & how much must not M^. Mason feel 
 when He sees His own taste not only answer to 
 the Owner, but doing justice to by the gener- 
 ality of People. 
 
 "Much as I rejoiced to know that y^ L^^ & His 
 Friend were to meet again, as much did I fear 
 that the first meeting would cause some uneasi- 
 ness, as I understand that M^. Mason is much 
 broke; & L^^ Harcourt's sensibility I know will 
 suffer. However, His Faculties being entire, I 
 hope His Company will still give pleasure. Of 
 late we have enjoyed some Dryer Weather, which 
 makes Walking very agreable ; but the roads are 
 so heavy & jolting, that even the Royal Drivers 
 think it more prudent to go slow; for even we 
 think upon that subject that an overturn cannot 
 be called Pleasure, 
 
 " What must your roads not be in Oxfordshire. 
 I am afraid if ours are bad, y^^ must be worse ; & 
 yet notwithstanding my knowledge of that I am 
 a going to give you a Commission which may 
 perhaps make you liable to go the worst road you 
 
38 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 have; but before I mention it, let me beseech 
 you not to name it to any Body but those who 
 must be concerned in it. 
 
 "L^y Charlotte Finch finding herself of late 
 very unwell, & feeling Her strength greatly to 
 decrease, has begged leave to be excused giving 
 so close an attendance upon the younger Prin- 
 cesses as she used to. That Her request should 
 be granted after so long a service you will not be 
 surprised at ; but you will also see my difficulty 
 in finding Persons capable of giving that sort of 
 assistance, who will be fit to be both Companions 
 & Advisers to my youngest Daughters, As they 
 are to gain not only their Friendship and Con- 
 fidence ; but that degree of power to persuade 
 them in doing that what is right, & not to appear 
 to be a Governess, what they are in short not to 
 be. I have ever heard the most Amiable Cha- 
 racter of \^y Mary Parker. She is described to 
 me as Cheerfull, sensible, ingenious, possessing 
 many resources in Herself, used to a retired 
 life, & well principled. You yourself have often 
 spoke in Her favour; & should she answer the 
 description, I think my Choice in her could not 
 be better. 
 
 " The attendance I require (for there are to be 
 two) is that one of them always to attend of an 
 Eveninor; & when we are not in Town to come 
 by Dinner, to Dine, & stay with them all Day ; 
 
 
 & when poor dear Gooly is indisposed, to be in 
 readiness to come & attend their lessons, & to 
 watch that they prepare themselves in the after- 
 noon for what is to be done next Day. Never to 
 pass any incivilities or lightness in their behaviour ; 
 & to tell me openly & fairly every difficulty they 
 meet with ; & when I am not present to speak to 
 Miss Gooly, who as sub-Governess is the only 
 Person impowered to direct, & who will ever be 
 ready to assist them with Her Advice whenever 
 it is necessary; and who it will be their In- 
 terest to Consult, as she hath known them ever 
 since their Birth, & they are much attached to 
 Her. The salary will be the same as that of 
 the Elder Princesses ladies ; & whenever the 
 younger ones appear in public they are of course 
 to attend. 
 
 "All this I beg my dear lady Harcourt to think 
 over; & when well digested, to sound the Mac- 
 clesfield Family, whether or not they will agree 
 to lady Mary Parker being one of the ladies 
 about the younger Princesses. I have secured 
 one already, & am sure that you will be pleased 
 with my choice ; but I do not name Her untill all 
 is settled, in order to prevent disagreable appli- 
 cations ; & I think it right to add, that the lady 
 who I am sure to have, is Married ; & that per- 
 haps the unmarried one may at times be called 
 upon to appear, when an increasing situation of 
 
40 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 the other prevents Her coming into Public ; all 
 this should be said, & be well understood, in order 
 that no doubts & surprizes may arise hereafter, 
 nor the attendance be looked upon as too much ; 
 for I think it much better that both the pleasant 
 & unpleasant side should be seen at once ; a fair 
 statement on my side, makes me also hope that 
 Nothing will be undertaken on the other side, 
 without full Consideration; & here I leave off, 
 my dear l^y Harcourt, putting it in y^ Hands, as 
 I am Certain it could not be in better ; the Event 
 of this Commission I shall wait patiently ; & I do 
 insist you will take the time the most convenient 
 for you to execute it. I beg my best Compli- 
 ments to L^^ Harcourt, & to l^y Vernon, & am 
 
 " Y^ very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the 2oih Nov., 1792." 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt,—. . . . One other 
 
 thing occurs to me, which it would not be im- 
 proper to insert in your letter to Lady M.P., that 
 of health. Pray say, as strongly as you can, how 
 necessary it is not to undertake being about Court 
 without having a good share of that blessing ; & 
 you ought to know how to state this point, as 
 both of us are acquainted with the inconveniences 
 
 of the want of it in others 
 
 "I beg my best compliments to L^ Harcourt 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 J 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 41 
 
 & Lady Vernon ; & I return you thanks for all 
 
 the trouble you take upon this occasion ; & am 
 
 my dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 ** Very affectionate friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 "24//^ Nov,y 1792." 
 
 " My dear lady Harcourt, — I am just come 
 
 from Church, & cannot employ the Hour which 
 I have left to myself to greater satisfaction than 
 in answering y^ Letter which I received last Week. 
 I am most sincerely sorry for the great anxiety 
 & distress of mind you have undergone since 
 I had the pleasure of seeing you ; but yet great 
 as the loss of a Parent is at all times, you have 
 that Comfort of having fulfilled your Filial Duty 
 to the utmost ; & at the same time are possessed 
 of such proper principles of Religion, as to see 
 that L^y Vernon's release was a happiness to 
 Herself; as at Her time of life she had not the 
 smallest chance of recovering in any way to live 
 Comfortably. You say y^self that she dyed the 
 death of the righteous ; that alone is a reflexion 
 which conveys every possible Comfort to those 
 who are left, & comprises much more than my 
 Feeble Pen ever can express. 
 
 " I need not say how much every body at our 
 House sincerely shares in y'" Grief ; & most anx- 
 iously wish that you may not suffer any bad 
 
 r( 
 

 42 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 effects from this Melancholy event I am in- 
 clined to advise you, my dear Madam, not to 
 indulge too much in reflecting upon past scenes ; 
 it is injurious to y^ Health, & can avail nothing 
 to those that are gone ; you have still many Bles- 
 sings left in this life, & that you may long enjoy 
 them is the sincere Prayer of y^ 
 
 " Very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ''the \Wi April, 1794." 
 
 Letter from George III. to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 '^Queen's House, Jan, 22nd, 1794, i/' 6 p.m, 
 
 ** I SHOULD not do justice to the sentiments Lord 
 Harcourt so continually avows, and what is less 
 common, acts up to, if I did not instantly answer 
 the letter I have received from him, enclosing the 
 one written to Him by M^. Willoughby ; the more 
 so as from circumstances I am enabled without in- 
 convenience to do it. On the death of M^. Powney, 
 my inclination led me to Lieutenant-General Har- 
 court; but on my mentioning it to him on Sunday, 
 he so decidedly objected, that I could not further 
 press him ; and wrote to M"". Pitt, that as Lieut- 
 Gen^ Harcourt declined, I would support any 
 Candidate administration might be desirous of 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 43 
 
 proposing ; in consequence of which, M^. Grant, 
 a very able lawyer, has canvassed Windsor this 
 day ; of which intention I had on Monday sent 
 notice to the principal persons who look up to 
 the Castle. 
 
 " This being the case, I can only return to Lord 
 Harcourt the letter he enclosed, but perfectly ap- 
 proving of^the step he has taken. 
 
 " G. R." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ''July, 1794. 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt, — By the 
 
 Newspapers you see that we are alive ; & I hope 
 you perceive that we are not quiet: for though 
 no land parties'have taken place, we have never 
 ceased going out at sea in pursuit of L^^ Howe's 
 Fleet ; who, after all the Trouble we have taken, 
 gave us the slip at two a Clock Yesterday morn- 
 ing ; & that being Certain, we shall now begin 
 to Visit about. Company we have very little ; 
 but what I have is good. The Chesterfields & 
 Powlets are here; & the addition of L^y Bur- 
 lington is not to be forgotten, for she is very 
 amiable indeed, & L^^ Burlington by no means 
 unpleasant. They lead a very Domestic life, their 
 Children live upon a very agreeable & easy foot- 
 ing with them, & both He & She are Adored by 
 
I 
 
 their Servants. Is it not a pity when so much 
 real good unites in Private, that in Public it 
 should be the Contrary ? We know it is so ; but 
 as I have nothing to do with Public Business, it 
 IS but justice to them to Admire the one & regret 
 the other. 
 
 "Public News must come to you even sooner 
 than to us ; it is not the best, & therefore we 
 will pass it over with Silence ; & as for Scandal 
 or Town talk, not much of that neither. I will, 
 however, mention that the 2"^ Miss Scott's in- 
 tended Match with L^^ Down is over; it is said 
 that the Settlements demanded upon the occa- 
 sion were so enormous, that the Parties could 
 not agree upon it ; & other People pretend that 
 there are other reasons more serious even than 
 Settlements which broke it off. I am sorry for 
 both Parties, for I am afraid that in either Case 
 it must appear odd to the Public. 
 
 " The younger Lascelles, Alias Cupid, is to 
 marry Miss Seabright. The Gay Lothario is to 
 Wed the Sedate & retired Wife ; how they will 
 suit, time will shew; for Beauty there is none, 
 nor Fortune on the Female side. I do not mean 
 by that, that much of either is necessary for real 
 Happiness ; but as on the one side there has 
 always been so much pretension to Beauty, I wish 
 there was more Money on the other side. She 
 has been well Educated ; as I hear, is pos- 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 45 
 
 sessed of many Talents, & has behaved with 
 great attention to Her Mother; I hope she will 
 be happy. 
 
 " The K& is, thank God, remarkably well ; & so 
 IS every body belonging to us, both Old & Young, 
 Great & Small. We have at last been visiting 
 Portland Island, where the People are very good 
 & Loyal ; but luckily for them, in a happy state 
 of Ignorance, I mean happy for the present mo- 
 ment. They work hard, & live hard ; the Women 
 live by Spinning both Wool & Cotton for their 
 own Consumption, & Knitting; & the Men by 
 Cutting Stone, Farming, (N.B. no more of that 
 neither than what will just keep their Family,) 
 & Smuggling. 
 
 *'They are averse to any Match out of the 
 Island, both for Men & Women ; & the chief 
 reason given for that, is, that the Women in the 
 Isid have a right to dispose of their own Fortune ; 
 the Husband enjoys it when the Wife is alive; 
 but at Her Death she may leave it as she pleases ; 
 she is not bound to leave it in preference to Her 
 own Children, nor altogether to one Person, but 
 in little parcels ; which makes the inclosures look 
 ridiculously small; but small as these are, no 
 Man or Woman will cultivate more than their bit. 
 They never Marry until the intended Wife is a 
 Mother ; & there is hardly one instance of their 
 forsaking them ; but if the Man forsakes Her, it 
 
 « 
 
I 
 
 46 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 is no disgrace for another to marry the lady in 
 
 Question. 
 
 " I am told, in some parts of Oxfordshire it is 
 the same; will you allow that, my dear lady 
 Harcourt? I think I hear L^^ Harcourt say, 
 * Oh, that is too bad !* We have just seen the 
 Winchelseas. . . ." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 ''Frogmore House, the Zth July, 1795. 
 "My good Lord,— Indeed you deserve a letter 
 after having Twice taken the trouble to write to 
 me, which I know is to you absolute penitence. 
 I will therefore reward you, by assuring you that 
 I liever passed a more pleasant morning than 
 that of Fryday last ; & that, independent of all 
 the Fine things which are to be seen at Straw- 
 berry Hill, the Company of the Host is what we 
 one & all were the most pleased with ; & I should 
 myself have injoyed His Presence still more, had 
 I not continually been thinking of the Fatigue 
 our visit made Him suffer. I desired & intreated 
 Him to sit down, but in vain ; & I fear His great 
 civility will take weeks for Him to recover. L^-^ 
 Orford had very kindly invited W\ Damar, & His 
 two Nephews, Colonel & M^ Horace Churchill, to 
 be there ; the Lady did all possible Honor to His 
 Choice by Her attention, as well as by Her man- 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 1 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 47 
 
 ner in showing my lord's Collection, & drawing 
 our attention to the most remarkable Beauties 
 contained in it, & quand a ces messieurs je m'ap- 
 pergois que leur gout ne s'accorde pas avec 
 celui de leur Oncle, mais helas ils sont fait pour 
 la guerre & ne pense qu'a ceuillir des lauriers, 
 
 dailleurs ils ont des bonnes manieres 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt,— You must be 
 so good as to satisfy yourself with a few lines 
 only. For indeed I am but little at home, & 
 almost constantly at sea, from 11 in the M"g till 
 1 1 at Night, where we pass our time in Singing, 
 Dancing, Playing at Cards, & Working. The 
 Stanhopes, & Onslows, L^^s Sudley & Chester- 
 field, & l^y Gertrude Villers, are our additional 
 & pleasant Company. Y^ Letter is arrived. I 
 have no personal dislike to Miss Gambler, But 
 the Prince of Wales, when here, interested Him- 
 self for Miss Seymour Coleman, & I am deter- 
 mined to oblige him ; a little douceur from me to 
 him is my inclination always; but at present 
 j'aime encore mieux a la faire. 
 
 " We are to be at Windsor on the 3rd of next 
 month ; & I understand to have a Circle on the 
 8th ; & after that I hope to have the Company 
 
 ■ 
 
48 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 of L^d Harcourt & you ; & I long to assure you 
 
 how sincerely I am 
 
 " Yr affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 '^ Weymouth, 2^th Sept,, 1795." 
 
 ". I DID not write, my dear Friend, for various 
 reasons, after all that has happened since we 
 parted ; but I thought much of you ; I have been 
 
 much alone I am of oppinion that the quieter 
 
 one keeps at present, the more prudent it must 
 be ; & by seeing but a few people, one has less 
 Temptation to talk. The Chesterfields & Stan- 
 hopes come every night at 8, to make up our 
 party ; and the rest of the Day is spent in walk- 
 ing, working, reading, & Drawing, & Music. All 
 this will prove to you that our life is not very 
 merry; & consequently nothing passes to make 
 my letter either pleasant or agreable, which I 
 always wish to be when I write to you. There is, 
 however, one thing which will make you laugh ; 
 & that is, that I take a very nice little Trott every 
 Morning round my Grounds upon a pretty little 
 Bourique, which is a Galanterie of the Dowager 
 lady Spencer, & furnishes great amusement to my- 
 self. Princesses, Servants, & labourers. It sleeps 
 in the Fields at night ; is taken up early in the 
 morning to prevent its swelling itself by drinking 
 too much water ; & after a little ride, is fed with 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 49 
 
 a piece of Bread ; it will prove of further use by 
 roling my Garden ; for the Groom who brought it 
 says, that it would Trott for Hours without being 
 tired ; & should be exercised ; & was used to that 
 work at St. Alban's. I have also a little Garden 
 Chaise, which is to be drove by another Bourique ; 
 so that I think I am now quite equipped as 
 
 I ought to be 
 
 " .... I send a little drawing for L^^ Harcourt, 
 which is to give him an Idea of myself & bourique K 
 I beg you will be so kind as to say every thing 
 that is Civil to l^y Dungarvon ; remember me to 
 General & M^s. Harcourt, & l^y Gertrude Villers ; 
 & believe me, 
 
 " Your very affectionate Friend, 
 
 *' Charlotte. 
 
 ''the ^th Dec, 1795." 
 
 Letter^ from George III. to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ^^ London y March 30///, 1796. 
 
 "My Lord,— It would be the truest mark of 
 ignorance, were I to omit transmitting to so true 
 a lover of works of art the invaluable relics of 
 antiquity which were left to me by such an ac- 
 knowledged Virtuoso as M^". Sebastian Periwinkle, 
 
 ^ This drawing is preserved at Nuneham. 
 * Meant to be received on the ist of April. 
 
 H 
 
50 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 in Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, to whom 
 they had been bequeathed by Ar. Peregrine Pil- 
 kington, who had purchased them of a desendant 
 of the Great Sir Walter Rawleigh, who is sup- 
 posed to have collected them during his famous 
 Sea Voyage. The only reward I can possibly 
 expect from your Lordship is, that they may 
 find a retreat in the magnificent museum I un- 
 derstand your Lordship is about to erect. 
 ** I have the honour to remain, 
 
 " Your lordship's most humble 
 and obedient Servant, 
 
 " Timothy Trenchard." 
 
 Letter "" from George III. to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ^^ London J April \st^ 1796. 
 
 " My Lord, — By the advice of Timothy Tren- 
 chard, my Worthy friend & brother Antiquarian, 
 I humbly presume to present your Lordship three 
 most curious remains of antiquity, the one a Lock 
 which would be most suitable for your Lordship's 
 bed chamber or private study, as, if any one should 
 get a false key, they could not use it if your Lord- 
 ship should be within hearing, without being dis- 
 covered. 
 
 "I will not take up more of your time by ex- 
 
 '" Meant as a hoax. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 51 
 
 plaining the particular merits of the two others, 
 but subscribe myself, 
 
 "Your Lordship's most obsequious, 
 humble and devoted servant, 
 
 " Marmaduke Spooner." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ** My dear lady Harcourt, — .... How 
 
 many unpleasant things have passed since we 
 saw one another. To know them, & not to 
 have the powder of soothing & assisting the suf- 
 ferer, is real Martyrdom. I hear all sides, & 
 know so many things which must not be re- 
 vealed, that I am most truely wore down with 
 it ; & my dislike to the World in general gets 
 quite the better of me ; for those who do know 
 one & those who do not, all take a Tort & a 
 Travers, & say indeed most cutting things. Our 
 Ball looked Gay, whether it was truely so I do 
 not ask ; My feelings were far otherways, but we 
 did go through with it tolerably well, & the 
 best part of the Day was the end of it. We 
 were all equally happy when it was over. As 
 I mean this for you alone, I may venture to say 
 thus much upon the subject of a relation '' of 
 yours; that it will be prudent for you to con- 
 tinue silent with her upon Carlton House ; I have 
 
 n Mrs. Harcourt, afterwards Mary, Countess Harcourt. 
 

 *! 
 
 
 my particular reasons, believe me ; it is not for 
 the sake of doing mischief that I say so, but 
 I have reasons to suspect that what we won't 
 spread ourselves others are employed to do; 
 I name no Names, when we see one another 
 I shall explain it. 
 
 "The Princess Royal told me that L^^ Har- 
 court has expressed a desire of seeing one of 
 my Drawings, I take the liberty of sending three, 
 which L^d Harcourt may burn when He has 
 looked at them ; you may tell Him that I begun 
 to learn just as lady Dashwood went to Town, & 
 that during the Winter months I have not taken 
 above Six Lessons, & that I never attempted 
 to do a stroke of a Figure till last December. 
 
 **....! will only add one request, which is, 
 that you will believe me unalterably, 
 
 " Your very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Q. H. the 2yd May, 1796. 
 " Pray do not answer if it fatigues you." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt :— 
 
 "My lord,— After the account you were so 
 good as to send me about M''. Adams having 
 made use of my name very improperly about 
 the Election at Totness, I thought it but right 
 to myself & him, particularly as his Wife enjoys 
 
 \; 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 53 
 
 still a Pension from me, to have Him made ac- 
 quainted of such a report being about, & in- 
 sisting upon his contradicting it immediately. 
 
 <*.... I am very much obliged to you for 
 having afforded me an opportunity of clearing 
 my own Character from meddling in Politics, 
 
 which I abhor equal to Sin 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 " Q. H. the 2Sth of May, 1796." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 " My dearest lady Harcourt,— You 
 
 may perhaps wish to know some Particulars about 
 the Bath Family. I hear all the Family are well 
 in Health, & and at present returned to Arling- 
 ton Street, until L''^ Corke vouchsafes to deter- 
 mine what He will do about the House: Lady 
 Bath's Jointure is ;^3>000, but I do not understand 
 that any little Douceur is left Her in Money to 
 set out with: The young ladys' Fortunes are 
 doubled from Five to Ten thousand Pounds, 
 those who are of Age are to have five per cent, 
 and those under Age only four per cent. The 
 two younger Sons share the same, excepting 
 ;^300 a year more, which the Father was obliged 
 to give them as a Qualification for Parliament. 
 The present Lord has all the Personals, and I 
 understand that the intention is for lady Bath 
 to take a large House, and all Her Children, 
 
54 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 both Male and Female, to live with Her. In 
 the world it is understood that the present Lord 
 cannot enjoy more than £6,000 a year, as the 
 interest upon the Debt is very Considerable. 
 L*^ Thurlowe is consulted by the Family, & He 
 proposed two things, either for the present Lord 
 to live in Town for several years, & not at all at 
 Longleat, & to sell part of the Estate in order to 
 pay the debt ; or to live entirely retired in the 
 Country upon little for some time to come, & 
 to pay off, without selling any part of His Estate. 
 He has chosen the latter, to the great grievance 
 of all His Friends ; I myself shall give no oppinion 
 upon the Subject, but I see by some who either 
 are, or pretend to be, intimate with the Family, 
 that it is feared by Lord Bath retiring into the 
 Country, He will with His indolent disposition, 
 totally give up the World. Entre Nous, if He 
 will make no more use of His Talents than His 
 Father did, He will be no great loss. 
 
 " In this part of the world it is reported that lady 
 Ann Spencer is to be married, Saturday the 8^ 
 & that neither Her Father nor Mother have either 
 seen Her or M^ Ashley. The Duke of Marl- 
 borough has wrote a letter to General Gordon, 
 in which, however. He expresses great Satisfac- 
 tion to hear that the world gives M"". Ashley so 
 good a Character. The young people are to live 
 with the Dowager lady Shaftesbury, which does 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 55 
 
 the young Man Honor, for His Mother would 
 have given Him up Her House ; However, He de- 
 clined, knowing it to be inconvenient to Her. 
 
 "The Opera is begun, & like all other things, 
 approved of by some, and torn to pieces by 
 others. The Town is too empty at present to 
 fill it, & I find some people, who shall be name- 
 less, have not been there ; What that means I 
 cannot guess, but I suppose there is some hidden 
 meaning in it, & you will not blame me in think- 
 ing so, when I know that there always is an 
 uncommon anxiety to appear in Public : & now, 
 my dear lady Harcourt, you must be anxious 
 to be released from reading this dull letter ; Per- 
 mit me through your means to return Lord Har- 
 court thanks for His Sweet present, & assure 
 Him that even the King likes it; & believe me. 
 Absent or Present, 
 
 " Your unalterable, sincere Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor^ the "jth Dec. 1796." 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt, — I was a going 
 
 to inform you of the King's intention of going 
 to St. Paul's, when y^^ Letter arrived ; . . . but 
 the time for the Thanksgiving is not as yet 
 fixed, for two reasons : the one is, the expected 
 Death of the King of Prussia, which would put 
 a stop to it for at least a month, on account of 
 
the black Gloves ; and the other reason is, that 
 Nothing can be fixed as yet in what manner, 
 or how many Standards there are to be carried 
 of the Ennemies, whether all, or a feiv, or one of 
 each Natiofi, nor how they are to be attended, & 
 which way they are to come, whether from our 
 side of the Town, or from the Tozver ; All this 
 you see must first be arranged. The King talked 
 of a fortnight, & should it be so soon, you 
 shall hear from me; at least, I promise to be 
 punctual in my information. I fancy that if we 
 go, that all will go with six Horses, & if all my 
 Daughters are to go, I fear there will not be 
 Horses enough for them; & in case it should 
 be, as upon a former occasion, that the King 
 wishes all my ladies to attend, I am convinced 
 there will neither be Carriages nor Horses suf- 
 ficient ; all this I name that lord Harcourt may 
 think Ibout it, & be prepared ^^ in case it should 
 be so; for if not, no harm is done, he being 
 prepared before hand. 
 
 «... I have seen lady Kingsborough, & find 
 Her a most melancholy sight, God knows, but 
 very resigned, & quiet, and Mild about every 
 body ; Grateful to those who shewed feeling upon 
 the occasion, and reproaching Herself with hav- 
 ing Idolized Her Mary too much. Oh, how va- 
 rious are the trials of Mankind, but severe as 
 
 o Lord Harcourt was Master of the Horse. 
 
 they appear to us, Coming from an All-wise 
 Providence, who also supports us, we will say 
 with David, it is better to fall in the Hands of 
 God than that of Man; Happy are we who 
 know there is a God, and that God a Father to 
 us all; & I do firmly believe that the Wicked 
 
 never will Florish 
 
 " Believe me sincerely, 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Queen's House, the 30M Oct, I797-" 
 
 "4 Dec. 1797- 
 
 " Well, My dear lady Harcourt, The King of 
 Prussia is dead. Our Black Gowns just on, 
 & our Thanksgiving being fixed before the ar- 
 rival of the Berlin Post, for the 19^^ of this month, 
 cannot be deferred, therefore our Sable is to be 
 put by for that Day, & the Windsor Great Uni- 
 form both for Gentlemen & Ladies to be worn 
 instead. The latter I have endeavoured to make 
 as cheap as possible, by having a Dark Blue 
 Sattin Fashionable Gown trimmed with Gold 
 Fringe, & a White Crape Petticoat trimmed the 
 same. I am always sorry to put L^^ Harcourt 
 out of His way, but this time all of us must 
 submit to Higher Orders. The Sattin is made 
 
 at M^ Ibbetson's 
 
 " Your ever sincere friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 j 
 
58 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 "My lord, — . . • . I was extreamly sorry to 
 see on Thursday last in this part of the World 
 the appearance of a very wet day : the Review 
 on Wimbledon Common & the Dutchess of York's 
 performance in giving the Colours to Lord Am- 
 herst's Corps were obliged to be shortened; & 
 the disappointment at Oxford must have been 
 equal there. As to what relates to l^^y Har- 
 court's doing Her part well, I did not fear, know- 
 ing that notwithstanding Her nerves being easily 
 shaken, she possesses a great deal of Fortitude, 
 and as she assures me that Her nerves com- 
 monly take away Her Sight, She would not see 
 your anxious face, which I think might have 
 been the only thing to overcome Her. 
 
 I hear every thing went off to the satisfaction 
 of every Body, that lady Harcourt's speech was 
 extreamly genteel & well delivered, & the spec- 
 tators numerous. So far for the Morning, but 
 the Newspapers say that my lady opened the 
 Ball with a Colonel or Captain Crokcr. Pray 
 was you obliged to dance also .^ or did you get 
 off by saying My Dancing Days are over ; I hope 
 not, for if you have accommodated yourself to 
 the desire of the loyal Company which your 
 good Nature is always ready to do, I stand 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 59 
 
 some chance of your standing up at my next 
 Ball, not as a Duty, but by way of taking 
 compassion upon some forsaken young lady 
 who, tho' perhaps not equal in Beauty to the 
 Oxfordshire ladies, may yet deserve your com- 
 passion. 
 
 "How happy should I have been to sit in 
 a corner when you received Miss Payn's Visit; 
 I do not doubt that the party must have been 
 entertaining, for, as she is an actress of some 
 standing, she must be full of interesting anec- 
 dotes, which will not be lost upon you, & I hope 
 there will be some amongst them worth relating 
 over to us when we meet. 
 
 ''His Majesty has just finished the 5^^^ Volume 
 of Lord Orford's Works, & appears to have been 
 much amused with what He read. He told me 
 that many of the letters were very interesting, 
 some extreamly trivial, the facts which He re- 
 lates in them not always quite strictly true, & 
 His personal Hatred to the late Prince of Whiles 
 incomprehensible; that He speaks ill of all the 
 Royal Family, even of Princess Amelia, with 
 whom he associated much, & that excepting 
 yourself & a few other People, He speaks well 
 of nobody; that He never was a Democrat, & 
 hated modern Phylosophers, but, notwithstand- 
 ing that, the King thinks He had no fixed Reli- 
 gious Principles. In my oppinion He was a dis- 
 
 J 
 
6o 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 appointed Man, & if I happen to be right in my 
 judgement, He could not write othcrways, ceci 
 est pour vous seul. 
 
 " My lord, The accounts from Ireland continue 
 to give us the greatest hopes of a Speedy Peace 
 & tranquillity ; I wish as much could be said from 
 the Continent. 
 
 "I suppose you know that the Dowager lady 
 Harvey's Daughter marrys M^. Charles Ellis, 
 nephew to the late lady Effingham, a young 
 man of good Character & great fortune. M^ 
 Chusto Price is to marry a Miss Lambert, niece 
 to M^. Cook of Norfolk ; lady Elizabeth Manners 
 to a M^. Norman, who is a Widower with two 
 children; of the age of 40, & on Trade, but 
 bears a charming Character ; The Dutchess of 
 Rutland sent him a refusal in rather a rude 
 stile, but the young lady says that Her own 
 answer would prove different, & so it has, for 
 I understand the Match is Settled. Her Sister, 
 lady Catherine, it is reported, will marry a M^ 
 Forest, some say He is of a good Family, & will 
 have a good fortune. These are consequences 
 of Hunting acquaintances. 
 
 " Lord Guildford I understand is given over by 
 His Physicians in London, & P'^ Lucan, who 
 labours under the same Complaint at Bath 
 (a Dropsy), is also thought to be near His end. 
 The former might have been an Ornament to 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 61 
 
 His Country, but the part he has chosen to take 
 of late will make Him leave the world without 
 being regretted : of the latter I know so little 
 that I dare not make any remarks, but I think 
 He will be missed by His Children. 
 
 "I have had a visit from l^y Courtown, & am 
 astonished to see how well she bears up against 
 all their misfortunes. They have, like many 
 others, not received any rent for a year, & are 
 sure of receiving nothing this year, which is 
 a clear loss W ^12,000; their House totally de- 
 stroyed with every thing in it, their best Tenants 
 Killed, & their Wives & Children left destitute, 
 & two of my lord's Sisters, very well married in 
 the County, are so totally ruined, that they have 
 wrote over for assistance to their Brother. Lord 
 Courtown is very low indeed, and at 70, which 
 He is very near, such shocks are not so easily 
 overcome ; they mean to live with Lord Stop- 
 ford in London, & l*^y Courtown to Keep House. 
 
 Their youngest son, Richard, has just got the 
 living of Boughton from the Dutchess of Buc- 
 cleugh, worth ;£^300 clear, but with all the little 
 agrements of being a relation, & the liberty 
 of having Fish, Game, & many etceteras, lady 
 Courtown says it is nearly worth 400, and there 
 is a good & genteel House, in excellent repair, 
 which will be furnished by the Overflow of the 
 town Houses. He will therefore be well settled 
 
62 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 without costing them any thing, which is indeed 
 a great relief to their oppressed minds. 
 
 *' & now you must wish to see an end to this 
 letter, but, before that happens, let me intreat you 
 to Write again, for your letter did really make 
 me a little Cheerful; you know the times are 
 not most Cheerful, & one sees & hears of nothing 
 but distress. My best Compliments to dear lady 
 Harcourt ; all are well here in Health, but Ame- 
 lia's Foot not better. My Garden in great Beauty, 
 & in my walks you are often remembered with 
 Pleasure & Satisfaction. 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt will be glad to 
 
 hear of our safe arrival at Weymouth I hope 
 
 now to be a little quiet ; for of late I have led 
 a life perfectly unknown to me in England. One 
 week really passed in going three times to a Re- 
 view, to three Dinners, & three Balls ; & the 
 fourth day was breakfast at St. Leonards, which 
 was called a God Bless you, to which the King 
 
 also went. 
 
 "... I have still many things I could say, but 
 Prudence imposes Silence; & that little dear word 
 silence has so often stood my Friend in Necessity, 
 
 I 
 
 ■ 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 3 
 
 that I make it my constant Companion, which 
 I hope will not offend you. Public news I know 
 none very agreable, therefore shall not touch 
 them; & not to make this scrawl longer than 
 necessary, I will conclude my letter by begging 
 my best Compliments to lord Harcourt, & to 
 assure you of my unalterable Friendship & Re- 
 gard. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Weymouth, the 2iid Sept., 179S." 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... Per- 
 haps my son Edward may meet you at Bath. 
 We expect His arrival every hour; & tho' I am 
 sorry for the cause of His return, which is owing 
 to a fall from, or rather with His Horse, I re- 
 joice to see Him, for He has been absent for 
 Thirteen years. He bears a very Amiable Cha- 
 racter abroad ; & I hope He will have sense 
 enough to see the Necessity of supporting it in 
 His Native Country. 
 
 " Public News have been of late so glorious, & 
 so many, that it would be quite unreasonable to 
 expect any more for some time to come ; how- 
 ever, the French are determined to add every day 
 a little more to our complete Command of the 
 Sea. For so far from becoming Wiser by S^ John 
 Warrin's destruction of the Brest Fleet, they have 
 actually sent another from Dunkirk, who is come 
 
f 
 
 64 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 upon the Irish Coast ; & it is strongly reported & 
 believed in the City that four of those Frigates 
 are also taken by us ; no Official account is come 
 
 as yet. . . . 
 
 " Y^ very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 « Windsor, the ^th Nov., 1798." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " My Lord, — . . . Our Fetes have gone off in a 
 manner truly delightfull, the weather fine, & little 
 sun, quite des jours des dames ; & what is more ex- 
 traordinary, good Humour & Cheerfullncss did 
 also grace our Company; & that is so seldom 
 the case, that I could not omit mentioning it, par- 
 ticularly as I am confident that those two beings 
 frequently only leave their names, & pass their 
 time in Hiding. The difference of the three en- 
 tertainments consists in the Duke of York's being 
 all Military, The King's all Grandeur, & mine all 
 humble, rural, and out of the way. The Songs 
 & Speeches upon the Occasion shall be conveyed 
 to you when they are printed ; & I have the 
 pleasure to think that the King w^as much enter- 
 tained & pleased. One thing, however, I have to 
 regret, which was the want of your Company, 
 & that of lady Harcourt 's ; as the sight of Friends 
 would have made it more compleat to me; this 
 
 « 
 
 is another proof amongst many others that no- 
 thing is Compleat in this World. 
 
 "Windsor is so full, that it looks like London 
 in Miniature ; I retire from the Military & Ter- 
 race-bustle, & hurry as much as I can. The 
 former I do not understand, & the latter is not 
 quite so sweet as my Garden on a Sunday Even- 
 ing ; I therefore only inhale the odour de la Chre- 
 tiennete for a quarter of an hour, not to appear 
 either Whimsical or uncivil to the beau Mondes. . . 
 
 ^^ Windsor f 2^ July, 1800." 
 
 " My lord, — Thanks to a boisterous, blustering 
 Day, we Females are at home to enjoy a little 
 quiet ; & what is more, to reflect a little, which, 
 by the by, never will do harm to any body, & is 
 without doubt most Beneficial to our Sex. For 
 as our Minds are easier led away by Fashion, 
 amusements, & trifles, so do we also require more 
 time to recollect & to reflect. The first use I shall 
 make of my power of commanding what I can 
 call my own time, disposes me to write a few lines 
 to an absent Friend. . . . 
 
 " We have had some very pleasant parties both 
 at Sea & Land. . . . 
 
 " The Chancellor is at times in the most agrea- 
 ble spirits possible ; but as things & Men are not 
 always the same, so His Lordship is found very 
 
 K 
 
66 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 different in the Evening to what He was in the 
 Morning ; but His Niece, Miss Erskin, is & con- 
 tinues the same agreable, Sensible Girl at all 
 times. . . . 
 
 " Our Sailing Parties have gone on very quietly 
 & pleasantly as far as relates to ourselves. The 
 last time we were out, an unforeseen accident 
 happened to poor M^ Sturt, who, thank God, was 
 very Providentially saved ; an account of which 
 you will probably have seen in the papers ; & tho' 
 I do not intend to enter into particulars about 
 Him, knowing your feelings too well upon such 
 horrible accidents, I think it my duty to state 
 that the intimation of it in the papers of his being 
 Drunk is perfectly false ; & that it is Wonderfull 
 that a Man after fighting for full five hours in the 
 Race of Portland, against Winds & Waves, think- 
 ing every moment to be His last, & losing His 
 strength, should have retained his senses so well, 
 as to remember where he had laid his valuable 
 Watch, & to go back & fetch it. He assured 
 the King in my presence, that the moment of 
 greatest horror to him was when he saw the boats 
 come off to save him ; & the fear that they should 
 not be able, by the violence of the Sea, to come up 
 to Him. He is well, but greatly bruised, & sailed 
 home on Tuesday last. 
 
 "In our sailing parties many ludicrous events 
 have happened, which I should wish to mention 
 
 r 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 67 
 
 in order to make my letter entertaining ; but as 
 this cannot be done without naming People who 
 should be nameless, I think it more prudent not 
 to expose them ; but when we meet, it will I hope 
 render our Conversation more ChearfuU. . . . 
 
 " Weyynoiith^ 2iJuly^ 1800." 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt,— ... Indeed, 
 
 my dear Madam, this year is Big with Events; 
 may the issue of them prove Peace & Plenty, & 
 may the Almighty Continue to protect us in this 
 new Century as He did in the last ; I trust He 
 will Continue His protection to us, & likewise 
 support our poor Suffering Brethren upon the 
 
 Continent. 
 
 "Oh! I can never doubt the Justice of Pro- 
 vidence; & as He promises that the Just shall 
 not fall with the Wicked, I will put my trust in 
 Him alone, & always hope He is near to help us ; 
 for I am clear that nothing but the Power of the 
 Almighty can save us all. 
 
 "... What must I not expect when I meet my 
 lord ; who I rejoice to hear is so well, as to look 
 but Five & twenty years old. Nay, I am told he 
 feels Himself so ; & I am prepared to hear of 
 nothing else but quarrels amongst the Fine Ladies 
 this Winter, which is to be the happy one to be 
 noticed by the Young Peer. But what will be- 
 come of the dear S^. Cecilia, who, by the by, n'est 
 
k 
 
 II 
 
 I I 
 
 68 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 pas rejeun^, for neither Rouge nor any other 
 Substitute I fear, can be found out to make Her 
 look what she was. Well, she must employ Her- 
 self by writing the Lamentations of St. Cecilia. 
 
 "... Believe me it is with pleasure I look for- 
 ward for the 19th, to assure you by word of mouth 
 
 how Sincerely I am 
 
 *' Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor^ the ^rd January, 1801." 
 
 " Weymouth, 2 Sept., t8oi. 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt,— We are ar- 
 rived & settled at this Place ever since one a Clock 
 on Saturday Morning, after a Sailing of very near 
 14 Hours. We embarked at Christ Church ex- 
 actly at Eleven, & had so fair a Wind at that 
 Time, that had it continued, we should have been 
 at Weymouth by four in the afternoon ; but at 
 three it changed all at once, & we bore our diss- 
 appointment Heroically well. . . . 
 
 " Last night we went to Church, & had a Fine 
 Sermon, Preached by a M^ England, a Friend of 
 \J^ Dorchester's ; it was so fine & moving upon 
 the Kg* illness, & the situation of the Country 
 during that time, that there was not a Dry Eye 
 in the Church. 
 
 " Our Stay at Cuffnel's was the most delightful! 
 imaginable. The House is very spacious & hand- 
 
 » 
 
 ; j 
 
 i 
 
 some, very much improved since I saw it ; I be- 
 lieve all has been spent in improvement, for the 
 Property itself is not enlarged. We went on the 
 Tuesday to Limington, where the Ks received an 
 Address at the Town Hall. From thence we pro- 
 ceeded to S^ Harry Neal's Place, where we dined, 
 & returned to Cuffnel's by 9 in the Evening. No- 
 thing can be prettier than all the environs there 
 abouts ; & I envy every body that has the Su- 
 preme Felicity to enjoy a Cottage in the New 
 Forest. 
 
 "... Pray accept this little ring from the Radi- 
 pot fair ; the motto of which speaks the true Sen- 
 timents of 
 
 " Your affectionate friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " My Lord, — ... I have the pleasure to assure 
 you that the King bore all his fatiguing journeys 
 to London as well as his friends could wish him 
 to do. Every thing went off well on Tuesday 
 last in both Houses, which contributes not a lit- 
 tle to our remaining well. After the King has 
 received the joint Address of both Houses to- 
 morrow, we return again to Windsor. . . . 
 
 " A propos, the Due de Choiseuil goes to France 
 on account of the illness of an old Aunt, who 
 brought him up, & is a dying. She asked, un- 
 
70 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 known to him, of Bonarparte for liis coming to 
 see her. The Duke came to the Duke of York 
 to ask, I think, leave of absence, which he ob- 
 tained ; but the Duke of York could not help 
 saying to him that he was a little surprized, as 
 the Due de Choiscuil was a marked Character. 
 He told him, in answer, that the chief Consul's 
 answer to the request was, Madame la Countesse 
 de suis charmd d'etre en etat de donner la per- 
 mission pour Votre Neveu de venir vous voir, car 
 je connois sa loyaut6 & sa Bravoure ! Qu'en dite 
 
 " vous, My lord 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 "Kew, the ^th Sept. 1801." 
 
 "My good Lord Harcourt,— I expect you 
 to adhere to your resolve on Sunday Evening not 
 to appear in Public, but to rest in order to be 
 brisk & merry on Monday, & as the Fete is m 
 honor of the King's Birth Day, you will order 
 all my Servants down in full Liveries, even the 
 Coachmen ; & give directions that my four Chair- 
 men should be early at Frogmore on Monday 
 
 morning. , . , t u 
 
 " I have had some little difficulties, which I bear 
 
 with Christian Patience ; Sunday Evening is the 
 
 Grand Rehearsal, & if you could have been there 
 
 by Six to hear it, I should have called it la petite 
 
 Fete Harcourt; you know I am always glad to 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 71 
 
 see you, but never wish to put you to any in- 
 convenience. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the Wijtine, 1802. 
 
 "I am just going to Montem, which, entre nous 
 soit dit, is a great Bore, but it is right to do so." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt, — ... We 
 
 are now in London, which is very dull as far 
 as concerns news. Andreazi had His Audience 
 of the Ke, where He intended to go in Boots, 
 & was sent home again to change for Shoes 
 & Stockings. His uniform I hear is fine. His 
 Livery's finer. The Mob said the Cloaths were 
 worth looking at; the Man they detested. He 
 never named the First Consul in His Audience, 
 & His Credentials are enormously long; Lord 
 St. Helens dined with Him at Lord Pelham's, 
 & found Him modest & well bred : sense every 
 body allows Him, but those who knew Him for- 
 merly say that He is cunning. 
 
 " Here I was stopt by a Visit of the Duke of 
 York, & obliged to go to St. James, & of course 
 you will guess that I have seen this Ambas- 
 sador, who, by the by, displeased me more than 
 any body I ever saw, for He had breakfasted 
 upon Onions, & the smell He brought with Him 
 
72 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 into the Room, & left behind Him, will leave an 
 everlasting Remembrance upon all those who at- 
 tended me. He is not well looking, seems to 
 me not quite what Lord St. Helens found Him 
 to be, & looks so Dirty that He is quite degou- 
 
 tant to me. 
 
 "By the Newspapers you wnll learn the news 
 that every body is full of, another proof of the 
 particular interference of Providence, Oh, might 
 we never forget His unbounded goodness to us. 
 Particulars I cannot state, for nothing is tran- 
 spired, & Perhaps will not for some time. If I 
 do hear any Truth, you & Lord Harcourt shall 
 know it, as I trust you will never quote me to 
 any body ; & now God Bless you, my dear lady 
 
 Harcourt, & believe me, 
 
 " Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Q, H. the j^th Sept 1802." 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt,— ... As to what 
 
 relates to Despard & His associates, you know 
 as much of it as I do from the News Papers, 
 for nothing else does transpire, & tho' I am a 
 Woman, & should like to know more; I must 
 approve of Government to be silent upon the 
 Subject; God grant that for once there may be 
 some real justice done. We have a Chancellor 
 who will do what He can upon the Subject, & 
 
 i 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 73 
 
 Chief Justice Ayr being dead, I hope there are 
 no more Cowards, ceci entre nous. 
 
 **You may have heard of the very extraordi- 
 nary conduct of the first Consul towards Count 
 Starcnberg, by ordering him to leave Paris in 
 12 hours. The story is this, C. S. went with 
 the Countess to Paris to see Her relations. 
 The first evening they passed en Famille, the 
 2^ they all went to the Spectacle, the 3^ they 
 forced Him contre Cceur to go to an Assembly, 
 there He met Taleyrand & Lucien Bonaparte; 
 not knowing them, they did not take notice of 
 one another. When Cards were over & every 
 body agoing away, the Due de la Valle spied 
 Starenberg, & called out quite aloud, Staren- 
 berg, Vous ici parmi ces giieiix ; the Count made 
 Him a Sign to be quiet, but He repeated the 
 words, adding, Otii, ouij'e dis des gueiix.je gagne 
 leicr Argent, & je ne in' en Souci pas du reste ; 
 all this passed without any answer. 
 
 "The next morning, Count Coborzal received 
 a note from one of the Ministers to complain of 
 the C.'s conduct, & an order for Him to leave 
 Paris in 12 hours. The Austrian Minister saw 
 the Count, and went to have it explained, but 
 the answer was, // fant qiiil quite Paris, et il 
 n'est point Necessaire d'alleguer des raisons par- 
 ticidiers, 
 
 " In former Times, such a conduct might have 
 
74 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 proved fatal, at least it would have been re- 
 sented, but now it is supposed by the generality 
 of People, that the Court of Vienna will satisfy 
 themselves with making a formal complaint. 
 
 **I hear a great variety of reports of those 
 English who are at Paris, & when I relate them 
 I beg to observe that I do not vouch for the 
 Truth of all. The Cholmondeleys live in a 
 Great Stile, give Dinners, Assemblies, & keep 
 open House. He holds a Pharo Bank, & says 
 He wins sufficient not to Draw for money from 
 England ; the names of those who are con- 
 nected with Him in this unlordly if not ungen- 
 tlemanlike undertaking, I forget. He likewise 
 has given up his Family Livery, and Dresses 
 the Servants in Yellow Coats turned up with 
 Black, & all the rest black, which I understand 
 is quite French, & hurts some of His Family in 
 England not a little ; you will have seen by 
 the Papers the number of English that were 
 presented by Lord Whitworth, it was by His 
 particular desire ; & Lord Barrington, who wrote 
 quite a Friendly Letter to His Sister, expresly 
 states it there that Pie for one was against it, 
 but when L^^ Pembroke agreed to it, He could 
 not refuse. Bonaparte spoke to all, & when He 
 came to L. B. He said, Dans quel parti d'An- 
 gleterre vivez Vous ? Bans la parti du midi, ah 
 Old, said he, c'est un beau Pays le Comte de 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 75 
 
 Kejtt, Now was this true ignorance, or put on ? 
 I think, take it which way you please, it cannot 
 gain him Credit. 
 
 " There is one very ridiculous story told, which, 
 whether true or not, is laughable enough ; & I 
 cannot refuse myself the pleasure of relating it. 
 It is briefly this. When the first Badge of Eng- 
 lish went over, the Consul was very curious to 
 know who they were ; but the number being too 
 great to remember their names. He said to one of 
 His Aid-de-Camps, Mais dites moi done quils 
 sont-ils, et letir Norn, In answer to this, the 
 A.D.C. said, lis sont aparament ee que les An- 
 glois nomment Tag, Rag, & Bobtail; this He 
 took for real names & Family. The day follow- 
 ing M^. Adair was presented. The Consul re- 
 membered unfortunately only the last name, & in 
 speaking to Him gave Him the name oi Monsieur 
 Bobtail, which of course offended very much ; & 
 M^ Adair is very sore upon the subject. I give 
 you the story as it was related to me, more to 
 amuse you than for the belief I put to it ; & as 
 such I hope you will receive it. 
 
 "... I saw M^s, Harcourt & 1^^ Elizabeth last 
 night: all are well; the former in very good 
 spirits. I asked Her what relation Amade was 
 to the Dutchess of Harcourt ; she said Harcourt 
 blood all over, what your Lord called Essence of 
 Harcourt, & therefore she called Amade' s child 
 
76 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 double Distilled; a very strong expression, quite 
 like W\ H. The poor Dutchess was very low 
 when I saw Her. She cried much when I came 
 in, & was so overcome when I went away, that 
 she was in Histerics; she is much altered, but 
 was very pleasing, & seems a noble-minded 
 
 creature. 
 
 " You must be pritty near tired with my Eng- 
 lish, German, & French Potpouri Letter; but, 
 alas, my Four Walls of the room I inhabit furnish 
 nothing entertaining. Witty I never was, & there- 
 fore/^ vole partoiit. . . . 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 ''Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the 20th Dec. 1802." 
 
 " Queen's House, Zth March, 1803. 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I have 
 neither Time nor Spirits for writing ; we go on 
 taut bien que mal, hoping for, if not better times, 
 at least to come back to what we were ; & I ac- 
 knowledge fairly, that I have every Day more 
 reason to adore Providence for keeping us in 
 Ignorance of what is to come, as I am perfectly 
 sure that, with our best endeavours to prepare for 
 it, we should miss our aim ; for our walk within 
 this twelvemonth has been in a maze ; but iH^n- 
 porte, I will go on, do my duty, & endeavour not 
 
 I 
 
 w 
 
 \ 
 
 to forfeit the good opinion of those I love, & also 
 the World ; for I am not above that, & always 
 rejoice to call you my friend, & to assure you 
 I am heartily yours, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt :— 
 
 " My Lord, — ... I wish you would order M^ 
 Cowden to make out an exact account of my tra- 
 velling Expences the whole year through, taking 
 ten zveeks off, which I call the Weymouth weeks. 
 I do not mean the expence of my own Horses, 
 but merely the Post Horses, which, as far as I re- 
 collect, are 12 in number every time we go to 
 London, Viz. — 
 
 " 4 for my Femme de Chambre. 
 " 4 for the Princesses Servants. 
 " 2 for the Pages. 
 " 2 for the under Servants. 
 
 "I have calculated myself that it comes to 
 ^23. I Si", per week ; which I wish would be made 
 in Cowden's account ;^24. There may be, in- 
 dependent of what I have named, more Post 
 Horses wanted which I do not know of; & there- 
 fore I beg that it may be stated in the fullest 
 manner, & if it be possible to have it ready by 
 Wednesday next at latest. 
 
 «... Have you seen a Poem just Published by 
 
78 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 a M^. Scott, & dedicated to the Duke of Buccleugh, 
 called The Lay of the hist Minstrel; it is allowed 
 to be a good performance by the Connoisseurs ; 
 I have received, but not read it, & only mention 
 it as a work which perhaps might amuse, as it 
 relates all the antient Customs & Manners of the 
 Scotch ; so I was told, & so I report it again. 
 "My best Compliments to dear lady Harcourt. 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 ^^FrogmorCy the ^th March, 1803." 
 
 "My lord, — ... I want you to exert your 
 authority in dismissing my Footman, Oby, the 
 Service as soon as possible, as His unquenchable 
 Thirst is now become so overpowering, that nei- 
 ther our absence nor presence can subdue it any 
 more. Some messages of consequence being sent 
 by Him to the apothecary's, were found in "His 
 Pockets when laying dead Drunk in the street 
 a few days ago, luckily enough by the Duke of 
 Cumberland, who knowing they were for the 
 Family, sent them to Brandi ; I do not want 
 Him to starve, but I will not have Him do any 
 more Duty. This I hope will be an example to 
 the others; but as I write a Tipling letter, I 
 think it not amiss to mention that Stephenson has 
 appeared twice a little Bozvzy, the consequence 
 of which was a fall from His Horse yesterday, 
 
 by which He was very much bruised ; & the Sur- 
 geon who came to bleed Him at the Duke of Cam- 
 bridge's House, who very humanely took Him in, 
 declared him to have been at least over dry, if 
 not drunk. A reprimand to Him will be necessary; 
 for should it happen again He must go also. . . . 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ''Ketv.WiJuly, 1803." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt, — Will you 
 not say that I am a contradiction, when I tell 
 you that I both regretted & rejoiced at our Jour- 
 ney being put off. 
 
 "You are acquainted with the melancholy 
 reason for the latter, & are too reasonable not 
 to feel that, under such circumstances, none of us 
 could have enjoyed any thing; & tho' an ex- 
 emplary Fortitude is shewn by the dear King 
 under this heavy Calamity, yet there are moments 
 when He feels most deeply; & the necessity of 
 keeping up before Him is such a strain upon 
 both body & mind, that all Idea of any amuse- 
 ment, excepting what is necessary to enliven Him, 
 
 vanishes. 
 
 "Indeed, my beloved Friend, for this stroke 
 I was not prepared ^ : it is a severe Tryal I will 
 
 " The King's blindness. 
 
own ; but as the Almighty directs every thing 
 for some wise purpose, I do trust that we shall 
 reap Joy from this new affliction, & that we shall 
 have reason to Bless Him for this as well as many 
 other Tryals which have befallen us. 
 
 " M^. Phipps gives every hope for the restora- 
 tion of Sight ; & is quite confident that the Eyes 
 are not diseased, which is the greatest thing in 
 our favour. He is to come every other week to 
 see us ; & his mild & encouraging manner, as well 
 as his honorable & open Conduct to the King 
 upon the Subject, have been the means of per- 
 suading his Majesty to conform as much as he 
 can to his prescription ; & I think it one of the 
 greatest blessings in this Case to know that there 
 is a Cure for this Complaint " 
 
 "MY DEAREST LADY HaRCOURT, — I fear SO 
 
 much for poor lord Harcourt's nerves being 
 shocked by the death of lord Jersey, that I must 
 beg you will give me a fair account of Him 
 I know that of latter years their intimacy could 
 not be kept up in the manner it used to be ; but 
 notwithstanding those changes & alterations in 
 life, Connections formed in the early part of our 
 life are most Commonly lasting. The poor de- 
 ceased was never bad in himself, but weak & in- 
 dulging to a little bewitching Wife, which made 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 8i 
 
 him appear to some wanting in Sense, and to 
 others unfeeling. For Himself & to many others, 
 I grant it would have been better had He shewn 
 more Spirit, at least it appears so ; but in Do- 
 mestic affairs, none but those who belong to them 
 can form a true Judgement. 
 
 " His Children seem to be attached to Him, 
 & I hear are very much hurt ; & as to the 
 Widow, She is reported to be in Constant Fits 
 since the News reached Her. This is scrutinized 
 enough ; but I own I believe it : for Common 
 humanity would feel for such an event happen- 
 ing in any Family, without having any connec- 
 tion with it; & therefore I think that having 
 lived so many years together, she will feel the 
 Shock more Severely, & I do not think Her void 
 of Feeling. 
 
 "We are in hourly expectation of the news of 
 the poor Duke of Gloucester's Death. His suffer- 
 ings must have been dreadfully Painfull ; but his 
 good temper & chearfuUness never have left him. 
 I understand that He was not quite open with 
 His Physicians, & that some Complaint He kept 
 a Secret for three days, to which the Medicines 
 which they administered at that time were almost 
 fatal. How unfortunate to deceive oneself, & 
 much more when one wishes to deceive others. 
 This the King is not to know ; but the Physicians 
 stand justifyed to the world. Vaughan's attention 
 
 ]VI 
 
82 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 has been quite exemplary. What a change to his 
 
 poor Family. 
 
 " So far I was, when they came in & told me 
 that M^ Vincent was arrived from London, & 
 that all was over with the poor Duke ; & since 
 that moment I have never had a quarter of an 
 hour to myself. The dear King was so well pre- 
 pared for the stroke, & every thing managed with 
 so much delicacy, that I have the satisfaction to 
 say that His Health has not suffered 
 
 " Prince William hath behaved uncommonly 
 well. His letter to the King was short, but very 
 expressive of what He felt, and Respectfull, & 
 the dear King answered it very kindly. The 
 Dukes of York & Cambridge arrived this morn- 
 ing ; the Duke of Kent was here ; & I understand 
 the Prince of Wales is a coming on Monday 
 
 " The poor Duke has left a Will, & desires to 
 be buried at Windsor ; which is granted. He left 
 the Dutchess sole Executrix ; but with a proviso 
 to pay His Debts, which the World says are but 
 very few. Yesterday we put on Mourning, which 
 enables the King to have some air; without which 
 His Health does suffer ; but we shall reckon the 
 beginning of it from the ist Sept^ . . . 
 
 " I ever am your Sincere Friend, 
 
 '^Charlotte. 
 
 " Weymouth, the 2^th August, 1803." 
 
 r 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 83 
 
 " Wt?tdsor, November 6th^ 1804. 
 
 "My dear lady Harcourt, — We are now 
 returned to our new habitation in the Castle ; not 
 to shock you or Lord Harcourt with my oppinion 
 upon this subject, I will only briefly tell you that 
 I have changed from a very Comfortable & warm 
 habitation, to the Coldest House, Rooms, & Pas- 
 sages, that ever existed. . . . 
 
 " We have led a dissipated, idle life ever since 
 the month of August ; & by what you have read 
 in the Newspapers, & perhaps heard by report 
 also, gay & Merry. How it was I cannot tell ; 
 but amidst all this I found the Principal Person 
 always was left out, viz., Pleasure, without whose 
 attendance the attempt of enjoyment upon such 
 occasions is fruitless. 
 
 "We are now all settling ourselves as well as 
 we can; it will require weeks before it can be 
 completed to the satisfaction of every bodies 
 taste. M'-. Wyatt has done Miracles ; for what 
 we see & behold seems more than common la- 
 bour ; but I understand that what comes not, nor 
 ever should come to our view (by that I mean 
 where our vocations don't call us) is still more 
 astonishing. 
 
 " The King is gone to Day to London to pro- 
 rocrue the Parliament. He means to Hunt to- 
 morrow, & to visit the Duke of Portland on 
 
i-f 
 
 I 
 
 
 84 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Wednesday; to the latter place I attend par 
 devoir ; & if I had my choice, to Newneham I 
 should go with satisfaction, if I could go alone ; 
 but that will not be this year. But I do not 
 despair of seeing you there again " 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I ought 
 to have wrote long ago ; & indeed I did mean to 
 do it, but, to tell the truth, neither interior nor 
 outward affairs are of a nature to enliven me ; but 
 why should I trouble you with all this, it makes 
 it not better in any way. 
 
 " I am glad L^ Stafford brings in your nephew^; 
 it is a creditable, & I hope useful choice. I hope 
 you are better, & take care of your health ; the 
 Confirming this will give sincere pleasure to 
 
 " Your affectionate friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, 30/// Oct, 1806." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 "Well, my good Lord . . .Our Election is just 
 over; not quite as one could wish. Desbrow is 
 come in, but not Vansittart ; but enough of this, 
 pray no answer to this in yours. 
 
 t G. G. Vernon, M.P. for Lichfield from 1806 to 1830; after- 
 wards G. G. Harcourt, ^LP. for Oxfordshire from 1S30 to i860; 
 
 eldest son of Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
 4 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 85 
 
 " The dear King is well, His Eyes not worse ; 
 may you be able to say as much of your Cramps, 
 it will give me great pleasure. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the ^oth Oct, 1806." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 *'3Tj'/ August^ 1807. 
 
 "Pray, my dear Lady Harcourt, How do all 
 yr Invalids do ? & Particularly dear L^^ Harcourt, 
 after the shock of the Dutchess of Gloucester's 
 Death 1 There is by Her death another acquaint- 
 ance, & I believe not to Err in saying an Old 
 Friend gone ; which Losses are not so easily re- 
 placed, & I fear that He will feel it deeply ; & 
 greatly shall I rejoice if you can send me a favor- 
 able account. 
 
 "The Person the most to be pityed is poor 
 Princess Sophia, who has but barely recovered the 
 loss of Her Father ; & now again, after having 
 in all appearance settled Herself in a Comfort- 
 able way with Her Mother, is to begin a new ar- 
 rangement of Life. . . . 
 
 " The Funeral is to be to-night at 8 a Clock at 
 the Cathedral, attended by as many Carriages as 
 there were at the late Duke*s. Some People 
 Blame them for doing so, but I for one can feel 
 for their Situation, for as no Public Notice can 
 
be taken of this Event, as Children they think it 
 right to shew Her that Respect which is due to 
 Her, not only as a Mother, but as their Father's 
 Widow. So do I think ; but I find I am Singular, 
 & therefore dest entre Nous. The only thing I re- 
 gret is that they could not contrive to have had 
 it very Early in the Morning. . . . 
 
 " I have many thanks to return to the Bishop 
 of Carlisle for some very fine Growse ; en revenge, 
 as I cannot send game, I will relate to you that 
 S^ Vicary Gibbs told the Kg that He was greatly 
 pleased with a Speech made by young Vernon ^ at 
 the Comittee ; not long, but much to the Purpose, 
 good language, & keeping to the Point ; Sufficient 
 to give Hopes, that with attention & application. 
 He may become a very useful & able Member of 
 Parliament. I trust when that Time comes, His 
 Talents will Grace Government. 
 
 "... Lady Sidney, as usual, came to Windsor ; 
 but is always confined when she is wanted, — the 
 Finger, the Bowels, the Head, & the Stomach, are 
 warring against one another, & make Her as use- 
 less as if she was not here. 
 
 " There is no Scandal ; no Marriages to enter- 
 tain you with. Oh yes, there is a Something that 
 will make you happy; for I saw last night Sir 
 Robert & Lady Wigram, Father & Mother of 
 
 ' G. G. Vernon, alluded to before. 
 
 ,» 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 87 
 
 20 Children, all alive ; their ages from 30 years 
 old to five months ; & he hopes to have 4 more to 
 complete the two Dozen. What is y'^ opinion; 
 and . . . about lady Ann Vernon ; how do you feel 
 upon this Subject? Pray do not call me Bar- 
 barous, or suspect my wishing such an event; 
 But when I saw this prosperous Pair, I could not 
 help thinking of you. I wish very Sincerely that 
 those Children that are in being may live to give 
 both pleasure & comfort to the B. & lady Ann ; 
 but I wish no increase any more ; & now, having 
 made peace with you upon that subject, I will 
 not detain you any longer ; make my best Com- 
 pliments to Lord Harcourt, remember me to your 
 
 Sister, & believe me 
 
 " Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 *' Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the i\st August, 1807." 
 
 "I TRUST, my dearest Lady Harcourt, that 
 my two Daughters, Augusta & Elyza, have not 
 omitted to include me, when they returned thanks 
 for the kind attention we met with at Newneham 
 on Wednesday last. 
 
 "The Day seemed propitious in every sense; 
 for we were wellcom'd Home with the news of 
 the surrender of Copenhagen, & the Blessed Con- 
 firmation of so few losses on our side. The Hu- 
 manity of the English Nation upon this occasion 
 
 »-.i-fcjia»*?3^i 
 
88 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 is very Conspicuous, & insures them Everlasting 
 Honour. I should not be sorry to give as good 
 a testimony to the Enemy; but, by all the ac- 
 counts received from thence, they are themselves 
 the cause of the mischief the Town & Inhabitants 
 labour under at this present moment. 
 
 " This is a proof of how difficult it is to steer 
 to the right medium ; for as much as their De- 
 fence was for their Honour in the beginning, it 
 was censurable to persist against so superior a 
 Force, & one who held out such Honorable Pro- 
 posals. . . . 
 
 " To S"^ Christopher Willoughby I beg you will 
 express my thanks, for the attendance of His 
 Troop as far as Dorchester ; the swiftness of their 
 Horses equals those of any Dragoon's Horses 
 
 I have seen. . . . 
 
 ''Accept the assurances of the unalterable af- 
 fection of 
 
 " Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the 20th Sept, 1807." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " Windsor, 5 October, 1807. 
 
 " Oh ! what would not I give to write you 
 a letter, my good Lord, as entertaining as the one 
 I received from you yesterday, & for which I re- 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 89 
 
 turn you many thanks ... & now let us Compare 
 Notes, You talk of Loquacity as an Evil. I, on 
 the Contrary, of Taciturnity as a drudgery; for 
 the words of Yes & No is what I experience 
 dayly; & if it goes a little further, I have the 
 History & distresses of the Betties, Harries, &c. 
 &c. &c. of the Families. Some People attribute 
 
 it to Shyness ; & poor me attributes it to S ss, 
 
 & think myself quite a Phylosopher to bear it 
 with Patience ; but as Necessity has no Law, I do 
 not look upon this as a particular merit, for I am 
 Philosophe Malgre moi ; & you may apply our 
 stile of Life to this : — 
 
 "*They Eat, they Dra?ik, they Slept, What then? 
 They Slept, they Eat, they Drank again.* 
 
 "Yet after I have said this, tho' we are not 
 la Bande joyeiise, we are la Bande Contejite, et cest 
 
 beau coup dire en pen de mots. . . . 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt, — I cannot 
 pass this day without giving you Joy upon the 
 Bishop of Carlisle succeeding the late Arch-Bishop 
 of York ; knowing how sincerely you are attached 
 to Him, I know what you will feel upon the 
 occasion ; & putting that aside, I do also rejoice 
 to see a Man in that Situation who I know will 
 
 N 
 
I 
 
 90 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 do His Duty well, & promote every thing in His 
 power to keep up the True Religion, & prevent 
 the spreading of the numerous Sectaries lately so 
 wonderfully increased ; in short, D'". Vernon will 
 be a strofig Pillar to the Church; & I most sin- 
 cerely wish that He may enjoy this new Situation, 
 at least as long^ if not longer, than His Pre- 
 decessor, which was 30 years. . . . 
 
 "Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 *' Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the 2()th Dec, 1807. 
 ''Pray write me some News, & let me know 
 whether the sale of the Estate ^ answers your ex- 
 pectation ; if it has, of course I shall be glad to 
 hear it" 
 
 " It was my intention before I left London, my 
 dear lady Harcourt, to see your Lord, & to write 
 
 to you ; but my time is not my own at present 
 
 The dear King's Eyes depend chiefly upon me in 
 
 London I hope for happier times ; but leave 
 
 to a Higher power to fix the moment when that 
 is to happen. . . . 
 
 "The beginning of our Parliament seems to 
 promise more quiet than expected ; but it is early 
 days to form any judgement. M^ Yorke's speech 
 
 • He occupied the See ten years longer than his predecessor. 
 « Pipewell Abbey, Northamptonshire ; sold to pay General Har- 
 court's and Lady Elizabeth Lee's fortunes. 
 
 
 on Fryday is looked upon as a very good one ; 
 & it is thought that His Voting Contrary to His 
 Brother, Lord Hardwick, will bring the latter, 
 round for Government; I wish it may be so. 
 The taking of the Island of Madeira must prove 
 a Philip to Ministers ; it shews, at least, that their 
 undertakings are not mercenary, notwithstanding 
 all The Talents can say against them. What 
 do you say to Lord SidmoiUh, He verifies the 
 Proverb that every Body's P>iend is Nobodies 
 
 Friend. . . . 
 
 " Your sincere friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt :— 
 
 " I WAS in the midst of preparing for Montem 
 when your letter arrived, my good Lord. 
 
 "... We past a very pleasant morning at Eaton 
 yesterday; the present Master, being quite a Gen- 
 tleman in His manner, had arranged every thing so 
 as to give satisfaction to all present, without giving 
 up the dignity of His Situation with his Corps of 
 Boys. The Crowd was immense, & a great deal 
 of good Company assembled ; of which I saw few 
 to speak to, but saw them in their Carriages. 
 
 " The Sight and Procession lasted from Eleven 
 o'clock till three. The thing most worthy to be 
 talked of is the Furling of the Standard, which 
 
92 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 was executed with great ease & gentility by a Boy 
 of the name of Patterson ; & for the doing it well 
 I understand the Boy is trained for upwards of 
 a Month before the time. It requires great ex- 
 ertion, & must Spend the Boy much, as he re- 
 peats it twice, once at the School, & again at the 
 wood be Hill, at Salt Hill ; for very little but the 
 name will soon remain of that. . . . 
 
 *' I hope, before you settle in the Country, you 
 will not forget your promise of making me a visit 
 at Frogmore. It shall be your own time to come, 
 to stay, & to go away; tho' the latter I should 
 always wish to put off when it relates to you & 
 lady Harcourt ; but, however, a little of your 
 Company is better than not Coming at all. 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 « Windsor, the Wi June, 1808." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 "My Lord,— . . . This place, tho' Inhabited by 
 Royalty, affords nothing for any pen, tho' perhaps 
 sufficient for others to scrutinize our Conduct; 
 & then, I think, like S^ Peter Teazle, I must 
 always leave my character behind me ; & as my 
 conscience does not accuse me of any Criminal 
 action, tho' God knows many Errors, I feel very 
 easy in my mind upon that subject. 
 
 " The Terrace was very full last night ; but not 
 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 93 
 
 with people of Fashion, excepting a lady who 
 we passed several times, well Dressed, Horribly 
 Rouged, & quite in style, who continually Court- 
 sied, but never shewed Her face ; & indeed of an 
 appearance that I feared to ask who she was; 
 & it was not till we were at Cards I was told that 
 it was the Dowager lady Grenard. Alas! no 
 shame remains. 
 
 *' To-morrow our Races begin, where I must go 
 par devoir, & where I understand much Com- 
 pany & much sport is expected ; of the latter 
 I understand nothing, & of the former I see but 
 little ; therefore I only gain a little more fatigue 
 than I should have otherways, & very little amuse- 
 ment, tho' I will allow that the first Coup d'oiel 
 of the Ground is Bcautifull. . . . 
 
 " Windsor, 20th June, 1808." 
 
 The Queen to Lord Harcourt : 
 
 *' I WILL write, tho' it is a question, my good 
 Lord Harcourt, when you will receive my letter ; 
 for the state of our Roads is miserable, & it is at 
 the peril of people's lives that they venture to 
 come. The Bridges at Slow, Colebrook, & Eaton 
 are partly blown up on one side ; & the Road 
 which leads from Egham Hill down to the Village 
 is about five feet under water. The little park up 
 to what is called Mother Dod's Hill one sheet 
 
94 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 of water ; & on the North side it is a perfect 
 River up to the Terrace Wall. The large Kitchen 
 Garden quite under water ; & Eaton Colledge so 
 inundated, that there can be no School for fear 
 of the Boys being Drowned. 
 
 "The accounts from Oxford & every other 
 place are equally bad, which makes me fear that 
 poor Newneham's Field will suffer essentially ; 
 but I hope this will produce good grass. . . . 
 
 "My room is at this moment perfumed with 
 the smell of Hyacinth, Persian Lilacs, and other 
 sweet-smelling flowers ; I wish you could also 
 enjoy them with us. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ^'' 2()th January y 1809." 
 
 Queen Charlotte to Hon. E. Vernon, 
 Archbishop of York : — . 
 
 "My lord, — I am truely concerned that the 
 account of poor Lord Harcourt was such as to 
 give us reason to fear the worst. I have ever 
 since my acquaintance with Him, found Him so 
 upright & sincere a Friend, that both by Grati- 
 tude & Inclination I do most Truely interest my- 
 self about Him ; & do most earnestly wish that 
 it may please the Almighty to change the House 
 of Mourning again into that of joy, tho' I own 
 I fear the worst 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 95 
 
 "... I beg you, my lord, to receive my thanks 
 for the trouble you have taken in writing to me ; 
 & I hope your next account will be more favor- 
 able. Excuse this indiscretion, for my inquiries 
 are not Curiosity, but those of a True Friend. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " IVindsor, the 20th April, 1809." 
 
 Queen Charlotte to Hon. E. Vernon, 
 Archbishop of York : — 
 
 " My lord, — ... I cannot let another Day pass 
 by without returning you thanks for your atten- 
 tion to me upon this Melancholy occasion. It was, 
 I must own, not a Surprize, for I was prepared 
 for the Event by your accounts ; but I wished 
 it otherways, & therefore indulged some Hopes. 
 Providence has directed it contrary to our wishes, 
 & we have both to lament, — You, my lord, a 
 Brother, & I a sincere, attached Friend, whose 
 loss I must ever Sincerely regret ; & am not 
 ashamed to acknowledge, that I have always been 
 the better by following those little well-meant 
 thrown out Hints the late Lord Harcourt used 
 to give with all possible civility, yet impressive 
 enough not to be mistaken ; & as few such are to 
 be found, you will not be surprized at my feeling 
 this loss most deeply. 
 
 " To desire you, my lord, to tell dear lady 
 
Harcourt how much I feci for Her distress, what 
 I write is not half of what my heart feels ; & here 
 Madame de Sevigne must come to my assistance, 
 for she says, Potirquoi faut-il sentir ce que la 
 Plume ne pent pas exprimer, 
 
 '' This is so truely my case at this moment, that 
 I must trust to your goodness of saying every 
 thing that is kind from me ; & if you only will 
 express what your own Heart feels, you will not 
 
 say too much. . . . 
 
 *' Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the 21st April, 1809." 
 
 The Queen to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "It is with Sincere Satisfaction, my dearest 
 lady Harcourt, that I again do acknowledge the 
 receipt of one of your letters. It is a proof to me 
 that you have obtained a degree of Calmness in 
 your mind, which was hardly to be expected after 
 so severe an affliction ; & I am sure that upon 
 this, as well as upon every other occasion, you 
 are Supported by those Religious Principles which 
 you have never failed to put into practice when 
 called upon to act ; & the consciousness of having 
 ever fulfilled your duty to the utmost to a most 
 deserving Friend & Husband, must in the mo- 
 ments of the deepest affliction cause you the 
 greatest satisfaction. . . . 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 97 
 
 "I must ever remember, both with pleasure & 
 regret, Lord Harcourt's personal attachment to 
 me ; of which, even after his decease, he has given 
 me a proof, by the Legacy of his favorite Snufif- 
 box ^ ; a gift I am not unworthy of, as / know 
 how to value the gift of a friend, & am most truly 
 thankfull for it. . . . 
 
 "The King orders me to say everything that 
 IS both gracious & kind to you ; & shares most 
 truely in your affliction, & sensibly feels the loss 
 of one so faithfully attached to Him. . . . 
 
 ''Wifidsor, 13 May, 1809." 
 
 "To chear myself, my dear lady Harcourt, 
 I take up my pen to return you thanks for your 
 very kind & affectionate letter. . . . 
 
 " I look upon our Friends thinking of us when 
 we are under anxiety as one of the greatest Com- 
 forts. Indeed, my dear Madam, we have had an 
 uncommon share of distress ever since the month 
 of May, about one beloved object or the other ; 
 but some of them are past, & I trust, at least 
 I hope, that I have learnt in that time a true 
 Submission to the Will of Providence. I do not 
 deny that I have struggled ; but after all, could 
 I have done better than that Providence which 
 Directs all for the best .> No! Certainly Not! 
 
 « This snufT-box, on the Queen's death, was given back to Lady 
 Harcourt by the Prince Regent, and is now at Nuneham. 
 
 O 
 

 ■ 
 
 i 
 
 98 
 
 MexMoir of George Simon, 
 
 & I do assure you, that when I am alone, & think 
 it over, I see such singular instances of the Hand 
 of Providence in all that has happened, that 
 I must say to myself, Thank God for it. But 
 those are Events which it would be imprudent 
 to name in a letter. 
 
 ** Our beloved King's illness leaves us still under 
 some anxiety; but, thank God, there is not the 
 smallest doubt of His perfect recovery, of which 
 the Physicians give us all the greatest assurance. 
 His strength does not fail Him ; but we require 
 Time & quiet, which I hope will be allowed to 
 Him ; & if we go on as we do now, improving by 
 degrees, great hopes may be entertained of some 
 unpleasing Events not taking place, vo?is com- 
 prenez? I will only add how sincerely I am 
 
 ** Your affectionate friend, 
 
 ** Charlotte. 
 
 ''Windsor, \o Dec, 181 o." 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt,— A cer- 
 tain Friend of mine is desirous that there should 
 be no more Court Days this year ; the reason you 
 may guess, & as long as the Mourning Days lasts 
 I have come into it ; but I have a fear that the 
 World, who will talk & censure, will explain this 
 step as Cowardice, whereas I think that, suppose 
 a certain lady comes, which I cannot prevent, it 
 will be better to face the Evil now, even if a Noise 
 
 be made at Her coming to Court, than to revive 
 it another year, when perhaps all has become 
 
 Quiet 
 
 "I must just mention an anecdote of the 
 Chancellor & Sir W. Scott. The day it was set- 
 tled between the latter & lady Sligo, He set off 
 to announce it to the Chancellor, who met Him 
 in the Street ; the Coaches stopped, & Sir W. S. 
 said, Brother, I intended going to your House 
 & to inform you of my intended Marriage with 
 the JIP of Sligo : upon zvhieh the C. said, Brother, 
 luhere did you Dine ? Dine ! Brother, you knozv 
 this is not Dinner time! Well then, you are 
 Drunk, & better go home; Coachman, go on. Do 
 you not admire the elegance of this conversation } 
 " It has already been reported that lady A. H. 
 had given up Her Place as lady of the B., but 
 I give no credit to that report. 
 
 " How the acquaintance with such a Trio as 
 the C. of O., lady P., and lady A. H. could be 
 brought about, would be astonishing to me, were 
 we not w^itness, that Delicacy of Society was 
 never thought of either in Town or Country; 
 & I am most truely sensible of the dear King's 
 great strictness, at my arrival in England, to 
 prevent my making many acquaintances ; for 
 He always used to say, that, in this Country, 
 it was difficult to know how to draw a line, on 
 account of the Politics of the Country; & that 
 
 t_ 
 
there never could be kept up a Society with- 
 out party, which was always dangerous for any 
 Woman to take part in, but particularly so for 
 the Royal Family; & with truth do I assure 
 you, that I am not only sensible that He was 
 right, but I feel thankful for it from the bottom 
 of my Heart. 
 
 " The Partys at the Q. H. have of course been 
 guided by the Ins & Outs of the moment, by 
 the King's orders, but He allowed & encou- 
 raged me to be Civil to all ; by which means 
 I hope to have done tolerably well in the World, 
 & my intention is to continue in the same way : 
 the' I may be called Hum Drum, nimporte, my 
 Conscience is free from accusation, & I am a Piece 
 of Antiquity myself. 
 
 " I beg my Compliments to the A. B. & to lady 
 Ann, & beg you to believe me, 
 
 " Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 "• Windsor, the 22nd April, 1S13." 
 
 " My dearest lady IIarcourt,— ... A very 
 singular anecdote is come to my cars, which 
 I must mention as a strong proof of the Lord 
 Chancellor having nothing to do with the Secret 
 Examination. When He was in the Court last 
 week, He wTote in pencil to ask a M'". Leach, 
 Is it true that I am reported to be the Secret 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 lOI 
 
 Examiner of the suspected Secret Examina- 
 tion } to which upon the same paper, the answer 
 criven was. No! not the Examiner, but to sane- 
 tion it. Under that the Chancellor wrote, Both 
 are Equally false. That paper was handed about 
 
 afterwards. 
 
 " Ever your affectionate friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, 29 March, 18 13." 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt,— .... The 
 
 Dutchess of Angouleme wrote a very pritty letter 
 
 to Eliza when she arrived in town, expressif of 
 
 being desirous to see me ; of course it cannot 
 
 be here, & therefore, whenever it is to be, it 
 
 must be put off till I come to the O. H., but 
 
 I wish you w^ould call there in my name, and 
 
 say every thing kind & feeling, & if possible 
 
 to find out in what manner She means to be 
 
 treated & received. I hope & trust that she 
 
 will keep quiet, as in Her present situation that 
 
 would, scion inoiy be the wisest thing all the 
 
 Bourbons can do. The Orleans wish to go in 
 
 the Country, and, if she remains, I hope She 
 
 will do the same ; I know I must See Her, but 
 
 the less fuss we make with them the better it 
 
 will be for their cause (so I think), for too much 
 
 Shew in civility, I mean outwardly, will of course 
 
I02 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Exasperate B., & do mischief; but I am for ren- 
 dering their Suffering state as little so as possible, 
 but let it be done quietly, ccci est cntre Nous. 
 " Windsor, 25 April, 1813." 
 
 « .... I AM a going on Saturday Evening to 
 Town, to see the Consecration of the Bishop of 
 London at Lambeth on Sunday; I rejoice (for 
 I am curious) to see the whole ceremony, which 
 I expect to be very awfull, for I never was pre- 
 sent at an Ordination in Germany without being 
 greatly overcome. 
 
 ** Richmond seems to be this Summer a Colony 
 of all Nations, Russians, Prussians, Spaniards, 
 & Swedes, are all settled there. Amongst the 
 latter, I must number Madame de Staehl, who 
 is very much visited & liked by every body. 
 Amongst Iler particular\'ties I must not omit 
 to name that she carries a little bit of Stick in 
 Her Hand, which lies by Her at Dinner, & when 
 she speaks she plays with it in Her Hands, as 
 very few people could suppose that a Sensible 
 Woman like herself ponvoit samuser, cCunc telle 
 Bariole. A lady in the Company, where she saw 
 Her manoeuvering with this would-be Fan, was 
 determined to find out the meaning of it, & made 
 acquaintance with the Femme de Chambre, who 
 explained it to be Nccessairc a Madame pour lui 
 fonrnier dcs Pen sees & dcs I decs. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 103 
 
 " Madame de Staehl's Book is to come out next 
 month; She has sold it for;6"i50o. I understand 
 that she is not much pleased with the translation ; 
 for what appears Gentil in one language, becomes 
 vulgar when literally translated in another lan- 
 
 guage. 
 
 " Windsor, 26 Sept., 1813." 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt, — You do 
 
 really stand the chance of seeing my Antique 
 Face in about 10 Days at Brighton ; of which 
 I beg, however, you will not say any thing yet ; 
 but eu attendant you will be so good as to make 
 inquiries what Charities there are to which I 
 ought or ought not to Subscribe, & whether or 
 not I must give any thing to the Master of the 
 Ceremony. Remember, I cannot give as the King, 
 but will Stretch my Purse as far as it can go ; but 
 I do not volunteer unnecessary Expenses. 
 
 "You will inform me of all this before I leave 
 this place, that I may prepare myself with the 
 NeedfuU in time. 
 
 '' I hope the air agrees with you as well as you 
 had a Presentiment it would do ; & that if we 
 meet it will be in tolerable Health. 
 
 " My dearest lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Ever your Sincere Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 '' Windsor, the \ith August, 1814." 
 
I04 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 "My dearest lady HARCOURT,-Tho' later 
 than it ought to be, yet with not less sincerity, do 
 I congratulate you upon the prospect the Arch- 
 bishop & all His Family have of seeing a Son 
 & Nephew ^ so well settled ; & that the choice of 
 so young a man should happen to fall upon so 
 amiable a young woman y. Her Sister^ is so 
 worthy a person, & so beloved in the Family she 
 is married into, that there is every reason pos- 
 sible to expect the same happy establishment in 
 W Vernon's Family ; & if to amiability of cha- 
 racter she can add good Health, & which I do 
 wish Her most Sincerely, she will be enabled to 
 enjoy Her happiness; for that I am sorry to say 
 Her poor Sister wants sadly. 
 
 "... I made a Visit at my return from London 
 to Sir J. Banks, at Springrove. where I was to see 
 some very curious & beautifull Plants ; but the 
 rain was so constant, that I promised to go again 
 the first Sun Shining Day. I found Him in ex- 
 cellent spirits, looking like Ivory, free from Pain 
 but quite helpless in point of legs. He is roled 
 about both within & without Doors, & finds hardly 
 time enough for the variety of his pursuits. His 
 present undertaking I should think (but then I 
 am an ignorant Creature) extreamly laborious, as 
 it is the Etymology of all the old English words, 
 for which He must consult a world of old books 
 
 X Granville Vernon. >" M- Eyre. ' Lady Manvers. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 105 
 
 & dictionaries, and which with writing down & 
 looking out gives w^ork enough; but he assures 
 me that it is extreamly entertaining. . . . 
 
 '* I will now add my compliments to the A. B. 
 & Lady Ann Vernon, & beg you to believe me, 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 
 *^ Your sincere friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 *' Windsory 13 August, 1813." 
 
 "... There have been two subjects started in 
 the House of Commons, which I am sure must 
 worry the Prince ; & I fear will make His party 
 at the Pavillion less chearfuU than He expected 
 it to be, which I am truely sorry for. The Mili- 
 tary Business I should hope, by what others tell 
 me, may be easily got over, as it has been con- 
 ducted with so much propriety; & I am sure the 
 Duke of York is so just, & so desirous to act 
 right, that He never would have approved of 
 the Sentence if not perfectly Justifiable. But the 
 other motion about a Certain young Lady, I fear 
 will not so easily be got off. The consequences of 
 its being carried will be to deprive the Father of 
 the Power He ought to have ; for independance is 
 what we aim at, which of course must insue if an 
 Establishment is made; and what effect it will 
 take upon a daring mind is very doubtfull. After 
 what has happened, we must always be appre- 
 
io6 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 hensive of something like it recurring, If not worse; 
 and I cannot see how Ministers will be able to 
 stand out against it, without incurring Blame from 
 all sides ; for whatever party they take, they will 
 disoblige both the K. & the Public. 
 
 " I am indeed very desirous to know what 
 effect it has taken on the P., and perhaps you 
 may give me little hints about it. I should not 
 be surprized if the Prince was to come to Town 
 upon it, as it is a subject that of course must re- 
 quire much conversation & prudence to Manage ; 
 and also can never be entered upon by Ministers 
 without special Order. 
 
 " I am sorry that, after having had the Prospect 
 of quiet, we should so very soon see an Inclination 
 to bring forward so many Cutting Subjects ; and, 
 that under the appearance of being Just, so much 
 mischief is intended; for I fear much of this is 
 Personal. God Grant that Honest advisers may 
 be found, whose Counsel may be accepted and 
 followed ; but which ever party carries their point, 
 there is much to be feared, and very little good 
 to be expected. . . . 
 
 " I will now release you, my dearest Lady Har- 
 court, only adding my compliments to your sister, 
 & to assure you how sincerely I am 
 
 " Your sincere friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ''Windsor, 13 Nov., 1814." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 107 
 
 "My DEAREST Lady Harcourt, — I have just 
 
 read the most melancholy & most glorious ac- 
 count for this Nation that the D. of Wellington 
 ever did send. Amongst the dead I see poor 
 Major Howard's name, & feel most truely for 
 His Parents, His little Wife, & Children. Pray 
 let poor lady Carlisle know how sincerely 1 par- 
 take of their Distress, & say every thing that is 
 kind. Oh, what a list of Killed & Wounded, it 
 makes one's heart ache ; and those who under- 
 stand it better than I do, are of opinion that the 
 Blow has been so severe to that Tyrant, that it 
 may be the means of putting an End to this Strife 
 much sooner. God Grant it ! I can say no more, 
 for I am in haste. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the 22nd June, 18 15." 
 
 " My dearest lady Harcourt, — . . . Kew 
 
 air has done me much good ; & having been ab- 
 sent from that place above 10 full years, our re- 
 ception there was most Hearty ; in short, we were 
 such a Novelty there, that the two Sundays we 
 passed at that place the Gardens were Crowded 
 with People, & the River with Boats, which made 
 it look uncommonly Chearfull. 
 
 "My Assembly on the 12th went off in per- 
 fection ; it was a little fatiguing, but there were 
 many reasons why it was proper to be in Town ; 
 
io8 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 & I hope it will convince the World that what- 
 ever unpleasant steps I am necessitated to take 
 upon a particular Event, I have no reason to fear 
 coming to Town, as many did believe; for my 
 decision is not taken by caprice, but upon prin- 
 ciple ; & God knows it was a bitter Pill to swal- 
 low for me, & yet I cannot regret the step I have 
 
 taken. 
 
 ** During my stay at Kew, I dined at the 
 Dutchess of Orleans'. It was a charming party, 
 only their own Family. Both she & Mamsell 
 d'Orleans are most agrcablc people, much united, 
 prudent, & very desirous to be quiet at Home; 
 & having many rational amusements within them- 
 selves, the Day is never too long for them. . . . 
 
 "Thank God we are to have no Visits from the 
 Potentates. The Emperor of Austria has sent 
 His excuses to the Prince for not coming, on 
 account of the affair in Italy. The Arch Duke 
 of Tuscany is to marry the former Crown Princess 
 of Wiirtemberg, to the Great Joy of every body. 
 I hope she will be happy, for Her Qualities are 
 such as to make Her deserve a better fate than 
 she had with the C. P. of Wurtemberg. 
 
 '* I beg my best Compliments to the A. B. & 
 lady Ann Vernon, & am ever 
 
 "Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, the \Wi August, 1815." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 109 
 
 From Queen Charlotte to the Archbishop 
 of York : — 
 
 " My lord, — The Regent having received a re- 
 quest of His Daughter to prolong Her Visit for 
 a few Days more, is very anxious that I should 
 also remain : Tho' my Heart is more at Windsor, 
 where Duty & Affection equally incline me to be, 
 I am sure that without my stating any further 
 reason for my acquiescing, than that much good 
 may arise both in Public & Private by Indulg- 
 ing Father & Child by staying, and possibly 
 doing some good by my Presence, I shall not be 
 Blamed by the World. I have therefore recourse 
 to you, & beg you will be so good as to Inform 
 the D. of Montrose of it, that He may settle with 
 His Colleagues who is to attend at Windsor dur- 
 ing My Absence, which is decided by The Prince 
 to be till next Wednesday. 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ^'■Brighton, the loth January, 1816. 
 " I beg my CompHments to l^y Ann." 
 
 " My dearest lady Harcourt, — You will 
 be glad to hear that I have had the pleasure of 
 a Visit from your Brother, the A. B. of York, & 
 His three Daughters ; & I was glad to see the 
 
Eldest of them look in such good Health after 
 so much suffering for such a length of time ; & 
 I think that Her having grown Four Inches since 
 that painfull operation, you may expect to see 
 Her grow still a little more. The two others 
 are very nice behaved little Girls ; & your little 
 favorite was so very quiet, that the A. B. said, If 
 lady Harcourt was present, Georgina would be 
 romping enough, & she would not be so Sedate. 
 Upon my asking Her if Aunt Harcourt was the 
 Romping Aunt, she burst out a laughing; but 
 what entertained Her the most was by going 
 away: Her P^ather turned Her round in order 
 to go Backward out of the Room ; and she was 
 very much struck with, I believe in Her Idea, 
 this awkward Ceremony. They were prittily 
 Dressed in Cloath Felices, well fitted, & made 
 up in good taste. 
 
 "As to the A. B. Himself, I think He looks 
 better than He did before He left Town. He 
 certainly sinks in spirits at times ; but recovers 
 again surprisingly. He has had a severe Tryal, 
 by hearing Handel's Music played by the Prince's 
 Band, of which His lost Daughter was, I under- 
 stand, a perfect mistress ; but I flatter myself it 
 was less overcoming the last time. 
 
 "If I had wrote so much of my own Family, 
 I should say Pardon me ; but at present it is 
 
 needless to do so, as the contents of this must 
 interest & give you pleasure. . . . 
 
 " Ever your sincere friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ^^ Brighton, 16 Jan., 1816." 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . Lady 
 Maccelsfield was highly flattered by the notice the 
 Royal Family took of Her at Paris, but shocked 
 of the bad manners the French allow themselves 
 towards the English. For instance, when she 
 was at the Dowager Dutchess of Orleans', the 
 Duchesse de Duras was there also ; who was so 
 oflended at the notice the Dutchess took of lady 
 M., that she got up & said quite loud to the 
 lady in waiting, Vous ne faite qii hitroduire des 
 Anglois ; this said Dutchess is reported to be 
 particularly rude to the Duke of Wellington. 
 
 " I rejoice to hear so good an account of the 
 Arch- Bishop & lady Ann, & beg you will say 
 every thing that is kind from me to them. Lord 
 Carlisle's recovery must make all His Family 
 happy ; I wish most sincerely that it may last. 
 
 **My paper will only serve me to say how 
 sincerely I am 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 ''Windsor, Oct. 30///, 18 16." 
 
" My dearest lady Harcourt,— ... I should 
 
 like very much to increase our company with 
 a Beau of your procuring ; for I know that you 
 will not refuse me your assistance, when I tell 
 you that I have set my Heart upon a Visit from 
 the A. B. of York, whose Company I never can 
 enjoy, as His Visits at Windsor chiefly are during 
 my absence. I know there will be no Antient 
 Concert Easter Week ; & if you could persuade 
 Him to come Easter Munday, & give me two or 
 three Days, not only myself, but I do not advance 
 too much when I say every body, will be glad 
 to see Him. 
 
 " I leave the arrangement of this in your Hands, 
 knowing well that the Commission will be gladly 
 undertaken by you ; & that you will obey my 
 orders not malgre bongrey but dc hon Cocur. 
 " Ever Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte. 
 
 *' Windsor, March idth, 1817." 
 
 "Dear lady Harcourt,— By your kind In- 
 quiries after myself & Family, for which I return 
 you sincere thanks, You are acquainted with the 
 melancholy Event at Clermont, which came like 
 a Thunderstroke upon us. God knows, from the 
 moment I saw the poor deceased Charlotte ad- 
 vance in Her Pregnancy, I had a bad opinion 
 of Her, & named it to my Daughters; for Her 
 
 c I 
 
 Figure was so immense (to me not natural), that 
 I could not help being uneasy to a considerable 
 
 legree. 
 
 " I have seen, since my return, the Prince ; & 
 you will be glad to hear that tho' He is very 
 much shook & nervous, I do not think His Health 
 has suffered for the present; & I do hope, nay 
 I am almost sure, that the reflexion of His having 
 been able for the last year & a half to render His 
 only Child happy, must greatly alleviate His dis- 
 tress ; for He granted and accomplished Her wish 
 to marry the Man she chose Herself, and gave Her 
 the place to reside at she always was partial to. 
 Her Leopold made Her completely happy, for 
 without Him she enjoyed nothing, & Clermont 
 was indeed Her Earthly Paradise; & God be 
 praised that the Prince can have nothing to re- 
 proach Himself with, but can say with truth, I 
 made Her Happy. Much more may be said 
 upon this painfull subject, which I will postpone 
 till we meet, when we may Philosophize, & say 
 many things which would be improper in a letter. 
 
 "The Day for the last Ceremony is fixed for 
 the 1 8th, but your presence will not be desired. 
 I told the Regent that you would be ready to 
 strain every nerve to show both attention & affec- 
 tion, but I would not call upon you, as the agita- 
 tion upon this occasion might injure your Health ; 
 so you see I have been beforehand with you, & 
 
114 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 trust that you will approve, & the Regent is 
 satisfyed with what I have settled. . . . 
 
 " I expect the D. of Gloucester, & Maiy to- 
 day ; the others are all as well as this stroke will 
 admit of, & of course our dear little Sophia's 
 delicate frame feels it more : & now my dear lady 
 Harcourt, 
 
 " Ever Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte. 
 
 " Windsor, nth November, 1817." 
 
 "My dearest lady Harcourt, — ...My re- 
 turn to Bath is fixed for the 24th, if all goes on 
 well. I should have been glad to go two days 
 sooner, but the melancholy ceremony which is to 
 take place to-morrow will retain the necessary 
 Servants for my attendance a day longer here at 
 Windsor, which obliges me to go two days later 
 than I intended. 
 
 ** You name in your letter the 5th of December 
 as the day of your coming into waiting ; as I 
 must, of course, be still taking the Waters at that 
 time, I wish you to tell me sincerely if you would 
 not rather decline this Journey, as perhaps a Visit 
 to Bath might recall to your mind many pleasant 
 Days, accompanied also with regret about the 
 Friend you past them with ; & since which time 
 you have not, at least not to my recollection, been 
 there. Should you feel any uneasiness upon this, 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 115 
 
 I know that lady Melville will be ready to re- 
 main ; & you have only to write a line to Her 
 upon the subject, that she may settle it with 
 M^ Wallis whether He is to remain at Weymouth, 
 or stay at S^ Giles', where He now is ; for if 
 she does not remain He will go back to Black- 
 heath. I trust that you will treat my proposal 
 as I really mean it, Delicacy towards your feeling, 
 & avoiding unnecessary anxiety, for I did not nor 
 ever will meddle in the ladies Waitings ; but as 
 far as common feelings go, to prevent unnecessary 
 agitation of mind, I stand Justifyed in repre- 
 senting it. 
 
 " I beg my compliments to Lord Vernon, & 
 hope that you enjoy the fine mild weather, tho' 
 it is certainly not seasonable. 
 
 '* Ever Your Sincere Friend, 
 
 '' Charlotte. 
 
 " Whidsor, iSf/i November, 181 7." 
 
Numb. 17,420. 
 
 [2,065.] 
 
 SUPPLEMENT 
 
 TO 
 
 THE LONDON GAZETTE 
 
 Of Tuesday the ijth of November. 
 Tuesday, November 17, 1818. 
 
 " Whitehall, November 17, 18 18. 
 
 ** This day, at One o'Clock, the Queen departed 
 this h'fe, to the inexpressible grief of all the Royal 
 Family, after a tedious illness, which Her Majesty 
 bore with the most pious fortitude and resigna- 
 tion. The many great and exemplary virtues 
 which so eminently distinguished Her Majesty 
 throughout Her long life, were the objects of 
 universal esteem and admiration amongst all 
 classes of His Majesty's Subjects, and render 
 the death of this Illustrious and Most Excellent 
 Princess an unspeakable loss to the whole Nation. 
 
 '^ Printed by RoJiEKT George Clarke, Cannon-Row^ 
 
 Par Haul en t- street, ' ' 
 
 [Price Seven Pense.] 
 
 J? 
 
 \ 
 
 T T IS Royal Highness, when he was about 
 twenty years old, was one day walking 
 with Lord Bute from Kew to Richmond : 
 just as they were crossing the lane that 
 divided the two Gardens, a Man, who had 
 for some time appeared to be watching 
 them, came up and asked if the Prince of 
 Wales had been out that day ? 
 
 H. R. H. answered, ''He has been in the 
 Garden." 
 
 ** Can you tell where he is now ?" was the 
 next question. 
 
 '' He was at the end of this lane a very 
 little while ago," was the reply. 
 
 The Man ran on, and Lord Bute ex- 
 pressed his surprise at the manner in which 
 the Prince had answered him. 
 
 Upon which he said, *' I told him nothing 
 that was not strictly true ; but I did not think 
 it expedient to inform him who I was." 
 
ii8 
 
 Anecdote, &c. 
 
 The Prince and Lord Bute then walked 
 on to the old Palace at Richmond, where 
 George the Second then was. The next 
 day the Man was found in the lane with 
 his throat cut ; but it was done in such 
 a manner, as proved that It could not have 
 been his own act. 
 
 ST^lti^rs* 
 
 T T appears necessary to state, for the guid- 
 ance of the reader, that the following 
 letters are given in sets ; that is to say, 
 that the letters of one writer are printed 
 altogether ; so that, in commencing a fresh 
 series, the reader is carried back again to 
 an earlier date. 
 
 Doubtless, the mixing up of the letters 
 of various writers, according to their several 
 dates, would have given a more consecutive 
 narrative ; but, upon the whole, the method 
 here pursued appeared preferable to the 
 Editor. 
 
 The Prince of Wales "" to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 iC 
 
 1794. 
 
 "Dear Lord Harcourt,— I never was more 
 vex'd in all my life, than finding when I call'd at 
 your house at Windsor yesterday morning, be- 
 tween nine & ten o'Clock, that Lady Harcourt 
 
 * Born 1762, married 1795, Regent iSii, King 1820, died 1830. 
 
 U 
 
I20 Memoir of George Simox, 
 
 & you had set off for Nunham above two hours 
 before. I had very strong reasons for regretting 
 the not seeing you both, as I was particularly 
 desirous of talking over various & many topicks 
 with you ; convinc'd in the first place that there 
 are no people who wish me personally better than 
 you both do ; &, secondly, perfectly certain that 
 there are none of whom I entertain a higher opi- 
 nion in every point of view ; but particularly in 
 point of knowledge of every thing that is right 
 & proper in the sphere of life we live in, than 
 I do both of you & of Lady Harcourt. However, 
 I hope some how or other we shall meet soon ; 
 till then. Adieu. 
 
 "I beg my best respects & compliments to 
 Lady Harcourt, expressive of all my regrets in 
 not having seen her previous to her departure ; 
 & desire that dear Lord Harcourt will ever be- 
 lieve me 
 
 " His very sincere Friend, 
 
 " George P. 
 
 " Carlton House, August i6th, 1794-" 
 
 The Prince of Wales to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 "Dear Lady Harcourt,— Pray give the en- 
 
 clos'd note to the Queen ; but not when the King 
 
 f 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 121 
 
 is present. I will call upon you when I have seen 
 the Queen, & relate to you what has past. 
 ** I remain, dear Lady Harcourt, 
 " Your very sincere Friend & humble Servant, 
 
 '' G. P. 
 " JVinihor Casfh\ Tuesday Morning, 
 nine 0' Clock. 
 
 " P.S. Pray deliver it as soon as you can." 
 
 The Prince of Wales to Lord Har- 
 court : — 
 
 "Very particular business makes me wish to 
 detain Lady Harcourt longer than I am afraid 
 would suit your punctuality. Pray go to dinner, 
 & she will take care of herself We are waiting 
 for Lord Jersey's return, & Lady Harcourt will 
 have the goodness to explain the circumstances 
 when next she sees you. 
 
 " Ever sincerely y''^ My dear Lord, 
 
 " G. P." 
 
 From William, Duke of Clarence '\ to 
 Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " SKJanics\ Friday afternoon. 
 
 "My Ever dear and Sincere friend,— 
 I was fortunately at home when your Ladyship's 
 
 ^ Born 1765, marncd 1818, King 1830, died 1837. 
 
 R 
 
kind letter and various enclosures reached me. 
 I do hope and believe Miss Cooper will accept 
 the situation about my dearly beloved daughters. 
 I have so many good and excellent reasons to 
 wish it, that I trust Miss Cooper will bring herself 
 to take charge of what is really nearest my heart, 
 — my daughters once happily and I'cspcctahly set- 
 tled, — I do look forward with every fair pros- 
 pect of happiness, considering the high character 
 the Princess Adelaide '^ bears, and the insight 
 that her letters gave me into her mind, and re- 
 solution not to be at once dazzled by the offer, 
 but seriously to reflect on the step which she 
 means to take. 
 
 *'I really want words to express the unbounded 
 goodness of the Regent, both in his public and 
 private capacity, towards me ; and your Ladyship 
 has been an eye witness of the tenderness and 
 affectionate goodness of the Queen, as a good 
 mother, and sincere friend towards her son. The 
 Queen has done a thing never even thought of in 
 Germany before, that is, of writing at once to the 
 Princess Adelaide, before she had informed Her 
 Majesty of her intended marriage with me. My 
 Sisters and the Dutchess of York have most kindly 
 and equally unusually followed the considerate 
 and kindly affectionate example set by the Queen, 
 
 '= Daughter of George, Duke of Saxe Meiningen, born 1792, 
 died 1849. 
 
 Ex\RL Harcourt. 
 
 123 
 
 which must prove both to the Dutchess mother 
 and the Princess Adelaide there sincere wishes to 
 see this marriage concluded. I now hope and 
 trust Miss Cooper, on this other point so interest- 
 ing to me as a father, will set my mind at ease ; 
 and then I hope by prudence and discretion to 
 look to prospects of real comfort. 
 
 " I want words to express my full gratitude to 
 your Ladyship for all, but particularly for this 
 mark of your Ladyship's friendship and regard 
 for me. Adieu, and ever believe me, 
 ** Dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 ''Yours most sincerely and devotedly, 
 
 " William." 
 
 From Edward, Duke of Kent^ to Lord 
 Harcourt : — 
 
 ^'Kensington Palace^ July Gt/i^ i799- 
 
 "Alv DEAR Lord, — Permit me to acknowledge 
 with many thanks your most obliging favor of 
 the 25 of June. The inmiediatc attention you 
 have been so good as to pay to my wishes in 
 behalf of my Servant, Charles O'Bce, claims every 
 mark of gratitude on my part. Since I wrote, 
 I have been informed that Pitt, one of the Queen's 
 hobby Grooms, has been in so miserable a state 
 
 ^ Born 1767, married 181S, died 1820. 
 
of health for many Months past, that he is totally 
 Incapable of doing any duty at all ; indeed, it is 
 thoucfht he never will acrain. Should he therefore 
 either be pentioned off, or die, I am peculiarly 
 solicitous that O'Bee should succeed him ; for 
 having been always brought up in a saddle- 
 horse stable, he w^ould be fitter for that situation 
 almost than for any other in the Queen's stables ; 
 but, in the mean while, should he be fortunate 
 enough to be appointed either a Postilion, or a 
 helper on the Establishment, I shall feel equally 
 thankful to your Lordship. He is still with me, 
 & will remain till I embark for America, which* 
 I am apt to think will be about the 15th or 
 1 6th. I shall then send him immediately up to 
 the Clerk of the Stables, who, I conclude, will 
 have rec^i your Lordship's instructions respect- 
 ing liim. 
 
 ** I cannot conclude this Letter without expres- 
 sing how highly flatter'd I feel myself by the 
 friendly manner in which you express yourself 
 as to the good opinion you have formed of me. 
 I trust, my dear Lord, I shall never thro' life for- 
 feit it ; believe me, I shall ever entertain the most 
 grateful sense of your kindness towards me ; and 
 I hope many years will not elapse before I shall 
 again shake you by the hand ; till then, my best 
 wishes will ever attend you, as well as Lady Har- 
 court, to whom I again beg leave to offer my best 
 
 1 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 ^25 
 
 regards. Permit me now to subscribe myself, with 
 every sentiment of the truest esteem, 
 
 " Most faithfully & devotedly yours, &c., 
 
 ** Edward. 
 
 '' R' H. Earl Harcourt, dr^c. &^cr 
 
 From Edward, Duke of Kent, to Lord 
 Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ Kejisingtoii Palace, 16th April, 1802. 
 
 "My dear Lord,— The Bearer of this letter, 
 W"^ Clure, my head Groom, is under the necessity 
 of leaving my service, on account of his large 
 family rendering it impossible for him to follow 
 me to Gibraltar. I have therefore most anxiously 
 to solicit Your Lordship's good offices to think of 
 him for a Hobby Groom's place in the Queen's 
 livery, whenever a vacancy offers, or for a Chair- 
 man's place, should one in that class happen first, 
 provided his appointment to the latter will not 
 preclude his promotion to the former afterwards. 
 Of his character I never can say enough ; for his 
 Sobriety, his honesty, and his fidelity are be- 
 yond all praise ; and I am certain that to the 
 Queen he would prov^e a most valuable servant 
 indeed. 
 
 '* Having said thus much, I shall only add, that 
 Your Lordship will oblige me more than I can 
 express by your attention to this request, which 
 
I shall always acknowledge with the warmest 
 Gratitude. I am to leave London on Sunday 
 Morning .to pass a few days at Windsor, in my 
 way to Falmouth, where I expect to embark on 
 the 25th for Gibraltar. 
 
 " I cannot conclude this letter without desiring 
 you to present my best wishes to Lady Ilarcourt, 
 and to accept the assurance of similar Sentiments 
 towards yourself, being, 
 
 ** My Dear Lord, 
 "With truth Ever yours most faithfully, 
 
 ** Edward. 
 
 ^^ The Earl of Ilarcourt^ <^c. c^^." 
 
 From Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sus- 
 sex ^ to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " My Dear Lord,— I have till now delayed 
 writing to you, untill I could execute the Com- 
 mission you charged me with for my Brother, 
 the Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness has 
 now ordered me to return you his best thanks for 
 the offer of your House, & intends profiting of 
 your kindness. 
 
 " We shall leave this place on Thursday next, 
 & sleep on the Road, so as to be at Newnham 
 for Dinner on Friday, & to remain the whole of 
 
 « Born 1773, ^^^^ 1S43. 
 
 Saturday. I think it right to inform you, my 
 Dear Lord, that the Prince eats nothing but Fish 
 & Vegetables. My Brother will be accompanied 
 by me and Colonel Bloomfield. Pray give my 
 best Compliments to Lady Harcourt, & say how 
 happy I feel at the Idea of seeing Her Ladyship 
 so soon. 
 
 " Believe me, my Dear Lord, wath the Senti- 
 ments of the truest Regard & Esteem, 
 
 " Yours truly obliged & Devotedly, 
 
 "Augustus Frederick. 
 
 ^'Berkeley Castle, October the ^th, 1807. 
 '' To The Earl of Harcourt:' 
 
 From Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cam- 
 bridge^, to Lady Harcourt: — 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt, — . . . M^^ Har- 
 court has often mentioned to me that you asked 
 after me in your letters to her ; I can assure you 
 this renders me very happy, as it proves to me 
 you have not forgotten me. We always were 
 great Friends together, & I hope that we shall 
 always remain so. 
 
 '' I have very little news to give you this side 
 the Water. We are here very quiet ; and I do 
 believe that the French are going into Winter 
 
 ^ Born 1774, married 181 8, died 1850. 
 
128 
 
 Memoir of George Simox, 
 
 Quarters. I am at present with a Brigade under 
 General Abercromby's orders. 
 
 " The weather has been very severe, so that 
 I can assure you we have suffered a good deal. 
 We are at present making huts ; and I hope that 
 in a few days they will be ready. I suppose that 
 I shall now be soon relieved, as I have been here 
 a fortnight, & my Brigade is the only one of the 
 Hanoverians which is not in Cantonments. I was 
 rendered very happy by the arrival of Ernest ^. 
 I found him looking remarkably well ; but his 
 sight is grown very bad, and in my opinion much 
 worse than when he went over to England. . . . 
 
 "With the hopes of hearing from you soon 
 again, I conclude my letter in remaining 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend & servant, 
 
 "Adolpiius Frederick. 
 
 ^^JVor. 24///, 1794." 
 
 Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, 
 to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 **20 March ^ i795- 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . Thank 
 
 God, I have bore the Campaign very well. The 
 cold was shocking, and the marches wx had to 
 make horrid ; but I luckily have escaped having 
 any limb frozen. What a comfort it is to me 
 
 ' Duke of Cumberland, bom 1771, married 1815, died 1851. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 129 
 
 now not to have quitted the Army this winter. 
 I have shared every thing with the Men, but 
 I would not miss what I have seen & gone 
 through for the world. I wrote this to the King 
 in my last letter, & thanked him for having left 
 me here. 
 
 " The poor Family of Orange is certainly very 
 much to be pityed ; but the Dear King's kindness 
 and goodness to them must be a very great Com- 
 fort to them in their Misfortunes. The young 
 Princess is a charming young Woman : so is 
 Prince Frederick a very fine gallant young fellow ; 
 He has distinguished himself very much in this 
 War, not only by his personal Bravery, but also 
 by his application and Military Talents. 
 
 " Be so good as to give my best Compliments 
 to Lord Harcourt, and be assured I ever shall be 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 
 •• Your Devoted & aff^« Friend, 
 
 "Adolphus Frederick." 
 
 Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, 
 to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ^''Oldenburg, Sept. 25, 1795. 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, — ... I am 
 very sorry not to be able to give you any good 
 news from Germany. The last accounts, which 
 
 S 
 
130 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 arrived yesterday, brought the news of the Aus- 
 trians having evacuated the Fortress Ehrenbreit- 
 stein, and having left there 141 Guns. I hope 
 this news may not prove true ; but as things 
 are going on now in the World, one gets in- 
 dined to believe the worst. Should the second 
 Descent on the Coast of France succeed, I do 
 then believe that the French will be forced to 
 stop in their progress into Germany. It is won- 
 derful in what a short time they crossed the 
 Rhine. The Austrians, it seems, have not made 
 any very great defense ; at least, one must con- 
 clude so, after the manner in which the Enemy 
 got over the Rhine. 
 
 "This is now the 6th month that I am here, 
 always expecting my Fate. You will agree with 
 me that it is not very agreeable to be so long 
 a waiting. Thank God ! it now must soon be 
 determined ; and I believe we shall soon quit this 
 place, which is as tiresome as possible, for there 
 is no Company in the world. One resource we 
 have here is a very good Library, else there would 
 be no living here. 
 
 "Adieu, my Dearest Lady Harcourt, with my 
 love to L^ Harcourt ; and many wishes for the 
 further Continuance of your Good Health. I sub- 
 scribe myself 
 
 " Your ever Aff^^ Friend, 
 
 "Adolpiius Frederick." 
 
 \ 
 
 From Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cam- 
 bridge : — 
 
 ^''Hanover, June 29///, 1797. 
 
 " My dearest Ly Harcourt,— ... I am very 
 
 glad to be able to give you a very good account 
 of my sister ^ whom I left in perfect Health at 
 Munden last Saturday sennight. She bore her 
 journey remarquably well, though she was ex- 
 ceedingly hurryed and worryed the whole time; 
 for she never stopped a day at a place where she 
 was a moment quiet, nothing but Fetes and Balls 
 awaited her wherever she came, so that she has 
 had very little rest the whole time. I trust in 
 God she will be happy ; at least, she behaves in 
 such a charming manner, that she has quite cap- 
 tivated the affections of her Husband ; and I do 
 not doubt that she will always please him in the 
 same manner if she only continues going on as 
 
 she has begun. 
 
 V 
 
 From Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cam- 
 bridge, to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 '''Hanover, Sept. ist, 1798. 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt,— ... I have from 
 
 my Childhood been very much attached to you ; 
 and the short time I had the pleasure of seeing 
 
 h The Princess Royal ; married the Trince of \Vurtemburg, 
 May 18, 1797- 
 

 
 132 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 you when I was last in England, and the good- 
 ness you then had for me, has certainly not 
 diminished, but on the contrary, encreased that 
 attachment on my side ; and I can assure you 
 that whenever we meet again you shall find me 
 in this Respect unaltered. 
 
 " The good Turn of the affairs in Ireland has 
 rendered me very happy ; and I trust that all 
 Idea of Rebellion will soon be given over in that 
 Country. The Firmness shewn by Government 
 has undoubtedly contributed the most to the 
 Quelling of this unlucky Rebellion ; and had the 
 other Governments on the Continent shewn as 
 much Energy, I will answer for matters being 
 quite othervvays than they are now. . . . 
 
 ** Believe me, my dear Lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Your ever aff^^ Friend, 
 
 "Adolphus Frederick. 
 
 "As I have not mentioned a word about my- 
 self in my Letter, and that you perhaps may be 
 anxious to know what I am about, I will just 
 write you a few lines to mention I am very well, 
 and very contented in this Country. 
 
 " The King has lately been so good as to make 
 me Lieutenant-General, which has rendered me 
 very happy. I have been since two years Major- 
 General on the Staff, Commanding a Brigade of 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 133 
 
 the Troops which form a Line for to protect the 
 Line of Demarkation. I have been two years 
 quartered at a Village ; but luckily am now at 
 Hanover, owing to our Cantonments having been 
 changed. I will now not trouble you any longer 
 than just to beg your pardon for having written 
 so much about myself; but as you were so good 
 as to interest yourself about me, I thought you 
 would like to hear what I was about." 
 
 From Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cam- 
 bridge, to Lady Harcourt: — 
 
 ^^ Cassel, fa?iuary 2phj 1818. 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt, — I cannot leave 
 your very kind letter of the 5th Instant unan- 
 swered any longer ; for I feel very anxious indeed 
 to thank you myself for the very friendly manner 
 in which you have been so good as to express 
 yourself on the fortunate change wdiich is soon 
 to take place in my situation. Having known 
 one another for so many years, I was fully con- 
 vinced that you, my dearest lady Harcourt, as 
 one of my oldest friends, would not be sorry to 
 hear my news. And it will be an additional satis- 
 faction to you to hear from me that I am the 
 happyest of men ; and I really believe that on 
 the surface of the Globe there does not exist so 
 
happy a Being as myself. Every hour I feel that 
 my esteem and attachment for my bride ^ in- 
 creases ; and she is really every thing both as 
 to Heart, mind, and Person I can wish. 
 
 ••You will, I am sure, allow that, after this 
 description, I have a right to say that I am the 
 most fortunate of men. Truly, truly grateful do 
 I feel to Providence for having reserved this Bless- 
 ing in store for me ; and Heaven grant that I may 
 be deserving of it, and not forfeit my happiness 
 by any misconduct. 
 
 "I cannot conclude without begging you to 
 remember me most kindly to your Brother, the 
 Archbishop, who I hope is well ; and pray tell 
 him that I am sure he will not be sorry to hear 
 that I am going soon to be marryed. 
 
 "Now, God bless you, my dearest Lady Har- 
 court, and believe me 
 
 " Your ever sincere and afT^ friend, 
 
 "Adolphus Frederick." 
 
 The overtures of Prince Ferdinand of 
 Wurtemberof, for the hand of Princess Au- 
 gusta, in the year 1791, were not crowned 
 with success. The propositions made, five 
 years later, by the Crown Prince of Wurtem- 
 
 ' He married, May i, 1818, Augusta, daughter of Frederick, 
 Landgrave of Hesse. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 135 
 
 berg, for the hand of the Princess Royal 
 of England, were very nearly meeting with 
 a similar fate. Jealousies amongst some of 
 the small states in Germany, of the influence 
 to be derived from the match, appear to 
 have prompted the circulation of various 
 stories to the disadvantage of the Prince of 
 Wurtemberg; which were well-nigh produc- 
 ing their desired effect upon the mind of 
 Georo-e the Third. At last, however, the 
 counsels of true friends prevailed, and the 
 happiness of the Princess Royal was se- 
 cured. 
 
 The following papers will give some in- 
 sight into the difficulties which preceded 
 this afterwards happy marriage. 
 
 Extrait Traduction d'une lettre du Prince 
 Hereditaire de Wurtemberg, a Mr. Le Ct. 
 de Leppetin, du i6 Avril : — ■ 
 
 "QUELQUE peu probable, meme presque im- 
 possible qu'il soit, que cette lettre, qui ne peut 
 arriver que le 3 de Mai, vous trouve encore a Lon- 
 dres, je ne peux me refuser au plaisir de vous 
 
^crire et de vous accuser la reception de votre 
 lettre du 27 Mars, dont je vous remercie de tout 
 mon cceur. Je partage bien vivement avec vous 
 votre impatience, apres tant de travail et une 
 aussi longue attente, ne pas encore pouvoir pre- 
 voir la fin et le resultat de nos demarches ; cela 
 est certainement unique dans son genre, jamais 
 un homme d'honneur et de mon nom n'a eprouve 
 de pareils procedes. Les eternelles justifications 
 de ma conduite et de mes actions, sont d'un 
 genre si nouveau pour moi, que tres souvent je 
 me suis tate pour savoir si je suis bien le meme 
 
 homme. 
 
 "Je sais certainement apprecier, comme je le 
 dois, une alliance avec la famille royale, les avan- 
 tages et I'honneur qui peuvent en resulter pour 
 ma maison, et surtout le bonheur d'unir mon 
 sort a celui d'une personne telle que la Princess 
 Royale, dont la bonte du caractere, la justesse 
 d'esprit, et les bonnes qualites, sont si generale- 
 ment reconnues. Mais je vous le repete, si jamais 
 j avois pu prevoir que les propositions du Due 
 de B. me mettroient dans la triste necessity dc 
 vous exposer, mon ami, a rester des mois entiers 
 i mandier pour ainsi dire de porte en porte la 
 reponse a une proposition aussi simple, et de me 
 justifier contre des prcjuges aussi ridicules que 
 depourvus de motifs et de justice, certainement 
 rien au monde n'auroit pu me determiner a une 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 ^2>7 
 
 semblable demarche. De tout tems ma reputa- 
 tion a ete intacte, et je crois avoir atteint Tage de 
 quarante avec la reputation d'un homme d'hon- 
 neur et de bon sens. Si j'ai ete mal juge sur mon 
 premier malheureux mariage, certainement je ne 
 le dois qu'a la delicatesse de ma fa^on de penser 
 et d'agir, et il me semble que de ce cote la meme, 
 ma conduite doit etre asses justifiee par celle des 
 parents de ma premiere femme. 
 
 "Je vous avoue, mon ami, que tout ceci me 
 blesse profondement, et que sans la bienveillance 
 de la famille Royale, qui lui assure a jamais mon 
 estime et ma plus profonde reconnoissance, vous 
 auries depuis long tems regu I'ordre de votre 
 rappel, mais aujourdhui, malgre la patience que 
 je n'ai cesse de precher a mon pere, je ne suis 
 plus le maitre de sa volonte ; croyant sa dignite 
 compromise si vous prolongies votre sejour dans 
 un pays ou Ton n'honore seulement pas sa pro- 
 position d'une reponse, il vous ordonne de revenir 
 apres la reception de cette lettre ; et il ne me reste 
 a moi que le regret de n'avoir pas mieux reussi 
 dans une affaire dont le succes eut comble le plus 
 cher de mes voeux. Hippisley sait il I'allemand ? 
 Sinon traduises lui la lettre, il m'importe beaucoup 
 apres sa conduite, aussi amicale qu'honnete envers 
 moi, de lui faire connoitre mon caractere et ma 
 reconnoissance dans tout son jour, et de n'etre 
 pas aussi mejuge par ce galant homme. 
 
"Vous me demandes, mon ami, si je suis con- 
 tent de vous ? Comment cela pouroit il etre au- 
 trement apres toutes les peines que vous vous 
 etes donne pour moi ? revenes, votre ami vous 
 attend a bras ouverts." 
 
 Copie de la Lettre du Ch. de Zeppetin, 
 a Son Attesse Royale Monseigneur Le 
 Prince de Galles, en date du 30"^*^ Avrill, 
 1796 : — 
 
 "Monseigneur, — Les ordres restores de ma 
 Cour me font un devoir de communiques a Votre 
 Attesse Royale les demarches que je fais dans 
 la nogociation dont je suis charge', et dont j'ai eu 
 rhonneur de Lui rendre compte verbalement, de 
 meme que de solliciter la puissante intervention 
 de Votre Altesse Royale, pour Taccomplissement 
 des voeux de Msg'". le Prince hereditaire de Wurt- 
 temberg. Je m'en acquitte en Vous envoyant ci 
 joint, Monseigneur, Copie de la Lettre que je viens 
 d'ecrire a Lord Grunville, et ou vous trouveres les 
 motifs qui me determincnt a renouveller mes in- 
 stances pour obtenir enfin une reponse. Seroit ce 
 trop me flatter Monseigneur, que d oser croire que 
 I'esperance que mon maitre fond sur I'interet 
 que Votre Altesse Royale voudra bien prendre au 
 succes de ma mission, ne sera point trompee, et 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 139 
 
 qu'il pourra joindre la reconnaissance, aux Senti- 
 ments qui I'attachent deja, et I'attacheront en- 
 core a Votre Altesse Royale; Penetre Monseig- 
 neur des bontes dont vous voules bien m'ho- 
 norer, j'ose partager avec mon maitre ces Senti- 
 ments, et Vous supplier de me permettre d'y 
 joindre les assurances du tres profond respect 
 avec lequel je suis, &c." 
 
 Copie de la Lettre du Ch. de Zeppetin 
 a Lord Grunville (sic) a Londres, le 30"' 
 Avrill, 1 796 : — 
 
 "Mylord,— Comme il y a plus de deux mois 
 que j'ai fait les premieres demarches relatives au 
 principal objet de ma mission ici, et plus de trois 
 semaines que j'ai prie V. E. de m'obtenir de S. M. 
 une audiance dans laquelle je puisse lui remettre 
 les lettrcs dont je suis charge pour Elle, sans avoir 
 re^u aucune reponse jusqu' a ce jour, malgre 
 L E^nprcsscmcnt avec lequel fai prodnit tons les 
 Temoignages que Von ce parru dcsirer, je suis en- 
 core en position, ni de rendre compts a ma Cour 
 du succes de ces demarches, ni de repondre aux 
 questions que Ton me fait a cct egard dans touts 
 
 les Lettres que je re^ois Je me vois Mylord 
 
 d'autant plus force a avoir de nouveau recours 
 a vos bontes, que la sante du Due mon maitre 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 140 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 s'affaibissant a mesure qu'il approche le mois de 
 May, epoque ou il a ete deux annees de suite 
 frappe d'apoplexie. L'inquietude de son Altesse 
 Royale, Madame la Duchesse, se joint a I'impa- 
 tience du Prince hereditaire son fils, de voir ter- 
 miner favorablement une negociation ont le but 
 se trouveroit considerablement recule si un evene- 
 ment qu'il faut craindre appelloit le Prince a suc- 
 ceder a son Pere. Si ces considerations ne suf- 
 fisoient pas, j'y ajouterois Mylord celle de I'in- 
 teret que S. M. L Empereiir, comnie hcaii frere du 
 Prince hereditaire, La viaison de Bronsvic^ et j'ai 
 meme Lieu de croire L' hnperatrice de Riissie^ 
 prennent a I'heureux succ^s de I'objet de ma 
 mission. Ce sont dont ces considerations reunis, 
 qui me determinent a pricr Votre Excellence 
 de vouloit bien obtenir du Roi, qu'il daigne fixer 
 le jour ou il trouvera bon que je Lui remette 
 mes Lettres, pour que je puisse enfin porter a ma 
 Cour la reponse que La Majeste jugera a propos 
 d'y fa ire. 
 
 "J'espere, Mylord, que S. M. voudra bien ne 
 voir dans la demarche reiteree que je fais au- 
 pres de V. E., que I'impressement d'un sujet a 
 repondre a la juste impatience de son maitre, 
 dans une Circonstance ou il attend la decision 
 du bonheur de La Vie ! de la volonte d'un Roi, 
 auquel il se sent digne d'appartenir par des 
 liens plus doux que celui du profond respect, 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 141 
 
 qu'il doit a I'un des premiers monarques de 
 L'Europe. 
 
 "Trouves bon Mylord que j'ajoute encore ici 
 I'assurance, &c." 
 
 Sir J. Hippesley to Lady Harcourt: — 
 
 " My dear Madam, — As I find myself so un- 
 well that I cannot wait on you, I must again 
 have recourse to my pen. ... 
 
 ** I cannot but fancy that the King may open 
 the subject we are so much interested in, in the 
 course of the Day, after receiving, as He pro- 
 bably will, L^ Grcnvill's Box this morning. The 
 earnestness of Russia to make her amende honor- 
 able will give new weight, & as I before ob- 
 served, effectually silences all Calumny from that 
 quarter. 
 
 "The King may observe that the answers to 
 his Enquiries are not so favorable as He could 
 wish. To this His Majesty may be correctly an- 
 swered in turn, that * unless the same candid ex- 
 position of facts had been made abroad as we 
 have seen made here by a reference to anihentie 
 Documents, &c., it could hardly be supposed that 
 any persons who had remained so long in error 
 could have returned a favorable report.' Add to 
 this the political jealousies, happy to seize on the 
 pretence of a suspicious character ; to cover their 
 
142 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 aversion to see the House of Wertemberg still 
 adding to its weight in the Empire, Every person 
 especially attached to the House of Hesse will 
 certainly spare no pains to circulate these ob- 
 solete prejudices. And unfortunately / have 
 seen that Hesse has had too much influence 
 in decrying Wertemberg with the Regency of 
 H r. 
 
 *' If it is observed that even the Duchess of 
 Brunswick had her prejudices as strong as any 
 one, the reply is, that until the Duke (who knew 
 all the facts) very lately undeceived her Royal 
 Hiehness, it was natural she should have had 
 them ; but the part she and the Duke have since 
 taken is now the best refutation, 
 
 *' In a word, can it be supposed that the Duke 
 & Duchess of Brunswick, the Emperor & Empress 
 Queen, would all enter into a Conspiracy to im- 
 pose on His Majesty, & sacrifice the Princess Royal 
 to a Prince so undeserving of Her Royal High- 
 ness ? How ! if the thousandth part of what 
 Vulgar error has asserted be to be credited ! 
 
 " On this principle, my dear Madam, I conceive 
 it to be impossible to urge any serious objection 
 to the very honourable proposition which has 
 been made ; & if the aff^iir succeeds (which we 
 must hope in God it will) we cannot regret the 
 difficulties which have tended so much to discover 
 the real worth and Character of the Prince. If we 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 143 
 
 had only to sail before the wind this could not 
 have happened. 
 
 " Most faithfully, My D^ Mad"^, y^^ 
 
 "J. HiPPESLEY. 
 " Sun^^ Morning^ 
 
 Memorandum by Sir J. Hippesley :- 
 
 " 6th May. 
 
 " In former memorandums the obvious fact has 
 been stated, Viz. — that if any enquiries respecting 
 the Prince of Wurtemberg have been made either 
 at Berlin^ Hatiover^ or in Hesse, or even in Saxe, 
 the replies will naturally be governed by the poli- 
 tical prejudices which influence those states against 
 the aggrandisement of Wurtemberg ; & the more 
 so, as it is known that the Emperor, Bavaria, 
 & the Electors under the influence of Vienna, 
 support the pretensions of Wurtemberg. The 
 Northern Courts will spare no pains to avert or 
 oppose at least the rising greatness of a state 
 already so powerfully allied, the Brother in Law 
 of the two Empires ; & by the late proposed 
 marriage of the young princess to the House of 
 the Elector Palatine, deriving new strength from 
 that quarter. 
 
 " But how is it that these Prejudices have so 
 long circulated, & remained so long uncontra- 
 dicted } Only because the extreme Prudence & 
 
Delicacy of both the Duke of Brunswick & Prince 
 of Wertemberg did not chuse to compromise great 
 names by a declaration of ^// the facts, 
 
 "To such an Extent was the Duke's pru- 
 dence carried, that He did not even disabuse the 
 Duchess of Brunswick of her prejudices till very 
 lately ; & to this moment it is supposed that Her 
 Royal Highness is unacquainted with vmch of 
 the dark History of former days. It is certain, 
 however, that the Duchess of Brunswick, from the 
 first to the last moment of the unfortunate period 
 of the Prince's marriage, was possessed of all the 
 facts, & fully justified the extreme delicacy & ten- 
 derness of the Prince towards her Daughter. 
 
 "The Wife of the Prussian Minister, and the 
 other Ladies who were of the Princess's family, 
 will speak the same language. Some low Servants 
 found it their Interest to speak another; but the 
 motives have been known. 
 
 "Tho' the Count de Zeppetin has been posi- 
 tively recalled by the Duke's last Letters, yet he 
 has been prevailed on to extend his residence here 
 some short time longer ; & the writer of this note 
 has fully stated to the Hereditary Prince the mo- 
 tives which He trusts will fully excuse this con- 
 structive disobedience of the Duke's Minister. 
 
 " The writer of these memoranda certamly risks 
 much, if accident should divert the transmission 
 of any of them from the only quarter for which 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 145 
 
 they are destined ; but in any event He feels him- 
 self acquitting an imperious Duty even to His 
 Majesty^ in tracing the lines by which Truth at 
 last may triumph over the most scandalous pros- 
 titution of a narrow & interested policy, which 
 has been exerted to mislead the Judgment of 
 His Majesty." 
 
 The following notes appear to be records 
 of the last uneasinesses occasioned by the 
 ruffled dignity of the Hereditary Prince ; 
 which, however, were soon to be removed 
 by his happy marriage with the Princess 
 Royal : — 
 
 Secret, " 2^th May. 
 
 " H. S. H. speaking to S^ ... in great confidence 
 last night, regretted that He had received no 
 present from H. R. H. on Her marriage ; as it is 
 an invariable usage in Germany, & of so much 
 consequence, that He could wish the Hint to be 
 given to Her R. H., tho' it ought not to come 
 from Himself or ajiy one of His own family, 
 
 ** His S. H. mentioned this circumstance to Ly 
 H^ & myself with so much sollicitude, that it 
 appears advisable that the Hint should be com- 
 municated to Her R. H. The P. said that it would 
 be one of the first Questions put to Him on His 
 
 U 
 
s 
 
 l! 
 
 I*- 
 
 arrival, & He should really find himself morti- 
 fied in replying to it. A?ij^ thing, however trivial, 
 would answer the purpose. Perhaps a Hair Ring 
 set with Brilliants, which . . . could get set in tivo 
 or three days. Her R. H. will forgive the zeal 
 of Him who suggests this Hint, knowing it can 
 only proceed from the Motive which has in- 
 fluenced His conduct through the whole of the 
 
 negociation. 
 
 u-phe P extended His Finger in speaking 
 
 to Ly H saying, ' not a ring to show, &c!'' 
 
 Answer to the above : — 
 
 "I AM very sensible of the zeal that induc'd 
 you to write to me ; & I hope you will allow my 
 motives for refusing y' request to be just. I hope 
 too, that upon reflection, the P. will consider that 
 every Country has its own customs ; & that it is 
 as reasonable that he should at present be satis- 
 fied with those establish'd here, as it will soon be 
 for the Pss. to adopt those of the place she is 
 going to." 
 
 Private. "^- ^^^^^» ^- ^^' 
 
 "Madam,— The subject of the Memorandum 
 I had the Honor to put into your Ladyship's 
 Hand this morning, I can assure you is very near 
 
 ' 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 147 
 
 the Prifice of W^^ feelings. He says it is impos- 
 sible for us, unaccustomed to the Etiquette of 
 Germany, to imagine the i/l impression resulting 
 from the omission. I hope your Ladyship will 
 contrive to mention it to the Pss. 
 
 ** The P. of Ws is very anxious to have certain 
 news of the Frigates destined to escort Him. 
 I have been twice to the Admiralty, & the Tele- 
 graph is at work for Him. The King was appre- 
 hensive that the Sailors would not let the Frigates 
 unmoor in the River. 
 
 ** I endeavoured to find M^ Harcourt at the 
 Drawing Room, but without Success. 
 
 "Your Ladyship will excuse this Hasty Billet 
 from y^ Ladyship's most obliged." 
 
 " S^, — I had not an immediate opportunity of 
 seeing the person you wish'd me to speak to ; 
 &, upon consideration, it seems to me most pru- 
 dent not to mention the subject ; it would be 
 impossible for her to suppose that from myself 
 I should suggest to her any thing that is not 
 usual in England ; & if she thought I had re- 
 ceiv'd a hint from others, it would be very pain- 
 full to her to find that there was any dissatis- 
 faction, after all the pains that have been taken 
 to show every attention." 
 
 \\ 
 
148 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 From the Princess Royal : — 
 
 ^^ May, 1797. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt, — I have re- 
 ceived the Queen's Commands to acquaint you 
 that 'd yoti wish to see my Trousseau, she desires 
 that you will be so good as to be at the Queen's 
 House to-morrow morning at eleven o'clock. Pray 
 mention this to nobody, as the Queen does not 
 wish it to be spoken of. 
 
 "Adieu, dear Lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend, 
 "Charlotte Augusta Matilda. 
 
 " Wednesday Evening.*^ 
 
 The following letter was written by Baron 
 de Wimpffen to Sir John Hippesly, relating 
 to the Princess Royal of England, married 
 to the Duke of Wurtemberg. 
 
 Extract of a Letter from M. Le Baron 
 de Wimpffen, Chamberlain of the Duke of 
 Wurtemberg, to Sir John Hippesly, dated 
 30 April, Stutgard : — 
 
 **S. A. R. Continue a se porter aussi bien qu'il 
 est possible dans sa situation, mais EUe ne s^ait 
 pas Encore La mort de son Enfant, a laquelle on 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 A 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 149 
 
 
 La prepare en le lui peignant comme trop foible 
 pour Lui etre apporte. II est impossible de vous 
 dire I'interet que Le public de toutes Classes 
 prend k cet Evenement. Les Eglises ont ete con- 
 stamment pleines de monde qui y courroit de son 
 propre mouvement et Les Larmes aux yeux. Le 
 peuple disoit que si La Duchesse mourroit, ce 
 seroit un signe infaillible que Dieu vouloit en 
 La retirant a lui, epargner a S. A. R. la vue des 
 malheurs dont Le pays Etoit menace ; sa mort 
 eut ete pour Lui le signal d'une inevitable cala- 
 mite publique. La conduite du Due, qui s'Est 
 rendu aux prieres avec toute sa famille, et ou il 
 a toujours reste a genoux, a singuli^rement accru 
 Le Respect et I'attachem.ent qu'on lui porte, puis- 
 qu'il aime sa femmes il est bon mari, disoit le 
 peuple, nous I'aimerons comme de bons sujets 
 doivent aimer un bon maitre, et nous lui en don- 
 nerons Des preuves. II est en Effet, mon cher 
 chevalier, difficile d'avoir un attachement plus 
 vrai ni des procedes plus tendres que ceux du 
 Due pour la Duchesse. 
 
 " La Bourgeoisie se prepare a lui donner une 
 fete pour la convalescence de S. A. R. ce qui est 
 innoui dans les Annales de Wirtemberg. Ce fut 
 Le Due qui apprit a la Duchesse les temoignages 
 de I'interet extraordinaire que le peuple prend 
 a Elle, car les gens de la Campagne meme ac- 
 courrent en Ville pour avoir de ses nouvelles. 
 

 I50 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Nous considerons la mort de L'Enfant comme un 
 vrai malheur ; c'etoit une belle et grande fille, qui, 
 en devenant un nouveau gage d'union et de ten- 
 dresse pour Le pere et La mere, eut puissament 
 contribue au Bonheur de S. A. R. II faut mieux 
 esperer de I'avenir, aujourd'hui tous les voeux se 
 reunissent pour le recouvrement de sa sante. Elle 
 a eu un peu de fievre depuis hier, mais sans aucun 
 symptdme dangereux." 
 
 From the Princess Royal, Crown Princess 
 of Wurtemberg : — 
 
 '•^ Louishourg^ July lo///, 1814. 
 "MV DEAREST LADY HaRCOURT, — ... I am 
 
 in great expectation of Letters from my family ; 
 as yet it is only through the medium of the 
 Papers that I have heard of Princess Charlotte's 
 match being broken off. I can say nothing on 
 the subject, as I am not acquainted with the par- 
 ticulars ; but wish she had, at least, not allowed 
 things to go so far before she changed her mind. 
 Such things make a great noise, and hurt a young 
 Lady in the Eyes of the World. I regret much, 
 if the Prince^ was attached to her, that she should 
 take such a step ; and hope she has well weighed 
 the consequences of taking so decided a part, 
 which must decide on the fate of her life. This 
 
 ^ The Prince of Orange. 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 151 
 
 is one of the many instances where rank and 
 fortune are far from being a blessing ; a young 
 person with less advantages is more on their 
 guard, and dread the being blamed by their 
 family or the public. . . . 
 
 *' It is doubly unfortunate this should have 
 happened during the Visit of so many foreign 
 Sovereigns ; it will be talked of for years, and 
 would do her great mischief was she not Heiress 
 to a Crown. . . . 
 
 *^ Pray, are you acquainted with a very clever 
 Miss Knight, who is now with Princess Charlotte } 
 I believe she was once under my Mother's protec- 
 tion, and translated the beautiful Prayers which 
 were published at Frogmore. She must be a 
 sensible woman ; and I should have flattered 
 myself would have some weight with so young 
 a princess. ... 
 
 ** My dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Affectionate Friend, 
 
 '' Charlotte." 
 
 From the Princess Royal, Queen of Wur- 
 temberg : — • 
 
 ^^ Louisbourg, July i, 1815. 
 
 "... I AM sure, my dear Lady Harcourt, that 
 you will have been delighted with the account 
 of the glorious Victory the Duke of Wellington 
 
152 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 obtained on the i8th ultimate. I have read with 
 the greatest pleasure all the Reports which have 
 appeared on the subject, and followed his march 
 on the Map. On all sides the Allies advance; 
 four days ago, my son, the Prince Royal, took 
 possession of Hagucnau. The British and Prus- 
 sians are at Laon. I expect much of the Duke 
 of Wellington in Picardi, which w^as ever famous 
 for the Battles of Crecy and Agincourt. 
 
 <*We have just received a Messenger from the 
 Prince Royal, with the account of a very brilliant 
 Affair he has had. Thank God that he has not 
 suffered ; but our Troops have met with a great 
 loss, above one Thousand killed and wounded. 
 They fought like Lions ; and have driven General 
 Rapp to take refuge in Strasbourg. The Wurt- 
 tembergers pursued the French till they had taken 
 shelter in the Town, fighting even on the Ram- 
 parts. It is shocking to say that while they 
 fought the French Troops, the Peasants fell on 
 them in the rear, and killed several Officers." 
 
 From the Princess Royal, Queen of Wur- 
 temberg : — 
 
 " Stutgard, April 21st, 18 16. 
 
 "My DEAREST Lady Harcourt,— ...I thank 
 God that the dear Queen, notwithstanding the 
 trials and fatigues she has gone through, con- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 153 
 
 tinues to be in better health than last year ; and 
 trust that Providence will continue to watch over 
 her, and ward off from her every evil. 
 
 " However, I shall be happy when the wedding 
 is over, as I dread hot Rooms, and too much 
 exertion at this time of year for my Mother ; 
 who, though strong, sometimes forgets that She 
 oueht to be more careful of her health than she 
 was thirty years ago. Never shall I forget the 
 wise manner in w^hich she has acted, or the strong 
 principles she has shewed on the most trying oc- 
 casions. Every day her life growls of more con- 
 sequence to her family. . . . 
 
 " I am sure that in few Countries people meet 
 WMth such an example as that which is set them 
 by the Queen, and my most amiable good Sisters, 
 who have sacrificed every earthly comfort to at- 
 tend to their aged Parents, and Contribute to 
 make their lives pleasant. I trust that as Char- 
 lotte feels her happiness, she will try to deserve 
 it by fulfilling her various duties. I am very 
 glad, my dear Lady Harcourt, that you are 
 pleased w^th the Prince of Cobourg's appearance ; 
 he was here for a few days two years ago with 
 the great Duke Constantino, but I did not see 
 sufficient of him to be able to form an opinion. 
 
 " My greatest wish is that they may both be 
 very prudent and quiet on their entry into the 
 world, avoiding every appearance of party, and 
 
 X 
 
154 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 ' 
 
 seeking to gain the good will of the Nation by 
 leading a domestic, reasonable life. . . . 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Affectionate Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte." 
 
 "... You are, dear Lady Harcourt, perfectly 
 right in saying that the Queen ^ is the great link 
 of the Chain ; and I fear, should that one drop off, 
 that much misery would ensue. In all numerous 
 families there are a variety of opinions, which are 
 softened when there is a person at the head of 
 them whom all look up to. Through their in- 
 fluence a sort of friendly unanimity is preserved ; 
 but should they fail, all draw different ways, and 
 outward union is no more to be thought of. . . . 
 
 ''It is very fortunate that, at this moment of 
 public depression of spirits, Charlotte should give 
 another turn to the thoughts of the Nation by 
 giving them hopes of an Heir. God grant that 
 she may be safely brought a bed of a healthy 
 Child; which I trust will ensure her happiness, 
 and be a blessing to the Nation. It gives me 
 sincere pleasure to hear that Prince Leopold and 
 my Niece behave so prudently, and set so good 
 an example by being regular in their payments ; 
 this will certainly gain them great popularity, and 
 I believe ensure them great comfort. 
 
 * Queen Charlotte. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 155 
 
 "Miss Mercer's being no more a favorite is by 
 all accounts fortunate, as the independent prin- 
 ciples she boasts of are not calculated to make 
 women either happy or respectable. The Gentle- 
 man she intends to marry is, I believe, a cele- 
 brated Gentleman, formerly aid-de-Camp to Na- 
 poleon ; and we always suspected him to have 
 been nearly related to Monsieur de Tallerand. 
 He was in eighteen hundred fourteen much em- 
 ployed to carry on secret correspondence. 
 
 " Lady Keith by all accounts is a sensible, good 
 sort of woman, who has had much to bear from 
 Miss Mercers being accustomed to rule in her 
 Father's House ; but who with prudence and good 
 nature ever yielded to her fancies, that she might 
 avoid giving Lord Keith pain. I wish that Char- 
 lotte may hereafter make some acquaintances with 
 amiable young women, as it is impossible for her 
 to continue to see so little Society as she does 
 at present. Do not, however, imagine that I do 
 not approve of their plan of life ; I think it both 
 pleasant and wise ; but I have seen so many ex- 
 amples of people requiring more Company when 
 they grow older, that I fear this may be Jier case. 
 
 " It gives me sincere satisfaction to hear that 
 my dear Mary is happy; and that by her amiable 
 conduct she gains the good will of all parties. 
 This is both sensible, and proves her wish to 
 please the Duke by shewing attention to his 
 
iii# ■—Wl'i' H il— I ■ * 
 
 » 
 
 r 
 
 friends. His steady affection for her certainly 
 deserves that she should do every thing in her 
 power to make herself agreeable to him. I am 
 sorry that she has suffered so much from her 
 foot, but hope she will soon be able to go out 
 
 agam. 
 
 "The more I reflect on Mary's situation and 
 mine, the more I regret my other Sisters not 
 having been equally fortunate ; as I am con- 
 vinced they would all have been happier had 
 they been properly established ; and they are 
 so good and amiable in their different ways, 
 that they would have been a blessing in every 
 family. . . . 
 
 " My dear Lady Ilarcourt's 
 
 " Affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 From the Princess Royal, Queen Dowager 
 of Wurtemberg : — 
 
 ^^ Louisbourg, September 2)id^ 1818. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I regret 
 
 much that circumstances have obliged Adolphus 
 to quit England at a moment in which his society 
 must have been of great use to my dear Sisters. 
 The Dutchess is an amiable, sweet, dignified crea- 
 ture, and very interesting to me, as she is very 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 near the age of my own Infant. I remember my 
 dear Brother having from a Child been a great 
 favourite of yours ; indeed, he is deservedly so of 
 every body, as he bears so excellent a Character. 
 I hope that in a few years you will have the plea- 
 sure to see him again, with his Wife, and two or 
 three nice little Children. 
 
 " It must be a great pleasure to my Brothers 
 that the Queen approves of all their Dutchesses, 
 who also suit my Sisters. Towards the end of 
 November I hope to make the Dutchess of Kent's 
 acquaintance, who I am told is very good hu- 
 moured and pleasant. I had hoped to see dear 
 Eliza next week ; but unfortunately it is quite 
 impossible for her to come to Louisbourg till 
 December. 
 
 " By all accounts she is very happy, admired by 
 all, and very busy in arranging her House. I be- 
 lieve the Hereditary Prince will be obliged to meet 
 the Emperor at Frankfort or Mayence. I am all 
 anxiety to hear, my dear Madam, that you are 
 removed to Windsor, thinking Kew an unwhole- 
 some place, and fearing that my dear Mother 
 must be most uncomfortably lodged in so small 
 a house. . . ." 
 
158 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 From the Princess Royal, Queen Dowager 
 of Wurtemberg : — 
 
 ^'Loiiisboi(f% September i^t/i, 1818. 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt,— . . . The 
 attachment you have ever, my dear Madam, 
 proved to my Mother, must endear you to all 
 her Children ; and it is a great comfort to me 
 to think you are with her at a moment in which 
 she feels so strongly the attentions and affections 
 of those that are about her. . . . 
 
 •' It is a comfort to me to hear the Regent is so 
 very dutiful to the Queen, and kind to my Sisters. 
 The Queen deserves every attention from all her 
 Children ; but most particularly from the Prince, 
 who was ever her favourite Child. Frederick's 
 coming often must be a great support to my 
 Sisters, as I do not know a more amiable, friendly 
 Being. I regret much the Queen's not being able 
 to see my Brothers, as it must vex them, and 
 I think it a dreadful symptom. I join with you, 
 dearest Lady Harcourt, in looking on the day 
 which will deprive us of the best of Mothers, as 
 a most fatal one for Great Britain. Certainly the 
 Queen's example has done inconceivable good ; 
 and I am the more convinced of this, by seeing 
 daily how much mischief is done by those whose 
 intentions are not bad, but from being quite in- 
 considerate, and from the desire of enlarging their 
 
 1 
 
 ' 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 159 
 
 circle, admit all sorts of people into their Society, 
 which by degrees will, I am afraid, quite ruin the 
 manners and morality of the Continent. 
 
 " It grieves me to hear that poor dear Sophia 
 is so seriously ill; and. I fear that she will not 
 loner survive our beloved Mother. Her health has 
 so long been delicate, that we must ever look on 
 her as a Hot House plant, which requires every 
 care to prevent its being destroyed. 
 
 '' Much should I wish at least to have the hope 
 of seeing Eliza soon, as I am sure we should be 
 better together when the dreadful Event takes 
 place ; but she does not think she can come to 
 Louisbourg till December, and I am too unwell 
 at present to attempt the leaving home. I hope 
 you will forgive the incoherency of this scrawl ; 
 but my Heart is so full, that I can hardly do any 
 thing but cry or pray. Indeed, I am generally 
 a melancholy Being since the death of my Hus- 
 band, which I feel doubly at this moment, as he 
 would have kept up my Courage." 
 
 From the Princess Royal, Queen Dowager 
 of Wurtemberg : — 
 
 " Monrepoo, October 2 Wi^ 1 8 1 8. 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . Our ac- 
 counts from England are dreadful ; and though 
 
i6o 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 l[ 
 
 sometimes there is an appearance of amendment, 
 I fear there is no hopes of my dear Mother's ever 
 leaving Kew. Her being there from the begin- 
 ning vexed me ; as I look upon the place as very- 
 unwholesome, and believQ damp particularly con- 
 trary to Dropsical complaints. Most deeply do 
 I trust will every branch of our family feel your 
 great kindness in staying with the Queen and the 
 Princesses at such a time ; your presence is a Cor- 
 dial to them all, and I trust a real source of com- 
 fort to poor Augusta, who from her great shyness, 
 stands more in need of a real, steady friend than 
 the rest of her Sisters. The account you are so 
 o-ood as to ^ive me of Mary s Character gives me 
 great satisfaction. I always thought her mild, 
 good, and amiable; but from a variety of cir- 
 cumstances, I was less intimate with her than 
 with my other Sisters. I trust that her good 
 Heart will lead her to exert her influence over 
 the Regent for the advantage of Augusta and 
 Sophia, who, however, I hope will determine on 
 having separate establishments ; as, though both 
 amiable, their dispositions and tastes are too dif- 
 ferent for them to be perfectly comfortable if 
 they were to live together. 
 
 *'Were it not on account of my dear Father, 
 I wish Augusta would spend some months with 
 me, as I think that at such a time the quiet life 
 I lead would suit her, & contribute to her health. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 i6i 
 
 . . . Everybody at Homburgh adores Eliza, & she 
 is admired by all those who have seen her. The 
 Prince of Homburg, by all accounts, worships 
 her, and thinks himself the most fortunate of 
 men. It gives me sincere pleasure to hear that 
 my Brothers and their Dutchesses draw so well 
 together at Hanover, which does them all credit. 
 The Dutchess of Cambridge has been spending 
 a month at Strelitz with both her Sisters, and 
 I suppose will return home next week. . . . 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Most affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 *"*■ Louishoiirg^ November 13///, 1818. 
 
 *' My dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . The 
 gracious affectionate Message our dear Mother 
 has sent us is calculated to sooth our Minds, and 
 to make us all doubly feel the very severe loss 
 she will be, not only to her afflicted Children, but 
 also to the Nation. 
 
 "The resignation and courage with which she 
 has bore the being acquainted with her very pre- 
 carious situation is a great comfort to me ; as 
 I was quite wretched at her leaving this world 
 without her mind being prepared for the awful 
 change. Not that I am not convinced of the 
 mercy of God to all His Creatures, and parti- 
 
l62 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 cularly to a Being who has led so exemplary 
 a life as the dear Queen ; but still the most in- 
 nocent soul must be anxious to devote some time 
 to Prayer before they Expire, and to take leave 
 of their Children ; as, of course, at such a moment 
 every word of advice has double weight on the 
 Soul of a Christian. . . . 
 
 "Dear Lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Your very affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 ^^ Loiiishourg^ December ii///, 1818. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt, — ...It is 
 a great comfort to me to hear that the Regent 
 is affectionate and kind to my Sisters, as his 
 friendship will be a great support to them. The 
 attentions he has shewn the dear Queen during 
 her whole painful illness do credit to his Heart ; 
 and I trust he will be both rewarded here and 
 hereafter for his dutiful affection to this excellent 
 
 Parent. 
 
 " Knowinir how much he dislikes writing, I have 
 desired Mary to express in my name every thing 
 I feel for him, as well as for all of us on this 
 melancholy occasion. . . . 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 ** Affectionate P>iend, 
 
 '' Charlotte." 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 16 
 
 '> 
 
 o 
 
 
 ^^ Loitisbourg, February Gtli^ 18 19. 
 
 *' My dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I at 
 
 least go once a week to Stutgard, to see my poor 
 Son"^ and his charming Children; which is a double 
 duty, as all who are attached to him assure me 
 that my visits do him good, as he loves to talk 
 of the poor late Queen, and finds nobody who 
 enters so much into his feelings; which is very 
 natural, as I was much attached to Catherine, 
 and regret too sincerely the loss of my beloved 
 Husband, not to feel for all those who lose a part- 
 ner they have found worthy of their love. 
 
 "My poor little Granddaughters are beautiful 
 Lifants, and Mary uncommonly forward for her 
 age. On Thursday the King said to her, ' Mary 
 will be happy this morning, for Grandmama comes 
 to see her;' on which she turned round and an- 
 swered, 'What, my own dear Mama, I know she 
 left me only for a little while.' As this affected 
 her P'ather, Miss Edwards repeated to her what 
 he had said ; on this the dear Infant smiled, and 
 throwincr her arms round the King's neck, re- 
 peated, ' I am very glad to see my dear Grand- 
 mama ; but surely my Mama is only gone away 
 for a little while, to return again ; however, I hope 
 that Papa loves Mary too well ever to leave her.' 
 I trust you will forgive my repeating this little 
 
 ^ Stepson. 
 
164 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Story ; but I think it proves the sense of a child 
 of two years and three months. . . . 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Most affectionate Friend, 
 
 '' Charlotte." 
 
 ^^ Loia'sbourg^ Feb. 22, 18 19. 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt,— . . . When I 
 think of the dreadful changes at Windsor, how 
 often it brings to my mind my beloved Father's 
 anxiety in his first illness to read King Lear ; 
 and his saying so kindly to Augusta, Eliza, and 
 myself, when we came into his Great Room at 
 Kew, on i8th January, 1789, 'I am better oft 
 than King Lear ; for I have neither a Regun nor 
 a Gonneril, but three Cordeliers.' Poor dear 
 Angel, how good of him to say this, which is 
 frequently a comfort to me when I am much out 
 of Spirits. . . . 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt's 
 
 " Most affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Charlotte." 
 
 *^ Loinsbourg, March 22, 1819. 
 
 "... There seems something very illiberal in 
 having increased the affliction the Royal family 
 labour under for their Mother, by making the 
 Queen's death an excuse to diminish the King's 
 
 
 \ 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 165 
 
 income ; as none but those who are blind to 
 reason can think it either just or proper that 
 their venerable Monarch should enjoy but half 
 the sum which fifty-seven years ago was settled 
 on the Queen as her Jointure. Or that the King's 
 Services to Great Britain should be paid with the 
 same sum which the Prince of Coburg enjoys for 
 having been married eighteen months to Princess 
 Charlotte. . . . 
 
 "On the 13th I was most terribly affected by 
 receiving several things General Taylor had been 
 so good as to purchase for me that had belonged 
 to my beloved Mother, and which are treasures 
 for me ; particularly a little Reading Desk I re- 
 member her having in 1769", and a Defile Box 
 of Tortoise-shell she always made use of in her 
 layings in. My mind being still much oppressed 
 with her loss, the looking over these things gave 
 me a melancholy pleasure. 
 
 "On 15th Mr. Taylor spent the day with me, 
 and brought me the dear Queen's magnificent 
 Garnets ; which I received with great gratitude, 
 only thinking them too fine for me that leads so 
 retired a life. Besides these, Augusta had the 
 goodness to give me a beautiful Locket, with my 
 Father's Cypher in Ivory ; which you will re- 
 member my Mother's having had made at Chelt- 
 enham. It was so kind a thought of my amiable 
 
 " The writer was then only three years old. 
 
i66 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Sister's, that I shall never forget it. I have also 
 purchased my Mother's Watch, and a Locket with 
 my Father's picture, which are precious remem- 
 brances to me. . . . 
 
 " Your Affectionate Friend, 
 
 ** Charlotte." 
 
 ^^ Lojiisbourg, April 20th ^ 1819. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt, — ...The 
 
 birth of Adolphus's Son delighted me ; and I 
 thank God that both the Infant and the Dutchess 
 of Cambridge are going on well. The Dutchess 
 of Clarence's sad, sad disappointment was deeply 
 felt by me, who am much attached to William ; 
 and who know too well what it is to lose one's 
 only Child not to pity those who have the same 
 misfortune. I trust this amiable little Dutchess 
 will soon recover her strength ; by all accounts 
 she is the very woman calculated to suit my dear 
 William's taste, and he loves her very much. His 
 letters to me are always full of her ; and it does 
 me good to see he is attached to her, and feels 
 himself happy. 
 
 " I hope that William will pay me a visit soon, 
 which will give me great pleasure. It gives me 
 also much satisfaction to hear that Mary has 
 begun to regain her looks and spirits since the 
 
 i 
 
 k 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 167 
 
 Duke's return, and that they appear frequently 
 in public together. The Duke is a great favourite 
 of mine, and I admire very much his steady, good, 
 Religious principles, as well as his most excellent 
 Heart. 
 
 " I beg you will do me the favour to accept of 
 a little Ring° Augusta will present to you in my 
 name ; it is but a trifle, but will at least prove 
 that I ever think of you, dear Lady Harcourt, 
 with sincere friendship. 
 
 '' I must now take my leave, remaining with 
 Friendship and regard, 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt's, 
 
 " Most affectionate Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte." 
 
 * ' Mon repoo^ October 2>^si, 1825. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . I think 
 Eliza very much improved in her looks since wc 
 met two years ago ; and instead of her being four 
 years younger than me, I believe she is at least 
 four-and-twenty. God grant she may long con- 
 tinue so ; as I never saw a greater blessing than 
 she is to the good Landgrave, his Family, and 
 Subjects. Eliza is quite adored by all ; and de- 
 serves it, from her noble and amiable Conduct to 
 
 ° Now at Nuneham. 
 
 
i68 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 every human being that approaches her. None 
 but those that have already been at Hombourg 
 can have an idea how much she has improved the 
 Castle and Town by Her generosity. . . . 
 
 " The enjoying the Society of William was both 
 a comfort and delight to me ; his conversation is 
 always so sensible and full of information, that 
 it does me good ; and I am charmed with the 
 Dutchess, who is a most amiable woman, and 
 whose only object is to contribute to my dear 
 Brother's happiness. Her Conduct towards the 
 Miss Fitz Clarence's does her the greatest credit ; 
 and I must say that both Augusta and Amelia 
 are not only very handsome Girls, but very pleas- 
 ing, sensible, and modest. I was also much 
 pleased with Colonel George Fitz Clarence ; and 
 felt quite unhappy at his not being a legitimate 
 Child. Adolphus I was also most happy to see, 
 I think him in better looks than he was two years 
 ago ; his children are quite loves, and his Dutchess 
 good and uncommonly kind to me. . . . 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt's, 
 
 ** Most affectionate Friend, 
 
 '' Charlotte." 
 
 ± 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 169 
 
 The Oueen DowaQ^er of Wurtembercr to 
 the Archbishop of York : — 
 
 ^'' Louishourg^ Fchruary 27///, 1826. 
 
 " My Lord, — The friendship I felt for the 
 Dowager Lady Harcourt for near forty years, 
 and which she honoured me by returning, w^ould 
 in some measure have entitled one to express to 
 her nearest and dearest Relations how sincerely 
 I enter into their feelings, and grieve for the loss 
 of a Lady I was sincerely attached to. But to 
 these sentiments are now added those of grati- 
 tude for the affectionate and amiable manner in 
 which she has so kindly mentioned my Sisters' 
 names and mine in the Codicil to her will ; and 
 it would be doing injustice to my feelings if I did 
 not express to your Lordship how highly I am 
 flattered by this last proof of her Regard. 
 
 " I certainly required nothing to recall to my 
 mind a Friend I esteemed so highly, and whose 
 kindness was engraven on my Heart ; but feel 
 deeply her thinking of me at such a moment, 
 and leaving me a Box I know she valued as a gift 
 of my ever to be lamented Sister Amelia. 
 
 " I cannot venture to offer your Lordship any 
 grounds for consolation on this melancholy event ; 
 as I know that you are better versed than most 
 Men in the Scriptures, and it is there alone that 
 
'; >l 
 
 we can meet with Comfort when we are bowed 
 down with afflictions. 
 
 " I beg my Compliments to Lady Anne, as well 
 as to M^^ Anne Vernon, and remain, with regard 
 and esteem, 
 
 "Your Lordship's Sincere Friend, 
 
 "Charlotte." 
 
 %dkxB from tlje |prim ess 3.Ujgust; 
 
 V 
 
 From Princess Augusta, aged 1 7 : — 
 
 " The Journey to Niineham, Sept.^ 1785. 
 
 " It being settled that We were to go to 
 Nuneham, We set out from Windsor the 12 of 
 this month at 7 in the morning. The King 
 and Mamma went first in their Chaise ; my two 
 Sisters (Pss. Royal and Elizabeth) Lady Eliza- 
 beth Waldegrave and myself in a Coach followed 
 them ; and my three youngest Brothers (Ernest, 
 Augustus, and Adolphus), with Col. Manners and 
 M*". Hayes, finished our Procession. We changed 
 Horses a little beyond Henley (by the by I must 
 not forget that I eat a Sandwidge a little before 
 eight, however, it was my Sisters' fault, for they 
 order'd that some might be put in the Carriage), 
 and at a little past ten We arriv'd at Nuneham. 
 
 p Bom 1768, died 1840. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 171 
 
 " We were met at the House door by Lord and 
 Dear Lady Harcourt, and General Harcourt, who 
 attended Papa and Mamma upstairs. We then 
 went to Breakfast ; a very good one indeed ! and 
 I think I was one of them who relish'd it the 
 most, tho' I had eat a Sandwidge before with 
 the greatest appetite. After Breakfast we walked 
 in the Garden, saw the Church and flower Garden ; 
 both total perfections in their different ways. At 
 our return we saw M''^ Harcourt, who had been 
 ill of a fever. 
 
 "Whilst we were waiting for dinner in the 
 Octagon Room (or my favorite), Lord Harcourt 
 mentioned to the King that he had a Private 
 Key of Christ Church Walk \ and that he could 
 
 1 The following is the account given of the Royal Visit to 
 Oxford on this occasion, by a local paper : — 
 
 •' Oxford, September 17. 
 
 ** On Monday last the King and Queen, with the Princes Ernest, 
 Augustus, and Adolphus, their Majesties fifth, sixth, and seventh 
 sons ; the Princess Royal, Princess Augusta, and Princess Eliza- 
 beth, (attended by the Right Honourable Lady Elizabeth Walde- 
 grave, Lady of the Bedchamber to the Princess Royal ; General 
 Harcourt, and Col. Manners, Aids-de-Camp to his Majesty, and 
 Mr. Hayes, Governor to the young Princes) paid a visit to Lord 
 and Lady Harcourt, at their seat at Nuneham, purposing to return 
 to Windsor the same evening ; but the weather being favourable, 
 his Majesty and his Royal Consort resolved to take this oppor- 
 tunity of privately visiting Oxford, and therefore slept that night 
 
 at Nuneham. 
 
 "On Tuesday morning, about a quarter past ten o'clock, then- 
 Majesties and the Royal offspring, with the Earl and Countess of 
 
see Oxford without the least trouble ; and that if 
 his Majesty would make Nuncham his Inn, it 
 
 Harcourt added to their suite, arrived at Oxford in five carriages, 
 and passing through the fields l)ehind Merton College, alighted at 
 Christ Church, and entering the Cathedral at Prayer time, took 
 their seats during divine service ; after which, having viewed the 
 windows, &c., they were conducted to the Hall, the Dean's apart- 
 ments, and the Library, and from thence to Corpus Christi Col- 
 lege. Here the Rev. Dr. Dennis, President of St. John's College, 
 as Vice-chancellor, preceded by the beadles with their staves in- 
 verted, did himself the honour of paying his respects to their Ma- 
 jesties, and attended them from thence to Merton College, and to 
 the Radclivian Library. 
 
 "Their Majesties from hence entered the public schools at the 
 Eastern Gates, and passing through the Divinity School were 
 ushered into the Theatre, where the Heads of Houses, Doctors 
 in the different Faculties, Slc, were assembled. In the area of 
 this magnificent room, chairs being placed for that purpose, their 
 Majesties and the Royal Family were seated for some time, and 
 the Vice-chancellor with the Heads of Houses, the Honourable 
 Mr. Matthew of Corpus Christi, and the Proctors, had the honour 
 of kissing their Majesties hands.— At their entrance, and during 
 this ceremony, Dr. Hayes, Professor of Music, entertained their 
 Majesties with several overtures on the organ, whilst the ladies, 
 and other company, with which the galleries were crouded, had 
 the happiness of being spectators. 
 
 •'The Bodleian Library was next visited, where the Librarian 
 had the honour of kissing hands. From thence their Majesties 
 were conducted to the Picture Gallery; and afterwards saw the 
 Pomfret and Arundelian marbles ; and in the Music School the 
 Professor had likewise the honour of kissing hands. 
 
 "Leaving the public edifices, their Majesties visited the Chapel 
 and Lil)rary at New College; and from New College passed 
 throu'di the Gardens of St. John's, where having seen the Library, 
 Chapel, and Hall, they were conducted to the Observatory. 
 
 "From this place his ALajesty and the Royal Family proceeded 
 to the Council Chamber, where John Treacher, esq., our present 
 Mayor, with the rest of the Aldermen, and Assistants, &c., at- 
 tended in their formalities to receive the Royal visitors ; and his 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 173 
 
 would make the owners of it very happy. Papa 
 said, 'Why, Lord Harcourt, its very tempting;' 
 
 Majesty having been graciously pleased to confer the honour of 
 knighthood upon the Mayor, himself with the rest of the Alder- 
 men, Assistants, Bailiffs, Town-Clerk and Solicitor, had the honour 
 of kissing hands. 
 
 "Their Majesties from hence visited All-Souls, Queen's, and 
 Magdalen Colleges, where having seen the Chapels, Libraries, 
 and whatever was most worthy of observation, they quitted Ox- 
 ford on their return to Lord Harcourt's a little past five o'clock, 
 where an elegant cold collation waited their arrival ; and they set 
 out for Windsor about seven the same evening. 
 
 "At New College, as well as in the Theatre, the Professor of 
 Music saluted their Majesties with a voluntary upon the organ, and 
 changing the stops in order to produce variety, continued playing 
 the whole time spent there in contemplating the painted glass, the 
 Choir, the Altar, and the Crosier. 
 
 " The affability and great condescension of their Majesties, during 
 this visit, afforded divers opportunities to the inhabitants of gratify- 
 ing their earnest wishes of seeing so many branches of the Royal 
 Family. Li return we have the happiness to find, that the decency 
 of the populace, and great attention of all other classes of the in- 
 habitants were highly pleasing ; whilst the dignity and grandeur 
 of such a display of superb structures had a singular effect. 
 
 "His ]\Lijesty and tlu young Princes were in a blue and gold 
 uniform ; the Queen in a plain lilac silk ; the Princess Royal and 
 Princess Elizabeth in pale blue ; and Princess Augusta in light 
 green. 
 
 "Bells were incessantly ringing from the arrival of the Royal 
 Family to their departure. At night the city was grandly illu- 
 minated, and a geneial joy appeared in every countenance. 
 
 "Their Majoties, on their departure from Nuneham, were 
 graciously pleased to order one hundred pounds to be left with 
 the Earl of Harcourt's house steward, to be divided among his 
 Lordship's servants. 
 
 "The band belonging to our militia reached Nuneham in time 
 to perform several pieces of martial music during dinner, and at 
 the departure of their Majesties struck up, 'God save tiik 
 K 1 N ti. " ' — Oxford Journal . 
 
174 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Mamma, my Brother, Sister, and myself (not by 
 far the least delighted of the family) kept our wish- 
 ful Eyes upon the King, who fixed his on Mamma ; 
 and upon Her saying, ' I will do as you please,' he 
 said, ' Well, with all my Heart let us stay.' 
 
 " During all this Conversation I think our Coun- 
 tenances were so curiously ridiculous, and I don't 
 doubt that our SoUiliquy's were as much so, that 
 anybody must have laughed if they had looked 
 on us without knowing why we looked * so strange, 
 so wondrous strange.' For my part, I know I 
 could not refrain from saying, 'And O ye Minis- 
 ters of Heaven protect me ! for I shall be in de- 
 spair if we do not stay.' However, I was so Com- 
 pleatly happy when I found we did not go back 
 till the next day, that My Spirits rose mountains 
 high in half a second. 
 
 "'Thanky, my D"" Lady Harcourt, God bless 
 Lord Harcourt, heaven preserve you both ; You 
 are the very best people in the Kingdom after 
 Papa and Mamma:' these were the sayings for 
 the rest of the day. * Dear Augustus,' (said Er- 
 nest), 'think how amazing Good of Lord Har- 
 court ; he has promised me that I shall sleep 
 alone. I have seen my Room, it has a Yellow 
 Damask Bed. I have got a toilette too, with 
 fine Japan boxes on it. Beautiful lady Jersey 
 has that Room when she is here. I suppose it 
 is a great favor to let me have it ; I fancy 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 175 
 
 strangers in general are not allowed to sleep 
 
 m it. . . . 
 
 " ' Say what you please,' (says Augustus,) ' Lord 
 Harcourt has given me a much better Room. 
 I have got a fine view out of the window ; and 
 what signifies a damask Bed when one has not 
 a fine view. Besides, I am next Room to Co Co ; 
 and I shall knock against the Wall and keep her 
 awake all night.' (Adolphus), *I suppose you 
 none of you have seen my Room, I have got 
 a Tent Bed in it ; I should have you dare speak 
 against a Tent Bed. It puts me in mind already 
 that when I am an Officer, and that I am in- 
 camp'd against an Enemy, I shall have One then.' 
 'Well,' crys Princess Royal, 'Mine is a Charming 
 Room ; The Dear Duchess of Ancaster sleeps in it 
 when she is here ; I shall tell her of it when I see 
 her. I am to take Care of Augusta to-night. She 
 sleeps in my dressing Room.' 
 
 " * Your dressing Room, Madam ! Your non- 
 sense,' said L ' I think it the best Room ; for I 
 can see into Dear Lady Harcourt's passage, and 
 maybe I may see her in it to-morrow morning. 
 Lord, how happy I am to get a little look of her 
 whenever I can.' 
 
 " So we went on all day long ; and I am sure 
 we never shall hear the last of it, it was the most 
 perfect thing that ever was known." 
 
176 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Prince Ferdinand of Wurtemberg to Lady 
 Harcoiirt : — 
 
 ^''Jan. 29///, 1 79 1. 
 
 '•Madame, — Vos bontes pour moi, m'inspircnt 
 autant de reconnoissancc que de confiance. Je 
 viens, Madame, vous porter la preuve de cette 
 veritc, en Vous Suppliant de me permcttre de 
 Vous demander la faveur de remcttre les incluses 
 ^ Leurs Majestes. Ces lettres, Madame, ne Seau- 
 roient parvenir au Roi et a la Reine, Sous des 
 auspices plus hcureuses que les Votres, et j'ose 
 me persuader, qu'en rendant justice aux motifs 
 qui m ont engages a Vous les adresser, Vous me 
 pardonnert's une preference fondee Sur les sen- 
 timens de respect, de veneration, et de confiance, 
 avec les quels j'ai I'honeur d'etre, 
 
 " Madame, 
 " Votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur, 
 
 *'Le Pr. Ferdinand Due de Wurtemberg. 
 
 '^Londres, h 19 de Jcvivkr, 1791." 
 
 Note by Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " The Letters I was desired to give to the King 
 & Queen contained a proposal of Marriage for the 
 
 Princess Augusta." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 177 
 
 Princess Augusta to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ''Nov. 3, 1795- 
 *'. . . Indeed, my Dearest Lady Harcourt, I will 
 not deny to you that Our going to the Play on 
 Friday, tho' a very Wise and Prudent Measure, 
 was a very very hard task to go thro' ; and My 
 poor Agitated Mind was more fit for a Fire side 
 than for Pomp and Noise. . . . 
 
 **I must tell you how very Angelically my 
 Dearest Brother behaved. He heard that a very 
 bad looking Mob was assembled in the little 
 Streets near the Mews and S^ Martin's Lane ; and 
 finding that the King intended going to the Play 
 by the Strand and Southampton Street, He went 
 thro' the Mews and all the horrid places, in order 
 to split the Mob (as he called it), if he could not 
 entirely disperse them. 
 
 *• We heard the next morning that He had been 
 very much insulted, and was even stopped in 
 Covent Garden when he returned home. But the 
 Patrole was very alert, and soon prevented the 
 mob from increasing. They threw all sorts of 
 things doubly, as Frederick was with him, and 
 called him the Butcher. I have not seen either 
 of them since the Play, & they would not leave 
 the Theatre till we were all gone ; and on Satur- 
 day they attended the King, when He received 
 the Houses of Parliament, and were at the Privy 
 
 A a 
 
178 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Council. On Thursday we expect a very full 
 Drawing Room. . . , 
 
 " I trust I shall never have occasion to write 
 you again upon so horrid a Subject ; and that 
 the next time it will be about something more 
 pleasant. God bless you, my Dearest Lady Har- 
 court, & believe me ever, 
 
 " Your most truly Affectionate, 
 
 "Augusta." 
 
 Princess Augusta to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 "... I WAS much entertained with your lively de- 
 scription of Sir William Lee in His Snuff coloured 
 Coat. I think He would be startled at all the 
 Royalty in His Dismal'^ Home. I feel the greatest 
 pity for the King^ and Queen, but I am glad 
 they have escaped being Murdered. I understand 
 the Queen is very infirm, in low spirits, and easily 
 alarmed. When He landed, the Common People 
 touched Her, and then Huzah'd ; but She Shrunk 
 back, till Captain Dundas told Her it was a testi- 
 mony of their joy. Then she came forward and 
 gave them Her Hand, shedding Tears when She 
 was told they were glad She was safe in Good Old 
 England. The Populace were quite affected to see 
 
 Her cry, 
 
 "The Prince de Conde gave a great Breakfast 
 
 ' Hartwell. ' The King of France. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 179 
 
 about three weeks ago to my Brothers at Wan- 
 stead, where they met the French King ; they say 
 He has a v^xy fine manner, and is very Gracious, 
 He is a well informed man, speaks English very 
 well, and understands it perfectly. He is very 
 large, as large as Stephen Kemble. He converses 
 in a Most agreeable manner ; and generally walks 
 up and down the Room in the hope of its keeping 
 down His fat. His countenance is very good ; 
 and He makes a very fine Bow without any Af- 
 fectation. My Brothers were delighted with Him ; 
 and He expressed Himself as highly pleased with 
 
 them. . . . 
 
 "And now. Dearest Lady Harcourt, with a 
 thousand kind remembrances to Lord Harcourt, 
 I will take my leave, assuring you how truly I am 
 
 " Your very affectionate friend, 
 
 "A. S." 
 
 From Princess Augusta :■ 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— . . .When 
 
 you have heard a great deal about any person, 
 don't you Generally form some idea of them .^ 
 For I have of M'\ Hammilton. I take him to be 
 a very Worthy, entertaining Man, Sterling Worth 
 in these qualities ; but rather a Coquette: or else 
 why should he object to my having seen two of 
 His letters. Perhaps it is because 1 am the 
 
i8o 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 i i 
 
 Daughter of a Great King ; & that he thinks 
 I am used to garish Scenes, and the Language of 
 Courtiers. He will be too sensible to fancy such 
 things when you tell him that ;/// Pride is being 
 the Chihi of WortJiy Parents ; & at home (at 
 least) am used to truth, of which the tzuo letters, 
 or rather pages, I saw were the essence. This is 
 no Compliment, but the fact. . . . 
 
 **Two more Ships of the Fleet in Bantry Bay 
 are sunk ; lo years ago I should have shuddered 
 at the news of it : 'tis now the cause of Humanity 
 to rejoice at it. I must now take my leave of 
 you, my dearest lady Harcourt, and hope very 
 soon to have the happiness of seeing you. 
 
 ''Y' most truly aff^e^ 
 
 ^'fan. 6th, 1797." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : 
 
 " Keiv House ^ fitne list, 1 8 o i . 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . You 
 will judge of the Dclightfull evening / spent yes- 
 terday, when I tell you I was at Strawberry Hill ; 
 & I gave myself particular pleasure in doing the 
 Plonors of Lord Falkland's Enchanting Picture to 
 my Sisters and Adolphus. . . . 
 
 " I saw many things that I confess I wish were 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 181 
 
 at Nunehani. I really think Lord Orford ought 
 to have left Lord Harcourt the Picture of Cozuley. 
 . . . I gave a very attentive look to the Admirable 
 Sevigne ; but I don't think she looked clever. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 "My Lord, — ... I told His Majesty all you 
 had to say. I shewed Him M^. Kemble's Letter, 
 which pleased Him very much ; and He Com- 
 mands me to say that He wishes to see the 
 Pannelly as it is well peifornied by M^^. Jordan 
 and Bannister bearing the principal Characters 
 in it. I shewed Him Miss Pope's note, which, by 
 the by, I read the greatest part of, and which 
 I return you, being of sterling worth. I now con- 
 clude by adding that I am ever as truly happy 
 as sincere in any opportunity which I can take of 
 assuring you that I am 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 "Yr friend, 
 
 "Augusta. 
 
 ''May ist, 1802." 
 
 Princess Augusta to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 **My Lord,— ... I feel happy that Miss Sidley 
 and M^ & M^"^. Haggitt are with you ; they will 
 administer Comfort, and not Officious Friendship, 
 
l82 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 which is at all times most anoying, but quite Mar- 
 tyrdom when in distress. I am still in hopes of 
 a few lines from you to-day, if the Rain has not 
 turned the Post Bag, or rather its contents into 
 Pap ; for such a perpendicular, steady, quiet Rain 
 puts me in mind of what I should think a Quakers 
 Grief must appear to persons of a more lively 
 Description. I am very happy in being able to 
 give you a much better account of the Queen, 
 though I cannot say she is free from some Com- 
 plaint ; but really what it is I have not the dis- 
 cernment to find out. . . . 
 
 ** Every body is in expectation of news from 
 Paris; and I confess I wish some thing was de- 
 cided. William had a Letter yesterday from Ed- 
 ward, of the nth of October, mentioning that on 
 the 9th, Sir Richard Bickerton had sent to the 
 Fleet at Gibraltar to join Him immediately, as 
 there was a very considerable Fleet getting ready 
 at Toulon; 5 Ships of the Line quitted Gibraltar 
 on the loth, so we may expect news from that 
 quarter ; & in the Levant it is expected that the 
 Toulon Fleet \s destined to attack Algiers: this is 
 all the news I have heard ; but so far it is true. 
 I should think it had an Eye to Malta ; but / have 
 two Eyes that way. . . . 
 
 " Windsor^ Nov. 5, 1802. 
 
 j» 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 183 
 
 From Princess Auorusta : — 
 
 ''Nov. 7, 1802. 
 
 *' My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — ... I can- 
 not sufficiently say how rejoiced I am at the great 
 change in your state of Health, and really hope 
 that you will take care of yourself now ; & recol- 
 lect that though 'the Vernons and Ostriches' are 
 both veiy strong in their different ways, they may 
 build too much upon their strength, and at last 
 it must give way. I don't think you are strong 
 enough yet to bear a scold ; but I have a very 
 severe one in store for you. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Auofusta : — 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— . . . W^, 
 
 Harcourt, who I saw on Wednesday, was one 
 among a thousand who came to tell me how well 
 she heard the King had spoken on Tuesday ; of 
 course from Her you would hear that everything 
 went off well. . . . 
 
 '* I attended the Royal Family to the Play. 
 Nothing could exceed the Loyalty and Joy ex- 
 pressed upon His Majesty's entering the Theatre ; 
 and the whole of the Evening it continued the 
 same when there was the smallest opportunity of 
 testifying the love of His people. . . . 
 
 ** I hear Lord Grenville's speech was fine and 
 

 Eloquent ; but injudiciously Personal. And Lord 
 Hobart's reply, very neat, very determined, but 
 perfectly cool, & what a Minister ought to say: 
 that Every Body is astonished at Lord Carlisle, 
 who went down with the language and appearance 
 of an Oppositionist, & changed all of a sudden, no 
 07ie knows why, to a Supporter. I can add no 
 more to-day, but that the Royal family are in 
 Perfect Health. My Mother was a little anxious 
 on Tuesday; but is now quite well, & very happy. 
 " Remember me most aff^y to Lord Harcourt, 
 
 & believe me ever, 
 
 *' y very Sincere friend, 
 
 "Augusta. 
 
 ''Nov. 26M, 1802." 
 
 From Princess Augusta to Lady Har- 
 court : — ■ 
 
 "... I AM happy to tell you that, notwithstand- 
 ing the extraordinary and disagreable tenor of the 
 times, the blessed King \-. perfectly ivell ; and bears 
 all His trials with that calmness, meekness & Re- 
 signation that proceed from trust in God, and the 
 Purity and Innocence of His most unparalleled 
 mind. Yesterday morning we received a Mes- 
 senger with a most shocking account from Dublin, 
 of which I will tell you the facts. Some very ill- 
 looking people had been observed in the streets, 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 185 
 
 Great attention was paid to keep the Troops in 
 their Barracks, that they might be in readiness in 
 case of any disturbance. All was perfectly quiet 
 during the Day ; but at ten at Night, as the Lord 
 CJiief fusticc. Lord Kihvarden, with His Nephew 
 and Daughter were returning from the Country, 
 the Coach was stopped in Thomas Street, Lord 
 Kihvarden & M^. Wolfe were dra^G^ed out and 
 stabbed with Pikes ; the poor unfortunate Daugh- 
 ter, God knows how, made Her escape to the 
 Castle. Yesterday evening, very late, we had 
 another Messenger, mentioning that there were 
 double Guards at the Castle, that two men of the 
 1 6th L^ Dragoons were Killed in the Streets, and 
 that L^ Col. Brown, of the 21st Infantry, was also 
 Killed going to His Barracks. 
 
 "The Yeomanry, though hw\. fust Enrolled, has 
 behaved so well, that Gen' Fox has recommended 
 they should be kept under arms. To-day we have 
 had still later accounts, saying that all is quiet ; 
 and a proclamation has been issued, offering a 
 thousand pounds for the Person who Connnitted 
 the Murder. I hope to God it is all over now ; 
 but indeed the times are so very annoying, and 
 every thing is so horrid, that I make it a rule not 
 to be idle one minute, to occupy my mind with all 
 the variety of good I am able. . . . 
 
 " Mama is wonderfully well considering all 
 things, and so are wc all ; but though our situa- 
 
 Bb 
 
 / 
 
1 86 
 
 I 
 
 Memoir of George Slmon, 
 
 Hon is considered elevated, yet we feel like human 
 creatures, and suffer and e7ijoy like human crea- 
 tures, and sometimes must appear with a gay face 
 when under a very heavy hearty & that is a hard 
 case, . . . 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 
 "Your most truly aff^^, 
 
 ''Augusta. 
 
 ''/uly 2%th, 1803." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ^^ Frogmore, August 2nd, 1803. 
 
 ''My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— We have 
 had accounts from Ireland to-day ; every thing 
 was perfectly quiet in Dublin. Several people 
 were taken up ; but no names specified, except 
 one in a letter to Lady Ely : that man's name is 
 Holmes, and He is Brother in Law to the famous 
 bad E^nmett. It is very clear, by the last ac- 
 counts, that the French are at the bottom of this 
 sad business : so far I am glad it is discovered ; as 
 I hope it will not only open, but keep open the Eyes 
 of those who did not imagine things were so bad. 
 In Scotland, very strong measures are taken to 
 stop every person who comes over to any Sea 
 port; for in the last Rebellion, many reached 
 there from the North of Ireland. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Auorusta : — 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I have 
 
 seen two very interesting, though very distressing, 
 private letters from poor Ireland, which make me 
 very unJiappy. It is cruel when the Public suffers 
 in consequence of private piques and Jealousies. 
 Lord Hardwicke and Gen^ Fox are at Daggers 
 drawn ; the latter is to return home immediately. 
 He says that He informed Lord Hardwicke, as 
 it was His duty to do, five days before the first 
 Rebellion broke out, that the appearances were 
 very unpleasant ; that vigilant measures should 
 be taken, and the whole plan laid down without 
 delay, to strike a decisive bloiv when the Rebels 
 made the smallest stir, 
 
 " Lord Hardwicke treated it with the utmost 
 contempt ; assured the General that He was much 
 pleased with His zeal, but that there was nothing 
 to fear of any sort or kind. In short, it is lament- 
 able and blameable in the extreme that such a man 
 as a M^. Marsden, an insolent, self sufficient ^ con- 
 ceited Puppy, should have such power on the 
 U Lieut., as to blind Him to that degree, that 
 He neither sees nor hears but what M*". Marsden 
 thinks proper He should, 
 
 '• Every body is crowding to Dublin ; and I am 
 sorry and ashamed to say, that though there are 
 repeated Alarms every Night, and sometimes even 
 
 il 
 
i88 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 in the Day, there are Balls, Asscmblys, and parties 
 without end. How very thoughtless and Hght ; it 
 really makes vie sick, and perfectly furious. I am 
 also mad, because I cannot think who they can 
 send as Commander in Chief; for when all this 
 story is known (which I believe it is pretty well by 
 this time) I should suppose, unless the person who 
 may be sent shall have full power given him to 
 act on his own responsibility, it will be difficult 
 to find any one to accept of the command under 
 the present unfortunate circumstances. Lord Cour- 
 town was at a meeting at Enniscorthy, when every 
 thing appeared to go off perfectly well ; but M^\ 
 HoarCy who is the Col. of the Yeomanry, and 
 Agent to Lord Courtown's Estates, assures Hint 
 that the Roman Catholicks would undoubtedly 
 rise, or rather join the Enemy were they to land, 
 or even attempt to make a descent in Ireland. 
 This is not consoling to a man of Lord Cour- 
 town's feeling, who has done all in His power to 
 make His Tenants happy & comfortable. . . . 
 * * August 2^th, 1803." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ^^July ^rd^ 1804. 
 "...I THINK I may now say that in many 
 things there is great amendment in the King's State, 
 and in as many more not the smallest. There is 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 189 
 
 a vast idea of Dress, so very unlike what is na> 
 tural, that certainly 1 cannot in truth say all is 
 well yet ; but we must not expect to run before 
 we can walk. The quiet of this place has been 
 of infinite Service ; and since the very great heat, 
 the rides and drives are put off till the Evening. 
 All this is good ; but my fear is how it will be 
 when all controul is at an End. I think then we 
 shall have much to fear, unless very strict pro- 
 visions are made ; which, take my word, zvill not 
 be attended to when the Controul is over. I think 
 my Father has a bad opinion of Himself dit times ; 
 that is to say, when He gives Himself time to 
 reflect: at others He is thoughtless, and talks of 
 His youth & Vigour, and that He shall no doubt 
 live to ninety years old. He certainly has di fright- 
 full appetite ; and that is not a good sign. The 
 ideas of building continue as extravagant as ever, 
 altering every House, unroofing without end^ to 
 add stories; in short, had He his own way at 
 present, this, nor all the Countries in the World 
 could stand the expense ; and the most distress- 
 ing circumstance is, His/^^z/rj'/;/^'- that people have 
 told Him things which they never thought of: 
 and these ideas take such deep root, that there is 
 no such thing as getting the better of them. 
 
 "From all this. My Dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 you may suppose that oJir life is very anxious ; 
 but we must submit to it : and the Confidence of 
 
 i 
 
190 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 its being decreed by a higher power enables us to 
 bear tip with it. My Mother is really tolerably 
 well considering all things, and so are we all. . . . 
 
 " Have you read a book lately come out called 
 'Buonaparte & the French People! I have read about 
 40 Pages in it ; it gives a very accurate account 
 oi the ' Mo7ister' from His Chidhood. I must tell 
 you what happened to me. I was reading to my- 
 self^ and my Maid was in the room ; and being 
 very eager, I called out a propos of one of His 
 very malicious acts as a boy, ' O ! yoii Devil! To 
 which She said, ^ I knozu what you are reading, for 
 I read some of it this morni7ig, and a more horrid 
 Creature never existed! I was then shocked at 
 having called Him D — 1, it was an injustice to 
 Beelzebub, who was a fallen Angel ; for I believe 
 Buonaparte to be an Indigenous Devil. Ask Lord 
 Harcourt what He thinks. . . . 
 
 ** Believe me, My Dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 
 ** Your very truly aff^^, 
 
 "Augusta " 
 
 From Princess Auo^usta : — 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — ... I am 
 commanded by the King to inform you that when 
 we go to Nuneham, He begs He may have a very 
 small single Bed in the Dressing room where He 
 used to dress when He was last there, that the 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 191 
 
 Queen may keep the State Rooms, with the ad- 
 dition of a small Bed in the room with Her for 
 Madame Bukedorf. I am really serious about the 
 King's bed being small, particularly as I should 
 fear that a large one would give Him Cold. . . . 
 
 "What a sad and melancholy reverse in poor 
 Lord Melville's situation ; from having been the 
 leading man in the House of Commons to appear 
 as a culprit there. Indeed, I felt sadly for Him ; 
 but I never saw such injustice in my Life. The 
 Dear King said, 'Good God, it is not like the Eng- 
 lish Character to Murder a man that is down ;' 
 but I fear the mischief will not end here. He is 
 the present stepping stone ; but the whole of the 
 Government must receive a check. I only trust 
 it will not be too severe a one. 
 
 *'God bless you, my Dearest Lady Harcourt. 
 I am very happy Lord Harcourt has received 
 some benefit from the Bath Waters. 
 "■ Believe me ever, 
 
 ** Your most truly afif^% 
 
 "Augusta. 
 
 ''fioie i-jf/i, 1805." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — Everybody 
 
 is delighted with the very Comfortable manner in 
 which you have settled everything for us. The 
 
192 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 King will certainly inhabit your room ; but He 
 still begs He may have His small bed : and I will 
 let you know about His sheets. 
 
 "With respect to Mary and myself, we are very 
 much obliged to you ; and as there is a dressino; 
 room to the Bed Chamber, we would prefer there 
 being a bed in the dressing room for one of us. 
 But this is only for your private ear, for where it 
 would be inconvenient to have us separate, we are 
 perfectly contented to be together; and as for 
 our Maids we are not used to have them near us, 
 therefore they will be quite as well in the Atticks. 
 
 "The King is still in hopes that we shall set oft' 
 on Thursday sennight, the Parliament being up 
 on the Tuesday ; but I understand the Clerks of 
 the House of Lords do not think it possible. We 
 are to be three Weeks on our Tour, which is a 
 good thing ; and the King is determined to be 
 very carefull not to hurt Himself, particularly on 
 account of His Eyes, which have been very bad 
 of late. He has seen Phipps, who has ordered 
 Him Spectacles of black crape, and a large Shade, 
 which He finds soothing to His Eyes. 
 
 " We passed a very pleasant Day yesterday at 
 Cashibury, notwithstanding that it rained the 
 whole time we were there ; but, on the King's 
 account, I am glad it rained, for He could not 
 have seen anything had we gone out ; but He 
 was perfectly contented, and His Sweet, Amiable 
 
 1/ 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 193 
 
 heart said that He should have enjoyment enough 
 if He knew we were amused. Indeed, I have been 
 wretched about Him ; but I must hope His Eyes 
 really are some little better. He was certainly 
 in very good Spirits about Himself yesterday. 
 Our party at Cashibury was very pleasant. The 
 Dowager Lady Essex, M^. & M^^, Damer, M^ & 
 W^. Stanhope, and Lord S^ Helen's. We took 
 Lady Bath, Lady Radnor, and Lady Crawley with 
 us. There was much to see in the House, which 
 is a very Excellent one indeed. 
 
 "Wyatt has shewn His power, His skill, and 
 His Judgement, by making a very old, awkward, 
 inconvenient House into a very handsome and 
 Comfortable Habitation. Some of the Rooms 
 are Magnificent ; but the whole is not kept up 
 in style. All is Elegant and Good ; but there is 
 a mixture of taste, and it is rather Gaudy, There 
 are some very fine Pictures, and some Capital 
 Old China. It was indeed a very pleasant party. 
 We staid six hours together, and nothing flagged ; 
 the whole of the time being spent in seeing the 
 House, and in a variety of pleasant and General 
 Conversation. . . . 
 
 ^''Windsor Casth\ June 29, 1S05." 
 
 C C 
 
194 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ''Sept. Tt/i, T807. 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . The 
 King asked many questions about you all sepa- 
 rately ; and was quite happy at the good account 
 we gave Him. He has not forgot any thing in 
 the House nor the flower Garden ; and I told 
 Him what a loss you had met with in the three 
 fine Eim Trees. He ended a long Scries of inter- 
 esting questions and kind remarks upon Nuneham 
 by saying, ' // is the most enjoyable place I knozv! 
 He is delighted with the good news ; and not 
 a little pleased that our invaluable friend, General 
 Spencer^ took possession of the Dock Yard and 
 Citadel of Copenhagen. Nothing could have 
 given me so much real pleasure. I was also 
 quite glad for Sir Home Popham and Sir David 
 Baird (neither of which I know), that they served 
 on this occasion ; for they have in truth many 
 Enemies. . . . 
 
 " Your very truly affectionate, 
 
 << A C " 
 
 Ax.' kJ. ... 
 
 From Princess Au<justa : — 
 
 ''Oct. ^th, 1807. 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— I am Com- 
 manded by the Queen to tell you '^but it is under 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 195 
 
 the Rose) that on Thursday next you are likely to 
 receive a Visit from two of Her Sons, Viz., the 
 Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex. These 
 Princes being both known to you, you will be glad 
 to see them ; but as a hurry and a Jlurry are bad 
 things to experience, the Queen thinks it is himl, 
 friendly, good natured, Considerate, and Neigh- 
 bourly, (for as we have flown to Nuneham for 
 a few hours, just as if it was in the next Street, we 
 must call you Neighbours,) to make known to you 
 and Lord Harcourt that you may expect them on 
 that day. But as Court Seerets are only Seerets 
 at Court known to all the World and His Wife, 
 you are not to tell that I had orders to give you 
 this hi Jit. 
 
 *'If the Royal Brothers keep exactly to what 
 they have informed their Sisters is their present 
 intention, their Stay at Nuneham will be till Sa- 
 turday ; but as I can only answer for the perfec- 
 tion of their Hearts, and by no means can even 
 for one half second answer for their Motions or 
 determinations of any sort and kind ; they may 
 pass by Nuneham as quickly as the Comet that 
 every one has talked of since last Wednesday 
 evening ; or they may sleep there one Night, and 
 may be two : which (should the last be the case) 
 will then be an Exactness so Wonderfull & so 
 strange, that I shall begin to hope I may live 
 on to a good old age, and not die till I have 
 
196 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 i|n 
 
 11 
 
 ii 
 
 heard that the Prince of Wales has occasionally 
 kept His intentions, & fulfilled His Plans accord- 
 ing to \l\s first arrangement. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— I cannot 
 hear of your Nephew ^ Mr. Vernon, having dis- 
 tinguishcd himself in a very uncommon manner 
 in a Committee of the House of Commons, with- 
 out writing to acquaint you with it immediately. 
 I know the affection you feel for all your family, 
 nor am I ignorant that ' my Brother Ediuard'"' is 
 quite your favorite. The King was told that 
 Vl\ Vernon's speech would have ahuays been very 
 good; but that in a young Man it was quite as- 
 tonishing. I have made Acquaintance with my 
 Aunt ; and nothing can exceed her Good humour, 
 
 unless it be Her imp rude nee 
 
 "She is a very handsome old Woman, not a 
 bit older than I think any Person of Seventy 
 might be ; but uneonunonly old if you compare 
 Her to my Father, and consider that there is but 
 one year between them. She is the image of my 
 Uncle, who died ten years ago; and so very like, 
 
 » Eldest son of the Arclibisliop of York. 
 " The Archbishop of York. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 197 
 
 that it almost threw my Cousin into fits when 
 they fij'st met. 
 
 " I have seen my Sister in Law twice with Her ; 
 and it would be most unjust if I did not tell you 
 that it was impossible for any body to behave 
 better, and more prudently than She did. I really 
 believe the Miseries and frights of last year have 
 been of Spiritual Service to Her. Her attentions 
 to Her Mother are quite Exemplary ; but I think 
 they are mutual incumbrances to each other living 
 in the same House. In a short time they will 
 part ; for they both think it more Prudent. My 
 Aunt wants to settle in London, for She must 
 have quiet ; but She must have Company, and 
 She cannot keep late hours. 
 
 From Princess Augusta to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 "... I CAN assure you my two Brothers were 
 very much delighted with the kind reception you 
 gave them ; and they were Enchanted with Nune- 
 ham, and talked particularly of the Elm grove 
 near the House. . . . They thought Lord Harcourt 
 in remarkable good looks and Spirits. 
 
 "We went last Wednesday to IMackheath, to 
 see my Aunt, who is comfortably settled in an 
 admirable House, bought (and paid for) of a 
 
 J. 
 
1 98 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 M"". Simmons ; ready furnished, with beautiful! 
 Linnens, and a large Collection of Pictures, Coach 
 House and Stabling, for 9C00 pounds. There are 
 so many Pictures, that, of course, there must be 
 some trash ; but several are very good : and there 
 are some pretty pieces of Sculpture. In short, it 
 is a handsome House ; & if She was to live in 
 the Country, She could not have found one more 
 perfectly suitable to Her Rank, Her Age, and 
 Her infirmities. She means just to add a Bed- 
 chamber for Herself, and a room for Her maid 
 on the Ground-floor; which I am afraid will be 
 very necessary, as She has been threatened for 
 many years with the Dropsy ; and She is unwell 
 now, being grown thin in the face, and very large 
 in the Body. 
 
 " She was excessively happy to see us, and at 
 times is in high Spirits ; but a little matter makes 
 Her cry now. She is on a most Comfortable 
 footing with the Princess of Wales, who is all 
 attention to Her ; really true attention, quite from 
 Her Heart. The Duchess found Her bedroom so 
 conveniently furnished at the Princesse's House 
 when she was staying there, and all the little 
 tables and reading Desk & writing box so very 
 Comfortable, that when She went into Her new 
 Habitation, the Princess sent all the furniture to 
 Her Mother's Apartment ; and She found it all 
 ready, without the smallest hint having been given 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 199 
 
 Pier of it. You may imagine how delighted the 
 Duchess was ; & so was I beyond measure. 
 
 " I beg you will tell this to Lord Harcourt ; for 
 I think it a beautifuU Story, & a true one too, as 
 the Children say. Among the Portraits in the 
 Dinin^r room, there is one of the Chancellor 
 Harcourt, the same as the one General Harcourt 
 
 has. . . . 
 
 "Your very truly Affectionate and Gratefull, 
 
 "A. S. 
 
 ''October 27///, 1807." 
 
 "... I ASSURE you I am under the greatest 
 anxiety for poor dear Amelia, who has had a long 
 and dreadfull illness. She is a Sweet, amiable, 
 Pious, good little Soul, Patient beyond all descrip- 
 tion ; and has the greatest Resolution and Forti- 
 tude. She is a perfect Example ; I really am 
 benefitted by Her goodness. I never saw so good 
 a disposition, so thoughtfuU and considerate to 
 those about Her, so afraid to fatigue them by 
 their sitting up with Her. I never saw any body 
 more carefull to disguise Her sufferings for fear 
 of vexing others ; and truly it is most vexing to 
 see Her so long in such a sad state of Health. . . . 
 
 " Believe me ever, 
 "Your most truly affectionate friend, 
 
 " Augusta." 
 
From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ^^Mairh "jf/i, 1809. 
 
 ''My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— . . .When 
 
 I reflect upon the Acts of Justice and of Gene- 
 rosity of my Brother Frederick, since he has been 
 at the head of the Army ; that formerly merit 
 never siieeeeded in that profession when JMoney 
 could prevail ; and that many a respectable Officer 
 has died a Subaltern of many years standing, and 
 ser\ang under Colonels of four or Jive months Com- 
 missions only, {bought at very high prices) ; and 
 that since my Brother's Regulations, every man 
 has His equal chance of getting forward if He 
 merits it ; I own I think it a cruel and ungrate- 
 ful! act of malicious men to try to ruin Him who 
 has so thoroughly done His Duty. . . . 
 
 " I have seen many Military men ; and live 
 chiefly in intimacy with men of that Profession. 
 All agree that the Army owes eveiy thing to the 
 Duke of York. ... I really believe He is adored in 
 the Army; and it certainly is His due. It goes 
 to my soul to see Him so cruelly treated^ whose 
 Heart is the kindest and best in the World. I am 
 also miserable to think that the Methodists are 
 doing all the harm to Him they can ; & there 
 are many in this Country : they are Vile canters, 
 cheating the d — 
 
 -1, praying with their mouths, 
 
 but denying in their hearts ; & they think it will 
 command Popularity to condemn and abuse the 
 Duke of York for what, I daresay, they do them- 
 selves. However, as His public Conduct has been 
 proved so very clear and Honourable, I trust 
 those who are not malignant nor spitefull will yet 
 support Him. . . . This distressing and unprovoked 
 ill treatment of Frederick is almost worse than 
 any other worry I have ever had to contend 
 with. . . . 
 
 "Adieu, my Dearest Lady Harcourt ; believe 
 
 me 
 
 " Your very truly affectionate & Gratefull, 
 
 From Princess Augusta to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 *'Oct. zrd, 1809. 
 
 "... We have such an Example of good hu- 
 mour and of Patience in the beloved King, who 
 bears up against His Infirmity^ with such Resig- 
 nation, that we can never be sufficiently thankfull 
 for His present chearfulness under such a heavy 
 Affliction. It can only proceed from the Piety 
 and Goodness of His most perfect mind. To think 
 that yesterday He went up to London, and did 
 
 * Blindness. 
 
 Dd 
 
202 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 not return till twenty minutes before nine, and 
 at 71 years of age was the life and joy of our 
 Common party, quite alive and gay from pure 
 goodness of Heart ; it was a delight to see Him 
 and hear Him. . . . 
 
 " Your old and faithfiill friend, 
 
 •' Augusta." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ** Sunday^ March 28M, 18 13. 
 
 ** My dearest lady Harcourt,— ... I think 
 the poor Duchess of Brunswick's Death a great 
 mercy to Herself; and I hope the very respectfull 
 and proper attentions which my Brother has paid 
 to Her memory, will be fully known and appre- 
 ciated even by the vialign Spirit, which, God 
 knows, has prevailed too long. He has attended 
 to every wish of the Dear King, that all of His 
 Family should be buried here ; and all possible 
 respect will be shown, as far as can he, to the Z?^*' 
 oivn desire that Her Funeral should be Private. 
 
 " I am very happy that my Brother sent Char- 
 lotte to see Her Mother ; as, also, that both the 
 D^s of Leeds & Miss Knight make so good a re- 
 port of Her Conduct whilst there. She took an 
 opportunity of expressing how kind Her Father 
 was to Her ; and did it with Prudence and deli- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 203 
 
 cacy, not dwelling too long on the Subject. I hope 
 in God that the horrible Subjects which have In- 
 fluenced the minds of People may at least be kept 
 quiet for a time. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 *^ April 2ftd, 1813. 
 
 " My dearest lady Harcourt, — Though 
 
 I have very little news to write, yet, as for once, 
 I have a very curious and interesting anecdote, 
 which I can relate correctly from the details made 
 to me yesterday. I take the greatest pleasure in 
 sending it to you. Yesterday, at the Cathedral 
 of Windsor, the Prince Regent, the Duke of Cum- 
 berland, Count Munster, the Dean of Windsor, 
 M^ Stevenson, and Sir Henry Halford, met to- 
 gether to open a Coffin which was supposed to 
 contain the body of King Charles the i^t. A very 
 simple, but strong made Coffin, was laying under 
 ground in the centre aisle of the Cathedral, op- 
 posite the eleventh stall, with an engraved plate 
 (Charles Rex, J any 30, 1649), and the Antiqua- 
 rians had long heard of it ; but so many doubts 
 had arisen as to the real place of our Murdered 
 King's interment, that it was an anxious point 
 to get well ascertained. 
 
 "Accordingly, the above mentioned party met 
 
q 
 
 204 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 for t/taf sole piirpose. They had the assistance of 
 the Clerk of the Board of Works, and the Castle 
 Plumber. They cut open the lid of the Coffin, 
 so as by no means to touch the Head or face. 
 The Countenance was almost perfect ; the lock of 
 Hair on the Chin just like the Picture of King 
 Charles, the form of the forehead the saine, and 
 the face of a small long Oval, precisely like all His 
 Portraits, They then uncovered His Shoulders, 
 and just above the breast , when the Head moved ; 
 which proved to all present that it was loose. 
 Then the Dean ordered them to lift 7ip the Head ; 
 and it came clean off from the body. 
 
 "There is the Evident mark of tzvo blows or 
 cuts of a hatchet or Axe ; and one bone, from 
 being cut Edgezvays, (probably, Sir Henry Hal- 
 ford says, the first, and not the Mortal blow) 
 came off in the man's hand. The Prince Regent 
 has ordered the Dean, Sir Henry, and M'". Steven- 
 son, to testify the fact, which is of such Conse- 
 quence, and must give so much satisfaction to the 
 Country. There is not the least doubt of any 
 one part of it. 
 
 "The Sacred bone is to be sent, and some of 
 His Hair, with the detailed account, to the British 
 Museum ; and the paper drawn up will be signed 
 by all those who were present. I have recited 
 this to you exactly as Sir Henry Halford told it 
 me this morning. I can assure you it is a matter 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 205 
 
 of great joy to me that so good and so ill used 
 a man should lay close to my family. I was also 
 greatly struck to-day at Chapel, that {with the 
 sight of this Excellent man's earthly part, for 
 I saw the bone, which was fresh in my memory) 
 the Psalms for this Day, the 2^^, were the 9, 10, 
 II, the very Psalms which were selected for His 
 Martyrdom ; it certainly made a great impression 
 upon me, and I am quite happy that the only 
 creditable Stuart is near us. In the same Vault 
 was found the Coffins of Henry the 8^^, Jane Sey- 
 mour, and an Infant Son of Queen Anne ; and to 
 prove the hurry in which King Charles's Coffin 
 was thrust into the Vault, it had broke in the lid 
 of King Henry's Coffin. And the Wall of the 
 Vault was not regularly built up towards that 
 side; but the rubbish was thrown in of bricks and 
 stone, just to close it up as quick as possible. It 
 is now all closed in the most perfect manner ; and 
 M'". Stevenson, who was as I told you present at 
 the opening of the Coffin, told me He never 
 saw so interesting a scene, and so much Respect 
 and decency shown as by all those who Wit- 
 nessed it. . . . 
 
 ** God bless you, my Dearest Lady Harcourt ; 
 believe me ever 
 
 *' Your most truly affectionate friend, 
 
 "Augusta. . . ." 
 
p 
 
 i 
 1 
 
 206 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 From Princess Augusta to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 "... As I send this by a safe hand, I venture 
 to name names. Charlotte has not been near Her 
 Mother since the sad, disgraceful trial of the 24th 
 of last month. It was a settled thing that She 
 was to have gone to Her either on the Sunday or 
 Monday (this is only entre nous) ; and She had in- 
 formed my Brother that it was Her intention to 
 do so some days previous to the trial ; which was 
 very right, as He gave Her leave to go there now 
 and then. But on the Saturday, when the wJiole 
 of the trial appeared in the Paper, He ordered 
 Sir Henry Halford to Go to Her, and to try and 
 put off the Visit. , . . 
 
 "Luckily, Charlotte was passing the Windoiv 
 when Sir Henry came into the Court ; so She 
 sent up for Him directly, and She saw Him alone. 
 He said He came to tell Her that the Prince 
 had said how happy the Queen's Visit had made 
 Him, and how much pleased He had been with 
 a comfortable Conversation He had had with His 
 daughter ; to which She immediately replied, * I 
 am very happy He thought so, I alivays wish to 
 please Him! And then She said, * That horrid 
 trial of ^^yon kfiozv wJio'' made me quite sick ; What 
 Ao you hear about it.^' Sir HcMiry then said, 'In- 
 deed, it is shocking, and I should not have named 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 207 
 
 it if Y. R. H. had not spoken of it ; but as you 
 have, I think it my Duty to state that it has left 
 an impression upon the Minds of people very had 
 to all parties concerned, and even of those named 
 in it.' She said, ' I dread my Visit to the Prin- 
 cess.' Upon which. Sir Henry said, ' Don't think 
 me impertinent; but if it is not quite a settled 
 thing, I really think it would be adviseable to 
 pretend a Cold, or Head-ache, or any thing to put 
 it off;' to which She agreed immediately " 
 
 From Princess Augusta to Lady Har- 
 court : — • 
 
 "... We had a very pleasant party at Cran- 
 bourne last Monday. Charlotte was very pro- 
 perly attentive to the Queen ; but perfectly easy 
 in Her manner. She took an opportunity of tell- 
 ing M^s, Egerton that She had the greatest respect 
 for the Queen ; that She was convinced She was 
 Her friend, and that Her Aunts were one and all 
 most kind to Her. She said the same many 
 
 i 
 
 times. 
 
 ^^ . . She told Miss Mercer, in W^. Campbell's 
 hearing, when they did not know M^^ Campbell 
 was in the next room, that She had not the smallest 
 Confidence in anybody. Miss Mercer replied, ' You 
 will Kill yourself if you lock up all your feelings ; 
 I wish you would confide in M^^ Campbell, She 
 
seems much attached to you, and a safe person ;' 
 and Charlotte's answer was, * My dear Margaret, 
 till / choose for myself the people that are to be 
 about me, / never will speak but of matters of 
 fact ; for I cannot, nor ivill not submit to have 
 people chosen for me : not even Angels from 
 Heaven/ 
 
 "Now, My Dearest Lady Harcourt, you must 
 allow it shows a sad, obstinate Spirit ; and how 
 totally iinflt She is to judge ivho it is proper for 
 Her to confide in, M''^ Campbell says that Char- 
 lotte is in a constant state of alarm ; that if two 
 people are speaking at the other end of the Room, 
 & not so loud as for Her to hear every word they 
 say. She turns quite pale, and looks quite scared ; 
 at the same time. She is in very good Spirits, and 
 laughs and jokes all day. . . . 
 
 *' Ever your unalterably affectionate, 
 
 " Augusta." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I am 
 
 sure you will rejoice in hearing what a satisfactory 
 visit we had from Dear Charlotte last week. Her 
 confirmation past off with the greatest propriety 
 on Her part ; full conviction of what an awfuU 
 Ceremony and Event it was ; She took the Sacre- 
 
 ment with profound Attention, and a most proper 
 impression ; &, poor Angel, She has confessed how 
 wrong She was in having given Credit to those 
 Wicked Persons who had set Her against Her 
 family. This is 07ily for Yourself; for we have 
 all begged Her never to 7iame such a thing to 
 anybody. You would have been quite pleased 
 with Her whole Deportment. . . . 
 
 " Ever your very truly affectionate, 
 
 *' Augusta. 
 
 ''Dec. 2^th, 1813." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ''Sept. 19//^, 181 7. 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... I have 
 
 a very good account to give you of all your 
 friends in the Castle. Thank God, the King is 
 quite well ; and He is perfectly happy. He is our 
 Amulet ; and his life keeps all right and Com- 
 fortable. It is a blessing we can never thank 
 God too often for, now and hereafter, that He has 
 been spared to us. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 "Nov.Zih,i2>i'j. 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— I am heart- 
 broken as you may suppose ; all my hopes cast 
 
 e e 
 
2IO 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 off in one short moment. I had loved, pitied, and 
 been all anxiety about Dearest Charlotte from 
 the hour of Her birth ; and flattered my self that 
 I might say I was easy and happy about Her now. 
 But why do I say noiv, when She is no viorc ! It 
 is so sad a change to the happiness I had dared 
 
 to expect It is so fearful a calamity, that I am 
 
 still quite stunned. . . . 
 
 '* Lord Sidmouth wrote the most kind and feel- 
 ing letter to Sir B. Spencer, to announce the sad 
 tidings to us. He had witnessed and shared, as 
 well as the Excellent Lord Winchelsea, in all our 
 trouble and suspense the preceding day; so that 
 besides really loving poor Charlotte very sincerely, 
 you may suppose what it was to Him to come to 
 put an end to all our hopes. He came to my 
 door; and His step was so heavy, & His Knock 
 so short, it was really like the Knell of Death. 
 But when I saw His face, I called out, ' Oh ! that 
 look kills me.' We could neither of us speak 
 a Word ; but after a little while He put Lord 
 Sidmouth's most distressing, but humane letter 
 into my trembling hand : & God Knows what my 
 feelings were aiid are. Dearest Lady Harcourt, 
 the poor Angel was ill 52 hours, all Patience, all 
 Obedience; and Her Resignation, when they fore- 
 told Her the child would be born dead, was quite 
 Exemplary. 
 
 •* The Decrees of Heaven are wise, just, and un- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 21 1 
 
 revokable ; but to us poor Mortals we can only 
 humbly submit when we don't understand them, 
 still being certain they are meant for our ulti- 
 mate good. . . . Doctor Baillie came and sat an 
 hour with us last night ; He assured me there 
 was nothing to alarm but the length of the labour: 
 and as that was prolengthened, so His fears in- 
 creased. He said the last two hours were like 
 a hurricane ; all was so frightfiUl even to Him as 
 a Medical man. His good Heart and Pity I never 
 shall forget ; and His tenderness and delicacy in 
 talking all over with us. He is perfectly over- 
 whelmed \^\\\\ Grief Crofts thought Her safe for 
 ten hours after she was brought to bed. . . . 
 " Ever your most truly affectionate friend, 
 
 "Augusta. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 *' Windsor Castle, November i^t/i, 181 7. 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... We 
 have had very trying Scenes to go through since 
 last fatal Thursday ; but the affection and tender- 
 ness of Dearest Frederick and William has sup- 
 ported us all beyond measure. ... We had broke 
 the sad Event to the Prince; and Frederick had, 
 at His request, seen poor Leopold. . . . The Prince 
 
212 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 sent me word that He meant to come to Windsor 
 on the Sunday to see us all. 
 
 "... Now, my Dearest lady Harcourt, I come to 
 the Sunday, which was a most dreadfuU day. We 
 waited from ten till half past two, expecting the 
 Prince every moment. William's kindness I never 
 can forget; His feelings were so natural, so un- 
 affected, and yet so Keen: speaking of what His 
 Brother must suffer as a Parent, His then trying 
 to talk to the Queen upon various subjects, with- 
 out fussing or worrying Her; really, His sweet at- 
 tentions to Her were more like those of a woman. 
 I will say this, for I can with truth, that I never 
 knew such hearts as those of viy Brothers, Well 
 then, after talking together till we did not know 
 what we said, for we were all stunned, at last 
 the poor Prince arrived ; He was quite Green & 
 Yellow, He said a good deal when He first came 
 in ; and then He begged Sir Henry Halford might 
 stay, that He might tell all His sad Story before 
 Him. He put us all so much in mind of the Dar- 
 ling, stopping His Tears to tell tis all ; not omit- 
 ting to say often and often how thankful He was 
 that poor Charlotte had told Him repeatedly how 
 perfectly happy she was : and had thanked Him 
 for making Her so. After this, He had many sad 
 arrangements to make about the Funeral; which 
 is to take place here, in the family Vault. Poor 
 Leopold has begged to have room left, that His 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 213 
 
 Coffin may be placed near Charlotte's. I think it 
 very natural, and very right. He was obliged to 
 see Col. Stephenson, who was to settle every thing 
 here ; for He wished to get all this worry over, 
 and then never to hear any thing more about it. 
 
 " The Queen most kindly said it was quite im- 
 possible for Her to send for you, which the Prince 
 understood perfectly ; but it is so settled, that all 
 those of the attendants of the different branches 
 of the family who can attend, are to be sum- 
 moned. He staid with us till Eight, and then 
 went back to London, where He had left Mary, 
 and the Duke of Gloucester. 
 
 "... It is indeed the will of God that we shall 
 be so afflicted ; but what grieves me to my Heart 
 is, that Doctor Crofts made that poor Child change 
 Her whole system, by taking Her off from Wine 
 and Meat : and just at the time when she ought 
 to have taken nourishment for two, she was de- 
 prived of every sort of food which would have 
 supported Her in the hour of labour. The poor 
 thing was managed solely by Him, without His 
 asking the state of Her Constitution, or consulting 
 any one person what were Her habits. It is true 
 there was nothing zvrong as to the birth of Her 
 Baby ; but the Infant could not have strength to 
 assist Her, nor she the Child, to bring it forth with 
 a few strong pains. All therefore was so linger- 
 ing, that She was ill for Fifty three hours ; and 
 
214 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 though the child was born without any assistance, 
 both were lost from total Exhaustion. Its a cruel, 
 sad reflection ! Doctor Crofts, I am certain, did all 
 for the best, and with the best intentions ; but He 
 must be sadly Neglectfully and dreadfully obsti- 
 nate, not to have allowed Charlotte to consult 
 any of Her old Medical attendants as to what 
 was right for Her constitution, to do or to avoid 
 during Her Pregnancy. It is said to be His con- 
 stant Practice where He attends, to make people 
 promise implicit Obedience to Himself without 
 consulting any other Physician. This, my Dearest 
 lady Harcourt, is the real sad truth. It is not my 
 wish to hurt Doctor Crofts; but you will hear 
 enough of it in the world. . . . 
 
 **The Prince has behaved most nobly; for he 
 is silent on this sad subject. . . ." 
 
 Princess Augusta to Lady Harcourt :— 
 
 "1817. 
 
 "... The poor Prince of Coburg, from igno- 
 rance of what has really happened, says, ' He is 
 sure all has been done that could be done ;' and as 
 He has already expressed thanks and approbation 
 as far as He knoivs and understands, my Brother 
 thinks it more delicate towards Him not to say 
 anything upon the unfortunate Subject. Prince 
 
 Leopold intends to follow the Corpse from Clare- 
 mont, and to be chief mourner at the Funeral. 
 I own I think it a most dreadfuU undertaking for 
 His broken Heart ; but at present nobody can 
 prevent him from doing so. 
 
 " I hope you will pardon all these details ; but 
 you are so thoroughly interested about us all, 
 that I thought you would be glad to hear what 
 you might rely on for the truth. God bless you, 
 my Dearest Lady Harcourt. Believe me ever 
 
 "Your most truly affectionate friend, 
 
 '* Augusta. 
 
 " Poor dear Charlotte took the Sacrament a 
 very little while (I mean a few days) before Her 
 Death ; and She told Doctor Short that She was 
 so thoroughly happy. She dreaded any change : 
 it could not be for the better, and might be for 
 the worse." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 " Wednesday, Nov. i()fh, 1817. 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — This is a 
 
 most dreadful day. It is true that we see nothing 
 of the last, sad Ceremony ; but we hear carriages 
 in numbers coming up the Hill, and every one 
 
2i6 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 brings some attendant : so that its a dreary, heavy 
 sound, which is sad & melancholy to the Ear, and 
 most painfull to the Heart. . . . 
 
 " I have just seen the poor Prince of Cobourg. 
 He begged to see Eliza and me together. Frede- 
 rick went to the Lower lodge to fetch Him to the 
 Queen ; and then He said He should be glad to 
 see us. He appears very Calm ; but deeply and 
 sincerely affected. He said to us, * I am glad to 
 see you ; but what a sad change' I answered, 
 * Sad indeed ; but you made her very happy! He 
 smiled, and said, ' That is a great Comfort to my 
 Mind/ Then He very soon turned to a sort of 
 general conversation about Windsor Castle, and 
 about all our different apartments ; and then, what 
 was nearly oversetting me, He sighed deeply, 
 and pointing to the fine, clear Sunshine, said, 
 ' This puts me in mind of my happy Visit Jiere in 
 l8i6 : my happy days lasted but a short time! 
 
 " Poor Man, it's really enough to move a stone 
 to see what His real feelings are ; and yet what 
 a wonderfull Command he has over himself. I 
 hope in God His health will not suffer ; but I 
 should fear He makes too great Exertions. He 
 said He had never left Charlotte whilst alive, and 
 therefore had followed the Corpse to the lower 
 lodge, and to the Grave: and thus He felt She 
 had never been neglected by Him. He spoke of 
 Her Mind being very sincere & steady upon Re- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 217 
 
 ligious Subjects ; and of its being a very great 
 comfort to reflect upon nozv and for ever. I was 
 pleased with the expression ; and am only very 
 fearfull how He will stand the dreadfuU ceremony 
 of to Night: and the first going back to Clare- 
 mont, where He will not even find Her re- 
 mains. . . . 
 
 "Thursday Morning. — Thus far I wrote yes- 
 terday, my Dearest Lady Harcourt ; almost by 
 scraps, as I was interrupted so continually, and 
 really I was not alone for five Minutes. I saw 
 good Doctor Short, who had expressed a par- 
 ticular wish to see me; it was a visit most inter- 
 esting and comforting to my Heart. He spoke 
 of poor Charlotte like a tender Parent ; and said 
 that Lady Ilchester's description of Her Cha- 
 racter was the real true and just one; that there 
 was a fund of good seeds, which lay dormant 
 because they were not called into action. Every 
 day She was improving Her faith very strong 
 and very sincere. . . . 
 
 '' The rest of yesterday was horrible. We had 
 a most dreadful! Evening ; but I contrived to get 
 out of the Queen's room just to hear the last Bell 
 for poor dear Charlotte, that I might have the 
 comfort of repeating, whilst it was sounding, ' God 
 rest Her Soul in Peace! It really was a relief to 
 me to do so. My Brothers and the Duke of Glou- 
 cester, who were the only company we saw that 
 
 1^ 
 
 Ff 
 
2l8 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 whole day, came to us after the Funeral was over. 
 They were all excessively affected, and told us 
 how feelingly, but manfully, poor Leopold had 
 behaved throughout the whole sad ceremony. lie 
 asked permission of the Dean, through Doctor 
 Short, that He might go down into the Vault after 
 the Funeral was over, lie did so when the Church 
 was cleared : during which time He retired to the 
 Dean's House ; then He was accompanied by the 
 Dean and Doctor Short, and they all three went 
 down. After He had been there five minutes, He 
 begged the Gentlemen to withdraw ; & He staid 
 near ten minutes alone. And when He came out 
 of the Vault He was much cabner ; and then pro- 
 ceeded to the Loivcr lodge, when He got into His 
 Coach, and drove back to Claremont with Doctor 
 Short. Poor man, He is Sadly grieved ; but I 
 trust that the Religious turn of His mind will m 
 time soften His present woe. He very wisely 
 intends going on with all the improvements at 
 Claremont which He had planned with Charlotte. 
 It will be an occupation, and a healthful employ- 
 ment. 
 
 " I understand after a little while He means to 
 borrow our House at Weymouth, to be near the 
 Sea. It will be a total change of Scene, and 
 a very quiet place, where He can get a great deal 
 of Exercise ; but He has not yet named it to the 
 Queen. Nothing can be more thoroughly amiable 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 219 
 
 than He is ; and it must be a constant Comfort 
 to Him, that though His happiness was of short 
 duration, it was perfect ; and that Charlotte was 
 daily improving by His good Precepts and good 
 Advice. She could not be better prepared to die 
 than when she said, upon hearing Her Child was 
 dead, '// is the zvill of God, and I Submit: No 
 prayers could convey more Devotion and Resig- 
 nation ; and these words will ever be a very great 
 comfort to my mind. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 " Windsor Castle, Feb. \th, 181 9. 
 
 "Indeed, my Dearest Lady Harcourt, ... what- 
 ever Sensations may be created by recent sorrow, 
 they never can obliterate the deep gratitude that 
 I feel to the best of Mothers for Her constant 
 affection, and very marked kindness to vie ; par- 
 ticularly in Her remembrance of me in making me 
 the Possessor of Sweet Frogmore, where / have 
 passed so many happy hours, and where I hope to 
 live to pass many more. Our business has got 
 on tolerably well ; Gen^ Taylor means to propose 
 to the Prince to have a public auction of the 
 Queen's Jewells, Books, and other Effects. Lord 
 Arden wishes it also; and the King having or- 
 

 2 20 Memoir of George Slmon, 
 
 dered it to be done so when His Mother died, 
 they seem to think it a proper measure. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Auo^usta : — 
 
 " Windsor Castle, Feb. i6t/i, 1819. 
 
 "My Dearest lady Harcourt,— My Sisters, 
 Mary and Sophia, and also Eliza, have desired me 
 to Select some Remembrance for you from our 
 beloved Mother's trinkets ; and we all think no- 
 thing can be more valuable to yourself than the 
 Snuff box >' left to Her by the late Lord Harcourt. 
 We know what your affection was for Her; and 
 that Her friendship for you never altered from 
 the moment that She once had professed it for 
 you. And we are certain you will love it for Her 
 sake, for She really loved you. 
 
 " Ever, my Dearest lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Your very truly affectionate, 
 
 " Augusta." 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 "yi?;/. 25///, 1820. 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— You will 
 believe me when I say that, rent as my Heart is 
 
 y Now at Nuneham. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 221 
 
 by the melancholy Event which has taken place 
 in our afflicted family, it is a consolation to my 
 feelings to write to you. You have ever been so 
 very kind to me, that I feel quite at case when 
 either conversing with, or writing to you. Then 
 I must tell you all I have gone through for the 
 last Week ; it will help to make me shed Tears, 
 and it will do me good. 
 
 " On i6th of January, I received a message from 
 Sir David Dundas, to tell me He was come on 
 purpose from London to speak to me upon parti- 
 cular business. He then came to my room, and 
 related that the Dutchess of Kent was greatly 
 alarmed about Dear Edward ; and that She had 
 sent an express to desire Dundas would go down 
 immediately to Sidmouth. I said that I grieved 
 at my Brother's illness ; but it struck me, as 
 a matter of Duty, to state that as Sir David was 
 called upon to take His usual routine of At- 
 tendance upon the King, We ought to se?id some 
 other Person of whose Skill He was confident ; 
 and that I would answer for the measure being 
 approved of He immediately said He would 
 write to D^ Maton, who was a very first rate 
 Man as a Physician, very discreet, and at the 
 same time very bold ; both of which qualities 
 were very necessary with such sort of Colds as 
 poor Edward's always were. On Tuesday I re- 
 ceived a letter, telling me that Edward was not 
 
I 
 
 222 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 aware that the Dutchess had sent for other ad- 
 vice ; hut that Her opinion was He was very ill, 
 
 " She wrote to me again on Thursday, and said, 
 * Nous sommes bien aise d'avoir le Docteur Maton 
 il approuve de toutes que le bon Wilson a fait, 
 mais, chere Princesse, croyez moi, que Votre frere 
 est bien maladc, et il ne peut pas supporter le 
 moindre bruit sans delire! I had no letter from 
 D^ Maton till Friday ; when He wrote, I thought, 
 a sad account, saying, *That notwithstanding re- 
 peated blisters, bleedings. Cuppings, and Leeches, 
 the fever and Inflammation returned every night 
 at the same hour. I named it to the Doctors here, 
 who said it was a very bad account ; but what 
 made me give up all hopes, was that D'". Maton 
 wrote to D"". Baillie, and said He had continued 
 Hicups, and that it was decidedly an Inflamma- 
 tion of the Diaphragm ; which is the complaint 
 Lady Mary Markhani died off. . . . 
 
 "Saturday and Sunday's reports considerably 
 worse ; and yesterday we received the fatal con- 
 clusive letter to this sad Tragedy. Think, my 
 Dearest Lady Harcourt, that yesterday /z^^ weeks 
 he was here on His way to Sidmouth ; so happy, 
 with His excellent, good little Wife, and his lovely 
 child ; and within so short a time was perfectly 
 ^ell'—ill—d.nd no morel It's an awfuU lesson, 
 even to those who did not know Him ; but it's 
 a severe blow to those who loved Him as I did. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 223 
 
 Thank God he was in some degree aware of His 
 dancrer; for He said to General Moore, * If I should 
 not survive, if it should please the Almighty to 
 take me, go and give my love to all my Brothers 
 and Sisters separately! This is a great consola- 
 tion to us all : and must be so, particularly under 
 some very distressing circumstances, which you 
 know occurred a little while ago ; but happy am 
 I to say, all my Brothers went to inquire after 
 Him, and He was delighted at it. I cannot be 
 too thankfuU that this was the case ; knowing all 
 their hearts to be so good, it will be a comfort to 
 them as long as they live. 
 
 "... We are both better to-day, from having 
 over General Moore, who was with poor Edward 
 to the last, and who says everything was done 
 that could be done; but that from the first mo- 
 ment D^ Maton saw Him, He said it was as bad 
 a case as ever He met with. And that luhat we 
 all built upon. His WonderfuU Natural Strength^ 
 was the greatest Enemy, next to the disease, they 
 had to contend with, as it made it the more diffi- 
 cult for their remedies to succeed. God knows 
 what is for the best, and I hope I bow with Sub- 
 mission to this very severe trial ; but when I think 
 of His poor Miserable Wife, and His innocent. 
 Fatherless Child, it really breaks my Heart. 
 
 " She has conducted Herself like an angel ; and 
 I am thankfull Dearest Leopold was with Her. 
 
224 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 
 I long to hear of Her ; but I fear we shall not for 
 these ten days : it will be a sad meeting to 2is 
 both. But She will be doubly Dear to me now ; 
 and indeed I loved Her sincerely before. She 
 quite adored poor Edward ; and they were truly 
 blessed in each other. But what an irreparable 
 loss He must be to Her ! . . . 
 
 " Ever, my Dearest lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Your very truly affectionate, 
 
 "Augusta." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 " Wijidsor Castle, Feb. ^t/i^ 1820. 
 
 " My Dearest Lady Harcourt, — . . . We 
 have been heavily laden with affliction ; but we 
 are very gratefuU for the ease with which my be- 
 loved Father quitted this World for a better and 
 a happier. In the midst of my sorrow (which you 
 may suppose is both very great and very sincere) 
 I cannot be too thankful for the blessing we have 
 had as a Private family y in having had so good 
 & Excellent a Parent. . . . 
 
 "We have gone through very very great sor- 
 rows in ten days. ... I have cried a great deal to- 
 day, and feel relieved by it. . . . We have seen 
 Frederick twice, and to - morrow William and 
 the Dutchess of Clarence come for one night ; 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 225 
 
 but He has been so very wretched with the loss 
 of poor Edward, that He has not been able to 
 bring Himself to come here. Augustus also has 
 made us a most kind visit ; in short, my Dearest 
 lady Harcourt, nothing can exceed the affection 
 and goodness of all our Dear Brothers to us. 
 Thank God, the King^ is better; but we have had 
 a great flurry about His health, which I own to 
 you I am by no means easy about. Nothing can 
 be beyond His kindness ; He has sent us the most 
 affectionate messages ; and all His proceedings, 
 both Private and PiibliCy do His Head and Heart 
 such honour, that I am quite happy about Him. 
 Indeed, indeed, I have so much to be gratefiill 
 for, that I am ashamed ivhen I feel selfisJi about 
 those that are gone. , . . 
 
 " In all my own sorrow I cannot yet bear to 
 think of that good, excellent Woman, the Dutchess 
 of Kent, and all Her trials ; they really are most 
 grievous. She is the most pious, good, resigned 
 little Creature it is possible to describe. She has 
 Written to me once ; and I received the letter 
 from Her, and one from Adelaide, Written to- 
 gether from Kensington. Dearest William is so 
 good hearted, that He has desired Adelaide to go 
 to Kensington every day, as she is a comfort to 
 the poor Widow ; and Her sweet, gentle mind, 
 is of great use to the Dutchess of Kent. It is 
 
 ' George the Fourth. 
 
 G g 
 
226 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 a great delight to me to think that they can read 
 the same Prayers, and talk the same Mother tongue 
 together; it makes them such real friends and 
 Comforts to each other. . . . 
 
 "I fear we cannot expect to be any better till 
 after the sad Ceremonies, which I believe will all 
 be ^zrr by the i6th of this month. I fancy poor 
 Edward will be buried on the I2th; and the be- 
 loved King on the Tuesday after. It will be neces- 
 sary for my Brother to go to the House of Lords 
 as soon as possible ; and, therefore, if // ean be 
 on Thursday iveek, it is what they wish. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Aucfusta : — 
 
 o 
 
 ^'Feb. ^th, 1820. 
 
 "My Dearest Lady Harcourt,— I am going 
 to ask you a favour, which I hope you will be 
 able to comply with ; it is that you will be so 
 kind as to come to Frogmore the day that I leave 
 this Dear Old Castle. I feel that I really eould 
 not admit anybody but yonr Excellent self, who 
 will bear ivith my Sorroiv. I promise that / will 
 not give way to unnecessary Grief; but your Com- 
 pany and Affection will do me more good than 
 anything else. I have a great deal to do, which 
 will fully occupy my Mind, and that I shall cer- 
 tainly attend to ; therefore, when I can sit Com- 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 22 
 
 fortably with, you in your Room (which I will make 
 as warm and convenient as I possibly can) I am 
 sure in a few days I shall be myself again. I be- 
 lieve Thursday, the i8th, will be the day ; but 
 should it be the 17th, I will let you know it 
 immediately. 
 
 " We think it inght to prove that we have re- 
 mained with pleasure at the Castle as long as it 
 was our Dearest Duty to be there ; but that Ob- 
 ject being gone, we leave it as soon as the Sacred 
 remains of our beloved Father are consigned to 
 
 the grave. . . . 
 
 "God bless you, my Dearest Lady Harcourt. 
 " Ever your most truly affectionate, 
 
 "Augusta." 
 
 ^'Htwihourg, Sept. 10, 182 I. 
 
 "... At Wilhelmsbad the people were very 
 curious to see Eli:^a and )ne ; as they are so at- 
 tached to the memory of the Landgravine Mary, 
 a Princess of England. You may have heard 
 that after Her youngest Son was born, Her Hus- 
 band left Her for a long time. Nobody knew 
 where He was gone to; when at last He wrote 
 to His Wife, to say that, previous to His having 
 married Her, He was attached to a Catholic Lady 
 of very great family. That He had wanted to 
 marry Her; but that She could not agree to it, 
 
228 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 as He was a Protestant. She entreated Him to 
 espouse the Catholick faith. He, being fcarfull of 
 His Country being offended, held out for a long 
 time. Then He was sent for by King George the 
 2nd to Flanovcr, who settled the marriage with 
 His Daughter. As soon as He left Hanover, He 
 went to the lady, having previously written to in- 
 form Her of the King of England's intention that 
 He should become His Son-in-law in a few weeks. 
 This Lady shut the door upon Him, and forbad 
 Him the House ; but He then wrote to entreat 
 that if He was ill, and really given over. She 
 would come and Shut His Eyes ; and that He 
 would promise to do the same by Her, if She 
 would permit it. 
 
 " Accordingly one letter passed to Seal this pro- 
 mise. From that hour they had no more inter- 
 views ; but just after the Landgravine's Confine- 
 ment, He was sent for by this Lady, who was 
 dying. And on Her Death bed She asked Him 
 whether He would become a Catholick, that their 
 Souls might be united m Heaven ; Wc: gave Consent 
 at that moment, and became a very violent Bigot. 
 He then wrote to His Wife, who shortly after re- 
 ceived a peremptory Command from King George 
 the 2nd to return to England, and never to live 
 with Her Husband again. She replied that it was 
 Her Duty to remain in the situation in which it 
 had pleased God to place Her; but that she would 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 229 
 
 make Her oivn terms for the sake of Her Sons, 
 as they were brought up Protestants. 
 
 *' She then applied for a Palace in the Country, 
 to which she added greatly. It is now a very 
 handsome House, in which there are apartments 
 for any of the Princes, when they like to spend 
 a few days there ; it is near Wilhelmsbad ; and 
 we went to walk in the Gardens, which are Su- 
 perb. We drank Tea in a beautifull grove on the 
 Banks of the river ; and the kind Landgrave, and 
 His Wife and Sister, came and dined with us, 
 which added much to our pleasure. 
 
 "... My happy days here, for the present, I am 
 sorry to say, are drawing to a conclusion. I really 
 have been so very Comfortable here, and so de- 
 lighted to see Dear Eliza so perfectly and reason- 
 ably happy ; but I shall leave Her with less regret 
 on that account. I set off on the 14th ; & in the 
 course of Saturday Evening I shall be with my 
 Sister ^ who I long to see after an absence of 
 24 years. 
 
 " God bless you, my Dearest Lady Harcourt. 
 " Ever your most truly affectionate, 
 
 "Augusta." 
 
 * The Princess Royal, Queen Dowager of Wurlemburg. 
 
2 30 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 u 
 
 Sept. 27, 182 1. 
 
 "... I HAVE passed a very happy time at Louis- 
 bourg, which is a very fine Palace. My Sister's 
 apartments are very beautifully situated in a ^wo: 
 Garden, and overlooking a fine country ; they 
 are prettily furnished, and are very comfortable. 
 She leads a very pleasant, happy, rational life. 
 She. rises early, either goes up to Her Grand 
 daughters at ten, or they come to Her with their 
 masters, and stay together till twelve. Then, if 
 any body wants particularly to see Her, or speak 
 to Her, She admits them till near one, when She 
 dines. She has a very delightfull Society, both 
 of Ladies and Gentlemen. She occasionally in- 
 vites the King's Ministers and the English Bureau 
 to dinner. At half- past ten She retires to Her 
 own room ; if any body wishes to see Her upon 
 business, they are admitted then. Eight months 
 in the year She drives out after dinner, and gene- 
 rally alone. At Seven o'Clock She goes into the 
 Drawing room, where she has three or four Tables 
 for the different amusements of the Company, 
 Work, Cards, and Music. Here we have had 
 little dancing Parties, impromptu, for the little 
 Princesses ; very interesting, from the excessive 
 innocence and happiness of all the young party, 
 and the extasies of the Parents and Elderly peo- 
 ple, and of the adopted Aunt ; for I was quite the 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 231 
 
 Aunt of the two little darling Girls. The last 
 dances were two quadrilles, and an English coun- 
 try dance ; and I hope that my Sister will give 
 one regular ball to the Dear Children before I 
 leave Her. Wc are very comfortable, and very 
 happy here ; and I shall ever look back to this 
 week with very great pleasure. . . . 
 
 " I found my Sister very much altered at first ; 
 and had I not had Her picture previous to seeing 
 Her, I should not have guessed it was Her. But 
 she was at the Window of the Inn where I was 
 last to change Horses. I flew up stairs to Her 
 directly ; and by degrees I have quite retraced 
 Her features and Countenance. She is very large 
 & bulky. Her face is very broad and fat, which 
 makes Her features appear quite small and dis- 
 tended. But what strikes the most is, that from 
 not wearing the least bit of Corset, Her Stomach 
 and Her Hips are something quite extraordinary. 
 Her face is not at all old ; and though she com- 
 monly has to drive a foot's pace, she is very ac- 
 tive in the House. She goes out every day, the 
 whole winter through, in Her open Carriage ; and 
 generally by Herself, reading all the while. She 
 is uncommonly chearfull ; and I may say has 
 every reason to be as perfectly happy as she 
 appears to be. She is universally respected by 
 the whole Country ; and the good she does is 
 incalculable. She walks sometimes ; but as she 
 
232 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 can only go a very slow pace, it chills Her in cold 
 weather. She can always wrap up in the open 
 carriage ; therefore she never catches cold. Her 
 little Grand daughters are a great subject of de- 
 light and interest to Her; and She does Her 
 duty most thoroughly by them. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Augusta : — 
 
 ^^ Frogmore House, Dec. ^th, 1825. 
 
 " My Dearest lady Harcourt,— . . . Adol- 
 phus I had a letter from yesterday. He is very 
 much pleased with M^. Harvey, the Preceptor the 
 Bishop of London recommended for George ; and 
 the Dear Child has taken very much to Him. 
 Adolphus says, 'The more I see of M^ Harvey, 
 the more I like Him;' which I am certain, my 
 Dear lady Harcourt, will give you as much plea- 
 sure to hear as it does me. . . .' 
 
 )) 
 
 From Princess Augusta to the Archbishop 
 of York : — 
 
 ^^Frogmore House, January 27///, 182 6. 
 
 " My lord, — I cannot express how truly Sen- 
 sible I am of your very great kindness in thinking 
 of me at the first moment of your severe affliction. 
 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 233 
 
 As to my sorrow with respect to the loss of my 
 Oldest, and most intimate friend and kind Ad- 
 monisher, you will best judge what it must be. 
 Such a loss is irreparable ! I shall ever look back 
 with thankfullness and pride at having been one 
 She singled out in the affectionate manner She 
 did from my fifteenth year ; and that I have pos- 
 sessed Her steady friendship for tivo and Forty 
 years. It's a long 2ind faithfull tie, 
 
 " It was a matter of great consolation to my 
 mind, my Lord, when I heard of your being with 
 Dearest lady Harcourt. I know that the seeing 
 you, and Her conversing with you, would be the 
 greatest happiness to Her; and, thank God, Her 
 Dear dear understanding, & Patience, and Piety 
 never forsook Her ! 
 
 "I have, my lord, written to the King & my 
 family in your name ; and I am very certain there 
 is not one individual who will not la^nent Her, and 
 most Sincerely too. 
 
 " I trust that you will not suffer by all you have 
 gone through since you arrived in London ; and 
 that Miss Vernon s health is not the worse for the 
 sad scene she has witnessed. What a blessing 
 that you arc together at this moment. 
 ** Believe me, my lord, 
 
 " Your most faithfuU friend, 
 
 '' Augusta." 
 
 II h 
 
234 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 From Princess Augusta to the Archbishop 
 of York : — 
 
 ''Bagsliot Park, February 12///, 1826. 
 
 " My lord, — You will perceive by the date of 
 this letter that I was not at home when your 
 most kind letter reached Frogmore ; it arrived 
 here to-day. 
 
 " It is impossible to say what my Heart felt, 
 and does feel, for the contents of the enclosure, — 
 The truly kind and affectionate remembrance of 
 Dearest Lady Harcourt expressed to my Sisters 
 and myself! We all loved and respected Her ; nor 
 can we ever expect to see Her like again ! It is 
 gratifying to our feelings that She names the 
 mimber of years our uninterrupted friendship ex- 
 isted ; and indeed it was as Sincere as it was long 
 in years. 
 
 "You are so good as to ask in what manner 
 you should deliver the valuable legacies of your 
 Dear Sister to my Sisters and myself. I should 
 esteem it a favour if you would bring it to me at 
 St. James's Palace, when I am in London. And 
 as Mary will be there sooner than myself, would 
 you be so kind as to deliver those articles des- 
 tined for the Queen of Wurtemberg, and the Land- 
 gravine of Hesse, to Her at Gloucester House ; 
 as she will send them by the Messenger probably 
 before I reach London. 
 
 •* I am very Sensible, my lord, of the manner 
 in which you express yourself with regard to my 
 first letter to you upon the melancholy occasion. 
 It was written when I was so very much stunned 
 with the suddenness of the blow, that I hardly 
 knew the extent of my own loss. Every day 
 brings Dear lady Harcourt to my mind, as it 
 ever did ; but formerly it was with the anticipated 
 pleasure of seeing Her, or the hope of having that 
 blessing. All is over! but the Memory of Her, 
 and of Her Dear affection, kindness, and good 
 advice, are Engraven on my Heart; and I thank 
 God that I had such a friend spared to me for so 
 
 many years. 
 
 "I hope Lady Anne and all your family are 
 
 quite well. 
 
 *' Believe me, my lord, 
 
 " Your very sincere friend, 
 
 ''Augusta." 
 
 From Princess Augusta to the Archbishop 
 of York :— 
 
 '•'' Frogmore House, March I'jfli, 1S26. 
 '*My lord, — I have this moment received the 
 enclosed letter from the Queen Dowager ^ of Wur- 
 temberg, who desires me to send it immediately. 
 I am sure you would be pleased to see the very 
 
 ^ Princess Royal of England. 
 
feeling manner in which she speaks of our be- 
 loved Lady Harcourt's kindness to Herself and 
 Her Sisters. 
 
 " Her Expression is, — ' Dearest Augusta, lady 
 Harcourt's recollection of me is engraven on my 
 Heart. She was kind to me when I was young ; 
 and though nine and twenty years have separated 
 us, she has ever been the same. I loved and re- 
 spected Her always. I feel for you, Dearest Au- 
 gusta ; for I know how much attached She was 
 in particular to yon, and your best friend! 
 
 " Indeed, my Lord, my Sister may i^'e/l say that 
 I have lost my best friend, whose Memory will 
 ever live in my Heart. 
 
 '* I beg you will remember me to Lady Anne ; 
 and believe me, 
 
 " My lord, 
 
 ** Your very Sincere friend, 
 
 " Augusta." 
 
 fetters from princess ^li^abetl/. 
 
 The following is Lady Harcourt's note 
 appended to a bundle of Letters from the 
 Princess Elizabeth : — 
 
 •= Born 1770 ; married 1818 Frederick Landgrave of Hesse 
 Ilomburg ; died 1840. 
 
 "These letters, which were written between 
 August, 1 79 1, & J any, 18 19, may many of them 
 not appear to any other person to be worth pre- 
 serving ; but to me they are valuable, from re- 
 vealling past Events that were interesting, & still 
 more from the proofs they contain of the Prin- 
 cess's affection. Her kindness to me was invari- 
 able. Once when I was ill, & confined to my 
 House for 6 weeks, I received from her in that 
 time 143 Letters ; for she often wrote twice, & 
 sometimes thrice in the day, if an opportunity of 
 sending a Letter occur'd. She said her Letters 
 might not be amusing, but they would serve to 
 break the tediousness of a sick room, at a time 
 when none of my family or friends were in 
 town. Most of these Letters were immediately 
 destroy'd ; and so also were many others that it 
 would have been imprudent to keep, as soon as 
 I had read them. I find that I have now, upon 
 looking over the remainder, 328 letters left." 
 
 A selection from the 328 Letters pre- 
 served by Lady Harcourt is now given. 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 *' Windsor, 3 October, 1792. 
 "... Anything so disgusting as the breakfast 
 at Woodgate's inn, on the way from Weymouth, 
 
238 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 I 
 
 I thank God I never saw before, and never wish 
 to see again, — bad butter, Tea, Coffee, bread, &c. ; 
 nothing to touch but boil'd eggs, which were so 
 hard that I could not eat them. So I returned 
 to the carriage just as I got out, starved. How- 
 ever, having wisely followed Sir Francis Wrong- 
 head's ways, & had a large Plumb Cake put up 
 as Stowage for the Stomachy I rejoiced much at 
 the thought of seizing this when I got back to 
 the Coach ; but the moment I had prepared my- 
 self in Battle array, with a knife in my hand to 
 begin the massacre, they told me it was for Mama, 
 so my knife returned innocent to my Pocket. 
 
 "As I was not allowed to eat, I determined, like 
 a true woman, to talk. Lord Harcourt & you 
 served as our constant topick ; & we all agreed 
 how sorry we were to have quitted you. When 
 the conversation runs on the subject of those one 
 truly loves, all unpleasant remembrances are at 
 an end ; so I forgot my hunger, & you served me 
 as a Breakfast. I was then, you perceive, satis- 
 fied, & got through Salisbury, Andover, & Over- 
 ton vastly well, & very much contented to get to 
 Hartford Bridge, where our diner quite made up 
 for our Breakfast ; for I never eat a better any- 
 where. The Bottle went round as on board our 
 dear Juno ; & the first toast was to all our friends 
 we had quitted, and then to the Juno ; so that 
 none were forgot : in short, our journey went off 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 239 
 
 as well as possible, & we arrived here at a quarter 
 after six. But you may tell my good friend. Lord 
 Harcourt, that we have not left the noise of Wind 
 at Weymouth, for it has been louder here than 
 I can express. However, I rely upon your Duti- 
 ful Affection as a Wife, to tell his Lordship this 
 with all proper precaution, for fear that it might 
 hurt him to think that I did not find Windsor 
 Paradise. 
 
 "The evening of our arrival a good Dish of 
 Coffee set us up ; and we were able to have the 
 Cardigans, Harringtons, & Lord Cathcart, and 
 set down, come a V ordinaire, to Cards. P^s Royal 
 (God bless her) went to Bed, though She slept 
 the best part of the time in the Coach, so did my 
 younger Sisters ; but Augusta and me, the two 
 Iro7is of the Family, had each our party. . . . 
 
 " Mama has ordered my younger Sisters to 
 stay at home to-day, they cough so; but other- 
 wise every body is well. We began going to 
 Chaple this morning ; it must be wholesome, it 
 IS so disagreeable. However, this is a life of 
 trials, God knows it is, so I hope to be rewarded 
 in the next. By the bye, I forgot to tell you that 
 I had the unspeakable satisfaction of seeing Her 
 
 Grace of B n. The Grace that invited you to 
 
 visit her when you began your journey. She was 
 driving her sisters in the open chaise ; & made me 
 one of those bewitching Curtsis that have so often 
 
II 
 
 attracted the notice of your Lord. Her leg we 
 saw at the back of her Phaeton ; & I immediately 
 rejoiced at having met Her, knowing what plea- 
 sure it would give L^^ Harcourt, who I am always 
 happy to please. . . . 
 
 " Your Affectionate, 
 
 " Eliza." 
 
 " I inclose you a new Vocabulary, which has 
 just come out." 
 
 "Vocabulary of Fashion. 
 
 Vernaailar Terms. Fashionable Sense. 
 
 Age 
 
 . An infinnity nol)ody knows. 
 
 Conscience . 
 
 . Something to swear by. 
 
 Country 
 
 . A place for Pigs and Poultry. 
 
 Day . 
 
 . Night 
 
 Night . 
 
 . Day. 
 
 Debt . 
 
 . A necessary evil. 
 
 Dining . 
 
 . Keeping up appearances. 
 
 Dinner . 
 
 . Supper. 
 
 Dressed 
 
 . Half naked. 
 
 London 
 
 . The most delightful Place ! 
 
 Lounging 
 
 . Daily occupation. 
 
 Modest. 
 
 . Sheepish. 
 
 New 
 
 . Delightful. 
 
 Pay 
 
 . Only applied to Visits. 
 
 Prayers 
 
 . The cant of Silly people. 
 
 Christianity . 
 
 . Having a pew at Church. 
 
 Time . 
 
 . Only applied to Music. 
 
 Vernacular Terms. 
 
 Protection 
 Vice 
 Undress 
 Scandal 
 Work . 
 
 Fashionable Sense. 
 
 Keeping a Mistress. 
 Only applied to horses. 
 Complete clothing. 
 Amusing conversation. 
 A Vulgarism." 
 
 ^'Jidym, 1793. 
 
 "... I HEAR to-night that my Brothers are 
 within Sixty yards of Valencienne ; & the nearer 
 the advance, the more the danger. It makes one 
 sick ; but we must ever remember that there is 
 a merciful & just Providence that watches over 
 them : that is a great consolation ; but, even so, 
 I am in a terrible state of anxiety both of longing 
 for & dreading news. Mama has such an un- 
 common share of fortitude, that she never allows 
 herself to say a word. . . . We make it a rule never 
 to talk about it. . . ." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... We have had two very pleasant parties be- 
 sides Portsmouth, which were to the Great Lodge, 
 & CHfdon ; the last was really perfection ; and 
 I never was more truly thankful for amusement 
 than that day. L^ Harcourt would say that it 
 
 I 1 
 
quite suited me ; for there never was a moment 
 in which we felt more thoroughly the comfort of 
 private life than that day. We set out from home 
 at a little before nine, without breakfast, to break- 
 fast at Clifdon ; but the King taking us a round 
 about way, we never got there till twelve. When 
 we reached it, we were most anxious for the good 
 fare we expected, which {entre nous), owing to 
 a mistake, we did not get till some time after our 
 arrival. I began to think that we should have 
 nothing ; but Fortune proved kind, for the door 
 opening, we all scrambled in as fast as possible ; 
 and the table, which was very well stored, was 
 soon in a very naked condition. My eldest Brother 
 ivas of the party ; but to tell you the truth, not in 
 
 Spirits at all; though mum's the word ^ 
 
 " It IS a mistake my living at court ; it was 
 certainly intended that I should have lived in 
 the Country, & been a younger brother's Wife, 
 for I do not understand Court quarrels ; Kiss & 
 make friends, should be one of the mottos for 
 
 a Palace. . . . 
 
 " Your most aff% 
 
 " Cinderella E. 
 
 ''2^thjuly, 1 7 94-" 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 243 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "I WRITE this quite for yourself; for I should 
 be very very much blamed, scolded, abused, &c. 
 &c., if it was known that I had given you a hint 
 of an intended scheme, which, if it happens at all, 
 will happen within this fortnight, of setting out 
 very early, & Surprizing you & your Caro Sposo. 
 Had it been to any one but yourself, I would not 
 have written a line ; but my inside tells me that 
 your Lord & Master would be too much fussed 
 with this sudden journey & arrival without a line. 
 Nothing prepared, he would cough, flurry, & make 
 himself so nervous, that when your flight of birds 
 had left you, he would not bear to hear of the 
 foregoing morning. But, for God sake, do not 
 appear prepared in the least ; act your part as 
 you ought to do ; & don't get your affectionate 
 friend into a scrape, for Scrapes will not do at 
 present. . . . 
 
 **. . . The horrid plot against the King's life 
 came to my Ears ; it has so harrassed my spirits 
 & mind, that I never suffered more in my life 
 than since that hour. How wonderfull, however, 
 are the ways of Providence ; & how truly thank- 
 full should we be for its having brought this 
 shocking scheme to light. God bless you again 
 & again ; name nothing of the first part of my 
 Kpistle, rather write to me on the latter Subject 
 
244 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 as from yourself, without an appearance of hav- 
 ing heard at all from me. Direct your letter this 
 time to Miss Planta. 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 ''Sunday, Oct, \2fh, 1794-" 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "I AM sure you will be anxious to know how 
 we all are, my dear Lx H., after yesterday's hor- 
 rors. It is impossible to paint to you in any 
 degree what we have gone through since our ar- 
 rival in Town ; but I trust in that all merciful 
 Providence, who has saved our dear King in so 
 wonderful a manner, that the great Crisis is 
 now over. 
 
 "In going to the House, a bullet was shot 
 throw the Ks coach ; which undoubtedly was in- 
 tended to have penetrated else where. This is 
 a most Shocking thought ; however, thank God, 
 it went harmlessly throw the Glass opposite, & 
 shot out a round piece the size of a small bullet. 
 Some of the Servants saw it fall. That not an- 
 swering their wicked ends, they threw Stones se- 
 veral times at him ; but he came home well, & per- 
 fectly composed. The Mob followed the Coach 
 in an insolent manner, moaning and screaming. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 245 
 
 * peace, no War,' 'give us bread,* 'Down with 
 Pitt,' 'oK with your Guards,' (which he was at- 
 tended with to the house, I mean home). 
 
 " Every body is well to-day, though much agi- 
 tated with thoughts of the Play; but I trust great 
 care will be taken. More you shall hear from me 
 when my mind is easier. God bless you ; & be- 
 lieve me 
 
 " E." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... I AM much more comfortable about Mama, 
 as she cried much yesterday, which she had never 
 done while we remained in Town ; for she always 
 said, that did She let herself o?ice go, She could 
 never conduct herself as she ought. ... My Sisters 
 as well as myself are surprisingly well ; but it has 
 had so extraordinary an effect on me, that I, who 
 naturally cry a great deal, have scarcely shed 
 a tear. You may conceive what we all went 
 through in going to the Play. A firm reliance 
 on the goodness of that Providence which had 
 so wonderfully watched over our beloved & good 
 King's life, carried us throw it ; but, now it is 
 over, I trust in God never to be again in the 
 agonies I felt during the whole of that day. It 
 was indeed very horrid ; & my poor ears I believe 
 
246 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 will never get the better of the groans I heard on 
 the Thursday in the Park, & my eyes of the 
 sight of that Mob. However, we are told 'the 
 ways of Providence are intricate & Wise,' so I do 
 hope that out of evil comes good, & that from the 
 severe & horrid alarm we have had, the King's 
 life will now be in greater security in regard to 
 Men's wicked attempts than ever. 
 
 "The King has shewn Fortitude, Resignation, 
 Piety, & confidence in a Supreme Being, in the 
 strongest manner possible; and has exhibited a 
 Composure which has been quite aweful, with an 
 innocence of mind which has ever marked his 
 Character. At night, when Mama wished him 
 a good night, he said, ' I doubt not I shall sleep ; 
 & only wish the man to sleep as well who made 
 the attack on me.' . . . 
 
 *' Windsor, Monday Evening, 
 Nov. 2, 1795-" 
 
 Princess Elizabeth to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 "... I CAN never thank you enough for having 
 persuaded Mama to go to Strawberry Hill ; it 
 was a morning passed after my own heart . . . 
 Portraits, Miniatures, Japans, enamels, china, & 
 a thousand other beautiful things start up to 
 claim one's attention ; but of all the things I ever 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 247 
 
 saw, what struck me the most, was that which 
 I have heard you rave about, the famous Bell ; 
 which is really, in my htmible opinion, the most 
 wonderful piece of workmanship I ever saw. If 
 my time would allow me, I could run on in rap- 
 tures about everything ; but I will not leave the 
 subject without a few words concerning the owner 
 of this curious & interesting mansion, whose pleas- 
 ing manners thoroughly gained the whole com- 
 pany. We hope that he will not have suffered 
 from his great civility to us ; it pained me to 
 think that we were the cause of his exerting him- 
 self as he did ; but if he could know how much 
 his attentions were felt, I am certain he would be 
 pleased. 
 
 "... M^^ Damer, whose engaging & enchanting 
 manners must please everybody, did the honors. 
 . . . She shines there greatly, from the number of 
 beautiful things which are of her own perform- 
 ances ; the Eagle done in Terra Cotta is charm- 
 ing, I could have stood hours to have studied it ; 
 in short, What is there not there .-*... 
 
 " I wish I could be housekeeper there for a 
 Fortnight. In case of your hearing that Lord O. 
 is in want of one, send to such a No., in such 
 a place, near such a street, by such a Castle, in 
 such a Lodge, you will find a discreet, steady 
 young woman, who bears a tolerable good cha- 
 racter, with the advantage of speaking a little 
 
248 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 french, who will be willing to enter into such 
 a Capacity ; She is a single woman. I beg I may 
 be most kindly remembered to dear Lady Har- 
 court ; & beg you to believe me 
 
 " Y^ Sincere friend, 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 " Wednesday, sJ^^^y* i795-" 
 
 " Windsor ^ Friday, 2^th/uly, 1796. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt, — I have pro- 
 mised the P. & Princess of Orange to inform you 
 of their intention of visiting Oxford, in a Tour 
 they are going to make of about ten days ; & 
 their wish is to begin with a visit to the amiable 
 inhabitants of Nuneham, which (from knowing 
 your constant goodness to us, & to every body) 
 we all, K., Q., & Pss's. advised ; for we were 
 certain you would be happy to put them in a 
 comfortable method of continuing their proposed 
 journey. 
 
 " They desire me to say, that if it would not be 
 inconvenient to you & L^ Harcourt, they intend 
 themselves the pleasure of Dining with you on 
 Monday, & remaining that night with you ; but 
 they have such a dread of being troublesome, that 
 they talk of quitting you the next morning for 
 Oxford. We all assured them that we would an- 
 swer for your hospitality; & that we were sure 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 249 
 
 you would wish them to remain the next night, 
 after the fatigue of seeing quietly the antiquitys 
 & beautys of that magnificent City. 
 
 " The Prince of Orange entreats you will neither 
 of you put yourselves the least out of your way; 
 & if you will only order some servant to go about 
 with them, it is all they desire, that they may not 
 wander like Strangers about Oxford. These are 
 actually his Words ; & he begs that L^ Harcourt 
 will promise not to wurry himself about him in 
 any way what ever. ... & believe me 
 
 " y-s aff'y, 
 
 " Eliza." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 "... You may believe with what joy I seized 
 my letter, & how grateful I felt to find my wishes 
 granted, & that you had not forgot one who you 
 must have long known is most thoroughly at- 
 tached to you. This friendship or attachment, 
 call it what you please, began at ten years old, 
 & has increased with my years ; & Sixteen years 
 is a good growth,— 'Widened with the bark.' You 
 will laugh at this ; but what will dear \J Har- 
 court say.? will she not say I am very impudent 
 to speak so openly } She can't be jealous ; for 
 I am not a dangerous object, when she considers 
 I am a Noli-mc-tangere. Alas, it is hard that 
 
 Kk 
 
250 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 there is not a little more sincerity in the World ; 
 for what is the harm of unaffected & sincere 
 friendship. But I must stop, & remember that 
 though it is Sunday, I must not write a Sermon. 
 
 "... Putting all joke aside ; let me tell you, that 
 though you say it is a liberty you are taking, it 
 is one that I wish you would take often, as your 
 letters are particularly agreable ; & nobody pos- 
 sesses the 'Pen of a ready Writer' more than 
 yourself . . . 
 
 ** Dinner is called ; so I can only add my love 
 to Ly H., & flatter myself that you will ever be- 
 lieve me to be, 
 
 " My Lord, 
 
 " Yo'" sincere & very attached Friend, 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 ^^SuJiday^ ^th Dec.^ 1796." 
 
 To Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ Queen's Lodge ^ Nov. 12, 1797. 
 
 "I HAVE just got some naughty lines upon the 
 new peers ; very good. In my next you shall 
 have them ; but remember, as King's Daughters 
 are among the Honorable Women, I must not 
 be named as the person who gave them. . . ." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 251 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 *'20 Nov.y 1802. 
 
 "... We have indeed reason, my dearest Lady 
 Harcourt, to thank God for the fresh proof of 
 his goodness in this horrible & abominable Con- 
 spiracy being found out. The K. has never named 
 it to any body; but every body else talks of it. . . . 
 The affair was discovered thus. A man was guilty 
 of Felony ; & in searching for that man, they en- 
 tered a house, where they found Col. D ^ & 29 
 
 other men. The moment the Bow Street runner 
 appeared, one of the men dropped a list ; which, 
 thank God, was taken, as well as all their Papers. 
 This atrocious deed was to have taken place on 
 next Tuesday, when it is intended my Father 
 should go to the House ; & when they had dis- 
 patched Him, the intention was to enter the 
 Queen's House, & make mince meat of us all. To 
 attack the Tower, arm themselves ; & then march 
 to the Bank, open the Prisons, & turn all into 
 anarchy & confusion." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... My Father is wonderfully well ; quite as- 
 tonishingly, considering all the various unpleasant 
 things he has had upon his mind ; but only such 
 a pure mind as his could bear up in the manner 
 
252 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 he does. God grant this anxious time may soon 
 end, is my earnest prayer. I have had a good ac- 
 count of my Sister, which will make you happy. 
 My Mother is well ; & I remain, with kind com- 
 pliments to Lord H., 
 
 "26/// Dec, 1803." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... I FEAR the dear King's eyes are very little 
 better, tho' He flatters Himself they are; & his 
 anxiety to see, poor man, makes him try, I fear, 
 many experiments which are not right. . . . You 
 may believe what it is to us to see one who was 
 so active, literally grope about ; for too much 
 light perfectly blinds him. He wears a shade 
 over his eyes, which at times he throws back, & 
 does not always attend to ; but his resignation 
 is really wonderful. At times it makes him 
 low ; but for the sake of his family he keeps up 
 his spirits wonderfully, in the hope that when 
 the operation is over, He may get perfectly well 
 
 agam. . . . 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 "i4///>/r, 1805." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 253 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... The old Dss. of Weimar has acted with 
 great courage. She remained in Her own coun- 
 try, & in her own Palace ; & when the wretch, 
 Bonaparte, arrived, she received Him there. Sup- 
 posing who she was, he said, ' Ah, Madame Wei- 
 mar,' — that is the way He has spoke to all people 
 of birth in Germany, — & added, * I chuse to dine 
 alone.' 
 
 " After dinner He sent for her, & abused the 
 K. & Q. of Prussia with the most horrid oaths, & 
 the most dreadful language for a woman's ears ; 
 & then told her he intended to destroy the town 
 of Weimar by fire. She let him have his whole 
 SC7J/ out, & then most nobly said, ' If you chuse to 
 punish the Duke of Weimar's family for his be- 
 longing to the K. of Prussia, we must submit ; 
 but to punish his innocent subjects, who have had 
 nothing to do with it, will only injure yourself;' 
 & after representing it in this manner. She nearly 
 fainted away ; when she recovered, He promised 
 her he would not burn the town, & would give 
 counter orders. 
 
 " He then sent her away ; & about two hours 
 after, when his fury & rage were Subdued, 
 he sent her word he would come & drink tea 
 with her. 
 
I 
 
 254 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 " He then talked of Vertu, Pictures, &c., & was 
 very agreable. . . . 
 
 " I ever am y^ & L^ Harcourt*s very sincere 
 & aff'% 
 
 "E. 
 
 '^December isi^ 1806." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " I should have written to you yesterday had 
 I had a moment ; & to-day I am hardly myself 
 from the horrors of the story of poor Ernest. . . . 
 So premeditated a thing was never known ; the 
 wretch was an Italien. My Brother, by all ac- 
 counts, has been mercifully preserved by the in- 
 terference of a wise & good Providence, but sadly 
 wounded : tho' Sir H. Halford & M'". Home assure 
 the King in their letters that there is no Danger 
 as to his life ; still we must feel very wretched 
 till we hear another account. We live in such 
 a state of constant anxiety, that upon my word, 
 when I rise in the morning, I feel, * what will 
 happen before night V 
 
 " The dear King bears up beyond anything 
 I ever witnessed. The Queen is trying to get 
 off the birthday ; you love Her too well not to 
 feel she is often unjustly blamed. Believe me, 
 that tho' she does not shew Her feelincrs to 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 255 
 
 the world, . . . this history of to-day has frightened 
 Her to a degree that is 7iot to be believed ; & 
 She says she has a degree of horror upon her 
 She never had before, which I am not at all 
 surprized at ; for after a servant has lived with 
 one fourteen years, how would one suppose Him 
 such a premeditated vilain. . . . 
 *' God bless you. 
 
 " ys affiy, 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... We have been, & are severely tried ; yet 
 I trust that God, who never has forsaken my 
 beloved Father, will still stand by Him ; yet the 
 occasion of this sad illness is so different from 
 every other, that I trust all who really love him 
 will but give us time. Aggrivating subjects have 
 been the causes of his former illnesses ; this one 
 is owing to the overflowing of his heart for his 
 youngest & dearest Child ; a child who had never 
 caused him a pang, & who he literally doated 
 upon. 
 
 " All this is natural ; & I fairly own to you, 
 had it pleased the Almighty in his wisdom to 
 have released our sweet Angel three weeks back, 
 
256 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 I firmly believe this would never have happened. 
 If I am presumptuous, God forgive vie. . . . 
 
 '* Vs afify, 
 
 '* Eliza. 
 
 ''Nov. ^th, 1 8 10." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... The Doctors think that there is no amend- 
 ment ; which is wretchedness to us, tho' they are 
 right in telling the truth. The day, however, has 
 been quieter; . . . but the mind is a blank to sur- 
 rounding objects ; the only nourishment, jellies ; 
 all other eatables refused. We none of us dare 
 think or look forwards, for every thing is so black ; 
 we do what we can to support ourselves ; but, be- 
 lieve me, I see everything as I ought to see it, 
 in fear & trembling, yet thoroughly trusting in 
 God. . . . 
 
 " Yrs afify, 
 
 '* Eliza. 
 
 ''Jidy 18///, 18 IT." 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt,— . . . The doc- 
 tors think very very ill of the case, & give it 
 a term which is a dagger in our hearts ; yet we 
 ought to be grateful that every thing has been 
 done that could, & that he does not Suffer. They 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 257 
 
 say arguing is folly, he must not be teazed ; so 
 what medicine is to be given, must be given by 
 stealth, for it would be running hazard to force it. 
 The going to Bed is dreadfull ; the day otherwise 
 is quiet, always thinking the room full, & amused 
 the whole day ; they all say such a case was never 
 seen or known before, for it is not the common 
 kind of complaint ; don't think me a fool, I cannot 
 say the word, it is horror to me. 
 
 ** Believe me y''^ affy, 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 '' You know not the comfort your Brother's 
 letter was to my Mother. 
 
 ''Oct. iifh, 1811." 
 
 ''Oct. 24, 181 1. 
 
 ''My dear Lady Harcourt, — . . . The first 
 Question the Council put to Sir Henry Halford 
 and D'". Robert Willis was, * Do you think that 
 by throwing buckets of water upon your patient's 
 head he would be cured V 
 
 "You may easily believe that they both an- 
 swered these strange questions & proposals the 
 same ; that no regular bred Physician would ven- 
 ture such an expedient, particularly my Father 
 being blind ; & at his time of life they could 
 not answer for the consequences. R. Willis quite 
 
 l1 
 
258 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Shuddred at it when he told it us; which He 
 would not have done, had not my Mother forced 
 it out of him. . . ." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ". . .We have had a pretty tolerable night, 
 which IS a great comfort ; for indeed I live in 
 agony, & always think & dread its ending sud- 
 denly with my Father; tho' his, I believe, is the 
 only instance that would not cause me horror ; 
 for when well, no man's life was ever more perfect 
 than his, & therefore constantly prepared to meet 
 His God ; otherwise, you w^ell know my extreme 
 wretchedness at the thought of such an end. 
 
 *' I fear you will find me very tiresome in my 
 epistles, I so often go over the same ground ; but 
 really my head is so full, & my whole thoughts 
 absorbed in this one subject, that it quite kills 
 me. ... 
 
 " Y'-s afify, 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 ''Nov. i6th, 181 1." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "Your kind letter I have just received. All 
 is going on quiet, thank God, here. My Mother 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 259 
 
 sees our beloved Invalid constantly when it is 
 right ; & all within doors is as comfortable as 
 things can be under the present calamity, which 
 of course must ever be a source of anxiety to us ; 
 but we must humbly submit, thank God for the 
 eood, & bear the bad with that humility & pa- 
 tience which Religion inspires. 
 
 "Without, I dread much noise & cabal from 
 the folly of a certain female Relation, who has 
 favoured my Mother with one of the most in- 
 solent epistles I ever read. I think, if she does 
 not take care, She will get into an abominable 
 scrape ; that is Her own business, & not mine ; 
 but I own, as things are now, I wish peace & 
 quiet ; & am sorry that the imprudence of the 
 Lady will occasion Her becoming a political 
 
 Tool. . . . 
 
 " Y*- aff 'y, 
 
 " Eliza. 
 
 ''Nov. 22Jld, 1812." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... I AM ashamed to own that seeing a bit of 
 the Vertibrc of poor Charles the first, whose bod}' 
 was discovered yesterday, made me so sick that 
 it did me up ; one look was sufficient ; the rest had 
 it all explained, but 1 could not ; The P. R., Ernest, 
 
the Dean of course, Sir H. Halford, M^ Stephen- 
 son, were at the opening of tliis vahied relic. 
 It was wonderful how much of it was perfect ; the 
 form of the face, the back- of the head, the hair 
 dotted with blood, and the head laid down on to 
 the throat in the Coffin. We are now reading, and 
 looking into, every book that can give us insight 
 into the matter. The delight of all ranks that the 
 body is found is striking ; many particulars I have 
 not time to give you now 
 
 " Y'^ affi.\ 
 "April 20th, 1813." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ''Oct. 14, 1814. 
 . . . Tiio' we say little, my Father keeps our 
 hearts & minds in a fever. True, He is well in 
 bodily health, but that once perfect mind is just in 
 the same unwell state; not unhappy, thank God, 
 but very wrong ; & the longer that lasts, the more 
 improbable it is that lie should recover, iw/^ossiblc 
 no one dare say, for nothing is so with God ; but 
 the conversation before the Council was very'very 
 indifferent, & has certainly left a nervousness, 
 & an inclination to talk, that we have not had of 
 late ; but D^. Robert Willis assures me, as well as 
 John Willis, it is of no consequence, & that He is 
 
 fl 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 261 
 
 perfectly happy in himself, most likely never so 
 happy, for he has no cares, enjoys his music, his 
 company, the army, &c. 
 
 " Yesterday evening Sophy and I went to Char- 
 lotte's, where we had music, which is always an 
 amusement to me ; but much as I love it, I every 
 day think myself fortunate in not having made 
 myself a performer, for I see that it leads people 
 to be so enthusiastic, that it is quite unpleasant, & 
 tho' a great accomplishment, it draws you into 
 such very unpleasant Society, that I am of opinion 
 that it may become a dangerous passion, particu- 
 lar!}' so in high rank. ..." 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt,— ... Yester- 
 day was my day for going to Chapel. You may 
 believe I was happy to be alone there, for it was 
 a day of trial to one's feelings, & whilst my heart 
 was full, & uplifted to God for every blessing for 
 ni}' Father, I recalled four years ago, when the 
 day Shone bright, & the whole Country rejoic- 
 ing in the Jubilee, with the finest weather that 
 ever was seen. Yesterday the weather accorded 
 with the day, very grey ; but while the prayer 
 was reading, the Sun shone so finely, that I could 
 not help thinking of God's peculiar goodness in 
 supporting us as He has mercifully done through 
 this dreadful trial, giving us the blessing of know- 
 ing, that, tho' in a most melancholy State for 7is, 
 
 * n 
 
262 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 yet a happy one for himself; for they all say he 
 is without a care when He is not approacliing 
 a paroxysm, & that, thank God, is so seldom, tha't 
 it is astonishing. . . . 
 
 " Most sincerely do I rejoice both at the Arch- 
 Bishop's seeing one of his Sons ^ settled, & besides 
 that, the young man's choice is so excellent a one, 
 for I firmly believe that there cannot possibly be 
 better or more highly principled young people 
 than those Daughters ' of M-". Eyre, & that I must 
 own is far more preferable than talents, which is 
 the fashionable mania, tho' none admires the latter 
 more than I do. . . . 
 ** Now God bless you. 
 
 " Believe me afif'y y^'s, 
 
 **E. R. 
 
 "Oa. 20///, 1814." 
 
 To Ladv Harcourt : — 
 
 "... You will be pleased to hear that we have 
 had an addition of two young l;eaux to our society 
 this evening; & for fear you should tremble for 
 the consequences, as one is a near relation of 
 yours, & who is very handsome, I let you into 
 the secret, that the iMadre invited from L> Ilar- 
 
 * Granville, seventh son of Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
 ^ One daughter married Lord Manvers, the other married CJran- 
 ville Vernon. 
 
 rington's room, your nephew Vernon^, & young 
 Steward. Vernon is the most lovely creature I 
 ever beheld, & delighted me by his sweet, modest, 
 diffident manner; the other, the most extraor- 
 dinary Boy I ever saw, a perfect, finished Gen- 
 tleman. Conceive of his walking up, the room, 
 making a bow as perfectly as if he were an old 
 courtier, & kissing the Queen's hand ; the other 
 approached, bowed, put out his hand, but his 
 courage failed him. I never saw any thing more 
 striking than the difference of the two ; but with 
 me your Nephew earned it hollow, & for beauty 
 not to be compared, he really is lovely. . . . 
 
 ** Aff y yours, 
 
 ''You Guess Who. 
 
 ''Nov. 20///, 1814." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " Saturday 7iight, going to Bed, 
 
 *' . . . Think, my beloved Lady H., how things 
 are changed, that / now pray to the Almighty to 
 leave this country ; turn which way we will all 
 appears gloom, & melancholy stares one full in 
 the face. The prospect we have to look forward 
 to in the Wife of him who should be our pro- 
 tector in future times, is so dreadful, that I had 
 
 f George Granville Vernon, eldest son of Archbishop Harcourt. 
 
rather far chuse the Deserts of Arabia than all 
 the amusements of London, or the delights of 
 the Country in England. Do pray for me, & wish 
 for us all to be gone. My much beloved Mother 
 knows a little how sincerely we all wish to be 
 gone, but a daughter who loves her as truly as 
 I do, must feel the indelicacy of speaking too 
 openly on a subject which separates one from 
 her ; but indeed, indeed it is most necessary. . . . 
 
 "... I fear every thing, nearly my own thought ; 
 but I trust in the mercy of God, who will with 
 his mercy guard my conscience, & what I love al- 
 most best in the world, my Brother. If the world 
 could know his perfections I should still be happy, 
 but do get him to wish us all away. . . ." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : 
 
 "How little, my dearest Lady Harcourt, can 
 one ever look forward to the morrow, after what 
 has happened ; what an awfull visitation, what a 
 blow to the whole family, & to the nation ! The 
 hopes of all built upon this marriage, & the joy 
 that all were expressing in the hopes of a Boy ! 
 to see that in the first instance frustrated by its 
 being a still born child. At the moment, one 
 blessed God for the safety of the Mother, & na- 
 turally felt that so young we might look forward 
 to that disaster being repaired next year. 
 
 " We received this intelligence about one o'clock, 
 & just after we had set down to dinner, at six, 
 Gen. Taylor was asked out; our hearts misgave 
 us, he sent out for Lady Ilchcster, which gave us 
 a moment for to be sure that something dread- 
 full had happened ; the moment he came in, my 
 mother said, / am sure it is over, & he desired 
 her to go upstairs. 
 
 " You may conceive that the horror, sorrow, & 
 misery was far beyond shew, for it struck the 
 heart, & no tear would fall after such a drcad- 
 
 full shock. 
 
 '' You will agree with me it is one of the most 
 melancholy & shocking lessons for all ages. So 
 young, so happy, so sure that she was to be a 
 mother, & so thoroughly contented with her lot, 
 & not a little enjoying the thoughts of the high 
 situation she was one day to fill; all at one 
 solemn moment knocked of the head. It is in- 
 deed most tremendous, but it is the Lord's doing ! 
 & we must with great humility bow, & kiss the 
 rod, & remember that the Lord giveth & the 
 Lord Taketh away, & that all that proceeds from 
 that Hand is right; & that He does all things 
 
 for the best. 
 
 "Therefore, tho' at this moment we are bent 
 down with sorrow, a time will come when we may 
 see all this in a way which will prove more than 
 ever the justness, goodness and mercy of God. 
 
 M m 
 
 t'l 
 
266 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 " Happy I am sure poor Charlotte is, & it must 
 be a great source of consolation both to her Father 
 & Husband, that the one can look back to his 
 granting her to the man of her choice, & that 
 the other can feel that the real happiness she 
 has enjoyed on earth has been from the hour of 
 her union to him ; & that by his mild, gentle, 
 amiable and affectionate conduct he was bring- 
 ing her round, & that she certainly was improved. 
 Her labour she bore with uncommon fortitude & 
 firmness ; and when she was told of the Death of 
 the Child, she said it was the will of God, there- 
 fore she was in a pure state of mind to appear 
 before her Maker, which was a great mercy ; but 
 I will add in confidence to you (tho' all I dare- 
 say well know it), that she had symptoms which 
 the Surgeons perceived on opening her (as she 
 was embalmed), and which proved that she would 
 not have been long lived or healthy. It is a con- 
 soling thought that she is out of all suffering. . . . 
 
 " Y^^ Aff y. 
 
 ''Nov. nth, I Si 7." 
 
 To Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 *' With a broken heart I write to you, my very 
 dearest Lady Harcourt. by the advice of my ex- 
 cellent Husband, to entreat you, & those that 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 267 
 
 are near my dearest & beloved Sisters, to let me 
 know every thing concerning them ; and if my 
 adored Mother is still in existence. What a loss 1 
 what a blow to us all, & to the Nation ! You 
 have often heard me say, ' no one will thoroughly 
 know the value of my Mother till they have 
 
 lost her.' 
 
 " I am very unfit to write, but I have no one 
 to assist me ; & all my exertion will be necessary 
 to bear up under my present trial. You, who 
 know how I ever loved my Mother, may well 
 conceive how very much I am afflicted. The 
 blow is deep, & the sorrow rankles at my heart ; 
 I shall keep much to myself, & will do all I can 
 to support myself, yet you must recollect that 
 tho- the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak Ex- 
 cuse this hasty note ; the Prince is so k.nd as to 
 take it to Frankfort to go by the post. He says 
 he is sure you will be charitable, & forgive me. 
 We both know that no one will feel more than 
 yourself. My husband desires his kind compU- 
 
 ments to you. 
 
 '^ Y^^ affiy, 
 
 '' Eliza. 
 
 tl 
 
«i"r"""^ 
 
 268 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 ^^ Ho mbourg^ January 21J/, 1821. 
 
 "You will be glad to hear, my dear Lady 
 Harcourt, that I am got safe home to that dear 
 & blessed home, which, if possible, becomes more 
 valuable to me every hour. You may suppose 
 that I enjoyed my five weeks with my Sister be- 
 yond words, & that my beloved Husband's ab- 
 sence was softened to me by her kindness ; for no 
 words can do justice to the friendship, affection, 
 & attention of every sort that she shewed me. 
 We literally were never asunder. I arrived the 
 1 2th of December, & staid with her till the i8th 
 of this month. It was a great comfort to us both, 
 as we had much to talk over. You would be en- 
 chanted to see my Sister so thoroughly alive to 
 all that is passing of your side the water, quite 
 as if she had left it yesterday. . . . 
 
 ** I have so very many things to be thankful for, 
 that I ever feel I cannot do too much to prove 
 my feelings both towards God, & my excellent 
 Husband. Tho' I lived in a degree of magnifi- 
 cence & splendour whilst with my Sister, I can 
 with truth say that I was thoroughly happy to 
 see my own dear little Hombourg again. . . . 
 
 "You would have enjoyed the Christmas eve, 
 when my Sister gave all her presents. It was 
 done quite en Rcinc, for there is not an inch 
 about her which is not a Queen ; & M'". Cockburn, 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 269 
 
 _ 
 
 the English Minister, calls her Charlotte the Mag- 
 nificent You would be in perfect extasies to see 
 the Grandeur, Magnificence, Splendour, comfort, 
 space, & perfect ease which reigns in that Court. 
 There is no fuss; but that evening I was quite 
 struck, thirteen tables filled, absolutely loaded, 
 with gifts for us all. It would take up Volumes 
 to state every thing ; but the useful, ornamental, 
 beautiful, elegant, all combined for each person. 
 
 I literally was quite overcome by it 
 
 "Two eyes were not sufficient to see every 
 thing one wished, there was so much to see ; & 
 the best idea I can give you of it is the Bazaar 
 in the largest room in Soho Square. . . . 
 
 " We saw an extraordinary sight in the Draw- 
 in<^ room ; & being fearfull of fire, I said, ' Lord, 
 what is that ?' My Sister got up, & when she 
 came to the room, there she found a Tree illumi- 
 nated ; which was prepared by her Grand Daugh- 
 ters for her, with a foot stool of Charlotte's work, 
 who is the eldest ; & a Cap of Pauline's work for 
 Her ; it really is very pretty to see the affection 
 which reigns of all sides. . . . 
 
 '' Eliza." 
 
4 
 
 i| 
 
 To the Archbishop of York : — 
 
 ^^ Hotnhourg, Feb. 22 ?id^ 1826. 
 
 " My Lord, — ... It would grieve me to the 
 
 heart could you suppose me so altered to one 
 
 who must ever live in my heart & mind, not to 
 
 try, however imperfectly, to express to you how 
 
 severely I feel not only Yours, but our loss. We 
 
 have all been so used to look up to Her, & to 
 
 ask her excellent & unprejudiced advice, that 
 
 I cannot say how I feel that the kind & friendly 
 
 counsel of such a mind is gone. I loved Her 
 
 very very sincerely from the time I was ten years 
 
 old ; & such an old friend is one of the strong 
 
 links of the chain. Alas, as we lose our friends 
 
 & find new ones, how very thin is the new link ; 
 
 one sees the join too strongly. Yet I am aware 
 
 it is our duty to try & make friends, for without 
 
 them one should be soon alone in the World ; 
 
 & I am convinced it never was God's will that 
 
 we should thus stand alone. 
 
 "I feel all this doubly on behalf of my dear 
 & excellent Sister, Augusta, who has really lost 
 in dear Lady Harcourt what I am sensible She 
 will never replace ; & I feel it quite to my heart's 
 core ; for she writes broken hearted, tho' always 
 with thorough submission to the will of God. 
 That dear Lady Harcourt should have remem- 
 bered us is most flattering ; but what enhances 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 271 
 
 the value, is the kind, affectionate, warm hearted 
 manner in which she has named us ; that is be- 
 yond every thing. 
 
 "The copy you have sent of her codicil will 
 ever be kept by me with gratitude ; for believe 
 me, however high I shall prize & value her gift, 
 her ivords have gone much deeper; such a friend 
 was of all seasons. She shared with us many an 
 agonizing hour, & supported us under great trials 
 & afflictions ; & was ever the first to come for- 
 ward to assist us when we most wanted a friend. 
 You, my lord, cannot be ignorant of the kindness 
 of your invaluable Sister to us ; She was honest 
 at the cove. She is gone ; but not dead to me, for 
 in my mind & heart she will ever live. 
 
 " I am aware that many would express them- 
 selves much better ; but I am really so flurried 
 in writing through my tears, that I trust you will 
 forgive me if I have omitted any thing which 
 could prove my regard for one I so truly loved. 
 With my best regards to Lady Ann & your Sister, 
 who I fear will be sadly shook by this loss, 
 " I remain, My Lord, 
 
 '• Your friend, 
 
 " Eliza. . . ." 
 
 
 41 
 
It 
 
 Jftttcrs from tijc |lrmxcss HIitht. 
 
 Princess Mary^ to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "... Last night the King had letters from Lord 
 Elgin, & Brussels was all but taken, & the Court 
 was flown. Our poor Queen is frightened to death, 
 & I often think the King would say more, but will 
 not, for fear of frightening her more. 
 
 " Some days ago the King & Queen had some 
 thoughts of giving a Ball, to celebrate Augusta's 
 birthday, but I do not think it will take place at 
 present ; indeed, I hope not, for I cannot bear to 
 think that when we arc happy, & enjoying our- 
 selves as much as possible, at that very moment 
 so many poor people are so unhappy, & in a dread- 
 ful situation, very likely in the warmest & strong- 
 est Engagement. In short, I am sure I should 
 not enjoy it with half the pleasure I should some 
 other time, therefore I trust it will be put off. . . . 
 
 " Give my love to Lord Harcourt, and believe me, 
 
 " Your affectionate 
 
 " Mary." 
 
 Princess Mary to Lady Harcourt : — ' 
 
 ** Dec. the 2, 1 8 10. 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt, — ... I have 
 
 had no heart or spirits to write since Dr. John 
 
 ^ Born 1776, married the Duke of Gloucester 1816, died 1857. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 273 
 
 Willis came, which I look upon as our last re- 
 source. My heart has been quite broke, for he 
 is decided he can be of no use, as he finds no mind 
 to work upon. The Prince, thank God, is much 
 better, (notwithstanding the horrid reports the D. 
 of Cumberland has been so kind to put about). 
 He is recovering the use of the foot, and I hope 
 will soon be able to move to Carlton House. The 
 Queen has been twice over to see him on busi- 
 ness, & both the conversations have gone off 
 
 well. . . . 
 
 " Upon what grounds they go on, or how these 
 
 arrangements are to be, I don't know; but I feel 
 sure the Prince has no luill but to make us all com- 
 fortable. I was surprised, Entre nous, to hear the 
 Ouccn had expressed a wish to be put at once 
 on the footing of Queen Dow^ at least so I under- 
 stood the Prince, as she has tryed to have an in- 
 dependent income from whatever is allowed the 
 King. Upon that the Prince asked her if her 
 object was to be Dow^ and her answer was. Yes. 
 Of course this is quite for yourself, for the Q. 
 has never named it to me. I suppose you will 
 have heard that the Prince and D. of Cumber- 
 land are no longer such great friends, which every 
 
 body that loves the Prince must rejoice at 
 
 '' My dearest Lady Harcourt, I do love you 
 dearly, and feel I want your advice upon Five 
 hundred things. The poor King has been in 
 
 N n 
 
2 74 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 a dreadful state of irritation for some days passed, 
 & nothing John Wilhs has said has the smallest 
 efifect. . . . He has determined to receive no nourish- 
 ment, or take any food but from one particular 
 Nurse, an indulgence that cannot be granted ; and 
 this has caused a constant irritation & violancc 
 for the last ten days, which the Doctors viust get 
 tJie better of, however painful to my feelings to say 
 so ; but it is clear, if they are not masters it never 
 will do. . . ." 
 
 From Princess Mary to Lady Harcourt, 
 on her intended marriage to the Duke of 
 Gloucester, 1816: — 
 
 "My very dear Lady Harcourt,— I found 
 
 your most kind and aft"^^ note on my table last 
 night on my return from Windsor. I never could 
 doubt all your kind feelings on hearing of my in- 
 tended marriage ; and I am unhappy I did not write 
 myself to you, as I look upon you quite as a 2^^^^ 
 mother, & respect you as sticJi ; but the real truth is, 
 that, though the Q. and Prince gave their consent 
 on Saturday, & felt satisfied all was settled, I was 
 not quite so myself untill last night. However, I 
 started a subject to the D. of Gloucester that re- 
 quired a .very decided anszuer^ before I could make 
 
 I 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 275 
 
 my mind up to change my intention. I got a sa- 
 tisfactory answer last night through the D. of York, 
 therefore I can nozv say we complcatly understand 
 each other. When I see you I will explain this. 
 
 "I don't know what other people feel when 
 going to be married, but as yet I have done no- 
 thing but cry. I have been half killed with the 
 kind'iicss of the Queen and all my Brothers & 
 Sisters, and such a day as I passed at Windsor 
 yesterday is more than I can describe. That dear 
 Castle, that contains all I value in this world ; 
 that dear place, in which I have passed so many 
 happy days ; that spot in which my most valuable 
 & respectable Father is incircled. That, Mass, 
 I am not to receive his Blessing and approbation, 
 with those of all the rest of my family, half kills 
 me ; and the idea of leaving that House at IMo- 
 meiits half breaks my heart. But the D. of 
 Gloucester has so kindly entered into all my 
 feelings, so faithfully promised that 1 shall be as 
 much with my family as possible, and is so con- 
 vinced how it is in my power to do my duty as 
 his wife, as well as to do my duty at Windsor (to 
 a certain degree), that it makes me thank God. 
 " His house is so near, only 3 miles, as to admit 
 
 of all this. . . . 
 
 " Yours affS 
 
 " Mary." 
 
 • 
 
2/6 
 
 Memoir of Gkorge Simon, 
 
 From Princess Mary to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ^''Jan. the \, Windsor, 1819. 
 
 "My beloved and kind Lady Harcourt cannot 
 suppose, after all her kindness to me (I may say 
 all my life), but more particularly for the last six 
 months, that I could see her leave Windsor with- 
 out real sorrow & regret. . . . 
 
 "The Friendship my beloved Mother ever had 
 for you, viust & ivill make me cling to you ; and 
 I hope, therefore, if I am in any distress, I may 
 still be allowed to look for your ^kind, afif»^<^ pro- 
 tection & advice as a 2^^ Mother, now, alas, She 
 is gone ; but I will not make you or myself more 
 melancholy than necessary. We got over the 
 trial of the Church better than I expected ; poor 
 Augusta was really overwhelmed at firsts but 
 a walk afterwards calmed and composed her. . . . 
 
 " I trust your little companion amused you. 
 How very kind it was of you to take her with 
 you ; but, if she was not shy, I am sure her ques- 
 tions and remarks must have amused you. Her 
 delight at going in your chaise druve all tears 
 away at parting with us, which was most for- 
 tunate. God bless you, dear Lady Harcourt. 
 
 " Mary." 
 
 "... The p. in his language is as violant as 
 any body about the changes proposed at Windsor 
 in Parliament. Being no politician, I don't un- 
 derstand any part of it ; but in good old times, 
 I well remember if the King held one language, 
 & his Cabinet an other, Plis Majesty & his Min- 
 isters separated ; & in my humble opinion, the 
 Kino-'s interest & the Regent's are one & the 
 same, & never ought to be separated. And all 
 I can say is, if the Regent feels at all so deeply 
 as he told me he did, I lament he cannot find 
 people who will come forward & support the 
 Croiuji better. . . . 
 
 "Munday. — My Sisters are w^onderfully sup- 
 ported; of course very anxious & miserable at 
 the number of old servants that must be sufferers 
 (sliould all be carried that is proposed). Augusta 
 is rather less irritable to-day & yesterday. PVede- 
 rick wishes her to try & take it all as cheerfully 
 as she can, and say as little about it all as pos- 
 sible. . . . 
 
 "The selling all the poor O.'s things by Pub- 
 lic Auction has been another sad pill to swallow. 
 I really passed a very agreeable fortnight at 
 Bricrhton. The P. all kindness, & the Dining 
 room and music w^ere both beautifull ; but I was 
 very happy to get back to my beloved Sisters, as 
 I feel they want all the comfort I can give them, 
 poor dears. . . ." 
 
 ii 
 
 ii 
 
278 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Princess Mary to Lady Harcoiirt, on the 
 
 death of the King, Jan. 29, 1820; and the 
 
 Duke of Kent, Jan. 23, 1820: — 
 
 ''Feb. 5, 1820. 
 
 "My beloved & kind lady Harcourt,— 
 
 I know all you have felt for us, & I have heard 
 of all your aff^ & kind inquiries after my sisters 
 & self. The events of the last 10 days have so 
 pressed upon us, that I still feel as if it was all 
 a dream. I hope I am perfectly resigned to the 
 Will of God, & patient to bear the heavy affliction 
 it has pleased Him to inflict lis with. My Sisters 
 are all you could wish them ; resigned, reasonable, 
 & sensible in all their plans. 
 
 " Our first affliction was so very unexpected, that 
 the blow was very great. All the circumstances 
 belonging to it, in every point of view, made it 
 a deep & trying tragedy ; it is a warning never to 
 rely on the strength of Constitution, The Duchess 
 of Kent is to be pitied indeed ; I saw her on her 
 way up to Town, the picture of resignation & 
 Piety. As to the loss of our venerable King, we 
 ought all to have been prepared for that event ; 
 but one never is prepared for the loss of any one 
 one lovesy & the Blow was as great I am sure to 
 all of us as if it had been an unexpected Calamity. 
 The loss of such a father & such a King will long 
 be felt. 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 279 
 
 "Thank God, he did not suffer; & for himself 
 it is a blessed ehange, as his most pure & virtuous 
 life (without presumtion) we may venture to hope 
 is meeting with its everlasting reward. We ever 
 look back to every action of his most precious life 
 with comfort & admiration. 
 
 "The present King's illness has given us all 
 great anxiety ; but I hope in God now all alarm 
 is over, & that he will soon be restored to us. 
 That he may follow the bright example before 
 him, & keep up Morality & Religion as his good 
 father did, is my constant prayer night & day. 
 Pray excuse this horrid scrawl. I know how you 
 feel for us all, & I write as fast as I can ; as I am 
 hardly out of either of my Sisters' rooms, trying 
 to be of as much use as I can to them both. 
 
 "Augusta is much more composed than after 
 the poor Q.'s death. Sophy's health, as far as 
 things go, has stood it wonderfully ; my doubts 
 are how her delicate constitution will stand against 
 all she has still to go through, & all the arrange- 
 ments she has to make, & lastly the leaving the 
 Castle. 
 
 " God Bless you ; & believe me 
 
 " Ever y^ aff^^ 
 
 " Mary." 
 
It 
 
 280 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Princess Mary to the Archbishop of 
 York :— 
 
 '' Bagshot Park, Feb. \2tJ1, 1826. 
 
 " My Lord, — I trust you have not looked upon 
 my Silence as any want of feeling on the recent 
 melancholy event that has taken place in your 
 family, & that you have attributed my not writing 
 to the real cause, fear of troubling you at a mo- 
 ment when I felt sure you must be overwhelmed 
 
 with business Believe me, my Lord, I have 
 
 sincerely & deeply deplored, and felt the loss 
 you have sustained in your valuable, & ever to 
 be lamented Sister, Lady Harcourt ; & I am 
 most anxious to hear that you have been mer- 
 cifully supported under this trial. I am very 
 sensible I have lost (& indeed may add all 
 our family) the best & kindest friend I ever 
 had, & one that cannot be replaced. I looked 
 upon her quite as a second mother, as she ever 
 showed me the warmest attachment, & proved 
 it upon all & every occasion. . . . 
 
 Princess Mary to the Archbishop of 
 York :— 
 
 ^'Bagshot Park, Feb. \ltJu 1826. 
 "My Lord,— I have to return you thanks for 
 two most kind letters, and for the valuable copy 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 281 
 
 of the Codicil, which is worded in so flattering 
 & gratifying a manner towards my sisters & my- 
 self. I can only repeat what I said in the letter 
 I addressed to your Lordship on Sunday last, that 
 I did not require any legacy to recall your dear 
 departed Sister to my recollection. Her friend- 
 ship, of so many years standing, began before I 
 can remember anything, & strengthened with my 
 youth, and ripened as years have rolled on. 
 
 " The full value of such a friend was not thrown 
 away upon an ungrateful heart. Allow me to say 
 that I should be most happy to see you, & look 
 forward with pleasure to receiving you, any day 
 after I come to Town that is convenient to your 
 Lordship. 
 
 "The Duke desires his very kind regards, & 
 
 I beg mine to lady Anne, & pray believe me 
 
 very sincerely, 
 
 " Your Friend, 
 
 ** Mary." 
 
 f dtcrs from tlji^ |prnmss Sflpljia. 
 
 Princess Sophia to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 " My dearest Lady Harcourt, — ... I am 
 sure what interests you most is, to hear how 
 well the dear King is. He said but yesterday, 
 how much better he felt now than he had for 
 
 o o 
 
Hi 
 HI 
 
 282 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 months. These you will allow are joyful sounds 
 to our Ears, for such a King, such a Man, and 
 such a Father, I believe, there is not in the whole 
 
 world I am quite for a quiet life, therefore 
 
 shall make use of the little power I have to try 
 to keep things right. Lady Charlotte Bruce & 
 me are very civil, but very distant. 
 
 " Believe me, my Dearest Lady Harcourt, T shall 
 ever remember with pleasure the last conversation 
 we had together, & I shall do all I can to follow 
 the good advice you gave me. We have already 
 made acquaintance with Lady Buckingham ; I 
 think her very pleasant and good humoured, but 
 I know as yet very little of her. Remember me 
 most kindly to dear Lord Harcourt, & if you are 
 not shocked, give him my best love. . . . 
 
 "Dear Prince of Wales arrived yesterday, & 
 leaves us again on Tuesday ; he is as charming 
 as usual, and a great comfort to us. Dear Ernest 
 is as kind to me as it is possible, rather a little 
 imprudent at times, but when told of it never 
 
 takes it ill. 
 
 "God bless you. My Dearest Lady Harcourt. 
 Think of me sometimes, & remember you have 
 not a better friend than 
 
 " Your affectionate Friend, 
 
 " Sophia. 
 
 ** Weymouthy August 24, I794-" 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 283 
 
 Princess Sophia to Lady Harcourt : — 
 " My very dear Lady Harcourt,— . . . You 
 
 will easily believe that our private conversation has 
 often occurred to my mind; how happy I now 
 am that I had courage to begin it, for the ex- 
 cessive kindness of y^ manner has, I assure you, 
 greatly soothed my distressed and unhappy days 
 & hours. Be assured, dearest \J H., that I will 
 do all in my power to prove I am not ungrate- 
 ful for all your kind concern about me, by the 
 prudence of my conduct ; but you will allow, I 
 am sure, that I require time to recover my Spirits, 
 which have met with so severe a blow. 
 
 **I have no doubt that I was originally to 
 blame, therefore I must hear patiently the re- 
 ports, however unjust they are, as I have par- 
 tially myself to thank for them ; but, dearest \J 
 H., when I reflect of the difference of y"" beha- 
 viour & that of others, it shows me how insi7i- 
 cere the generality of this world are, & how one 
 ought to value & revere a true friend, which is 
 most justly stiled / ///^ most precious Jewel in 
 life! It is grievous to think what a little trifle 
 will slur a young woman s character for ever, 
 I do not complain, I submit patiently, & promise 
 to strive to regain mine, which, however impru- 
 dent I have been, has I assure you been injured 
 unjustly. 
 
 i 
 

 284 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 "Forgive, dearest Lx H., my having kept you 
 so long on this subject; but you are all good- 
 ness, & y"" indulgence induces me to open my 
 heart. We all go to Town to-morrow till Friday, 
 as the dear King must go to the house of Lords, 
 & on Thursday must have his Council; only think 
 how kind of them, they take us all, as they do 
 not like to pass the i^t day of the New Year with- 
 out having us all together. . . . 
 
 " God bless you, dearest U Harcourt, continue 
 your kindness towards, & love me a little, for I 
 assure you no one feels your goodness more deeply 
 
 than her who will ever be, 
 
 " Y^ affectionate friend, 
 
 " Sophia. 
 
 ''Dec. loth, 1800." 
 
 From Princess Sophia : — 
 
 ' * Saturday, July 2^th, 1801. 
 
 "My dearest Lady Harcourt,— You will 
 
 have great reason to say that your friend, neatest, 
 sweetest, & completest, is not as good as her word ; 
 having promised long ere this to write to you, but 
 having heard from Mary that she had troubled 
 you with a letter last week, I thought it better to 
 defer mine a few days, in hopes of having some- 
 thing new to communicate. 
 
 "Thank God I can continue to give most fa- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 285 
 
 vourable accounts of the best of Fathers ; I find 
 a daily improvement both in health & strength ; 
 he seems comfortable and happy here, & enjoys 
 the Sea air and bathing amazingly. You may 
 depend upon my accounts, for I watch him, dear 
 Angel, very closely ; & on this subject I am all 
 alive, & frightened at every thing he does, lest it 
 should hurt him ; indeed, one may say that we 
 never know the value of what we have, till w^e 
 are upon the point of losing it. God knows this 
 saying has been verified this year; for though 
 I always adored my dear dear Father, yet his sore 
 illness has endeared him to us beyond the power 
 of expression ; his health is our only object ; life, 
 indeed, would be a burthen to us poor Girls 
 without him. A thousand kind loves to Lord 
 
 Harcourt. 
 
 " Your affectionate friend, 
 
 *' Sophia." 
 
 From Princess Sophia to the Archbishop 
 
 of York : — 
 
 ''February i^th, 1826, A^ /*. 
 
 "My Lord, — I cannot refrain from troubling 
 you with these few lines, expressive of the gratifi- 
 cation I have received in the kind and affectionate 
 recollection of your dear Sister, so feelingly trans- 
 mitted to paper by her hand. I trust I need 
 
 1 
 
r 
 (it 
 
 286 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 not assure you that the remembrance of our 
 dearest Lady Harcourt could never be effaced 
 from my heart ; yet I do confess that her zcis/i 
 of my sisters & myself receiving some marks of 
 her regard . . . has pleased and gratified us be- 
 yond words. 
 
 " I have only to regret my absence from home 
 at the time your Lordship was so obliging as to 
 call here ; as it would have afforded me sincere 
 pleasure to have personally assured you of the 
 affection I had borne dearest Lv Harcourt, & that 
 the recollection of her kindness will never be 
 obliterated from the heart of one towards whom 
 she was invariably the same. 
 
 "Allow me to assure you of these sentiments; 
 & I beg you will believe me 
 
 ** Your Lordship's Sincere friend, 
 
 " Sophy." 
 
 Princess Amelia^ to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ New year's Day ^ i Jan., 1804. 
 Queen's House^ Windsor, 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt,— You will re- 
 joice to hear dear Papa & Mama are well. . . . 
 
 * Born 1783 ; died 18 10. 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 287 
 
 As to myself I certainly proceed towards my 
 recovery slowly & surely; w^^ is, I hope, more 
 likely to be lasting than if it took place ra- 
 pidly. The kindness I experience is very very 
 great ; deeply felt, but not easily expressed. In- 
 deed, my dear Ly Harcourt, volumes would not 
 contain all I feel ; & when I had used all the 
 words that the English Language contains, to 
 express Gratitude & affection, it would neither 
 do justice to vay feelings, nor satisfy them. God 
 knows my heart is gratefully devoted to my 
 family. I possess the greatest of blessings, kind 
 Parents & Sisters. But where one feels most, it 
 makes one silent ; & the generality of mankind 
 will think me a brutey I know. 
 
 "Allow me to wish you & Lord Harcourt the 
 usual compliments of the season, a happy return 
 of the New year ; & I must add, I hope this time 
 next year we shall find this country has happily 
 weathered the storm which still threatens it. I am 
 a little superstitious. The Sun Shone this morn- 
 ing : a good omen ; & particularly as it now sel- 
 dom happens. 
 
 " Our dear King, who is our Sheet Anchor, & 
 whom we look up to next to heaven, is well. If 
 he is preserved to us, I think we must do well. 
 Providence has never forsaken him ; & I hope 
 I don't presume too much in putting my firm 
 trust in Him^ & relying on Him not to withdraw, 
 
Ill 
 
 11 
 
 288 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 in the hour of apparent need, that protection our 
 dear Good father has so wonderfully experienced 
 on many occasions. 
 
 " Adieu. Believe me ever, my dear Ly H., with 
 kind remembrance to L^ H., 
 
 '* Yours very sincerely, 
 
 " Amelia." 
 
 From Princess Amelia :- 
 
 *'My dear Ly Harcourt,— You & I have had 
 so many conversations upon the subject of a little 
 Girl'\ that I should feel myself to blame did I not 
 communicate to you the enclosed letter ; which 
 will explain better than I can all I had to say 
 upon the subject. You must not own to Au- 
 gustus I now write, or that you have received this 
 letter; but I thought it would prepare you for 
 what you are to expect. 
 
 '' I have written to Augustus to advise his 
 now writing to you. The idea he had concerning 
 M'^s. Walker will not do in anyway; as, besides 
 livincr here, her health would not admit of her 
 paying that attention to the child she must re- 
 quire. If you propose M'-^ Williams, don't you 
 think for two years she had better keep the child 
 with her entirely, away from all her connections ; 
 
 ' Augusta d'Este, daughter of the Duke of Sussex, and Lady 
 Augusta Murray (d'Ameland). 
 
 & when Masters are required, If the allowance 
 is sufficient, she might bring them up, & have 
 a Lodging with them at Kensiugton ? 
 
 " I shall inform Mama I have done this ; but 
 you will have the goodness to take no notice 
 of it. 
 
 " Since writing the above, I have seen the 
 Queen, who approves of what I have done. 
 
 " I have desired Augustus to write to you him- 
 self, & to inform you of his plans & ideas ; as 
 every thing in such a case must be thoroughly 
 settled, that nothing unpleasant may occur. 
 
 " Whoever has the child must be thoroughly au 
 fait of every circumstance ; & payment, &c. must 
 be regular. The boy ^ will be sent elsewhere. 
 
 " God bless you, my dear Ly H. 
 
 " Ever your afif^*^ friend, 
 
 " Amelia. 
 
 " Sunday. — The little Ly was only seven years 
 old yes^J ; therefore Masters are not necessary yet. 
 You may be sure she has been educated with very 
 high ideas'' 
 
 ■* Afterwards Sir Auiiustus d'Este. 
 
 pp 
 
290 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 ^ttUxs front MiHiam ^cnrjr, 
 guhc af 6Ioiucstci% 
 
 From William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, 
 to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^Jiine 16///, 1789. 
 
 "Madam, — I have the pleasure to inform you 
 that M"". Anson receives his commission as Ensicrn 
 in my regiment this day. I am very happy to 
 have had it so soon in my power to liave obeyed 
 your commands. I saw the King a few days 
 since ; and, thank God, found him in most ex- 
 cellent health and Spirits. He goes to Lynd- 
 hurst the end of the next week. I hope he will 
 pass some time there before he goes on to Wey- 
 mouth. He talks of seeing Mount Edgecumbe. 
 I hope he will not confine his Tour to the west, 
 as I am convinced travelling and dissipation 
 by Society is all he wants to secure his health, 
 and the comfort of all his subjects and attached 
 friends. 
 
 " I desire my compliments to Lord Harcourt. 
 " Remaining, Madam, 
 *' Yours, &c., 
 
 ''William Henry V 
 
 ' Brother to Geor£:e the Third. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 291 
 
 From William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, 
 to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 " April Tth. 
 "My Lord,— I think it fair to inform you that 
 I received, yesterday evening, a message of thanks 
 through my daughter, for having consented to M''. 
 W.'s returning to the Society of Gloucester House. 
 My answer was, I was very sure Lord Harcourt 
 understood me quite differently, as I had very 
 explicitly said I would not object to Mr. W.'s 
 coining to the Dss. when she was alone, but 
 that I insisted upon his not appearing before 
 my Children. As my reasons are fully known 
 to you, my Lord, I will not trouble you any more 
 
 upon this subject. 
 
 **I remain, my Lord, yours, 
 
 "William Henry." 
 
 fetters from llaria, gucbess 
 of 6loutestei% 
 
 The letters that follow are from Maria, 
 Duchess of Gloucester, an account of whom 
 is to be found on page 234 of the third 
 volume of these papers. 
 
292 
 
 Memoir of Gkorge SimOxN, 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady 
 Nuneham : — 
 
 ^^ Roj?ie^ October^, 1776. 
 
 "Dear Lady Nuneuam,— Your letter of July 
 17 is of so old a date, that I should not pretend 
 to answer any thing in it, were it not to lament 
 your being so much out of Spirits ; but as that 
 letter was wrote three months ago, I will hope 
 that you are better ; that your Summer has been 
 more agreeable than your Winter was; and that 
 the approaching winter may be quite the thing. 
 Our Summer pass'd off much better than I ex- 
 pected ; the immoderate heats were not of long 
 continuance, the nights were always cool ; never- 
 theless, I should be very sorry to pass another Sum- 
 mer in Italy ; there is something so oppressive 
 in the kind of heat, that it makes me miserable, 
 & it is a most misbecoming climate; I should never 
 advise young w^omen to travel to Italy for their 
 looks, the air is so relaxing that old age comes 
 on very quickly, & the young women do not 
 look well in the Summer. The Miss Gores were 
 in our neighbourhood, & although very pretty 
 Girls in cool weather, I cannot say the warmth 
 improved 'em. Lord Cowper marry'd the young- 
 est, who was quite a Child, & by all that I hear 
 she remains a Child. She is very anxious to go 
 to England. Perhaps, if he carrys her there, 
 she may become a great acquisition to the bon- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 293 
 
 ton ; but, as that noble Society want no addition, 
 I think he had best keep her at Florence. 
 
 "Yesterday morning a woman hanged herself; 
 she was jealous of her husband. It would have 
 been more Italian to have stab'd the rival. Tra- 
 vellers tell us that Suicide is only practised in 
 England, but since I commenced traveller, I have 
 found more things than that to be travelling Puffs. 
 
 " The M^ James is now at Rome. He says 
 he IS ill ; he should know, but I doubt if he 
 has any malady but ennui. How much he is 
 to be pity'd ! he finds nothing at Rome to assist 
 him, so he is going to Naples. I hope he will 
 Succeed there, for I have no joy in the company 
 of people who are tired of themselves. 
 
 "The King of Sweden's brother comes next 
 Wednesday ; he is well spoken of in the places 
 he has been. The Countess of Bristol promises 
 her appearance at Rome the middle of next 
 month, & also promises to end her days here. 
 She must change her religion if she means to 
 be received ; I rather think she will finish her 
 wonderful Story by becoming Saint Elizabeth. 
 
 "I presume this winter in London will begin 
 early ! I am glad I am not there, since, if this 
 is 7iot a turbulent winter, all spirit must be de- 
 parted from England,— ;;/^?/i' no2is verrons. 
 
 "The Duke is now very well, so are the Chil- 
 dren. My Boy is the Surprise of all Rome, for 
 
94 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 he is not nine months old till tuesday sennight, 
 & he looks and acts like a Child of two years ; 
 I say acts, because, you may believe ;;/^, that his 
 understanding is already Prodigious, & shews 
 itself in every action. As I am im-partial I 
 may be credited ; I think that his being born 
 at Rome will be of singular service to the rising 
 generation, as several Ladies have follow'd his 
 fashion in dress, & some new born babes are now 
 stretching and enjoying their limbs at Liberty, 
 who, but for William, would be bound up like 
 mummies. 
 
 " I hear that Lady Warwick is very handsome, 
 & that her Lord admires her much ; therefore 
 Lady Gower may moderate her wrath for being 
 accused of Match Making. She loves to make 
 matches of some sort or other, as well as her Sister 
 of Bedford. The exalted rank does not lessen the 
 Sin in Lady Gower, the greater because She pre- 
 tends to be religious. Hypocrisy is not in the 
 catalogue of the Duchess of Bedford's Vices. 
 
 " Operas are against all Ideas of religion, ex- 
 cepting in the time of the Carnival; therefore, 
 to cheat the Devil, they exhibit puppet Shows 
 Sung by the Opera Singers ; the Operas, the 
 Musick, & the Singers, the same as at the thea- 
 tres, but upon the Stage you only see puppets 
 now. Can you conceive anything more absurd .'* 
 **The Duke orders me to give his compliments 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 295 
 
 to you & Lord Nuneham. My compliments to 
 him is unnecessary, for he knows how much I love 
 him. Adieu, my dear Madam. 
 
 " Believe me I am ever most truly yours, 
 
 " Maria." 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ''July i8//z, 1784. 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt, — I have not 
 
 heard any thing of a long time which has given 
 me so much pleasure, as the news you were so 
 good as to write me the 5^^ instant ; being a Lady 
 of the Bedchamber to the Queen is a situation 
 you will very much like, & for which you are 
 by much the properest person I know. The 
 Queen will soon find the comfort of having a 
 woman of real fashion in her Family, a woman 
 who is so different from any she has about her 
 now ; that I hope, for the Queen's sake, they will 
 all take lessons of behaviour from you. She 
 must particularly feel the difference between you 
 & the Saucy Duchess whose place you supply. 
 
 " I fear my dear Girls will have been out of 
 Town when you went up for your presentation. 
 They were to go at that time to the Pavillions, 
 were only to return for their Nephew's Christen- 
 ing, and then go to Hackwood. I hope they 
 
296 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 will be able to pay their respects to you in Sep- 
 tember ; I suppose you did not wish me joy of 
 my new nephew, because the Match was not 
 made according to the strict rules of delicacy. 
 I do not love running away, particularly when 
 there is so little provocation, for I suppose a few 
 months waiting would have brought all parties 
 to the same mind ; but, when a Girl has that 
 sort of genious, I think it a great blessing for 
 the family when she falls desperately in love 
 with a man of her own rank. 
 
 "The King of Sweden did not please at Paris 
 at all ; they found out that his taste is very dif- 
 ferent from what was imagined : a propos of that, 
 have you read Voltaire's Memoirs ? he treats the 
 King of Prussia so cruelly in them, that he has 
 been sick with vexation ; if one could pity him, 
 it would be upon this occasion, as he certainly did 
 not deserve to be abused by Voltaire. 
 
 " We are languishing for rain ; the drought is 
 dreadful, for we are choked with dust, altho' 
 close to the Lake. 
 
 " The Duke orders me to tell you how much he 
 approves of the Queen's choice, & how much he re- 
 joices in it as a thing that will give you pleasure. 
 " I am, my dear Lady Harcourt, 
 "Affectionately yours, 
 
 ** Maria." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 297 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ''Gc7ieva, Sept. ^f/i, 1786. 
 
 "*And from that day, Herod and Pontius 
 Pilate were made friends,' so I suppose it is with 
 you & the Marlboroughs. The cause somewhat 
 better than the cause of the reconciliation be- 
 tween the Governor of Judea & the Tetrach of 
 
 Galilee. 
 
 "I very much approved of the time that was 
 taken for the Honor done to you, my dear Lady 
 Harcourt; nothing could be better than a Pub- 
 lick Tour to such a place as Oxford, just after 
 the frightful attempt, for frightful it is, when one 
 considers that it all turn'd upon the mad woman 
 taking up a blunt knife instead of a pointed one ; 
 as it has ended, it is not an unlucky event, as it 
 has proved how very much the king is beloved, 
 and has done him immortal honor from his Con- 
 duct thro' the whole transaction. One thing I 
 think has been omitted ; there should have been 
 a day of thanksgiving, a prayer was not enough, 
 that is added to the Service after the birth of 
 every Child, which, altho' a blessing, is not to 
 be looked upon as an uncommon favour. The 
 Jews held a Synagogue in particular from their 
 sense of the blessing, & in so doing, set an ex- 
 ample worth following. 
 
 Qq 
 
298 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 I 
 
 "Old as the marriaire of Lord Corke is, I must 
 touch upon it, as I differ with you as to the vir- 
 tue of the Lady beings proved by the event. Men 
 are easily flatter'd ; & when a woman of Quality 
 condescends to interrupt the happiness of a man 
 and his wife, she lays a great stress upon her dis- 
 interested conduct; and he is easily persuaded 
 that her Love must be all for himself, as she 
 gives up every hope of future settlement, & has 
 no prospect but a blasee character at last; of 
 course, he is most happy when the Impcrtiucnt 
 Wife is removed, to ^\v(i him an opportunity of 
 rewarding such unbounded Love ; as soon as the 
 marriage ceremony is past, the disinterested Mis- 
 tress becomes the interested Wife, and of course 
 all Illusion vanishes. 
 
 " Did you bear the death of the King of Prussia 
 with becoming fortitude.^ A Winding Sheet is 
 now all that remains *to the great Saladin;' I 
 refer to Saladin of the East, not Saladin of Ge- 
 neva, who is not quite so great a man as either 
 of the two I have mentioned ; but to the full as 
 fortunate, for he has marry'd an Egerton. 
 
 *' I prophesy'd that Lord Cowpcr would be dis- 
 appointed with England, & so he is, for he is now 
 posting back to Florence. I wish he had not ac- 
 cepted of that trumpery Bavarian Order, for he is 
 really a very good sort of man, & I believe never 
 was out of humour in his life. S'" Abraham & Ij 
 
 Home arc here ; how I do wonder that people 
 who seem so sensible of all their Home bred com- 
 forts, can forsake them, for they appear too happy 
 to have any latent reason ; I am sure they have 
 no hidden griefs to make publick, by travelling 
 from one dirty Inn to another. 
 
 •'Give my love to Lord Harcourt, & tell him 
 that my Sophia is deep in Madame de Scvigny's 
 letters, and I think he would be satisfy'd with her 
 upon the subject. 
 
 *' Adieu, my dear Countess. I hope you will do 
 me the Justice to believe me unalterably & affec- 
 tionately yours, 
 
 '^ Maria," 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 '' Geneva, July 28///, 1778. 
 
 "... Geneva has been very agreeable the last 
 fortnight for the D^^ de Bourbon came here in 
 her way to the Glaciers, but liked us so well, that 
 she staid as long as she could with us, which, 
 Alas! was but one fortnight. She is a delight- 
 ful woman, & is really as much accomplished as 
 all Princesses are said to be; for she sings & 
 dances as if both were her profession, & I hear 
 the same of her painting. You must forgive me 
 if I rave about her, for the affection she took for 
 
.^^oo 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 Sophia would be enough to make mc see all she 
 docs thro' the briq;htcst medium. 
 
 "... Lady Anne Lindsey's luck, has indeed 
 been prodigious! I do not wish for her fortune, 
 but I would not be sorry if some rich man would 
 take it into his head that I had treated him 
 cruelly enough to merit ^50,000 in his Will. The 
 ignorant part of the World gave the Duke more 
 than that sum, because Mr. Pitt has put his Sti- 
 pend from Parliament upon the same Fund the 
 Duke of Cumberland's always was ; who of course 
 has constantly received his income quarterly, whilst 
 the Duke only got his when there was money 
 in that fund to pay it. 
 
 "The W^ilberforce Family dine with us to-day, 
 and as I am rather fond of ]\Ir. Wilberforce, I 
 must go & make my Toilette witli more than 
 usual care. 
 
 "I remain, my dear Lady Harcourt, 
 " Ever most Sincerely & affectionately yours, 
 
 " Maria." 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ^^ Naples, February 27///, 1787. 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt, — Altho' you 
 
 have not answer'd my letter of September 5 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 301 
 
 I must write to you again to tell you how very 
 happy I am at the visit my daughter made the 
 first of this month, and how very much she ex- 
 presses herself obliged to you for your attention 
 to her in proposing to accompany her there the 
 first time ; as such a friend as you was very ne- 
 cessary on such an occasion. 
 
 "She was agreeably surprised at the ease she 
 found there ; which must always be the case where 
 eood sense and good nature, and the highest style 
 of good breeding are united, which is Throughly 
 so at our Queen's House! I have now been out 
 of my own Country very near Five Years ; & have 
 in that time seen and heard enough to be quite 
 certain that ours is the only Court now existing. 
 I am also of opinion that ours is the only Climate 
 fit to live in ; for this Divine Climate of Naples, 
 where Chimneys are not built because they are 
 supposed never to be wanted, has been so cold 
 these last five days that I cannot sit a yard from 
 the fire ; & now my fingers are so cold, that I can 
 scarcely hold my pen. 
 
 " If we ever do return to England, I think you 
 will reckon Sophia much grown ; I am now not 
 \^'ithout hopes that she will be tall. William, they 
 flatter me, is very like his Cousin, the Duke of 
 
 York. 
 
 "... If you wish to know what amusements 
 I have had here, I refer you to Lord Harcourt, 
 
Is « 1 
 
 302 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 who had a Large Pacquct full of my pleasures by 
 the last Post. 
 
 " My dear Lady Harcourt, I remain, 
 
 "Ever most affectionately yours, 
 
 '' Maria." 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ''Rome, April 16 tk, ijSj. 
 
 ''My dear Lady Harcourt,— . . . The satis- 
 faction you express in seeing your friend at the 
 Queen's House, added to what you say of having 
 contributed to it by your taking all occasions to 
 praise her, increases and confirms my obligations 
 to you. My daughter deserves all that can be 
 said of her ; but she is fortunate to have found 
 a friend who is willing to do her Justice where 
 it is so very desireable. 
 
 "She is truely grateful for the kindness of the 
 reception from both the K. & Q., and all the 
 Princesses ; and feels most happy in partaking of 
 a Society so perfectly estimable, with people who, 
 as she says, are so totally untainted w^ith any of 
 the vices of the fashionable world. 
 
 "As you have forwarded one of my Children 
 with the best of Women, I hope you will con- 
 tinue the good work ; and whenever you can, 
 talk to her of my Sophia. How happy I should 
 
 be • & if that dear Child was known to the 
 Queen & her Cousins. If she had that Society, 
 she would w^ant few others ; but I wish the O. 
 to hear what an angel of a girl she is before she 
 
 sees her. 
 
 " I too well know that, young as she is, she has 
 enemies who describe her very differently from 
 what she deserves ; for was Justice done her, she 
 w^oukl have a character of uncommon goodness, 
 as w^ell as cleverness. As a child she was pas- 
 sionate ; but who is perfect > Those who should 
 have concealed her childish faults, published them, 
 / s///>pose, from a Love of Truth ; but the same 
 passion for truth has not drove them to tell that 
 with her Childish dress, she put off her Childish 
 
 faults. 
 
 "... I know I am troublesome about my Chil- 
 dren to those who will listen to me ; but it is of 
 such consequence to young people to be received 
 by the world with proper impressions, that I am 
 anxious to have those impressions given by the 
 good and Virtuous; but I will bore you no more. 
 God knows when I shall be so happy as to see 
 
 you in England. 
 
 *'...! wish that my other daughters were more 
 in the way of seeing you ; they are indeed very 
 happy women. 1 believe few mothers can boast 
 of five such Children of her own, & three such 
 sons in Law. 
 
 !li 
 
i 
 
 " They and my grand children make almost 
 Niobe's number; & I am afraid I am as vain 
 as she was. I am very glad that Lady Pem- 
 broke has any thing to make her happy; it has 
 been long coming. The old boy, her husband, is 
 exposing himself at Paris ; it is pity when 55 wi// 
 shew itself in the persoji so contrary to the In- 
 clination. 
 
 ** I am, my dear lady Harcourt, 
 
 " Most affectionately and unalterably yours, 
 
 " M." 
 
 The Duchess of Gloucester to Lady Har- 
 court : — 
 
 ^^Pavillions^ August 11///, 1802. 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt, — I was very cer- 
 tain that Lord Harcourt and you w.ould enter into 
 my affliction with that sympathy wherewith you 
 have ever joined with me in my Joys & sorrows. 
 I am grateful to Heaven for suffering my dear 
 Child "^ to return to her own Country, and die 
 amongst her friends. When she left Jamaica, I 
 did not flatter myself that she would reach Eng- 
 land alive ; therefore, to have folded her once 
 more to my Heart was a blessing as unexpected 
 as pleasing. I then, as we all do, thought one 
 favor promised morc^ and directly laid plans for 
 
 «" Lady Iloralia Seymour. 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 305 
 
 her recovery ; that is, for her languishing upon 
 a bed of sickness for our gratification. But that 
 Redeemer in whom she trusted was kinder to 
 her, and took her from a state of misery to ever- 
 lasting Bliss. She had her senses perfect to the 
 last moment ; and to the last breath called upon 
 Jesus Christ to plead for her to the Almighty, & 
 to relieve her from her misery. Her prayers were 
 heard ; and she is now rejoicing that she ' Remem- 
 bered her Creator from the days of her youth.' 
 
 "God's goodness to my daughter was always 
 ereat, & so continued to the last ; for it was 
 a merciful dispensation of Providence, that her 
 dear little Boy only fell sick the day his angel 
 Mother died ; so that she had that anxiety spared 
 her ; and now she has him with her. And I have 
 the satisfaction of knowing that every thing was 
 done for him that could have been done by her- 
 self ; which she is sensible of — 
 
 * If saints for Pilgrims here 
 Concerned can be.' 
 
 "My Sophia left me yesterday to return to 
 Weymouth, which I am very glad of; for her 
 dear, tender heart has felt so much, that I feared 
 for her, and wished her again to enter the world ; 
 and T.T. M.M., and those dear Princesses are 
 all so very good to her, that I am happy to have 
 her once more with them. As I mean this letter 
 
 R r 
 
U I 
 
 I ! ' 
 
 for you both, to both of you will I subscribe 
 
 myself the 
 
 " Much obliged and affectionate friend, 
 
 "Maria." 
 
 Written by the Duchess of Gloucester, 
 and copied with her permission by Lord 
 
 Harcourt : — 
 
 "As according to M''. W 's definition of 
 
 Christianity, I am only a nominal Christian my- 
 self, I do not pretend to the right of prying into 
 the conduct of others, in order to censure & con- 
 demn it; I find the care of my own Salvation 
 sufficient employment for all my Sundays. I was 
 taught from my Infancy to respect the Sabbath- 
 day; but I was not taught to look upon it as 
 a day of 'lamentation & woe.' Yet I neither give 
 or receive entertainnients upon the Lord's day ; 
 nor do I pass the time between morning & even- 
 ing Church in idle visiting. 
 
 ** In the winter I never go out on Sundays, ex- 
 cept to Church ; but, in the Summer, I always 
 drive out when the Evening is fine, that I may 
 enjoy the heart-felt satisfaction of seeing those 
 happy, who have no other day on which to glorify 
 their Maker, by rejoicing in the works of His 
 Creation. I never Sup ; but, as I am not a Jew, 
 I breakfast and dine upon the Sabbath as on 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 
 07 
 
 common days ; for, as there are Prayers four times 
 a day in all the Churches in London, I am confi- 
 dent that no servant, who really wishes to go to 
 Church, will be kept away by his daily services at 
 home; & compulsion will never promote Religion. 
 
 " My servants see by my conduct, & hear by 
 my conversation what I think is proper; & if ex- 
 ample does not avail, remonstrance never will. 
 
 " Since added. 
 " I am afraid I wrote this in rather a peevish 
 humour. It was written in the year 1798, at 
 a time when very many pious persons were so 
 anxious to send all the lower class of People to 
 Heaven, that they determined not to leave them 
 any cause to wish to remain upon Earth,— no, not 
 even upon the Lord's Day." 
 
 fetters fan MUliitm |ittitricli, 
 guhc of 61outesttr. 
 
 WiUiam Frederick", Duke of Gloucester, 
 
 to Lord Harcourt : — 
 
 '' Ashford, July 29///, i799- 
 
 " My Dear Lord,— ... We are preparing to 
 
 receive the King in this County on the ist of 
 
 n Son of William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Maria Wal- 
 pole; born 1776, died 1834. 
 
3oS 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 August, when he is to be at Lord Romney's to 
 review the Volunteers & Yeomanry of Kent ; upon 
 which occasion the Lord Lieutenant intends giv- 
 ing a Dinner to every person assembled : of which 
 the Volunteers alone amount to 5,000. 
 
 " The sight will be a very fine one if the day is 
 propitious ; but I fear we shall have some con- 
 fusion. Immediately after the Review I propose 
 quitting this place & going to Town, to make my 
 arrangements for Foreign Service ; & I hope to 
 pass a fortnight with my Family before I leave 
 England, as I am appointed to a Command in 
 that part of the Expedition that the Duke of 
 York takes with him. . . ." 
 
 William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, to 
 Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ^*' Paris, January 20, 181 9. 
 
 "My dear Lady Harcourt, — Unless the 
 Duchess has happened to mention in conversa- 
 tion that all my letters that left London on the 
 1st of last month miscarried, you must think me 
 the most extraordinary person in the World, in 
 not having sooner offered to you my warmest 
 acknowledgements for your most kind letter of 
 the 9th, which has been following me from place 
 to place, & did not reach me till very late last 
 night. 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 n 
 J 
 
 09 
 
 *''I now seize the first moment in my power, 
 to express how obliged I feel to you, for the very 
 comfortable account you are so good as to send 
 me of the Duchess's ° Health, wliich, thank God, 
 has not suffered from all she has gone thro', and 
 for the very affectionate and truly Friendly man- 
 ner in which you have the goodness to speak of 
 us both ; I need not, I trust, say how gratifying 
 it is to me, to receive such proofs of Interest and 
 assurances of Regard from the intimate Friend of 
 my beloved Mother, and who from my Lifancy 
 has been all kindness to me ; & I hope you are 
 well persuaded that both the Duchess & myself 
 feel sensibly your kindness, & highly value it. If 
 a sincere attachment to you gives us a claim, I 
 think we may fairly say we are entitled to your 
 Friendship. 
 
 "It will always be a great satisfaction to me, 
 to have enabled my dearest Wife to perform her 
 last duties by her mother p, (which she did in such 
 an exemplary way,) & to have attended her dur- 
 ing her long Illness ; and it is particularly grati- 
 fying to me to think that by coming abroad, & 
 leaving the Duchess with the poor Queen, I in 
 any way contributed to her comfort. Most deeply 
 do I feel for dear Princess Augusta & Princess 
 Sophia, to whom the change will be great in- 
 deed. ... 
 
 " Princess Mary, daughter of George III. p Queen Charlotte. 
 
3IO 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 I'cftcr from tbc printcss ^flpbtiT 
 
 Princess Sophia Matilda to Lord Har- 
 
 court : — 
 
 " Cowes^ Sept. 29. 
 
 " Mv Lord, — You have, I am well assured, most 
 sincerely sympathized with me in this my un- 
 lookcd for Affliction, and the certainty that you 
 revere the memory of my beloved, but alas ! de- 
 parted Mother, leads me to seek for consolation 
 in conversing with one who did Justice to her 
 DuiJiy virtues during so many years. Believe me 
 however, my dear Lord Harcourt, that I do not 
 repine. I am certain that ivhenevcr the awful 
 moment of our death happens, that it is at the best 
 time for us. I reflect with Gratitude to the Al- 
 mighty on the blessed End of her lijcll spent & ex- 
 emplary Life, and on the religious principles which 
 she cultivated with such unabated fervour to the 
 last instant of her Existence. Her Piety was so 
 unaffected, so humble, so sincere. It was to this 
 that she was indebted for the Jieavenly composure 
 with which she received the communication of 
 her extreme danger. 
 
 ** How merciful was the Supreme disposer of all 
 Events in this dispensation, to have taken her from 
 this Earth without lengthened sufferings ! those 
 she endured lasted but P^our Hours. The separ- 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 311 
 
 ation from my last surviving Parent, to me is 
 most hitter: you know how tenderly we were 
 cherished by both our Parents. Dr. Vaughan told 
 me that the Two most Christian Deathbeds he 
 had Ever witnessed, were those of my dearest 
 Father & Mother. 
 
 "Both Ly Harcourt & yourself will be happy 
 to learn that my dear Brother & myself have 
 already reaped Benefit from our stay in this re- 
 tired spot ; frequent Sails, & a total change of 
 scene are of infinite Service, when the mind re- 
 quires to be turned from the constant contempla- 
 tion of melancholy subjects. You will have paid 
 the Tax which Friendship levies by receiving these 
 lines. They have indeed affected me much, but 
 I know they will not be unwelcome at NnneJiani. 
 
 " ]\Iy Brother joins in every kind expression of 
 Regard towards your Lordship & Lady Har- 
 court ; & 
 
 *' I am, most faithfully yours, 
 
 " Sophia Matilda." 
 
 The following Correspondence reveals an 
 unhappy state of relationship in the Duke 
 of Gloucester's family. The Duchess appears 
 to have been a high-tempered woman ; she 
 had much to try her, and her letters shew 
 that she had a tender heart. It is evident 
 
Ih 
 
 312 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 from the letters of the Princess Sophia Ma- 
 tilda, that the Duchesses faihngs by no means 
 ahenated her daughters affections. A re- 
 mark made in one of Queen Charlotte's let- 
 ters is not less applicable to this case than to 
 many others, namely, that those outside a 
 family are unable to judge of what is best 
 fitted to promote its happiness and concord. 
 The way of the world is to magnify the evil, 
 and to forget the cfood. 
 
 Mr. Vincent was orentleman in waitinof on 
 the Duke of Gloucester. 
 
 Mr. H. D. Vincent to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ^^ Gloiicesicr HoiiSf% July i^th^ 1787. 
 
 Madam, — As your Ladyship is already in- 
 formed of the business which brought me to 
 England, & as I know you have a great regard 
 for T.T. R.R. H.H. The Duke & Dutchess 
 of Gloucester, your Ladyship cannot but be an- 
 xious to know what farther notice his Majesty 
 has taken of the application made to him. I have 
 the Honor of informing your Ladyship, therefore, 
 that I attended at Windsor yesterday by his Ma- 
 jesty's order, & had the honour of an audience. 
 
 *'The King began by telling me that he had 
 
 turned the affair in his mind ever since he had seen 
 mc, & that the more he thought of it, the more 
 he found it difficult to make choice of a proper 
 person. lie then told me that he had heard of 
 one person, spoken of as a Lady of great merit, 
 well informed, well behaved, good tempered, & 
 prudent. 
 
 "He then mentioned Miss Dee, Sister to 
 M'^ Johnstone, wife to the Commodore, a Lady 
 brought up entirely in Portugal it seems. His 
 Majesty said that he did not know her himself, 
 but that those he had asked had thus spoken of 
 her ; he ordered me to make further enquiries 
 about her, for he said he only mentioned her, 
 but decided nothing. 
 
 "As I have not the Honor of knowing the 
 Lady, I shall forbear making any observa- 
 tions ; but if ever she should have fallen in your 
 Ladyship's way, I flatter myself you will do me 
 the favor of informing me what you know. By 
 the name, I should imagine that her family ori- 
 ginates on the other side the Tweed. I need 
 not tell you that with some people this would be 
 a considerable objection. 
 
 " I write to your Ladyship with freedom & 
 confidence, & I trust what I write will rest with 
 your Ladyship & Lord Harcourt. You see how 
 disagreeably I am circumstanced, from the un- 
 decided manner in which the King has spoken. 
 
 s s 
 
 t 
 
i 
 
 m 
 
 if 
 
 3H 
 
 Memoir of George SimOxV, 
 
 " Your Ladyship's assistance & advice would be 
 esteemed a singular favor by, 
 
 "Your Ladyship's most obed^ Hum^^^ Ser^ 
 
 "H. D. Vincent. 
 
 " N.B. — The Lady, whoever she is, must be pre- 
 sentable in every fashionable Society, & at Court. 
 I have heard nothing of Lord Waldegrave, so 
 I conclude there was nothing improper in the 
 letter. I beg my Comp^^ to Lord liarcourt." 
 
 Lady Harcourt to Mr. Vincent : — • 
 
 *' Nuneham, July the 1 8///, 1787. 
 
 " Sir, — I received the favour of your letter yes- 
 terday, & shall be very happy if I can in any de- 
 gree relieve the anxiety of mind your present em- 
 barrassing situation must naturally occasion, by the 
 favourable account I can give you of Miss Dee. 
 
 "As far as I am capable of judging, I know no 
 person who would be more likely to fill so difficult 
 and important a charge as that of Governess to 
 Princess Sophia, to the satisfaction of the Duke 
 & Dutchess, & with credit to herself. I have nam'd 
 the Dutchess, for I have so high an opinion of the 
 Duke of Gloucester's principles, that I am very 
 sure, notwithstanding the unfortunate coolness that 
 at present subsists between his Royal Highness & 
 the Dutchess, & though he may think it proper to 
 take the education of the Princess out of her Hands, 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 315 
 
 & chuse to have his own orders implicitly obey'd, 
 yet he would disapprove the conduct of any per- 
 son, who, from a mistaken idea of paying Court to 
 him, should instruct his Daughter to be deficient 
 in the respect she ought to pay to her Mother. 
 
 " The situation of a Child between two Parents 
 who do not live happily together, must be difficult 
 & painfull, & a Woman who has some knowledge 
 of the World, with good sense, & a good dispo- 
 sition, may not only be the means of assisting the 
 Princess in guiding herself properly, but may in 
 the end promote more general harmony in the 
 
 family. 
 
 "To the qualities I have mentioned, Miss Dee 
 joins a natural Cheerfulness, & a mind capable of 
 strong attachment. She is a mistress of Musick, & 
 speaks French, Italian, and Portuguese, as well as 
 she does English. She had liv'd almost entirely 
 in Portugal till about five years ago, when She ac- 
 company'd her Sister to England ; at that period 
 my acquaintance with her commenc'd, & I liked 
 her so much, that I saw her as often as I could 
 till General Johnstone's illness, & the more than 
 sisterly attention she show'd him, oblig'd her to 
 give up the World. While she lived in it she 
 was in good Company, & generally liked, & her 
 manners (though they may not have the highest 
 finish of a very polish'd Court) are such as would 
 make her presentable any where. With regard to 
 
it> 
 
 i{. 
 
 'H. 
 
 1 6 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 her Birth, I know nothing further, than that her 
 Father was a Gentleman, & that her family kept 
 the best Company in Portugal. 
 
 " I have mention'd every circumstance that I 
 think capable of assisting you in forming a judg- 
 ment of Miss Dee; but if you can find any means 
 of being personally acquainted with her, you will 
 better know how far she will answer his Majesty's 
 wish of nominating a Lady ^\•ho may meet with 
 the Duke's approbation. I can only say, that no 
 one will rejoice more than myself, if any plan can 
 be found to promote (if not the happiness) at least 
 the ease & comfort of the Duke & Dutchess of 
 Gloucester, for I have that sincere attachment to 
 them both, which their constant kindness gives 
 them a right to expect from me. 
 
 **You may make yourself perfectly easy about 
 the Dss's Letter to Lady Waldegrave, for I have 
 reason to believe it contains nothing that would 
 displease the Duke if he was to see it. 
 
 "I have written to you without reserve, but 
 I have no objection to your making any use you 
 may think proper of this Letter. The subject has 
 made it necessary that it should be a long one, but 
 I will now only add, that Lord Harcourt desires 
 his Compos to you, and that I have the honour to 
 be, with great esteem 
 
 "Your faithfull, humble servant, 
 
 "E. Harcourt." 
 
 Mr. H. D. Vincent to Lady Harcourt:- 
 
 ^^ Friday, July 20, 1787. 
 
 "Madam, — I am infinitely obliged to your 
 Ladyship for the favor of your letter received 
 yesterday ; so perfect & satisfactory an account 
 cannot but be very agreeable to His Royal High- 
 ness, & will certainly make him very anxious to 
 have so proper a person put about the Princess 
 Sophia. 
 
 "Another difficulty now remains, & I fear I 
 must again trespass on your Ladyship's goodness 
 to extricate me from it ; this is, how to proceed 
 in order to find out the Lady's mind,— whether 
 she would be willing to receive such an office or 
 not. I have not the least acquaintance with her, 
 but I know she is very intimate with M"s. Har- 
 court ; & as I know I shall see the Gen^ to-day 
 at the Levee, I have some thoughts of speaking 
 to him upon the subject, & desire to be made 
 acquainted with her through them. I am well 
 aware that the proposition would come with 
 more propriety, & more to the Duke's satisfac- 
 tion, through the King ; at the same time, I see 
 no impropriety in sounding her upon the sub- 
 ject first. 
 
 ''If your Ladyship thought proper to write to 
 her, stating to her the honorable situation, & the 
 
3'8 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 ii 
 
 advantag-es she would derive from it, however 
 frightened she might be at the difficulties she 
 would encounter in such an office, it would cer- 
 tainly have great weight with her; & the pro- 
 position, if thought necessary, might afterwards 
 come from his Majesty. If your Ladyship will 
 let me know your opinion upon this, or inform 
 me of any other plan you may think more eli- 
 gible to adopt, you will confer a great obligation 
 upon, Madam, 
 
 "Your Ladyship's Obed. Hum^Je ScrvS 
 
 " H. D. Vincent." 
 
 Copy of the King's note to Mr. Vin- 
 cent : — 
 
 " Upon enquiry, Miss Dee is at Taplow with 
 Mr. Johnston ; but I have not been able to find 
 out how M'-. Vincent can get acquainted with her. 
 She is much known by M'\ Harcourt, therefore 
 it is natural to suppose that Lady Harcourt must 
 be acquainted with her. M^. Vincent had best ap- 
 ply for information to Lady Harcourt, who may 
 perhaps be able to put him m a method of making 
 proper enquiries, & also assist him in finding out 
 other persons for that delicate & difficult situation, 
 should the person named either not suit, or not 
 chuse the task." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 3^9 
 
 Extract of a Letter from Miss Dee : — 
 
 ^^Au^. 2nd, 1787. 
 
 "The more I consider a certain business, the 
 more I think myself right in what I did, in re- 
 fusing to mix myself up in it. Nobody can think 
 higher of the honor & glory of the thing than 
 I do ; but the f^dl from such a situation would 
 consequently be as great ; and as circumstances 
 are, I do not imagine I could have held it long. 
 
 " I at first thought the yo2ing person was to be 
 separated from the parents, by its being said that 
 I was to fetch her ; and to this moment I cannot 
 make out what that could mean ; if she were se- 
 parated from them, one might very well give her 
 the same ideas of love, duty, and respect, with 
 regard to both parents ; but to be all together, 
 & positively to obey but one, I know not how it 
 is to be done, unless they were of one mind. If 
 their orders or opinions clashed, what could be 
 done then } and for the universe I would not 
 be the person to insinuate to the daughter that 
 we were only to submit to the authority of the 
 father. 
 
 ** The mother would certainly look upon me 
 with an evil eye; and the most profound respect 
 and attention that I could shew to her, would 
 never do away the idea that I came there to have 
 
 If 
 
M-' 
 
 320 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 my opinions set up against hers ; and I should be 
 for ever on the fidget (as every one knows how 
 they live together), for fear she should interpret 
 any look of mine into disrespect to her, or to my 
 presuming on the not being under her command ; 
 in short, I had no reason on earth, but the fear of 
 not being able to do my duty by them all ; and 
 her being out of the question, must necessarily 
 make the measure disagreable to her, and, of 
 course, too difficult for mc to undertake ; for as 
 to taking part with one side against the other, 
 I never would do it. 
 
 "A young person should be made to consider 
 father and mother equally, untill they are able 
 to judge for themselves; 'till then there is no me- 
 dium, nor ought they even to suspect any vari- 
 ance or difference in opinion. 
 
 ** You will say I am very tiresome ; but I really 
 wished to make you understand the principle on 
 which I acted." 
 
 From Lord Harcourt to Lady Har- 
 
 court : — . 
 
 ^'Aug, 25///, 1787. 
 
 " The paragraph in one of the D. of G.'s letters, 
 com.municated by M"". V., in which I was author- 
 ized, jointly with yourself, in case of his Ma- 
 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 321 
 
 jesty's declining to appoint a governess for Prin- 
 cess Sophia, to assist in finding out a proper 
 person for that arduous and important office, in- 
 duced me, in your absence, to speak to Miss Dee ; 
 for however averse I am to interfere in any busi- 
 ness that does not very intimately concern me, 
 there are cases and occasions in which it is the 
 duty of an honest man not to remain in a state 
 of indifference or inactivity ; and surely this is 
 one of them : for not only peace may be re- 
 stored to a jarring family, but the future con- 
 duct & figure in life of the King's niece may, 
 nay, must depend, as things are circumstanced, 
 on the choice of a proper person capable of 
 correcting wrong impressions, and of inspiring 
 just ones. 
 
 " I have therefore had a long and unreserved 
 conversation with Miss Dee, in which I have cer- 
 tainly ' nothing extenuated, nor set down aught 
 in malice' respecting the peculiarities and the 
 defects of one of the parties ; & the result of 
 this conversation has been, that Miss Dee is not 
 positively determined to decline the offer that has 
 been made to her, though she justly trembles at 
 the difficulties that will unavoidably surround 
 whoever may undertake this honourable task ; 
 nay, could she flatter herself with the hope of 
 His Majesty's protection, I am persuaded that 
 every objection on her part would quickly vanish. 
 
 
 T t 
 
 i 
 
^22 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 "And I do not believe that she would so Im- 
 mediately have taken the alarm, had she not 
 been told that a principal condition required, was 
 the most absolute secrecy with respect to His 
 Majesty's taking any share in the nomination of 
 a governess ; under which condition she thinks, 
 & so do I likewise, that she could have no au- 
 thority over the Princess, no respect from any 
 body, nor the proper treatment it is required for 
 her to receive from the D^, to enable her to fulfill 
 the duties of the trust reposed in her. 
 
 " She willingly consents to receive all orders 
 from the Duke, and from him alone; but she ob- 
 serves, with her usual conscientiousness & good 
 sense, that the Princess, so far from being in- 
 form.ed of this circumstance, ought to be made 
 to believe that she acts with the mutual con- 
 currence of both her parents, or she would be 
 taught the fatal lesson of despising one or hating 
 the other, when both have an equal claim on her 
 dutiful deference and respect. Adieu. 
 
 " If the EveS had not been so indifferent, I 
 should have paid my duty on the Terrass to those 
 to whom it is always my pleasure to pay it." 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 
 From Miss Dee : — 
 
 "My Dear Lady Harcourt, — I was really 
 
 happy to hear from you again, & return you 
 a thousand thanks for your letter, and the very 
 kind part you have taken in this affair ; and 
 whether it succeeds or not, I must ever say that 
 both you & Lord Harcourt have done every thing 
 in your power to make the situation as hon^^*^, 
 respectable, & flattering to me as it could be 
 made ; I only fear that your partiality to me 
 may raise expectations, & give a higher opinion 
 of me than I deserve. . . . 
 
 *'As to the young Lady forming her mind, 
 I find is out of the question, tJiat is already done ; 
 it is as much formed as most peoples at 18 or 20, 
 & her person also, & her dress. That she should 
 keep her mind to herself is, I fancy, what I am to 
 
 aim at ; & I really believe what the D wants, 
 
 is a quiet, prudent person, that will try to do 
 good ; & so far I hope to succeed : for if good is 
 not to be done, I certainly shall not do harm " 
 
 Miss Dee to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 "1787. 
 
 ** My dear Lady Harcourt,— ... I shall cer- 
 tainly do all that you recommend when I begin 
 
1 1 
 
 ; 
 
 
 324 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 my career, & am infinitely obliged to you for 
 telling me, & hope you will continue to do so; 
 for my great embarras is really that I know not 
 what I am to do. As to being set against the 
 Dss, I will not ; very much the contrary. . . . 
 
 "The pity and compassion that is showed for 
 me wou^ make you die; & the hardships that 
 I am to endure from the D^s & the P^s are to 
 kill me ; & I am to be confined most terribly, 
 & ruined into the bargain ; as the D^s will insist 
 upon my always being dressed en grandc tcnu, 
 tho' nobody is to see me, for I am never to ap- 
 pear. This is a specimen of the style of con- 
 versation held upon the occasion. . . . 
 
 "Nobody, however, will persuade me that the 
 Dss is to cut off my head, or the P^s pull my Cap, 
 till such time as I see them so disposed. . . ." 
 
 From Miss Dee : — 
 
 "1787. 
 
 "My Dear Lady Harcourt, — I have the 
 
 pleasure to tell you that I think I went thro' all 
 my evolutions at the drawing room well ; I was 
 not frightened at all from being really ill at the 
 moment I was spoken to, for I had stood near 
 three hours, & I was quite overcome, so that all 
 my ideas were to hold out till they had spoke to 
 me ; & when they came I felt it a relief, & that 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 
 25 
 
 I might then faint if I pleased at my case. How- 
 ever, I did not faint, & I do not recollect that 
 I did any thing wrong ; each said five or six 
 different things to me, so that it was a little con- 
 versation : & I therefore reckon it a good recep- 
 tion, for they spoke to me a great deal more 
 than to some other Ladies that were presented 
 before me ; Madame Pinto said it was very good 
 indeed. 
 
 " The Q. waited at least half an honr for me ; 
 & I heard her say that I cou'd not pass, & that 
 she w^ wait for me. I pretended neither to see 
 or hear, but stood like a post with my back to 
 her ; for it was impossible for me to turn without 
 jostling the K. I had been kicked from the place 
 by the Fire, to the window in the corner at the 
 side of the Throne where the K. was, & where 
 I cou'd not stir; with my L'^^ Stormont by my 
 side, who observed that we were in a delicate 
 situation. 
 
 " I might as well have gone alone, for I was 
 
 cuffed away from Mad^' P ; not being used to 
 
 the place, & to run about like a rabbit as the 
 others do, it was easier to push me about ; & the 
 more so, as by not being used to the hoop & its 
 ballance, the least touch made me spin like a top 
 directly. The whole surprised me ; & as to a 
 Circle as they call it, it is the only thing it bears 
 no resemblance to ; every one seems to have one 
 

 II 
 
 |4 * <l 
 
 H ■ 
 
 if 
 
 
 1, 
 
 326 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 of their own, in which they may dance & twirl as 
 they please. They said there were few people, 
 & I thought it a perfect squeeze ; but this might 
 be from the confusion which Del Campo'i told 
 me was extraordinary that day. 
 
 " Every body wished me joj\ to which I curti- 
 sied & received it ; & then I had a torrent of pity 
 & histories, to which I listened with great sur- 
 prise, & said I knew less than any body, as I did 
 not know the parties, & cou'd not till I saw them. 
 It was comical to couple the joy with the com- 
 passion. I do hope they may be all out in their 
 stories, just to vex their hearts out, which is cer- 
 tainly a \Q.xy pious motive. 
 
 " The French Mad^^^ is arrived ; very pretty in- 
 deed, & French smartness about her. I went to 
 her this mornS, & saw L^y Granard & L^^y Anne 
 Rawdon ; L^y Shaftsbury is not in Town, & Mad^^*^ 
 stays with L^y Granard till she comes ; Lord Gra- 
 nard is very handsome. The talk now is all 
 Peace ; but at the Drawing room it was like an 
 Army of red & blue Coats ; the O. was dazzlingly 
 fine in Diamonds, she was cover'd with them ; 
 I never saw any thing so gracious as her manner, 
 & a sort of kindness & benevolence in her way 
 that is remarkably peculiar. . . ." 
 
 '< The Spanish Ambassador. 
 
 L 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 
 27 
 
 Mr. Vincent to Lady Harcourt : — 
 
 ''''Geneva^ September lolh, 1787. 
 
 "Madam, — I now think it proper to acquaint 
 your Ladyship with what has passed since my 
 arrival here on the 5th inst. The morning after, 
 the Duke informed the Dutchess of the arrange- 
 ments which had taken place in consequence of 
 my journey to England ; which Her R. H. has 
 heard with great calmness & temper, & has hi- 
 therto shown no disposition to oppose the Duke 
 in his plans for his children's education. Her 
 R. H. did me the Honor likewise to receive me 
 very graciously on my arrival ; I hope in God 
 this tranquillity may last, as I think it for the in- 
 terest of all parts of the family that it should. 
 
 "As your Ladyship left it to the Duke to de- 
 termine whether your name or Lord Harcourt's 
 should appear in this business or not. His R. H., 
 upon consideration, thinks it better that the 
 Dutchess should not know that either you or 
 his Lordship have been consulted upon the oc- 
 casion ; as it may have more weight with Her 
 R. H. the idea of the appointment coming wholely 
 & solely through the King. 
 
 "... The Duke is very sensible of your Lady- 
 ship's & Lord Harcourt's regard & attachment to 
 him, & of your kindness to him in this affair. . . ." 
 
 Ill 
 
h I 
 
 !:| 
 
 i 
 
 ,1 
 
 'I 
 
 32S 
 
 Memoir of George Simon, 
 
 From Miss Dee : — 
 
 " Gloucester House, Nov. 12, 1787. 
 
 "My Dear Lady Harcourt,— I have the 
 
 pleasure to inform you, that their R. H ss's 
 
 are all arrived safe & in perfect health ; the Duke 
 would really surprise you, for he has not the least 
 appearance of ever having been an invalid, & I 
 think never looked so well. Prince William is, I 
 think, the picture of the Duke of York, & my 
 
 Princess like the Princesses, something of P 
 
 p:iiz , very fine eyes, good complexion, & very 
 
 lively ; the Dutchess is very beautiful indeed, & as 
 fine a figure. The Duke arrived at 1 1 last night, 
 the Dutchess not till near three this mornS ; & 
 you may judge how completely we were all tired 
 & worn out with waiting. We did not get to 
 Bed till 4 this morn?, & I declare I have not yet 
 recovered viy fatigue. 
 
 ** I came here to Dinner yesterday ; most of 
 the Ladies of the Dutchess's family came about 
 8 o'clock; but I did not go down to them till 
 the Duke arrived, & had spoke to me ; he came 
 to my apartment immediately, & staid about half- 
 an-hour or more, & then I went down with him. 
 I thought I had no business down stairs till I 
 saw the Duke or Dutchess ; & I believe I was 
 ridit, as he had not been a moment below before 
 he came to me. 
 
 " I am so muzzy that I can say no more than 
 that I beg my Comp^^ to my Lord. 
 
 " My D^ L^lv Harcourt, 
 
 i« ys truly, 
 
 *' L. D." 
 
 From Miss Dee : — 
 
 *' 17/// Nov. 1787. 
 
 " My Dear Lady Harcourt, — You said you 
 should long to hear from me again. . . . The 
 Duke has been exceedingly gracious & kind to 
 
 mc, & so has the D ss ; & the Princess is 
 
 vcr}^ lively, & seems good humour'd ; her educa- 
 tion (in point of learning) has been extremely 
 attended to, & I believe there are few of twenty 
 that in these matters can be compared with her 
 at 1 5 ; but I also see exactly what is wrong & 
 what is wanting ; but more of this when we meet. 
 
 " With respect to all the Histories we heard, all 
 I can say is that hitherto I see nothing to m.ake 
 a story of any ivhere. But I still continue of 
 opinion that it is impossible for me to be of any 
 use whatever; not but I think that for what is 
 wanting (according to my opinion) I might do 
 as well as any body ; but as this is /// presence 
 of higher powers than mine, assuredly it is not 
 my business to make my observations or to in- 
 terfere. . . ." 
 
 U u 
 
I 
 
 'I 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 ! 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 )j 
 
 From iNIiss Dee : — 
 
 ''\st Dec. 1787. 
 
 '*My Dear Lady Harcourt,— ... It is ex- 
 tremely good of you to tell me what you do, & 
 I am very much flatter'd by the account you give 
 me of how I stand here. As to the Ladies, I do 
 behevc it may be so ; nor is it surprising, for I 
 do not suppose it possible for a person to use 
 another ill without a shadow of reason ; & the 
 
 D ss can never have cause to frown upon me, 
 
 nor can I clash with any of their ways or views, 
 unless I was very officious indeed. 
 
 "There are things which ought to be alter'd, 
 & which, tho' trifles, are of great consequence, in 
 my opinion, to a young person of her rank ; but 
 then these very things appear much stronger be- 
 fore the father & mother than when she is alone 
 
 with me She is very clever indeed, but she is 
 
 fifteen ; if she was 20, these little defects w'^ not 
 appear so much. . . . 
 
 "As to the Duke, nothing can go beyond his 
 attention & politeness ; but whether I am in his 
 good graces or not is much more difficult to 
 know ; he formed great hopes & expectations, in 
 which he must be disappointed. . . . 
 
 " One thing, however, makes me easy, which is 
 that he is always upon the spot, so that he sees 
 and knows every thing ; but he is that kind of 
 well bred man, that I am certain if he did dislike 
 
 Earl Harcourt. 
 
 331 
 
 me, it would not alter his behaviour as long as 
 I was under his roof, unless there was some great 
 reason for it. 
 
 "The Duke went in state to the Drawing room 
 last Thursday; & on Sunday he gave audience 
 to all the foreign Ministers. Our first Assembly 
 was last Wednesday ; I believe I sh^ call it public 
 day, it was like any other assembly ; & on Thurs- 
 day was the first day at Cumberland House, & 
 we went. It was like ours, only more people ; 
 but (cntre nous) I know that ma Prijicesse & I are 
 not to be jogging to these assemblies every time, 
 which certainly w^ be very wrong at her age, & 
 I did venture to say so ; but remember not to say 
 a word of this to any soul. 
 
 "The Duke's Birth day we were dressed out, 
 & Company came ; the Dutchess among the rest, 
 & M'"^ Fitz, & L^y Eliz. Foster. Last Sunday 
 there was a Fete at Carlton House, I believe in 
 Honor of this House; it was a concert & supper, 
 & we were there till near three in the morning. 
 Every body comes here except the D. of York, 
 
 who goes to neither of the Houses. 
 
 >> 
 
 if 
 
 From Miss Dee : — 
 
 "1787. 
 
 *' My dear Lady Harcourt,— . . . The Ball 
 
 on Monday wsls Jinissimo ; the Dss. of Cum. bril- 
 liant in Jewels. The Prince, Duke & Dss. of 
 
. 
 
 ill 
 
 1 '^ o 
 
 Memoir of Geor(;e Simon, 
 
 York, & Dukes of Clarence & Gloucester, were 
 the Royalties. The Dss. looked so much better 
 than that first day at Court, I cou'd scarce believe 
 it the same person ; she did not even look very 
 little, nor so squeezy & puny; in short, she was 
 almost pretty, & looked elegant in a gauze petti- 
 coat & blue body, & no Jewels, or feathers, or 
 
 flowers. 
 
 " She danced with the P & duke of Cla , 
 
 but did not dance much ; she dances very well 
 & prettily. Her civility is most wonderful ; in 
 gestures & expressions she quite puts herself 
 under your feet, a manner that seems most thank- 
 ful even for being looked at. I enquired, & find 
 it is the Berlin Ton to be so ; it w^as not the af- 
 fectation of being gracious, she did it well. Peo- 
 ple in general were not presented to her ; but se- 
 veral were by the P., Duke of Y., &c. ; & the Dss. 
 
 of Cum presented W\ Fitz ; both squeezed 
 
 their fans, & talked for a few minutes, & that was 
 all ; so this was the first meeting. I did not stay 
 supper ; but heard she sat between the P. & the 
 Duke of Bedford ; it is curious that the first ex- 
 hibition in the world sh^^ have been at the Dss. 
 of Cums. ; & N.B., entrc nous, my two Ladies' visit 
 has not jr/ been returned. 
 
 ♦* The Margrave of Anspach was to see the 
 King yesterday. Madame la Margrave^ has not 
 
 " T.atelv Ladv Craven. 
 
 "t^ 
 
 yet come forth ; but they are looking for some 
 very grand House, when I hear they mean to 
 make a grand crash en Prince ; & many talk of 
 whether she will or will not be received at Court. 
 By the sort of talk I sh^^ conjecture they either 
 have, or will make a push for it, to be received 
 as Mai'gravine ; but I do not think it will do, for 
 the Dss. of Wirtemberg is a case in point. The 
 Duke even announced his marriage in form to 
 the difYerent Courts, & was not ansiucr'd. She is 
 
 not acknowledged in Germany as Dss. of W s ; 
 
 & I sh*^ think the Margravine is in the same pre- 
 dicament. A good joke is that Lord Craven is 
 not yet buried, the Body is not arrived yet. . . . 
 
 " I hear Lord Harcourt gets stout. My Love 
 I must entrust you to give him ; & even to tell 
 him I prize his much, & accept it. I know this 
 is hard upon you ; but upon this occasion // 
 faut passer par la ; & you must nevertheless be- 
 lieve me 
 
 " Y'"^ ever, 
 
 " L. D. 
 
 *' My P^s desires her Comp^^ to you & Lord H., 
 & that she is extremely glad to hear he is so 
 much better. I hear the K. & O. &c. are to 
 be at York House to-morrow mornS, to see the 
 Parade." 
 
[ 
 
 ;l 
 
 
 I..VMV -mOI - r -Aaa«i.alW» •'*'« -:*«' 
 
 Ijantr llilL 
 
 "Whereas his Majesty the King and Queen 
 is expected to honour this ancient Corporation 
 with their presents in this town to the Camp at 
 Cocks Heath. In order to prevent them from 
 meeting no impediments in liis journey, the wor- 
 shipful the Mayor and Baihffs have thought pro- 
 per that the following regulations shall be prohi- 
 bited as follows : — 
 
 " Nobody must not have no dust, nor nothing 
 in that shape before their doors nor Shops ; and 
 all wheel barrows, cabbage stalks, and other wheel 
 carriages must be swept out of the streets. 
 
 "Any one who shall fail offending in any of 
 these articles, shall be dealt with according to 
 Law. 
 
 "J. Jacobs, Jl/aj'or. 
 
 ^''Maidstone in Kent. 
 
 ''God save the King." 
 
; : 
 
 ii 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
 It 
 
 H 
 
 I,' /I 
 
 I'' 
 
 ill 
 
 f 
 
 'I 
 
 if 
 
 tiu'citiT of 3iticas, untr ix llhiii for 
 putting tijcnt in Jicquisition* 
 
 "At a meeting in Downing Street yesterday, 
 M'". Pitt declared to several of his friends, that he 
 found himself entirely destitute of any ideas to 
 meet Parliament with,— for the purpose of finance, 
 or peace, or war. It was held advisable to send 
 to the Duke of Portland's office, and inquire if 
 any were to be had there. The clerks returned 
 for answer, that they were totally unprovided. 
 The last two ideas left in the treasury had been 
 sent by M"". Cox to the lunperor on Saturday; 
 which, it was confessed, should not have been 
 done without the consent of Parliament, but that 
 it was thought the safety of Germany depended 
 upon it. M'". Pitt then enquired if the right hon- 
 ourable Sylvester Douglas had brought any ideas 
 with him when he so lately took his seat at the 
 board ; and was informed that the few he had 
 were by accident packed up for the Cape of Good 
 Hope, and had sailed with Lord Macartney. Lord 
 Mornington declared upon his honour he had put 
 his whole stock into a pamphlet three years ago ; 
 and Lord ILawkesbury and M'". Canning said they 
 had lost all theirs, with a variety of speeches, and 
 other light baggage, in a forced march to Paris. 
 
 Scarcity of Ideas. 
 
 337 
 
 M'". Rose suggested a plan for putting ideas in 
 requisition, which he had found very successful 
 at a verdurers' meeting on the New-forest bill ; 
 and proposed, as the most intelligible mode, the 
 plan of the new Cavalry act. Gentlemen who 
 are supporters of the ministry, and of the war, 
 might be classed according to the number of 
 ideas they possessed, or were supposed to possess, 
 respectively; ten in a class for instance, where 
 each gentleman had only one idea apiece, and 
 so in proportion, if any gentleman happened to 
 possess more. That the gentleman on whom the 
 ballot fell, should be bound to furnish one idea 
 for the use of the State; the fitness of which 
 should be judged of by the deputy lieutenants 
 of the respective counties. When the whole re- 
 turn was complete, M'". Dundas might be direct- 
 ed to put the ideas into a large decanter, and 
 M^ Pitt and he might pour them out, as exist- 
 ing circumstances might require. 
 
 " Sir William Young observed that such a bal- 
 lot would fall very inconveniently upon many 
 gentlemen, who might thereby be deprived of the 
 only idea they had in the w^orld. 
 
 " Sir Gregory Page Turner said he did not pre- 
 tend to deny his having an idea ; but he solemnly 
 protested, if it were rejected by the lieutenants, 
 he should not know which way to turn himself 
 for a substitute. 
 
 X X 
 

 Hi 
 
 » 
 
 338 
 
 Scarcity of Ideas. 
 
 "Sir James Marriott and D^ Lawrance gave 
 it as the opinion of the best publicists of the old 
 school, that it might lead to a very unpleasant dis- 
 closure, in the case of acting justices and landed 
 gentlemen in the country; and that it might af- 
 fect the rights of corporations, most of whom had 
 only ideas granted by ancient charters from the 
 Crown ; certainly not impaired by use, but still 
 most important to be reserved entire and undi- 
 minished. 
 
 "M^ Boyd offered the minister ideas dated 
 Hamburgh, and said, on a very moderate dis- 
 count they might be drawn in London and ac- 
 cepted by the Treasury. 
 
 " M'". Pitt said he could rely on the candour of 
 the majorit}' of the House of Commons, for their 
 adopting, in a time of scarcity of ideas, the same 
 patriotic conduct they had shewn in the scarcity 
 of bread- corn ; namely, to be satisfied with ideas 
 of an inferior quality. That it always gave him 
 pain to distress the country gentlemen, as he felt 
 this particular requisition necessarily would ; but 
 he had the satisfaction of adding, that very few 
 ideas would be wanting, and those redeemable at 
 a short date ; seven or eight of any sort would 
 enable him to make six speeches of three hours 
 and a half each, which would carry on the session 
 perfectly well till the Easter recess; and as the 
 Secretary at War had kindly consented not to 
 
 expend any, he was under no difficulty but about 
 
 the Admiralty. 
 
 " M^ Pybus assured the Chancellor of the Ex- 
 chequer, that the board had done so well without 
 ideas of late, that he need not give himself any 
 concern upon their account. 
 
 " M^. Pitt thanked M^ Pybus very politely, and 
 observed that in that case, without any violation 
 of the appropriation paper, the Admiralty ideas 
 might be put into the poor bill. 
 
 " The Duke of Dorset hoped that if the minister 
 persisted in the plan of putting ideas in requi- 
 sition. His Majesty's menial servants would be 
 
 exempted. 
 
 "M'". Pitt assured his Grace that he need be 
 under no sort of anxiety, the case being perfectly 
 analogous to the powder licence, as they were 
 both a sort of poll tax. 
 
 ''M'". Pitt returned the gentlemen present a 
 great many thanks for their obliging hints ; told 
 M*". Rose to make a minute of the transactions, 
 and to write a civil note to Alderman Curtis, 
 requesting him to second the motion he should 
 make on Tuesday, for leave to bring in a Bill for 
 the better supplying His Majesty's ministers with 
 Ideas in the present embarrassing posture of their 
 affairs with the Public." 
 
II 
 
 If 
 
 I 
 
 li 
 
 
 !f 
 
 Ml 
 
 J'! 
 
 i I 
 
 ': 
 
 n 
 
 I 
 
 ^1 
 
 1 
 
 llotrcc h\) yorb §.lbborouigl). 
 
 " Lord AldboroUGH acquaints M^ Dunn that 
 he met yesterday a parcel of sheep on the Battin- 
 glass road, which, from the brand, he concUided to 
 be his property ; but to his surprise was told by 
 the drover they were M'". Dunn's, and that A. stood 
 for Andrew. Lord Aldborough therefore desires 
 to know if M"". Dunn has taken upon him to use 
 such freedom with Nobility, or his Lordship's 
 letter, as to mark but one letter, as if he was 
 a Peer of the Realm, and f//at his christian name. 
 If done through folly or inadvertancy, will, for 
 this time, look it over ; but must insist on his 
 directly making a brand with A. D., else his 
 Lordship will seize on, as his property, all sheep 
 marked A. only, and perhaps be induced to com- 
 plain to the House of Lords of a breach of privi- 
 lege, which is very expensive and troublesome 
 to the person complained of; which he wishes to 
 prevent in time the necessity of, as he likes good 
 neighbourhood without improper liberties. 
 
 "•^Belan, Friday, ^of/i October^ ^778." 
 
 The following is literally taken from a sign 
 in the vicinity of Reading : — 
 
 *' BEARDS TAKEN OFF AND REGISTRED 
 
 By Isac Factotum, 
 
 Barber, Peri-wig maker, Surgeon, Parish Clerk, ScJiool 
 Master, Blacksmith and Manmidiuife. 
 
 " Shaves for a penne, cuts hare for too pense, 
 and oyld and powdird into the bargin. Young 
 Ladys genteely edicatcd. Lamps lited by the 
 hear or quarter. Young Gentleman also taut the 
 Grammar Langwage in the neetest maner, and 
 grate kear takin of their Morels and Spelin. Also 
 Salme singin and horse Shewin by the real Maker. 
 Likewise makes and mends all sorts of Butes and 
 Shoes. Teches the Hoboy and Jewsharp. Cuts 
 corns, bledes and blisters on the lowcs Terms. 
 Glisters and purgis at a penne apiece. Cow-tillions 
 and other dances taut at home and abrode. Also 
 deals holesale and retale perfumerry in all its 
 branchis. Sells all sorts of stationary wair, to- 
 gether with blackin balls, red herrins, gingerbred, 
 Coles, scrubbin brushes, treycle, mouce traps, and 
 other sweet metes. Likewise Godfathers Cordiel, 
 

 342 
 
 Singular Inscription. 
 
 red rutes, Tatoes, Sassagcs, and all other gardin- 
 stuff. 
 
 " N.B. I teches joggrafy, and those outlandish 
 kind of things. A Bawl on Wensdays and Fry- 
 days. All performed, god willin, By me, 
 
 "ISAC Factotum." 
 
 END OF VOL. VI. 
 
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