issue by her husband two sons who died young, and two daughters, of whom Anne, the youngest, became sole heir to her father, and Baroness Dacre, in her own right.

CHARLOTTE FITZROY, COUNTESS OF LITCHFIELD, was a younger sister of the Countess of Sussex. She was born on the 5th September, 1664, and at the age of thirteen married Sir Edward Henry Lee, Baronet, of Ditchley, in Oxfordshire, created, 5th June, 1674, Baron of Spelsbury, Viscount Quarendon, and Earl of Litchfield, by whom she had thirteen sons and five daughters. We know but little of her except that she was beautiful. She died on the 17th February, 1718.

MARY TUDOR, COUNTESS OF DERWENTWATER, was another daughter of King Charles by Mary Davis, a handsome actress. She was born on the 16th October, 1673, and was married, when only fourteen, to Francis Radcliffe, second Earl of Derwentwater, by whom she was the mother of the ill-fated James Earl of Derwentwater, who was beheaded for his share in the rebellion of 1715. After the death of her first husband she married Henry Graham, Esquire, M.P. for Westmoreland, who died in 1707; and thirdly "N. Rooke," son and heir of Brigadiergeneral Rooke. The date of her death is nowhere recorded.

BARBARA EITZROY, youngest daughter of the Duchess of Cleveland, was born on the 16th of July, 1672. The King acknowledged her in public, but disavowed her in private. She became a nun in the English Nunnery of Pontoise in France.

It may be remarked that the Duchess's husband, Lord Castlemaine, believed her to be his daughter, and

bequeathed her his estate. Lord Chesterfield, whom she is said to have resembled in her features, was another claimant for the doubtful honour of having given her birth. Charles, however, always insisted on acknowledging her as his child.

MARY WALTERS, daughter of the beautiful Lucy Walters or Barlow, was sister to the Duke of Monmouth. She was the reputed child of Charles the Second, but her mother proved so notoriously unfaithful, that he refused to acknowledge her child as his daughter. She married first, William Sarsfield, Esquire, elder brother of Patrick Earl of Lucan; and afterwards William Fanshawe, Esquire, Master of the Requests to Charles the Second. She died in April, 1693, leaving issue by her last husband one son and four daughters.

173

MARY VILLIERS,

DUCHESS OF RICHMOND.

Her Accomplishments and splendid Fortunes-She is weaned without the King's Permission-Curious Letter addressed by her Mother to King James-Her almost Infantine Marriage-Death of her young Husband-Her narrow Escape from being shot-Her Second Marriage (to the Duke of Richmond)-Character of the DukeThe Duchess's third Marriage (to Thomas Howard)-Her Position at the Court of Charles II.-Sides with Nell Gwynn against the Duchess of Portsmouth-Introduces her Niece to the King-Lampooned by Rochester-Her Death.

Or one whose fortunes were so splendid, whose conversation is said to have been fascinating, and whose charms were the envy of her contemporaries, it is extraordinary how few particulars are known. She was the eldest child of the great favourite, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, and was born in 1623.

The following letter from her mother to King James the First, excusing herself for weaning her infant without his Majesty's permission, is too curious to be omitted.

May it please your Majesty,

"I have received the two boxes of dried plums and grapes, and the box of violet cakes, and chickens; for all which I most humbly thank your Majesty.

"I hope my Lord Annan has told your Majesty that I did mean to wean Mall very shortly. I would not by any means have done it, till I had first made your Majesty acquainted with it; and by reason my cousin

Bret's boy has been ill of late, for fear she should grieve and spill her milk, makes me very desirous to wean her; and I think she is old enough, and I hope will endure her weaning very well; for I think there was never child cared less for the breast than she does; so I do intend to make trial this night how she will endure it. This day, praying for your Majesty's health and long life, I humbly take my leave,

"Your Majesty's most humble servant,
"K. BUCKINGHAM." *

On the 8th of January, 1634, when but eleven years old, the Lady Mary Villiers was married to Charles Lord Herbert, eldest son of the "memorable simpleton," Philip, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. The following entry occurs in the diary of Archbishop Laud:January 8th. I married the Lord Charles Herbert and the Lady Mary, daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, in the closet at Whitehall." The event is celebrated by Davenant in some indifferent verses. The marriage was private, and had been hurried forward by her mother, in consequence of the child having formed a strong, but no doubt evanescent, attachment for Philip Herbert, a younger brother of her future husband. At the express desire of Charles the First, she was educated in the family of that monarch, and became the playfellow of his children.

Her youthful husband dying at Florence the year after their union, we find the beautiful child, though still almost an infant, appearing at Court wearing the solemn mockery of a widow's weeds. In this singular

* Dalrymple's Memorials, p. 179.

+ Letter from Mr. Garrard to Lord Wentworth, dated January 15th, 1634, Strafford Letters.

costume she was much taken notice of, and her future loveliness was fondly predicted. Madame Dunois relates an agreeable anecdote of her childhood. "One day," says that lady, "she had climbed a tree in the King's little garden to gather some fruit. As nobody was permitted to come in there, this circumstance, together with her black garb and long veil, which spread over the twigs of the tree, made the King, who perceived her at a distance, imagine some strange bird had perched in the tree. Mr. Porter, a young courtier, and much in favour with the King, being a handsome person and extremely gallant and entertaining, was then with him. The King, knowing him to be an excellent marksman, pointed to what he supposed to be a large bird, and desired him to kill it. Mr. Porter, looking for some time towards the place, and finding the bird out of reach of his ball, told the King he would take his fusee, and in a moment bring him the butterfly. But he was ready to burst with laughing, when, approaching the tree, he discovered the Countess. She smiled at him with an innocent air, pelting him with the fruit she had gathered; whilst he took more particular notice than he ever had done before, of her beauty, the clearness of her skin, and the brightness of her eyes. 'What have you there, Porter?' said she: what, can't you speak; are you bewitched?''Oh, madam!' he replied, did you know what brought me here, you would be sensible I have sufficient reason to be surprised: the King happening to espy you in the tree, and taking you for a bird, you may guess on what errand I was sent here.'-'What,' cried she, 'to kill me?' 'Yes, to kill you, Madam,' replied he: I promised to bring the King some of your feathers.'' Ha, ha,' said she, laughing, 'you must be as good as your word; we will play a merry game with