Memoirs of the court of England from ... 1688 to the death of George the second - John Heneage Jesse - Google Books

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pations during his retirement. Returns to England, and

resides with Pope at Twickenham. Pope's account of St.

John's mode of life in France. St. John finally takes up his

abode at Battersea. Lord Chesterfield's sketch of him in

old age. - Declining health of St. John's wife. Her death

in 1750. - St. John attacked by a cancerous humour in the

face. Sufferings occasioned by it. His death in 1751.-

His character by Lord Orrery. - Swift's and Pitt's opinions

of his oratory.

His character as a philosophical writer.-

Mallet's edition of his works, and Garrick's epigram on it.

CHARLES MORDAUNT,

EARL OF PETERBOROUGH.

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Lord Peterborough's romantic and adventurous turn of mind.

-His birth. Embarks for Tangier.- Joins the Prince of

Orange at the Hague, and is, subsequently, appointed a

Lord of the Bed-chamber and first Lord-Commissioner of

the Treasury. Created Earl of Monmouth.

King William. Engaged in an intrigue against the Duke of

Ormond and Lord Orford. Publishes an attack against the

Duke. Committed to the Tower in consequence.

lication burned by the common hangman. Succeeds to the

Earldom of Peterborough. Gets into favour with Queen

Anne. Commands an expedition against Spain, and is

appointed joint- Admiral of the Fleet. His Manifestoes, and

romantic exploits at Barcelona. His letter to the Duchess

of Marlborough. His justice and disinterestedness in Spain.

-His recal. Compliments paid him by the House of Lords.

- Made a Knight of the Garter, and sent ambassador to Sicily.

Anecdote of the Earl related by Richardson. - The Earl's

contempt for appearances. His letter to Pope. . His

admiration of Penn, the Quaker.

Accompanies him to

Pennsylvania. His character as a letter-writer. - Specimen

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his last illness.

His literary society. Pope's account

His singular letter to Lady Suffolk. -

Sketch of his person. His autobiography

suppressed by his widow.

FRANCIS ATTERBURY,

BISHOP OF ROCHESTER.

Educated at Westminster and Oxford.

Assists his pupil, C. Boyle, in his dispute

with Bentley. His Jacobitism. His letter to his father.

- His scepticism in early life. Enters into holy orders.—

Marries a lady of fortune.-Appointed chaplain in ordinary

to King William. Enters into a controversy with Dr. Wake.

-Created Dean of Westminster and Bishop of Rochester.—

His polemical controversies. The reputed author of the

George the First's

accession fatal to Atterbury's ambitious hopes. His disaffec-

tion. Committal to the Tower.

ment in the Tower. His letter to Pope. His eloquent

speech on his trial. Sentence passed on him. Trial of

strength between Atterbury and Sir R. Walpole during the

proceedings against the former. Atterbury quits England,

and resides chiefly in Paris till his death. Death of his

favourite daughter. The Duke of Wharton's poetical ad-

dress to Atterbury. Atterbury's letter to Dicconson on his

daughter's death. His last meeting with her at Toulouse.

-His death at Paris in 1731.-His body brought to England,

and the coffin opened by order of Government. His inter-

ment in Westminster Abbey.

Abigail Hill, afterwards Mrs. Masham, daughter of Mr. Hill,

a Turkey merchant.-Placed as a waiting-woman with Lady

Rivers. Her relationship to the Duchess of Marlborough,

who places her in the Queen's household.-Anecdote of her

related by the Duchess. The latter's communication to

Bishop Burnet.-Extract from the Duchess's memoirs.-Her

kindness to the Hill family.-Abigail Hill's marriage to Mr.

Masham, Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to Prince George

of Denmark.-Queen Anne present at the ceremony. - Ex-

tracts from the Duchess of Marlborough's memoirs. The

Duke's remarks on Mrs. Masham's influence. His letter to

the Queen.-Brief account of Mr. Masham.-He is created

Baron Masham of Otes.-Lord Dartmouth's and Swift's opi-

nions of Mrs. Masham.-She retires with her husband, on the

death of the Queen, to her seat at Otes.-John Locke their

guest for two years.—Mrs. Masham's death in 1734. Page 242

ROBERT FIELDING.

Beau Fielding, the "Orlando" of the Tatler.-Descended

from an old Warwickshire family.-Sent to London to study

the Law. His great personal beauty and foppish habits.-

His extraordinary popularity with the fair sex.-His success

as a gambler.-Fantastic liveries of his servants.-Portraits of

him by the three great Artists of the day. His first wife,

daughter and heiress of Lord Carlingford. His second, the

celebrated Duchess of Cleveland, Mistress of Charles the Se-

cond. Their matrimonial unhappiness.-Duchess's discovery

that he had committed bigamy. He is tried at the Old

Bailey. - Singular evidence adduced at the trial respecting

Fielding's intrigues to obtain the hand of a rich widow,

Curious statement made by the Counsel for the

prosecution.-Evidence of Mrs. Villars, and of Fielding's ser-

vant, Boucher. Fielding found guilty, but afterwards par-

doned by Queen Anne.— His marriage with the Duchess of

Cleveland annulled.

CHAPTER II.

Beau Wilson's mysterious rise from poverty to affluence.—

Serves a campaign in Flanders.—Is broken for cowardice, and

returns to England with forty shillings in his pocket.—His ex-

traordinary show of wealth immediately after his return. —

Various conjectures on the subject. Extract from Madam

Dunois' Memoirs. Her belief that Wilson owed his good for-

tune to the favour of the Duchess of Cleveland.-Wilson en-

gaged in a duel with Law, and killed.-Extract from Evelyn's

Diary.-Law tried and condemned.-His escape from prison.-

His death at Venice in 1729.

GEORGE THE FIRST.

His birth. His near relationship to the Stuarts. Sketch

of his mother. Serves a campaign under his father, when in

his fifteenth year. — Fights in the Imperial army against the

Turks. Accompanies King William during a series of cam-

paigns. Created by him a Knight of the Garter. - Sub-

sequently created by Queen Anne Marquis and Duke of

Cambridge, &c., with precedency of all the peers of Great

Britain. Visits England with a view to make overtures for

the hand of the Princess Anne, afterwards Queen.—Recalled

by his father, and forced to marry the daughter of the Duke

of Zell.-Story of Sophia Dorothea, of Zell.—Her compulsory

marriage with George the First in her sixteenth year.-Her

beauty and intelligence.-Neglected and insulted by her hus-

band. Count Coningsmark's avowed admiration of her. —

Indignation of her father-in-law.-Imprisoned in the Castle of

Alden. Divorced from her husband in 1694.-Her criminality

doubtful. Her son's affection for her. Her dignified conduct

during her imprisonment.-Her death in 1726.-George the

First's accession to the English throne.-His indifference on

the subject. His arrival at Greenwich.-Anecdote.-His per-

son and habits.-Extracts from Horace Walpole, and Arch-

deacon Coxe.-The King's male favourites.-Their rapacity.-

The King's aversion to the English.-His profligate expen-

diture.
Page 277

Attachment of the University of Oxford to the House of

Stuart. Whig principles of the University of Cambridge.-

Dr. Trapp's epigram on the occasion.-Sir W. Browne's re-

tort. James Shepherd's attempt to assassinate the King.-

His execution.-Lord Chesterfield's remark on the subject.—

The King's good-humour, and love of music.-His aversion

Anecdote of his humour. Anecdotes of the

Duchess of Bolton and of Dean Lockier. The King's

liberality of feeling towards the House of Stuart. Extract

from Horace Walpole. The King's generosity towards

prisoners for debt.- Horace Walpole presented to him when

a mere child. His account of the presentation.-The King's

liaison with Anne Brett, daughter of the repudiated Countess

of Macclesfield, by her second husband. Her insolence and

ambition. · Anecdote of her related by Horace Walpole.-

The King's superstitious feelings. He orders his wife's will

to be burned. - His hatred of her and his son, George the

Second. His departure from England in 1727 for his Elec-

torate. Archdeacon Coxe's details of his last illness.- Ex-

tract from the Marchmont Papers. - Romantic anecdote re-

lated by Lockhart. - The King's death in 1727.- His cha-

racter as a man and as a King. His indifferent education.

- Anecdote of him. His daughter Sophia Dorothea married

in 1706 to Frederick William, King of Prussia. Her beauty

and intelligence. Her husband's brutal treatment of her.

-Her death in 1757.

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