Page:Biographical catalogue of the portraits at Weston, the seat of the Earl of Bradford (IA gri 33125003402027).pdf/59



No. 10.

COLONEL THE HONOURABLE JOHN RUSSELL.

''Brown embroidered dress. Wig.''

DIED 1681.

He was the youngest son of Francis, fourth Earl of Bedford, by Catherine Bridges. He served with distinction in the royal army under Charles the First, and at the Restoration was appointed Colonel of the first regiment of the Foot Guards. At one time there were negotiations carrying on for his marriage with a daughter of the Earl of Bath, which was prevented by the young lady's family, who were desirous she should marry her cousin, heir to the Earldom of Bath. The gallant colonel then became a suitor for the hand of the famous beauty La Belle Hamilton. There is a laughable description of him in the Memoires de Grammont, and we cannot but think that as the chronicler himself carried off the prize, he might have been rather more generous in his delineation of an unsuccessful rival:

'M. Le Colonel Russell avoit bien soixante ans, son courage et sa fidélité l'avoient distingué dans les guerres civiles. Il n'y avoit pas longtemps qu'on avoit quitté le ridicule, des chapeaux pointus, pour tomber dans l'autre extrémité. Le vieux Russell, effraié d'une chute si terrible, voulut prendre un milieu qui le rendit remarquable. Il l'étoit encore par la constance envers les pourpoints taillardés qu'il a soutenus longtemps après leur suppression universelle. Mais ce qui surprenoit le plus c'étoit un certain mélange d'avarice et de libéralité sans cesse en guerre l'une avec l'autre, depuis qu'il y étoit avec l'amour.'