Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/333

 2* S. NO 17., APRIL 26. '56.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

325

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 2G, 1856.

fiatt*.

MEMORANDA ON THE PEERAGEj BY EDWARD HARLEY, EARL OF OXFORD.

Among the Harleian manuscripts is a volume contain- ing memoranda of the births, marriages, deaths, &c. of the nobility and gentry, in the handwriting of Edward Harlej-, Earl of Oxford (founder of the Harleian li- brary), entered on the backs of letters addressed to himself, and chiefly relating to the period between 1734 and 1741. These memoranda are intended, apparently, as notes on some printed work on the peerage (but the work itself I have not been able to ascertain), and afford dates and names that may be useful to the genea- logist. Many of these memoranda relate to personal or family matters long buried in oblivion, and although not written in the style of " Lodge " or " Debrett," nor adapted even to supply a chapter in the Romance of the Peerage, a selection from them may, from the position of the writer, be worth preserving.

Annesley. "Mr. Annesley was buttler to S r Arthur Chichester, L d -Lieut. of Ireland. The L d was one day at play, won a considerable sum of money, left his purse upon the table, went out to wait upon his company. Upon his return he missed his purse, questioned Annesley; he de- nyed y* he had seen it, and y* nobody came into y* room, as he saw. My L d grew enraged, and turned Annesley away, and he suffered some punishment. He was so uneasy in Ireland y* he resolved for England ; and as he was just got on board, some of my L ds serv ts came from him to desire he would return, w ch with some difficulty they prevailed with him. My L d met him with open arms, desired he would forgive him ; he had wronged him, for the monkey had stole y c purse. He took care to heap all places and honors ; the rise of the family of Annesly."

Ashley- Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury. " He was prentice to a grocer in Exeter. He studied divinity, and was to have been a Presbyterian parson ; came to visit Mr. Lock, and said he was his cosen. Mr. Lock perswaded him to fol- low the law. He was a very bad chancellor ; and .gave up with great reluctancy, for the seals were more than once sent for. He was not able to carry on the business."

Margaret, Lady Coventry. " Lady Coventry, the wife of George [third] L d Coventry, daughter of John, Earl of Thanet, died in Canterbury. . . . She left Heneage, Earl of Winchelsea, her exe- cutor. She left a great number of gilt shillings, which she travelled with, to cheat highwaymen, as I was told by Mr. Harbin. He gave me two."

Finch, Earl of Winchelsea. " Heneage, [se- cond] Earl of Winchelsea, embassador in Turkey. In his return home [in 1669] the ship struck upon a rock. Soon got of, to their great surprise ; and upon search they found a peice of the rock stuck

into the ship, which preserved them. The peice was preserved in the family with great regard. This lord loved w much. He had many wo- men. He built little houses for them. When he returned, K. Ch. II. s d, ' My Lord, you have not only built a town, but peopled it too,' meaning with his bastards. ' Oh, S r, I was your Majesties representative.'

" Heneage [fourth Earl of Winchelsea], a man of great worth and honor ; he was a Nonjuror. His lady [Anne, daughter of Sir Wm. Kingsmill] was maid of honor to King James 2 ds Queen. She was a poetess ; publisht a book of poems.

" Lady Winchelsea [wife of Daniel, seventh Earl] died Sept. 1734, at my Lord Malton's, her brother-in-law's house, called Wentworth House. My Lord married to Miss Palmer, Janu. 173^, daughter of S r [Thomas] Palmer of Kent. Her elder sister was married to S r Brook Bridges ; he died, and she married to Mr. Fielding, brother to my Lord Denbeigh. John [Finch] was stabbed by Saly Salisbury. Edward married in 1736 or . ... to Mrs. Younger, the player. Henry and Edward were both of Cambridge, of Christ's Col- lege, and, I think, Fellows."

Simon, Earl Harcourt. "Thursday, Oct r 16, 1735, my L d Viscount Harcourt was married to Miss Le-bas. Her father was never more than agent to a regiment. His father, deputy-master of the ceremonies. [Sir Samuel] Moyer's three sisters ; one married Pauncefort, one married Lebas,' mother to L dy Harcourt; another mar- ried Jenyns of Hayes, in Middlesex. He broke his neck. She had the direction and education of her neice Le-Bas, and sold her, as it is said."

Herbert, Lord Torrington. " Herbert, Lord Torrington, Admiral, who dyed 1716. Left my Lord [Lincoln] his whole estate ; but in case he has no heirs male, then to Greenwich Hospital. My Lady Lincoln died June, 1736."

Howard, Earl of Berkshire. " Lady Eliza- beth Howard married Mr. John Dryden, by whom she had three sons, Charles, John, and Henry. Mr. Dryden died May 1, 1700. Mr. Charles was drowned at Windsor, 1704. Mr. John died of a fever at Rome, 1700, the end of the year. Mr. Harry died .... Lady Eliza- beth died [1714]. She was a lunatick some years."

Bowes Howard, Earl of Berkshire. " Charles [second son] married, 1736, meanly to a woman who lodged in the house where he boarded at Eaton school. Her maiden name was Manning ; old enough to be his mother. She was the widow of one Lane, a livetenant at sea, who had half- pav, and was upon what they call the compas- sionate list. He was a little while at St. John's College, in Cambridge.