Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/331

 “We did fully resolve and determine to bestow upon the said late Duke, or trustees by his nomination, the full sum of £100,000 of lawful English money, to be paid out of the treasure which was, or should be, in the receipt of our Exchequer, by certain portions and at certain days and times now past, which sum was to be laid out in purchasing Lands of Inheritance that were to be settled on Trustees and their heirs, as that the profits thereof might be enjoyed by the said Frederick late Duke of Schonberg during his life, and after his decease by Charles then the third son of the said Duke, who hath since been Charles Duke of Schonberg and is deceased, and by heirs male of the body of the said Charles, and for default of such issue then by our right trusty and right entirely beloved cousin and councillor Maynard now Duke of Schonberg and Leinster, and the heirs male of the body of the said Maynard lawfully begotten or to be begotten, and for default of such issue then by the heirs male of the body of the said late Duke Frederick lawfully begotten or to be begotten, and for default of such issue then by the right heirs of the said late Duke Frederick for ever.

“But the Grant which was intended by us as aforesaid, not passing under our Great Seal, by reason of the sudden departure of the said Duke Frederick for the kingdom of Ireland, where he was slain in our service at the memorable Battle of the Boyne, and by reason that the necessity of our affairs would not admit the speedy payment of so considerable a sum of money, we were graciously pleased to allow to the said Charles, late Duke of Schonberg, the yearly sum of £4000, being after the rate of £4 per cent, per annum, for the interest or forbearance of the said sum of £100,000, and the said yearly sum hath been satisfied and paid by us until 31st December 1692 — since which, time the said Duke Charles (who hath also been slain in our service, to wit, at the Battle of Marsaglia in Piedmont) is deceased without heirs male or female of his body begotten, so that the said Maynard, now Duke of Schonberg and Leinster, is the person who, by the limitations, trusts or appointments in the said intended grant (in case the same had passed under seal and had been duly complied with) would at this time have taken benefit thereby to him and the heirs-male of his body, with power to make provisions for any wife, daughters, or younger sons, as aforesaid.

“We did direct, authorise and command that, out of the rents issues profits and revenues from time to time arising and accruing in or by the General Letter Office or Post Office, or Office of Postmaster General, payment should be made unto the said Maynard, Duke of Schonberg and Leinster (who is also Marquis of Harwich, Earl of Brentford, of the Holy Empire, and Mertola, Baron of Teys, Grandee of Portugal, General of our Horse, and Commander-in-Chief of our Forces) and the heirs male of his body, the yearly sum of £4000.

“And whereas the said Maynard, Duke of Schonberg and Leinster, hath humbly besought us, in regard our affairs will not yet admit the payment of so considerable a sum as the said £100,000, that we would be graciously pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of England to confirm unto him and the heirs male of his body the yearly sum of £4000 in the same manner as the same was granted to him and them by our said Letters of Privy Seal, to which we being graciously pleased to condescend,

“Know ye therefore that We&c.&c.&c.&c. do grant unto the said, &c, one clear annual or yearly payment or sum of £4000 of lawful English money, to commence from such time as the same hath been paid and satisfied before the date of these presents.

“And we do hereby, for us our heirs and successors, promise and declare, that as soon as the condition of our affairs will admit, we, our heirs and successors will pay and satisfy the principal sum of £100,000.

At Westminster the twenty-second day of December (8th Wm. III.).”

In the arrangements that followed the peace of Ryswick, Schomberg’s employments continued as before. In November 1698 Luttrell writes, “Portland House in the Pall Mall is rebuilt, and will be richly furnished for the Duke of Schonberg, General of the forces in England.” On the 31st December, the Duke gave “a splendid entertainment to the French Ambassador, the Duke of Ormond, and other persons of quality.”

This was the mansion that was thereafter called Schomberg House; we digress for a moment to trace its history. It was after the Duke’s death inhabited by his sons-in-law the Earls of Holdernesse and Fitzwalter. One of the arrangements made on the accession of George III. has been recorded thus:— “The Duke of Cumberland took Schomberg House (late Lord Fitzwalter’s) in Pall Mall.” Mr. Baynes (Life of Brousson, p. 368) says in a note:— “On the south side of Pall Mall being now (1853) Nos. 81 and 82, there is an interesting specimen of a ducal residence of the time of William and Mary. . . . Schomberg House. It was afterwards the residence of William Duke of Cumberland, the hero of Culloden. Subsequently the middle part of the mansion was occupied by Dodsley, the eminent bookseller, and recently by Messrs. Payne and Foss. Gainsborough for