Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 1 Vol 2.djvu/286

 CLEVELAND. 285 nbuve, and by various grants of lands, and pensions for herself and her bastards.(a) On 125 Nov. 1705, in her 85th year, four months after the death of her lawful husband, she hi. Major-Gen. Robert Fikldino, better known as "Mean Fielding." who, though ruined in fortune in character, was "as handsome as any of the early lovers." From him she was fortunate enough to obtain a divorce for bigamy, 23 May 1707, his second wife (Mary W'adsworthJ being alive.f') She d. of dropsy at her house at Chiswick, Mich., 9 Oct. 1 70!', and was bur. 13th at Chiswick. Will dat. 11 Aug. and pr. 10 Oct. 1709 by Charles, Duke of Grafton, the grandson and residuary legatee U. 170'X 2. Cftarles (Fitz-Eov), Duke op Cleveland, Duke of Southampton, &c, 1st s. of the above Lady by King Charles II (who acknowledged the paternity), and h. to his Mother's peerage, according to the spec, ran. in the creation thereof. He was b. in King street and bap., 18 June 1662( c ), at St. Margaret's, Westm., and (in right of his legal Father, the Earl of Castlemaino [1]) was known in his infancy as Charles Palmer, styled Lord Limerick, but as Charles Frrznov styled Earl ok Southampton, after his mother's elevation to a Dukedom (in 1670), and was, as Earl of Southampton, el. K.G-., 25 Jaiiy. and inst. 1 April 1673. On 10 Sep. 1675, he was a: BARON OF NEWBURY, co. Berks, EARL OF CHICHESTER and DUKE OF SOUTHAMPTON.^) He was ed. at Ch. Ch., Oxford, under Dr. Aldrich (matriculating^), Dee. 1675), and was cr. M.A., :S May 1678.0 He m. firstly in 1671 (a few months after her Father's death [») " They have signed and sealed £10,000 a year more to the Duchess of Cleveland Who lias likewise near £10,000 a year more out of the new farm of the County excise of beer and ale ; £5,000 a year out of the Post Office, and, they say, the reversion of all the King's leases, the reversion of all places in the Custom House, the Green Wax, aud, indeed, what not ! AJ1 promotions, spiritual and temporal, pass under her cognizance. " See Andrew Marvell's works, Vol. ii, p. 75. The King gave her all his rich presents at Christmas one year ; on another he paid her debts of £30,000, &e. Berkshire House (formerly the property of the Howards, Earls of Berkshire), was purchased for her by the King in 1668 ; its name, which was altered to Cleveland House) still survives in Cleveland Court and Cleveland Bow; but the site of it is mostly occupied by " llridgewater House," built 1847-50. Her immense fortune was principally squandered at the gaming table, where she is said (by " Pepys," in 166K) to have played £1,000 and £1,500 at a cast, to have won £15,000 in one night, and to have lost £25,000 in another. ('') The particulars are extremely curious. See " State Trials." ("j The entry is " Charles Palmer, Lord Limbrkke, son to ye Rt. Hon. Roger, Eari of Castle-Maine, by Barbara." J d ) It appears that Sir William Dugdale ("Garter" 1667-86) represented to the King that the sons of the Duchess of Cleveland were styled Charles Palmer, first son, and George Palmer, 2nd .von, in the preamble of their Mother's creation 11070], whereas in the creation of the former as Duke of Southampton (in 1675), and of the latter as Earl of Northumberland (in 1671), both are styled " Pilz Roy, " and the latter is called the "third son " ,' that these two and Henry {Pilz Roy) Duke of Grafton are Baid to be the King's natural sons by the said Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland ; he therefore suggests that alt the King's natural sons be called " Fitz Roy " aud that mention be made " on what particular woman His Majesty begot the Duke of Mon- mouth, the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Plymouth." See Hamper's life of Dugdale. The King directed (thro' the Lord Privy Seal, the Earl of Anglesey) that no mention should be made of the Mothers of the last three, but that they should all be called " Pilz Roy "■ a privilege of which, apparently, none of these latter availed themselves. (") He is entered as "natural eon of the King by the Duchess of Cleveland" and subscribes himself as " Charle [sic] Southampton D." (') Dean Prideuux mites of him from Oxford, in 1676, that ho "will ever be very simple, aud scarce, I believe, ever attain to the reputation of not being thought a fool." See " family of Chester of Chicheley " by R. E. Chester Waters, p. 487, in which work is mi anecdote, by Aubrey, to account for His Grace's intellects never recovering SB early siiock. This work, also, contains a full account of the families of Wood (Rishop of Lichfield) and of Gardiner of Cuddcsdou, Oxon, the ancestors of the Duke's first wife.