Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 2 Vol 3.djvu/302

 282 CLEVELAND husband, she m. Robert Feilding, sometimes called Colonel or Major Gen., better known as "Beau Feilding" who, though ruined in fortune and character, was " as handsome as any of the early lovers." She was fortunate enough to obtain a decree of nullity of marriage, 23 May 1707, his previous (2nd) marriage with Mary Wadsworth, who was then alive, though celebrated at night by a Romish priest, with only one witness, being held to be good.(^) She d. of dropsy, at her house at Chiswick, Midx., 9, and was bur. 13 Oct. 1709, at Chiswick. C") Will, dat. 1 1 Aug., pr. 10 Oct. 1709, by Charles, Duke of Grafton, the grandson and residuary legatee. II. 1709. 2. Charles (Fitz-Roy formerly Palmer), Duke of Cleveland, Duke of Southampton, ^c, ist s. of the above lady by Charles II (who acknowledged the paternity), and h. to his mother's peerage, according to the spec. rem. in the creation thereof. He was b. in King Str., and bap. 18 June i66i,(^) at St. Margaret's, Westm., and (in right of his legal father, the Earl of Castlemaine [I.]) was known in his infancy as Charles Palmer, styled Lord Limerick, but as Charles FiTZROY, styled Earl of Southampton, after his mother's elevation to a Dukedom (in 1670), and was, as Earl of Southampton, nom. K.G. 25 Jan. and inst. i Apr. 1673. On 10 Sep. 1675, he was cr. BARON OF NEW- BURY, CO. Berks, EARL OF CHICHESTER and DUKE OF SOUTH- AMPTON.C) He matric. Dec. 16750 at Oxford (Ch. Ch.) under Dr. (^) The particulars are extremely curious. See State Trials, vol. xiv, p. 1327. Though convicted of bigamy, he obtained a pardon from Queen Anne, and after a short imprisonment in the Fleet, he went to Scotland with the said Mary, and lived with her there till his death in I 7 12. For Feilding's other marriages see ante p. 28, note "a," and p. 215, text. (*) " She was a woman of great beauty, but most enormously vicious and ravenous; foolish but imperious; very uneasy to the King, and always carrying on intrigues with other men." (Burnet's History of Itis own Times, vol. i, p. 129). V.G. if) The entry is " Charles Palmer, Lord Limbricke, son to ye Rt. Hon. Roger, Earl of Castle-Maine, by Barbara." i^) 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, second son, in the preamble of their mother's creation [1670], whereas in the creation of the former as Duke of Southampton (in 1675), and of the latter as Earl of Northumberland (in 1674) both are styled '■^ FitzRoy" and the latter is called the " tliird son " ; that these two and Henry [FitzRoy) Duke of Grafton are said to be tlie King's natural sons by the said Barbara, Duchess of Cleve- land; he therefore suggests that all the Ki>ig^s natural sons be called " FitzRoy" and that mention be made " on what particular woman His Majesty begot the Duke of Monmouth, the Duke of Richmond, and the Earl of Plymouth." See Hamper's Life of Dugdale. The King directed (through 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 " FitzRoy" ; a privilege of which, apparently, none of these latter availed themselves. (') He is entered as " natural son of the King by the Duchess of Cleveland," and subscribes himself as " Charle [i/V] Southampton D."