AN INDIGNANT VERDICT.

431

Charing Cross, when the people took that opportunity of exhibiting their detestation of Government principles, by so severely pelting their witness that he was taken down in a lifeless state; and at the coroner's inquest, which followed, the jury, equally indignant, returned a verdict of "accidentally strangled."

CHAPTER XIV.

THE BISHOP'S FAMILY.

Atterbury's Children-His Daughter Mary-Her Education and Marriage-The High Bailiff of Westminster-A Mysterious Advertisement-Osborn Atterbury at Christ Church—His Father's Letter to him-Alarm of the Bishop's Family on learning his Arrest-His Daughter denied Access to him— Her Petitions to the Lord Mayor, Lord Townshend, and Lord Carteret The Bishop writes to Lord Townshend— Mrs. Morice permitted to see her Father-She insists on accompanying him in his Banishment-Their Embarkation -Land at Calais-Lord Bolingbroke-The Bishop goes to Brussels.

DR. ATTERBURY had four children by his wife; of the two who survived, a daughter was baptized October 23, 1698. She was educated with great care and tenderness, under the joint superintendence of most affectionate parents, till Mary Atterbury became one of the principal attractions of her father's house. At this period the cultivation of the feminine intellect was carried on under principles totally different to those that seem to prevail in the present age, and filial duty was regarded as a sacred as well as a natural obligation. The Bishop's daughter was not permitted to waste much time in acquiring fashionable accomplishments; the more superficial of social graces were neglected in favour of the solid advantages of mental excellence

and moral worth. Society still possessed a large element of the vicious and the coarse, but it was passing out of the gross licentiousness that had characterized it in the third quarter of the seventeenth century there were always women, however, whose truly womanly virtues redeemed the profligacy of their sex. Such were Mrs. Godolphin and Lady Russell, such were Mrs. Hutchinson and Lady Mordaunt ;* and the daughter of John Evelyn was a worthy contemporary of the daughter of Francis Atterbury.

The Bishop's friends had scarcely time to notice the domestic blessing he had secured, when it was removed to fill another home with happiness. A worthy man, of excellent social position, had seen the treasure, and having won the regard of both parents as well as the affections of their child, was permitted to lead her to the altar. They were married by license at Bromley in May, 1715.

William was the eldest son of Thomas Morice, Esq., Paymaster of the British Forces in Portugal (where he died in 1713), and of Alice, daughter of Sir William Underhill, Knight, of Idlicote, in the county of Warwick.

Among the few public notices of him is the following, from a contemporary newspaper :

On Sunday, November 1st, died George Wilcocks, Esq., High Bailiff of Westminster, who bought his place about two years ago of Mr. Miles for £3,000; and is succeeded by Squire Morice,

Elizabeth, Viscountess Mordaunt, the exemplary mother of the Earl of Peterborough. Her diary was privately printed by her descendant, the Earl of Roden, in 1856. I am indebted for a copy of this highly interesting work to his lordship's son-in-law, the Marquis of Londonderry.

VOL. I.

29

434

THE HIGH BAILIFF OF WESTMINSTER.

who married the daughter of Dr. Atterbury, the present Bishop of Rochester.

Mr. Wilcocks paid dearly for his distinction, but his successor was more fortunate, retaining the emoluments of the office, which Chamberlain describes as one "of honour and profit," in the gift of the Dean. It was, therefore, a special help to the young couple, and as it was held for life, must have shielded the young wife from any anxieties about the future.

The position of the Bishop was one of much peril, even in the early married life of the High Bailiff.

Walpole was watching for an opportunity to retaliate on his opponent. His innumerable agents were about, exaggerating and inventing information. Sham plots, which had produced lamentable mischiefs a few years before, from one of which the last Bishop of Rochester had narrowly escaped, might be repeated with greater villany and more skill. That something of this nature was apprehended by his anxious sonin-law is clear from the following reply. The Bishop thought the affair barely worth looking into:

BISHOP ATTERBURY TO MR. MORICE.

Dear Mr. Morice,

Bromley, Monday Morn, 1716.

I thank you kindly for your letter; but see not how that advertisement can possibly concern me. I have seen none of my neighbours but Mr. Bagshaw* and Mr. Swift; having sent to none, and given it out that I desire to be private. So no discourse of mine here can have given an occasion for any information. Whatever it be, let it take its course: the less we meddle in it, the better; and therefore I desire you by no means

* Minister of Bromley.

OSBORN ATTERBURY.

435

to think of satisfying your curiosity by enquiring for Number Ten. All I should think proper to do in that case, is, if there were any public or other house over against the King's Arms in the Pall Mall, I might make James (without his livery) take his stand there to-morrow and Wednesday at the time appointed, and observe who of this place then goes into that tavern; for James knows them all. But perhaps this itself would be improper, and turn to no account. However, I desire you to see if there be such a place, where he can fix himself without suspicion; and, if there be, to give yourself the trouble of a new messenger to me either to-night or to-morrow morning before seven. If I hear nothing from you on this head, I shall think no more of the matter, and perhaps the wisest thing I could do would be not to think at all of it; for it is either designed as an amusement if it relates to me, or else I am altogether unconcerned in it.

My blessing to Mrs. Morice; my wife sends hers to both of you. I am your very affectionate father, &c.*

Atterbury's only son, Osborn, having gone through the usual course at Westminster School, in May, 1722, had been elected to a studentship at Christ Church, Oxford. A month later his father replied to a letter he had addressed to him. There can be no doubt that the young man's career had hitherto been satisfactory, and the tenor of the Bishop's communication speaks the desire of the parent to see him excel. He had every possible inducement to do this, and at the College must have been constantly reminded of a career that ought to have been a source of as much emulation as of pride:

BISHOP ATTERBURY TO HIS SON OSBorn.

Dear Obby,

Bromley, June 13, 1722.

I thank you for your letter; because there are manifest

* Atterbury Papers.