Slike strani
PDF
ePub

fons to prepare my Lord Arrundell, but at prefent there is none void. Woodstock has been long promised." St. James's, 11 Jan. 82.

"For your own affairs I will be as diligent as you can with me, and my Lord Arrundell is now made a very great man, and confequently in a better condition to ferve his friends, for the King has given Lim Prince Rupert's places."

St. James's, Apr. 10 (83). "I will omit no opportunitys to improve your intereft. And first for my Lord of Arrundell, I think I have laid a tecure feige to all things worth your acceptance in his difpofing, all the gratuity I expect fhall be the continuation of your friendhip; but we may have cccafion to make ufe of some other coyne to fome other inftruments, who may be great means of bringing our purposes to good infues.". Notwithstanding his vait interest with this Lord, we find him focn after theword to the Duke of Norfolk, whither junk 3, (84), he orders his letters to be directed. And his father in his of June 25 (84) fays, I have seen my fon James but twice this nine months; he is now fteward to the Duke of Norfolke; he is allfo married, and hath get a very good woman and very handíum withall; he hath got a good fortune; I believe he will be worth above two thousand pounds at the lealt."

[ocr errors]

Who this beauty and fortune was I cannot yet learn, nor any further particulars of himself; only when Hole-Heufe comes to be difpofed of, his manner of joyning in the fale being fomewhat extraordinary, I must give you a part of his Jetter upon that occafion:

St. James's, 11 Jan. (82). "As for my mothers joynture, I will clear all my pretentions, by contenting to afiae, which will give Mr. Mowbrey as good a title as he can defire, or indeed can be made to any man, and fo I fuppofe his councell will inform him, and their for whoever was to officious to give notice of that deed, did neither Mr. Mowbrey the fervice, nor me the injury they intended, for my father can vouch for me, that I affured him in feveral letters I would do any thing which the law requires in fuch cafes, for fecuring Mr. Mowbrey a good title, and I am allured that my joyning in a fine will make him as good a title as any man in England has to any eftate, for I would only keep this deed. I will defire my father to bring what others he can find, for no other end but to fatisfy the world and

£

myself that beggery was not our originall. I hope you will befriend me in fecuring what is left, that I may be the better enabled to 1upport the creditt of cur family. :.

Ferdinando feems to leave the country with his father, and is pu to fchool at.. London; but not taking to learn,chis ? brother James fends him back to Wokings: ham, 1684, where he has continued ever fince. He is a very weak filly man. Ar this inftant of time, as I was aflured yefterday from his landlord, he is mofitrongly bent upon marrying a young girl under 16 (himfelf towards 70).

Margaret writes from Lendon, Dec. 1682,

مو

"I am with a parfon of quality, in whofe fervice I am extreamly happy.

Of her I have no other account but what appears from her brother James's letter, 11 Jan. following:

"My after Margaret has, contrary to all the endeavours I could ule, changed her religion, and went last Friday for: Flanders, their to be profeffed a Nun. It would be too tedious to give you the particulars, but in short she has been very ungrateful to me, and I have been too foolishly kind, for as I hope to be laved he has coft me above 1501. fince the came to London."

Her father mentions her too in his.. of Jan. 2.

[ocr errors]

"I had a letter from Margaret about! half a year ago, and thecis to well iatis fyed with what the hath undertaken, that the faith the would not charge her life, not for all the dignities and pleatures in the world. I believe the is a profes Nun by this time, fo that fhe is to well fatisfied with her condifhon, I must be contented to, although it hath been great deal of trouble to me. My Nancy: is very well in the fame place, Margaret was in, but I hope the will never alter

This is all I know of Anne, but that she afterwards married.om Kubinsen, a citizen of London, where the now lives his widow, and maintains her brotha Ferdinando, at an expence sofsizo per ann. belides cloaths. ynam brưɔd

Craggs's Monument. in Welminfter: Abbey was done by Signer Guelphi.4

T

[ocr errors]

In a letter from Cos: RBidated Sept. 13, 1735,thasebe daw ni hele

Iho enclofe Mrs. Cars Epitaph," Mother of the late oNowPatt-Maitér Craggs. The quiller wim, I mentioned as related to that, family, proves upon. enquiry to be no relation at ail. The only furviving one, I can hear of in this,

Country

country is the Poft-Mafter's younger brother Ferdinando Craggs, a batchelor, who now lives as a boarder with a maltman at Wolfingham, and is maintained by his fifter Robinson, mentioned in the ciclofed Epitaph in the Churchyard at Wellingham in the county of Durham, upon a very good it one which might delerve a more correct infcription, (as follows):

Here lyes the Body of Mrs. Anne Craggs, wife of Anthony Craggs,

of Holbech, in the parish of Wellingham, in the County

Palatine of Durham, Gent. Daughter of
the
Reverend Ferdinando Morecroft, of
Golwich,

in the County of Lancaster, D. D. Rector of Stanhop

in Wardall, in the Bishoprick of Durham, and Prebend of Durham, Died the 3d Sept. 1672.

To whofe Memory her Daughter
1 Anne Robinfon

Here

Erected this Monument. Friday, Feb. 4, 1736.) Yefterday morning the corps of Mrs. Anne Robinton, who died at Kenfington, in the 79th year of her age, was carried from thence and interred in Charlton Churchyard, in Kent, under a fpacious tomb, which fre had cauled fome years fince to be erected with the following infcription, the two blanks to be filled up after her decease: the Body of Mrs. Anne Robinson, wife of Mr. George: Robin.on, Late Merchant of the City of Londen, and Daughter of Mr. Anthony Craggs, of Holbech in the parish of Wolfingham, in the County Palatine of Durham, Gent. and Sitter to James Creggs, Efq. deceafed, late one of his Majesty's Pot-Malters General, whole Merument is very near this place erected, being at the Eaft end of this Church. [From the London Daily Poft, Friday, Feb. 4, 1730.

By a letter from Lord Oxford, I find Poft-Mafter Craggs was buried at Chariton, in Kent, where there is fome eitate in the family, with the following Epitaph: Here lies the Body of James Craggs, late of Londen, Eiq. One of his Majesty's Poft-Mafters Gene

ral.

He was the fon of Mr. Anthony Craggs, of Holbech, in the

Parish of Walkingham, in the County
Palatine of Durham, Gent.
And died the fixteenth of March, 1720.

He had iffue one fon and three daughtera,

viz.

The Right Honourable James Craggs, Efq.

One of the Principal Secretarys of State to his present Majenty,

Who died one monte before his faid Father;

And three daughters who furvived him: Anne, who married John Newfham, of Chadfunt,

In the County of Warwick, Efq. Elizabeth, who married Edward Eliot, of Port Eliot,

in the County of Cornwall, Efq. and Margaret, who married Samuel Trerufis, of Trefufis,

In the faid County of Cornwall, Efq. Which three Daughters in duty erected this Monument

o the pious memory of the best of Fathers.

[blocks in formation]

To the Memory of the Honourable Brigadier Michael Richards, Surveyor General of the Ordnance to his late Majefity King George the iff, Obiit 5th Februarii 1721. Etat. 48.

This Monument is erected by his three Nieces,

His Executrixes, Daughters of James Craggs, Efq.

Anne the Wife of John Knight, of the County of Effex, Eiq. Elizabeth Eliot, Widow, Relict of Edward Eliot of

the County of Cornwall, Efq; and Dame Margaret, the Wife of Sir John Hynde Cotton, of the County of Cambridge, Baronet.

This Richards was brother to PoftMatter Craggs's wife, and was probably by that intereft preferred from a trade, which he was born to.

BAKER'S MSS. Vel, 36, p. 463.

The

The elder Craggs was born in the Bishoprick of Durham, of people of the meancit rank; but being a hopeful youth, his relations were relolved to do tomething extraordinary for him, and therefore bound him to a barber in a country town. When his apprenticeship was expired, he took a fhort walk of about 200 miles up to London, &c. (where he made his fortune). He had a fon (and three daughters) to whom he gave a modish French education. The fon, upon the dimiffion of Mr. Addifon, was made Principal Secretary of State, He with his father were deeply involved in the pernicious South Sea fcheme. According to the Committee of Secrecy's Report, no less than 36000 fictitious flock was held for them. The Secretary died of the fmall-pox, the father followed, died poffeffed ('tis faid of 14,000l. per annum), besides incredible fums of money, and the feveral stocks, part of which is by Act of Parliament fubjected to make good deficiencies in South Sea

ftock. See more in The Political State of Great Britain, Vol. xxii. p. 442.

Upon the best enquiry I could make concerning my countryman, he claimed a relation to Sir John Eden, and as fuch left him mourning at his funeral, where Sir John appeared as a mourner, being tco wife to difclaim the relation, tho' I believe he knew nothing of it; for old Craggs under that pretended character of a relation had done him fervice. The name and family of Craggs at Welfingham is now extinct (only Ferdinand brother to James living, a very old man). -From a Friend of Sir John Eden.

My accounts being taken from different Letters at different times (correcting one another) are confufed, and may want correction, which may be had from the Originals, now in Lord Oxford's hands. I find James Craggs, Eiq. M. P. (for the Borough of Grampound), which met June 14, 1705. 36, p. 473

BAKER'S MSS. Vol.

DR. GOOCH's ACCOUNT of KING JAMES's ATTEMPT of the CONVERSION of his DAUGHTERS to his own RELIGION; occafioned by a PASSAGE in DR. KENNET's HISTORY of ENGLAND.

N the note (a) at the bottom of p. 492, I find myself quoted by the learned and impartial hand (Dr. Kennet) that compiled this volume. The occafion was this: Having the honour to be Chaplain to the late Queen Anne, and waiting with Dean Kennet in Nov. 1713, fome mention was made of a book written by Mr. Leflie, and published about that time, entitled "The Cafe ftated between the Church of Rome and Church of England, &c." And among feveral other matters that paffed in difcourfe, I faid there was one great miftake which that Author had been guilty of, in afferting p. 100, that King James never attempted the converfion of his daughters to his own religion. For, however true it might be of the Princefs Anne, I could certainly prove that with refpect to the Princefs of Orange it was falfe in fact; and I appealed to thofe letters which paffed between her Highnefs and the then Bifhop of London, which I myself had feen and read, and which are still in the hands of the Honourable General Compton, his Lordhip's nephew and executor. Therein the tells the Bishop of the feveral books lent to her by the King her Father, to convince her of the truth of the Romish principles and perfuafion, and of her being at length prevailed with, at the King's requeft, to fuffer a learned perion of that Communion to be admitted to a confe

rence with her; and in her last letter on this fubject, which is about eight pages in quarto, the allures his Lordship that the had been to well principled and infructed by him, that the thanks God and him he was able to defend, and refolved to perfevere in, the religion of the Church of England.

I further told this writer, that there were in the fame honourable hands rough draughts or ketches of the Bishop of London's letters to her Highnefs, giving her the shortelt and cleareft anfwers to the most popular Romish pleas; which fufficiently fhews how much that good Prelate was confulted and depended upon by that glorious Princeis.

As to her Highnefs the Princefs Anne, our late moft excellent Queen, fhe was on this fide the water often visited by the Bishop, and therefore not fo much a correfpontent by letter; and being alfo under the King's eye, and always as it might feem in the King's power, what Mr. Lefley cbierves is most certainly true, no attempt had been made on her religion. There is in the General's cuftody one letter of her's, wherein the afferts as much, tho' fhe fays that the every day expected it; and then, like her royal fister, fe thanks his Lordship for her good educa tion: and it is to her immortal honour that the letter is preferved; for in thefe remarkable words does the pious lady con

clude

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

MADAME de la Fayette and her Daughters' healths having materially fuffered from their confinement in the citadel of Olmutz, fhe folicited the indulgence of being allowed to write to the Emperor to obtain his Majefty's permiffion to go with her daughters to Vienna for a few days in order to procure medical advice. At length the Commandant ordered the prifon doors to be opened, and having locked up the young ladies in a feparate apartinent, fignified to their mother, that his Imperial Majefty had been pleafed to determine, that on no conEderation whatever fhould he go to Vienna; but that the might quit the prifon on condition of never returning to it. He required a written anfwer for the Emperor's perufal, which was givenas follows: LETTER OF MADAME DE LA FAYETTE. "The Commandant of Olmutz informed me yesterday, that in anfwer to my request of being allowed to go for eight days to Vienna for the purpofe of confulting the faculty, his Imperial Majefty fignified that on no confideration whatever I am peritted to visit that capital; and that he will confent to my quitting this prifon only on

condition of never entering it more. I have the honour to reiterate the answer which I made to the Commandant. To folicitthe affittancewhich theftate of my health requires, is a duty which I owed my family and my friends; but they are fenfible that it is not poffible for me to purchase it at the price at which it is offered. I cannot forget, that while we were both on the point of perifhing; me, by the tyranny of Robespierre; M. de la Fayette, by the moral and phyfical fufferings of his captivity; that I was not allowed to obtain any account of him, or to inform him that his children and myself were yet in existence: and nothing fhall tempt me to expofe myself a fecond time to the horrors of fuch a feparation. Whatever then may be the fate of my health, or the inConveniences which may refult to myfelf and my daughters from this habitation, we will all three avail ourfelves with gratitude of the goodness of his Imperial Majefty, who permits us to fhare this capvity in all its details."

This letter difplays an heroifin worthy of the best times of Rome, and of its pureft matrons.

* But the fame impartiality that would have obliged this Hiftorian to do justice or honour to the Bishop of London, might have led him to shew what part the Bishop had in taking the Princess Anne from her father's house at Court, or promoting her escape, and bringing her to Lordon House, and conducting her from thence in amilitary posture to Nottingham. For that he was in no danger at Court, I have it from another Prelate, prefent when the King took his leave at going to Salisbury. When he came from the Queen he exprest no visible concern, but when he came from the Princefs's Apartment he shed tears. What paft at this laft interview that occasioned tears, must be always a fecret, but that he parted this tenderly I have it from a Prelate then and there prefent.-Idq; fide mei præfto. THO. BAKER,

THE

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][graphic][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
« PrejšnjaNaprej »