Part 52

I am, your Majesty's most dutyfull subject,

CHARLOTTE DERWENTWATER. St. Germains, February, ye 10th, 1747.

Of the Countess's two younger sons, one, James Clement Radcliffe, an officer in the French service, survived till 1788, the other, who bore his father's name, Charles, died in 1749. Three of her daughters died unmarried, but Lady Mary, the fourth, married Francis Eyre, Esq., of Walworth Castle, Northamptonshire. On the failure of the issue of three sons, in 1814 the title of Newburgh passed into the family of Eyre through the marriage of the above Mary, and devolved upon Francis Eyre, the grandson of Charlotte Countess of Newburgh, and of Charles Radcliffe, father of the present Earl of Newburgh.

By the marriage of Lady Anne Radcliffe, the only daughter of James, Earl of Derwentwater, in 1732, to Robert James, eighth Baron Petre, the present Lord Petre is the rightful representative of that attainted nobleman, being the third in direct descent from Lady Anne Radcliffe, whose only brother, John, was killed accidentally abroad, having never been married.

In concluding this account of the unfortunate Charles Radcliffe, a reflection naturally arises in the mind, how different would have been the spirit of administration in the present day to that which the government of that period displayed:--how great would have been the horror of shedding the blood of honourable and valiant men; how universal the sentiment of mournful commiseration; and how strong the conviction, that men, so true to an ill fated cause, would have been faithful to any engagements which required them to abandon their efforts in that cause; had clemency, but too imperfectly understood in those turbulent and merciless times, excited their gratitude, and for ever ensured their fidelity.

FOOTNOTES:

"Genuine and Impartial Memoirs of the Life and Character of Charles Radcliffe, wrote by a Gentleman of the Family, (Mr. Eyre,) to prevent the public being imposed on by any erroneous or partial accounts, to the prejudice of this unfortunate gentleman." London, printed for the Proprietor, and sold by E. Cole, 1746.

Hodgson's Hist. of Northumberland, vol. ii. p. 227, note.

Ibid. p. 233.

Fever.

At Thorndon, the seat of Lord Petre, in Norfolk, are other original letters of Lord Derwentwater, referring to his wife. In most touching terms he thanks the mother of Lady Derwentwater for having "given her to him." This, and other interesting documents, are highly prized, and consequently carefully preserved by the ancient and noble family to whom they have descended.

See Life of Lord Derwentwater, vol. i.

Ibid. 14.

Secret History of the Rebels in Newgate, 3rd edition, London, 1716.

Ibid. p. 8.

Secret History.

State Trials.

For this anecdote, and also for a considerable portion of the materials of this Memoir, I am indebted to the great kindness and intelligence of the Hon. Mrs. Douglas, daughter of the present Lord Petre.

Wood's Peerage.

MS. Letter.

I must again refer to the information supplied by the Hon. Mrs. Douglas.

Life of Charles Radcliffe, p. 25.

Letter to G. Montagu, p. 18.

State Trials; quoted from the Impartial History of the late Charles Radcliffe, written at the time.

Letter to Sir H. Mann, vol. ii. p. 140.

A review of the reign of Geo. II. London. 1762.

Douglas's Peerage, Edit. by Wood.

Brown's Hist. Highlands, (Stuart Papers, Appendix) page 491.