LORD LIEUTENANT, AND CUSTOS ROTULORUM OF THE COUNTY OF NORTHUMBERLAND, VICE ADMIRAL OF THE SAME; ONE OF THE LORDS OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL; K.G. F. R. S. F. S. A.; A GENERAL IN THE ARMY, AND CONSTABLE OF LAUNCESTON CASTLE.

Ir would be equally vain and ridiculous, to enter into a laboured detail of the genealogy of this good, amiable, and illustrious nobleman. By the paternal side, his Grace derives his origin from the Smithsons, or Smythsons; a family so ancient, as to possess a lordship of the same name, in the county of York, at the time of the Norman conquest. Indeed, according to the testimony of one of our most respectable heralds, who had access to the family papers, he claims the same

lineage as the Veres, Earls of Oxford; the Beauchamps, Earls of Warwick; the Mortimers, Earls of March; and is also descended from the great families of Percy and Neville; and even from the blood royal, through the princely House of York. * As to the maternal stock, the Percies are readily traced from the ancient kings of France and England, and the Seymours, from Mary Queen Dowager of France, younger daughter of Henry VII. by his Queen Elizabeth, daughter and heir of King Edward IV. in whom were united the two royal Houses of York and Lancaster.

Hugh, the elder son of the first Duke of Northumberland, by his consort Elizabeth, only daughter of the great Duke of Somerset; was born, August 14, 1742, in the parish of St. George, Hanover Square. After receiving a suitable education, he was introduced to the world as Earl Percy; and as his early inclinations pointed towards a military life, his lordship was at length gratified, even in this wish, although doubtless with much reluctance on the part of his parents. He accordingly obtained a commission in the army, while yet a boy, and actually served with great credit, for a whole campaign in Germany, during the seven years' war, under the auspices of Prince Ferdinand, then supposed to be one of the ablest commanders of his age.

Nor did this young nobleman fail to display his spirit and indignation at home, when the honour of his family appeared to be called in question. The government of Tynmouth fort had been usually disposed of in a manner agreeably to the wishes of the Duke of Northumberland, in return for the very handsome manner in which a portion of the adjacent ground had been transferred, for the accommodation of the garrison. On an expected vacancy, his Grace applied to His Majesty in person, to confer this appointment on his eldest son; and the royal promise was supposed to have been given on that occasion. On the death of Sir Andrew Agnew, in 1771, an application was accordingly made to Lord North,

*See Collins' Peerage, vol. ii. p. 476.

intimating, in the most delicate manner, the promise that had been made; but that minister replied, in a very laconic epistle," that it was totally unnecessary to remind him of any previous engagement, as the government of Tynmouth fort was already disposed of to the Hon. Major-General Alexander Mackay." Such an affront was not likely to pass with impunity on the part of a Percy; and the earl accordingly transmitted a spirited rejoinder, purporting, " that he had received his lordship's letter with an equal degree of concern and indignation; for whatever his opinion of the present ministers might be, he had always looked upon the great Person's own word to be sacred, until that moment."

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But notwithstanding this insult, Lord Percy never failed for a single moment, to exhibit both his accustomed loyalty to the King, and his warm attachment to what he deemed, the best interests of his native country. Accordingly, at the commencement of the war with America, in the course of which the Trans-Atlantic colonies successfully resisted all claims of taxation on the part of the parent state, his lordship made a tender of his services to government. These being readily and joyfully accepted, he instantly repaired to the scene of action, and took an active part in most of the military operations of that day.

At the battle of Lexington, fought on the 19th of April 1775, his lordship, with a body of British troops, came very opportunely to the succour of a detachment under Colonel Smith, who had not only advanced further than was expected, but had actually expended all his ammunition. General Gage, in his official dispatch, afterwards published in the London Gazette, observes, "that too much praise cannot be given to Lord Percy, for his remarkable activity, during the whole day." This nobleman was also present at the spirited action at Bunker's Hill, and distinguished himself, not only then, but afterwards essentially contributed to the reduction of Fort Washington: the column headed by him, was the first that entered the enemy's lines.

Meanwhile his illustrious mother, who had distinguished

herself, not only by a princely demeanour suitable to her exalted rank, but also by a munificent encouragement of literature and the fine arts, died on her birth day, December 5th, 1776, precisely at the time her Grace had completed the 70th year of her age. On this, the subject of the present memoir, who was still abroad in the service of his country, succeeded to the baronies of Percy, Lucy, Poynings, Fitz-Poyne, Bryan, and Latimer. His lordship did not, however, take his seat in the House of Lords, until November 20, 1777, on his arrival from America, which he had quitted at the end of the campaign of that year.

Earl Percy was received with open arms by all the ministers. So much promptitude and gallantry on the part of a distinguished nobleman had excited their admiration; and accordingly, we find him soon after appointed Colonel of the fifth regiment of foot, with the rank of Lieutenant-General in the army.

But by this time all the airy speculations about subjugation, conquest, and unconditional submission had evaporated, and the more sober part of the cabinet, began to talk of peace and conciliation. On that occasion, Earl Percy was considered, from the moderation of his principles, his knowlege of America, and his high rank, as well as high character, to be eminently calculated for the office of chief Commissioner, or rather Ambassador Plenipotentiary, now proposed to be sent to the insurgent colonies. His family and friends, on this proposal, disavowed all ideas of emolument, but they wished to stipulate for the Garter, as a necessary appendage to the embassy, more especially as there were no fewer than three blue ribbands vacant at that very moment. *To this proposition, it was replied, "that his lordship might depend upon it, on his return." But his lordship had not as yet forgotten the pledge given him in respect to the government of Sir Andrew Agnew; and he is said to have stated, "that being too well acquainted with courts, to trust to promises; if he could not have the garter before embarkation, he must decline going."

* By the death of the Duke of Kingston, and the Earls of Albermarle and Chester.

The present Earl of Carlisle, then a very young man, was afterwards placed at the head of a commission for the same purpose. He was honoured on that occasion, we believe, with the garter, as he doubtless deemed it indispensable, and preferred the possession to the prospect! with the result of that embassy, the public is well acquainted.

Devoid of ambition, and anxious only to be useful, Earl Percy now addicted himself to the pleasures of domestic society, and the cares incident to his station. At the age of twenty-one, July 2, 1764, his lordship had been persuaded to form an alliance with one of the noblest and most ancient families in the United Kingdom, having married Lady Anne Stuart, third daughter of John Earl of Bute, then the favourite and prime minister of his present Majesty. But this connexion, however desirable it might have been in other respects, proved unfortunate; and it was at length finally dissolved by act of parliament, in March, 1779. Soon after, and under far more propitious auspices, this nobleman formed a new alliance with Miss Frances-Julia Burrel, sister to Sir Peter Burrel, Bart. now Lord Gwydir, and officiating Great Chamberlain of England, in consequence of his marriage with Priscilla-Barbara-Elizabeth Lindsey, Baroness d'Eresby, eldest daughter of Peregrine, third Duke of Ancaster. The leading motive to this union was of no vulgar kind: it originated in that species of attachment from a child to a parent, which the Romans honoured with the name of Piety. In the year 1773, the father of the present Duchess Dowager, of Northumberland, was advised to repair to Spa, for the benefit of his health. His affectionate daughters, dreading to trust the life of one so justly dear to them all, to mercenary hands, resolved to accompany him thither; and carefully secluding themselves from the society of the gay and fascinating company who had assembled there, devoted the whole of their time and attention to the pleasing task of fanning the last vital spark I of a life so highly prized! Their exemplary attention to the honour of our age and country, produced a general admiration and esteem; and finally led to three of the noblest matrimonial