November 12th, 1713. Afterwards he lived retired from public affairs, at his seat at Maiden-Bradley in Wiltshire, where he died, aged eighty years, on December 29th, 1741. He married Letitia, sole daughter of Sir Francis Popliam, of Littlecote in Wiltshire, Knight of the Bath, and by her, who died in 1738, had four sons and eight daughters.

First, Edward, eighth Duke of Somerset.

Second, Francis Seymour, of Sherborn in Dorsetshire, Esq. who was chosen member of parliament for Great Bedwin, on the decease of Sir William Willis, in 1732, and for Marlborough in the parliament summoned to meet on June 13th, 1734. He died December 23d, 1761, having married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Popham of Littlecote, relict of Edward Viscount Hinchinbroke, and mother of the present Earl of Sandwich, and had issue by her two sons; first, Henry, who first married, on July 24th, 1753, Lady Caroline, only daughter of William Earl Cowper, by which Lady, who died June 2d, 1773, and is buried at Hertingfordbury, he had issue Georgina, born Jan. 31st, 1755, married in Sept. 1775 to William Danby, junior, Esq. of Swinton in Yorkshire, and Caroline, born December 31st, 1756; he secondly married October 5th, 1775, to Madame Louise de Panthou, a Lady descended of an ancient and noble family in the province of Normandy, by whom he had a son and heir, Henry, born November 10th, and baptised December 5th, 1776; second, Francis, who died an infant; and a daughter, Mary, married on November 30th, 1758, to John Bailey, of Sutton in Somersetshire, Esq.

Third, Alexander, who died unmarried, April 3d, 1731.

Fourth, William Seymour, of Knoyle in Wiltshire, Esq. who married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of .... Hippye, of Frome in Somersetshire, Esq. and died without issue.

Of the daughters, Letitia was married to John Gapper, of Wincauton in Somersetshire, Esq.; Margaret, to Richard Jones, of Ramsbury in Wiltshire, Esq.; Elizabeth, to Henry Hungerford, of Field in Wiltshire, Esq. and died on May 5th, 1756; Anne, to William Scroggs, of Chute Lodge in the same county, Esq. and died February 1755; Helena, died unmarried; Mary, wife of the Rev. Mr. Hammond; Jane, of William Coleman, of Gornhey in com. Devon, Esq.; and Catherine, of John Phillippa Fuhr, merchant of Bristol.

The eldest son EDWARD, EIGHTH DUKE OF SOMERSET, when a commoner, served for the city of Salisbury, in that parliament which sat first on December 4th, 1741. And on the death of his Grace, Algernon Duke of Somerset, on February 7th, 1749-50, by the limitations in the creation patents, to Edward Duke of Somerset, in the reign of King Edward VI. of Baron Seymour, and Duke of Somerset, being lineally descended from that great nobleman, by his first wife, which was evidently proved before Sir Dudley Ryder, attorney-general; and on his report to his Majesty, on November 23d, 1750, that he had just claim to those titles, his Grace had summons to parliament, as Duke of Somerset, and Baron Seymour, and took his place accordingly in the house of peers; and was chief mourner at the funeral of Frederic Prince of Wales, on April 13th, 1751.

On February 11th, 1752, he had a grant of the offices of warden and chief justice in Eyre, of all his Majesty's forests, parks, chases, and warrens, beyond Trent; and also constituted lord lieutenant of Wiltshire.

His Grace married Mary sole daughter and heir of Daniel Webb, of Monkton Farley in Wiltshire, Esq. and niece and heir of Edward Somner, of Seend in the same county, Esq.; by whom he had issue four sons and a daughter, living at his death, on December 12th, 1757, and his Duchess survived till February 23d, 1768.

First, Edward, his successor in titles and estate.

Second, Lord Webb Seymour, tenth Duke, who inherited his grandfather's estate at Monkton Farley.

Third, Lord William, who being entered in the Inner Temple, was called to the bar, as barrister of law, in 1744. On June 5th, 1767, his Lordship married Hester, daughter of John Maltravers of Milkshaw in Wilts; by whom he had issue, first, Edward, born May 3d, 1768; second, William, born March 28th, 1769; third, Hesther, born November 24th, 1770. He died

....

Fourth, Lord Francis, who was one of his Majesty's chaplains in ordinary, canon of Windsor, vicar of Wantage in Berks, and lastly dean of Wells. His Lordship married Catherine, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Payne, of Home Lacy in Herefordshire, and sister to the Countess Dowager of Northampton, and by her had two sons, Edward, who died unmarried June 23, 1775; and Francis Compton; and three daughters, Mary, married in Sep

h British Parl. Regist. No 203.

tember 1773, to John Hyde of East Greenwich in Kent, Esq.; Catherine, married June 6th, 1776, to John Newton, of Kings Bromley in Staffordshire, Esq. which marriage was dissolved by act of parliament in 1782; and Frances, married, first, Dr. Bovet, deceased; and secondly, in 1803, the Rev. James Tuson.

His Grace's only daughter, Lady Mary, was married on September 21st, 1759, to Vincent Biscoe, Esq. of Austin Friars, London, and died July 21st, 1762, leaving Joseph Seymour Biscoe, and Mary.

EDWARD, NINTH DUKE OF SOMERSET, at the funeral procession of George II. on November 11th, 1760, walked as principal supporter to the Duke of Cumberland, chief mourner at that solemnity; and at the coronation of George III. on September 22d, 1761, carried the orb, as his illustrious predecessors had generally done at former coronations; the carriage of that part of the regalia having been commonly allotted to persons of the first rank. His Grace was one of his Majesty's most honourable privy-council. He died unmarried, January 2d, 1792, and was succeeded by his brother,

Lord Webb Seymour, who became TENTH DUKE OF SoMERSET. He married on December 15th, 1769, Anne, daughter and heiress of John Bonnel, Esq. of Stanton Harcourt, in Oxfordshire, by whom, (who died July 22d, 1802,) he had issue, first, Edward; second, Webb, who both died young, third, Edward Adolphus; fourth, Webb John, born February 7th, 1777. His Grace died December 15th, 1793, when he was succeeded by his eldest son,

Edward Adolphus, present and ELEVENTH DUKE OF SOMERSET, born February 7th, 1775. He married, June 24th, 1800, Lady Charlotte Hamilton, second daughter of Archibald, Duke of Hamilton, by whom he has a daughter born October 21st, 1803.

Titles. Edward Adolphus Seymour, Duke of Somerset, Baron Seymour, and Baronet.

Creations. Baron Seymour by letters patent, on February 15th, 1546-7, (1 Edward (VI.) and Duke of Somerset, the day following; and Baronet, by letters patent, dated on June 29th, 1611, 9 Jac. I.

Arms. Quarterly; first and fourth, Or, on a pile, gules, between six fleurs-de-lis, Azure, three lions of England (an augmentation granted by Henry VIII. on his marriage with the Lady

Jane Seymour) second and third, the paternal coat of Seymour, gules, two wings, conjoined in lure, tips downwards, Or.

Crest. Out of a ducal coronet, Or, a phoenix in flames, proper, with wings expanded, Or; in memory of King Edward VI. but the original crest was, on a wreath, a pair of wings conjoined in lure, tips downwards, and crowned, Or.

Supporters. On the dexter side an unicorn, Argent, maned, Or, gorged with a ducal collar, Azure, to which is affixed a chain, Or on the sinister a bull, Azure, maned, collared, chained and hoofed, as that on the dexter.

Chief Seats. At Maiden Bradley and Seend in Wiltshire; Berry Pomeroy and Totness castle in Devonshire, which last are in ruins.

THE next in order of precedency, of whom I am to treat, are the Dukes of Richmond, descended from the most noble Charles Duke of Richmond, only son of King Charles II. by the Lady Louise Renée de Penencourt, of Queroualle in France, who came into England, in the year 1670, with the Duchess of Orleans, the King's sister.

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"This year, says Burnet," the King declared a new mistress, and made her Duchess of Portsmouth. She had been maid of honour to Madame, the King's sister, and had come over with her to Dover where the King had expressed such a regard to her, that the Duke of Buckingham, who hated the Duchess of Cleveland, intended to put her on the King. He told him that it was a decent piece of tenderness for his sister to take care of some of her servants, So she was the person the King easily consented to invite over. That Duke assured the King of France, that he could never reckon himself sure of the King, but by giving him a mistress that should be true to his interests. It was soon agreed to. So the Duke of Buckingham sent her with a part of his equipage to Dieppe, and said he would presently follow. But he, who was the most inconstant and forgetful of all men, never thought of her more; but went to England by the way of Calais. So Montague, then ambassador at Paris, hearing of this, sent over for a yacht for her, and sent some of his servants to wait on her, and to defray her charge, till she was brought to Whitehall: and then Lord Arlington took care of her. So the Duke of Buckingham lost the merit he might have pretended to; and brought over a mistress, whom his strange conduct threw into the hands of his enemies. The King was presently taken with her. She