L30/11/339/153

Letter from Mary Yorke to Lady Polwarth. Disappointment that 'our friends from Wrest' are unable to visit. Mention of 'Little Beauchamp' [great nephew of Agneta Yorke] - 'an uncommonly pleasing and forward boy.'

14 Aug 1794

From: 1794 To: 1794

Death of Lord Bathurst [Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst] - it was sudden and thought to be brought on by his own imprudence in riding out one very hot day for three hours. When he returned he lay down on the couch and never got up again, though he lived some days. Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn [5th Baronet] left Gloucester on Monday. Lord Dartmouths third son [Edward Legge] got the Living of Whitney with £800 per annum. Mention of Mrs Hinchliff, who is in a poor state of health as well as circumstances. Relates the contents of a letter from Lord Tankerville which he wants made public to prevent the world throwing reflection on his daughter's character. It states that one night at midnight Lord Tankerville was informed that his daughter had received a letter of assignation from Mr Bouverie [Hon. Edward Bouverie], and that Mr Bouverie had been seen by the servants lurking in the garden and under the windows. Lord Tankerville went to his daughter's room and insisted on seeing the letter, but she declared she had burnt it. He left the room in violent anger and locked her in. The daughter escaped via the window and waded through the Thames and fled to a cottage. The residents of the cottage took her to Mr Bouveries' house. Mrs Bouverie received her and desired her husband to quit the house and stay away while the guest was there, and sent to inform Lard Tankerville of his daughter's whereabouts. At some point a challenge [to a duel] was issued. Lord Tankerville says in his letter that when Mr Bouverie was on the ground wounded and thinking himself dying, he took a solemn oath to protect the innocence of the young lady. The writer understands that the letter contained a proposal to run away 'astonishing to her who had never considered him in any other light than the husband of her friend...' Reference to the novel 'The Mysteries of Udolpho' [by Ann Radcliffe, published in four volumes on 8 May 1794]

item

Yorke, Mary,
Maddox, Mary,
Lucas, Amabel, Baroness,
de Grey, Amabel, 1st Countess,
Hume-Campbell, Amabell, 1st Countess de Grey, 5th Baroness Lucas,
Beauchamp,
Yorke, Agneta,
Bathurst, Henry (2nd Earl Bathurst),
Williams-Wynn, Watkin [5th baronet],
Legge, William 2nd Earl of Dartmouth,
Legge, Edward,
Hinchliff,
Bennet, Charles [4th Earl of Tankerville],
Bouverie, Edward,
Radcliffe, Anne

family correspondence, DEATH, parish livings, duelling, books