The National Register. — London, England, 1811-07-07 00:00:00

BERKELEY PEERAGE. The inquiry into this affair has excited so much interest, that our readers will, we are persuaded, be gratified by the following brief statement : " On the disath of the Earl of Berkeley, about a year ago, it became a questidn which of his lordship's sons was entitled to be called to the House of Peers as the successor to his father's dignities. Common reputation was, that the two eldest sons bad been born before the deceased Lord was married to their mother the present Countess : hut her ladyship, in behalf of her eldest son, averred that although the public solemnization of the marriage. took place after the birth of the before-named two children, yet, that she had been pritately married to Lord Berkeley before their birth ; and, to establish this statement, an entry in a parish register has been produced; which entry, it is alleged, had, for certain reasons of pleasure and convenience on the part of Lord Berkeley, been written on a leaf that was pasted down in the registry book for many years, until, upon the present occasion, it was wanted. The truth of this story is what the House of Lords has been engaged in ittquiring into. " The clergyman who is stated to have niasle the entry in the register is dead ; and his widow has declare' that she does not believe the writing to be that of her deceased husband ! Lady Berkeley is the daughter of Mrs. Glossop, of Osbournby, Lin colnshire (formerly Mrs. Cole). She contradicted her daughter in some particulars, but gave her evidence in a very respectable way. The old lady has always lived in obscurity herself, but her three daughters have risen to a remarkable elevation in so ciety ; one is the present Countess of Berkeley •, another mar ried a gentleman, who, dying, left her possessed of 70001. a year, and she is now jhe wife of a nephew of Sir F. Baring; and the third daughter married a General in the army, at present in an important command in America." The evidence adduced before the House of Lords is extreme ly voluminous, occupying upwards of 900 pages, an eh: idgement of which would far exceed our limits; that of the Rev. John Chapeau is amongst the most remarkable, as it contains, in Lady Berkeley's own words, an account of her first introdac eion to his Lordship.. The Rev. Mr. Chapeau, an old acquaintance of Lord Berke ley'&, was applied to to christen a naturalson of hisin January, 1787, which he did, leave having been given by Dr. Courtenay, - Rector of St. George's. At this christening, Admiral Prescott, who was present, wrote down, " William Fitzharding, natural son of Earl of Berkeley, by MI ry Tudor." In the course of the evidence given by Mr. Chapeau, he detailed the following his tory, which Lady Berkeley had given of herself in Oct. 1787 : " When I cAtu. Into' the parlour to shelter myself, 1 believe ft wag from rain. Miss Tudor was discharging a servant she had out of the country, and persuading this giato return to her friends in the country, telling her she would pay her stage coach . if she would. She refused, saying she liked to stay in London better. Upon which Miss Tudor asked me, if I did not think tke girl extremely obstinate ; and that a girl with a ;nod counte nance, and dismissed from service without money, would be sure to fall a prey to some man or. • other. In this situation, said she, I was once myself; Mit having a fried 1 of my mother's, whose name 1 recollected, and whose house I found out, very luckily was received with kindness ; but that kindness did not last long, for he came to me, and said, " Mary, you must not stay longer under my roof; I have lived in good esteem among my neighbours, and the youfig people will laugh at me if you continue, and he old will despise rite ; therefore, child, you must go down to your friends at Gloucester." I said to her, " I hope that he did not turn you out without some money." " No," said she, "he gave me a very handsome present, and with cliat present I quitted his house and went to my sister, Ann Varren, whom 1 found with a sore breamt, two or three children extremely diseased and dirty, and one Mrs. Sheffield, an old servant in the family, who came, upon her necessitous situation, to assist them. The first thing I did was to send for a surgeon to my sister; the next was to have the children cleaned' and clothed, and that dipped very deeply into my present. I remunerated Mrs. Sheffield for her kindness, and then disliking my situation under my sister, took my little bundle and marched to my sister Susan's. I took up the knocker, hut re collecting that my mother had given me strict order never to speak to my sister Susan any more, I laid it down again quietly, and took a turn to reflect upon my disobedience; but when 1 thought of returning to all that misery at my sister's, my sister screaming with pain, and the children almost famished with hunger, I faced about, went to my sister Susan's Once again, took up the knocker, and rive a loud rap. Who should come to the door, but (as if it had been on purpose) my sister Susan he self. dresa.:d out in all the paraphernalia of a fine lady going to ttieOpeta. She took me into her arms, carried me into the phi Loin . , and gave me refreshment ; began to tear a great many valuable laces ) of 16s. a yard, to equip me fur the Opera, and AL REGISTER. when I was so dressed I looked like a devil. I went to the Opera, and was entertained with it, and at night returned again to my sister's, and diet e I found a table well spread; not know ing that my sister ever had any fortune. At table were Lord Berkeley 3 Sir Thomas Kipworth, I think a Mr. Marriott, and Mr. Howorth. The evening went off very dull, and they spots left the place. The next night we went to the pray in the sante manner, and returned in the same manner, and with no other difference than a yourg barrister, whom I thought agreeable, and if I had been frequently with him should have liked him much. When they went away, I requested my sister to give me a cheerful evening that we might recount over our youth ful stories. A day was fixed, and our supper was a roast fowl, sausages, and a bowl of punch. In the midst. of our mirth, violent noise was heard in the passage, and in rushed two ruf fians, one seizing my sister by the right hand, trying to drag her out of the house, in order to- carry her to a sponging house. She told me the men declared' they would not quit Susan, her sister, Unless they received an hundred guineas. She fainted away ; then, when she mete to herself, she found Lord Berkeley standing by her sister Susan, who was not there be fore. Miss Tudor fill upon her kt'ees, and desired Lord Berke ley to liberate her sister ; that she had no money herself to do . , it, that it he would do it, he might do whatever he please& with her own person ; he paid down one hundred guineas; the ruffians quitted their hold, and my Lord carried off the lady."— In the conclusion, did her ladyship say any thing Yes; she said, " Mr. Chapeau I have been as much sold as any lamb that goes to the shamble:." The four eldest sons being declared illegitimate, the title ie volves upon the fifth son, who is the first born in wedlock; Thomas Morton Fitzharding, now Earl Berkeley, born 19th of October, 1796. THE ARMY. COURT-MARTIAL ON COLONEL JOHNSTONE. " Horse-Guards, June 29. " The Court having duly and maturely weighed and con sidered the whole of the evidence adduced on the prosecution' as well as what has been offered in &fence, are of opinion, tint; Lieutenant-Colonel J' •hnstoite is guilt y of the act of mutiny, as described in the charge, and do, therefore, sentence him to be Cashiered. " I am to acquaint you, that, under all the circumstances of this-ease, his Royal Highness was pleased, in the name and me the behalf of his Majesty, to acquiesce in the sentence of the Court. "I am further commanded to acquaint you, that in pausing a sentence so inadequate to the enormity.of the crime of which the prisoner has been found guilty, the Court have apparently been actuated by a consideration for the circumstances of int propriety and oppression, which by the 'evidence on the face a the proceidings, appearto have so strongly marked the conduct of Covernar ittigh in the administration of the high office with which ha was entrusted by his Mojesty,--But althoogh the Prince Regent admits the principle under which the Court .have aLlowtd this consideration to act in mitigation of the punish ment which the crime of mutiny would otherwise have tog gested, yet no circumstance whatever can be.. received by his Royal'Highness in full extenuation of an assumption of , power so subversive of every principle of good order and discipline, at that under which Lieutenant-Colonel JOhnstone has been C 411•• victed. " You will acquaint me yrith the day upon which the sen tense is made known to the prisoner, I.ieutenant-Colonel John.' stone, as from that day lie will cease to receive pay in his Ma. jesty's service. (Signed " FREDERICK, " Commander in Chid" " Adjutant-General of the Forces." .• LONDON. BRIDGE. The fallowing extract from the Stlect Committee of the House of Commons shows the necemity of providing against , the sudden destruction of London. Bridge. The , Iron Bridge, for which an Act has just pass.:.l, it is hoped will be erected time enough to avert such a catastrophe, by furnishing a passage while London Bridge undergoes the necessary alterations : " It appears from the observations of Mr. Milne, that the structure of London Bridge is so defective in its original de sign, that to art or expense which been, or can be bestowed on it, c3n secure it from the risk of a sudden and total destruc tion, under such circumstances of the river; and that, in ordinary circumstances, it rec.eives continual injury from the rapidity of the current, occasioned by the narronness of the arches, and requires frequent support from the iithiltiou of new materials