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

POPULATION RETURNS.

The increase in the Population of Great Britain since the last
census, in 1801, is very considerable ; but until the returns are
fully completed, we cannot fairly estimate on the amount of the
whole. From the accounts subjoined, however, we find in the
course of ten years an addition of 76,000 inhabitants. Each
town has considerably improved in accesssion of buildings, as
well as families, with the exception of Norwich, which has fallen
oil- near 4000 since 1801. The town of Birmingham, supposed
to have sustained great drawbacks, from the emigration of me-
chanics, presents a most convincing proof of its prosperity;
no less than 200 additional houses arc now builditn, with
an increase of 9200 people. Grimsby a few years back had
scarcely 1000 inhabitants; its population now is nearly doubled.
Males. Females. Total.
Boston
Bingham
Cambridge
Colchester
Chatham 5,673 „. 6.475
Grim AI
Lincoln
Man Chester 44,332 54,241
Leeds
Loughborough .
Norwich 15,026
Newark
Northampton 9,202
Peterborough
Nottingham
Portsmouth
Birmingham
Sheffield 17,887
Eccleshall (adjoining). 3,190 - 6,,.55611
Stamford
Warwick . . "3,0`21
Woodbri•ige
In the registry of births, it is generally calculate I that for
every 100 females there
,are 103 males.-By the present list, it
will be observed, that the females are in proportion to 112 Le
every 100 males.

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.