The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-11 00:00:00

CLAIM ON THE PERCY PA

MaNsto re-Ho t:SE.--The unfortunate Mrs. Webster, to
whose grandfather the Northumberland family has been in-
debted for upwards of 60,0001., and who has been, since the
paper acknowledging the obligation was so unfairly gives up
to bie Grace, totally neglected and abandoned to parish relief,
almost daily haunts the Mansion-house in the vain expecta-
tion that her misfortunes will yet excite some compassion
where gratitude is not to he found. It was stated in the detail
of the circumstances which formed the basis of her application
to the Lord 3layor, that it was understood his Lordship
had written to the Duke of Northumberland upon the subject.
—This, it appears, is not accurate. His Lordship considered
that as the case was one of a family nature, and of which a
Magistrate could not take cognizance, it would be improper
for him to interfere in that manner. He, however, for the
purpose of enabling the Duke to form an estimate of the merits
of the Claim, directed that the City Seal, which has graven
upon it the appropriate words " Dornine diri,4e nos," should be
impressed upon a letter written by Mrs. Webeter to the Duke;
and Mr. Mohler, in order to assist in the humane expedient to
place before the eyes of his Grace the distresses and the claims
of the unhappy pauper, superscribed the letter and wrote the
word private' upon it. That letter, his to be supposed, met the
fate of all the communications made to his Grace since the letter
of the late Duke, in acknowledgment and praise of the magna-
nimity of Mr. Lomas, was no longer capable of being pro-
duced by that gentleman's only living descendant. Not one
word has been written or spoken by any of this noble and
affluent family about the matter. It was mentioned in
our former statement with respect to Mrs. Webster, that
the Duke of Northumberland said, the money which
had been presented by Mr. Lomas to the family was all in the
hands of the Earl of Beverley, his relation, who, he had no
doubt, would not be unmindful of the obligation in his consi-
deration of Mrs. Webster's case. The Earl, it was also stated,
was in France ; but he certainly must bare seen the account in
the newspapers, and might have forwarded tong bethre this to
England some testimony that he had not forgotten the benefac-
tion which had so greatly added to his estate.. It ix now sup.
posed in the city, that if the Duke of Northumberland should
persevere in neglecting to notice the complaint of this poor
woman, a subscription will be raised to keep her from the
parish. She has more than once declared that she will submit,
without murmuring, to the castigation which awaits an im-
postor, if one sentence she has uttered be found to he incorrect
or exaggerated, and she refers to the names of individuals whom
she spoke of as authorities, and; who never come forward to
deny one word of her story, in evidence of the accuracy of the
details.
The LORD 3LeYon. shows increased reluctance to be applied
to any further on the subject, as it has become matter of very
general conversation throughout the country, and he has ex-
pressed his most decided reluctance to give any advice in a case
of so delicate a nature. His Lordship had in the first instance
advised Mrs. Webster to write a respectful letter to the Duke.
This was done, and might as well not have been done ; hut his
Lordship, in an honourable anxiety to prevent a hasty and erro-
neous impression from being formed of his Grace's conduct,
perseveres in stating that there must be some mistake in the
business, and that the Duke could not be consciousof any claim
such as had been described, or he would liquidate it without
delay or hesitation.
Mrs. Webster states, that on the Sunday before last she saw
Dr. 3l`Leod at the communion table in St. Anne's Church,
and was kindly received by him—a proof that that worthy per-
son knew she was no impostor. She declares that the publi-
cation of that gentleman's name, and of the part he had taken
in the transactions, was quite a surprise upon }ter; that she re-
gretted the circumstance, as it probably gave pain to the Doc-
tor; but ac publicity had been given, she thought it wasAhe
duty of the Rev. Gentleman to come forward if she uttered any
thing a hick was not true in every respect, and as publicly re-
fute the calumny.
Mr. Lomas was (she says) born in the county of Derby in
the year 1714, on the day King George I. made his public entry
into London. At a very early period of his life, he mani-
fested high intellectual power. At Northampton, where he re-
ceived a great part of his education, he first became acquainted
with Hervey, the author of The Meditation:, and their friend-
ship lasted as long as their lives. 31r. Lomas was patronized
by Mr. William Fitt, of Sherborne, in Doreetehire, a near re-
lation of the Earl of Chatham. He was obliged to this gentle-
man for the liberal education he received, his father haying
been ruined by the failure of the South Sea Bank Company, az
the period of desperate and hopeless speculation. In the year
1737 he was introduced by Mr. Pitt to the Earl of Hertford,
and appointed by that Nobleman to the sole management of his
estate. One of the principal delights of the Earl, who had
found it necessary to retire to Percy-hxlge, in Buckingham-
shire, on account of violent attacks of the gout, consisted in
the correspondence of 31r. Lomas and Mr. Hervey. The
Earl Of Hertford, in the Duchy of Somerset, in the year 1747
succeeded his father, who was styled the proud Duke of Somer-
set, and with whom he had been at variance for some time. He
had but one son, Lord Beauchamp, who died abroad in his mi-
nority. In 1749, the new Duke, who had never ceased to ex-
press the utmost respect for, and admiration of, Mr. Lomas,
died; and in 1751, the Dowager Duchess, who had, soon after
her husband's decease, ,hewn unequivocal proofs of attachment
to Mr. Lomas, consented to be that gentleman's wife. They
arrived in town on the 18th of July, from Iver, in Bucking.
harnshire. The carriage was disuiissed in Tavietock-street,
Covent-garden, and the Duchess was conveyed in a sedan-chair
to the Fleet-prison, where marriages were solemnized pretty
much as they are solemnized at Gretna-green. Jr.A Lomas
walked on before. They lived as happily as it was possible to
live ; and soon after her death he gave that extraordinary evi-
dence of hie affection for her memory which he was determined
never should be reproached on his account, by placing in the
hands of the Northumberland family the Duchess'. bond for
GO,OOOl.

Amongst Mr. Lomaio( intimate friends were many-
of the
nobility ; amongst whom were the Earl of Tanlcerville, Lord
Ossuiston, and Lord Kilmorey.

. ,
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.-.--A few days since,, at
Yarmouth, a waterman incautiously boarded a vessel in which
was a bullock loose, which attacked and tossed him three tittles
in the air, and so dreadfully gored him, that he expired shortly
after..;-"(Southampton Herald.> -

F.] itE.—About ha If.past twplre o'clock last
night a tire broke out in the premises of Mr. Field, carpenter
and builder, in Charles-square, kloxton, which, from the qua-
lity of the materials, burnt with great 616,, and communicated
to the adjoining buildings of Mr. Donne, the carver, gilder, arid
looking glass manufacturer, and in a short titne the property gr.
these indiliduars was in so Complete a name as defied the powir
of the fire•engines, with a scanty supply of water, to have any
part thereof. The adjoining housei, occupied by :Mr. Rickerby,
a stationer, and Mr. Jenne,. a boot aria shoemaker, were•con_
siderably injured before the fire was got undc:,• which did not
take place befOre two o'clock this morning.

When its lloN,Eywoon, who formeriv vi-
.
sited Boston, was npirri4d, it is said the, wedding ring wam
oti one: of .her toes, .she .liavi:l4 no lian‘ls ; and the,hrulegrootti
.togk-hez.by,one of her. feet. She I:l3in, tained,her..elf by her toeii,'
with which she could do painting utiO allsorts.of needlework,
*nd pro b sib'? eottld.play 0n":44 iri3t:.-uturit4)faltt3ic.,.(4rtzer icon
Paper.