The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-05-25
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Tho Late Hon. Grantley Berkeley.

The death of the Hon. Grantley Berkeley
and the announcement that he was an heir to
the earldom of Berkeley recall great romance
of the peerage, known, imagine, to few OF
the present generation. In 1855 the late Earl
of Berkeley fell in love with and married a
beautiful Miss Tudor. He knew this alliance
would be distasteful to his proud mother, so
it was most carefully concealed for many years,
and the registry of their union was, by some
occult means, either hidden or destroyed. The
marriage was kept secret even from the
Earl's intimate friends; one Of these was
the Prince Regent, who frequently visited
Berkeley Castle, where Lord Berkeley allowed
his wife TO hold an invidious position for sew
eral years. Four children had been born when,
Mt the suggestion Of his royal friend, and not
without legal assurance that second mar
riage would not invalidate the former if the
proof could be recovered, Lord and Lady
Berkeley went through the ceremony Of mar
rage again in 1890. Many corroborative
proofs of the first union do exist, but not the
necessary legal document. One such proof l
will mention-that at the coronation of George
". Lord Berkeley did not walk in the pro-
cesson as bachelor; many other instances
might be recalled. As years sped Oh the old
est son took his place in society and in the
House of Commons as Viscount Dursley; but
at Lord Berkeley's death, when it became
necessary for him to prove his bIrthright be-
fore taking his seat in the House OF Lords, the
register could not be found, and the fact of the
second marriage having been gone through
was used as evidence against the existence OF
the first marriage. A long trial before the
Honse of Lords resulted in the decision that,
the first marriage not being satisfactorily
proven. the elder son after the second mar
rage was to take the title of Earl of Berkeley
"a cruel blow to Lord Dursley and his
brothers. Now, looking at the peerage, see
that the Earl Of Berkeley refused to take the
title. The true chivalry, believing the solemn
assertions of his parents, he declined by any
act of his to throw dishonor on their memory.
From that day to this he has lived in retire
ment. known only as the Honorable Morton
Berkeley. and by no other title.
of ali the romances of the peerage none is
more engrossing than the story of the Berkeley
family, who own as their present residence
almost the Oldest consecutively inhabited
castle in Europe, and can trace back series
of gallant deeds to the battlefield of Hastings,
an incident of which is commelnorated in
magnificent centre-piece presented to the late
Earl. The old walls of Berkeley Castle have
witnessed scenes of the deepest historical in
terest thew formed the dungeon Of the I'M
fortunate Edward IL. the grand old Baronial
Hall has echoed with the revels of the Tudor
Kings and Queens, who each in their turn
visited the place. The cellars bear traces of
having been used for stables in the days when
the castle was besieged by the soldiers of the
Commonwealth, vino made that great breach |
in the keep-wals never yet repaired. In
field between Berkeley and Dursley in 1910
there was q great conflict between the Lords |
of Berkeley and De Lisle, who disputed the |
rights to certain lands. Lord De Lisle was
killed; which decided the matter. The family |
have been allied in marriage to the noblest |
blood in England, and Mary Boleyn, sister Of
the unfortunate Anne, was direct ancestress |
Of the present peer.
Forty or fifty years ago Grantley Berkeley's |
was one of the most familiar faces in London |
Society. He was type of the greatest dandies |
Of the age, and affected some eccentrcities in |
dress up to his latest years. remember that |
tall figure in the Park the curious coat, the |
white cuffs turned up over the coat sleeve, and |
a flower in his button hole, then very un-
usual adornment of mems dress. Grantley |
Berkeley got his commission in the Coldstream |
Guards when he was sixteen, and remained in |
the army for some years; he also sat in Paria-
ment. But it was as a sportsman that he be-
came generally known. He lived for some |
years in the vicinity of the New Forest. The
DID keepers still speak of him as one of the |
truest lovers of sport, and tell how he chased |
the deer in the great forest. Another character
stic Of Mr.. Berkeley was his extraordinary |
love for, and power over all animals, which i
he collected around him-FTOm Tie Whitehall
Rerse,r