The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-12-14
BIZ Centenary. of Tension,
The FaVorite of NIOnarchS


This is the 2ooth anniversary of the
death of Thomas Tension, archbishop
of Canterbury, who played an inn
portant role in the elevation of the
Hanoverion dynasty to the English
throne. He was q, favorite of King
William and Queen Mary, and attend
ed both of them in their last hours.
In 17o2 he crowned Anne, the Queen
Of England, and, after her death, he
became one of the most Influential of
the supporters Of the claims of the
Hanoverians to the crown.
England was then rent by the quar-
rel over the succession, a majority of
the peoEde favoring the accession of
James the "Pretender,'' brother Of
QUEEN Anne. In the face of the popu-
IEG opposition, the activity of the
wings was more than match for the
Strength of the Jacobites and tories.
The Eleetor of Hanover mounted the
throne as George T., the Archbishop
of Canterbury performing the corona
ton rites, and in spite of the fact that
| he was a most unpopular monarch he
was never in serious danger of losing
the throne towhfch he had been called
| by parliament
Archbishop Tension did not long
survive to bask in the favor of the
first ruler Of a new dynasty, for he
! died at London on Dec Ii, IT'S, only
a. little more than a year after he had
as we'll. as the Archbishop speedily
| discovered that the ruled he had help
ed to seat upon the throne was far
from being an ideal king. The schol-
arly churchman was not slow in real
/ izing the truth of the modern slang
| phrase, They all look good when
they're far away
| In spite Of the fact that the Ger
man ruler Of England owed no small
debt Of gratitude to the Archbishop,
relations after the coronation cere-
Inony. It has been alleged that Tent
son was the originator of the bon mot
to the effect that George i, was fond
of nothing but punch and fat women =
The King and his German attendants
openly sneered at the customs, lam
guage and literature of the English,
and made no secret of the fact that
they regarded the island as a land to
| be plundered. When the Arch bishop
breathed his last the people of Scot
land and the north of England were
engaged in an active rebellion against
the Hanoverian monarch, but it was
soon repressed-
Yet IN spite Of his repugnant per
sonality and gross tastes, George 7,
was not a bad monarch BY his inn
| morality and viciousness he had alien
asted his wife and cousin, Sophia Do
lrothea1 long before he was elevated to
the English throne. and had accused
her of an intrigue with a Swedish no
/ bIeman. The latter was quito death,
| while the unhappy Sophia was CON
signed to q prison, where she remain
led for thirty-tWo years before freed
I by death. A bad husband, he was al
iso a bad father, for George I, hated
/ his son almost as bitterly as he hated
| his Spouse. The Prince off Wales
maintained a separate court, and the
King regarded as enemies all who
visited him. He consorted with the
vi1est women, demanding nothing OF
them but that they be young and fat
and, entirely obedient to his vicious
whims.
/ AS a ruler. however, the Hanover
ian monarch was far from being a
failure, although this reflected little
credit upon him, but was rather the
result of the constitutional restraints
that were imposed on him, and to the
/ want of knowledge on his part of the
nature of English politics and parties