SOCIAL ENGLAND. NEW IJ^ll^TKftTED BOOKS'. A COLONIAL TRAMP: Travels and Adventures in Australia and New Guinea. By Hume Nisbet. Profusely Illustrated by the Author. 2 vols., demy 8vo. BRAYHARD: The Strange Adventures of One Ass and Seven Champions. By F. M. Allen. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. Crown 8vo. 6s. The Edition de Luxe of AS IN A LOOKING GLASS. By F. C. Philips. Illustrated by G. Du Maurier. Extra crown quarto, 31s. 6d. Mrs. P anton's Household Manuals. FROM KITCHEN TO GARRET. Crown 8vo, 6s. NOOKS AND CORNERS. Crown 8vo, 6s. THE FLOATING PRINCE, and other Fairy Tales. By the Author of " Rudder Grange." With Forty Illustrations. Crown 8vo, 6s. PERFERVID : The Career of Ninian Jameison. By John Davidson. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. Crown 8vo, 6s. PICTURESQUE LONDON. By Percy Fitzgerald. With about 100 Illustrations. Extra crown 4to. SOCIAL ENGLAND UNDER THE REGENCY. By John Ashton. Profusely Illustrated. 2 vols. , demy 8vo, 30s. UP AND DOWN : Sketches of Travel. By G. Macquoid. Illustrated by Thos. R. Macquoid. Demy 8vo, 10s. 6d. MEMORIES OE THE MONTH. By Hume Nisbet. With Photogravure Frontispiece, twelve whole-page, and numerous smaller Illustrations. Foolscap 4-to, 21s. TING-A-LING TALES. By Frank R. Stockton. Crown 8vo, 3s, 6d. AN ARTIST'S TOUR IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.- By B. Kroupa. Profusely Illustrated by the Author. Royal 8vo, 2 is. FOLK AND FAIRY TALES. By Mrs. Burton Harrison. With 24 whole-page Illustrations by Walter Crane. Crown 8vo, 6s. WARD AND DOWNEY, PUBLISHERS, LONDON. t SOCIAL ENGLAND UNDER * ■'•3fei THE REGENCY. BY JOHN ASHTON, AUTHOR OF "SOCIAL LIFE IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE," " OLD TIMES," " DAWN OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY," ETC. WITH go ILLUSTRATIONS. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. NEW YORK SCRIBNER AND WELFORD MDCCCXC. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 ♦ 0 https://archive.org/details/socialenglandund01aaht_0 PREFACE. CERTAINLY, it is not the least part of an Author's reward, for all his pains and trouble, to find that the Public appreciates his efforts, and purchases, and reads his books. This, I am happy to say, was specially the case with one of mine, " The Dawn of the Nineteenth Century." In it I wrote of Social England in the first decade of the century, leaving off at a time when George III. was hopelessly incompetent to govern, and a Regency was in progress of establishment. The favour which the Public bestowed upon this book emboldens me to continue it, and sketch the men and manners of the Regency. Most books of this class deal mainly with the great ones of the land, but I have only done so where necessary to illustrate the history of the vi PREFACE. times, my aim being more to delineate the social condi- tion of England, and her people ; and this work will be found perfectly reliable as history, nothing being taken at second hand, but all compiled, even down to the illus- trations, from original and contemporaneous authorities. JOHN ASHTON. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE The King's Malady — Former preparations for a Regency — King's re- covery — The King at home — His love of music— Severe frost— Lucien Buonaparte a prisoner of war — French obstructions to commerce — A gallant merchantman . « .1 CHAPTER II. A Regency inevitable — Prince of Wales waited on — He undertakes the Regency — French and English prisoners of war — Roman Catholic soldiers — Roughness of manners — Passing of Regency Bill — The Prince's companions — Inauguration of the Prince as Regent — Im- provement in the health of the King , . .17 CHAPTER III. Story of a crime — The Shanavests and the Caravats — Gluttony— Smug- gling bullion — A Tar at the theatre — Deposition of French Colours in Whitehall Chapel — The Duke of York reinstated as Commander- in-Chief— The Regency Fete — Account of the entertainment . 39 CHAPTER IV. Ladies' dresses at the Fete — The banquet — Carlton House thrown open to the public — The crush — Sir F. Burdett's action against the Speaker —Relief of British Prisoners in France — Scarcity of guineas — Lord King and his tenants — Stories respecting the Currency . • 57 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. A smuggler's victim — Illness of Gilray — A gallant highwayman — A Witch — Bartholomew Fair — The Comet — A practical joke on the Queen — Woman's Cricket Match — Ballooning — French prisoners of war — Luddite riots — The King and his physicians — His health . 75 CHAPTER VI. 1812. The Regent's doings — The Royal Sprain — Colonel McMahon — Luddite and Factory Riots — Scarcity of Bullion — Murder of Mr. Perceval . 97 CHAPTER VII. French Prisoners of War — Repeal of the "Orders in Council" — Re- joicings for the Victory of Salamanca— Saturnalia thereat . .119 CHAPTER VIII. Chimney-sweeps — Climbing boys — Riot at Bartholomew Fair — Duelling — War with France — Declaration of war between England and America— Excommunication for bearing false witness — Early Steam Locomotives — Margate in 1812 — Resurrection men — Smithfield Cattle Club ........ 133 CHAPTER IX. 1813. High price of " provisions — Luddites — Smuggling — Day of Humiliation — The Cossack — Mdlle. Platoff — Discovery of body of Charles I. at Windsor — The Queen and the mad woman — The fasting woman of Tutbury — Fight between the Shannon and the Chesapeake — Re- joicings for the Victory at Vittoria — Fete at Vauxhall— William Huntingdon, S.S. .... ... 149 CHAPTER X. Emperor of Russia invested with the Garter — The Poet Laureate— French Prisoners of War — Joy over Napoleon's defeat at Leipsic — " Orange boven" — The Allies and the War with France — The War with America — The Princess Charlotte and her establishment — The Prince of Orange her suitor — The King's Health . . . 1 79 CONTENTS. ix CHAPTER XI. A Cat in a Conflagration — Scramble for Exchequer Bills — A Matrimonial Dispute— An old Debtor — A Volunteer Dinner — A Man and Hedge- hog — Torpedoes — Slavery — Gambling on Napoleon's Life — Gas Lighting ........ 199 CHAPTER XII. 1814. The Fog — Condition of Ireland— State of the Navy — The Regent at Belvoir — Coming of age of Princess Charlotte — Day of Thanks- giving — Great Snowstorm — Thames frozen over — Sports thereon — ■ Frost fair — The Country and the Snow .... 209 CHAPTER XIII. Burning of the Custom House— De Berenger's fraud on the Stock Ex- change — Lord Cochrane inculpated — Price of provisions — Arrival of the Duchess of Oldenburgh — The Capitulation of Paris, and fall of Napoleon — Papa Violette — Elba .... 233 CHAPTER XIV. Illuminations for Peace — Ovation to Louis XVIII. — His departure for France — Peace with France — Cheaper provisions — Distinguished foreign guests in London — Arrival of Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia — Movements of the great folk — Popularity of General Bliicher . . . . . . . .251 CHAPTER XV. Royal festivities — The Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia, and General Bliicher at Oxford — Banquet at Guildhall — Departure of the Allied Sovereigns — Signature of Treaty of Peace — Proclamation of Peace — State Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral . . 277 CHAPTER XVI. City banquet to the Duke of Wellington — Costly vegetables — The Prin- cess Charlotte — Squabbles about her presentation at Court — The Regent hooted — The Princess Charlotte and the Prince of Orange — Her future husband, Prince Leopold — Her flight from Warwick House, and return ....... 299 X CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER XVII. State of Ireland— The Regent pies the Duke of Wellington— The Jubilee in the Parks — Public opinion thereon — The Celebration . . 329 CHAPTER XVIII. The celebration of the Jubilee continued — Sale of the Properties — Con- tinuation of the Fair — Departure of Queen Caroline for the Continent — Scarcity of Gold — French prisoners of war — State of the streets — Red tape in the Navy — English visit France — The War with America — Treaty of peace with America . . . • 35 1 CHAPTER XIX. 1815. Health of the King — Extension of the Order of the Bath — Wife selling — A Sailor's frolic — "Nelson's Lady Hamilton" — "The Pig-faced Lady " — The advantage of being able to play the violin — Napoleon's escape from Elba . . . . . . • 37 1 ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOL. I. PAGE ROBEING THE REGENT ; OR, THE ROAD TO PREFERMENT . 27 THE SOLDIER'S WELCOME HOME ! ! ! 47 GUDGEON FISHING A LA CONSERVATORY 59 JEW DEPRECIATING BANK NOTES JO THE COMET OF l8ll 82 RURAL SPORTS ; OR, A CRICKET MATCH EXTRAORDINARY . 86 RURAL SPORTS ; BALLOON HUNTING 89 1 8 12 ; OR, REGENCY A LA MODE 96 PRINCELY AGILITY ; OR, THE SPRAINED ANCLE . . . IOI THE PRIVY PURSE AND POLITICAL BEGGARS I05 MR. PERCEVAL ASSASSINATED IN THE LOBBY OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY II, l8l2 1 1 5 ZEMLANOWHIN, THE BRAVE RUSSIAN COSSACK, AS HE APPEARED AT THE ROYAL EXCHANGE ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1813 154 A TIT-BIT FOR A COSSACK ; OR, THE PLATOFF PRIZE FOR THE HEAD OF BUONAPARTE 1 58 MEDITATIONS AMONG THE TOMBS . . . . ' . . 1 65 BRITISH VALOUR AND YANKEE BOASTING . . . 1 7 1 SHANNON V. CHESAPEAKE 1 73 xii ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE part of transparency at ackermann's . . . .186 "the sea is open, trade revives'' 189 the frost fair 222 violettes 249 "peace and plenty ; or, good news for john bull ! ! !" 259 blucher greeted by his numerous friends in the PARK, 1814 270 BLUCHER SURVEYING HIMSELF AS A D.C.L 283 DOCTOR BLUCHER 285 RUSSIAN CONDESCENSION ; OR, THE BLESSINGS OF UNIVERSAL PEACE . . 292 MISS ENDEAVOURING TO EXCITE A GLOW WITH HER DUTCH PLAYTHING 310 THE DEVONSHIRE MINUET 313 THE R T KICKING UP A ROW J OR, WARWICK HOUSE IN AN UPROAR 319 PLEBEIAN SPIRIT ; OR, COACHEE AND THE HEIR PRESUMPTIVE 322 THE FORTRESS 335 THE TEMPLE OF CONCORD 348 A WHOLE FAMILY LOST 36 1 THE FATE OF WASHINGTON ; OR, MADDY IN FULL FLIGHT . 368 WALTZING A COURTSHIP 379 A.D. 1592. SOCIAL ENGLAND UNDER THE REGENCY. CHAPTER I. The King's Malady — Former preparations for a Regency — King's recovery — The King at home — His love of music — Severe frost — Lucien Buona- parte a prisoner of war — French obstructions to commerce — A gallant merchantman. " State of His Majesty's Health. "Windsor Castle, January 1, 181 1. " His Majesty has passed a quiet night, without much sleep, and continues the same as he was yesterday. " H. Halford. " W. Heberden. "R. Willis." SUCH was the announcement contained in The Times of 2nd of January, 1811, and, for some time, the subjects of George III. were fed with daily news of the King's health. By and by, as his mental disease 2 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1788-9.) was confirmed, they grew fewer, until they were furnished just once a month, and then only the very scantiest intelligence of his condition was vouchsafed to his people. This was not the first time that his mind had given way. In the early part of October, 1788, he had decided symptoms of mental aberration, and was totally incapable of undertaking any of the affairs of State ; but his physicians were hopeful of his recovery — and their hopes were gratified. But the Ministry thought differently, and, after suggesting that the Government should be carried on by a Commission, on the 30th of December, 1788, Pitt wrote a letter to the Prince of Wales, stating that his Majesty's Ministers had come to the conclusion to offer him the Regency of the kingdom under certain restrictions. The Prince of Wales replied at once, expressing his sorrow at the occasion of his proposed elevation, but accepting the trust. Of course, this suggestion of the Government could not be acted upon without mature deliberation, and it was not until the 30th of January, 1789, that the following resolutions of the Lords and Commons were presented to the Prince of Wales — " That his Royal Highness be empowered to exercise the royal authority under the title of Regent." " That the power given, should not extend to the granting of any peerage, except to the Royal issue." " Nor to the grant of any office in reversion, or any office, salary, or pension, (1789.) THE KINGS RECOVERY. 3 than during his Majesty's pleasure ; or to the granting his Majesty's real or personal estates." "That the Care of his Majesty be committed to the Queen, who should nominate all persons to the offices in the household." Needless to say, the Prince made no objections, and by the 12th of February, the Regency Bill had gone through all its stages in the House of Commons, and was ordered to be sent to the Lords. But the proverbial " slip 'twixt cup and lip " occurred. On the 19th of February the Lord Chancellor informed the House of Lords that, according to the report of his physicians, the King's health was steadily mending, and they therefore abstained from further consideration of the Regency Bill. The physicians' hopes were fully justified; the King got better rapidly, and, on the 27th of February, his perfect recovery was announced, the prayer for the same was discontinued, and a form of prayer of thanksgiving for his restoration to health, was ordered to be read in all Churches and Chapels throughout England and Wales. Rejoicings and illuminations were the order of the day, and, on the 23rd of April, the day of general thanksgiving, the King, Queen, and Royal family went in state to St. Paul's Cathedral, to return thanks to God for his mercy in giving the King his reason and health once more. Years went on, and the King did not suffer from mental disease, until the year 1810, when to bodily 4 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1810.) illness of his own, was added the death of his daughter, the Princess Amelia. This shock, his intellect, perhaps never too strong, could not stand, and, although his condition was concealed for some little time from the people — under the pretence that he had a cold — the truth was obliged to come out; and we read in The Morning Post of October 31st — " It is with heartfelt sorrow we announce that His Majesty's indisposition still continues. It commenced with the effect produced upon his tender parental feelings on receiving the ring 1 from the hand of his afflicted beloved daughter, the affecting inscription upon which, caused him, blessed, and most amiable of men, to burst into tears, with the most heart-touching lamentations on the present state, and approaching dissolution of the afflicted and interesting Princess. His Majesty is attended by Drs. Halford, Heberden, and Baillie, who issue daily bulletins of the state of the virtuous and revered monarch, for whose speedy recovery the prayers of all good men will not fail to be offered up." This time the Physicians held out no hopes of the King's recovery, or if they did, it was at some vague, indefinite future, the date of which none could prog- 1 The Princess Amelia, when dying, ordered a valuable stone she possessed, to be set in a ring, for a keepsake of her to her father, and so urgent was she that it might be made before she died, that a jeweller was sent for, express, from London to make it. It contained a lock of her hair, and, on it, was her name, and, " Remember me when I am gone." (1810.) THE KING AT HOME. 5 nosticate, and Parliament found itself in a serious situation. It met on the 1st of November, to which date it had been prorogued, only to find that there was no King to open the session, and no Commission for so doing had been named. So, in default of any other recognized authority, the Lord Chancellor, and the Speaker, took the lead in their different assemblies, and, after vainly trying to find out how they should act, an Order in Council cut the Gordian Knot, adjourning Parliament to the 29th of November, a decision which was confirmed in the House of Commons by a majority of 285. When they again met, they, after discoursing of the King, set to work to concoct a Regency. But that may wait for a while, and come in its proper place, for King George is passing away from this history, and the full blaze of the Regency leaves very little room for the shadow of the old King to show : yet, before he disappears altogether, it may be as well if we can recall a reminiscence of him, as late as possible, before his sad malady overtook, and mastered him. Not in his public capacity, but as it were en famille, let us see him ; and we get a good view of him through the medium of the Rev. John Evans, LL.D., of Islington, who wrote " An excursion to Windsor," and thus describes what he saw on the 10th of July, 1810 : — 6 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1810.) "We entered Windsor about six o'clock, and, having refreshed ourselves at the inn with a cup of tea, hastened to The Terrace, where we found a considerable portion of genteel company. Intent on the gratification of a laudable curiosity, we felt peculiarly happy in joining them on this occasion. It was seven o'clock, and the good old King soon made his appearance with his accustomed punctuality. "A little door in the Castle was thrown open, when two attendants were seen leading this venerable personage with great care down a flight of steps till he safely alighted upon the terrace. Then the Princesses Elizabeth and Augusta, who were present, accompanied him, one on each side, or rather took hold of his arm ; they paced backwards and forwards for an hour, two bands of music playing alternately ; and the fine tones of the several instruments being heightened by the stillness of the closing day. " The King was dressed neatly : blue coat with gilt buttons and blue star, white waistcoat and small clothes, white stockings, and gold buckles in his shoes. His hat somewhat resembled that worn by the clergy, with the addition of a gold button and loop, mounted by a black cockade, which marks him out conspicuously from the rest of the company. His Majesty looked ruddy and full ; his voice is sonorous, and he converses with cheerfulness, though, when he attempts to speak rather hastily, it is with hesitation. (1810.) THE KING AT WINDSOR. 7 " His want of sight is very apparent, for his hat is drawn over the upper part of his face, and he feels about with his cane, especially ascending or descending a step. It is affecting to see him, though he appears cheerful when he speaks, and seems as if nothing were the matter with him. He now and then stops to converse either with the officers, or with the nobility and gentry. We saw him several times on the Terrace ; but on this first evening there was a more than ordinary degree of conversation. He was full of inquiries respecting the installation of Lord Grenville as Chancellor of the University of Oxford, which had taken place during the week. He inquired also about the balloon in which Mr. Sadler 1 had ascended on this occasion, and was particularly anxious to know how long it continued in the air, and where it had alighted ; Harrow-on-the-Hill was mentioned, though the spot had not then been ascertained. He conversed at all times on a variety of topics with the utmost freedom and even hilarity. " This daily promenade must benefit both his mind and body : while the presence, as well as the attention, of so many of his subjects, some coming from distant parts, must yield him no inconsiderable gratification. The countenances of the Princesses are replete with good nature, and most exemplary is their attention to their aged parent. . . . 1 Then the principal Aeronaut in England. 8 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1810.) " It should be mentioned that the King, in returning back to his apartments in the Castle, passing by the band of musicians on the steps, always touched his hat, and said, in an audible voice, i Gentlemen, good night, I thank you.* Indeed, his Majesty, during the whole time, seemed in perfect good humour with all the company. "The only etiquette observed on the Terrace is, that when the King passes, the ladies and gentlemen withdraw on either side, the latter merely uncovering the head ; bows and curtsies being dispensed with on the occasion. A police officer is in attendance, who, with a little switch, keeps individuals from pressing too much on the King, when he stops to converse ; but this is done with the greatest urbanity. Owing to a slight indisposition, the Queen did not make her appearance on the Terrace ; but we saw her on other occasions. His Majesty was regular in his attendance at Chapel every morning, and seemed seriously engaged in his devotions. " About ten o'clock, when the weather is fine (Sundays excepted), the King rides out on horseback ; and, considering his age, he mounted his horse with wonderful agility. He is, in his ride, accompanied by two of the Princesses, who have some of their maids of honour following in a landau or phaeton. The King has several attendants, two of whom are close by him, and one has a little stick, the crooked end of which catches that part of the bridle nearest the curb, so that should the animal, on (i8ii.) THE KINGS MUSICAL TASTE. 9 which his Majesty rides, stumble, instant assistance might be given." Music was his greatest solace from his latter seizure till his death, and we learn of him in the beginning of the year 181 1 (Morning Chronicle, Jan. 8th) : — " Windsor, January 6th,— The Bulletin of to-day is of a very cheering nature, and for these five days past his Majesty has been gradually improving, both in mental and bodily strength. His Majesty has become more tranquillized in ;his general deportment, and there are daily visible signs that his malady is on the decline. His Majesty now uses the sitting-room in the Blenheim Tower; takes his meals regularly, and at intervals amuses himself with playing the most familiar tunes on the harpsichord, with a correctness surpassing the most sanguine expectations. As a striking proof of this fact, on some very recent occasions, when his Majesty, in consequence of his defective sight, struck a wrong key, he instantly corrected the error by modulating the tune, and finishing it with his accustomed science and judgment. . . . " The Harpsichord on which his Majesty plays, formerly belonged to the great Handel, and is supposed to have been manufactured at Antwerp in the year 1612. Handel's music is highly esteemed by his Majesty, and many of his most favourite compositions are now io SOCIAL ENGLAND, (1811.) played by his Majesty from recollection." And so let us leave him, for a while, to be soothed by his music. The year 1811 came in bitterly cold, and sad were the tales told in consequence. As to the Coaches, they suffered severely. On the 4th of January the fall of snow was so great, that the Northern roads were all but impassable, and the Mail Coach from Boston could only be dragged four miles through the snow, the guard having to do the best he could, on horseback, with the mails, and the mails from London to Boston had to be conveyed in the same manner. The Leicester Coach, on the way to Stamford, was upset in the snow at Burton-Lazarus, and several of the passengers were hurt ; the Carlisle Mail was dug out of the snow at Tickencote, and with difficulty got to Stamford with eight horses, three hours later than usual ; but it could not proceed further than Thornhaugh, whence the guard was obliged to take the letter-bags on horseback. Three coaches from the north lay all night in the snow about a mile from Stamford, and as many near Winsford. Oh ! for the good old Coaching days ! when Pulman's Cars were unknown, and people with slender purses had to ride outside in all weathers — and it was recorded that on the 5th of January, 1811, on the arrival of the Carlisle Coach in London two poor women, outside passengers, were frozen to death. The Coachman supposed them to be asleep, and did not attempt to disturb them until he arrived at his destination, when (181 1.) RELIEF OF DEBTORS. 1 1 they were found stiff in death. Two persons near Lincoln perished in the snow, and the cold was so great, even so far south as London, that the Thames was nearly frozen over. Tender hearts felt for the Poor Debtors, and those in Ludgate record their thanks to M. A. Taylor, Esq., M.P., for his annual benevolent gift of two Chaldrons of Coals, 158 lbs. Beef, and 23 half-peck loaves ; and to Alderman Wood, the friend of Queen Caroline, for his present of £5; and an unknown donor for 40 lbs. Beef. The poor debtors in Newgate had very many large sums to acknowledge, and were duly grateful for the kindly and thoughtful assist- ance thus rendered them. Sad, however, is it to find that during the Severe Frost, on the 7th of J anuary, a poor prisoner died of Cold and Want in the Marshalsea prison. At this time we learn there were about 320 debtors in Newgate alone ; and those that were without private means, had to subsist on the prison allowance of 2d. worth of bread (the quartern loaf being, in January, is. 3d.), so that their relief during the inclement winter, was a work of necessity, as well as of benevolence. In 1811 was living amongst us an illustrious Prisoner of War, no less than Lucien Buonaparte, Prince de Canino (his son, Prince Louis Lucien still lives at Norfolk Terrace, Bayswater), who, not altogether falling in with his brother's policy, was on his way to the United States, when, on the 1st of August, 1810, he was taken and made 12 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) prisoner by a British Cruiser. After some detention at Malta, he was sent on to England, and Ludlow was assigned as his place of detention; and there he lived for some time, inhabiting Dinham House, the seat of the Earl of Powis. He seems to have accepted the inevitable cheerfully, according to The Times of Friday, January 4th : — " Lucien Buonaparte arrived at Ludlow about 4 o'clock on the evening of Wednesday, sen'night, accompanied by his nephew, an interpreter, secretary, Mr. Mackenzie, and a few servants. He drove to the Angel Inn where he dined and slept. On Thursday morning he walked about the town, viewed the Castle, and some of the principal streets ; but, as the weather was rather unfavourable, and public curiosity great, he did not stay out long. On that evening, one of the Winter Dancing Assemblies took place, which Lucien, his nephew, and some of his friends attended. Some of the latter danced, but Lucien did not. He continued in the room till supper was announced ; he then attended Countess Powis to the supper rooms, and sat at her Ladyship's right hand during supper : after which he returned to the ball and card rooms. On Saturday he went to Stone-house, a seat of Lord Powis, about five miles from Ludlow, where Lucien is in future to reside, and from thence proceeded to Walcot, the principal residence of his Lordship, where he stayed a day or two, and returned to Ludlow." The next day's Times says: "Madame Lucien Buonaparte, (i8ii.) LUCIEN BUONAPARTE. 13 with her family, and a numerous train of servants, occupy- ing, in all, four carriages, arrived at Ludlow on Wednesday; having performed the journey from Plymouth, in a week. Lucien removed, on the preceding day, from the Inn to Lord Powis's residence in that town, called Dinham- house ; his Lordship's seat in the neighbourhood (Stone- house) being found too small for the reception of so numerous a suite." In another Newspaper the ladies are described with almost American frankness : " Madame Buonaparte is extremely handsome and fascinating ; Lucien's daughter, of whom so much has been said, has great claims to a genteel figure, and elegant demeanour, but she is not beautiful. The motto on Lucien's carriage is an extra- ordinary one, Luceo, non uro, 1 1 shine without burning,' " On this motto the following Epigram was made : — " A Wag, requested to translate The Motto, on the Coach of State That sets all Wales into a wonder. ' It means,' said he, and scratcht his pole, ' It means I shine, with what I stole ; My foolish brother bitrns his plunder." He afterwards, bought the estate of Thorngrove, near Worcester, and there lived until the restoration in 1814, when he went to Rome. Some explanation is needed, to elucidate the last line of i4 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) the above epigram. Napoleon was determined to do the utmost damage to England, and endeavoured to injure her in her most vulnerable part, her commerce — so, whenever the goods of Great Britain, or her Colonies, were found, they were burnt. That this was not an idle threat is shown by the following excerpts from The Times of January 7th and 8th:— " A Gentleman who has arrived within these three days from the Continent, and has been present at several burnings of British manufactures, informs us that in every place where the decrees to that effect were put in force, it was done at the point of the bayonet : French Soldiers being always present to prevent tumults and disorder, which, on such occasions, manifested themselves every- where." "At the beginning of December, a number of French Officers of the Customs, with a detachment of the 17th regiment of Infantry, arrived at Brandenburg, to make searches for Colonial produce, which they immediately began with great strictness." " Parma, December 12th. Yesterday, there were burnt in this town 24 bales of spun cotton, 150 pieces of cotton handkerchiefs, and 74 pieces of stuffs of the same manufacture ; the whole being English manufactures, and seized by the Custom House agents on the frontiers of the department of the Po." (i8ii.) A SEA FIGHT. 15 But, at sea, sometimes a Merchantman could look after its cargo itself, without need of the strong arm of a Convoy, as in the case of the good ship Cumberland, Barrett, master, bound from Quebec to England. On the 13th of January, 181 1, she arrived in the Downs under a jury fore- mast and bowsprit, having lost both foremast and bowsprit in a heavy gale of wind off the banks of Newfoundland. This, one would have thought, would have been sufficient excitement for one voyage, but no ! when close home, between Deal and Folkestone, about seven and eight in the morning, she was attacked byfour French lugger privateers, who approached under the pretence of knowing whether Captain Barrett wanted a pilot. But he was wary, and replied in the negative, whereupon the privateers declared themselves in their true colours, and poured in a volley of musketry. Captain Barrett ordered his men down below, arming them with boarding pikes, and as soon as about twenty of the enemy were aboard, his crew attacked them, and cleared the decks, killing most of them ; the others jump- ing overboard. Five times were they boarded, (the Frenchmen ceasing firing, for fear of hurting their own men), and five times the enemy experienced a crushing defeat. Captain Barrett then discharged three of his Carronades, loaded with round shot and Canister. One shot carried away the mainmast of one of the privateers; the second, the bowsprit of another, and doubtless injured 16 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) some of their men, as there was a great cry heard. This proved enough for " Mounseer," and the four luggers sheered off. The Crew of the Cumberland was twenty-six men, and the force of the enemy was estimated at two hundred and seventy according to the statements of the prisoners taken. The loss to the Cumberland was one man killed, and the chief mate wounded ; the French loss is set down as about sixty. And what think you was the reward of the gallant crew ? " The Lords of the Admiralty have, as a mark of their satisfaction at the gallantry exhibited on this occasion, expressed their intention to grant to each of the crew of the Cumberland, a protection from the impress, for the space of three Years." Ill CHAPTER II. A Regency inevitable — Prince of Wales waited on — He undertakes the Regency — French and English prisoners of war — Roman Catholic soldiers — Roughness of manners — Passing of Regency Bill — The Prince's com- panions — Inauguration of the Prince as Regent — Improvement in the health of the King. ALL the year the Lords and Commons had been incubating a Regency, and matters were so far advanced, that on the 8th of January, the House of Commons received a message from the Lords that they had "ordered the Lord President, and the Lord Privy Seal to attend his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales with the several Resolutions agreed to by the Lords and Commons, for the purpose of supplying the defect of the personal exercise of the royal authority during his Majesty's illness, on the part of their lordships, and desired that that House would appoint a proportionate number of their members to go with them. Also that they had ordered Earl Harcourt, and Earl Morton, to attend her Majesty with the Resolution and Address agreed to by the Lords 3 18 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) and Commons respecting the care of his Majesty's royal person, and the direction of such part of his Majesty's household as may be requisite for the comfort of his Majesty, and for the maintenance of the Royal dignity; and desired that the House would appoint a proportionate number of their members to go with them." The Commons chose, as under, to go with the Lords to wait upon the Prince of Wales : — The Chancellor of the Exchequer (the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval), the Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Right Hon. Richard Ryder), the President of the Board of Control for the affairs of India (the Right Hon. Robert Saunders Dundas, afterwards Lord Melville), and Sir William Grant, the Master of the Rolls ; whilst the members chosen to wait upon the Queen were Lord John Thynne, Lord Palmerston (Secretary at War), Lord Clive and Colonel Desbrowe. On the nth of January these two deputations went in great state, the one to the Prince, the other to the Queen. The Prince received them in the grand drawing room of Carlton House, standing with his Chancellor, William Adam, Esq., and Earl Moira on his right hand, the Duke of Cumberland and Mr. Sheridan on his left ; whilst behind him were four Officers of his household, Mr. Tyrwhitt, Colonel M'Mahon, General Bloomfield, and General Turner. The Lord President, as chief of the deputation, then (i8ii.> THE REGENCY. 19 read a paper, informing the Prince that " they were a Committee appointed to attend his Royal Highness with the resolutions which had been agreed to by the Lords and Commons, for the purpose of supplying the defect of the personal exercise of the royal authority, during his Majesty's illness, by empowering his Royal Highness to exercise that authority in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, subject to such limitations and restrictions as shall be provided. " And that they were directed to express the hope which the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons entertain, that his Royal Highness, from his regard to the interests of his Majesty, will be ready to undertake the weighty and important trust proposed to be invested in his Royal Highness, as soon as an Act of Parliament shall have been passed for carrying the said resolutions into effect." The Lord President first read and then delivered to the Prince the Resolutions, and he replied: — " My Lords and Gentlemen, " I receive the communication which the two Houses have directed you to make to me of their joint Resolutions, on the subject of providing for 'the exercise of the Royal Authority during his Majesty's illness,' with those sentiments of regard which I must ever entertain for the united desires of the two Houses. " With the same sentiments I receive the expressed 20 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) hopes of the Lords and Commons, that from my regard for the interest of his Majesty and the Nation, I should be ready to undertake the weighty and important trust proposed to be invested in me, under the Restrictions and Limitations stated in those Resolutions. " Conscious that every feeling of my heart would have prompted me, from dutiful affection to my beloved Father and Sovereign, to have shown all the reverential delicacy towards him inculcated in those Resolutions, I cannot refrain from expressing my regret, that I should not have been allowed the opportunity of manifesting to his afflicted and loyal subjects that such would have been my conduct. " Deeply impressed, however, with the necessity of tranquilizing the public mind, and determined to submit to every personal sacrifice, consistent with the regard I owe to the security of my Father's Crown, and the equal regard I owe to the welfare of his people, I do not hesitate to accept the office and situation proposed to me, restricted as they are, still retaining every opinion expressed by me upon a former and similar distressing occasion. " In undertaking the trust proposed to me I am well aware of the difficulties of the situation in which I shall be placed ; but I shall rely with confidence upon the Constitutional advice of an enlightened Parliament, and the zealous support of a generous and loyal people. I will use all the means left to me to merit both. (i8ii.) PRISONERS OF WAR. 21 " My Lords and Gentlemen, " You will communicate this my answer to the two Houses, accompanied by my most fervent wishes and prayers, that the Divine Will may extricate us, and the nation, from the grievous embarrassments of our present Condition, by the speedy restoration of his Majesty's health." The Queen gave an answer, couched in a similar spirit to the deputation which waited upon her. Whilst the Lords and Commons are debating on the Regency Bill (and they took the whole of January to do it), let us see what was happening in England. There was a subject that touched many, and all over Britain, from the highest to the lowest, and that was the British Prisoners of War in France. Truly we had many more French prisoners in England than there were English in France ; The Morning Post, October 15, 1810, placing the numbers respectively at 50,000 and 12,000. The French prisoners here, were not treated too well; but the English prisoners in France, were treated worse, and many thousands of hearts must have yearned towards those poor Captives, and many thousands were willing to part with their means, although there were then many, and urgent, calls upon their purses, in order to alleviate their lot. Lloyd's was then the Centre of benevolence, as the 22 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) Mansion House now is ; and the leading Merchants and Bankers issued an advertisement in The Times of January 7th, saying that their means of helping these prisoners were exhausted, and they appealed for fresh funds. " The Committee beg to state that there are upwards of 10,000 British Prisoners in the different Prisons in France, for the most part in great distress, and that the subscrip- tion is intended for the alleviation of their sufferings in some degree, by assisting them with articles of clothing, bedding, fuel, and such other necessaries as they stand in most need of. " They think it proper to add that the relief from the last subscription, was intrusted to the care of some of the most respectable persons detained in France, among whom were Clergymen, and several officers both Naval and Military, and that they have made so satisfactory a distribution of the funds, and rendered such particular details thereof, as to entitle them to the highest credit. The same Gentlemen, there is reason to expect, will kindly undertake the distribution of a new subscription." Needless to say that the appeal was nobly responded to. Scant courtesy seems to have been paid to the prisoners on either side, almost degenerating into pettiness : for, this month, an Order was issued from Whitehall, that no French women should be allowed to land in this country, who might have left France, to see their husbands. The reason assigned for this very peculiar (i8ii.) ROMAN CATHOLIC SOLDIERS. 23 proceeding, was, that the French Government would not permit Lady Lavie and family, to join her husband, Sir Thomas, who was a prisoner at Verdun. But pettiness in official circles seems to have obtained. Can we barely imagine, at a time when every soldier was wanted, and it might be thought that good treatment, at all events, might have allured men to the ranks, that they trod upon their tenderest feelings ? Yet so it was, and it was mainly owing to the exertions of The Dublin Evening Post that the following " General Order" was issued : — " Adjutant General's Office, Dublin, " January, 181 1. " Reports having been circulated, that Catholic soldiers have been prevented from attending Divine worship, according to the tenets of their religion, and obliged, in certain instances to be present at that of the Established Church, the Commanding Officers of the several Regi- ments, are to be attentive to the prevention of such practices, if they have, in any instance, existed in the Troops under their command, as they are in violation of the Orders contained in the Circular letter of the 14 May, 1806, and, since, repeated to the Army. And the Catholic soldiers, as well as those of other Sects, are to be allowed, in all cases, to attend the Divine Worship of the Almighty according to their several persuasions, when 24 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) duty does not interfere, in the same manner, and under ike same regulations, as those of the Established Church. " Wm. Raymond, Dep. Adjt. Gen. " N. Ramsey, Maj. Assist. Adjt. Gen." The Morning Chronicle commenting upon this, says: " So late as Friday morning last, some of the artillery, privates and drivers, quartered in Enniskillen, continued to do duty with turned coats, the most mortifying punish- ment ever inflicted on a brave man, and this, merely for having attended, according to law, to the Worship of their Church : but on the evening of that day, the scene was somewhat changed, the General Order arrived, and on the following morning, the officer accused of the oppression, departed for Dublin, and, on Sunday, the Catholic soldiers of the garrison were marched to the Roman Catholic Chapel, accompanied by the officers of that religion." It would seem that all parties were trying to make the Services unpopular: the navy, especially, by impressment — and even the Militia did not escape — for in January, a number of farmers and others were summoned before the magistrates at Stafford for making deductions from the wages of those servants who were enrolled in the Militia and who had been absent for their training. It must be remembered that in those days farm labourers were hired at Statute fairs, for a twelvemonth, and the (i8ii.) PUNISHMENT OF TWO JEWS. 25 15th clause of 48 Geo. III. cap. 3, had to be shown to those summoned, whereby they learned that no ballot, enrolment, or service under the Act should make void or in any manner affect, any indenture of apprenticeship, or contract of service. And so they had to pay their men. They were rather a rough lot in the Country, and this anecdote is thus recorded in The Times of January 31, 1811 : — "The following ludicrous 1 - circumstance occurred on Tuesday week at Bristol : — A couple of Jews being apprehended in the act of stealing several articles from the stables of the White Hart Inn, were hauled into the yard by two stout fellows, whither the whole fraternity of the currycomb were immediately summoned. The long beards of these disciples were then stuck together with pitch (their hands being previously tied behind them) ; and, whilst thus face to face, a profusion of snuff mixed with hellebore, was administered, which caused them to sneeze in such a manner, that by the frequent and violent bobbing of noses one against the other, a copious stream of blood issued from either nostril, whilst the enraged Culprits were kicking and capering about in all directions." Chronologically, we must now turn to the Prince of Wales, who, one would imagine, was desirous of emu- lating the Squires of old, who spent the eve of their knighthood in vigil, prayer, fasting, and watching their 1 The italics are mine. — J. A. 26 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) armour — so before he became Prince Regent, he must needs partake of the Holy Eucharist, and did so at the Chapel Royal St. James' on Sunday the 27th of January, the sole object of which was to obtain a certificate that he was in the Communion of the Church of England. This public act of worship was a stately affair. The Prince was in the Royal Closet during the major portion of the service, the Bishop of London and sub-dean duly bowing to the royal presence, at their entrance. Afterwards, attended by the Earl of Moira, and Lords Dundas and Keith, he went up to the Altar, took his seat under a canopy, made his offering in a gold dish, and then the Dean, Prince, and the three Lords Communicated. On the 5th of February the Lords and Commons had their final conference over the Regency Bill, they agreed to the interpolation of two words " and Commons," and the thing was all but finished. It only wanted what was done immediately afterwards, the Royal Commissioners to give the Royal Assent, the Deputy Clerk of the Crown to read the title of the Act, the Clerk Assistant of the Parliaments to utter the words " Le Roi le veult " — and the Prince of Wales was de facto Regent. Knowing his proclivities, it was imagined that he would give places to all his entourage, and, accordingly, we have the caricature of " Robeing the Prince, or the Road to Preferment." To the extreme left is Earl Grey, who says "A bason of Grey pease soup is better than (i8ii.) " ROBEING THE REGENT." 29 porter for your Highness," but Whitbread is of opinion that " If his Highness should want any refreshment, here's a pot of my best brewing." Grenville offers his services to the Prince. Sheridan hopes " your Royal Highness will not forget Old Sherry; pray allow me to brush the Royal shoes, they seem quite mouldy with lieing by so long." Colonel Bloomfield is tying his garter. Whoever is holding the looking-glass exclaims, "What an honour this is ! but I hope for greater." The Regent tells Sheridan, " Fear not, my friend, all in good time." Col. McMahon says, "Why! can't you see you have given him the wrong sleeve ; do give it to me, you'll make a fine figure of him ! " But the person holding the robe replies, " Don't push so, Col., you won't let any one come near his Highness but yourself." Mr. Adam, the Prince's Chancellor, soliloquises thus, " A dam good prospect now, however." Sir John Douglas calls out, " Who wants me?" and Col. Geo. Hanger, hopes "you won't forget poor Georgy." Perhaps the three best known of these Companions of the Prince are Sheridan, Col. McMahon, and George Hanger. The first belongs to history, and the second will be noticed by and by. Col. Hanger came of a noble Irish family, but in his youth led a wild harum scarum life. Of course he entered the army, and whilst holding the King's Commission he fell in with, and joined a gang of gipsies, when he fell in love with a dusky beauty, and 30 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) married her according to the customs of her tribe, which, probably, only involved the jumping over a broomstick. He introduced her to his brother officers, and all went well for about a fortnight, when she eloped with a bandy- legged tinker. His tastes were congenial to those of the Prince, and he made himself useful, bought horses for him, looked after his racing arrangements, and was one of his equerries, which post he kept until he was, by his extravagance, compelled to resign it. He was more than once imprisoned for debt, but turned steady after the death of his brother Lord Coleraine (called blue Hanger, from the colour of his garments) in 1814, when he succeeded to the title, which became extinct on his death in 1824. Meanwhile, all was being prepared for the assumption of the Regency, Carlton House was being brushed up, chandeliers cleaned, &c, a congenial task for its occupier, the Hanoverian creams were publicly exercised, and made to pass between files of soldiers, and, at last, the 6th of February, the day appointed for the Prince to take the oaths, arrived. The following is probably an official communique, as it appears in all the Newspapers of the period : — " The 6th of February being the day appointed for swearing in the Prince of Wales as Regent, before his taking upon himself that important office, about twelve (i8ii.) THE REGENT TAKES THE OATHS. 31 o'clock a party of the flank companies of the grenadiers, with their Colours, the band of the first regiment, drums and fifes, with white gaiters on, marched into the court- yard of Carlton House, where the colours were pitched in the centre of the grand entrance ; the band struck up ' God save the King,' and continued playing that national piece alternately with martial airs during the day, until near five o'clock. Colonel Bloomfield, one of the Prince's principal attendants, having written to the Earl of Macclesfield, the Captain of his Majesty's yeomen of the guard, informing him it was his Royal Highness' command that as many yeoman of the guard should attend at Carlton House, as usually attended upon councils being held by the King in state, the noble Earl not being in London, the letter was opened by the person in waiting, who ordered six yeomen and an usher to attend at Carlton House, which they accordingly did ; and they, together with the Prince's servants in state, lined the grand hall and staircase : several of the life- guards men were also in some of the rooms, in a similar manner as on Court-days at St. James' Palace. About a quarter before two o'clock, the Duke of Montrose arrived, being the first of the privy councillors who attended ; he was followed by all the royal dukes, and a very numerous assembly of privy councillors, who had all arrived by a quarter before three o'clock. The whole of the magnificent suite of state apartments were opened, 32 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) and the illustrious persons were ushered into the Gold Room (so called from the style of the ornaments). Almost every privy councillor then in town was present — exceeding above a hundred in number. " About half-past two o'clock, Earl Moira, of his Royal Highness' council, being also a ,privy councillor to the King, brought a message from the Prince to the President of the Council, Earl Camden, desiring his attendance on the Prince in an adjoining room, according to the usual form, to communicate to him officially the return to the summons, &c. The noble Earl accordingly went with Earl Moira, made the necessary intimation to his Royal Highness, and returned to the company ; who, during this time of waiting were highly gratified with seeing the Princess Charlotte on horse-back, accompanied by two grooms, make the tour of the beautiful gardens in the rear of the palace. Her Royal Highness appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. " After Earl Camden's return, the Prince approached in grand procession, preceded by the officers of his own household, and several of his own council, among whom were Earl Moira, Lords Keith, Cassilis, Hutchinson, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. M. Angelo Taylor, Mr. Tyrwhitt, Colonel McMahon, Colonel Bloomfield, General Hulse, Mr. Bicknell, &c, &c. (His Chancellor, Mr. Adam, was, by accident not present, and there was a delay, in consequence of his Royal Highness' anxious desire of (i8ii.) THE REGENT TAKES THE OATHS. 33 his presence.) The Prince was also accompanied by all the Royal Dukes. They passed through the room where the privy councillors were assembled, through the Circular drawing room, into the grand saloon (a beautiful room in scarlet drapery, embellished with portraits of all the most distinguished Admirals who have fought the battles that have given us the dominion of the seas) ; and here the Prince seated himself at the top of the table, his Royal brothers and cousin seating themselves on each hand, according to seniority, and all the officers of his household, not privy councillors, ranging themselves on each side of the entrance to the Saloon. The privy councillors then proceeded, all in full dress, according to their rank — the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of York, the Lord President the Lord Privy Seal, &c, &c, &c, and, as they severally entered, they made their reverence to the Prince, who made a graceful return to each, and they successively took their place sat the table ; and lastly, Mr. Fawkener and Sir Stephen Cottrell took their seats as Clerk, and Keeper, of the Records. " The Prince then spoke to the following effect : — " ' My Lords, " ' I understand that by the Act passed by the Parliament, appointing me Regent of the United Kingdom, in the name, and on behalf of his Majesty, 4 34 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) I am required to take certain oaths, and to make a declaration before your lordships, as prescribed by the said Act. I am now ready to take these oaths, and to make the declaration prescribed.' "The Lord Privy Seal then rose, made his reverence, approached the Regent, and read from a Parchment the oaths as follows. The Prince with an audible voice pronounced after him : — " ' I do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George. " ' So help me, God.' " ' I do solemnly promise and swear, that I will truly and faithfully execute the office of Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, according to an Act of Parliament passed in the fifty-first year of the reign of his Majesty King George the Third (entitled " An Act " &c), and that I will administer, according to law, the power and authority vested in me by virtue of the said Act ; and that I will in all things, to the utmost of my power and ability, consult and maintain the safety, honour, and dignity of his Majesty, and the welfare of his people. " 1 So help me God ! ' " And the Prince subscribed the two oaths. The Lord President then presented to his Royal Highness, the (i8ii.) THE REGENT TAKES THE OATHS. 35 declaration mentioned in an Act made in the 30th year of King Charles II., entitled, 'An Act for the more effectual preserving the King's person, and government, by disabling Papists from sitting in either House of Parlia- ment,' and which declaration his Royal Highness audibly made, repeated, and subscribed. The Lord President signed first, and every one of the Privy Councillors in succession signed these instruments as witnesses, and the same was delivered into the hand of the Keeper of the Records. " The Prince then delivered to the President of the Council a Certificate of his having received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at the Chapel Royal of St. James, on Sunday the 27th of January, which was also counter- signed, and delivered to the Keeper of the Records, who deposited ail these instruments in a box at the bottom of the table. "The Lord President then approached the Regent, bent the knee, and had the honour to kiss his hand. The Royal Dukes followed, and afterwards, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and all the rest, according to the order in which they sat at the long table, advancing to the chair on both sides. During the whole of this ceremony, his Royal Highness maintained the most graceful and dignified deportment; and it was remarked, that there was not the slightest indication of partiality of behaviour to one set of men more than to another. 36 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) " The Ceremony being closed, a short levee took place in the drawing room, where his Royal Highness addressed himself to the circle ; and, afterwards, he gave an audience to Mr. Perceval, who had the honour of again kissing his hand as First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer." The Regent did wisely in not changing his Ministry, and Perceval turned dutifully towards the rising sun. It was said that in a visit he and the Chancellor (Lord Eldon) paid the King on Jan. 26th, that he turned his back on the King, a monstrous piece of rudeness in Court etiquette. Probably the poor old blind, half-demented Monarch never observed it ; but others did, and there were several epigrams thereon, the following being the best — " The people have heard, with delight and surprize, That his Minister's conduct has op'd the K 's eyes ; That with just indignation his Royal breast burn'd, When he thought he saw Per l's back on him turn'd ; Exclaiming, 'Thank G — d ! I've recover'd my sight, For I now see you, Sir, in your own proper light.' " The Queen had the Custody of the King's person, but had to account to a Council consisting of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and several Noblemen of high rank, and her first Council under the Regency was held on Feb. 13th. (i8ii.) THE KINGS HEALTH. 37 About this time there was an improvement in the King's health ; so much so that on the 8th of February the Queen and the Princess Augusta were allowed to have an interview with him, and on the next day and for two or three others, he appeared on the Terrace and walked for a time accompanied by the Physicians in attendance upon him. CHAPTER III. Story of a crime — The Shanavests and the Caravats — Gluttony — Smuggling bullion — A Tar at the theatre — Deposition of French Colours in White- hall Chapel — The Duke of York reinstated as Commander-in-Chief — The Regency Fete — Account of the entertainment. A ND now, for a while, we will leave Royalty alone, and note anything particular that occurred — not that there ever was much general news recorded — there were no country correspondents to the London Newspapers, which were but of small size, and with very little space to spare for what we call News. As these little scraps of information will be scattered throughout this book, I may at once say that they will, perforce, have no sequence one to another except that of Chronological order. At the beginning of February, as a dragoon was returning from duty to his quarters, which were at a small public-house called " Barndean Hut," near Peters- field, in the New Forest, his attention was arrested by the 4 o SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) cries of some person in distress, which induced him to ride up to the spot from whence they proceeded, where his humanity was shocked on beholding a woman tied to a tree, with the tears, which her situation and suffering had produced, actually frozen to her cheeks, and, horrid to relate, quite naked, having been stripped and robbed of every article of dress, by two villains, who, afterwards, left her in that deplorable condition. The dragoon instantly cut the cords that bound her hands and feet to the tree, and, having in some measure restored her to the use of her limbs by rubbing them, wrapped her up in his cloak, placed her on his horse, and proceeded on to his quarters, where he soon after arrived ; and, as he was conducting the shivering object of his care into the house, she looked through a window that commanded a view of the kitchen, and, in a faint voice, exclaimed, " There are the two men that robbed me of my all, and used me so cruelly." The soldier, in consequence, entered the kitchen and secured the men, who were the next day taken before a magistrate, and, after the necessary examination, fully committed to Winchester jail, for trial at the next assizes. Ireland has always been a sweet boon to England ever since the Union ; and faction fights used to abound. Among others were those of the Caravats and Shanavests — the Capulets and Montagues of their time; and the etymon of the names of two formidable factions, which embraced the greater part of the lower order of people in (i8ii.) THE SHANAVESTS AND CARAVATS. 41 the two counties of Tipperary and Limerick, is thus given : — It was at a trial of some of these at a Special Com- mission at Clonmel, and James Slattery was under examination. Chief Baron. What is the cause of quarrel between these two parties — the Shanavests and the Caravats ? A. I do not know. Q. What's the true reason ? A. I cannot tell. Q. So, then, according to your account, I am to understand that each party attacks each other by way of defence. Q. (by a juror). Were the men who were concerned in the affray in the month of August, the same that were concerned at the races of Coolmoyne ? A . They were. Q, Do you know a man of the name of Pauddeen Car ? A, I do. Q. He is your uncle ; was not he the principal ring- leader and commander of the army of Shanavests ? A. He is a poor old man, and not able to take command. Q, (by Lord Norbury), What was the first cause of quarrel ? A, It was the same foolish dispute made about May-poles. 42 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) Q. (by the Chief Baron). Which is the oldest party ? A . The Caravats were going on for two years before the Shanavests stirred. Q. Why were they called Caravats ? A . A man of the name of Hanly was hanged ; he was prosecuted by the Shanavests, and Pauddeen Car said he would not leave the place of execution until he saw the Caravat about the fellow's neck, and from that time they were called Caravats. Q. For what offence was Hanly hanged ? A. For burning the house of a man who had taken land over his neighbour's head. Q. Hanly was the leader of the Caravats ? A. Before he was hanged, his party was called the Moyle Rangers. The Shanavests were called Pauddeen Car's party. Q. Why were they called Shanavests ? A. Because they wore old waistcoats. We occasionally hear of feats of gluttony, but, as a piece of downright lunacy, the following can scarcely be matched. Morning Chronicle, Mar. 26th : " A blacksmith at Strout ate on Tuesday, for a trifling wager, a pint of periwinkles with the shells, in the space of ten minutes. Being desired to repeat this disgusting feat he readily did it, but he is now so dangerously ill that he is not expected to recover." (i8ii.) SCARCITY OF BULLION. 43 Bullion both Gold and Silver got scarcer and scarcer, so much was exported: and, early in 1810, large quantities of Dollars were stamped at Birmingham with the image and superscription of George III. ; in fact, the dollars stamped in 1797 and down to 1810, inclusive, were about five millions — but they were smuggled out of the kingdom wholesale. On the 19th of March an official rise of 10 per cent, in their value took place, in the hopes that raising them to 5s. 6d would be prohibitory to their exportation, but it was not : more still were needed, and on April 15th 300,000 dollars were sent to Boulton and Watts, Soho Works, Birmingham, to be stamped, " and the same quantity are to be forwarded in a few days." The price fell on the 25th of April to 5s. id. per dollar. On the 27th of March, the Duke of Gloucester was elected Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, by a majority of 114 over his opponent, the Duke of Rutland. We may take the following as an example of how Jack fooled away his prize-money : — " A Tar, who had just received his prize-money, lately engaged a small provincial Theatre entirely to himself : he took his seat in the centre of the pit, furnished himself with an inordinate quantity of beer, punch, and tobacco, &c, and requested the performances to commence, as no one should enter the Theatre but himself; at the close of every speech which pleased him, he presented the 44 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) Actor with a glass, and when the curtain dropped, he transferred his stores to the stage, and invited the whole of the Dram. Per., to partake." Under date of the 8th of April, we read : "A very singular discovery has been made at Colchester, respect- ing the sex of a servant who had lived thirty years in a family in that town, as housemaid and nurse. Having lately paid the debt of Nature, it was discovered that the deceased was a man." On the 5th of May, the Court of Common Council voted the Regent, the freedom of the City of London in an Oak box, but the presentation was abandoned as it was found that etiquette forbade the Regent accept- ing the Freedom, as he then stood in the position of Sovereign. On March 5th the English troops under the com- mand of General Graham, engaged and defeated a much superior French force under the command of Marshal Victor, at Barrosa in Andalusia, after a severe conflict. How thoroughly the French were then beaten, may be judged by the fact that an Eagle and twelve standards were taken from them. A sergeant of the 87th, or Prince's Own Royal Irish Volunteers, who took the Eagle, was promoted to an Ensigncy, and ordered to be removed to his own regiment, on the first Vacancy. On the 18th of May, these Colours were taken, with great military ceremony, from the (i8ii.) THE DUKE OF YORK. 45 Parade in St. James's Park, to Whitehall Chapel, and deposited on each side of the Altar. It was a fine sight, and three Royal Dukes, York, Cambridge, and Gloucester, were present, besides many generals, and the Spanish and Portuguese Ambassadors. Apropos of the Duke of York, he formerly had a mistress named Mary Anne Clarke, who abused her position by selling Commissions in the Army at a cheap rate, and using her influence over the Duke to confirm them. In 1809, Mr. Wardell, M.P. for Oak- hampton, brought the scandal before the House of Commons, and, although the House eventually found that there was nothing in the evidence to prove personal corruption, or criminal connivance on the part of his Royal Highness — yet public opinion against him was so strong, that he had to resign his position as Commander- in-Chief. The Regent and the Duke of York were tied together by strong bonds of fraternal feeling, and the first im- portant act of the Regent was to re-appoint his brother to his old position on the 25th of May. This naturally created great dissatisfaction, for his former resignation only saved the Duke from the ignominy of being cashiered, and Viscount Milton moved in the House of Commons on the 6th of June : " That upon a deliberate consideration of the recent circumstances under which his Royal Highness the Duke of York 46 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) retired from the Command of the Army in March, 1809, it appears to this House that it has been highly- improper and indecorous in the advisers of the Prince Regent to have recommended to his Royal Highness the re-appointment of the Duke of York to the Office of Commander-in-Chief." It is astonishing how the opinion of the House of Commons varied during two years, for this motion, when put, was only supported by 47 members — against 296. But although he obtained the post, he had to run the gauntlet of public opinion, and which way that went is shown by the accompanying Satirical print, " The Soldier's Welcome Home ! ! ! " where the Duke of York amid the Cheers of his friends, Buckingham, Temple, and Grenville, is leaping into the portals of the Horse Guards, the Regent standing just inside to welcome him. A figure, I presume meant to be John Walter, is pointing to The Times Newspaper. There were several others, but this is best suited to this book. The next event of public note, and next to the appoint- ment of the Prince of Wales to the Regency, it was the principal topic of conversation of the year, was a grand fete given to upwards of 2,000 of the Nobility and gentry, including the French Royal Family, the foreign Ambassadors, &c. — at an estimated cost of £15,000. For fully six weeks previously all the available weavers, tailors, mantua-makers, and milliners, were (i8ii.) THE F£TE AT CARLTON HOUSE. 49 put under requisition for it, and ample work was found for architects, upholsterers, painters, carpenters, cooks, and confectioners, and diamonds were borrowed for the night at 11 per cent. This wonderful fete took place on the 19th of June, and the company began to arrive between 9 and 10 o'clock. The whole of Carlton House, even down to the basements, which were utilized as supper rooms, was thrown open to the guests, but failed to afford sufficient accommodation, so a large portion of the garden was canvassed over and used for supper. It is impossible, in the limits of this book, to describe the luxury with which this palace was furnished, but I must be excused, as Carlton House has long been numbered with the things of the past, if I revive the description of the Throne and Ball Rooms, simply that my readers may form some idea of the splendour in which " the first gentleman in Europe" lived. The first was hung with crimson velvet, with em- broidered ornaments in pure gold, and most massive gold fringes and laces. The Canopy, superbly carved and gilt, was surmounted by four helmets of real gold, having plumes of the finest white ostrich feathers, many of them 17 inches in height. On each side the Canopy, were magnificent antique draperies ; decorated to correspond with it, and forming back-grounds to two superb candelabra, after the antique, executed in 5 5° SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) the finest manner, with lions couchant, and other appropriate ornaments. Under the Canopy stood a grand state chair and foot-stool. The compartments of the room were decorated with the richest gold ornaments on a crimson velvet ground, with draperies enriched with gold fringes, en suite. There were two superb glasses about twelve feet high, with oriental alabaster tables, on frames, carved and gilt, in the most magnificent style. On a chimney, decorated with or-molu foliage of the richest sculpture, was placed a large glass in a superb frame ; and on the chimney-piece and tables, were fine French girandoles of or-molu. In this room were no other seats than stools gilt and covered with crimson velvet. Here were whole length portraits in grand gold frames, of their Majesties, the Prince Regent, and the Duke of York. Through a door at one end of this room, a temporary staircase presented itself to view, which communicated with the Conservatory ; this erection was intended as a private passage for the Prince Regent and his particular friends to pass down to the head of the tables, when supper was announced. Opposite the above door, a door leading to the Throne room being removed, and a large glass being placed in the opposite door, on the further side beyond the Throne, the whole range of Candelabra, and the throne itself were reflected in it ; and a striking coup d'ceil was thereby produced. (i8ii.) THE FETE AT CARLTON HOUSE. 51 The Ball room was decorated with Arabesque orna- ment, and figures, painted in the finest style imaginable, on gold grounds, in panels, between pilasters richly carved and gilt ; the ceiling was decorated in compart- ments. The windows and recesses have circular tops, and they were decorated with rich blue velvet draperies, with massive gold fringes, lace, tassels, and ropes — the latter were likewise of gold. In the recesses were magnificent French plates of looking-glass, in gold frames, having sofas under them, richly carved and covered with blue velvet ; the chairs to suit. Before each pilaster was placed a rich gilt pedestal, on which was a superb French girandole, carrying eight wax- lights, executed in or-mulo. The two chimney-pieces of Statuary marble, were ornamented with foliage and figures in bronze and or-mulo, and, over them, were glasses in gold frames, and French Candelabra, worthy of the tout ensemble. The Prince Regent entered the State apartments about a quarter past nine, dressed in a scarlet coat, most richly and elegantly ornamented, in a very novel style, with gold lace, and a brilliant star of the Order of the Garter; and he arrived just at the same time as the dethroned Louis XVIII. — who was present as the Comte de Lille — and his family. Dancing began about half past eleven or twelve, and at half past two supper was announced. As one account says : " Upon 52 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) no previous occasion, and at no Court in Europe, was ever the experiment made to sit down 2,000 of the principal nobility and gentry of a kingdom to a regular supper, as was the case at the Prince Regent's fete. The largest entertainment, at the most brilliant period of the French Monarchy, was that given by the Prince of Conde at Chantilli, to the King of Sweden, when 400 covers were laid. Here covers were laid for 1,600 under canvas, and 400 in the house." The Times gives a short, but succinct, account of this brilliant fete, and being so, I take it, as well fitted for this book, as all accounts, more or less, are by press correspondents, and relate only to the internal arrangement and decoration of Carlton House. " It was totally impossible, capacious as the Mansion of the Prince is, to accommodate such a number of persons in the rooms of the Mansion itself. From the central apartment of the lower range, which we have mentioned, on the south, or garden front, proceeded a broad and lofty wall, towards the southern wall of the garden, adjoining St. James's Park, which was crossed by three similar walks, from east to west, lengthwise in the garden. All these walks were closed in by walls, and covered over by awnings made for the occasion. In each of these cross walks were placed long supper tables, and at the end of each walk were communications to circular marquees, in which were (i8ii.) THE FETE AT CARLTON HOUSE. 53 tables containing all the necessary refreshments for the company, with space for the numerous servants, and assistants in attendance. The Great Walk from the house southward had in it six tables, leaving those spaces quite open where other walks crossed it. The intermediate spaces between these, were lawns, which communicated to the walks by suitable openings. The interior sides of these grand walks were lined with festoons of flowers, yielding the most odoriferous perfumes, and relieved by the verdant and softer beauties that more towering plants and shrubs could bestow. The arched roofs were ornamented in the liveliest manner, and, from them, were suspended thousands of lights, in all the different forms and fashions by which illumination can be produced. The coup d'&il of the whole, especially from the central south entrance to the gardens, was inexpressibly delightful, and even magically impressive. The entrance was under an illuminated arch, and the southern end of the walk was filled by an immense mirror, and ornamented at the top and sides with a superb drapery, and with artificial flowers and costly candelabra : particularly the long range of supper rooms on the grand level, at the head of which the Regent sat, at the west end of the Conservatory, inspired the highest ideas of real magnificence. "This range, beginning from the east end, comprises 54 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) the new Gothic rooms, not yet entirely finished, but temporarily hung with crimson, and the Library, beauti- fully ornamented with marbles. In these apartments'there were two rows of tables, elegantly adorned. The centre room was left open. To the west, the eating room, &c, and the Conservatory had one long table running through both. The appearance of the Conservatory was truly striking and brilliant. The architecture of it is of the most delicate Gothic. The upper end was a kind of circular buffet surmounted by a Medallion, with the initials G. P. R. lined by festoons and antique draperies of pink and silver, and partly filled by mirrors, before which, on ornamented shelves, stood a variety of vases, candlesticks, &c, of the most gorgeous gold plate. Sup- plied, as indeed all the tables were, with every attainable delicacy and luxury which wealth and rank could com- mand, or ingenuity suggest, and embellished by all the art and skill of the confectioner, with emblematical devices of every conceivable appropriate description, this table displayed a still more splendid exuberance. " In the front of the Regent's seat there was a circular basin of water, with an enriched Temple in the centre of it, from whence there was a meandering stream to the bottom of the table, bordered with green banks. Three or four fantastic bridges were thrown over it, one of them with a small tower upon it, which gave the little stream a picturesque appearance. It contained also a number (i8ii.) THE FETE AT CARLTON HOUSE. 55 of gold and silver fish. The excellence of design, and exquisiteness of workmanship could not be exceeded; it exhibited a grandeur beyond description ; while the many and various purposes for which gold and silver materials were used were equally beautiful and superb in all their minute details. 1 " The Company, who continued to arrive from nine till half-past twelve, were ushered into the state rooms, and soon filled the house. The hall was crowded with Peers and Peeresses, and was made the same use of, as the apartments of State. Under the grand arched doorway between the halls, was a most elegant scarlet and gold drapery, after the antique. " The male part of the nobility and gentry, were habited in court suits, many richly embroidered, or in naval and military uniforms. The waving plumes, the elegant, variegated dresses, the sparkling diamonds, and, still more, the native beauty and grace of the ladies, gave a sort of enchanting perfection to the whole of this brilliant courtly exhibition. The V telle Cour de Versailles, with all its proud pretensions, could never have more attractively set forth the elegant fascinations of fashionable life, and exalted rank. " The upper servants of his Royal Highness' household 1 Nearly a waggon load of the family plate of the late Sir William Pulteney decorated the Tables at Carlton House. It is said that the weight of the whole of the gold and silver plate used on this occasion, was Six Tons. 56 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) wore a rich costume of dark blue, trimmed with very broad gold lace ; the others wore their state liveries. A considerable number of the Yeomen of the Guard attended in different parts. The assistants, out of livery, were dressed uniformly, in black suits with white vests. Two of the bands of the Guards, in state uniforms, played various airs throughout the night. Parties of the Foot- guards protected all the immediate avenues, and the Horse-guards were stationed in Pall Mall, St. James's Street, St. James's Square, Piccadilly, &c. Everything was managed, with the assistance of the Police, with unexampled care and convenience." CHAPTER IV. Ladies' dresses at the Fete — The banquet — Carlton House thrown open to the public — The crush — Sir F. Burdett's action against the Speaker — Relief of British Prisoners in France — Scarcity of guineas — Lord King and his tenants — Stories respecting the Currency. f I ^HE ladies had been requested to dress themselves in the productions of British industry, and some of their costumes were truly magnificent. They are so uniformly beautiful, that in the examples I give, I take them as they follow, and make the extracts for the sake of their brevity. The Marchioness of Downshire wore a petticoat of white satin, trimmed at the bottom with a Spanish net of em- bossed silver, over which was a tunic of the most beautiful silver stuff, of Irish manufacture, on which was delicately woven the shamrock : over the shoulders were superb epaulettes of embossed Spanish silver. The tunic was laced with diamond chains, and fastened in front with large diamond brooches. Her ladyship's ear-rings were 53 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) the largest diamonds at the fete, to which there was a corresponding necklace, and a profusion of diamond orna- ments. The Marchioness of Sligo. A dress of white satin, with a superb border of brilliant embroidery round the train ; a robe richly embroidered in silver shamrock, round which was an elegant, and brilliant border, to correspond with the dress ; diamond stomacher, armlets, necklace, and brooches. Head-dress, diamonds and ostrich feathers. The Marchioness of Tavistock. Splendid dress, embroidered in white and gold. The Marchioness of Hertford. White satin dress, em- broidered in white and gold. The Marchioness of Stafford. Violet satin dress, richly embroidered in gold. The Marchioness of Exeter. White satin, embroidered in gold. The Marchioness Cornwallis. White satin dress, richly embroidered with amethysts. The Marchioness Waterford. White satin dress, richly embroidered with silver. The Countess of Cavan. A dress of white and silver tissue, with a superb border of prominent silver jonquils ; body and sleeves splendidly ornamented with diamonds. Head-dress, diamonds and ostrich feathers. Needless to say, this grand fete was made fun of — and so we see in " Gudgeon fishing a la Conservatory," the (i8ii.) THE FETE AT CARLTON HOUSE. 61 meandering stream down the centre of the Regent's table is caricatured, and the fair ladies are provided with rods and lines. The artist has taken liberties with his subject — the Prince, for instance, sat on a plain mahogany chair, and the " stream " was banked up with moss and flowers. The Earl of Moira, and Sheridan, are taking wine to- gether, and on the right of the Regent sits the Duchesse d'Angouleme. A person in plain evening dress is in the extreme right, and points to a paper on the ground, "Admission to John Bull to look at the Gold." This was the subject of another caricature, called "The Regency Fete, or John Bull in the Conservatory." This shows John Bull, his wife, three men and one woman looking at the royal table loaded with gold plate and wine, a beef-eater and a butler guarding the plate on the table and on the buffet behind the royal chair. Says John Bull (scratching his head) to his wife : " Why, odd Zookers ! this is marvellous fine indeed. Oh, Nan ! how we should enjoy a rasher on one of they monstracious beautiful plates. Why, now I think I shan't grumble to pay three or four Bank Tokens towards this grand treat ; methinks I should just like a nippikin or two." Mrs. Bull : " Oh, John ! one of our milk-white chickens roasted by myself by our wood fire would be lusciosious indeed." The speeches of the others are not worth reprinting. Needless to say the privilege of visiting the scene of festivity was eagerly embraced by the public, and they 62 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) came in such shoals, that the Horse Guards had to keep order, and it was feared some accident would occur. And sure enough, on the last day, the 26th of June, there was a pretty scrimmage. This is The Times report : — " Yesterday being the last day that the public were permitted to view the interior of Carlton House, the crowd, from an early hour in the morning, was immense ; and, as the day advanced, the scene excited additional interest. Every precaution had been adopted to facilitate the entrance of the visitors. The Horse-guards paraded in front of the House, and were stationed at both ends of Pall Mall, and the various streets leading from it. The pressure to gain admittance was so great, that early in the day several females fainted away ; many lost their shoes, and endeavoured to extricate themselves from the crowd, but this was quite impossible. The gates were only opened at certain intervals, and, when this was the case, the torrent was so rapid, that many people were taken off their feet, some with their backs towards the entrance, screaming to get out. The scene, at last began to wear a still more serious aspect ; when it was deemed expedient that some measure should be resorted to, to prevent farther mischief. Lord Yarmouth, and the Duke of Gloucester appeared, and announced to the public that the gates would not be again opened : and that, for the sake of preventing the loss of any lives, they had to (i8ii.) AFTER THE FETE. 63 express the strongest wish that the persons assembled would cease from endeavouring to gain admittance. This, however, had not the desired effect ; as many, who probably were ignorant of what had happened, remained, in the anxious hope of being admitted at last. " The greatest pressure to obtain admittance took place about half-past two o'clock. About one, the crowd in the inside of Carlton House had accumulated so much, that it was found necessary to shut the gates. The line of carriages now extended the whole length of Pall Mall, up to the very top of St. James's Street, and, as there had been a complete stoppage for above half an hour, hundreds of ladies left their carriages, and hastened on foot towards the gates of Carlton House. At this time you might see ladies and gentlemen coming out of the crowd covered with perspiration, and unable any longer to bear the pressure. Those who thus made their retreat in time will be able to congratulate themselves on their superior prudence. " Hitherto all was comparatively well, and the scene rather afforded amusement than excited alarm. But the case was most materially altered when the gate of entrance was next opened. It became exactly like some of those rushes at our Theatres, which have sometimes produced such melancholy consequences. Those behind, irresistibly pushed on those before, and of the number of delicate and helpless females who were present, some were thrown 64 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) down, and, shocking to relate, literally trod upon by those behind, without the possibility of being extricated. When, at last, the crowd got inside Carlton House gates, four females were found in a lifeless state, lying on their backs on the ground, with their clothes almost completely torn off. One young lady, elegantly attired, or, rather, who had been so, presented a shocking spectacle ; she had been trodden on, until her face was quite black from strangulation, and every part of her body bruised to such a degree, as to leave little hopes of her recovery : surgical assistance was immediately had, but her life was not expected to be saved. An elderly lady had her leg broken, and was carried away in a chair ; and two others were also seriously hurt, but, on being bled, were restored to animation. One of them was able to walk home, the other w r as led by two men. " The situation of almost all the ladies who were in- volved in this terrible rush was truly deplorable ; very few of them could leave Carlton House until furnished with a fresh supply of clothes ; they were to be seen all round the gardens, most of them without shoes or gowns ; and many almost completely undressed, and their hair hanging about their shoulders. The crowd outside, at one time, literally carried away the Horse-guards for several paces, when the animals became restive to an alarming degree, rearing on their hind legs, and beating down all within their reach with their fore ones : several women were (i8ii.) AFTER THE FETE. 65 trodden under foot, and received considerable injury ; and five or six men were so overcome, that they fainted, and were carried off." The Morning Chronicle of the 29th of June says: "The number of stray shoes in the courtyard of Carlton House, on Wednesday, was so great, they filled a large tub, from which the shoeless ladies were invited to select their lost property. Many ladies, however, and also gentlemen, might be seen walking away in their stockinged feet. About a dozen females were so completely disrobed in the squeeze, they were obliged to send home for clothes, before they could venture out in the streets, and one lady was so completely disencumbered of all dress, a female domestic, in kind compassion, wrapped her up in an apron." On the 6th of April, 1810, Sir Francis Burdett was, by a majority of 38 Members of the House of Commons, sentenced to be committed to the Tower, for a breach of privilege committed by him against the house, in an address written by him in Cobbetfs Weekly Political Register of March 24, 1810 : " Sir Francis Burdett to his Constituents, denying the power of the House of Commons to imprison the People of England." After some trouble, and a great deal of rodomontade on his part, he was safely lodged in the fortress — after which a slight affray took place between the mob and the 6 66 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1811.) troops in which one of the former was killed, and eight wounded." 1 The demagogue did not like the position in which he found himself, and breathed fire and fury. He would bring actions against the Speaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Earl of Moira, who was then Governor of the Tower. He was released, on the prorogation of Parlia- ment, 21st of June, 1810, and on March 8, 1811, he brought an action against the Speaker (Abbott) for a trespass c.) opposite is seated Death upon a dismounted cannon, in the same position, his elbows upon his knees,' ' staring the tyrant in the face ; ' his right foot has crushed the insolent French trophy, the ci devant invincible French eagle, his left rests upon a cannon ball. In the background is seen the French legions, filled with dismay, flying before the conquering Germans, (i8i 3 .) " ORANGE BOVEN" 187 Russians, Prussians, and Swedes. The whole was sur- mounted by an emblematic Circle, indicative of Union and Strength, which was lighted by gas, and of dazzling brightness." In October Bavaria joined the Allies. In November a revolution took place in Holland; the people of Amster- dam rose in a body, and hoisted the Orange Colours, and, with the ancient cry of " Orange boven " (Orange in the ascendant, or victorious) proclaimed the sovereignty of that house. The example of the Capital was followed by the other principal towns of Holland ; which the French troops were compelled to evacuate. The Prince of Orange was in England, the sure asylum of unfortunate Royalty, and on the 21st of November a deputation came to London from Holland, inviting him to return. On the 28th he embarked at Deal for Holland, on board the Warrior, of 74 guns, and landed at Scheve- ningen on the 30th. The Dutch, having thrown off the French yoke, were no longer our enemies, so that we had no further reason for keeping any of that Nation as Prisoners of War, and they, amounting to 10,000 in number, were ordered to be sent back to their own country, to assist in liberating it from the domination of France. On the 2nd of December the Prince of Orange made his solemn entry into Amsterdam, when he declared his acceptance of the sovereignty, and the title of Sove- reign Prince of the United Netherlands. 188 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) The entente cordiale, which thus, of necessity, sprung up between the English and Dutch, among other things pro- duced the accompanying illustration, wherein is shown an English and a Dutch Sailor fraternizing. Above them, is a label " Fendracht maakt Magt." (Concord makes Power), and " The Sea is Open, Trade revives." On the 1st of December the Allied Sovereigns issued a declaration at Frankfort, in which they affirmed that they did not make war upon France, but against the pre- ponderance exercised by the Emperor Napoleon beyond the limits of his empire; that the first use they made of victory was to offer him peace upon conditions founded on the independence of the French Empire, as well as on that of the other States of Europe ; that they desired that France might be great, powerful, and happy, and that they confirmed to the French Empire an extent of territory which France, under her kings, never knew ; that, wishing, also, to be free, tranquil, and happy them- selves, they desired a state of peace, which, by a just equilibrium of strength might preserve their people from the calamities which had overwhelmed Europe, for the lest twenty years ; and that they would not lay down their arms until they had obtained this beneficial result. But, either this declaration was only meant as a political display, or else they entirely misjudged Napoleon's character, when they imagined they could put bounds to his ambition, and dictate terms to him who had had all Europe at his feet — so nothing came of it. "THE sea is open, trade revives." {Published Decejuber 13, 181 3, Ackermann.) (1813.) THE AMERICAN WAR. 191 The American War still went on. Madison was again elected President. At the commencement of the year the Americans attacked Canada direct. General Winchester attacked and took Detroit, but the English, under Colonel Proctor, with 500 regulars and militia, and about 600 Indians, advanced against him, the result being, that half his men surrendered at discretion, and the other half were nearly all cut to pieces by the Indians. On the other hand, the Americans captured and held possession of York, the Capital of Upper Canada, seated on Lake Ontario. Henceforth, the war was principally confined this year to the Lakes, with varying fortunes, until we hear from Sir G. Provost, on the 12th of Decem- ber, that both provinces of Canada were freed from the invaders, who retired to winter quarters. This war was, occasionally, conducted on curious principles, as the follow- ing will show. It is taken from the general orders issued by the Commander of the British Forces at Montreal, dated October 27th. The facts stated are, that 23 Soldiers of the United States Infantry, being made prisoners, were sent to England, and kept in close confinement, as British subjects ; that General Dearborn had been instructed to put into similar confinement 23 British soldiers as hostages for the safety of the former ; that the Prince Regent had given directions to put in close confinement 46 American Officers, and non-commissioned Officers, to answer for the safety of the last 23 soldiers ; and, also, to i92 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) apprize General Dearborn, that if any of them should suffer death in consequence of executing the law of Nations upon the first 23 confined as British subjects, double the number of the confined American Officers should immediately be selected for retaliation; and, more- over, that the commanders of his Majesty's armies and fleets had received orders to prosecute the war with un- mitigated severity against all the cities, towns, and villages of the United States, in case their Government should persist in their intention of retaliation. The Princess Charlotte was, naturally, a prominent subject for conversation among all ranks, for she was the only child of the Regent, and, as such, heir-presumptive to the throne. She began, too, to make herself talked about a little. She was now in her seventeenth year, on the completion of which she would become of age, and she began to kick over the traces somewhat, and to show that she had a will of her own. Her childhood had not been a happy one, and she had served as a shuttlecock with which papa and mamma had played many a game. She had a mother whom she seldom saw, and a father whose habits were the reverse of domestic ; she knew, perfectly well, what her future prospects were, and occasionally she showed a little temper and wilfulness. In January, 1813, her governess, Lady de Clifford resigned her office, and Miss immediately wrote a letter, through the Queen, to her papa, saying that now she was (1813.) PRINCESS CHARLOTTE. 193 old enough to do without a governess, and desiring that whoever should be appointed to be about her person, in the place of Lady de Clifford, should occupy the position of a lady of the bedchamber, and not that of gouvernante. The Queen, the Prince Regent, and the Lord Chancellor took sweet counsel together on the subject, and their unanimous opinion was that Mademoiselle must still continue in statu pupillari, at all events until she came of age. The young lady was rebellious, but the higher authorities were too strong for her, and, with many sighs, she had to give in, and accept the inevitable in the shape of the Duchess of Leeds as governess. In January, too, her mother, the Princess Caroline, wrote a very long letter to the Prince Regent, in which she animadverted very strongly on the manner in which her daughter was being brought up, especially in her being debarred from all social intercourse with young ladies of her own age. The history of this letter is interesting, as showing the relations existing between this unhappy husband and wife. The story is thus told 1 : — " It is curious to trace the manner in which this cele- brated letter at last reached the hands for which it was destined. " It was transmitted, on the 14th of January, to Lord 1 " Memoirs of her late Royal Highness, Charlotte Augusta Princess of Wales," &c, by Robert Huish, Esq., London, 1818, p. 68. 14 194 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) Liverpool, and Lord Eldon, sealed, by Lady Charlotte Campbell, the lady in waiting for the Month, expressing her Royal Highness's pleasure that it should be presented to the Prince Regent, and there was an open Copy for their perusal. " On the 15th, the Earl of Liverpool presented his Com- pliments to Lady Charlotte Campbell, and returned the letter unopened. " On the 16th, it was returned by Lady Charlotte, inti- mating, that, as it contained matters of importance to the State, she relied on their laying it before his Royal High- ness. It was again returned unopened, with the Earl of Liverpool's compliments to Lady Charlotte, saying that the Prince saw no reason to depart from his determina- tion. " On the 17th, it was returned in the same way by com- mand of her Royal Highness, expressing her confidence, that the two noble lords would not take upon themselves the responsibility of not communicating the letter to his Royal Highness, and that she should not be the only subject in the empire, whose petition was not permitted to reach the throne. To this, an answer was given, that the contents of it had been made known to the Prince. " On the 19th, her Royal Highness directed a letter to be addressed to the two noble Lords, desiring to know whether it had been made known to his Royal Highness, by being read to him, and to know his pleasure thereon. 1813.) PRINCESS CHARLOTTE. 1 95 "No answer was given to this letter; and, therefore, on the 26th, she directed a letter to be written, expressing her surprise that no answer had been given to her appli- cation for a whole week. " To this an answer was received, addressed to the Princess ; stating that in consequence of her Royal High- ness's demand, the letter had been read to the Prince Regent on the 20th, but that he had not been pleased to express his pleasure thereon. " Here the correspondence closed ; and no ulterior benefit accrued from it to the afflicted mother, nor to the daughter." The Princess Charlotte, however, did see more of Society, for she went to the Splendid Fete given by her father, at Carlton House, on the 5th of February, in honour of her Majesty's birthday, and at the ball which followed she danced with her uncle, the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV. Then she went to the Opera with the Duchess of York, and she also kept her birthday with great festivities, but she was not presented at Court, as she was resolute in being presented by no one except her mother. In February, Warwick House was allotted to her, as a residence, and all her baggage, saddle horses, &c, were removed thither. Here, however, her mother was for- bidden to visit her, and the chronicles of the times dilate 196 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) strongly on an accidental meeting of the mother and daughter in Hyde Park, where they drew their respective carriages close together, and embraced each other through the windows, conversing together for some ten minutes. When her maternal grandmother, the Duchess of Brunswick died, her father hinted to her the propriety of a visit to her mother, leaving it to her whether it should be before or after the funeral. Needless to say, but very few hours elapsed before she, accompanied by the Duchess of Leeds, and Miss Knight, were at Blackheath, where the Princess of Wales then lived. She was now a young woman, and would be of age early next year, so it was time to look about for a husband for her ; and the person pitched upon was none other than the Prince of Orange, whom we have lately seen as going back to Amsterdam, to enjoy his own again. At this time he was serving in Spain as aide-de-camp to Lord Wellington ; but it was represented to him that there were other things for him to do, and he quitted the seat of war, and came over to England, possibly rejoicing in the anticipation of the good things coming to him ; and on the 14th of December, he was formally introduced at Warwick House, by the Prince Regent, to the Princess Charlotte, whom he was expected to woo and win. His suit and its success belong to 1814, and will be told in its place. Of the condition of the poor old King, this year, we (1813.) THE KINGS HEALTH. 197 hear very little ; the monthly bulletins were certainly issued, but they were of the most meagre description. Madame d'Arblay, even, although she was over here, and had the best of opportunities for hearing about him, only mentions him once, in her letters to her father, in May: — " The beloved King is in the best state possible for his present melancholy situation : that is, wholly free from bodily suffering, or imaginary mental misery, for he is persuaded that he is always conversing with Angels." 1 1 " Memoirs," vol. vii. p. 6. CHAPTER XI. A Cat in a Conflagration — Scramble for Exchequer Bills — A Matrimonial Dispute — An old Debtor — A Volunteer Dinner — A Man and Hedgehog — Torpedoes — Slavery — Gambling on Napoleon's Life — Gas Lighting. ND now to wind up the year with a little de omnibus rebus, which would not fall into any par- ticular place, yet are worth keeping, as indicative of the times of which I write : they have no connection with each other, so are taken in chronological order. On the 4th of April, a fire broke out at the " Com- mercial Hal," Skinner Street, Newgate Street, the Hall which, valued at £25,000, was the capital prize in the City Lottery. It was a bad fire, and two firemen were injured, but no lives lost. When at its fiercest, a Cat was seen on a part of the buildings which would soon inevitably be in flames. There was no human being to be burnt, so the sympathy of the crowd went out towards Pussy. There was no way of escape for her, except by an alarming leap, for the walls had crumbled and fallen 2oo SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) in, and this leap Pussy could not make up her mind to take. The flames were encroaching, and gathering round her, and the mental tension of the Crowd was getting tighter and tighter every minute, when a gentleman enthusiastically offered £5 to any one who would rescue the Cat. A fireman was induced to make the attempt, and with great difficulty got behind the Cat, and forced her to take the leap, from the fifth storey, when she fell into the midst of the spectators unhurt ! The fireman immediately received his promised reward. The following scene, of " hastening to be rich," is almost on a par with what might be witnessed in the time of John Law and the South Sea Bubble, or that of King George (Hudson) of Railway fame. It is thus recorded in the Annual Register: "April 7: This morning, as early as five o'clock, a crowd of brokers and others, beset the Exchequer-bill office, in order to put down their names for funding Exchequer Bills. Such was the scramble to get in, that a number of the persons were thrown down, and many of them injured ; some fainted by the excessive pressure of the crowd, and a few had their coats literally torn off their backs. The first 14 names (chiefly bankers) subscribed seven millions out of the twelve required ; and, very early in the day, notice was given that the subscription was full. . . . That the first characters in the country, as bankers, merchants, and others, are to be marshalled by police officers, (1813.) HUSBAND AND WIFE. 201 exhorted to be patient, cool, and passive, till they can enter the Exchequer through a door, a third part opened by a chain, and of which the aperture is scarcely suf- ficient for a moderate sized man to get in, is disgraceful in the extreme." (Ibid.) April nth : " For the first time this season nine Mackerel were brought to the beach at Brighton, which were immediately purchased for the London Market at 6s. 6d. each. The following day, another boat arrived with 28 more, which were bought with equal avidity at the same price. On Thursday, a third boat brought 93, which fetched after the rate of -£40 per hundred. Not a single Mackerel has been retailed there, but all have been sent off to the metropolis." At the Quarter Sessions held at Truro early in May a certain Joseph Little was placed at the bar, charged with having violently assaulted his wife. When Mrs. Little appeared to give evidence against her turbulent mate, he addressed her in a plaintive tone, and the fol- lowing dialogue took place : — " My dear, I am sorry to see you here." " So am I." " I hope you will forgive me this once, and I will never lift my hand to you again." " You have broke your promise so often that I cannot trust you." " My dear life, don't send me back to prison again; 202 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) you have always been a good, honest, sober, and virtuous wife to me." " It is for the good of your soul that you should be punished." " You need not fear me, I will give you all my pro- perty, and part from you, if you wish it." " I know it is for my safety, and for your salvation, that you should be confined a little longer." And after this billing and cooing, John Little brought a counter charge of assault against his wife, and was ultimately bound over to keep the peace. One would have thought that the great age of the undermentioned debtor would have protected him from his ruthless creditor, who, however, was no gainer by his act. May 13th : " A few days since, a poor infirm man, aged 103, from Yorkshire, was delivered into the custody of the Marshal of the King's Bench, for a debt of Twenty Pounds !! The poor man's apprehensions were so great on entering the prison, that he was seized with a sudden and violent illness, which induced the Marshal, on a representation of the case, to have him removed to a comfortable apartment in Belvidere Place ; but, notwith- standing every alleviation which humanity could suggest, was promptly administered, he expired the same evening." Next " silly season" — London Newspapers please copy: "July 21: On Saturday se'nnight was pulled, in the garden of Mr. Jones, at Lodge-my-Loons, a little north (1813.) A VOLUNTEER'S DINNER. 203 from Glasgow, a strawberry, which weighed fully one ounce, and measured 6^ inches by 5." Our Volunteer officers grumble somewhat at the ex- penses contingent upon their position, but they had a harder time of it under the Regency. August 14th : " At Lincoln Assizes an action was tried, brought by the Landlord of the Bull Inn, at Market Deeping, against the Cornet of the Ness Volunteers for the expenses of a dinner and liquor for 54 of the corps. The party sat down to dinner about half-past four o'clock, and mostly retired before ten. The quantity of liquor charged was as follows : One hundred and twenty -six bottles of port, forty - eight of sherry, sixty-four half-crown bowls of punch, and twenty of negus, besides ale and porter. The Jury gave a verdict in favour of the innkeeper, only taking off sixpence per bottle on the port wine." Have we yet forgotten " Brummy " and the " Man and Dog fight " so graphically described in The Daily Tele- graph by Mr. James Greenwood ? Here is a variation on the brutal theme. October 25th : " W. Moore of Loughborough, bricklayer, a few days ago, laid a wager of three shillings, that he could, with his hands tied behind him, worry to death a hedgehog, with his face. He commenced his extraordinary undertaking by pros- trating himself on the ground, and attacking the exterior of his prickly antagonist with his nose. In a few minutes his face was covered with blood, and he appeared to 2o 4 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) have little chance of success ; however, at length having pressed the little animal till it had protruded its head, he snatched at it, and bit it off, thereby winning the wager, to the great amusement of the brutal spectators." Another illustration of there being nothing new under the sun, is that Torpedoes were known early in the Century, nay, even before that. The Morning Chronicle of October 29th has an article upon them, part of which I transcribe : — " American Torpedoes. " Much abuse has been heaped on the American Government for endeavouring, in their present contest with this country to avail themselves, for the destruction of English vessels, of submarine machines disgraceful to humanity, and contrary to the laws of war ; and it has been said that such machines would only have been encouraged in a Jacobin State, with a Jacobin president at its head. We are far from approving the introduction into warfare of any such machinery as that in question. But, while we deliver this opinion we think it but fair to state what is not so generally known ; that, in the encouragement of this disgraceful plan, we are as much concerned as the Americans. " In 1804 Robert Fulton, styling himself an American citizen, was invited by Lord Liverpool, then Lord Hawkesbury, to this country, to show his Majesty's (1813.) TORPEDOES. 205 ministers his plans of submarine navigation and attack ; and on the 20th of July that year, he entered into a contract with Mr. Pitt and Lord Melville, the principal conditions of which were — " ' His Majesty's Dockyards and Arsenals to make and furnish all such articles as may be required, which are applicable to this purpose. " ' If any circumstance should arise to prevent Govern- ment carrying this plan into execution, then the parties are to name two commissioners, for the purpose of examining the principles, and trying such experiments as they may think proper ; and, if it should appear to the majority of the members, that the plan is practicable, and offers a more effectual mode of destroying the enemy's fleets at Boulogne, Brest, or elsewhere, than any mode in practice, and with less risk, then Government is to pay the said Robert Fulton, forty thousand pounds, as a com- pensation for demonstrating the principles, and making over the entire possession of his submarine mode of attack.' " When the Administration, of which Mr. Fox, and Lords Grey and Grenville were at the head, came into office, they were a good deal surprised, on Mr. Fulton's claiming performance of this contract, to find that such an instrument actually was in existence. The plan would never have met with any encouragement from that Ad- ministration ; but, as it had already been accepted, they 206 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) were under the necessity of agreeing to allow the neces- sary experiments to be made, or paying the forty thousand pounds. Earl Grey, then at the head of the Admiralty, gave orders, reluctantly enough, that Mr. Fulton should be supplied with whatever he required as necessary for the success of his experiment, and the execution was entrusted to one of the ablest and most enterprizing officers of the Navy. Several attempts were made on the enemy's vessels at Boulogne ; but from one circumstance or other, the plan was found impracticable. On Mr. Fulton's still insisting on the payment of the forty thou- sand pounds, the matter was submitted to four arbi- trators, who, after a full investigation, pronounced the plan not so far novel, practicable, or effective, as to entitle Mr. Fulton to the sum in question." The Slave Trade Bill of 1807, it must be remem- bered, did not abolish Slavery, but only prohibited the Traffic in Slaves ; so that no vessel should clear out from any port within the British Dominions, after May 1, 1807, with Slaves on board, and that no Slave should be landed in the Colonies after March 1, 1808. So that the fol- lowing advertisement in The Morning Chronicle of Novem- ber 16th was strictly within the bounds of legality : — "Jamaica Slaves to be Let or Sold, being Ffty-four in Number, all young or middle-aged, of both sexes, and (i»i3.) SALE OF SLA VES. 207 well seasoned, having for some years worked together in the parish of Clarendon. Any purchaser with good security would have every reasonable indulgence for his payments." I am bound to say that this advertisement was a novelty in an English Newspaper ; and, in the same journal of November 19th, appeared an indignant letter on the subject. " Sir, — Nothing can be more repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen, than to read in an English Newspaper, peculiarly devoted to the cause of Freedom, the advertise- ment which appeared in the first page of Tuesday's Chronicle, relative to the offer of ' Fifty-four Jamaica Slaves.' Surely, Sir, this offensive advertisement must have been inserted without due consideration, and, I am sure, without your knowledge ; especially at the time when we are about to Christianize the whole world ! " For the sake of humanity, and the best feelings of every true Briton, I trust that this abominable advertise- ment will not make its appearance a second time in your respectable Paper, and remain, yours, &c, " LlBERTAS." M Among the gambling policies ever open in the city, the ' life of Bonaparte ' has long been a favourite object 208 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1813.) for scandalous speculations, and for the last twelve months had been done at. from 2 to z\ per cent, per month, as the dangers to which he was exposed seemed to diminish or increase. In the beginning of this present December, policies to a very large amount have been negotiated, and Twelve Guineas given to receive One Hundred, if the Tyrant be alive on the 1st of January." Gas lighting in the streets of London was first intro- duced in August, 1807, when Golden Lane Brewery, and a portion of Beech and Whitecross Streets were illumi- nated by its means. The Gaslight and Coke Company got their Charter in 1810, and had lamps outside their offices in Pall Mall ; but progress in this direction was very slow, and the old oil lamps died hard. We read in The Morning Chronicle of December 20th : 11 The Gas lights which have been exhibited in the two Palace Yards, and in some of the streets of the neighbourhood, during the sitting of Parliament, will, upon its adjournment, be dis- continued ; and those places only be lighted, for which the Company has contracts." CHAPTER XII. 1814. The Fog — Condition of Ireland — State of the Navy — The Regent at Belvoir — Coming of age of Princess Charlotte — Day of Thanksgiving — Great Snowstorm — Thames frozen over — Sports thereon — Frost fair — The Country and the Snow. 'HE year 18 14 was an annus mirabilis for England, as will be seen as it is unfolded. It began with a fog, not an ordinary fog, but one which, from its exceptional character, was enshrined as part of the history of the Country. It prevailed in London, and many miles round, during the whole of the last week of 1813 until the 4th of January, when it cleared off — the mails and other conveyances were delayed, and many accidents happened. It was no respecter of persons, for the Regent, who was going to visit the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir, in order to stand personally as Godfather to the baby Marquis of Granby, was delayed a day by this fog, so that the Christening had to be postponed, and the 2io SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) young Marquis had to be a day longer in an unregenerate state. A dragoon, who left London for Windsor at 6 p.m. with particulars of the passage of the Nive by the Allied Armies, did not arrive until 4 a.m. in consequence of the fog, although he got a lanthorn and candle at Hounslow. A sergeant of the West Kent Militia, which corps was then garrisoning the Tower, stepped off the wharf into the river, and was drowned — and there were other fatalities. Ireland was in its chronic state of bloodthirsty rebel- lion, as the two following paragraphs in The Morning Chronicle of January 1st show. " The Barony of Lower Ormond, in the County of Tipperary, has lately mani- fested a spirit of wickedness unknown in that part of the country. A few nights since, the Haggards of the Rev. Edward Farmer, of Springmount, near Cloughjordan, of Mr. Thompson, and the Rev. Mr. Conolly, near Ballin- garry, were maliciously set on fire, and totally consumed. The ruffians also posted notices that if a reward was offered, they would burn the haggards of the subscribers." " On the evening of the 8th instant half-past 5 o'clock, as George Wayland, Esqre, was going out of his house at Toureen near Dundrum, in the County of Tipperary, accompanied by his herdsman, one of a party, who were perceived lying in wait at a short distance from the hall door, discharged a blunderbuss at him, loaded with balls and slugs, the contents of which grazed his legs and (1814.) ARMY AND NAVY. 211 passed through his clothes. Immediately after, a servant boy of Mr. Wayland, going towards the house, was fired at by the same party, and so dreadfully wounded, that he has since died." The number of troops required then, as now, in Ireland, together with the fact that we had two wars on our hands, at the same time, caused stock to be taken of the available "food for powder" remaining, and we find, according to a statistical account taken this year, that the number of men in Great Britain, capable of bearing arms, from 15 to 60 years of age, amounted to 2,744,847 ; or about four in every seventeen males. Our Navy was a large one, on paper, for the total number of ships at the commencement of this year was 1032 (including those in ordinary, &c.) : of which there were, in commission, 116 sail of the line, 20 from 50 to 44 guns, 157 frigates, 110 sloops of war, 7 fire-ships, 199 brigs, 40 cutters, and 50 schooners, the total of ships in commission being 768. The Regent set out on his journey to Belvoir Castle, having, of course, to do the distance in his travelling carriage. At Denton, he was met by some two or three hundred horsemen, the gentry and yeomanry of the County, who had assembled to welcome him to Belvoir. On the arrival of the Prince, the air was rent with a general burst of loyal enthusiasm. Many females, wives and daughters of the tenantry of the House of Rutland, 212 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) joined in the cavalcade, and galloped like lunatics to keep up with the Regent's carriage. Arrived at Belvoir, on the descent from his carriage of the ' vir illustrissimus,' a Royal salute of 21 guns was fired from the Castle, and the Regent's dme damnee, the Duke of York, also was similarly honoured. It was with great difficulty and much persuasion, that the good folk of Rutlandshire were prevented from making greater asses of themselves, and debasing themselves by removing the horses from the Royal Carriage, and trans- forming themselves into beasts of draught. The honoured host, of course, was at the door to receive his guest, and the Rev. Dr. Staunton, by virtue of the tenure of a Manor of Staunton, in Nottinghamshire, did his devoir, suit, and service, by presenting the Regent, as representative of the King, with an exquisitely worked gold key of Staunton tower, which is an outwork, and yet the chief stronghold of the Castle, the command of which is held by the family of Staunton, and the tenure by which they held the Manor of Staunton is, that they were formerly required to appear, with soldiers, to defend this strong post, in case of danger, or at the requisition of the Lord of the Castle. January 4th, the day of the Christening of the little Marquis of Granby, was also the birthday of his father, the Duke of Rutland, so that the two events, combined with the Royal visit, made an event of unexampled rarity (i8i 4 .) FESTIVITIES AT BELVOIR. 213 in the annals of Rutlandshire. Whenever was babe received into the fold of Christ, under more illustrious mundane auspices ? His two Godfathers were the Prince Regent and the Duke of York, in person ; his Godmother was the Queen, represented by her Grace the Dowager Duchess of Rutland. The Archbishop of Canterbury himself " performed the baptismal ceremony with solem- nity, and graceful expression," and what more could be done for the child ? After this ceremony, the swine were fed. Open house and lavish hospitality were the order of the day, and the "piggies" availed themselves of it. The grands seigneurs sit down to dinner — and the oC ttoXKol go to their troughs, to eat as much, and drink as much, as they possibly could. " At Belvoir Castle all partake of the festivities, for, although the doors are not immediately thrown open to admit improper persons, yet the tenantry, and persons of respectability have access thereto, and such is the affability and condescending amiable manners of her Grace the Duchess of Rutland, that her whole suite of rooms are open for the inspection of all ranks, and even the curiosity of seeing the young Marquis is acceded to. Mr. Douglas, the Duke's butler, entertained the tenantry with an oval Cistern of strong punch, containing 50 gallons, when the tenantry drank * Long life to the young Marquis ' — ' Many returns of the day to the Duke ' — and 1 God preserve our Noble Prince Regent.' " 2i4 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) This latter was attired, in compliment to his host in "the Belvoir uniform of scarlet and buff," and, to the toast of his health, " His Royal Highness replied with much eloquence, but evidently at first, labouring under the affection of fine feeling, and concluded by assuring the noble host, that, as long as he lived, he should never forget the respectful manner in which he had been re- ceived at Belvoir Castle." This hospitality went on for days ; and we read, " The house contains more than two hundred individuals, who partake daily of the festivities. The Cistern of punch, under the management of Mr. Douglas, administered in the Servants' Hall on Tuesday, to the household and tenantry, laid many a brave fellow prostrate. The passages of the house reminded one of a Castle taken by storm, and the young Marquis, the Noble Host, and the Prince Regent, were toasted until articulation ceased. Many were found the next day in the subterraneous passages of the Castle, with symptoms of recovering animation. The punch was not out at 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning. " This Cistern, according to the history of the county, was filled with Cordial when John, Duke of Rutland, father of the present Duke, was born. The silver Cistern is 16 feet in circumference, holds 60 gallons, and is a matchless piece of Workmanship. Ale, at the rate of 21 strike to the hogshead, is now making, to be kept till the young Marquis comes of Age." (1814.) THE PRINCE HUNTING. 215 This Saturnalia ceased on January 7th, when the Prince left on a visit to the Earl of Winchilsea at Burleigh ; but whilst in the country, he was keenly scanned by the eyes of critical sportsmen, and the result, as regards his horsemanship, is thus given : — " Letter from General T. to J. Mc.M., Esq., in London. Dear Mac, we are passing our time here most gaily, Events by the dozen are happening daily : We left Burleigh the 2nd — you never were there ? The house stands in a quadrangle forty feet square ; 'Tis built on a terrace, with fine freestone walls, On a level, 'tis said, with the top of Saint Paul's. Winchilsea, you know,'s a mechanical man. For having it measured, he's forming a plan. Lonsdale, you know, is a noble old fellow, With a fine open heart, and a capital cellar, We do just as we like, and have excellent cheer, For guests, horses, and dogs, are all treated well here. Wales would have a hunt, so we hunted on Monday, In spite of the fog. and the hard frost of Sunday. And O ! some gentle Muse indite My bold, aspiring lay, While in hasty verse I write ' The hunting of that day ! ' Now I think on't, the task would be rather too hard, And you'll hear it describ'd by our Treasury Bard : — For I watch'd him all thro' the field, and I saw He was scanning the picturesque look of a thaw, He hated a Fox from the time of his birth, And ran foul of a Pit, as Reynard took earth. As for Wales, he soon staked a thorough bred mare, His legs, arms, and chest, were all quite militaire. A mere Bond Street rider, Tom Musters would say, Sits damn'd well by rule, as I told him one day ; He's abroad in all cases not taught in mfoiage, 2l6 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) And rides at a leap, as he would at a charge ; In short, one might swear he ne'er hunted before, By his heading the hounds, as he would do his corps ; And York on the fences made desperate attack, And was giving the word of ' coimnand to the pack ; Determined to give his Conscience relief, And, for once, be in person, Commander in Chief 1 What a contrast was the keeping of the coming of age of the Princess Charlotte, the heir to the throne ! which happened at the same time, on the 7th of January. " In the morning her Royal Highness's tutors and principal attendants were introduced to her 'Royal Highness at Warwick House, and paid their respects in due form. A number of nobility, persons of distinction, and her private circle of friends, called at the house, and left their respect- ful inquiries and congratulations on the return of the day." She spent the remainder of the day, quietly, and without fuss, with her mother, at Connaught House. The Regent returned from his tour in time for the Day of Thanksgiving, 13th of January, and he attended Divine service at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, in state. He wore " a purple top wrapping coat, ornamented in a most splendid manner with gold lace, fringe, and frogs, with the Order of the Garter." Besides a great number of the nobility, the procession was formed as follows : — " The Gentlemen Ushers and Grooms in waiting. " Six Heralds, with their superb and splendid Mantles, with other ornaments. (1814.) THE FROST. 217 " Four Sergeants at Mace, with gold Maces, and their elegant Collars, King at Arms, in his superb dress, with his sceptre of Office, Sir Isaac Heard. " York Herald, and Genealogist of the Bath, Sir George Naylor, in his splendid dress, with the Order of the Bath. " Windsor Herald, Francis Townsend, Esqre., also in his splendid dress, and appropriate ornaments. " The Duke of York. " The Sword of State. " The Prince Regent, followed by his Lord in Waiting, &c. " Eight of the Gentlemen Pensioners, with their Battle Axes, closed the procession." The phenomenal fog, which obtained at the end of 1813 and the commencement of 1814, was immediately followed by very heavy falls of snow, unprecedented in the memory of man. On one occasion it snowed incessantly for 48 hours. Few carriages could travel, and the land seemed deserted. In London, the water-pipes in houses were all frozen, and open plugs were running in the streets. Of course this water froze, and added to the general incon- venience, and the state of the streets may be judged by the following : " Mr. Maxwell, of skating celebrity, agreed, for a considerable wager, to skate from Long Acre to the Parade in St. James's Park in five minutes, 2i8 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) which he performed with ease, ten seconds within the time, to the no small amusement of a numerous con- course of spectators." Coals went up to any price ; and no wonder. There were no railways, and the large inland beds of coal, were only worked for local use, so that London was dependent upon Sunderland, and the north-eastern ports, for her coal supply ; and this, of course, came at once to an end with such a frost as this was. A remedy was proposed, but was never acted on. " Supposing nine-tenths of the housekeepers of the metropolis to have laid in coals sufficient for their consumption — some to the month of June, but generally throughout the whole of the summer season — it would be an act of benevolence on their part without affecting their interest, to sell their overplus stock, at reduced prices, to the needy individuals in their respective neighbourhoods, who are unprovided with that fuel, or who can afford to supply themselves only from week to week. This, it is conceived, might be done at 6s. 6d. or js. a sack, whereas double that sum is now ashed" The snow-drifts were terrible all over the country, and even near London, in many places, the snow drifted higher than the Coaches. On Finchley Common, in the course of one night, it drifted to a depth of sixteen feet ; on Bagshot Heath, and about Cobham and Esher, all traffic was stopped. The Kent and Essex roads were the only ones passable. From the country came worse news. (1814.) FROST FAIR, 219 The Snow in the Midland Counties was very deep; indeed at Dunchurch, a small village on the road to Birmingham, through Coventry, for a few miles round, the snow was twenty-three feet deep, and no tracks of travellers were seen for many days. The Cambridge Mail Coach was snowed up, and completely covered, for eight hours, when, at last it was dragged out by fourteen waggon-horses, the poor passengers, meanwhile, being almost frozen to death. These examples must suffice, for my space cannot accommodate anything like one hundredth part of the snow-stories of this time. The Thames was frozen over, and upon it was held a " Frost Fair," which, as, owing to the greater width of the arches of the bridges which span it, is hardly likely to occur again, I must be pardoned, if I somewhat dilate upon. Sunday, Jan. 30. — Immense masses of ice that had floated from the upper part of the river, in consequence of the thaw on the two preceding days, now blocked up the Thames between Blackfriars and London Bridge ; and afforded every probability of its being frozen over in a day or two. Some venturous persons, even now, walked upon the ice. Monday Jan. 31. — This expectation was realized. During the whole of the afternoon, hundreds of people were assembled on Blackfriars and London Bridges, to see several adventurous men cross and re-cross the 220 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Thames on the Ice ; at one time seventy persons were counted walking from Queenhithe to the opposite shore. The frost on Sunday night so united the vast mass, as to render it immovable by the tide. Tuesday, Feb. 1. — The floating masses of ice having been stopped by London Bridge, now assumed a solid surface over the river from Blackfriars Bridge to some distance below Three Crane Stairs, at the bottom of Queen Street, Cheapside. The watermen, taking advan- tage of this circumstance, placed notices at the end of all the streets leading to the City side of the river, announcing a safe footway over it, which, as might be expected, attracted immense crowds to witness so novel a scene. Many were induced to venture on the ice, and the example thus afforded, soon led thousands to peram- bulate the rugged plain, where a variety of amusements were prepared for their entertainment. Among the more curious of these was the ceremony of roasting a small sheep, which was toasted, or rather, burnt over a coal fire placed in a large iron pan. For a view of this spectacle sixpence was demanded, and willingly paid. The delicate meat when done, was sold at a shilling a slice, and termed Lapland Mutton. Wednesday, Feb. 2. — The Thames now was a complete Frost Fair. The Grand Mall, or walk, was from Black- friars Bridge to London Bridge. This was named " The City Road," and was lined on both sides with booths and (1814.) PRINTING ON THE ICE. 223 petty tradesmen of all descriptions. Eight or ten print- ing presses were erected, and numerous pieces comme- morative of the " Great Frost " were printed on the Ice. Many of these have come down to us ; among them are the following : " Amidst the Arts which on the Thames appear, To tell the wonders of this icy year, Printing claims prior place, which, at one view, Erects a monument of That and You." " You that walk here, and do design to tell Your children's children what this year befell, Come, buy this print, and it will then be seen That such a year as this hath seldom been." " Friends, now is your time to support the Freedom of the Press. Can the Press have greater liberty ? Here you find it working in the middle of the Thames ; and if you encourage us by buying our impressions, we will keep it going in the true spirit of liberty, during the Frost.'" " Behold, the River Thames is frozen o'er, Which, lately, ships of mighty burden bore ; Now, different arts and pastimes here you see, But printing claims superiority." Besides the above, the Lord's Prayer, and several other pieces were issued from these Presses, and they were bought, as mementos, with great avidity. Thursday, Feb. 3. — More people than ever ventured on 224 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814. the ice. Swings, book-stalls, dancing in a barge, drink- ing and eating booths, skittles, knock-'em-downs, and all the apurtenances to a Fair on land were there on the Thames. The ice was strong and firm, and although there were fairly smooth parts, yet, in the main, it was very rough. Friday, Feb. 4. — Every day brought more people, and additions to the petty merchants who vended their wares, at twice or thrice their value, because of the rarity. Any old goods could be passed off if only duly labelled " Bought on the Thames," " From Frost Fair," &c, and money was literally shovelled into their pockets, as every one wanted some lasting reminiscence of this great Frost. The watermen mulcted all who visited the Fair, of 2d. or 3d., and you were expected to repeat the compliment on your return. They were said to have taken as much as £ 6 each, in the course of the day. An ugly accident was nearly happening this day, for three persons — an old man, and two lads — having ventured on a piece of ice above London Bridge, it suddenly detached itself from the main body, and was carried by the tide through one of the arches. They threw themselves flat upon the ice for safety, and, luckily, were observed by the boatmen at Billingsgate, who, with laudable activity, put off to their assistance, and rescued them from their impending danger. One of them was able to walk, but the other two were (1814.) FEOST FAIR. 225 carried, in a state of insensibility, to a publichouse, where they received every attention their situation re- quired. Saturday, Feb. 5th. — The morning of this day augured rather unfavourably for the continuance of Frost Fair. The wind had shifted to the south, and a light fall of snow took place. The visitors to the Thames, however, were not to be deterred by trifles. Thousands again ven- tured, and there was still much life and bustle on the ice. The footpath in the centre, or " City Road," was hard and secure, and thousands promenaded thereon. Gaming had now its votaries ; there were E. 0. Tables, Rouge-et-Noir, Te-totums, Wheels of Fortune, Prick the Garter, &c, and a brisk business they plied in emptying the pockets of their dupes. Skittles were being played in many places, drinking tents were filled with females, and their companions, dancing reels to the sound of fiddles, while others sat round large fires, drinking rum, grog, and other spirits. There were for the more temperate, tea and coffee, and people were earnestly requested to eat, in order that in after years they might be able to say that they had indulged in a good meal in mid Thames. The Morning Chronicle of February 4th says : — " Not- withstanding the heavy thaw of Tuesday night, an immense multitude continues to assemble between Lon- don and Blackfriars Bridges. Booths, hoisting the flags 16 226 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) of all nations, and painted with Cherokee taste, every- where gladdened the sight, while bands of Pandean minstrels, relieved by the dulcet strains of the tin trumpet from all sides, delighted the ear. " In the centre of the river, a narrow stream defied the power of the frozen region, and marked the path ' where once the current ran.' This interruption, how- ever, so far from impeding the gambols of the day, increased the sport, and added to the profit of the stewards of the scene. A few small planks in some cases, and an old boat or two in others, with the addition of Charon's fare, kept the communication entire, and enlivened the pastime. " In some parts of the stream where the width of the unfrozen water admitted of it, boats completely bent for sail, with their full equipments, attracted the heedless throng. In these were placed food for the hungry, and for the thirsty, relief ; gin and gingerbread, with other cordials, were here on sale, at moderate prices — ' Ubi mel — ibi apes" The Crowd poured toward this magnetic point with extraordinary avidity. Men, women, and children were often seen in one promiscuous heap. Although it is impossible not to feel anxious to afford every opportunity of cheering, by playful pastime, the nipping severity of the season, yet we cannot disengage our mind from the hazardous consequences of such an exhibition as we are now noticing. (1814.) THE THAW. 227 " Between the bridges the river is entirely covered, not with a regular, even frozen surface, but with an incon- gruous accumulation of icy fragments, and congealed piled snow, which, during the partial thaws, was dis- engaged up the river, and wafted downwards ; this having been intercepted by the intervention of the bridges, and partially united by the frosts of the last two or three days, has completely covered the surface of the water. It is yet extremely dangerous, and was, in many places, last night, set in motion by the influx of the tide, and carried, with extreme velocity, against the piers of the bridges. Some watermen, more foolhardy than others, ventured to cross opposite Temple Gardens, and one of them nearly lost his life by the experiment. The public ought carefully to prevent the young men and thoughtless part of the community from indulging in experiments of this description, which may terminate fatally." Towards the evening of the 5th of February rain fell in some quantity, the ice gave some loud cracks, and large pieces were detached, and floated off with booths, printing-presses, and people on them. No lives, how- ever, were lost. Perhaps the last thing printed on the ice was a letter : — " To Madam Tabitha Thaw. " Dear dissolving dame, " Father Frost, and Sister Snow, have boneyd 228 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) my borders, formed an idol of ice upon my bosom, and all the Lads of London come to make merry : now, as you love mischief, treat the multitude with a few Cracks by a sudden visit, and obtain the prayers of the poor upon both banks. Given at my own press, the 5th Feby., 1814. " Thomas Thames." The thaw had now fairly set in, the ice, broken up, swept everything in the shape of light craft, barges, &c, irresistibly before it, and damage was done to the extent of many thousands of pounds. There was some loss of life, but it was small, and altogether every one was very well rid of " The Great Frost of 1814." Before I finish with the subject, I must quote some verses (which, although doggerel, are very original) attached to " A View of Frost Fair, as it appeared on the Ice on the River Thames, February 3, 1814." " All you that are curious downright, And fond of seeing every sight, If to the Thames you had repair'd, You might have seen a famous fair. Diversions of every kind you'd see, With parties drinking of coffee and tea, And dancing too, I do declare, Upon the Thames, they call Frost Fair. It was really curious for to see Both old and young, so full of glee, (1814.) POETRY OF THE FROST. 229 The drinking booths they enter'd in And call'd away for purl and gin, Some play'd at Threadle my Needle, Nan, The lasses slipt down as they ran, Which made the men quite full of glee, The young girls legs all for to see. The Watermen, so neat and trim, With bottle fill'd with Old Tom Gin, And others bawl'd among the throng, 4 Who's for a Glass of Sampson strong ? ' 'Here's Nuts, and Gingerbread, who buys?' ' Come, boys, and win my Mutton Pies. Come, ladies, they're both hot and nice, Fear not to eat them on the Ice.' Boys and women, not a few, Upon the Ice, they ventured too, And swings there were, I do declare, To take a ride up in the air. And booths, wherein you might regale, And have a pint of beer, or ale. And skittle playing, I do declare, Upon the Thames, they call Frost Fair. Now to conclude my Icy song, I'm glad to see the Frost is gone, And ships, and barges, all afloat, And watermen rowing of their boats, Black diamond barges to appear, That coals, they may not be so dear. So, toss a bumper off with cheer, And bid adieu to Frosty Fair." With regard to this frost, for once, Justice was rendered to Ireland, and she shared its pleasures, with " the bloody Saxon " {Gentleman's Magazine, vol. 84, 2 3 o SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) part i. p. 189) : " So completely suspended has been the internal intercourse between Dublin and the interior, that on 17th January, no fewer than fifteen hundred country mails were due in the Irish Capital ; and, in consequence of the obstruction to the regular mails, arising from the severity of the weather, the accumu- lated newspapers, at the Post Office, amounted to no less than ten tons in weight." On the same page it is recorded that " Fifty Gentle- men dined in a tent fixed on the ice on the river Tweed. One of the company was present at a similar fete held on the Tweed in 1740." The Lords Lieutenant of the different counties had a circular sent them from Lord Sidmouth, conveying the Regent's wishes for their guidance in this juncture, part of which is as follows : — " It will be obvious to your Lordship, that the first and immediate duty to which your attention should be directed, is that of providing all practical means for removing from the highways and principal roads of communication lying within your Lordship's County, the obstructions which have taken place from the late heavy falls of snow, so that his Majesty's subjects may be able to traverse the same, without danger or impediment, as occasion shall require. " The discharge of this duty is, fortunately, most compatible with the further object which his Royal (1814.) REMOVING THE SNOW. 231 Highness has anxiously in view, inasmuch as it will enable your Lordship to ensure employment for various classes of individuals, who, for the present, are deprived of their usual earnings by the inclemency of the season. "Your Lordship will be aware of the necessity of giving immediate attention to the Prince Regent's com- mands on this important subject ; and you will accord- ingly communicate, without delay, with the magistracy, and through them with the trustees of turnpike roads, the overseers of the poor, the surveyors of the highways, and other subordinate officers within the districts and parishes of the County, in such manner, as to insure the most speedy and effectual means of carrying his Royal Highness's pleasure into effect." After the melting of this snow, came very heavy floods in almost every part of the country. CHAPTER XIII. Burning of the Custom House — De Berenger's fraud on the Stock Exchange — Lord Cochrane inculpated — Price of provisions — Arrival of the Duchess of Oldenburgh — The Capitulation of Paris, and fall of Napoleon — Papa Violette— Elba. ON the morning of Saturday, February 12th, the Custom House in London was burnt down. The first Custom House stood on the same site as the present one, and was rebuilt in 1385. In Queen Elizabeth's time a larger House was built on the same spot, which was burnt in the Great Fire. Wren was the architect to a new one, which was destroyed by fire in 1715. Its successor was doomed to the same fate ; its ruin was complete, and for a time it paralyzed the Commerce of the Port of London. "The actual loss to Government by the sudden destruc- tion of the Custom House cannot be calculated ; books, bonds, debentures, pearls, coral, valuable property of every description, and securities of all kinds have been 234 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) consumed. Business is, and must be, quite at a stand still for some time ; numerous vessels ready to sail cannot clear out, and, consequently, the injury to the mercantile world will be most severe and distressing. The private property lost within the building is very considerable. We have heard of several Gentlemen who had left large sums of money in their desks, ready to make payments on the following day. One has lost upwards of £6,000 in bank notes, which will be irrecoverable, as the memorandum of the numbers was in the desk with the notes, and met the same fate. " A very fine collection of pictures which the Com- missioners had permitted a gentleman to leave in deposit, till it would be convenient for him to pay the duties, amounting to £1,500, were destroyed. A very genteel young man, in appearance, was stopped by some police officers in Thames Street, and, on searching him, his pockets and breeches were found to be stuffed with coral beads, silk handkerchiefs, and other valuables of small bulk. It appeared that his boldness in venturing nearer the gunpowder than even the firemen dared to do, had enabled him to obtain this booty." This month is remarkable for one of the most daring- attempted frauds on the Stock Exchange ever perpetrated. It was executed by one Charles Random de Berenger, a French refugee, and an officer in one of the foreign regiments. It was alleged that with him were associated (1814.) STOCK EXCHANGE FRAUD. 235 Lord Cochrane, the Hon. Andrew Cochrane Johnstone, and several others. It appears from the evidence on the trial, that early on the morning of the 21st of February, a gentleman, dressed in a grey great-coat over a scarlet uniform, on which was a star, knocked at the door of the Ship Inn at Dover, and said that he was the bearer of very important despatches from France. This gentle- man, all the Witnesses swore, was Berenger. He sent a letter signed R. Du Bourg, Lieut. -Colonel, and Aide-de-Camp to Lord Cathcart, to Admiral Foley, the Port Admiral at Dover, advising him that he had just arrived from Calais with the news of a great victory obtained by the Allies over Bonaparte, who was slain in his flight by the Cossacks, and that the Allied Sove- reigns were in Paris. Berenger posted up to London, which he entered, having his horses decked with laurels, in order to make a stir. It was felt on the Stock Exchange. Omnium, which opened at 27^, rose to 33 ; but as the day wore on, and no confirmation came of the news, they receded to 28J. Business in that Stock was done that day to the tune of half a million of money. Lord Cochrane and others had previously given instructions to several Stockbrokers to sell Om- niums for them on the 21st of February to an enormous amount. One deposed that on that date he sold — For Lord Cochrane, £139,000 Omnium. „ Cochrane Johnstone, £120,000 do. 236 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) For Cochrane Johnstone, £100,000 Consols. ,, Mr. Butt, £124,000 Omnium. Do. £168,000 Consols. And he further deposed that he always considered that any business he did for Mr. Butt was to be placed to Lord Cochrane's account. Another Stockbroker sold for the same three gentle- men, about £565,000 Omnium. Another had sold £80,000 on their account ; and yet another had had in- structions to sell a very large sum for the same parties, but had refused. In the end Lord Cochrane and Mr. Butt were con- demned to pay to the King a fine of a thousand pounds each, and J. P. Holloway five hundred : and these three, together with De Berenger, Sandon, and Lyte, were sentenced to imprisonment in the Marshalsea for twelve Calendar Months. Further, Lord Cochrane, De Beren- ger, and Butt, were to stand on the pillory for one hour before the Royal Exchange once during their im- prisonment. This latter part of their punishment was afterwards remitted. Lord Cochrane's name was struck off the Navy list, he was expelled from the House of Commons, his arms were taken down from his stall as Knight of the Bath, his banner torn down, and kicked ignominiously out of Henry VII. 's Chapel in West- minster Abbey. By very many he was believed innocent, and, on his (i8i 4 .) LORD COCHRANE. 237 seat for Westminster being declared vacant, he was enthusiastically re-elected. He escaped from Custody, was captured, and had to serve his time. On June 20, 1815, he was told that his imprisonment was at an end if he would pay the fine imposed upon him ; and on July 3rd he reluctantly did so with a £1,000 bank note, on the back of which he wrote : — " My health having suffered by long and close confinement, and my oppressors being resolved to deprive me of property or life, I submit to robbery, to protect myself from murder, in the hope that I shall live to bring the delinquents to justice." On the very day he was released, he took his seat again in the House of Commons. It is not my province to follow his life, but in 1832 he received a "free pardon " ; he was restored to the Navy List, gazetted a rear-admiral, and presented at a levee ! There is a little bit of domestic news chronicled on March 9th, which is interesting when we contrast the prices at which we are now supplied with the same commodities. " Covent Garden Market. — The extreme severity of the weather has rendered all the fruits and vegetables of the season dear beyond all precedent. The following are the prices of some of the articles : — Asparagus, £1 4s. per hundred ; Cucumbers, £1 is. per brace ; best Pines, £2 12s. each ; Grapes, £3 3s. per pound ; Endive, 8s. per dozen ; best Brocoli, 16s. per 238 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) bundle ; second ditto, 7s. per ditto ; French Beans, 8s. per 100; Mushrooms, 5s. 6d. per pottle; best Kale, 12s. per basket ; Nonpareil Apples, 8s. per dozen ; Colmar Pears, £1 10s. per dozen ; Cos Lettuce, 4s. per dozen ; Mint, is. 6d. per bunch ; Greens, 16s. per dozen ; Spanish Onions, 12s. per dozen." This scale of prices would never have done for the Clergyman mentioned in the next day's paper. " A Clergyman, of the name of Matheson, was minister of Patterdale, in Westmoreland, for sixty years, and died lately, at the age of ninety. During the early part of his life his benefice brought him only twelve pounds a year ; it was afterwards increased (perhaps by Queen Anne's bounty) to eighteen, which it never exceeded. On this income he married, brought up four children, and lived comfortably with his neighbours, educated a son at the University, and left upwards of one thousand pounds behind him. With that singular simplicity, and inattention to forms which characterize a country life, he himself read the burial service over his mother, he married his father to a second wife, and afterwards buried him also. He published his own banns of marriage in the church, with a woman whom he had formerly christened, and he himself married all his four children." On March 31st an illustrious lady, the Duchess of Oldenburgh, sister to the Emperor of Russia, entered (1814.) THE DUCHESS OF OLDENB URGH. 239 London in great state, having been met at Sheerness by the Duke of Clarence on behalf of the Regent, who sent one of his Carriages for her accommodation and use. Ostensibly she only came to pay a complimentary visit to the Regent, but every one surmised that such was merely a blind to cover a political mission, for which she was well adapted. To show what importance was attached to her visit, I give an official account of her reception. "The procession entered London, by Parliament Street, at a quarter before four o'clock, in the following order : — Two Light Horsemen. The Duke of Clarence's travelling Chariot and four, in which were his Royal Highness and Colonel Bloomfield. Two Light Horsemen. Two footmen and an outrider in the Royal liveries. " The Prince Regent's Carriage, drawn by four bays, in which was her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess, Duchess of Oldenburg, accompanied by the Princess Volochowsky, Madame Aladensky, and the Countess Lieven. " At each door of the Carriage one of the Prince Regent's footmen rode. The Carriage was followed by a party of Light Horse. " The third Carriage was another of the Prince 240 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Regent's, in which were the Prince Gargarine, General Turner, &c. " The Russian Ambassador's Carriage, with his Excellency in it, finished the procession. " They proceeded through the Horse Guards, out at the Stable Yard, St. James's, up St. James' Street to the Pulteney Grand Hotel, where her Imperial High- ness was received by sentinels placed at the door for that purpose. She was handed out of the carriage by the Duke of Clarence and Colonel Bloomfield, who con- ducted her to the apartments prepared for her. " The Duke of Clarence took his leave, and pro- ceeded to Carlton House, and had an interview with his Royal brother, the Prince Regent. He afterwards returned to her Imperial Highness, to express the Prince Regent's congratulations on her safe arrival in England. "A grand dinner was given in the evening in her honour at Carlton House. The table was laid for twenty-five covers, and the Queen, the Princesses, the Duke and Duchess of York, &c, were all assembled to receive her Highness." And now we come to the great event of the year, beside which all other news, however important, pales, and is a thing of nought. The fall of Napoleon, and manner of it, hardly belongs, in a strict sense, to Social (1814.) THE ALLIES BEFORE PARIS. 241 England of the time, and yet it is so indissolubly bound up with it, that a succinct account of it is necessary for the perfection of this book, and, as the shortest and best contemporary narrative of these events, that I know of, is contained in the Annual Register, I use it. The French occupied the heights before Paris — the Allies were about to storm them ; in fact, the heights of Romainville had been carried. " A redoubt and battery in the enemy's centre kept d' Yorck in check for some part of the day ; but their flank being exposed by the loss of the heights of Romainville, and their losses in every part of the field, reduced them to the necessity of sending a flag of truce to propose a cessation of hostilities, on the condition of their yielding all the ground without the barrier of Paris, till further arrangements could be made. The heights of Montmartre were at this time about to be stormed, and the village of La Villette had been carried by Woronzow's division, which was pushing on to the barrier ; the Sovereigns of Russia and Prussia, and Prince Schwartzenberg, however, being desirous of saving the Capital from being sacked, most humanely agreed to the proposal : two aides-de-camp were sent to put the terms in execution ; the battle ceased ; and, at four in the afternoon, Count Nesselrode, the Russian Minister, went into Paris. Thus terminated this important day (March 30th), which was not 17 242 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814-) without considerable loss to the Allies ; but it was final. " The Metropolis of France being thus laid prostrate at the feet of hostile armies, no determination ever occurred of greater moment, in a moral and political view, than the treatment it was to receive. Besides the lust of rapine and pillage which prevails in the mass of all military bodies, feelings of resentment for the long and atrocious injuries inflicted upon the countries of Europe, by the relentless ambition of the French ruler, must have inspired a strong feeling of retaliation : and the flames of Moscow, in particular, must have kindled in the Russian troops an impatient ardour for spreading the same destruction through the streets of Paris. So fiercely did this passion rage, that the Emperor Alexander is said almost to have de- scended to supplications, with the more indisciplined of his bands, to induce them to forego their vindictive purposes. But this benevolent sovereign, with his illus- trious confederates, must have shuddered at the idea of involving the innocent, as well as the guilty, inhabitants of a vast city in the direst calamities. Moreover, the declarations of the Allied Powers had been filled with sentiments of goodwill towards the French Nation, the happiness, and, even, prosperity of which, they professed to have in view, as far as was compatible with the welfare of its neighbours. Mere retaliatory mischief is (1814.) CAPITULATION OF PARIS. 243 always ignoble, and generally unjust, since its effects cannot be limited to suitable objects. From these con- siderations, though we may justly praise, we cannot wonder at the pacific and conciliatory measures that were immediately adopted by the victors on this great event. " The first important act was the capitulation which resulted from the armistice granted by the Allied Powers. Its most material articles were the evacuation of Paris, by the troops of Marmont and Mortier, at seven in the morning of the 31st, taking with them all their military appurtenances ; the entire separation of the National Guard and Municipal Gendarmerie from the troops of the Line, leaving their future condition to the determination of the Allied Powers ; and the relinquishment of the Arsenals, Magazines, &c, in the same state as when the Capitulation was proposed. On the same day, the entrance of the Sovereigns into Paris took place, the ceremonial of which is thus described by Sir C. Stewart : ' The Cavalry, under the Grand Arch-Duke Constantine, and the guards of all the different allied forces, were formed in columns early in the morning on the road from Bondi to Paris. The Emperor of Russia with all his Staff, his Generals, and their suites present, proceeded to Pantin, where the King of Prussia joined him with a similar Cortege. These Sovereigns, surrounded by all the Princes in the Army, together with the Prince Field 244 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Marshal, and the Austrian Etat-Major, passed through the Faubourg St. Martin, and entered the barrier of Paris about eleven o'clock, the Cossacks of the Guard forming the advance of the March. Already was the crowd so enormous, as well as the acclamations so great, that it was difficult to move forward ; but, before the monarchs reached the Porte St. Martin to turn on the Boulevards, there was a moral impossibility of proceeding. All Paris seemed to be assembled and concentrated in one spot ; one spring evidently directed all their movements : they thronged in such masses round the Emperor and King, that, with all their condescending and gracious familiarity, extending their hands on all sides, it was in vain to attempt to satisfy the populace.' In the French account it is added that, before the Chiefs of the three armies entered any house, they made their troops file off before them, to preserve discipline, and prevent disorders. They then alighted at the house of the Prince of Benevento (Talleyrand), and the Emperor of Russia issued a declara- tion expressing the intentions of himself and Colleagues. It affirmed that the Allied Sovereigns would no more treat with Napoleon Bonaparte, nor with any of his family ; that they respected the integrity of Ancient France, as it existed under its legitimate kings, and would, perhaps, do more for it ; and that they would recognize and guarantee the Constitution which France should adopt. (1814.) A PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT. 245 " On April 1st, the members of the Senate assembled in consequence of an Extraordinary Convocation, the Prince of Benevento being President. They passed a Decree, 1 that there shall be established a Provisional Government, charged to provide for the wants of the Administration, and to present to the Senate the plan of a Constitution which may suit the French People.' This Government was to consist of five members, who were then nominated, Talleyrand's name standing first. On the proposal of a Senator, the following Articles were voted. That the Senate and Legislative Body are integral parts of the intended Constitution : that the Army, as well as the retired officers and soldiers, shall retain the ranks, honours, and pensions they at present enjoy : that the Public Debts shall be inviolable : that the sale of the National Domains shall be irrevocable : that no Frenchman shall be responsible for the public opinions he may have expressed : that liberty of worship and con- science shall be maintained, as well as liberty of the Press, subject to legal penalties for its abuse. " At a sitting of the Senate on the following day, a Decree passed, which, after a preamble asserting ' that in a Constitutional Monarchy the Monarch exists only in virtue of the Constitution or Social Compact,' proceeded to show, in a number of Articles, in what manner Napoleon Bonaparte had violated his compact with the French people ; and, as the consequence declared : 246 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) " 1. That Napoleon Bonaparte had forfeited the throne, and the hereditary right established in his family is abolished. " 2. That the French people and the Army are released from their oath of fidelity towards Napoleon Bonaparte. " 3. That the present Decree shall be transmitted by a message to the Provisional Government of France, con- veyed forthwith to all the Departments and the Armies, and immediately proclaimed in all the Quarters of the Capital. A similar resolution was, on the same day, adopted by the Legislative body. " During these transactions in the Capital, Napoleon moved his army from Troyes by Sens towards Fontainbleau. He arrived at Fromont on the 30th, and would have been in Paris had it not been in the possession of the Allies. On learning what had passed, he retired to Corbeil, and thence to Fontainbleau, whence, on April 4th, he sent Marshals Ney and Macdonald, and General Caulaincourt, to carry to the Senate his proposal of submitting to the decision of that body, and of the French people, and to abdicate in favour of his son. " This proposition being rejected, he announced an unconditional abdication in the following terms : ' The Allied Powers having proclaimed that the Emperor Napoleon was the only obstacle to the re-establishment of the peace of Europe, the Emperor Napoleon, faithful to his oath, declares that he renounces, for himself, and (1814.) NAPOLEON'S ABDICATION. 247 heirs, the thrones of France and Italy ; and that there is no personal sacrifice, even that of life, which he is not ready to make for the interests of France.' " So fell Napoleon, deserted by all ; his valet, Constant, ran away and robbed him of 100,000 francs ; his Mame- luke, Rustan, left him, and reaching Paris, would not accompany his master to Elba. Madame Junot says : " Few persons are aware that Napoleon was doomed to death during the few days which preceded his abdication, by a band of Conspirators composed of the most distin- guished chiefs of the Army. " ' But,' said one of them in the council in which these demons discussed their atrocious project, ' What are we to do with him ? There are two or three among us, who, like Antony, 1 would exhibit their blood-stained robes to the people, and make us play the part of Cassius and Brutus. I have no wish to see my house burned, and to be sent into Exile.' ' Well,' said another, ' we must leave no trace of him. He must be sent to heaven like Romulus.' The others applauded, and then a most horrible discussion commenced. It is not in my power to relate the details. Suffice it to say, that the Emperor's death was proposed and discussed for the space of an hour, with a degree of coolness which might be expected among Indian savages, armed with tomahawks. ' But,' 1 They alluded to the Due de Bassano, Caulaincourt, Bertrand, and some others. 248 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) said he, who had spoken first, 1 we must come to some determination. The Emperor of Russia is impatient. The month of April is advancing, and nothing has been done. Now, for the last time, we will speak to him of his abdication. He must sign it definitely, or ' A horrible gesture followed the last word.' 1 Baron Fain, in " The Manuscript of 1814," says that on the night of the 12th of April, Napoleon attempted to kill himself by poison : all weapons of destruction having been removed out of his reach, but he had kept the poison by him too long, and it had lost its virtue. It simply gave him great pain. A treaty between the Allied Powers and Napoleon was signed on the nth of April. By its articles, after his solemn renunciation for himself, and his descendants, of the Sovereignty of France and Italy, it was stipulated that Napoleon, and Maria Louisa, should retain their rank and titles for life, and that all the branches of his family should also possess the title of Princes : that the Island of Elba should form a separate principality, to be held by him in full sovereignty and property for life ; that there should be granted to him an annual revenue of six millions of francs, 1 with reversion of one million to the 1 There was an Epigram made on this allowance — " Celui qui devora de Nombreux bataillons Qui nagea dans le sang, qui vecut dans la crime, Na de rente que six millions, Ce n'est pas un sou par victime." (1814.) ARTICLES OF ABDICATION. 249 Empress, and that, to the members of his family, a revenue of two and a half millions of francs should be assigned. That the Duchies of Parma, Guastalla, and Placentia should be granted in full sovereignty to the Empress, with succession to her son and descendants. That the property possessed by Napoleon in France, as Domain, should form a capital not exceeding two millions of francs, to be expended in gratifications to persons according to a list given in by him ; that free passage should be given to all of the family, and their suites, who chose to establish themselves out of France, and an escort of 1,200 or 1,500 250 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) of the Imperial Guard to Napoleon himself, to the place of embarkation ; and that he should be allowed to take with him, and retain, 400 men, as his guard. There were a few other Articles to the treaty which was signed by the Ministers of the Allied Powers — Eng- land dissenting and refusing signature to the assignment of Elba to Napoleon, and that of the Italian Duchies to Maria Louisa. And so for a time he fades away, but many, very many Frenchmen thought, and spoke, lovingly of Papa Violette, and Caporal Violette, and hugged themselves with the idea, " En printemps il reviendra : " a prophecy which we know was fulfilled. Bunches of violets similar to the illustration on the preceding page were freely sold in France, and my reader will find that it contains portraits of the Emperor, Maria Louisa, and the King of Rome. But he was supposed to be safely caged at Elba, and the Caricaturists held high revel over his downfall. I should have liked to have reproduced some of them, but I have already done so in another book. 1 Monsieur, the French King's brother, afterwards Charles X., made his public entry into Paris, and was received with every demonstration of joy by the inhabitants. 1 " English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I.," by John Ashton. CHAPTER XIV. Illuminations for Peace — Ovation to Louis XVIII. — His departure for France — Peace with France — Cheaper provisions — Distinguished foreign guests in London — Arrival of Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia — Move- ments of the great folk— Popularity of General Blucher. EASTER MONDAY fell on the nth of April, and on that day London was brilliantly illuminated, very much better than usual ; but then lights and transparencies had only been, hitherto, used for Victories — this was for Peace, which was welcomed by all with heartfelt thankfulness. The Duchess of Oldenburgh, at the Pulteney Hotel, had " Thanks be to God " in varie- gated lamps. The Duke of Northumberland wreathed the head of his immortal lion with laurels ; the statue of King Charles I. close by, was covered with laurels. Carlton House had its pillars entwined with lamps, the entablature marked out with them. On the parapet were six large stars ; in the centre were the Arms of France supported by the figure of Fame with laurels, under 252 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) which was Louis XVIII. A pedestal of fire supported two large stars : on the left, were Russia and Austria ; on the right, Prussia and England ; whilst in the centre, was a bit of deliciously bad French — " Vive les Bourbons," all done in silver lamps. I have but space to mention one more, and that is Ackermann's in the Strand, which was, if possible, more emblematical than usual. It is thus described : " A Transparency : The Tyrant Corsican is attacked by Death under the walls of Paris ; the grisly Monarch has placed his foot upon his breast, and holds in one hand an hour-glass, which, almost expended, leaves him just time enough to reflect upon the murders and other atrocities which have attended his wicked Career. The other hand grasps a massive iron spear, with which he is supposed to have been dealing out destruc- tion among the armies of Bonaparte. The fallen Tyrant, in an attitude of terror, supplicates Death to arrest his fatal purpose. Beneath him are broken eagles, torn National Flags, &c, and in his hand he grasps the shattered bloody remains of a sword. On the Walls of Paris are seen Cossacks, and other Russians, Prussians, Austrians, &c, who are raising the standard of the Bourbons. This transparency was surmounted by a brilliant circle of gas-lights, indicative t of the union of the world in the Holy Cause ; over this circle was a large white flag spotted with fleurs de lys, hung out in trium- 1814.) WELCOME TO LOUIS XVIII. 253 phant display over the tattered, debased, tricoloured banner of the Revolution. On each side of the principal transparency was a smaller one ; the first representing Bonaparte blowing bubbles, which burst as fast as created : in the other, he was seen amusing himself with building houses and Castles of Cards, which, tumbling down as fast as they are put up, are truly emblematic of the vast achievements of his reign : a bottle under the table indicative that all his designs have ended in smoke, and a lanthorn to be useful to him should he be inclined to look after his vanished Crown." The Illuminations were general throughout the Country, and one transparency at Aberdeen (April 14th) deserves notice. It was in the window of a Stocking Manu- facturer, and represented a Dutch woman fitting herself with a comfortable worsted stocking, exclaiming, " Thank God ! Aberdeen hose again." Louis le desire was laid up with gout at Hartwell in Buckinghamshire, and did not hurry himself to enter into his kingdom. It had to be done, however, and, moreover, he had to face a public reception in London on the 20th of April. The Prince Regent, and many of the Nobility, met him at the Abercorn Arms at Stanmore : his postil- lions being clad in white, with white hats, and white cockades. This fancy for exhibiting white, in honour of the colour of the Bourbon flag, took odd expression, for some people exhibited sheets, and even pillow cases were 254 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) requisitioned. All the nobility and gentry of that part of Middlesex, and, indeed, almost all who could muster a horse, went a mile or so from Stanmore to meet the King, and accompany him ; nay, there were even the regulation fools, who took the horses out of his Carriage, and drew him in what they called triumph to the Abercorn Arms, where the poor old gouty King was lifted out, and tottered to the Inn, where the Regent awaited him. No longer the Comte de Lisle, he was now Louis the Eighteenth, the desire of his people, and a very important person. They waited at the Inn until the procession was formed, and then they set out in the following order, at twenty minutes past three : — One hundred Gentlemen on horseback. Horse Trumpeters in their splendid gold lace dresses. A numerous party of the Royal Horse Guards. Six Royal Carriages, beautiful bays to each, the servants with white Cockades. An outrider to each Carriage. A party of the Royal Horse Guards. 1st Carriage. The great Officers of the French Crown ; the Dukes d'Havre and de Grammont, Captains of his Majesty's Guards ; Count de Blacas, Grand Master of the Wardrobe ; and Chevalier de Riviere, his Majesty's first Equerry. 2nd Carriage. The King of France, the Prince Regent, the Duchesse d'Angouleme, the Prince de Conde. (1814.) WELCOME TO LOUIS XVI/ I. 255 3rd Carriage. The Due de Bourbon. \th Carriage. The Duchesse d'Angouleme's Ladies of Honour. 5th Carriage. Equerries of his Majesty. 6th Carriage. Other Officers of the Royal Household. An Officer of the Royal Horse Guards rode at each window, t and a numerous party of Horse closed the procession. They proceeded at a slow trot till they came to Kilburn, when they commenced a walking pace, and a groom to the head of each horse was added. The greatest respect was shown by the people on the route, who displayed laurels, white ribbons, &c, and hailed the Royal party with general acclamation. They passed through Hyde Park, and down Piccadilly, to Albemarle Street ; down which they turned, receiving the compliments of all the Royal Princesses, who had been invited by the Duchess of Oldenburgh to see the Pro- cession from the Pulteney Hotel, and stopped at Grillon's Hotel, where the King was to lodge. Here the King, leaning on the arm of the Prince of Wales, hobbled into a drawing-room, and sank, exhausted, into an arm- chair ; but as soon as he had recovered somewhat, he thanked the Prince Regent in no measured terms. He expressed his gratitude for the favours conferred upon him, stating that he had been indebted to his Royal Highness for the preservation of his life, and even for his 256 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) daily subsistence, and he had now to express his obli- gations to his Royal Highness for the restoration of the House of Bourbon. It was impossible for him to find language to convey in adequate terms the sense of gratitude he felt, or the delight he now ex- perienced. The Prince Regent replied briefly, deprecating any gratitude towards himself, and then the King took off the Cordon and Star of the Order of the Holy Ghost, which he wore, and with them decorated the Prince Regent, who then retired. The next day, at Carlton House, he was made a Knight of the Garter, then held a levee at Grillon's Hotel, and received an Address from the Corporation of the City of London. He left London early on the morning of the 23rd of April escorted part of the way by the Duke of Sussex ; and as soon as he entered the County of Kent he was met by Lord Camden, who was Lord-Lieutenant, and, accompanied by him, reached Dover. On the way, refreshments were ordered, and in readiness, for the King at every inn where he changed horses, so that he might not experience any delay or inconvenience. " On the King stopping at Dartford to change horses, when the animals were taken from the Carriage, the populace proceeded to draw it without horses, and even ascended the very steep hill out of the town ; but the numbers who exerted their strength to it enabled them to proceed at a (1814.) CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. 257 very quick pace. At Rochester, the populace drew his Majesty's Carriage above a Mile." 1 On this day, 23rd of April, hostilities were suspended between Great Britain and France, both by sea and land. On the morning of the 24th the Prince Regent, and the Duke of Clarence took leave of the French King, who set sail for France, and arrived at Calais without accident. Napoleon left Fontainbleau, where he took an affectionate farewell of his Old Guard, on the 21st of April, and embarked at Frejus, in Provence, for Elba, on the 28th of April, where he landed on the 4th of May. On the 1st of May the Marquis of Wellington was created a Duke, and on the 10th of the same month the House of Commons granted him an annuity of £10,000, in addition to the grants already bestowed upon him — which might be redeemed for a sum of £400,000 to be spent in an estate. At last we had got Peace, so long desired, which was to be the panacea for all evils. The war had been so long, that its taxation almost ceased to be burdensome. The farmers had had a fine time of it, and had coined money, and, somehow or other, our trade with the world 1 This insensate folly still obtains occasionally ; but I never met with but one instance of women sinking to the same depth of degradation. It is in the Morning Chronicle of the 5th of May, 1814, on p. 2, under heading St. Sebastian Mail. — "Don Antonio entered Valencia in the Coach of the President of the Regency. His Majesty would not permit the Arragonese Ladies to draw his Coach." 18 258 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) had not come to a standstill, in spite of Napoleon's fulminations, and our own Orders in Council. Still the return of Peace brought with it a drop in the prices of most things. Pepper fell from 2id. to I4d. per lb. Sugar from 120s. to 90s. per cwt. Brandy could be bought at 4s. 6d. to 4s. iod. per gallon, and a general drop of about 20 per cent, took place on all manufactured goods. Here is a picture of " Peace and Plenty, or, Good News for John Bull ! ! ! " . Louis XVIII. proposes " Here's the Prince Regent, and his Allies ! " to which John Bull replies, " Huzza ! with all my heart, and may we never want better friends." There is a board ladder, down which come provisions lowered in price, as Porter 3d. a pot. Bread gd. a quartern. On the table, Beef is 4d. a pound. Claret is. 6d. a bottle ; whilst Burgundy in the wine-cooler is priced at 2s. a bottle. On the left, the land is being tilled, and goods are being landed, whilst Napoleon is seen in the distance sitting disconsolately on the island of Elba. We were now to have an influx of visitors to England. The Duchess of Oldenburgh was still here, being feted and lionized, having dinner at Carlton House, or a steak done on a shovel, and washed down with stout, at Whitbread's Brewery. The Prince of Orange landed at Harwich on the 29th of April, and, after seeing the Prince Regent, would a-wooing go," and accompanied the Regent on (1814.) IMPERIAL AND ROYAL GUESTS. 261 a visit to his daughter as her acknowledged suitor. Marshal Bliicher (old General Vorwarts) came over here very early in May, and took up his residence at the Foreign Hotel in Leicester Square. But all arrivals paled before the expected visit of the Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the King of Prussia. The kitchen in St. James's Palace was repaired, and newly fitted up for the establishment of the two first-named potentates. And ft A pair of massy golden Eagles, nearly as large as life, were made a few days since by Messrs. Rundell and Bridge, for the Prince Regent's table. This beautiful ornament is to be placed, as we understand, at the head of the dinner table near the Royal Guests, as a respectful compliment to the Emperor of Russia, and the King of Prussia, whose standards bear this imperial bird. The eagle is placed with his talons on the verge of a nest, which is most admirably formed after Nature. The beak is turned to a horizontal position, and his eye fixed on the object below ; the wings are gracefully extended, and raised above the head. In the back of the bird is concealed a lamp to contain burning spirits, over which any plate may be applied with ease, and made warm." At length the promised day arrived, and on the 7th of June, the Emperor of Russia, and the King of Prussia, came into London quite unannounced, and quietly. Morning Chronicle, June 8, 1814: "His Imperial Majesty, Alexander of Russia, his Prussian Majesty, and the 262 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) illustrious Princes and Princesses in their respective suites, arrived yesterday in London, at different hours, and by different routes, to avoid the eclat of a public entry, and, consequently, to avoid the pressure of the multitudes who had assembled to welcome their approach. The Crowds, which had gathered from all parts of the Metropolis, in the direction which they were expected to take, was immense. In fact, from Charing Cross to Blackheath the way was almost impassable ; and it was well that the Royal Visitors were advised to come incog., for it would have been with infinite difficulty that the escort could have penetrated through the compact body of the people assembled, without the interference of military force, by which mischief might have ensued. " We are informed, indeed, that the route which was taken, arose from an arrangement previously made, in consequence of certain recent events, which made the appearance of an illustrious Personage in a Procession, inconvenient : and that as he could not go forth to meet and receive his high guests, it was determined that they should be advised to enter the Metropolis privately. We do not believe this sarcastic method of accounting for the disappointment which was so generally felt; as we cannot suppose that, because his Royal Highness could not himself partake of the magnificent display which was prepared for the occasion, he would prevent it from taking place altogether. We believe, on the contrary, that the (1814.) ARRIVAL OF EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. 263 Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia have uniformly expressed their earnest desire of avoiding all ceremony, and of being allowed to do in London as they did in Paris, to go about and see everything worthy of notice without ostentation. " The Emperor of Russia arrived at half-past two o'clock, at the Pulteney Hotel, in so private a manner that the post-boys did not know who they were driving. He travelled in Count Lieven's Carriage, without a single attendant ; he passed all the attendants in the lower part of the Hotel without his being known, and had run up to the first flight of stairs, when Prince Gargarine announced that it was the Emperor. At the same instant his sister, the Grand Duchess, met him on the stairs, and they saluted each other in the most affectionate manner. The Emperor afterwards embraced the interesting child, Prince Alexander. 1 " The joyful tidings of the arrival of the Emperor resounded, not only throughout the house, but in the street, where there was an immense concourse of people, who expressed their joy by repeated huzzas and ' Long live the Emperor,' &c, &c. He, in consequence, appeared, a short time afterwards, at the balcony, and bowed in the most condescending manner, and which he continued to do, at intervals, till eleven o'clock at night, the people rending the air with shouts of applause. The 1 The son of the Duchess of Oldenburgh, then about three years old. 20 4 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Earl of Morton, the Queen's Chamberlain, waited upon the Emperor in the name of the Queen, to express her congratulations on his arrival in England. " At half-past four the Emperor went in Count Lieven's Carriage, accompanied by his Excellency, to pay his respects to the Prince Regent at Carlton House ; but he went in so private a manner that the escort of Horse who were appointed to attend him, missed him, but they escorted him back to the Pulteney Hotel. His Imperial Majesty was most kindly received by the Prince Regent. The Emperor declined seeing any visitors yesterday at the Pulteney Hotel, but the inquiries of the Royal Family, the Foreign Princes in that country, and personages of distinction were innumerable. Pulteney Hotel, for the reception of the Emperor, has been fitted up in the most magnificent and princely style ; at least, the principal apartments which were occupied by the Grand Duchess, who has given them up to her brother, the Emperor. No pains, nor expense, has been spared by Mr. Escudier on the occasion ; he has had a new state bed put up by Mr. Oakley for the Emperor. The Grand Duchess and the Emperor dined together, without any other person being present. "The Prince Regent, for the purpose of showing all due attention to the Emperor, prepared a Royal residence for him in St. James's Palace, in the Duke of Cumber- land's apartments, which, although small, are extremely (i8t 4 .) ARRIVAL OF KING OF PRUSSIA. 265 splendid, which has been newly fitted up for the occasion, a new state bed of Crimson Velvet, with gold lace and fringe, a crown at the top, and appropriate ornaments. Yesterday, the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward, the Duke of Montrose, and Col. Thornton, were in attendance the whole of the day, till seven o'clock, full dressed, in expectation of the Emperor coming there to take up his residence. A guard of honour, with two bands, in their state uniforms, attended in the Court-yard, opposite the house, during the day. " The King of Prussia, his sons, and their numerous suites, came also in a very private manner, and arrived at Clarence House, St. James's about three o'clock. A party of the Yeomen of the Guard, Royal Servants, and attendants, as at Cumberland House, were in readiness to receive him. His Majesty appeared highly delighted at his residence, and, after viewing it, partook of some refreshment. A few minutes before four o'clock, his Majesty, attended by his Aide de Camp, went to Carlton House to pay his respects in a very private manner to the Prince Regent. His Highness received him in a similar gracious manner as he did the Emperor of Russia. His Majesty remained with the Prince about half an hour. His Majesty received visits from the Prince of Orange, the Duchess of Oldenburgh, and a number of others. His Majesty visited the Duke and Duchess of York whose house is opposite to Clarence House. 266 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) " At a quarter past eight o'clock, her Majesty, and the Princesses Augusta and Mary, arrived at the Palace from Windsor. At nine o'clock her Majesty held a Private Court, for the purpose of receiving one of the principal gentlemen of the Emperor of Russia's Court, to formally announce to the Queen the arrival of the Emperor of Russia in her Capital. He was introduced to the presence of her Majesty by Earl Morton, her Chamber- lain, and was most graciously received, and her Majesty expressed her pleasure to receive the Emperor. " At six o'clock, the Marshal General Bliicher arrived in St. James's Park, by the Horse Guards, in the Prince Regent's open Carriage, escorted by a party of light horse, He was recognized by an eager public, who paid their respects to such a gallant man, by whose persevering skill the Allies proved victorious. The Carriage was surrounded and followed by an incalculable number of horsemen and pedestrians, all vieing with each other who should give him the most marked attention, and the greatest applause. The Drivers, as directed, made first for Carlton House, to pay his first respects to the Prince Regent, and that his Royal Highness might have the first pleasure of receiving him. The drivers made for the gates in the Park near the Stables, and, no sooner were the gates opened to receive the carriages, than there was a general rush in of horsemen and the public at large. Such was the zeal of the populace to follow the gallant (1814.) BLUCHERS RECEPTION. 267 and venerable General, who has so justly acquired so much military fame, that all restraint upon them was obliged to give way : the two sentinels at the gates, with their muskets, were laid on the ground, the porter was completely overpowered, and it was, with the greatest difficulty, with the assistance of several persons, that he could get the gates shut. The multitude proceeded up the yard of Carlton House, with the General's Carriage,, shouting the praise of Blucher. " The Carriage stopped at the side door, but he was not allowed to enter Carlton House that way. On its being known who had arrived, Cols. Bloomfield and Congreve came out, dressed in full regimentals, and received the General uncovered, and in that state conducted him, arm in arm, to the front and principal entrance of Carlton House, that all possible respect might be shown him, followed by the populace. The cause of rejoicing being known to the crowd assembled in Pall Mall, they lost all respect for the regularity of the place : they instantly scaled the walls, and lodges, in great numbers, and their impetuous zeal upon this occasion was indulged, and the great doors of the hall were thrown open to them, some of the gentlemen on horseback nearly entering the hall. " After the first interview of the General with the Prince, as interesting a scene took place, probably, as ever was beheld. A British Sovereign, in the person of the Prince Regent, conferring an honour on a foreign 268 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) General, for his meritorious services, in the midst of the acclamations of his people ; and the Prince Regent returned from his private apartments hand in hand with the gallant Bliicher, and in the centre of the grand Hall, surrounded publicly by his people, placed on his shoulder, and fastened with his own hand, a blue ribbon, to which was hung a beautiful medallion, with a likeness of the Prince, richly set with diamonds. Marshal Bliicher knelt whilst the Prince was conferring the honour, and, on his rising, had the honour to kiss the Prince's hand. The Prince and the General bowed to the public, and their ecstasy and acclamations in return exceeds all description. " The General, afterwards, had an interview with the Prince for about half an hour, and then proceeded in his Carriage to the house of Mr. Gordon, in St. James's Palace, adjoining the Duke of Cumberland's, followed by an immense multitude ; some got into] the Carriage with him. The Crowd remained in the Court-yard till dark, huzzaing, and the gallant General frequently showing himself at the window to gratify them. The public were indulged with remaining in the Court-yard at Carlton House during the evening, and they testified their loud applause to all who arrived to partake of a grand dinner given by the Prince to^the King of Prussia, and his sons, the Princes, the Prince of Mecklenburg, the Prince of Orange, several other Foreigners of distinc- (1814.) ARRIVAL OF NOTABLES. 269 tion, the most of the Foreign Ambassadors, and Ministers, Count Munster, the Duke and Duchess of York, the Duke of Cambridge, the Cabinet Ministers and their Ladies, the Officers of the State and Household, and their Ladies. "The Princes, sons of the King of Prussia, had the horses taken out of their Carriage, and were drawn by the people to their Hotel in Jermyn Street. The Prince de Metternich, General Platow " (our old friend the Cossack Hetman), " and General Barclay de Tolly, drove to the respective hotels taken for them. The only triumphal entry was that of the venerable and gallant Bliicher. He was met four miles beyond Dartford, by a detachment of horse, and he 'approached town amidst the enthusiastic shouts of surrounding myriads. They avoided Shooter's Hill, and crossed Bexley Heath to Eltham. Indeed, the whole way from Dover was one continued Jubilee." Here I end the account given by " our own correspon- dent " of that day. Its grammar and construction may be found fault with, but though doubtless written in a great hurry, its facts are correct. Rough old Bliicher was, undoubtedly, of all the brilliant throng, the favourite of the Mob. He shared with Schwartzenburg, Barclay de Tolly, and Platoff in Swords of honour, value 200 guineas each, given by the City of London. His popularity must have had its 270 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) inconveniences. When he went to Ascot races on the 10th of June, he was cheered more than the Allied Sovereigns ; it was as much as he could get to the Royal Stand, hundreds of men and women insisting on shaking hands with him the moment he alighted. When, after a race, he rode down the Course in company with the Duke BLUCHER GREETED BY HIS NUMEROUS FRIENDS IN THE PARK, 1814. of York, he could hardly get along, so great was the throng. It was only by shaking thousands of hands, that he could make any progress. Nothing was heard but shouts of " Blucher ! Bliicher ! " the ladies in the Stands waved their handkerchiefs, and the gallant old Bear saluted them in turn. 4.) BLUCHER AND THE LADIES. 2 here was a poem entitled — PRINCE BLUCHER AND THE BRITISH LADIES. A Free Paraphrase of Horace. Book 1, Ode 3. ' Lydia, die, per ommes Te deos oro,' &c. Say, Ladies, by the Gods above, Why, with such fond officious love, Ye haste to spoil that Man of Glory, Old Blucher, doomed to live in Story ? Why should he dread the peaceful plain, Whom War and dust assailed in vain ? Why should the Veteran fear to ride On horseback at his Monarch's side ; Or, if he chance to take a drive, Take chances to return alive ? Cleaves he the Thames ? 'tis said, for him The Ladies all will learn to swim ! Though, cat-like, ev'ry mother's daughter Feels strong aversion to the water. In vain he shuns the soap or razor, Each maid becomes mustachio-praiser. Though vile before, in him to smoke Is only deemed a pleasant joke ; While, strange to say, the British Fair, For his sake, doat upon grey hair ! Why does he hide ? Nay rather let him A petticoat and mantle get him ; — In this will Blucher do no more Than what Achilles did before ; Whom, though in other things outdone, He might well imitate in one. Thus may he safely pass along, Unheeded, through the female throng ; For scarce, I ween, their rapture reaches To any worth — but worth in Breeches." 272 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Whenever he stirred out he was mobbed, he had to undergo as much handshaking as any President of the United States of America ; and really, the Caricature of "Blucher greeted by his numerous Friends in the Park," is not very much exaggerated (see p. 270). Poor old " Vor- warts " is being prodded, and tickled, by his fair friends. Take another instance. On the 24th of June, he visited Portsmouth, in company with the Allied Sovereigns ; but his friends (?) pursued him there. Here is a contem- poraneous account of how his friends treated him. " After the amusements of the day had closed, with the setting sun, an event occurred, which gave fresh life to the town. A Coach, drawn by eight horses, drew up at the Crown Inn, or Clarence Hotel, and, who should alight but the gallant Blucher. He was identified on alighting from the Carriage, and on no occasion in London, were the populace more numerous ; the eager- ness to grasp his hand, by both sexes, was unparalleled. ' Blucher ! Blucher ! ' filled the air. ' Shew me the Conqueror of the Tyrant : ' * Come forward, Blucher ! ' was exclaimed on all sides. The gallant veteran appeared at the window with his accustomed cheerful- ness, and the air was rent with applause; and it was several minutes before the disputants could agree whether immediate silence was respectful. Lungs carried the day, and, when the roar was out, the General, in English, with a bumper in his hand, drank to the (i8j 4 .) BLUCHERS POPULARITY. 273 health of the Company. It may easily be imagined in what manner this toast was returned. " The populace became appeased, and soon after a Carriage drew up, and was immediately surrounded. Bliicher got into it in haste. A party of sailors shoved in, and swore they would be true to a good Commander. Up mounted half a dozen ; but, at this time, an escort of dragoons, previously stopped by the crowd, and, conse- quently kept back, appeared. Some got off by accident, but two kept their stations. The Government House was a few hundred yards distant, and the two sailors, elated as Men of War's men by victory, danced on the top of Bliicher's Carriage." " When Blucher was told that, to add to his store, The Regent an Order design'd, He said, ' I'm with Orders so cover'd, before, I only can hang it behind? Sir Charles, 1 ever ready, due homage to pay, Thus answer'd the vet'ran, ' If so, Then all who have heard of thy actions will say It ne'er can be hit by the foe.' " He was an inveterate gambler, but, on the principle that " dog does not eat dog," whenever he played with the officers of his own staff, he always returned them the money he won from them : but he gave one of them, a Prussian Count, a lesson. Having won some £3,000 1 Stewart. VOL. I. 19 274 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) from him, he sent for him next morning, and read him a lecture on the folly of play, instancing himself as an example, ingrained, through the practice of a lifetime, and he ended his jobation by telling his sub. that he would return him his money, on condition that he would promise never to lose more than a, comparatively speaking, nominal sum a night. This the young man promised, and Blucher handed him half his losses, keeping the other half sealed up for a twelvemonth, when it might be had on application, if the promise had been kept. Captain Gronow, does not give a pleasant picture of Blucher. " Marshal Blucher, though a very fine fellow, was a very rough diamond, with the manners of a Common Soldier. On his arrival in Paris, he went every day to the Salon, and played the highest stakes at rouge et noir. The Salon, during the time that the Marshal remained in Paris, was crowded by persons who came to see him play. His manner of playing was anything but gentlemanlike, and when he lost, he used to swear in German at everything that was French, looking daggers at the Croupiers. He generally managed to lose all he had about him, also the money his servant, who was waiting in the ante-chamber, carried. I re- collect looking attentively at the manner in which he played ; he would put his right hand into his pocket, and bring out several rouleaus of Napoleons, throwing (1814.) BLUCHERS POPULARITY. 275 them on the red or the black. If he won the first coup, he would allow it to remain ; but when the Croupier stated that the table was not responsible for more than ten thousand francs, then Bllicher would roar like a lion, and rap out oaths in his native language, which would doubtless have met with great success at Billingsgate, if duly translated ; fortunately, they were not heeded, as they were not understood by the lookers-on." The Hon. Grantley F. Berkeley 1 says " So madly in love with old Bliicher were the English populace, that, during a review, while one mob was following the heels of the late Lord Londonderry, and another the heels of Bliicher, so that it was impossible for either hero even to sneeze in private, both chanced to do the same thing. Bliicher was vociferously cheered for it, and Lord Londonderry hissed and hooted — so much for the worth of popular worship. . . . Nothing could be more remark- able than the perfect understanding that existed between him and his admirers, considering that he knew not. a word of what was said to him, and they found his German quite as unintelligible as their English. It was not then the fashion to bore remarkable people for their autographs or photographs. His new friends, too, were not aware that his signature was even more difficult to make out than his remarks ; they, therefore, rested content with the honour of a grip from the old soldier, 1 " My Life and Reminiscences," 1866, vol iii. pp. 3 and 4. 276 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) and talked of it ever after, in the family circle, as the greatest honour that could have befallen them. . . . The favour with which the Emperor was regarded was extended to his uncouth Cossacks, which not even their filching and swallowing the oil from the street lamps — gas then not having come into use — affected in any material degree." CHAPTER XV. Royal festivities — The Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia, and General Bliicher at Oxford — Banquet at Guildhall — Departure of the Allied Sovereigns — Signature of Treaty of Peace — Proclamation of Peace — State Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral. BUT I have been doing precisely as they did in 1814, almost neglecting the august potentates of Russia and Prussia, in the all-absorbing Field Marshal. Let us see how they spent their time. We know all about their first day in London. On the next (June 8th) the Emperor of Russia had breakfasted by eight, and afterwards walked in Kensington Gardens with his sister ; then went to see Westminster Hall and Abbey, and the British Museum. At one he held a levee at Cumberland House, which he used as his state apartments, and was visited by the Prince Regent, who, afterwards, attended the levee of the King of Prussia, at Clarence House. Between five and six both sovereigns 278 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.)' attended the Queen's Court, to be introduced to her Majesty, and they all dined together with the Prince of Wales at Carlton House. There was one thing the English people could scarcely understand. We have seen that both Kaiser and King had splendid state beds provided for them. With singular unanimity they both did away with them at once ; both were accustomed to the hardships of war. The Czar would sleep on nothing but a straw palliasse, and the King ordered all the fine satin wood furniture to be removed out of his bedroom, and a plain table and glass, with one common chair to be substituted. When the bed was removed, his Majesty's camp equipage was brought in, whence were taken a leather mattress and bolster, which were placed upon an ordinary Couch. On the 9th the Czar, accompanied by Lord Yarmouth and Col. Bloomfield, rode in Hyde Park, between seven and eight. Thence they rode to Westminster, through Southwark to the City, past the Royal Exchange, through Finsbury Square, the City, and New, Roads, down Edgware Road, and Hyde Park to the Pulteney Hotel. After breakfast, he and his sister quietly went through the Strand and City, and visited the London Docks. In the afternoon the King of Prussia was made a Knight of the Garter, and so was the Emperor of Austria, in his absence. Afterwards, the Prince of Wales was invested with the Order of the Golden Fleece by (1814.) THE ALLIED SOVEREIGNS. 279 the Austrian Minister, and that of the Golden Eagle by the Prussian monarch. On the 10th the two foreign monarchs breakfasted together, and then went to Ascot races ; dining, after- wards, with the Queen at Frogmore. June nth. The Emperor of Russia, Duchess of Oldenburgh, &c, visited the Bank of England. Afterwards the two monarchs held court, at their respective palaces, for the reception of addresses from the City of London. They, and the Prince Regent, dined with Lord Liverpool, who was the Prime Minister, and, afterwards, everybody went in state to the Opera. When I say everybody, mean it, for, judge of the astonishment of all, when, just as the Second Act of the Opera was about to commence, a voice exclaimed, " The Princess of Wales ! " and, surely, there she was, entering a box, accompanied by Lady Charlotte Campbell. There was a universal shout of applause from the whole house, whereupon the two sovereigns and the Prince Regent rose and bowed, to her, a courtesy which she returned with a deep reverence. This was her revenge. The Queen> at the instance of the Regent, had refused her permission to attend a drawing room, where she might meet the sovereigns, and she chose this method of securing their notice. Next day (12th) was Sunday, and the King of Prussia went to service at Westminster. In the afternoon, the Czar and King, accompanied by their suites, rode in 280 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Hyde Park, and the description of this promenade a Chevcd is as follows : " It would seem as if every horse in the Metropolis had resorted thither. The pressure was intolerable : the horses were so jammed together, that many Noblemen and Gentlemen had their knees crushed, and their boots torn off. We did not hear of any fatal Accident. The interesting Blucher was so cruelly persecuted, that he dismounted, and took refuge in Kensington Gardens ; but here, being afoot he was more annoyed. He set his back against a tree, 1 and seemed at length quite exhausted. The coarse kindness of our mob is more formidable to him than all the enemies he ever encountered." At night they dined again at Carlton House. On the 13th at nine a.m. the illustrious visitors embarked at Whitehall Stairs, for a trip by water to Woolwich. It must have been a very pretty sight to have seen the carved and gilded barges, not only of the Admiralty, the Navy, and the Ordnance Board, but of all the City Companies, as brave as bunting and silken flags could make them, all rowed by watermen, in uniform, with huge silver badges on their arms. Add to this beautiful scene, the launches of the Enterprise, and of the Men-of-war at Deptford, and Woolwich, several boats with bands of Music, and the coup d'ceil must have been charming. There is always plenty to 1 See page 270. Pr Lru 0 B < 0 0 CO CO CO 0* O p flank Knight Marshal's men, two and two. Knight Marshal. Drums. Drum Major. V Trumpets. Sergeant Trumpeter. Pursuivants. Sergeants ( Heralds. ) Sergeants at Arms. Kings of Arms. j at Arms. Horse Guards. c a* CO o CO Ui O c o 'co CO sleep at Warwick House that night, as well as all the ladies. I begged her to be calm, and advised her to go over, as soon as possible, assuring her that her friends would not forget her. She fell upon her knees in the greatest agitation, exclaiming, ' God Almighty, grant me patience ! ' I wished to stay and comfort her, but she urged me to go to the Prince, for fear of greater dis- pleasure. " I went to him, and he shut the door; the Bishop was. 3i 8 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) with him. He told me he was sorry to put a lady to inconvenience, but that he wanted my room that evening for the ladies, repeating what Princess Charlotte had already told me. I asked in what I had offended, but he said he made no complaint, and would make none ; that he had a right to make any changes he pleased, and that he was blamed for having let things go on as they had done. He repeated his apology for 'putting a lady to the inconvenience of leaving the house at so short a notice ; and I replied that, my father having served His Majesty for fifty years, and sacrificed his health and fortune to that service, it would be very strange if I could not put myself to the temporary inconvenience of a few hours. He then said that in the arrangements at Carlton House there was a room which I might have for a night or two, if I had nowhere to go. This I declined, thanking him, but saying I had lodgings, which, fortunately, were now vacant ; and that Lord and Lady Rolle, who seemed to know much more of the business than I did, had, to my surprise, offered me their house, for the last fortnight. I then made a low courtesy to him, and left the room." This, and what occurred afterwards, formed the topic ol conversation for the time ; and, of the Comic Prints, which naturally followed, the accompanying one, by George Cruikshank, is the most amusing. It is called, "The R 1 kicking up a Row; or, Warwick House in an Uproar ! ! ! " The Regent, addressing Miss Knight and VOL. I. 22 (i 8 14.) THE PRINCESS'S FLIGHT. 323 the Princess's ladies, says, " Get out ! get out ! you faggots ! Get out of the House, I say. Zounds ! I've burst my stays. What ! what ! you'll let her see her mother, will you ? ! ! ! Oh ! you Jades ! But I'll soon put a stop to that — I'll lock the young baggage up, that's what I will ; and I'll kick you to the Devil, and that's what I will. So turn out ! turn out ! out ! out ! and be d d to you all." The Princess is seen running away to her mother, crying out, " Oh, mamma ! mamma ! Pappe's going to whip me. Oh ! oh ! oh ! ! " The Bishop of Salisbury is in the background looking on. The Bishop is aghast, and says, " Dash my wig, here's a pretty kick up ! ! ! " John Bull is looking in at a window, wondering "What the Devil is he about, now ? " Directly after the interview with the Princess, described by Miss Knight, the former left Warwick House, and hailing a hackney coach in Cockspur Street, ordered the coachman to drive to Connatight House, at the corner of the Bayswater and Edgware Roads, her mother's residence. We get a graphic view of this in an illustration called " Plebeian Spirit; or Coachee and the Heir Presump- tive." The Princess, who, to judge by the size of the coin she is tendering, is paying lavishly, 1 says, Us larmes aux yeux, " Coachman, will you protect me ? " to which 1 According to The Morning Chronicle of July 15th she gave him three guineas. 324 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) the gallant Jehu, hand on heart, replies, "Yes, your Highness, to the last drop of my blood." I have not given the background, for it is too painful. Britannia and the British Lion appear, and both are weeping, the Lion very copiously. Mamma was not at home, but was sent for, and met on the road from Blackheath. The news somewhat upset her, but she adopted the very sensible plan of seeking advice from her friends, Mr. Whitbread and Earl Grey ; but, neither being at home, she drove to Connaught House, and Mr. Brougham was sent for. Meantime Papa did not know what to do, so he sent for his Ministers, and consulted with them ; and, so grave was the occasion, that a Council was held at the Foreign Office, and also at Carlton House. In fact, to judge properly of the un- precedented gravity of the situation, I need only mention that when the Queen heard of it, she immediately left a Card party she was holding. A National Revolution could hardly have had a greater effect. Then remonstrance was tried with this wicked, rebel- lious girl, and first was sent my lord the Bishop of Salisbury, followed by the Duke of York, who seems to have had carte blanche to promise anything; there was the Lord Chancellor, Lord Ellenborough, Adam, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, and yet more, all come to see what they could do with this awful young lady, who had given her papa's nerves such a rude (1814.) LORD BROUGHAM AND THE PRINCESS. 325 shaking. Her kind uncle, the Duke of Sussex, she would see, because he came independently, and, afterwards, asked pertinent questions in her behalf in the House of Lords. Let Lord Brougham, who had so much to do with this interview, describe it: " After dinner I first begged the Princess Charlotte to give me a full account of what had caused her flight. She said she could not bear any longer the treatment she met with in changing her ladies without her consent, and of interrupting her intercourse with her mother and Margaret (meaning Miss Mercer *), her most intimate friend ; and that it was her fixed resolution, after throwing herself on her mother's pro- tection, to reside with her entirely. But she dwelt much upon the match ; and, although I repeated what I had often assured her of, that without her consent freely given, it never could take place, she said, ' They may wear me out by ill-treatment, and may represent that I have changed my mind and consented.' " We then conversed upon the subject with the others, and, after a long discussion on that and her lesser grievances, she took me aside, and asked me what, upon the whole, I advised her to do. I said at once, ' Return to Warwick House, or Carlton House, and on no account to pass a night out of her own house.' She was extremely affected, and cried, asking if I too refused to stand by her. I said, quite the contrary ; and that as to the marriage, I 1 Afterwards Lady Keith, and wife of Count Flahault. 326 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) gave no opinion, except that she must follow her own inclination entirely, but that her returning home was absolutely necessary ; and in this all the rest fully agreed — her mother, the Duke of Sussex, Miss Mercer, and Lady Charlotte Lindsay, for whom she had a great respect and regard. I said that, however painful it was for me, the necessity was so clear and so strong that I had not the least hesitation in advising it. She again and again begged me to consider her situation, and to think whether, looking to that, it was absolutely necessary she should return. " The day now began to dawn, and I took her to the window. The election of Cochrane (after his expulsion owing to the sentence of the Court, which both insured his re-election and abolished the pillory) was to take place that day. I said, ■ Look there, Madam ; in a few hours all the streets and the park, now empty, will be crowded with tens of thousands. I have only to take you to the window, show you to the crowd, and tell them your grievances, and they will all rise in your behalf.' ' And why should they not ? ' I think she said, or some such words. * The commotion,' I answered, ' will be excessive; Carlton House will be attacked — perhaps pulled down ; the soldiers will be ordered out ; blood will be shed ; and if your Royal Highness were to live a hundred years, it never would be forgotten that your running away from your father's house was the cause of the mischief; and (1814.) THE PRINCESS GIVES IN. 327 you may depend upon it, such is the English people's horror of bloodshed, you never would get over it.' She, at once, felt the truth of my assertion, and consented to see her uncle Frederic (the Duke of York) below stairs, and return with him. But she required one of the royal carriages should be sent for, which came with her gover- ness, and they, with the Duke of York, went home about five o'clock. " Before she went, however, she desired me to make a minute of her declaration that she was resolved not to marry the Prince of Orange, and that, if ever there should be an announcement of such a match, it must be under- stood to be without her consent, and against her will. She added, * I desire Augustus [Duke of Sussex] and Mr. Brougham would particularly take notice of this.' When I had made the note, it was read distinctly, and signed by all present, she signing first, and six Copies were made and signed, and one given to each person present." 1 And so this little episode was ended. Who, think you,, scored ? I must say, I think that victory was on the side of Mademoiselle. 1 "The Life and Times of Henry, Lord Brougham," written by himself* 1871, vol. ii. p. 229. CHAPTER XVII. State of Ireland — The Regent fetes the Duke of Wellington — The Jubilee in the Parks — Public opinion thereon — The Celebration. A MONG other Home topics, just at this time, was one so familiar to us — the disturbed state of Ireland. Take this one month of July. Mr. Long, of Ardmayle, was shot almost on his threshold. Two men with blackened faces entered a cottage at Wood- house, Co. Waterford, and shot (gallant fellows ! ) a girl of twenty years of age. Here is the account of a riot arising out of an Orange demonstration, taken from The Belfast Commercial Herald : — " A dreadful riot, attended with very melancholy cir- cumstances, took place at the Race Course of Down- patrick. It appears that a very great and unusual assembling of country people, all armed with sticks, and some with pistols, was observed on the Race Course on Friday (July 15th), and it was understood that a precon- 33o SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) certed disturbance was to be the consequence, as, for several days before, it was said without hesitation that 1 the Orangemen had their day on the 12th of July, and they (the Threshers, or whatever name they go by) should have theirs on the Friday of the Races.' About four o'clock on that day, a quarrel (many present say a sham fight) took place between two men, which, in an instant, attracted a great crowd, apparently on the watch, and a disturbance ensued, and continued for a considerable time, till it became so alarming, that the magistrates found it necessary to send to Down for a detachment of the Middlesex Militia quartered there. " When the military were drawn up, the rage of the assembled crowd was directed almost wholly against them, and they were assailed with volleys of stones from behind the tents, and many opprobrious names. The Militia, all this time, kept their ground with the greatest coolness ; the great mass (some thousands, it is said), em- boldened by the quiet manner in which the soldiers acted, advanced so near as to bid them defiance, pelting them with stones, by which some of them were injured and knocked down. The soldiers were then ordered to fire with blank cartridge ; but this only made the mob more riotous. They were then ordered to fire with ball ; two men instantly fell, and a great many were wounded ; four or five are in the Infirmary. A number of the rioters were taken prisoners, and lodged in jail ; one of them, (1814.) FETE TO THE DUK£ OF WELLINGTON. 331 we have heard, had four pistols in his possession, another had two." On July 21st the Prince of Wales gave a fete in honour of the Duke of Wellington, which, in magnificence, rivalled that famous one with which he celebrated his becoming Regent. Two thousand five hundred persons were invited, and the Queen, the Princesses, and all the available Royal Family were present. About this time the English prisoners of war were returning from France ; but, although they, naturally, had sad tales to tell of their sufferings in the French prisons and hulks, yet many came back materially benefited by their incarceration ; for the British Government arranged that those with good education should teach those who were ignorant, for which they received a small recom- pense, and, consequently, many came home able not only to read and write, but instructed in mathematics suffi- ciently to be of great assistance to them in their future life as sailors. Truly I said this was an Annus mirabilis, for now, on the 1st of August, was to be the public Celebration of Peace, and the date was fixed because it was the Centenary of the Accession of George I., founder of the present dynasty in England : and this public rejoicing was christened " The Jubilee." The following is, substantially, a correct programme, but it was published in a newspaper a fortnight before, and, afterwards there 332 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) were some slight modifications ; but I think it is the best contemporaneous short account, of the amusement provided for the people. "THE GRAND JUBILEE. " Official Programme. " These amusements will begin with the ascent of a magnificent balloon of sufficiently large dimensions to take up two persons in the car affixed to it. It will ascend about five o'clock ; later in the day, a smaller balloon, of 20 feet in diameter, will also ascend, and a copious display of fireworks from it will be exhibited in the higher regions of the air : it will then be made to descend ; and, upon its second ascension, another display of brilliant fireworks will also take place at a great elevation from the ground. Still later in the evening, several other balloons, upon a smaller scale, will be dispatched towards the clouds, charged with various fire-works, which will be seen with effect at a lofty height, and, after these are expended, the hydrogen contained in these balloons will be inflamed, and will produce a brilliant appearance, resembling in splendour the most striking meteoric phenomenon. " Over the Canal 1 has been thrown a beautiful Chinese bridge, upon the centre of which has been constructed 1 The Ornamental Water in St. James's Park. (1814.) THE JUBILEE. 333 an elegant and lofty pagoda, consisting of seven pyramidal stories. The Pagoda will be illuminated with the gas 1 lights, and brilliant fireworks, both fixed and missile, will be displayed from every division of this lofty Chinese structure. Copious and splendid girandoles of rockets will also be occasionally displayed from the summit, and from other parts of the towering edifice, which will, at times, be so covered with jerbs, Roman candles, and pots de brin, as to become in appearance one column of brilliant fire. Various smaller temples and columns constructed upon the bridge, will, also, be vividly illuminated ; and fixed fire-works of different devices, on the balustrade of the bridge, will contribute to heighten the general effect. " The Canal will also be well provided with hand- somely decorated boats, at the disposal of those who wish to add this amusement to the numerous pleasures. " The whole margin of the lawn will be surrounded with booths for refreshment, which will be illuminated in the evening, interspersed with open marquees provided with seats for the accommodation of the company. "The Malls of the Park will be illuminated with Chinese lanterns, ornamented with picturesque and grotesque devices, and every tree will have variegated lights intermingled with its foliage. Bands of music 1 Our ordinary Gas (Carburetted Hydrogen) was always then, and long after, called " the Gas." 334 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) will be stationed at various distances, and spaces will be provided at different parts of the lawn, for those who delight in the pleasures of the dance ; the whole forming a Vauxhall on the most magnificent scale. " In addition to the foregoing list of amusements, the Public will have a full view of the Royal Booth, and of the grand fire-works in the Green Park, which will be displayed from a fortress or Castle, the ramparts of which are 100 feet square, surmounted by a round tower in the centre, about 60 feet in diameter, and rising to the height of over 50 feet above the ramparts. Four grand changes of fire-works will be exhibited from this stupendous Castle, the whole elevation of which exceeds go feet. " To secure to every one a complete view of this edifice and its decorations, notwithstanding its great height and dimensions, it is so constructed as to revolve on its centre, so that each side will be. successively presented to the assemblage of the Company. The Castle, thus exhibiting the appearance of a grand military fortifica- tion, is intended, allegorically, to represent War, and the discharges of artillery, small arms, maroons, &c, may be regarded as descriptive of the terrors of a siege. On a sudden, this will cease : in the midst of flames, clouds of smoke, and the thunder of artillery, the lofty fortress, the emblem of destructive war, is transformed into a beautiful temple, the type of glorious peace. The lower and quadrangular compartment is embellished with Doric (1814.) THE JUBILEE. 337 columns of porphyry ; the circular edifice which surmounts it is decorated with the lighter Ionic columns of Sienna marble. The whole will be brilliantly illuminated, and adorned with allegorical transparencies, executed by the masterly pencils of artists of the first eminence." What fun was made of this childish Exhibition ! These were the panem et circenses to reward the people for their having lavishly given of their blood and gold ; and its conception was pretty universally put down to the Prince Regent : the Chinese bridge and Pagoda were so highly suggestive of Brighton. Many were the verses on this Jubilee and its putative author. "THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY. Princes of old, if wise and good, Were Fathers called — and so they should — And give the little girls and boys Plenty of gingerbread and toys. ' Our Pa,' says Biddy to her brother, ' Is quite as good as a Grandmother ! ' 1 Grandmother ! hush ! 'tis treason stark ! ' Cries Jacky, ' Say a Grand- Monarque /' " One of the greatest sources of ridicule connected with this Jubilee was " the Naumachia," a mimic combat on the Serpentine, between an English and French fleet. Of course, the Three Deckers and Frigates must necessarily be small, so they were manufactured at vol. 1. 23 SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) Woolwich, out of ship's-boats : and the following lines give a very fair idea of popular opinion on the fete : — " John Bull, the other day, in pensive mood, Near to the Serpentine Flotilla stood ; His hands were thrust into his emptied pockets, And much of ships he muttered, and of rockets ; Of silly Fetes — and Jubilees unthrifty — And Babies overgrown, of two-and-fifty ; I guess'd the train of thought which then possess'd him, And deem'd th' occasion fit, and thus address'd him : Be generous to a fallen foe, With gratulations meet, On Elba's Emperor bestow Thy Lilliputian fleet ; For with his Island's narrow bounds That navy might agree, Which, laugh'd at daily here — redounds In ridicule to thee. Says John, ' Right readily I'll part With these, and all the gay things, But it would break the R 's heart To take away his playthings.' " The chaff was great about these ships — see under : — " A simple Angler, throwing flies for trout, Hauled the main mast, and lugg'd a First Rate out." "A crow in his fright, flying over the Fleet, Dropped something, that covered it all, like a sheet." (i8i 4 .) THE JUBILEE. 339 The Chinese Bridge, and even the Fire-works were made fun of. M I overheard a silly Cambridge Clerk, Thus mutter, as he passed St. James's Park : ' What's this ? A Bridge ? How hard to be got over ! Oh ! 'tis the Ass's Bridge, I do discover.'" " The R thinks to make us stare, By raising rockets in the air ; — His scheme to please will fail, he'll find, Since we for it must raise the wind" The pseudo Peter Pindar (C. F. Lawler ?) has a great deal to do with the Jubilee, and published divers satirical poems thereon. " Liliputian Navy ! ! ! The R t's Fleet, or, John Bull at the Serpentine." " The P e's Jubilee." "The R 1 Showman." "The R 1 Fair, or Grande Galante Show," and one on the sale of the Temple of Concord — " The Temple knock'd down ; -or R 1 Auction. The last lay of the Jubilee." The following short account of the Jubilee is taken from a contemporary morning journal. " Yesterday being the Centenary of the Accession of the House of Brunswick, and the Anniversary of the glorious Victory of the Nile, was selected as the day for a Jubilee in celebration of the Peace. The plan of the arrangements for the Show in the Parks, has already been given, together with a description of the prepara- tions. Considerable uncertainty hung over the public 34o SOCIAL ENGLAND. (1814.) mind as to the actual day of exhibition, in consequence of the notice advertised, and posted up, stating, that it would depend upon the state of the weather ; an uncertainty not a little heightened by the unpromising appearance of the morning. Numbers, however, regard- less of notification, or weather, and determined to have a day of it, particularly those who lived at a distance from the scene of operations, set out from home, and were seen flocking, at an early hour, to the Parks. At length the firing of cannon announced that the day was considered favourable, and that the Jubilee would commence. The population of the Metropolis then poured forth in a continued stream, or, rather flood, to witness the exhibition. Shops were shut, business was suspended, houses were left to take care of themselves, and the Strand, Oxford Street, and Piccadilly, were nearly blocked up by masses of people of all descriptions, including many women with infants in their arms, all hurrying on to see the Show. " It had been previously understood, and the public notices posted up certainly led to that impression, that all the entrances to St. James's Park, save those leading into the space allotted to the holders of tickets, would have been opened to the public. It turned out, however, that counter orders had, in the meantime, been given, and the passages by the Horse Guards, and the Spring Garden-gate were alone opened for persons without