next business was to muster what sums of money he could, in order to make an honourable proposition; and, with 6001. borrowed of a friend, he could compass but 60001. in all to join her fortune, which was estimated at 14,0001. for making the jointure and settlement intended to be 10001. per annum. After this he ventured down with a decent equipage and attendance; and, in less than a fortnight, fixed his point with the lady, and appointed another time to come and finish what was so auspiciously begun. And then his Lordship went with full attendance and some friends; and, after the necessary writings were sealed, the lovers were happily married in Wroxton church. But I well remember the good countess had some qualms, and complained that she knew not how she could justify what she had done, (meaning the marrying her daughter with no better settlements.) 'Madam,' said his Lordship, if you meet with any question about that, say that your daughter has 10001. per annum jointure.' It is certain that (besides some private reasons the countess might have,) the friends of the family looked upon this as a very desirable match, not on account of an estate in present, but of much greater, little less than certain, to come; for his Lordship was Solicitor-General; and I may say, a favourite of the law, and his character unexcep tionable, besides his family, which was styled honourable. "It is not easy, nor very material, to describe the feasting and jollities that were in the country round about, upon this occasion. It was a cavalier country, and the Popes eminent sufferers for their loyalty in the late wars: and his lordship having the like character, and known to be an obliging, as well as flourishing loyalist, there was scarce a family which did not shew all respect imaginable to the new-married folks, by visits, invitations, and festival rejoicings. So that it was about three weeks before his lordship could clear himself of these well-intended importunities. At length, we decamped for London, and his lordship took first, lodgings, and then a house, and lived consistent with his business, in a way most agreeable to him. It was wondered that his lady, being such a fortune, had no separate maintenance assigned her. I believe the true reason was, that, considering his lordship's known good-nature and honour, they thought there would be no need of it, and it would, as a distrust, have disobliged him to have mentioned it; and I am partly certain he would not have agreed to it: and, in the same family, the younger sister was matched with a large separate maintenance. And, to shew how little such provisions (except in extreme cases, the supposition of which, almost in possibility, is suffici ent to divert a match,) signify, a lady though suffering in her person for want of reasonable supplies, never profited the least by it; but, upon expostulation, the answer was, Get you gone to your trustees. But for certain, the Lady Frances Pope was matched into the land of plenty, and in saying that, I have said all." (Life of Lord Guilford, vol. i. p. 145.) SIR EARDLEY WILMOT'S ESCAPE. "In March, 1757," says the biographer of Sir Eardley Wilmot, "Sir Eardley had a most providential escape from being destroyed at Worcester, while sitting in court, and just beginning to sum up the evidence, by the fall of a stack of chimneys through the roof into court. His first clerk, Mr. John Lawes, was killed at his feet, and some other person also was killed, and several very dangerously hurt. Most of the counsel were gone, and those who remained got under the great table round which they had been sitting. Among the counsel present, were Mr. Aston, Mr. Nares, Mr. Ashhurst, Mr. Skinner, and Mr. Griffith Price, all of whom, it is remarkable, except Mr. Price, (who afterwards had a silk gown, and was eminent as a Chancery Counsel,) ascended the bench. The safety of the judge was owing, perhaps, to his presence of mind and resignation, in sitting still till the confusion was over. The following is the account of the accident, given by Sir Eardley himself in a letter to his wife. "Worcester, 15 March, 1757, "I send this by express, on purpose to prevent your being frightened, in consequence of a most terrible accident at this place. Between two and three, as we were trying causes, a stack of chimneys blew from the top of that part of the hall where I was sitting, and beat the roof down upon as; but as I sat close up to the wall, I have escaped without the least hurt. When I saw it begin to yield and open, I despaired of my life, and the lives of all within the compass of the roof. Mr. John Lawes is killed, and the attorney in the cause which was trying is killed, and I am afraid some others: there were many wounded and bruised. It was the most frightful scene I ever beheld. I was just beginning to sum up the evidence in the cause which was trying to the jury, and intending to go immediately after I had finished, and most of the counsel were gone, and they who remained in court are very little hurt, though they seem to have been in the place of greatest danger. If I am thus miraculously preserved for any good purpose, I rejoice in the event, and both you and the little ones will have reason to join with me in returning God thanks for this signal deliverance; but if I have escaped to lose either my honour or my virtue, I shall think, and you ought all to concur with me in thinking, that the escape is my greatest misfortune. "I desire you will communicate this to my friends, lest the news of such a tragedy, which fame always magnifies, should affect them with fears for me. "Two of the jurymen who were trying the cause were killed, and they are carrying dead and wounded bodies out of the ruins still. I will write to you again soon. "JOHN EARDLEY WILMOT." In another letter on the same occasion, Sir Eardley says: "It was an image of the last day, when there shall be no distinction of persons, for my robes did not make way for me. I believe an earthquake arose in the minds of most people, and there was an apprehension of the fall of the whole hall." (Life of Sir E. Wilmot, p. 20.) THE ESTUIS OR BORdelloes, "The word estuis or stewes," says Lord Coke, "is French, we having no word for it; and the keeper, he or she, of such houses, is punishable by indictment, at the common law, by fine and imprisonment." He then proceeds to inform us, that Henry VIII., by proclamation under the great seal, suppressed all the stews which had long con L |