Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 2 Vol 2.djvu/342

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326 BRISTOL She, who in 1743 was Maid of Honour to the Princess of Wales, contracted, at St. Geo., Han. Sq., a 2nd (but unlawful) marriage (in her husband's lifetime), 8 Mar. 1769, with Evelyn (Pierrepont), Duke of Kingston, who d. s.p., 23 Sep. 1773. The Duchess of Kingston (as she was usually called) was tried for bigamy before the House of Lords, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 22 Apr. 1776, on which last day she was unanimously found guilty. After this she left England, residing at St. Petersburg and other foreign courts. The Earl of Bristol d. s.p.s. legit., in St. James's Sq., Midx., 23,('*) and was bur. 28 Sep. 1779, at Ickworth, aged 55. Will pr. 24 Dec. 1779. His widow (from whom he had obtained a divorce a mensd et thoro in the Eccles. Court 11 Feb. 1769) d. 26 Aug. 1788, from the bursting of a blood vessel, at Paris, aged 68, being four years older than her lawful husband. Her will (as Duchess of Kingston) pr. Dec. 1789. A previous admon. in Mar. 1789. VII. 1779. 4- Frederick. Augustus (Hervey), Earl of Bristol, yc, br. and h., b. i Aug., and bap. 3 Sep. 1730. Ed. at Westm. school, and at Corpus Christi Coll. , Cambridge ; M. A. 1 7 54 ; admitted to Line. Inn, 24 Feb. 1 747 ; Clerk of the Privy Seal, 1753-67. Having taken Holy Orders, he became Chaplain to the King, 1763. Bencher of King's Inn, Dublin, 1767; P.C. [I.] 9 Oct. 1767; Bishop of Cloyne, 1767-68; Bishop of Derry, 1768-1803; Chaplain Gen. to the Irish Volunteers, 1782; F.R.S. 28 Feb. 1782; one of the Volunteer delegates from co. Derry (Irish Convention) i783.() On 18 Nov. 1799 he became Lord Howard de Walden, having sue. to that Barony (by the death of the senior coh.) in right (*) So say Gage and Howard, as in note "c," page 322; the peerages wrongly give 23 Dec. V.G. C^) The prominent and extraordinary part he took in opposing the Union with Ireland, from the moment he became an Irish Bishop, is set forth in Harrington's Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation. It appears to have been caused more by vanity than conviction. Dressed in purple, with diamond knee and shoe buckles, in white gloves with gold fringe and large gold tassels, seated " in an open landau, drawn by six beautiful horses comparisoned with purple ribands," and " escorted by a troop of light cavalry splendidly dressed and accoutred and mounted on the finest chargers that the Bishop or their commander could procure," with " trumpets announcing his approach " and cries of " Long live the Bishop," he " never ceased making dignified obeisances to the multitude," as (in 1783) "he took his seat amongst the Irish delegates at the Rotunda " of Dublin. " His ambition for popularity obviously knew no bounds, and his efforts to gain that popularity found no limits." G.E.C. Sir Jonah Barrington adds that he was " a man of elegant erudition, exten- sive learning, and an enlightened and classical, but eccentric mind: — bold, ardent, and versatile; he dazzled the vulgar by ostentatious state, and worked upon the gen- try by ease and condescension: — he affected public candour and practised private cabal." Lord Charlemont, in his Memoirs, remarks that he verified Lord Chesterfield's famous apothegm, that "at the beginning God created three different species, men, women, and Herveys," and adds "His genius is like a shallow stream, rapid, noisy, divert- ing, but useless. Such is his head, and I fear it is much superior to his heart. He is proud