AN EXTRACT FROM THE UNPUBLISHED BULKELEY MSS. "SIR RICHARD BULKELEY served in Parliament for the county of Anglesey the second and third sessions of Queen Mary, the third of Elizabeth, and first of James. "He was of goodly person, fair of complexion, and tall of stature. He was temperate in his diet-not drinking of healths. In his habit he never changed his fashion, but always wore round breeches, and thick bumbast doublets, though very gallant and rich. In the last year of Queen Elizabeth, being then somewhat stricken in years, he attended the council of Marches at Ludlow, in winter time. When the Lord President Zouch went in his coach to church or elsewhere, Sir Richard used to ride on a great stone horse; and sometimes he would go from his lodging to church in frost and snow on foot, with a short cloak, silk stockings, a great rapier and dagger, tarry all prayers and sermon in very cold weather, insomuch that Lord Zouch was wont to say he was cold to see him. He was a great reader of history and discourses of all estates and countries; of very good memory and understanding in matters belonging to housekeeping, husbandry, maritime affayres, building of ships, and maintaining them at sea. He drew his own letters with his own hand: and being complayned of at the Council of the Marches, for breach of an order of that court, he drew his own answer,-that he cod not be convicted out of his own possession but by course of common law, pleaded Magna Charta, and demanded judgment. Which answer being put into court, the Chief Justice, Sir Richard Shuttleworth, called for a sight thereof, and after perusal said to the counsellors of the bar, "Look, my masters, what a bone Sir Richard Bulkeley hast cast into court for you to tire upon." And the matter being agreed, it was referred to the common law. He was a great housekeeper and entertainer of strangers, especially such as passed to and from Ireland. He nobly entertained the Earl of Essex in his way there to be Lord-Lieutenant. He made provision of all necessaries for his table beforehand. He sent yearly to Greenland for codling and other fish, which he did use to barter in Spain for Malaga and sherry wines; and always kept a good stocke of old sack in his cellar, which he called Amabile, beside other wines. He kept two parkes well stored with red and fallow deer, wch did afford such plenty of venison as furnished his table 3 or 4 times every week in the season, beside pleasuring of friends. He kept several farms, beside his demesne in his hands, wch furnished his house with fat beef, mutton, lamb, &c. &c. He was an excellent houseman, and an expert tiller, keeping two great stables of horses-one in Cheshire, and another in Beaumaris-and a great stud of mares. His estate in Anglesey was 2500l., in Carnarvonshire 8001., and in Cheshire 1000l. a year, having always a great stock of ready money lying in his chest. He kept many servants and attendants, tall and proper men. Two lacqueys in livery always ran by his horse. He never went from home without 20 or 24 to attend him. He was a great favorite of Queen Eliz. He had powerful friends at Court, and had the gentry and commonalty of the co. of Anglesey at his service, except the Woods of Rhosmore, who were always his enemies. He had great contests with Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who obtayned the Queen's letters patents under the great seal, to be chief ranger of the Forest of Snowdon, in wch office he behaved very injuriously to the counties of Merioneth, Carnarvon, and Anglesey, attempting to bring within the bounds and limits of that forest most of the freeholders' lands in those 3 counties; and for that purpose the Earl procured several commissions from the Queen, to inquire of encroachments and concealments of lands. The return of the jury in Anglesey not being agreeable to the Earl's commissioners, they went in a rage to Carnarvon, forcibly entered the exchequer there, ramsacked the records, and carried away what they pleased; but the Earl, after making many attempts, to the great grievance of the county, was obliged to desist, being defeated in all schemes upon Snowdon by the power, and interest, and spirit of Sir Richd Bulkeley. But manet altâ mente repostum. The Earl bore a poysonous hatred to Sir Richa, yet he continued still in favour with the Queen and council, though often molested by the Earl, his agents, and creditors. "Sir Richard being one of the Deputy Lieutenants of Anglesey (upon intelligence of the Spanish Armada threatening England), was to cesse the country in arms; and cessing Mr. Woods, of Rhosmore, he was highly offended, and thought himself too heavily loaded, therefore went up to Court, to the Earl of Leicester, carrying a false tale with him, that Sir Richa Bulkeley (a little before the attainder and execution of Tho Salusbury, one of the accomplices of Anthy Babington the traytor, 1585) had been in the mountains of Snowdon, conferring with him, and that at a farm of Sir Richard's, called Cumligie, they had lain together two or three nights. The Earl, glad of this information, presently acquaints the Queen and council therewith. Sir Richd, being called before the council and examined, absolutely denied the whole matter; and when the Earl, at the time President of the Queen's Council, did severely inforce it agt him. He told the Earl to his face,-Your father, and the very same men as now inform against me, were like to undo my father; for upon the death of K. Edw. 6, by letters from your father, he was commanded to proclayme Queen Jane, and to muster the country, which he did accordingly; and had not my mother been one of Queen Maries maids of honor, he had come to great trouble and danger.' Hearing these words, the council hushed and rose, and Sir Richd departed. The Earl hastened to the Queen, and told her the council had been examining Sir Rich Bulkeley about matters of treason, that they found him a dangerous person, and saw cause to commit him to the Tower, and that he dwelt in a suspicious corner of the world. What! Sir Rich Bulkeley?' said the Queen. He never intended us any harm. We have brought him up from a boy, and have had special tryal of his fidelity. You shall not comit him.' 'We,' said the Earl, who have the care of your Majesty's person see more and hear more of the man than you do. He is of an aspiring mind, and lives in a remote place.' Before God,' replyed the Queen, we will be sworn upon the Holy Evangelists he never intended us any harm;' and so ran to the bible, and kissed it, saying, 'You shall not comit him-we have brought him up from a boy.' Then the lords of the council wrote a letter to Dr. Hugh Bellot, Lord Bishop of Bangor, to examine the truth of the accusation layd to Sir Richd's charge, which the Bishop found false and forged, and so certifyed to the council. Whereupon he was cleared to the Queen's Majesty's great content, to the abundant joy of his country, and to his own great credit and reputation; VOL. IV.NO. XIX. K K and afterwards divers of the lords of the council wrote letters to the justices of assize of North Wales, to publish Sir Richa's wrongs, and to notify to the Queen's subjects his clear innocence. But that Sir Rich might not rest in peace, one Green, belonging to the Earl of Leicester, in the name of one Bromfield, a pensioner, came to him to challenge him to meet Bromfield in the field. Have you no other errand?' quoth Sir Richard. No!', says Green. Then Sir Richd drew his dagger, and broke Green's pate, telling him to carry that as his answer, he scorning to meet such a knave as Bromfield. This treatment of Green highly increased the anger of the Earl. Bromfield, Green, and other of his retayners, plotted mischief to the person of Sir Rich; but he stood upon his guard, always keeping twenty-four stout men with swords, bucklers, and daggers, to defend him from their attempts. They hired boats and wherries upon the Thames, with a design to drown Sir Richd as he sha go from Westminster to London; but he, being privately informed thereof, borrowed the Lord Mayor of London's barge, furnished it with men, muskets, billets, and drums, and trumpets, and rowed along the Thames, shot the bridge, and went down to Greenwich, where the Queen kept her Court at that time; and at the landing place over against the palace, he caused his company to discharge their muskets, to beat their drums, and sound their trumpets. The Earl of Leycester hearing thereof, repaired to the Queen, and informed her that Sir Richd Bulkeley, more like a rebel than a subject, had come with barges, muskets, men, drums, and trumpets, and had shot several pieces over against her Majesty's palace, to the great terror of her Court-a matter not to be suffered. The Queen sent for Sir Richa, and after hearing his apology for himself, made the Earl friends with him. Within a while after the Earl sent for Sir Richd to his chamber, who coming thither, the Earl began to expostulate with him on several wrongs and abuses he pretended to have received at his hands, and that he had lost 10,000 by his opposition. But the discourse ended in milder terms, and Sir Richd was bidden to dinner, but did eat or drink nothing save of what he saw the Earl taste,-remembering Sir Nics Throgmorton, who was said to have received a fig at his table. "But the Earl of Leycester dying in Oct. 1588, Sir Rich Bulkeley and his country enjoyed peace and quietness from his tyrannical oppressions, his devices, and wicked practices. And Sir Richard survived to the 28th of June, 1621, when he died, aged 88. 46 He had attended the coronation of ye Queens Mary and Elizabeth, and of James the First. His cloak at this last coronation cost £500." A FACT IN HERALDRY. BY THE AUTHOR OF "PROVERBIAL PHILOSOPHY." HIGH in Battle's antlered hall, Hangs a helmet brown with rust, When I saw, what ailed thee, heart! Yon black greyhound know I well, Much mischance, desponding still, While that faithful greyhound black Vainly watched the wild boar's track; Proved all lost but hope and fame Tout est perdu fors l'honneur Mais "L'Espoir est ma force" sans peur. CURIOUS TRIALS CONNECTED WITH THE ARISTOCRACY. No. XV. THE Trial of Mungo Campbell for Shooting Lord Eglington. THE unfortunate nobleman who was the victim in this melancholy affair, was Alexander Montgomerie, tenth Earl of Eglington, who succeeded to the title in 1729, and who perished by the hand of Campbell the 25th October, 1769. The Earldom of Eglington is one of the oldest and the most distinguished in Scotland. Its present representative, Archibald Hamilton, Earl of Eglington and Winton, is the thirteenth earl. Mungo Campbell, who committed the act, was a descendant of the noble family of Argyle, and was born at Ayr, in Scotland, in the year 1721. His father, who was a merchant of eminence, had been mayor of the town, and a justice of peace; but, having twenty-four children, and meeting with many losses in his commercial connexions, it was impossible for him to make any adequate provision for his family; so that, on his death, the relations took care of the children, and educated them in the liberal manner which is customary in Scotland. Mungo was protected by an uncle, who gave him a good education; but this friend dying when the youth was about eighteen years of age, left him sixty pounds, and earnestly recommended him to the care of his other relations. The young man was a finished scholar; yet seemed averse to make choice of any of the learned professions. His attachment appeared to be to the military life, in which line many of his ancestors had gloriously distinguished themselves. He entered himself as a cadet in the royal regiment of Scotch Greys, then commanded by his relation, General Campbell, and served during two campaigns at his own expense, in the hope of gaining military preferment. After the battle of Dettingen, at which he assisted, he had an opportunity of being appointed quarter-master, if he could have raised one hundred pounds; but this place was bestowed on another person, while Campbell was making fruitless applications for the money. Thus disappointed of what he thought a reasonable expectation, he quitted the army, and went into Scotland, where he arrived at the juncture when the rebels had quitted Scotland, in 1745. Lord Loudon then had the command of the Royal Highlanders, who exerted so much bravery in the suppression of the rebellion. Mr. Campbell being related to his lordship, fought under him with such bravery as did equal credit to his loyalty and courage. Not long after the decisive battle of Culloden, Lord Loudon procured his kinsman to be appointed an officer of the excise; and prevailed on the commissioners to station him in the shire of Ayr, that he might have the happiness of residing near his friends and relations. In the discharge of this new duty, Mr. Campbell behaved with strict integrity to the Crown, yet with so much civility, as to conciliate the affections of all those with whom he had any transactions. He married when he was somewhat advanced in life; and so unexceptionable was his whole conduct, that all the nobility and gentry in the neighbourhood, the Earl of Eglington excepted, gave him permission to kill game on their estates. |
