to continue the designation; although Monk's overwhelming influence extorted it from him, for himself.

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"9th.-My Lord Brouncker and I," says Pepys, "dined with the Duke of Albemarle. At table, the duchess, a very ill-looked woman, complaining of "her lord's going to sea the next year, said these "cursed words: If my lord had been a coward, he had gone to sea no more; it may be then he might have been excused, and made an ambassador,' (meaning my Lord Sandwich). This made me mad; and I believe she perceived my counte"nance change, and blushed herself very much. I " was in hopes others had not minded it; but my "Lord Brouncker, after we were come away, took "notice of the words to me, with displeasure." The term coward, she had adopted from her husband, who had it ever ready on his tongue, to fling at all seacommanders who censured his unskilful and mischievous hardihood with a fleet. Whitelock observes of Monk, on his arrival in London from Scotland with his army, in 1659-60:-"The French ambas"sador visited General Monk, whom he found no "accomplished courtier or statesman." In fact, he was a man rude and coarse by nature; his extraordinary exaltation had rendered him imperious, insolent, and vindictive; and the naval success and honour of this year, had roused both his jealousy and his ambition to their utmost height.

Noble, in his "Protectoral House of Cromwell," gives the following account of Monk and of his duchess :

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"George Monk was a gentleman by birth, having "descended of a very ancient and respectable family "in Devonshire; he was related to the blood-royal by his great grandmother, daughter of Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle. He was at first a "royalist, but happening to become a prisoner to "the parliamentarians, they, by severity, converted "him to their sentiments: he was an able officer, "and as such rose in their army. The older Pro"tector (Oliver) trusted him much, though he sus

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pected him of being inclined to the interest of "Charles Stuart; but he was a good subject to both "Oliver and Richard. After the ruin of the latter, " he was at a loss which side to declare for, and had thoughts of seating himself in the Protectorship, as "France offered to support him; but he was ordered "to espouse the royal interest by his wife,' who had "been his mistress, (and is said to have been the

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daughter of a blacksmith), to whom he bore an implicit obedience: therefore, he was the main "instrument in seating Charles upon the throne of "his ancestors. He was rewarded with the title of "Duke of Albemarle, honoured with the garter, and 66 as many other titles and places as he would accept. "The dukedom became extinct in his son. He him"self died Jan. 4, 1669-70, and was buried in West"minster Abbey, at the public expense, and almost " in regal style. His duchess died in Jan. 23, a few days after him. She retained that vulgarity when

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1 Heath calls her, "The Minerva and great patroness of this grand design," p. 436.

ແ

" duchess, which she had early imbibed. She was a "most turbulent woman; and Monk was more fear"ful of her than (of) an army. It is said, she even "would give him manual correction. The duke was " awkward and stupid in a drawing-room, and respectable only in a camp. To cover the meanness "of his wife, Sir Thomas Clarges, her father,' was knighted; his son, Sir William Clarges, was "created a baronet."

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1 There must be an error here. Heath, a contemporary writer, says, "Doctor Clargys, (now Sir Thomas), the general's brother," (p. 446); and the annotator to Grey's Debates describes Sir Thomas Clarges as brother of the Duchess of Albemarle.

2 Vol. i. p. 389, and note.

CHAPTER VIII.

1666-1670.

Admiralty, and Sequel to his Death.

1666.

ON landing from the Charles, Sir W. Penn took his final leave of active service at sea. His former long and harassing services, together with increasing gout, to which he was subject, had made great inroads into the foundations of his health, and he thenceforth confined himself to his official duties on shore, and to his attendance in parliament. He had established his family at Chigwell, in Essex, during all his former absences abroad; he now removed them to Wanstead, but with the design of finally fixing them on his estates in Ireland.

On this occasion he received the following letter from a relation, Mr. John Georges (member for Cirencester, in the parliament then sitting at Oxford on account of the prevalence of the plague in London), strongly urging him to redeem the alienated possession of his ancestors in Wiltshire, and to establish himself and his family in their ancient seat.

"To his most worthily honoured Friend and loving Cousin, Sir William Penn, one of the Commissioners for his Majesty's Royal Navy, present these.

Worthily honoured Sir, and my very

good Cousin,

"I am very heartily glad I have learned (by a letter from this bearer, my old servant) of yours, your worthy lady's good health, and welfare of all yours, to whom I sincerely wish all true happiness and prosperity; but, indeed, I am sorry that you were disappointed that she brought you only a verbal message, and not a letter from me, which truly was her mere mistake; for I chiefly directed her to inquire if you were at the house, or where. For that, at our Oxford meeting, Sir William Batten told me, he left you taking physic at Chatham.

"I am not ignorant, sir, of the respects and honour so worthily due to you for your many singular merits and deservings (which, of all others, is the best title to that), and whereby God hath raised you to be the top of your kindred; and do not doubt but you will daily improve it to the glory of God, the honour of king and country, and your own family, and the joy and comfort of your kinsfolk and near allies, in which account I may justly claim my share and interest in you. And, to the end you and yours may be truly informed, and remember for the future, before the efflux of time may put it out of your memory, how I make my title to it, you may please to know, that your grandfather, William Penn (whose name you bear), was by your great-grandfather (of the same name also) placed with my great-uncle, Christopher Georges, then a counsellor at law, and justice of the peace, and quorum of this county, to be bred up by him, and with whom he lived many years as his chief clerk, till he married him to one of his sister Ann Georges' daughters, by Mr. John Rastall, then one of the aldermen of Gloucester (another of