HEMINGTON CHURCH. 1 43 



From these directions we have been led to suppose that he 

 became a Roman Catholic, which would account for his wishing 

 to be buried in the ruined church at Hemington, where no re- 

 formed service had ever been held, aud it would also probably 

 account for the fact that none of his relations were present at the 

 funeral. We have reason to believe that they were on good 

 terms with him during his lifetime, and Lady Frances Harpur, 

 his niece by marriage, gave my mother an account of her paying 

 him a visit at his house in Paddington, when he received her in 

 full court dress, and expressed his surprise that she should be in 

 plain morning costume, saying — ' Times have changed since I 

 was young.' It was the first time she had been, and he looked 

 upon it as a visit of ceremony. 



His body was brought to Hemington in the night by an old 

 housekeeper, a foreigner, and I have heard, by his foreign valet 

 also. It was with great difficulty they could be induced to believe 

 it was not legal to bury him in Hemington church where the 

 grave had already been dug, but at last they agreed to his inter- 

 ment at Lockington. The housekeeper was greatly distressed 

 saying she had promised her master she would see him buried 

 where he desired. The exact spot in Lockington Church where 

 his body was deposited is not known. 



Briggs, in his " History of Hemington," says, " A grave w^as 

 dug in the church, and the coffin put into it, but the soil was never 

 thrown in the grave for weeks," which is not correct. There is no 

 mention of any service having been said over him. This again 

 points to his having been a Roman Catholic, in which case the 

 service no doubt took place before he w-as removed from London. 



There are two portraits of John Harpur at Calke. One, full 

 length as a boy, taken with his younger brother Edward, and 

 another small print, as a man, holding his favourite horse by the 

 bridle. 



In the year 1750, we find his name as a subscriber to the 

 'Racing Calendar," and on June 26th, 1750, the "Give and Take" 

 prize at Ripon races was won by his black horse " Now or Never." 



In July, 1 75 1, at Hounslow, Middlesex, Mr. John Harpur ran 



