9nd §, No 17,, Arnie 26, °56.] 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
325 
LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1856, 
Poates. 
MEMORANDA ON THE PEERAGE, BY EDWARD 
HARLEY, EARL OF OXFORD. 
Among the Harleian manuscripts is a volume contain- 
ing memoranda of the births, marriages, deaths, &c. of 
the nobility and gentry, in the handwriting of Edward 
Harley, Earl of Oxford (founder of the Harleian li- 
brary), entered on the backs of letters addressed to 
himself, and chiefly relating to the period between 1754 
and 1741. These memoranda are intended, apparently, 
as notes on some printed work on the peerage (but 
the work itself I have not been able to ascertain), and 
afford dates and names that may be useful to the genea- 
logist. Many of these memoranda relate to personal or 
family matters long buried in oblivion, and although not 
written in the style of “Lodge” or “ Debrett,” nor 
adapted even to supply a chapter in the Romance of the 
Peerage, a selection from them may, from the position of 
the writer, be worth preserving. 
Annesley.—“ Mr. Annesley was buttler to S* 
Arthur Chichester, L*-Lieut. of Ireland. The L* 
was one day at play, won a considerable sum of 
money, left his purse upon the table, went out to 
wait upon his company. Upon his return he 
missed his purse, questioned Annesley; he de- 
nyed yt he had seen it, and yt nobody came into 
y® room, as he saw. My L® grew enraged, and 
turned Annesley away, and he suffered some 
punishment. He was so uneasy in Ireland y*‘ he 
resolved for England; and as he was just got on 
board, some of my L* serv‘ came from him to 
desire he would return, w" with some difficulty 
they prevailed with him. My L* met him with 
Open arms, desired he would forgive him ; he had 
wronged him, for the monkey had stole y° purse. 
He took care to heap all places and honors; the 
rise of the family of Annesly.” 
* Ashley-Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury. —“ He 
was prentice to a grocer in Exeter. He studied 
divinity, and was to have been a Presbyterian 
parson; came to visit Mr. Lock, and said he 
was his cosen. Mr. Lock perswaded him to fol- 
low the law. He was a very bad chancellor ; and 
gave up with great reluctancy, for the seals were 
more than once sent for. He was not able to 
carry on the business.” 
"Margaret, Lady Coventry. —“ Lady Coventry, 
the wife of George [third] L* Coventry, daughter 
of John, Earl of Thanet, died in Canterbury... . 
She left Heneage, Earl of Winchelsea, her exe- 
eutor. She left a great number of gilt shillings, 
which she travelled with, to cheat highwaymen, as 
T was told by Mr. Harbin. He gave me two.” 
Finch, Earl of Winchelsea. — “ Heneage, [se- 
cond) Earl of Winchelsea, embassador in Turkey. 
Tn his return home [in 1669] the ship struck upon 
arock. Soon got of, to their great surprise; and 
upon search they found a peice of the rock stuck 
into the ship, which preserved them. The peice 
was preserved in the family with great regard. 
This lord loved w—— much. He had many wo- 
men. He built little houses for them. When he 
returned, K. Ch. II. s‘, ‘My Lord, you have not 
only built a town, but peopled it too,’ meaning 
with his bastards. ‘Oh, S', I was your Majesties 
representative.’ 
“ Heneage [fourth Earl of Winchelsea], a man 
of great worth and honor; he was a Nonjuror. 
His lady [Anne, daughter of Sir Wm. Kingsmill] 
was maid of honor to King James 2"* Queen. She 
was a poetess ; publisht a book of poems. 
“Lady Winchelsea [wife of Daniel, seventh 
Earl] died Sept. 1734, at my Lord Malton’s, her 
brother-in-law’s house, called Wentworth House. 
My Lord married to Miss Palmer, Janu. 1732, 
daughter of St [Thomas] Palmer of Kent. Her 
elder sister was married to St Brook Bridges; he 
died, and she married to Mr. Fielding, brother to 
my Lord Denbeigh. John [Finch] was stabbed 
by Saly Salisbury. Edward married in 1736 or 
.... to Mrs. Younger, the player. Henry and 
Edward were both of Cambridge, of Christ’s Col- 
lege, and, I think, Fellows.” 
* Simon, Earl Harcourt.—‘ Thursday, Oct* 16, 
1735, my L* Viscount Harcourt was married to 
Miss Le-bas. Her father was never more than 
agent to a regiment. His father, deputy-master 
of the ceremonies. [Sir Samuel] Moyer’s three 
sisters ; one married Pauncefort, one married 
Lebas, mother to L*°Y Harcourt; another mar- 
ried Jenyns of Hayes, in Middlesex. He broke 
his neck. She had the direction and education of 
her neice Le-Bas, and sold her, as it is said.” 
- Herbert, Lord Torrington. —“ Herbert, Lord 
Torrington, Admiral, who dyed 1716. Left my 
Lord [Lincoln] his whole estate; but in case he 
has no heirs male, then to Greenwich Hospital. 
My Lady Lincoln died June, 1736.” 
Howard, Earl of Berkshire. —“ Wady Eliza- 
beth Howard married Mr. John Dryden, by 
whom she had three sons, Charles, John, and 
Henry. Mr. Dryden died May 1, 1700. Mr. 
Charles was drowned at Windsor, 1704. Mr. 
John died of a fever at Rome, 1700, the end of 
the year. Mr. Harry died .... Lady Eliza- 
beth died [1714]. She was a lunatick some 
years.” 
Bowes Howard, Earl of Berkshire. —“ Charles 
[second son] married, 1736, meanly to a woman 
who lodged in the house where he boarded at 
Eaton school. Her maiden name was Manning ; 
old enough to be his mother. She was the widow 
of one Lane, a livetenant at sea, who had _ half- 
pay, and was upon what they call the compas- 
sionate list. He was a little while at St. John’s 
College, in Cambridge. 
