THE INQUEST. 457 



the melancholy circumstances detailed in the evi- 

 dence given at the inquest, caused universal 

 astonishment and sorrow ; but was nowhere re- 

 ceived with such sorrow as at Goodwood, except, 

 of course, in the neighbourhood of Welbeck Abbey. 

 The inquest was held at Welbeck Abbey on the 

 day following his Lordship's death, by Mr Falkner, 

 Coroner of Newark, and a jury of gentlemen far- 

 mers. The jury inspected the corpse. ' Death,' 

 says the report, ' had left no painful trace on the 

 features of the departed nobleman ; a cheerful smile 

 was diffused over the face.' 



"William Parks, a footman who waited at the 

 breakfast - table on Thursday morning, deposed 

 that Lord George never seemed in better health 

 or spirits than at breakfast. He took no luncheon, 

 and for the greater part of the morning was occu- 

 pied in his dressing-room. He remained at home 

 till twenty minutes past four p.m., and then set 

 out for Thoresby Park, where he was going to 

 spend a couple of days with Lord Manvers. Two 

 witnesses, Lenthall a stableman, and Evans a 

 woodman, then deposed to having seen Lord 

 George on his walk towards Thoresby. E-ichard 

 Evans said : ' On Thursday afternoon I was re- 

 turning home with my father, and with John Mee, 

 a fellow - labourer, when we saw a gentleman, 

 whom I did not know, standing against the gate 

 on the road to the water-meadows. We thought 

 at the time that it was the Marquis of Titchfield. 



