90 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Originally, as is well known, the Gowers were a 

 Yorkshire family, but some time in the seventeenth 

 century they migrated from Yorkshire into Staffordshire, 

 having become (as we have already mentioned), through 

 marriaofe with the Levesons, entitled to Trentham and 

 other large estates in Staffordshire and Shropshire. 



One of the Levesons, at least, rose to considerable 

 distinction, viz. Sir Richard Leveson, who served in her 

 Majesty's fleet, under Drake, against the Spaniards, and 

 himself became an admiral. There is a fine portrait of 

 this ancestor at Trentham. The first peerage was created 

 in 1702, the title being Baron Gower. 



In 1745 the second Lord Gower was promoted to an 

 earldom, and it is to his credit that he threw up his oflice 

 of Lord President of the Council, rather than countenance 

 the King and his Ministry in going to war with America, 

 declaring in a manly letter to the Prime Minister that, 

 grateful as he felt for the royal favour accorded him, he 

 could not think it his duty "to preserve a system which 

 must end in ruin to his Majesty and the country." In 

 1786 Earl Gower was created Marquis of Stafford, and 

 died in 1803. 



His eldest son, the second Marquis, afterwards the first 

 Duke of Sutherland, married, in 1785 (when Viscount 

 Trentham), Elizabeth, in her own right Countess of Suther- 

 land, and thus was brought, not only an ancient title, but 

 a county, as large as a principality, into the already 

 powerful and wealthy family of Leveson-Gower. The 

 interesting part of the first Duke's history is that portion 

 which is connected with the terrible days of the first 

 French Eevolution, and the tragic fate of Louis XVI. and 

 Marie Antoinette. He was English ambassador at the 

 court of Louis XVI., and both he and his "Duchess- 

 Countess" (as she was afterwards usually called), enjoyed 

 the friendship of the French King and Queen, and were 

 able, before things reached their worst point, to be of some 

 service to the ill-fated Eoyal pair. 



The "Duchess-Countess" was a lady of real talent 



