f 260 7 
5 
[April q; 
MEMOIRS AND REM AINS OF EMINENT. PERSONS. 
MEMOIR OF RICHARD GOUGH, 
Esq. OF ENFIELD. 
[To the account of his Family, which Mr- 
Gough himself communicated to Mr- 
Stebbing Shaw, for the History of Stafford- 
shire, we are in part indebted for the ma- 
terials ‘of this little Memoir. The re- 
majnder 
literary friend. 
FRNUIE family from which Mr. Gough 
descended, the Goughs of W ales, 
extend their line no further back than the 
time of Henry IV. though others of the 
name, and connected with the family, oc- 
cur as early as the reign of Henry I. 
Sir Matthew Gough, with whose father, 
Tnnerth or John, the pedigree begins, ha- 
ving passed the prime of his life in the 
French wars of Henry V. and VI, finished 
it in Cade’s rebellion, fighting on the part 
of the citizens, in July 1450, at the battle 
of London- bridge. Nor is this the only in- 
stance where Mr. Gough’s ancestors'were 
hichly distinguished for their loyalty. 
The unfortunate Charles I. during his 
troubles, stoptat Wolverhampton, where 
he was entertained by Madam St. Andrew, 
who was either sister or aunt to Mr, 
Henry Gough, and that gentleman ventar- 
ed to accommodate their Royal Highnes- 
ses Charles Prince of Wales and James 
Duke of York. An antient tenement still 
reiains at Oe en where these 
princely cuests resided, A subscription 
being set on foot to aid the exigencies of 
the royal cause, the inhabitants cheerfully 
conttibuted according to their ability; but 
the most ample supply was expected frotn 
Mr. Gough, whose loyalty was as eminent 
as his fortune was superior, when, to the 
great surprise and disappointment of every 
ane, he refused any assistance, though 
strongly urged by the king’s commission- 
ers, who retired in discust and ‘chagrin. 
When night approached, putting on bis 
hat and cloak, Mr. Gough went secretly 
and solicited a private audience of his ma- 
jesty. This appearing an extraordinary 
request, the dangerous circumstances of 
the tinies considered, the lord in waiting 
wished to know the object of the request, 
with an offer to connnunicate it to the 
king. Mr. Gough persisted in rejecting this 
offer, and after much interrogation, obiain- 
‘ed admission to the royal presence. He then 
drew from his cloak a purse, containing a 
large sum of money, and presentingat with 
due respect, said, “ May it please your 
majesty to-accept ‘this: it is all the cash I 
have by me, orl would have brought more.” 
has .been communicated by a 
The oft was so acceptable to the dae, 
that an offer of knighthood was made to 
Mr. Gough; but this loyal subject, having 
no other Views than to serve his sovereign, 
declined this honour, which wasatterwards 
conferred on his crandson, Henry of Per-_ 
ryhall, when he was introduced at the court 
of Charles I]. and had mention made of 
the loyalty of his ancestors. It is pre- 
sumed these services were not forgotten: 
in the reign. of Queen Anne, as Sir 
Henry obtained for two of his sons, — 
while very young, the places of page to 
the Queen and Duke of Gloucester. 
Mr. Gough’s father was Harry Gough, 
Esq. fifth son of Sir Harry Gough, of Per- 
ry-hall, and was born April 2, 1681. 
When only eleven years of age, he went 
with Sir Richard Gough, his uncle, to 
China, kept all his accounts, and was 
called by the Chinese Ami whang, or the 
white-haved boy. In 1707 he commanded 
the ship Streatham, in which he conti- 
nued eight years, and with equal ability 
anid integrity acquired a decent compe- 
tency, the result of many hardships and 
voyages in the service of the East India - 
Company, to which his whole life was de- 
vated while he presided among their di- 
rectors, being elected one in 17541, if not 
sooner. From 1734 to his death, which 
happened July 13, 1751, he represented 
an parliament the borough of Bramber, in 
Sussex, and enjoyed the confidence of Sir 
Robert Walpole : whose measures he so 
firmly supported, as not only to hurt his 
health by attendance on the long and late 
debates during the opposition tu that mi- 
nister, but was often known to attend the 
Route: with a fit.of the gout coming on. 
His son Richard, the subject of our me- - 
moir, was born October OA Aaa. ine 
large house in Wi achester-street, London, 
ona site peculiarly calculated for the birth 
of an antiquary, that of the monastery of 
Augustine-triars, founded by Humphrey de- 
Boban, Earl of Hereford and Essex, in 
1253. At the time of the dissolution, the 
house, cloister and garden of the Augus- 
tines were granted by: thescrown to. Wil 
liam Lord St. John, afterwards Marquis of 
Winchester, who built ta magnificeut house 
upon the very spot, part of which remains, 
the restis occupied by later dwellings, and 
among them stands the hduse alluded to. 
Mr. Gough’s parents were dissenters, 
and their son received the first rudiments 
of Latin at home, under the tuition‘of a 
Mr. Barnewttz,.aCourlander, who taught 
at the same time the sons of several emi- 
nent 
