‘1804. ] 
arty 6, 1773, Wilbraham, the prefent earl, by 
whom fhe has no iflue. ‘Lionel, the late earl, 
and Sir Herbert Croft, bart. married two 
other fifters. 
Fofeth Capper, efg. many years an inmate 
at the Horns, Kennington. He was born in 
Chefhire, of humble parents; his family 
being numerous, he came to +ondon at an 
early age to fhift for himfelf, 4 he ufed to 
fay, and was bound apprentice to a grocer. 
Mr. Capper foon manifefted great quicknefs 
and indufiry, and proved a moft valuabie fer- 
vant to his matter. Jt was one of the chief 
boafts of his life, that he had gained the con- 
fidence of his employer, and never betrayed 
it. Being of an enterprifing fpirit, Mr. Cap- 
per commenced butinefs as fuon as he was out 
of his apprenticefhip, in the neighbourhood of 
Rofemary-lane. His old mafter was his only 
friend, and recommended him fo ftrongly to 
the deaiers in his line, that credit to a very 
darge amount was given him. In _propor- 
tion as he became fuccefsful, he embarked 
in various fpeculations, but in none was fo 
fortunate as in the funds. He at length 
amaffed a fum fufficient tou enable him to de- 
cline bufinefs, Having refolved to retire from 
the buftle of aétive life, he, for feveral days, 
walked about the vicinity of London, fearch- 
ing for lodgings, without being able to pleafe 
himfe!f. Being one day much fatigued, he 
called at the Horns, at Kennington, took a 
chop, {pent the day, and afked: for a bed 
in his ufual blunt manner; when he was an- 
{wered in the fame churlifh ftyle by the land- 
lord, that he could not have one. Mr. Cap- 
per was refolved to ftop, if he could, all his 
life, to plague the growling fellow, and refuf- 
€d to retire. After fome altercation, how- 
€ver, he was accommodated with a bed, and 
never flept out of it for twenty-five years. 
During that time he made no agreement for 
lodging or eating, but wifhed to be confidered 
a cuftomer only for the day. For many years 
“he talked about quitting this refidence the 
next day. His manner of living was fo me- 
thodical, that he would not drink his tea out 
of any other than a favourite cup. He was 
equally particular with refpeét to his knives 
and forks, plates, &c. In winter and fum- 
mer he rufe at the fame hour; and when the 
mornings were dark, he was fo accuftomed to 
the houte, that he walked about the apart- 
ments without the aliiftance of any light, 
His bill fur a fortnight amounted regularly 
to 4l 38s. He called himfelf the Cham- 
pion of Government, and his greateft glory 
was certainly his country and king. He 
joined in all fubferiptions which tended to the 
aid of government. He was exceedingly cho- 
Teric, and nothing raifed his anger fo foon as 
declaiming againit the Britifh Conftitution. 
Jn the parlour he kept his favourite chair, and 
there he would often amufe himfelf with fa. 
tirifing the cuftomers, or the landlord, if he 
could make his jokes tell better. It was his 
Maxim never to join in general converfation, 
Marriages and Deaths in and near London, 
963 
but to interrupt it whenever he could fay any 
thing ilf-natured. Mr. Cappei’s condué to 
his relations was exceedingly capricious.; he 
never would fee any of them. As they were 
chiefly in indigent circumftances, he had’ fre- 
quent applications from them to borrow mo- 
ney. ‘** Arethey induftrious ?”’ he would en- 
quire; when being anfwered in the affirma- 
tive, he would add, ‘* tell them I have been 
deceived already, and never will advance a 
fixpence by way of loan; but I will give thera 
the fum they want; and if ever I hear they 
make known the circumftance, I will cut 
them off with a fhilling.” Soon after Mr. 
Townfend became landlord of the Horns, he 
had an opportunity of making a few good 
ready-~money purchafes, and applied to the old 
man for a temporary loan. ‘* I with (faid he) 
to ferve you, Townfend; you feem an induf- 
trious fellow ; but how is it to be done, Mr. 
Townfend? I have fworn never to lend, I 
muft therefore give it thee ;”? which he ac- 
cordingly did the foilowing day. Mr. Town- 
fend proved grateful for this mark of libe- 
rality, and never ceafed to adminifter to him 
every comfort the houfe would afford; and 
what was, perhaps, more gratifying to the 
eld man, he indulged him in his eccentrici- 
ties. Mr. Capper was ele&ted fieward of the 
parlour fire, and if any perfons were daring 
enough to put a peker in it without his pere 
miffion, they ftood a fair chance of feeling 
the weight of his cane. In fammer time, a 
favourite diverfion of his was killing flies in 
the parlour with his cane: butas he was fen- 
fible of the ill opinion this would produce 
among the bye-ftanders, he would with great 
ingenuity introduce a flory about the rafcality 
of all Frenchmen, ** whom,” fays he, ¢*§ 
hate and deteft, and would knock down juf 
the fame as thefe flies,”2 This was the figs - 
nal for attack, and prefently the killed and 
wounded were {cattered about in all quarters of 
theroom. This eccentric character lived to the 
age of 77, in excellent health; and it was neg 
until two days before his death, that a vifitle 
alteration was perceived in him, Having 
rifen at an earlier hour than ufual, he wa; 
obferved to walk about the houfe, exceeding- 
ly agitated and convulfed, Mr. Townfend 
prefied him to fuffer medical afliftance to Le 
fent for, to which Mr. Capper then, and at 
all times, had a great averfion. He afked for 
a pen and ink, evinced great anxiety to write, 
but could not. Mr. Townfend, apprehending 
his diflolution nigh, endeavoured, but in vain, 
to get permiflion to fend for his relations, and 
tried to obtain their addrefs for that purpofe. 
He refufed, faying that he fhould be better. 
On the fecond day, feeing no hopes of reco- 
very, Mr. Townfend called in four refpec 
able gentlemen of the neighbourhood, and 
had feals put upon all Mr. Capper’s property, 
One of the four gentlemen recollected tie | 
addrefs of Mr. Capper’s two nephews, of the 
name of Dutton, who were immediately fernt 
for, They refided in the neighbourhood of 
) Rofemary. 
