!

CORRESPONDENCE

OF

MARQUIS CORNWALLIS.

CHAPTER I.

The Cornwallis family-Birth of Lord Brome-Enters the army - Goes to the Military Academy at Turin — Description of academical life- Early service in Germany - Elected M.P. for Eye-Succeeds to the earldomMarriage His conduct in Parliament - Opposes the scheme for taxing the American colonies-Attacked by Junius Embarks for AmericaReturns to England - Death of Lady Cornwallis Resumes his command in America — K.G., and Governor-General of India - Master-General of the Ordnance Again Governor-General - Lord-Lieutenant and Commander-inChief in Ireland-Negotiates the Peace of Amiens - A third time GovernorGeneral His death at Ghazepoor.

THE family of Cornwallys, or Cornwaleys, for the name seems to have been spelt either way, was of some importance in Ireland in early times. A younger son, Thomas, established himself in London, and was Sheriff of the City in 1378. He bought considerable estates in Suffolk; and his son John added to them Brome, near Eye, which then became the principal family residence. Both John and his eldest son, Thomas, represented the county in Parliament; and several members of the family took, on various occasions, an active part in public affairs. In 1553 Sir Thomas Cornwallis, 9th possessor of the estates, but only 6th in descent from Thomas, was greatly instrumental in suppressing the insurrection of Sir Thomas Wyatt. For this service he was made a Privy Councillor and Treasurer of the Household; but being a Roman Catholic, he was, on the accession of Queen Elizabeth, deprived of his office. His grandson Frederick, created a baronet May 4, 1627, distinguished himself in the Civil

1 Walter Harvey, Clarenceux King-at-Arms, in his Visitation of the County of Suffolk in 1561, says he saw Irish deeds of the family dated in the reign of Edward III.

He had also been Treasurer of Calais, as the governor of that town was called, and was suspected of having betrayed his post. One of the lampoons written on this subject

VOL. I.

runs thus:-"Who built Brome Hall? Sir Thomas Cornwallis. How did he build it? By selling of Calais." Another-"Sir Thomas Cornwallis, what got ye for Calais? Brome Hall, Brome Hall, as large as a palace." The insinuation, however, must have been unfounded, as he was recalled some months before Calais was taken by the Duc de Guise.

B

Wars in support of Charles I.; and followed his royal master, Charles II., to the Continent. If, as has been stated, his property was sequestrated, it was restored to him on his return from exile. At all events, the estate of Culford was not confiscated, as it was the property of his mother, Jane Lady Cornwallis, to whom it had been left by her second husband, Sir Nathaniel Bacon. On his mother's death, Sir Frederick removed from Brome to Culford Hall, near Bury St. Edmunds, which then became the usual abode of the family.

1

Sir Frederick was created Baron Cornwallis of Eye, April 20, 1661. His grandson Charles, third lord, who is mentioned in the Memoirs of Grammont, married, first, Dec. 27, 1673, Elizabeth, daughter, and after her brother's death sole child, of Sir Stephen Fox by his first wife. It has been always understood in the family, that Sir Stephen had intended to leave his large fortune to his daughter or her children; but she predeceased him, and he, being offended at some neglect on the part of her husband, at the advanced age of seventy-six took a second wife, Christiana, daughter of the Rev. Charles Hope, by whom he had two daughters and two sons, the latter, ancestors respectively of the Earls of Ilchester and of the Lords Holland, who inherited his estates. Like his father-in-law, Lord Cornwallis also married a second time, May 16, 1688, Anne Scott, Duchess of Monmouth and Buccleuch, by whom he had several children, who all died s. p. ; but the Duchess left descendants by her first husband, James Duke of Monmouth."

In the reign of William III. Lord Cornwallis was made LordLieutenant of Suffolk, and First Lord of the Admiralty. His son Charles, fourth lord, after serving for several years in Flanders, was also appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the county, and successively Postmaster-General and Paymaster of the Forces.

Charles, fifth lord, was Chief Justice in Eyre south of Trent, and afterwards Constable of the Tower. He married, in 1722, Elizabeth, daughter of Charles, second Viscount Townshend, brother-in-law, and for many years colleague, of Sir Robert Walpole.

1 She was dau. of Hercules Meautys, b. 1580, d. May 8, 1659; m. 1st, 1608, Sir William Cornwallis, K.B., then a widower, who was knighted in Dublin Aug. 5, 1599, for his services against the Irish rebels; and 2nd, May 1, 1614, Sir Nathaniel Bacon, K.B., youngest son of Sir Nicholas Bacon of Redgrave, Premier Baronet.

2 The Dukedom of Monmouth and the other English titles were forfeited by the attainder of the Duke, but the Dukedom of Buccleuch, and all the Scotch titles, were enjoyed by the Duchess (the representative of the family of Scott) in her own right, and