In April 1757 the Earl of Chatham became a member of the Grocers' Company, and the copy of his admiffion was delivered to his Lordship with the following note: "MY LORD, In teftimony of the grateful fenfe which the Grocers' Company entertain of your noble efforts to flem the general torrent of corruption, and lessen the extent of minifterial influence, and to revive, by your example, the almoft extinguished love of virtue and of our country, the Court of Affiftants do themselves the honour to prefent you with the freedom of their Company, and have ordered their clerk to attend you with the copy, taken out of their Book of Admiffion. ALDERMAN, GEO. NELSON, Mafter. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY BILSON LEGGE. "A man of matchleffe might, And wondrous wit to manage high affairs. Spenfer. Faerie Queene. HE Right Honourable Hen ry Bilfon Legge, fourth fon of William the first Earl of Dartmouth, was born on the 29th March 1708.* He reprefented the Borough of Eaftlow in Cornwall, in part of the 8th Parlia ment of Great Britain, at which time he was a Commiffioner of the Navy, and, foon after, Joint-Secretary of the Treasury. He reprefented the Borough of Orford in Suffolk, in three fucceeding Parliaments and was, afterwards, chofen Knight of the Shire for the county of Hants. of Hants. On the 16th July 1752 he had a grant of the office of Surveyor-General of all His Majesty's Woods in the lands of the ancient inheritance of the Crown on the north and fouth fides of the river Trent, at which time he refigned his place of Secretary to the Treasury. In In 1745 he was conftituted one of the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, and in 1746 a Lord of the Treasury. In 1748 he was appointed Envoy-extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the King of Pruffia, and, on his return, in the follow * Collins's Peerage, vol. viii. T T ing year, was named Treasurer of the Navy. He became Chancellor and Under-Treasurer of His Majesty's Exchequer in April 1754 and refigned the office in the November of the fame year. He was again appointed to those great offices in November 1756, from which he was removed in April 1757, and was fucceeded therein by Lord Manffield; but the nation in general, fhewing their regret thereat, His Majesty was pleased, on the 2d July the fame year, to constitute him, once more, Chancellor and Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer, and one of the Lords Commiffioners of the Treafury. He continued in thofe offices to the univerfal fatisfaction of all parties, till, upon a change of Ministry in 1762, he was turned out, as he chofe to exprefs it, and the Lord Viscount Barrington appointed in his room. His health for fome time fenfibly declining, he retired to the sweets of domestic happiness and private friendship, and departed this life on the 21st August 1764. His death was fincerely lamented by all good and virtuous men and all true lovers of their country. It was after his removal from office in 1757 that he was elected a Member of the Grocers' Company. He was the friend and coadjutor of the great Mr. Pitt, afterwards Lord Chatham, whom he fupported in all his endeavours to check the Whig faction,* whose intrigues, at that period, distracted the nation. They were elected the fame day, and the freedom of the Company was accompanied by a letter fimilar to that addressed to the Earl of Chatham. * Biffet's Reign of George the Third, vol. i. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS EDWARD AUGUSTUS, DUKE OF YORK. HE details of the Member of the Grocers' Com pany are fo well known, that it would be fuperfluous to repeat them here. It is fufficient to ftate that in 1760 Prince Edward Auguftus K.G., next brother to his late Majefty George the Third, was created Duke of York and Albany by his grand-father George the Second. He died, without iffue, on the 6th September 1767, at Monaco in Italy, and was interred at Westminster the November following.† In June 1761, he was prefented with the freedom of the Grocers' Company, which was delivered to his Royal Highness in a gold box of the value of one hundred guineas. The event is thus recorded in the Company's books; JOHN LANE, Mafter. DANIEL BAYNE, SAMUEL WOLLASTON, Wardens. BOYCE TREE, + Bolton's Extinct Peerage, page 315. "His Royal Highness Edward Auguftus, Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulfter, Knight of the Moft Honourable Order of the Garter, one of His Majesty's Privy Council, and One of the Rear-Admirals of the Blue Squadron of His Majefty's fleet, having most graciously condefcended to accept the freedom of the Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London, was accordingly admitted the 17th day of June 1761, pursuant to the unanimous refolution of the Court of Affiftants, held the fame day. "JOHN ALEXANDER, Clerk." THE RIGHT HON. ARTHUR ONSLOW. "The gentleman is learn'd, a moft rare speaker, Shakespeare. Henry VIII. was fon of Foot Onflow Efq. and grandfon to Sir Arthur Onflow, Bart. He was chofen reprefentative for in the fucceeding parliament. In January 1726 he took his feat for the county of Surrey and, having been unanimously elected Speaker of the * Collins's Peerage, vol. vii. edit. 1779. |