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are yet extant. In these, which are written with great simplicity, and in a very affecting manner, she laments not only the coolness of her lord, with regard to herself, but bitterly complains of his neglecting their only daughter, Anne Clifford.

In fact, the affections of the earl for his lady, originally but too lukewarm, had been completely alienated by the indulgence of his own irregular and criminal passions; and in consequence of an intrigue with a lady of quality at court, he separated himself entirely from the countess, alleging as his reason for so doing, the incompatibility of their tempers. She was recompensed, however, by the peculiarly tender and enduring attachment of her daughter.

The last honour which awaited the earl of Cumberland was shortly after the accession of James the First, who made him one of his counsellors of state. His constitution, though originally vigorous, had suffered much from fatigue, wounds, and disease, during his many voyages; and a return of dysentery, with which he had been afflicted in his last expedition at Porto-Rico, where he lost six hundred men by its attack, put an end to his life, at the duchy-house in the Savoy, London, on the

30th of October, 1605, at the age of but forty

seven.

Happily a reconciliation had been effected between himself and his countess a short time previous to his illness; and we are told by his daughter, who with her mother was present in his last moments, that he conducted himself, during this trying scene, in the most affectionate manner towards his wife, and that he died "penitently, willingly, and christianly *."

His bowels and inward parts were buried in the church of the Savoy, and his body at Skipton, on the 29th of December, where, on the 13th day of the following March, his funeral was publicly solemnized. A magnificent tomb of black marble was shortly afterwards erected to his memory by the filial affection of the countess of Pembroke. It stands on the south side of the communion-table in Skipton church, and exhibits on its sides not less than seventeen shields-an assemblage of noble bearings, observes Dr. Whitaker, such as probably cannot be found on the tomb of any other Englishman +.

Inscription on the family portrait in Skipton castle. + These shields are, 1st, Clifford and Russel within the garter, an earl's coronet above. 2dly, Clifford between

The death of this nobleman without male issue involved the family for many years in considerable dissension, for the earldom went to his only brother, FRANCIS CLIFFORD, FOURTH EARL OF CUMBERLAND, whilst the titles of baronage, together with the ancient family estates, descended to the lady Anne, his daughter, in virtue of an entail," setting forth the gift of the manor of Skipton to Robert de Clifford and the heirs of his body by king Edward II. and deriving the same down to the lady Anne Clifford, as heir entail, the reversion continuing in the crown.”

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For the discovery and establishment of this claim, lady Anne was indebted to the sagacity and perseverance of her mother, who, as she truly says, "by industry and search of records, brought to

Brandon and Dacre. 3dly, Clifford and Percy within the garter; a coronet above. 4thly, Veteripont and Buly. 5thly, Veteripont and Ferrers. 6thly, Veteripont and Fitz Peirs. 7thly, Clifford and Veteripont. 8thly, Clifford and Clare. 9thly, Quarterly, Clifford and Veteripont. 10thly, Clifford and Beauchamp. 11thly, Clifford and Roos. 12thly, Clifford and Percy within the garter. 13thly, Clifford and Dacre. 14thly, Clifford and Bromflet (de Vesci). 15thly, Clifford and St. John of Bletsho. 16thly, Clifford and Berkeley. 17thly, Clifford and Nevill.

light the then unknown title which her daughter had to the ancient baronies, honours, and lands of the Viponts, Cliffords, and Veseys; so as what good shall accrue to her daughter's posterity by the said inheritance must, next under God, be attributed to her *."

Earl Francis, as might naturally be expected, tried every means to set aside the entail, but in vain; yet he and his son were permitted to enjoy the estates, both in Westmoreland and Craven, until their decease.

This event with regard to earl Francis occurred on the 28th of January, 1640, at Skipton castle, in the very room where more than eighty years before he had first seen the light. He married Grisold, daughter of Thomas Hughes, esq. of Uxbridge, and widow of lord Abergavennie, by whom he had four children; George, who died in his childhood, Henry, who succeeded him, and two daughters, the ladies Margaret and Frances.

His countess died as early as 1613, at Londesborough, where, after her husband's accession to the title, she had altogether resided, "not enduring

* Inscription on family portrait.

to go to Skipton or Brougham, while in litigation with her niece *."

This fourth earl of Cumberland appears to have been of an amiable disposition, and free from any moral stain; he was hospitable and even magnificent in his habits, and uniformly charitable throughout his long life. In March, 1617, he gave a splendid entertainment to his patron and sovereign king James, at Brougham castle; and the airs which were sung and played on that occasion were thought worthy of publication the following year t. He established two exhibitions of £15 each for scholars at the University, and when he attended at Skipton church, which he never failed constantly to do, even in the severest weather and when fourscore years old, he had always a liberal dole distributed to the poor. Yet he was, unhappily for himself, possessed of but little energy of mind, and from the mere love of

* Lady Pembroke's MS.

+ With this title: "The Ayres that were sung and played at Brougham Castle, in Westmoreland, in the King's Entertainment: given by the Right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland, and his Right Noble Sonne the Lord Clifford. Composed by Mr. George Mason and Mr. John Earsden. London, printed by Thomas Snodham: cum privilegio, 1618." fol.

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