signed by himself, before the Earl of Sunderland." 1754. To this secret history, or political confession, of lord Grey, which runs on to 124 pages, a conciliatory letter is prefixed, which may furnish a specimen of his lordship's literary address. "Lord Grey's Letter to King James the second. May it please your majesty, "Having received your majesty's command by my lord Lumley, that I should in writing acquaint you with all I know of the designed rebellion in your majesty's brother's time, the late king, and with the correspondence of the late duke of Monmouth, held in England, in order to his rebellion against your majesty (in which I was unfortunately engaged, and in my heart do sincerely repent of), I have, in obedience to your majesty, given you the fullest account I can: and call God to witness (in whose hands I am), that I have not wilfully concealed any thing from you, that I think of the least importance for your majesty to know. Had the fear of death been an inducement to me, I should have followed the example of those who have made discoveries: but I did not think it became me to treat with your majesty, nor to ask that of you which I could have no pretensions to. If the shedding my blood can be for your majesty's interest, I shall be very willing to part with it, and only desire to know that it will be an atonement for the crimes I have committed against you: but if your majesty, out of your great clemency, shall think fit to save me, I hope you will believe that (besides the ties of honour, justice, and gratitude) my own inclination will ever oblige me to sacrifice the life you give to your service, when you please to command it, &c. "Your majesty's most unfortunate subject, "FORD GREY." A factitious gallimawfry of "Love-letters between a Nobleman and his Sister-in-law 7," was printed in 1684, and referred to this lord Grey; but is said to have comprised the figments of the amorous Mrs. Behn 8.] ▾ Lord Grey married Mary, the fourth daughter of George, earl of Berkeley; the sole issue of which marriage, lady Mary Grey, wedded Charles Bennet, second lord Ossulston, who was created earl of Tankerville by letters patent dated Oct. 19, 1714. See Collins's Peerage, vol. iv. p. 337. • See Langbaine, Dram. Poets, p. 23. ROBERT SPENCER, EARL OF SUNDERLAND, HAVING been loaded with variety of accusations for the lengths he had gone in countenancing popery to flatter king James, and with betraying him afterwards to the prince of Orange, published a vindication of his conduct 2, called, "The Earl of Sunderland's Letter discovering the Papists' Designs; to a Friend in the Country, &c. March 23, 16893." • [" To do Mr. Walpole justice," says the author of Remarks on his Catalogue," he neither censures nor commends this lord. Yet Smollett says, Sunderland sacrificed his religion to his interest, though he would not make a public abjuration: but it is very remarkable, that in James's time, a penitent bawd and this repenting courtier were both admitted proselytes to popery together; and in William's time the perjured Oates and the same courtier were admitted as particular favourites, the former rewarded for his villanies with a large pension, and the latter admitted to the greatest degree of favour that ever that king showed to an Englishman." Remarks, p. 73.] * Somers's Tracts, vol. i. p. 602. B 3 |