a piece of India plate, of about two hundred pounds
sterling. They were both very civil, worthy persons,
and had formerly been in England, where the King,
Charles the First, had made his son an English
Baron.* She told me in discourse one day this of a
French Ambassador, that had lately been in that
Court, and lodged next to her : —
There was a numerous sort of people about the
Ambassador's door, as is usual amongst them. A
poor little boy, that his mother had animated daily
to cry for relief so troublesomely, that at last the
Ambassador would say, ^ What noise is that at the
gate of perpetual screaming ? I will have it so no
more:' upon which they carried the child to his
* No record is known to exist of any foreigner having been
created a Peer by Charles the First : nor does it appear likely
from the names of persons created Baronets by Charles the First,
that Lady Fanshawe could mean Baronet, The splendid and
elaborate work entitled the ** Memorias Genealogicas da Casa de
Sousa," does not advert to the circumstance.
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136 Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe
mother, and bade her keep him at home, for it
screamed like a devil, and if it returned, the porter
swore he would punish him severely. Not many
days after, according to his former custom, the child
returned, louder than before, if possible ; the porter
keeping his word, took the boy and pulled off his
rags, and anointed him all over with honey, leaving
no part undone, and very thick, and then threw him
into a tub of fine feathers, which as soon as he had
done, he set him on his legs and frightened him
home to his mother, who seeing this thing, for none
living could guess him a boy, ran out into the city,
the child squeaking after her, and all the people in
the streets after them, thinking it was a devil or
some strange creature.
But to return to the business : we were visited by
many persons of the Court, some upon business, and
others upon compliment, which is more formal than
pleasant, for they are not generally a cheerful people.
About February the King intended to go into the
field and lead his army himself: during this resolu-
tion my husband prepared himself to wait on his
Majesty, which cost him much, these kind of
expenses in that place being scarce and very dear ;
but the Council would not suffer him to go, a«id so
that ended. The King loved hunting much, and
ever when he went would send my husband some of
what he killed, which was stag and wild boar, both
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 1 37
excellent meat. We kept the Queen^s birthday with
great feasting : we had all the English merchants.
There was, during my stay in this town, a Portugal
merchant jealous of his mistress favouring an English-
man, whom he entertained with much kindness,
hiding his suspicion. One evening he invited him
to see a country-house and eat a collation, which he
did ; after which the merchant, with three or four
more of his friends, for a rarity showed him a cave
hard by the house, which went in at a very narrow
hole, but within was very capacious, in the side of a
high mountain. It was so dark that they carried a
torch. Says one to the Englishman, * Did you ever
know where bats dwell ? ' he replied no ; * Then here,
Sir,* say they, * you shall see them ; ' then, holding up
the light to the roof, they saw millions hanging by
their legs. So soon as they had done, they, frighten-
ing the birds, made them all fly about them, and
putting out the light ran away, and left the English-
man there to get out as well as he could, which was
not until the next morning.
This winter I fell sick of an aguish distemper,
being then with child; but I believe it was with
eating more grapes than I am accustomed to, being
tempted by their goodness, especially the Frontiniac,
which exceed all I ever eat in Spain and France.
The beginning of May 1663, there happened in
Lisbon an insurrection of the people of the town,
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138 Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe
about a suspicion, as they pretended, of some persons
disaffected to the public ; upon which they plundered
the Archbishop's house, and the Marquis of Marialva's
house, and broke into the treasury ; but after about
ten thousand of these ordinary people had run for six
or seven hours about the town, crying * Kill all that
is for the Gistile,' they were appeased by their
Priests, who carried the Sacrament amongst them,
threatening excommunication, which, with the night,
made them depart with their plunder. Some few
persons were lost, but not many.
Upon the loth of June came news to this Court
of the total rout of Don John of Austria at the
battle of Evora ;* after which our house and tables
were full of distressed, honest, brave English soldiers,
who by their own and their fellows* valour had got
one of the greatest victories that ever was.
These poor but brave men were almost lost
between the Portuguese poverty and the Lord Chan-
cellor Hyde's neglect, not to give it a worse name.t
• Pcpys, speaking of this battle, in which the Portuguese
completely defeated the Spaniards, says — "4th July, 1663. Sir
Allen Apsley showed the Duke the Lisbon Gazette, in Spanish,
where the late victory is set down particularly, and to the great
honour of the English beyond measure. They have since taken
back Evora, which was lost to the Spaniards, the English making
the assault, and lost not more than three men." — Diary y vol. ii.
p. 68.
t It appears however, from Sir Robert Southwell's Account of
Portugal {p. 138), that Charles II. was so pleased with the gal-
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 139
While my husband stayed there, he did what he
could, but not proportionably either to their merits
or wants.
About this time my husband sent great assistance
to the Governor of Tangiers,the Earl of Peterborough
then being Governor, whose letters of supplication
and thanks for kindness and care, my husband and I
have yet to show.
June the 26th, I was delivered of a son ten weeks
before my time: he lived some hours, and was
christened Richard by our Chaplain, Mr. Marsden,
who performed the ceremony of the Church of
England at his burial, and then laid him in the
Parish Church in which we lived, in the principal
part of the chancel.
The Queen sent to condole with me for the loss
of my son, and the Marquees de Castel Melhor, the
Marquees de Nija, the Condessa de Villa Franca,
(Donna Maria e Antonia,) with many other ladies,
and several good gentlewomen that were English
merchants' wives.
lantiy of his troops at the battle of Evora, (or, as it is more
commonly called by historians, of Ameizal,) that he caused a
gratuity of 40,000 crowns to be distributed among them. It
would seem that the ^' neglect " of which Lady Fanshawe com-
plains, was entirely on the side of the Portuguese. Sir Robert
Southwell mentions some curious anecdotes on this subject, par-
ticularly with reference to the statement in the Lisbon Gazette,
alluded to in the preceding note.
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140 Memoirs of Lady Fanshanve
Several times we saw the Feasts of Bulls, and at
them had great voiders of dried sweetmeats brought
us upon the King*s account, with rich drinks.
Once we had some dispute about some English
Commanders that thought themselves not well
enough placed at the show, according to their merit,
by the King's officers, which did so ill represent it to
my husband that he was extremely concerned at it.
Upon notice being given to the Chief Minister, the
Conde de Castel Melhor came from the King to my
husband, after having examined the business, and
desired that there might be no misunderstanding
between the King and him, that the business was
only the impertinence of a servant, and that it might
so pass. My husband was well satisfied, and pre-
sented his most humble acknowledgments to the
King for his care and favour to him, as well as the
honour he had received. The Conde de Castel
Melhor, when he had finished his visit to my husband,
came to my apartment, and told me he hoped I took
no oflFence at what had passed at the feast, because
the King had heard I was sad to see my husband
troubled ; assuring me that his Majesty and the
whole Court desired nothing more than that we
should receive all content imaginable. I gave him
many thanks for the honour of his visit, and desired
him to present my humble service to the King,
assuring him, that my husband and I had all the
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 141
respect imaginable for his Majesty; true it waSj
according to the English fashion, I did make a little
whine when I saw my husband disordered, but I
should ever remain his Majesty's humble servant,
with my most humble thanks to his Excellency. And
so he returned well satisfied.
The 14th, the Chief Ministers met my husband in
order to his return home for England, and expressed
a great trouble to part from him ; they from the
King presented my husband with twelve thousand
crowns in gold plate, with many compliments and
favours from the King, whom my husband waited
on the next day to receive his Majesty's commands
for his Master in England. After giving his Majesty
many thanks for the many honours he had received
from his Majesty's kind acceptance of his service, he
thanked his Majesty for his present, saying that he
wished his Majesty's bounteous kindness to him
might not prejudice his Majesty, in this example, by
the next coming ambassador ; to which his Majesty
replied, * I am sure it cannot, for I shall never have
such another ambassador.' Then my husband took
his leave, performing all those ceremonies with the
same persons and coaches as he made at his entry.
Upon the 19th of August my husband and I took
our leaves of the Queen-Mother, at her house, who
had comnunded all her ladies to give attendance,
though her Majesty was then in a retired condition.
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142 Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe
Her Majesty expressed much resentment at our
leaving the Court ; and after our respects paid to her
Majesty, and I receiving her Majesty's commands
to our Queen, with a present, I took my leave with
the same ceremony of coaches and persons as I had
waited on her Majesty twice before.
Upon the 20th, my husband took his leave of
Don Pedro, his Majesty's brother. The 21st of
August, the Secretary of State came to visit me
from the King and Queen, wishing me a prosperous
voyage, and presented me with a very noble present.
The same day I took my leave of my good neighbour
the Condessa de Palma, as I had done of all the
ladies of my acquaintance before, who all presented
me with fine presents, as did my good neighbour
the Countess Santa Gra^a, who had with her, when
I went to take my leave, many persons of quality,
that came on purpose there to take their leaves of
me, and from whom I received great civility, and
the Countess gave me a very great banquet.
On the 23rd of August 1663, we, accompanied by
many persons of all sorts, went on board the King
of England's frigate, called the Reserve, commanded
by Captain Holmes, where, as soon as I was on
board, the Conde de Castel Melhor sent me a very
great and noble present, a part of which was the
finest case of waters that ever I saw, being made of
Brazil wood, garnished with silver, the bottles of
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshailoe 143
crystal, garnished with the same, and filled with rich
amber-water.
Lisbon with' the river is the goodliest situation
that ever I saw ; the city old and decayed ; but they
are making new walls of stone, which will contain
six times their city. Their churches and chapels are
the best built, the finest adorned, and the cleanliest
kept, of any churches in the world. The people
delight much in quintas, which are a sort of country
houses, of which there are abundance within a few
leagues of the city, and those that belong to the
nobility are very fine, both houses and gardens. The
nation is generally very civil and obliging. In reli-
gion divided, between Papists and Jews. The
people generally not handsome. They have many
religious houses, and bishopricks of great revenue ;
and the religious of both sexes are for the most part
very strict.
Their fruits of all kinds are extraordinary good
and fair ; their wine rough for the most part, but
very wholesome ; their com dark and gritty ; water
bad, except some few springs far from the city.
Their flesh of all kinds indifferent ; their mules and
asses extraordinary good and large, but their horses
few and naught. They have little wood and less
grass.
At my coming away I visited several nunneries, in
one whereof I was told, that the last year there was
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144 Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe
a girl of fourteen years of age burnt for a Jew. She
was taken from her mother as soon as she was born,
in prison, her mother being condenmed, and brought
up in the Esperan^a ; although she never heard, as
they did to me affirm, what a Jew was, she did daily
scratch and whip the crucifixes; and run pins into
them in private ; and when discovered confessed it,
and said she would never adore that God.
On Thursday, August 25th, 1663,* we set sail for
England. On the 4th of September, our style, being
Friday, we landed at Deal, all in good health, God
be praised !
Saturday 5th, we went to Canterbury, and there
tarried Sunday, where we went to church, and very
many of the gentlemen of Kent came to welcome us
into England.
And here I cannot omit relating the ensuing story,
confirmed by Sir Thomas Barton, Sir Arnold
Braeme, the Dean of Canterbury, with many more
gentlemen and persons of this town.
There lives not far from Canterbury a gentleman,
called Colonel Colepeper,t whose mother was widow
• The 25 th of August, 1663, fell on a Tuesday.
t Lady Barbara, daughter of Robert Sydney, Earl of Leicester,
and widow of Thomas, first Viscount Strangford, married secondly
Sir Thomas Colepeper, by whom she had Colonel Colepeper, and
a daughter, Roberta Anna, who married Major Thomas Porter,
and died issueless, June i6th, 1661, more than two years before
Lady Fanshawe was told this story, the circumstances of which
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 145
unto the Lord Strangford: this gentleman had a
sister, who lived with him, as the world said, in too
much love. She married Mr. Porter. This brother
and sister being both atheists, and living a life
according to their profession* went in a frolic into a
vault of their ancestors, where, before they returned,
she states to have happened only three months previously. The
Colonel was a most extraordinary character, and though a man of
genius and erudition, was very nearly a madman. A voluminous
collection of his MSS. is preserved in the British Museum, whence
it appears that he was in the habit of committing his most private
thoughts to paper ; that there was scarcely a subject to which his
attention was not directed ; and that the Government and emi-
nent persons were continually tormented with his projects and
discoveries, embracing among others the Longitude. His quarrel
with the Earl of Devonshire, which led to the imposition upon
that nobleman of the exorbitant fine of ^30,000, is well known.
But he was always involved in disputes and law-suits, and not
nnfirequently he was a prisoner for debt. He filed afiidavits in
Chancery, denying his sister's marriage, with the view of justifying
his refusal to pay her portion to her husband ; but the only thing
which in any way bears on the anecdote of the vault, is the fact
that one of the Colonel's conceits was a plan for embalming dead
bodies. The horrible suspicion alluded to by Lady Fanshawe is
unsupported by any other statement, and it may be hoped that
she was as misinformed on the subject as she was about the time
of Mrs. Porter's decease. Part of Colonel Colepeper's papers
relate to the particulars of a secret marriage, which he says, in a
petition to the Court of Chancery, had taken place between him
and the daughter and heiress of Alexander Davies, of Ebury, the
widow of Sir Thomas Grosvenor ; the unusual engagement into
which they entered on the wedding-night ; the pretended capture
of the lady by the Algerines ; his correspondence with the French
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146 Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe
they pulled some of their father's and mother*s hairs.
Within a very few days after, Mrs. Porter fell sick
and died. Her brother kept her body in a coffin set
up in his buttery, saying it would not be long before
he died, and then they would be both buried
together ; but from the night after her death, until
the time that we were told the story, which was three
months, they say that a head, as cold as death, with
curled hair like his sister's, did ever lie by him wher-
ever he slept, notwithstanding he removed to several
places and countries to avoid it ; and several persons
told us they had felt this apparition.
On Monday, the 7 th of September, we went to
Gravesend, and from thence by water to Dorset
House, in Salisbury Court, where we stayed fifteen
days. The 8th of September, 1663, within two
hours after our arrival, we were visited by very many
kindred and friends, amongst whom his Grace of
Canterbury, who came the next day and dined with
us. The same day came the Bishop of Win-
Goveniment to procure her release ; the various attempts to vio-
late her person by one Fordwich ; her refusal after her return to
England to acknowledge the Colonel as her husband, and his
efforts to effect that recognition. His wife's letters to him during
his imprisonment, which are preserved in the Harleian MS. 7005,
and the account of her efforts to procure his release, exhibit proofs
of the most touching and devoted affection, and cannot be read
without the highest esteem for her character. She was one of the
co-heiresses of the last Lord FrecheviUe.
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 147
Chester, as did many others of the greatest clergy in
England.
Upon the loth of September, my husband went to
Bath, to wait upon his Majesty, who was then there :
his Majesty graciously received him, and for a con-
firmation that he approved his service in his negotia-
tion in Portugal, he was pleased to make him a Pirivy
Counsellor. He was also very graciously received
by her Majesty the Queen. Being indisposed with a
long journey, my husband fell sick, but it continued
but two days, thanks be to God !
On the 17th he went by Cornbury, where the
Lord Chancellor then was, and so to London, and,
in his absence, I, on the i6th, took a | house in
Boswell Court, near Temple Bar, for two years,
immediately moving all my goods thereto, as well
those, which were many, that I had left with my
sister Turner in her house in my absence, as those
that I brought with me out of Portugal, which were
seventeen cart-loads.
Upon Saturday, the 19th, my husband returned
from his Majesty, and met me at our new house in
Boswell Court.
On Monday, the 21st, being at a great feast at my
sister Turner's, where there met us very many of
our friends upon the same invitation, whereof Sir
John Cutler was one, who after dinner brought me
a box, saying, " Madam, this was to go to Portugal,
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148 Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe
but that I heard your Ladyship was landed.' In it
there was a piece of cloth of tissue for me, and
ribbons and gloves for my children. Whilst we
were at dinner, there came an express from Court,
with a warrant to swear my husband a Privy Coun-
sellor, from Sir Henry Bennet. The 22nd we went
down to Hertfordshire, to my brother Fanshawe*s ;
24th we dined at Sir John Wats', where we were
nobly feasted with great kindness, and to add to my
content, I there met with my little girl Betty,
whom I had left at nurse within two miles of that
place, at my going to Portugal. After being enter-
tained at Sir Francis Boteler's, our very good friend,
we went to St. Albans to bed, where, the next day,
we bought some coach-horses, and on the 26th we
returned to London.
On Tuesday, the 29th, we went again to St. Albans,
where my husband bought eight more coach-horses ;
the same night we returned to London.
On the 1st of October, my husband was sworn a
Privy Counsellor, in the presence of his Majesty, his
Royal Highness, and the greatest part of his Majesty's
honourable Privy Council. On the 3rd, my husband
waited on her Majesty the Queen-Mother, who
received him with great kindness : the 4th I waited
on her Majesty at Whitehall, and there delivered the
presents which the Queen-Mother of Portugal had
sent her Majesty, who received both them and me
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 149
in her bed-chamber, with great expressions of kind-
ness. I stayed with her Majesty about an hour and
a half, which she spent in asking questions of her
mother, brothers, and country ; after which I waited
on her Majesty in the drawing-room, whereinto the
King entered presently after, and I seeing the King,
retired to the side of the room, where his Majesty
came to me presently, saluting me, and bade me
welcome home, with great grace and kindness, asking
me many questions of Lisbon and the country.
On Sunday the 4th of October, my husband took
his place as Privy Counsellor in the Lords* seat;
likewise this day his Grace of Canterbury took his
seat, and the Bishop of Winchester, both in the
same place : his Grace of Canterbury did his homage
to the King. The same day that my husband was
sworn a Privy Counsellor, I waited on the Queen-
Mother at Somerset House, and the Duke and
Duchess of York at St. Jameses, who all received me
with great cheerfulness* and grace. On the 7th, the
Lord Mayor invited all the Lords of the Privy
Council to dinner, among whom was my husband.
The 1st of January 1664, New Year's-day, my
husband, as Privy Counsellor, presented his Majesty
with ten pieces of gold in a purse ; and the person
that carries it hath a ticket given him of the receipt
thereof, from the cupboard of Privy Chamber, where
it is delivered to the Master of the Jewel-house, who
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is thereupon to give him twenty shillings for his
pains, out of which he is to give to the servant of
the Master of the Jewel-house eighteen-pence.
We received, as the custom is, fifteen ounces of
gilt plate for a Privy G^unsellor, and fifteen ounces
for Secretary of the Latin Tongue ; likewise we had
the impost of four tuns of wine, two for a Privy
Counsellor, and two for a Master of Requests.
January 15th, I took my leave of the King and
Queen, who, with great kindness, wished me a good
voyage to Spain. Then I waited on the Queen-
Mother at Somerset House: her Majesty sent for
me into her bed-chamber, and after some discourse I
took my leave of her Majesty. Afterwards I waited
on their Royal Highnesses, who received me with
more than ordinary kindness, and after an hour and
a halt's discourse with me, saluted me and gave me
leave to depart.
On Tuesday, January 19th, my husband carried
the Speaker, Sir Edward Turner's eldest son, and my
brother Turner, to the King, at Whitehall, who
conferred the honour of knighthood on them both,
my husband particularly recommending my brother
Turner to his Majesty's grace and honour.
On the 20th of January my husband took his
leave of his Majesty and all the Royal Family,
receiving their dispatches and their commands for
Spain, from which hour to our going out of town,
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Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe 151
day and night, our house was full of kindred and
friends taking leave of us ; and on Tuesday the 21st,
1664, in the morning, at eight o'clock, did rendezvous
at Dorset House, in Salisbury Court, in that half of
the house which Sir Thomas Fanshawe then lived in,
who entertained us with a very good breakfast and
banquet. The company that came thither was very
great, as was likewise that which accompanied us out
of town. Thus, with many coaches of our family
and friends, we took our journey at ten of the clock
towards Portsmouth.
The company ,of our family was my husband,
myself, and four daughters ; Mr. Bertie, son to the
Earl of Lindsey, Lord Great Chamberlain of England;
Mr. Newport, second son to the Lord Baron
Newport; Sir Benjamin Wright, Baronet; Sir
Andrew King ; Sir Edward Turner, Knight, son to
the Speaker of the Commons' House of Parliament ;
and Mr. Francis Godolphin, son to Sir Francis