422
NOTES AND QUERIES, [ii s. VIIL NOV. 29, 1913.
which, rumour said, were of a very com-
Eromising character, as containing remarks y the Duke on his brothers, especially the Prince Regent, and on other members of the Royal family, which were the reverse of flattering. But it was understood that the astute lady had driven a pretty hard bargain before she gave the letters back. A sum of not less than 7,OOOZ. had, in the first place, to be paid to her account ; and, in the second, an annuity of 400Z. a year secured to her for life. On these spoils of victory she settled in France, where she died at Boulogne, having survived the Duke of York by a quarter of a century.
It is strange that neither the Italian editor of the ' Lettres ' nor his French translator should have consulted one or another of the many books which are extant respecting Mary Anne Clarke. Had they done so, they could never have imagined for a moment that the Duke of York's mistress had been the wife of the dis- tinguished French soldier who, under the first Napoleon, became the Due de Feltre. In referring to the mistake in question which,- so far as I am aware, has hitherto passed unnoticed I must, in common justice, add that in the volume in which it- occurs it seems to be a very exceptional one. In all other respects the ' Lettres ' are admirably edited.
MORGAN MCMAHON. Sydney, N.S.W.
SIR JOHN CHARDIN, KT. (1643-1712). THE following, from an old MS. temp. George II., may be of interest as supple- menting the particulars given in the ' D.N.B.' of this distinguished traveller :
"Sir John Chardin's Travels The Author of these Travels was a Gentleman of a good Family in France & of a liberal Education ; He applied himself to Commerce very early and prosecuted with great Success the most considerable Branch or foreign Trade, that of dealing as a Merchant in Jewels, which he understood perfectly, & by which he acquired, with an unspotted Character, a very large and affluent Fortune. He made several Excursions into the East by different Roads, & resided several Years in Persia, had very great and iincomrnon Opportunities of entering deeply into the Subjects of which he has treated, and digested his Accounts with great Accuracy and Perspicuity, so that they have been esteemed not only here, but in France, & throughout Europe in general, as the most perfect in their Kind that have hitherto appeared.
" This Gentleman, when the Persecution against the Protestants broke out in France, came over hither and brought great Riches with him. He was received with much Respect at Court, & King Charles the 2 d as a Mark of his Favour, bestowed
upon him in the month of March, 1683, the Honour
of Knighthood. He published the first Edition
of his Travels in our Language, in a large
?olio Volume, but they have been since several
Times printed with many Corrections, great
[improvements, Sc considerable Augmentations in
French. He continued to reside here & purchased
a, considerable Estate, so that in the Reign of Queen
Anne we find him frequently mentioned by such as
}ook Occasion to shew how much the Wealth of
England was increased by encouraging Foreigners
of the Protestant Religion to come and settle
amongst us. Sir John died at a good old Age on*
Christmas Day, 1712. He left behind two Sons, &
several Daughters.
' His eldest Son was created a Baronet of this Kingdom by his late Majesty K. G. 1 st and having, purchased from Granthum Andrews Esq r of Sun- aury the noble seat of Kempton Park in Middle- sex, <k not far from Hampton Court, fixed there & is still living & unmarried. The old Gentle- man employed a great Part of the latter Period of ais Life in compleating his Book of Travels, and 1 intended, as himself informs us, to have written a distinct Treatise explaining a great Variety of Passages in the Scripture from the Customs & Manners of the Eastern Nations, with which no man was better acquainted than he ; but by many unlucky Accidents was hindred from falling [?]that Promise, to the no small Concern of the learned World, who expected with Impatience so useful and instructive a Book, of writing which he wa& extremely capable ; and of seeing anything of the same Kind, the Public since his Death seem to despair."
It should be noted that Chardin died in 1712 not in 1713, as stated in 'D.N.B.' His will, which is dated 20 Sept., 1711, was proved in P.C.C. (231 Barnes), 29 Dec., 1712, by his son-in-law, Charles Parry of Oakfield, near Mortimer, Berks. Chardin, describes himself in his will as of Turnham Green in the parish of Chiswick, and men- tions the following relatives :
' ( My sister Dame Mary Charlotte du Frane and her son Capt. Johnde Laett my cousin Daniel Bernard, Esq., and all my grandchildren my cousin Jane Goutier, spinster my son John- Chardin my son George Chardin my daughter Elizabeth Chardin."
Two other daughters were Julia, wife of Sir Christopher Musgrave, Bart., and Mary Charlotte, wife of Charles Parry of Oakfield.
The will of Sir John Chardiii,-Bart., dated 18 July, 1747, was proved in P.C.C. (98- Paul), '28 April, 1755 by his nephew Sir Philip Musgrave of Edenhall, co. Cumber- land, Bart. In this will are mentioned :
my grandnephew Chardin Morgan, son of my niece
Catherine Morgan [nee Parry], the wife of James
Morgan of Lincoln s Inn, Esq."
G. R. BRIGSTOCKE.
[In the second edition of the * D.N.B.' the date of Sir John Chardin's death is given as 1712.]
