Protestant Exiles from France/Volume 2 - Book Third - Chapter 1 - Section II
II. Frederick William, Comte de Marton, Earl of Lifford.
Frederick William De Roye De la Rochefoucauld was the fourth son of the refugee Comte De Roye, and was born in 1666. He was originally styled the Comte De Champagne-Mouton, but exchanged that title for that of Comte De Marthon, pronounced and afterwards spelt “Marton.” He was a military officer, and served in Denmark under his father. In England he was naturalised, along with his sisters, by letters patent, dated 20th September 1694. It was, however, in 1687 that he came over, and King James gave him a commission as Guidon in the Horse Guards. He was appointed colonel of a refugee infantry regiment (late Cambon’s) on the 10th August 1693, and continued in the command until the general disbanding of the French regiments after the Peace of Ryswick. Luttrell notes, under date 19th July, 1698, “Count Marton, son of the late Count De Roy, and colonel of a regiment of French refugees, will be made Earl of Lifford in Ireland.” Beatson informs us that a king’s letter was granted to create him Earl of Lifford, but no patent followed; the Earldom, however, was conceded to him as a courtesy title. According to Beatson, he rose to the rank of Major-General. The title somewhat perplexed the printers of news, who, knowing that a Huguenot regiment must have a French colonel, made conjectures as to the name of Lifford, and styled his regiment sometimes Lesford’s, sometimes Le Fort’s; I find it once mentioned as Martoon’s. He retired in 1699 on a pension of £500 a-year.
On the declaration of war in the reign of Queen Anne, Lord Galway wrote to Marlborough, recommending Lifford and Montandre for employment. The Duke acknowledged that they were excellent officers. Lord Lifford was named to command a regiment in a brigade of refugees to form part of a force under the Earl of Rivers, who was to make a descent upon France. But when he found that the brigade was to be commanded by the Marquis De Guiscard, late Abbot of Bourlie, Lifford declined to serve under that political adventurer, who was a Papist and a profligate. Guiscard’s patron and associate, St. John (afterwards Viscount Bolingbroke), had his well-known murderous fracas with that Marquis some years later, and he might then read, with feelings of deference for Lifford, the following sentence in an old letter from Marlborough “to Mr. St. John,” dated “Camp at Rousselaer, 1st July 1706,” — “I think her Majesty has shown a very just resentment of the Lord Lifford’s and Comte Paulin’s behaviour, and am glad you find on the contrary so much zeal and modesty in the Marquis De Guiscard.”
In the “Annals of Queen Anne,” we are informed that a deputation, headed by the Earl of Lifford and Messrs Le Coq and St. Leger, introduced by the Earl of Sunderland, 7th April 1707, presented an address to her Majesty, agreed upon at a meeting of which Pastor De la Riviere was president, praying “that her Majesty would graciously vouchsafe to take into her royal care the interests of the poor distressed churches of France, when her thoughts should be employed in settling the great concerns of Europe in a treaty of peace.” In 1712 we find Lifford, in the society of Prince Eugene of Savoy, on his visit to England, and embarking with that great commander for Holland on his return home. A committee of the Irish House of Commons, in 1717, engaged in revising pensions, takes notice of £500 per annum granted to “Frederick William, Earl of Lifford — lives in England — a French refugee — had a regiment broke in Ireland after the Peace of Ryswick.” The committee considered him to be entitled only to a colonel’s half-pay, £223, 11s. 3d. The £500 pension was, however, paid until October 1725, but his name was omitted from the Irish Estimates of Lady Day 1727.
He spent his remaining years in private life, living in London, in the parish of St. George’s, Hanover Square. He comes forward to perform the last offices of affection in 1732 and in 1743 for his sisters, who seem to have shared his home. His own death took place on the 24th February 1749, at the age of eighty-two. A marble slab to his memory is in St. James’s Church, Jermyn Street, Westminster, with the following epitaph:—
FREDERICK WILLIAM DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT,
A younger son of Frederick Charles, Comte De Roye and De Roucy; he came into Great Britain with his father in the year 1687, when the Protestants of France were obliged to fly from the cruel persecution that raged against them. At his arrival he was made Guidon of the Horse Guards of King James II. After the Revolution he followed King William into Ireland, attended him in all his enterprises, and was near his person at the famous battle of the Boyne. He was made colonel of one of the French regiments which the King raised at the beginning of the war. He served at the head of it till the peace was concluded at Ryswick. He was made Earl of Lifford in Ireland. His merit was acknowledged and rewarded by King William and King William’s successors, particularly by his present Majesty. In a military and public life he acquired honour — in a civil and private life he gained the affections of all who knew him. He died on the 24th February 1749, aged four score and two, leaving by his will £4000 in charitable legacies.
As he was esteemed and loved whilst he lived, so he has been regretted since he died.
To do justice to his memory, this Monument has been erected by his grateful friend,
William Elliot.
The codicil of his will was signed at Bath on the 24th May 1748; the body of the will was signed and executed on the 3d November 1746. He bequeathed to St. George’s Hospital, near Hyde Park Corner, £500; to the Foundling Hospital, £500; to the minister and churchwardens of St. George’s, Hanover Square, for the poor, £1000; to the Bishop of London, to be distributed in donations to public charities, £1000; to Lady Colladon, for poor French Protestant refugees, £500; to the new infirmary at Bath, £500; the residue to William Elliott, Esq., equerry to his Majesty, whom he appointed his executor.