GEORGE III. The music having ceased, the first Plenipotentiary rose up, and made a speech; which was answered by the Duke, all persons standing.

Garter.

Then Garter delivering the commission to the first Plenipotentiary, he presented it to the Duke, who gave it to his Secretary to read (all persons standing up whilst it was read) and the Secretary having read the commission, returned it to his Serene Highness, who delivered it to Garter.

The musick then again played, and being done, Garter, with the usual reverences, taking up the mantle, delivered it to the first Plenipotentiary, and they both invested his Serene Highness therewith, Garter pronouncing the admonition: next they put on the hood, and then the collar, with the proper admonition: they then presented the book of Statutes, and his Serene Highness delivered to the Plenipotentiaries a certificate of his reception of the Order, and nomination of a proxy.

Lastly, they placed the cap and feather on his Serene Highness' head, who making a reverence to the Sovereign's State, sat down in his stall, and the Plenipotentiaries in their places. The music then played for some time; after which, Garter King of Arms proclaimed the Sovereign's stile, and then the Duke's; the drums beating and trumpets sounding.

And the Plenipotentiaries having congratulated the Duke upon his investiture, a procession was made back in the same order as before: the Duke's train being borne by M. de Oertzen, and M. de Norman.

A splendid banquet was prepared in the Great Hall, and his Serene Highness dined in the Habit of the Order, his cap and feather being held behind his chair by a page.

When the desert was upon the table, the Duke put on his cap, stood up, and taking it off again, drank, 1st, the Sovereign's health; 2d, the Queen's; 3d, the Prince of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family; and 4th, the Knights Companions of the Order. The first Plenipotentiary then drank, 1st, the Duke; and then prosperity to the illustrious House of Mecklenburg.

During the ceremony the guns were fired three times; 1st, at the Duke's entrance into the Hall; 2d, when he was invested with the cap; and, lastly, when the stiles were proclaimed.

In the evening there was a ball."

Garter

Garter, in 1726, published his " Nummi Britan. Historia, or Historical GEORGE IIh "Account of English Money." A new edition, with large additions, was Garter. printed in 1745, dedicated to the Duke of Suffolk. It is much to Mr. Leake's honor, that he was the first writer upon the English coinage. From affectionate gratitude to Admiral Sir John Leake, and at the particular desire of his father, he had written a history of the life of that Admiral, prepared from a great collection of books and papers ralating to the subject which were in his possession. This he published in 1750, in large octavo. Fifty copies only were printed to be given to his friends: this book is therefore very scarce and difficult to be obtained. Boyer, in 1766, printed for him fifty copies of the Statutes of the Order of St. George, to enable him to supply each Knight at his Installation with one, as he was required to do officially. Garter, ever attentive to promote science, was constantly adding to the store of knowledge, but more particularly in what related to arms, descents, honors, precedency, the History of the College, and of the several persons who had been officers of arms, and on every other subject in any manner connected with his office. He also wrote several original essays on some of those subjects. These multifarious collections are contained in upward of fifty volumes, all in his own hand writing, which MS., with many others, he bequeathed to his son, John-Martin Leake, Esq. to whom the public, as well as the author, are indebted for this particular, accurate, and full detail. This valuable head of the College married Ann, youngest daughter, and at length sole heiress of Fletcher Pervall, Esq. of Downton, in the parish and county of Radnor, by Ann his wife, daughter of Samuel Hoole of London, by whom he had nine children, six sons and three daughters; all of whom survived him. He died at his seat at Mile End in Middlesex, March 24, 1773, in the seventieth year of his age, and was buried in the chancel of Thorpe Soken church in Essex, of which parish he was long impropriator, and owner of the seat of Thorpe-Hall, and the estate belonging to it, inheriting them from his father. His widow died January 29, 1782, in Hertfordshire, aged eighty-six. Three of his sons were connected with the College at Arms. His eldest son, Stephen-Martin Leake, Esq. was created Norfolk Herald extraordinary, on September 21, 1761; John-Martin Leake, Esq. his second son, was constituted Chester Herald, by patent, dated September 27, 1752, which post he surrendered in 1791, by permission of the Duke of Norfolk, to his youngest brother, George-Martin Leake, Esq.

now

Garter.

GEORGE III. now Chester Herald. John-Martin Leake, Esq. was also appointed secretary to the Earl of Suffolk, as Earl Marshal, December 23, 1763, in which office he continued to his Lordship's resignation in October, 1765, when the Earl of Scarborough was appointed Deputy Earl Marshal, to whom Mr. J. M. Leake was also secretary. The Arms of Martin Leake are, quarterly, first and fourth, Leake, Or, on a Saltire engrailed Azure, eight Annulets, Argent; on a Canton, Gules, a Castle triple towered of the third; second and third Martin, Paly of six, Or and Azure, on a chief, Gules, three Merleons of the first. Crest: a Ship Gun-carriage, on it, a piece of Ordnance, mounted; all proper. Motto: Pari Animo.

April 27, 1773, Sir CHARLES TOWNLEY; Knight.

Son of Charles Townley, Esq. of Clapham in Surrey, descended from a younger branch of the ancient, and very respectable family of Townley-Hall, near Barnley in Lancashire, which is still inherited by the head of the family, Charles Townley, Esq. F. R. and A. S. BRIT. MUS. CUR. whose town residence is Park-Street, Wesminster, nephew to John Townley, Esq. F. A. S. gentlemen who will always be dear to learning and taste: to the latter the Author is much obliged for his obliging communications. Garter's father, born August 9, 1684, died January 16, 1755, and was buried at St. Dunstan's in the East. He married thrice. One of his wives was Sarah, only daughter of William Wilde, of Long-Whalton in Leicestershire: he married her, June 9, 1712, and she died in 1714. Two of his sons were Garter, and the Rev. James Townley, M. A., born May 6, 1714, a man of great learning and estimation every way. He was head master of Merchant Taylors' School, rector of St. Bennet, Gracechurch-Street. As the intimate and highly esteemed friend of David Garrick, Esq. he was presented by him to the vicarage of Hendon, in Middlesex, of which Mr. Garrick was both patron and lord of the manor. It is now generally allowed, that he wrote that witty production, "High Life below Stairs." By Jane, daughter and coheir of Peter Bonniro, merchant of Lisbon, he left four sons, and seven daughters. Of the former are, James Townley, Esq., a proctor in Doctors' Commons, the Rev. G. S. Townley, rector of St. Stephen, Walbroke, and Mr. Charles Townley, engraver to his Prussian Majesty. Sir Charles Townley, Garter, was born on Tower-Hill, May 7, 1713. I do not know what was his original destination; but desirous of becoming a member

of

Garter.

of the College, he agreed to purchase Mr. Jones, York's, tabard, for £400, GEORGE III.
but he found great opposition. The Townleys in Lancashire, attached to
the royal, imprudent, unfortunate Stuarts, had been implicated in the
attempt in 1715, to place that family upon the throne; it involved them
in the greatest misfortunes. At length, the late King was prevailed upon
to admit that he should become an herald. It has been remarked, that
his patent as York was the first which passed in the English language; nor
is it less observable, that a warrant issued from Francis Howard, Earl of
Effingham, Deputy Earl Marshal, to dispense with the ceremony of cre-
ation, as had been usual: it was the more extraordinary because a patent
had been signed, September 3, 1735, to perform it. Mr. Brooke, Somer-
set, says, he was the first gentleman on whom His present Majesty was
pleased to confer the honor of knighthood after his coronation. He was
not the first, but the third, who received that title, which was given after
the first course at dinner. Garter, without the sparkling wit and solid
learning of his brother, was elegant and well informed. He died greatly
respected at his lodgings in Camden-Street, in Islington, June 7, 1774,
and was buried in the family vault, under the north part of St. Dunstan's
Church in the East, in London. He married Mary, youngest daughter
and coheir of George Eastwood, of Thornhill in the West Riding of York-
shire. By her he had Charles Townley, Esq. late Lancaster, William, John,
and Mary. Garter's widow remarried in October, 1786, the Rev.
Johnson, then curate of Ashley in Staffordshire.

THOMAS BROWNE, Esq.

This gentleman was second son of John Browne, of Ashborne in Derbyshire, by Dorothy, daughter of John Greatrex. Garter first resided at his seat of Little-Wimley, near Stevenage in Hertfordshire, which he received with his wife: afterward he removed to Camville-Place in Esinden in that county; but he died at his town house in St. James' Street, Bedford-Row, on February 22, 1780, aged seventy-nine. His death was occasioned by a palsey, which had long afflicted him. His body was taken to Esinden with great funeral pomp: the herse and pall were adorned with escocheons of his arms. John Whitwick, Esq. his grandson, gave the Society of Antiquaries a portrait of him in mezzotinto. Martha, his wife, youngest daughter and coheir of George Needham, of Wymondley Priory

Garter.

GEORGE III. in Hertfordshire, brought him the estate lying at Little-Wimley, long possessed by the Needhams, one of whom had been a falconer to Richard III, and had that Monarch's portrait painted upon wood. His descendant, James Needham, surveyor of the royal woods to Henry VIII., obtained a grant of the estate from the crown. Garter sold the property at LittleWimley to Mr. Vanderplank, whose daughter, Mrs. Jodrell, a widow, now, or lately enjoyed it. The ancient seat, partly destroyed, serves for a farm-house. Garter was the most eminent land-surveyor in the kingdom, which acquired him the epithet Sense Browne, which distinguished him from his contemporary, the elegant Lancelot Brown, Esq. usually called Capability Brown. Mrs. Browne, Garter's widow, dying in 1779, was also buried at Esinden. By her he had two sons and four daughters. 1, George Browne, Gent. Blue-mantle, who died in his father's life time. 2, The Rev. William Browne, of Camville-Place, who marrying, at Mary-la-bonne church, Ann, eldest daughter of Sir Fitzwilliam Barrington, Bart. has had William Browne, borne at Camville-Place, July 30, 1792-3,— married to John Whitwick, Esq. in Staffordshire, F.A.S. 4, Barbara; 5, Martha; 6, Dorothy; all unmarried in 1779. He gave each daughter £5000, and £9000 more to be equally distributed amongst them, which, with his real estates, made their fortunes very considerable. He gave by his will to Mr. Delate £200; to his brother £200, and two other legacies of £100 each.

RALPH BIGLAND, Esq.

Appointed February 26; created March 2, 1780.

By a very long and full pedigree of the Biglands, entered in the College at Arms, it appears, that Garter's family was originally seated at Bigland in Lancashire, in Henry VIIth's reign. * Bigland, an hamlet to the parish of Cartmel, is remarkable for its fine woods and charming prospect of the country. The rivers Ken and Leven heighten its beauties. At the top of its ascent there is a fish-pond, so deep and spacious that a man of war might sail in it. From the common ancestor, Edward Bigland †, of Bigland, descended three branches: the eldest remained there for a long time, another settled in Essex; from the third Garter descended. His father, Richard

* Richard Bigland, Esq. of Frowlesworth in Leicestershire, of the eldest stem, died June 24, 1760. His pedigree is copiously given in the College Records.

† Of the second branch was Richard Bigland, Esq. of Peterborough, who in April, 1743, married the widow of the industrious Antiquary, Dr. White Kennet, Bishop of Peterborough.

4