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."

That factitious gallimawfry of "Love-letters between a Nobleman and his Sister-in-law 7," printed in 1684, and referred to this lord Grey, is said to have comprised the figments of Mrs. Behn, and not of Mrs. Manley or Heywood, as lord Orford supposed.]

7 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. He was charactered in Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel under the name of Caleb.

ROBERT SPENCER,

EARL OF SUNDERLAND,

HAVING been loaded with variety of accus. ations 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, called,

"The Earl of Sunderland's Letter, discovering the Papists' Designs; to a Friend in the Country, &c. March 28. 1689.” 3

2 ["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.] 3 Somers' Tracts, vol. i. p. 602.

EARL SPENCER

Feb1 1807 by J. Scott, N442. Strand

[Robert, the only son and heir of Henry, first earl of Sunderland, was from his youth, says Collins, of a manly disposition. Dr. Pierce, his tutor, affirmed he had a willingness and aptness to be taught, which made his education not so much an employment as a recreation and reward. 5 On returning to England from his travels, his parts and politeness made him soon distinguished, and Charles the second appointed him ambassador extraordinary to the court of Spain, in 1671; he seems partly to have failed in his embassy, from the informality of not having made a public entry into Madrid. After his departure from Spain, he resided some time at Paris, in a diplomatic capacity, and continued abroad till 1674. In 1678 he was again sent on an embassy to the French court, and from thence to Holland; but in the beginning of 1679 he was appointed secretary of state along with sir William Temple', which office he held till February 1681, when he was displaced; but re-admitted in September 1682.8 Soon after the accession of

Peerage, vol. i. p. 381. Lord Sunderland's mother was lady Dorothy Sidney, the Sacharissa of Waller. His father volunteered his services to Charles I., and was slain at the battle of Newbury. A portrait of him was preserved at Penshurst.

5 Lloyd's Memoires of the Loyalists, p. 433.

6 Letters and Negotiations in Spain, vol. ii. p. 170.

See Memoirs, part ii. p.385.

Lord Sunderland seems to have furnished a frequent subject for lampoon. A satirical essay, in Harl. MS. 6913, thus characterizes hin: