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Some Cartwright records (2)

By Mrs George Cartwright

"I am very sorry to heare of ye many burdens and afflictions especially of the trebles and weakness of my sonne, Hugh, I beseech GOD comfort him in all his trebles. I pray you present my service to ye Lord & Lady you mention, and to all my frends. I am glad if you dispose of ye daughters to yr contentment. I pray you commend me to my sonne Cartwright & to good Citty his wife, to my sonne Will and to poore Lu his wife, to Grace & Francke. And I beseech the God of heaven to bless, preserve & defend them and all theirs, & send us a happy and comfortable meeting.

Farewell my deare
yr most affectionate husband
Hugh Cartwright."

William Cartwright, of Normanton, who was so much disliked by Mrs. Hutchinson, married Christian Cartwright, Sir Hugh Cartwright's daughter, who was doubtless the "Citty" mentioned in his letter. He is mentioned in Thoroton as "William Cartwright the Lawyer, who built a house of brick and stone at Normanton." Their son, William, deserted the Stuart cause, and served as a captain in Ireland in the regiment which the Earl of Kingston led for William of Orange, but as Sir Hugh's brother, Fulke Cartwright, had married Mary Pierrepont, sister of the Earl of Kingston, this change of masters was probably due to family connections. William Cartwright, who was evidently more of a soldier than a scholar, wrote the two following letters to his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Charlton, of Chilwell, and, dying during the siege of Londonderry, was buried at Belfast:—

"August 27th 1689
My dearest Deare
On Monday ye 18th wee marched to ye towne of Caravargus, (a very strong place) haveing ye sea on ye one side, the towne being strongly walled and a very strong castle in it, (being thought one of the strongest in Ireland) which received us with great store both of great and small shott, but ye night being darke, wee made our aproch within a hundred yards of ye castle, and working very hard, by ye morning wee had made our trencher secure, and throwne up our batteries undiscovered, as soone as it was light we began to play our great and small shott very plentifully, which has continued ever since almost without intermission. Ye last night our Regimend and foure more entred the trenches about eight oclock, haveing double ye quantity of amunition that wee use to have, which wee made so good use of, that wee by one oclock had made three great fires in ye towne, as soon as it was day the enemy hung out a white flag and came to capitulation the towne was surrendered to us about tenn oclock yt day, wee have lost very few men in this enter-price I have lost never a man, I have one man very ill, wounded in his left hand by a musket (viz James Thomas yt quartered at Hen. Woodward's) Give my service to all my ferindes and let them know I have my health extremely well, give my blessing to all my little ones, and I pray GOD send you and them yor healthes. You may send me an account of all your wellfaires, direct yor letter for Captain Cartwright in ye Earl of Kingston's Regiment to be left with Mr Simon Smith at his house in Bellfast in ye Kingdom of Ireland,

so I rest in haste
thine as ever
W. Cartwright."

"October 1st
from the camp neare Dundalk

My Deare

The reason I have been so long from writing to thee is that when wee parted from Belfast (which was on the Monday after I wrote last to thee) I fell very sick, and soe continued all the march which was till Saturday, at which time wee came witin three miles of the enimies camp, where wee encamped on Sunday night I had the small-pox appeared after which time I have never been sick though I lay all the time in the fields on the side of a blake mountayne, I had about 50 on my face and a great many on my body and hands. I thank God I am gott very well shut of them and am gott abroad in perfect health. Since wee came heare wee have had very little action (only some scermiges by the scouts with the loss of some few men on both sides) till Friday last and then the enimy sent out a party about 14 hundred to forage ye country, which the generall having notice of, sent out a detachment who gott between them and home and charged them so home that they left 500 of them dead on the place, took several prisoners amongst whom was three colls and brought away 800 head of black cattle. This day the fleet is set saile for Scotland to fetch 7000 hoars and foot, it is thought wee shall not stir till these recruits come to us and then it is beleived wee shall either force the enimy to fight or drive them before us. I thank God I want nothing but some of your good drink for the country drink is very bad and very deare the worst being sold for a groate a quart most of our drink is faire water such a thing as wine is not to be seine in this country wee are forced to drink brandy sometimes and that is soe deare that it half breaketh us it being sold five shillings six pence the quart. You may tell Mrs Thornton that her sonne was very well and was at my tent on Friday night last where wee had one little bole of punch to rejoyce for the good news, the artillery was several times fired. Remember me to all my relations and give them an account of my welfaire, give my service to my bro. George, and desire him to remember mee to the clubb at Southwell and tell them when I meet with good ale I will be sure to drinke theire healths. I have not more at present to write I pray God bless you all and in due time send us a happy meeting is the prayres of

thine W. Cartwright

When you see any of Oxton send them word that all theire neighbours with mee are well as also our Southwell sparkes except Lewood who begins to stoop and look old for want of Southwell ale I believe his fiddle wants ale for I have not heard it make a noyse this great while. I long to hear how you all doe and what news there is in Nottinhamshire. On Saturday last there was a very pernissious plot discovered, between 2 and 3 hundred pretended french protestants had engaged to betray our camp to K. J. and turn our gunns upon us but by the providence of God there letters were intercepted and these consperiturs imediately apprhended and called to a counssell of war 6 of the ringleaders presently hanged and all the rest put on ship-board what there fate will bee is not yet knowne."

William Cartwright's son advanced the family fortunes by his marriage with Rebecca, only daughter and heiress of John Nicholson, of Marnham, to whom he wrote this charming love-letter:—

"Normanton March 29 1700

Mrs. Nicholson

I am sorry the solemnity of this week should render it somewhat improper to wait on the dear Creature whose Society I love above all things on Earth. However I could not content myself without hearing of her Welfare which I would very fain do, and from her own fair hand were not that too great a trouble. I shall await with much impatience till Monday comes that I may see my Dearest, whose idea is ever in my mind. I shall think the hours glide on very slowly till our next meeting which I hope will be a large recompence for this long absence which otherwise would be intolerable. My humble duties, pray, to Mr Nicholson and your brother who I doubt not is with you by this time. I remain

sweet soul

your most sincere and passionate

Lover W. Cartwright."

Miss Nicholson's brother must have died shortly afterwards, for the result of this alliance was to make Marnham the chief seat of this branch of the family, and their son, William Cartwright, of Marnham, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, still further cemented the relationship between the two branches of the Cartwright family by marrying, in 1742, his distant cousin, Anne Cartwright, of Ossington, while his sister became the second wife of Sir John Brownlow, K.B., Viscount Tyrconnel, of Belton, after whose death, in 1754, she lived with her brother at Marnham.

The following amusing extract is from a letter written to Lady Tyrconnell by Mr. Francis Cust, in 1773 :—

"I must now make ye best of my way to London, but before I go, I am desirous of anticipating the news of tomorrow's Festivities at Court, and of communicating to your La^p and the Circle at Marnham the following intelligence

1st The Queen takes it ill that your La^p and Miss Cartwright are not at Court.

2ndly Her Majesty intends to make her appearance there for a little while, if it is in her power. She was at ye Drawingroom on New Years Day, and nearly thrown down by Miss Johnson's Hoop. The Queen's dress was not a 'vesture of gold,' but a suit of white velvet.

3rdly There has been but little Finery sold for ye Birthday, and Miss Cartwright should know that the Orange and Rhubarb colour is all the Ton. I have learnt this from authentic female authority, and as to ye dress of ye Gents, I have only heard that Lord Villars introduced from foreign parts a suit of Cloathes, which was to excite admiration tomorrow. The price was 800. The Buttons of ye Coat were enammelled and a Muse painted on each Button, and ye Coat was ornamented with Pearl Cupids and Doves, but this unhappy suit no sooner reached the Land than it fell into ye hands of Custom House Officers, who burnt it with other Suits amounting in ye whole to fifty or thereabouts."

On the death of Anne's brother George, in 1762, the Ossington branch became extinct. He left four daughters and co-heiresses, Mary, Dorothy, Jane, and Anne, who married respectively Sir Charles Buck, Lord Middleton, Sir Digby Legard, and Sir John Whitefoord. The estate of Ossington was sold, and passed into the possession of the Denison family, by whom it is still held.

That it must have cost William and Anne much anxious thought to find godparents for their large family of thirteen children is shewn by a quaint old scribbled memorandum containing "Ye names of our friends that have stood gossops to our children." This large family, however, possessed more than an average share of brains, and of the five sons who lived to grow up, three became celebrities, while one at least of the daughters, Catherine, who is reported by her niece to have been as "clever as she is good," lived with unimpaired intellect to the great age of ninety-three.

In a little red morocco diary with silver clasps, Catherine gives a delightful picture of the simple pleasures enjoyed by ladies of position in her day. A description of a short tour in Sherwood Forest in 1770 seems of sufficient topical interest to quote. "Oct. 8th. My father, mother, Betsy and I went to meet Mr and Mrs Blake & the two Miss Steads at Worksop, & went with them that day to see Welbeck, & all returned to a late dinner at Worksop. On ye gth we carried them to breakfast at Worksop Manor, where there was a good deal of company, amongst the rest, Mrs Harry Howard ; soon after breakfast we saw the house, which is most magnificently furnished, we then took our leave of the Duchess of Norfolk, but not of the place, as 3 of their Graces' chaises carried us all over those beautiful gardens and menageries, which, when we had seen, we stept into our own coaches & went to see Clumber House, from thence my mother, Betsy & I went directly to Scarthing-more, but my father went with the Blake party to shew them Thorseby Park, & then they followed us to Scarthingmore, where we got a late dinner & stay'd all night. On the loth we conducted them to Marnham by breakfast ; the day passed agreeably on all sides. On the nth we all sallied forth after breakfast some on horses, some in chaises & spent the morning in coursing, & had (what is call'd) fine diversion. Cards & a little music occupied the evening, Mrs Blake play'd upon the guitar, & excels in that as she does in everything else.

"13th. After breakfast Mr & Mrs Blake & Miss Steads left us, parting with mutual regret on both sides. I carried Mrs Blake in the Whiskey as far as Muskham turnpike ; grieved I could go no farther with one of the most amiable, accomplished, elegant & engaging women I ever knew."

In the following February, Catharine describes some local gaieties.

"1771 Feb. 8th. This evening we had a little ball at Marnham, the strangers were Miss Molyneux, Miss Eyre, the four Miss Kearneys, (for whom the ball was made) Mr Kearney, Mr Bagot, Mr G. Disney, Mr Clarke, the two Mr Pocklingtons, Mr G. Hutton, & Mr & Mrs Nevile ; the company came to tea, & went next morning after breakfast. This little dance was by each individual allowed to be remarkably agreeable.

"Feb. 11. My sister Fanny & I went to Wellow, & stay'd 3 weeks ; on the 26th we & Miss Molyneux, Betsy & Dolly who came to us, went altogether to Mansfield assembly, where Mrs Sympson, the four Miss Kearneys, Mr Kearney, the two Mr Pocklingtons, & my brother, Charles, met us. After the assembly w^h was particularly agreeable, my sisters & I returned home again with Miss Molyneux."

In a couple of loose pages preserved from another diary, Catharine describes a visit to London. Although, unfortunately, the exact year is not mentioned, yet judging from internal evidence, it may be presumed that the visit took place in 1760.

"Monday, May ye 12. Sister Betty and I set out for London in our own chaise, which carried us as far as Coleworth this night. We dined at Grantham in our way at the George, where we saw Miss Fisher, and Miss Ellis, who walked with us till dinner was ready, & when we returned to the inn, found Mrs Osbaldiston & Mrs Harriot Digby, ask'd them how they did. After dinner we went and stay'd an hour with Sir Charles & Lady Buck, then came on to Colesworth, where we lay.

"Tuesday 13. When we came down to breakfast found the Doctor & Captain Walker, who sat chatting an hour or two with us, and after they went, Miss Fisher, Miss & young Mrs Ellis, & Mr Harrison came to see us, & we walked about all the morning, and then dined together, my father also, who gave us the meeting. After dinner he, Betty and I set out post for London at forty minutes after 3, and arrived at our lodgings in Great George St at half an hour past 6. Went to bed for 3 hours. After breakfast, Lady Cust, Miss Lucy, and the two little Misses Cust, Mrs Phillips, & Mr Wyche made us visits. I went to a milliners about business, and then Miss Cartwright,& Betsy,& I drank tea at Mrs Winfords, then went to Sir John Cust, where my sister met us, Lady Tyrconnel dined there, and from thence that family and all us went to Ranelagh, & also Mr & Mrs Mason.

The place was tolerably full, saw Mr L there, and had a deal of talk with him. Betsy and I came home with Mrs Phillips, the rest in our own coach.

"Friday 16. We young ones & my father walk'd upon Westminster Bridge to see the prospect. Afterwards Lady Tyrconnel, Bet & I walk'd thro' the Parks to Lady Caroline Ducie's. Bet & I stayed only half an hour, and left Lady Tyrconnel there, while we walked in Hyde Park to meet our Cousin Cartwright, and my sister, Anne, and my brother, William. We got into the coach with them, and all came together to the gate at the top of Constitution Hill, where we all and my mother alighted, & walk'd thro the Green Park again, till we got a little lower down to the King's yacht, which we went into, and then proceeded to Grinwich, and were most highly entertained with that magnificent building. We sent for our French horn to play to us in the Hall, where there is a most prodigious echo; from thence we crost over the Court into the Chappie, where the funeral service was performing for one of the poor sailors. When we had examined the beautiful Chappie, we walked about the Courts, and then took our barge again, & returned to Whitehall Stairs, but instead of coming directly into George Street, we turned off and went into Westminster Hall, to see the scaffold erected for the late Laurence, Earl Ferrers' tryal. From thence we came home, drest and went to Ranelagh. Mr & Mrs Mason called upon us, and took two of us in their coach, and brought two of us back again. Mr. Stuart came back in our coach, & stay'd half an hour at our lodgings, till he got a chair. Ranelagh was very full with a great mixture of company.

Saturday ye 17. After breakfast we were going into the City upon business, but the mantua maker came to try on our sacks, so my brother Cartwright & Miss Cartwright went by themselves, and, at their return they, my sister and I walk'd in the Park till dinner, after which we drest, and Lady Tryconnel & my sister went to the Opera, and Mamma, Miss Cartwright, Brother, Bet & I went to the Play, ' The Merchant of Venice ' with ' Love a la Mode.' My brother and Mr Roberts returned home with us to supper and stayed till one oclock.

Tuesday ye 20. My brother breakfasted with us. It rained so hard all morning we could not get out, & if I recollect we had no Company. We all dined at Mr Mason's, as did Mr, Mrs, & Miss Dayrel. After dinner Miss Lucy & Mr F Cust call'd of us to the Play, where we all went. It was ' The provoked Wife ' with ' Love a la Mode.' Garrick and Gibber acted in the play. Mr L was there, and made me a sweet bow with a smile."

It is to be feared that Mr L  was a gay deceiver, for there is a rather disappointed little entry on the 22nd.

"Thursday 22. After breakfast Lady Tyrconnel, my sisters, Miss Cartwright and myself went to view the monuments in Westminster Abbey, and at our return, drest, and went to Mr Wyches' to dinner & from thence to the Play, which was 'Richard the Third' with 'High Life below Stairs.' Mr & Miss Stuart met us there by their own appointment. Garrick performed, and the house was full, but nobody there, at least that I could see."

The attentions of poor Mr Stuart, who appears from other entries, to have been a most devoted cavalier, were evidently not appreciated, and as a matter of fact, Catharine Cartwright remained unmarried.

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