patronymic. Her will is still extant, and it is not a little curious; but a strong confirmation of the story told above may be found in the fact that when speaking of the name of Germaine she says nothing about the arms of that family-two points which the Heralds' College scarcely ever contemplate as separable, even in thought.

Lord George Sackville, as my readers will remember, in early life served in the army at Dettingen, Fontenoy, Minden, and several battles abroad, as well as subsequently in the Scottish campaign of 1745. He was a godson of King George I., and for many years a Member of the House of Commons and Secretary of State for Ireland, and also for America under Lord North's administration. It was he, too, who was sent by the Duke of Cumberland in 1748 to negotiate the peace with Marshal Saxe. He was severely blamed, and even censured by a court martial, for his conduct at Minden; but he afterwards rose, as I have said, to high ministerial employments at home.

In 1782, on retiring from office, he was created (not however without remonstrance on part of some noble lords) Viscount Sackville, and Baron of Bolebrooke, in Sussex-titles which passed to his son and successor, but were subsequently merged in the ducal title of Dorset, which that

son inherited in 1815 on the death of his cousin. These titles, however, all became extinct at the last Duke's death without issue in 1843. It so happened, however, that his uncle, John, third Duke of Dorset, the owner of princely Knole, and of Buckhurst in Sussex, though he had no son, yet left two daughters, married respectively to the Earl of Plymouth and Earl Delawarr. The estate of Knole, and eventually the representation of the historic house of Sackville, and of its honours-which had included the Viscomty of Sackville and the Baronies of Bolehurst and of Buckhurst-passed to the younger daughter, who in 1864 was created in her own right Baroness Buckhurst. This title, at her death in 1870, devolved, under a special remainder, on her second surviving son, Earl Delawarr, while a younger son inherited "princely " Knole and was created Lord Sackville.

The title of Buckhurst is one which all my readers will identify with the name of Thomas Sackville, first Earl of Dorset, Lord High Treasurer of England in the reign of Elizabeth, who is known as the author of some poems which have taken their place among English classics, and are read with delight whenever the English tongue is spoken.

It only remains to add that the mansion of

Drayton House is described in the "Beauties of England and Wales" as an antiquated and castellated structure, and that in an engraving of the house by Buck (1729) it is said that the house was formerly a castle; but if so, it must have been very much altered, though it still retains some of its castellated features in its embattled walls and entrance gateway, and the two square turrets at either end. It contains, inter ulia, a fine collection of pictures and portraits by the most eminent masters. In Lowick Church, under the east window of the north aisle, is an altar tomb, on which is a recumbent female figure, representing the Lady Mary Mordaunt, whose marriages we have already recorded. On the north side, on a similar tomb, lies the effigy of a knight in armour, with an inscription stating that beneath it repose the remains of Sir John Germaine, knight and baronet, who figures in the Extinct Baronetage as "Sir John Germaine, of Westminster," and who there appears to have had neither father nor mother. At all events, his pedigree is "conspicuous by its absence" from the work of Sir Bernard Burkean omission very significant, and a strong confirmation of the supposition which I have already recorded as to his real parentage. I have read, though I cannot now tell where, a statement to

the effect that Sir John Germaine was so illiterate a person that he could scarcely sign his name; but I cannot vouch for the truth of the assertion.

209

THE DUCAL HOUSE OF SUTHERLAND.

N an early chapter of this series of papers,

IN

while speaking of the Grenvilles, I took occasion to remark that many of our ducal houses are built up, so far as wealth is concerned, of a succession of heiresses. Of no family is my remark more true than it is in the noble House of Gower, which, rising steadily but slowly, at last, some forty years ago, reached its zenith of exaltation, when its head won his strawberry leaves from William IV. The Gowers, however, have been among the "noble and gentle men" of England for many a long age. According to the consent of all our best antiquaries, they can boast of a Saxon origin, and in all probability, like the Coplestones and two other Devonshire families, can boast that their ancestors were "at home"seated, that is, on lands of their own-" when