as a Marquis of the family of La Rochefoucauld are erected upon a ground-work, embellished with the ordnance insignia. In 1735 (October 27) he became a general in the army.
Under the date January 1736, the Historical Register has the following entry:—
“His Majesty, having erected a new post of honour, under the title of Field-Marshal of the Armies of Great Britain, conferred the same on His Grace the Duke of Argyle and the Right Hon. the Earl of Orkney.”
The above announcement gives great interest to the following:—
“June 1737. — The Marquess de Montandre, General of the Horse, is made Field-Marshall of all and singular His Majesty’s Forces, as well Horse as Foot, in the room of the Earl of Orkney deceased.”
In 1738 he was appointed “Captain, Keeper, and Governor of the Island of Gucrnzey, and Castle of Cornet, with the appurtenants, and of the islands and places of Serke, Krmon, and Southow, otherwise Gitton.”
Field-Marshal the Marquis de Montandre died in his house in Great Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, London, on August 8th, 1739, at 4 p.m., aged sixty-six years and eleven months. His will was in favour of his widow, — “in the name of God, eternal and Almighty, my Creator, and my judge, in whom I put all my trust and all my hope,” — dated London, 4th March 1736-37, proved 10th August 1739. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. The governors of Guernsey, with a salary of £1500 a-year, were not only permitted, but were commanded, to be non-resident. Montandre having enjoyed the revenue for so short a time, the Marchioness was left in possession for another year, and during that part of her widowhood, she was a subscriber to the fund for erecting new Government buildings in the island.
She lived to a great age. In English society those Countesses did not demean themselves who allowed her to have precedence as a Marchioness. But in any company where the hostess felt that strict rule must be observed, our noble Marquise had a plan to maintain her exalted position. Let the reader suppose that tea has been brought in. Before the groom of the chamber can offer it to the English Peeresses, she says to him in a loud tone of voice, “I would not have tea.” Then when the most of the company have been served, she calls out, “I have bethought myself; I think I will have one cup.” So writes Walpole to Miss Berry. The Marchioness is mentioned in Mrs. Delany’s diary.
4th February 1758. — “Went to my brother’s [Mr. Granville]. . . . He had made a tour of visits in the morning; among the rest was admitted to Madame de Montandre’s toilette, who was attended by her filles-de-chambre. Her hair is so long that when she sits it reaches below the seat of the chair, and is very thick, and only grey next her face, which is very extraordinary fo. a woman turned of fourscore. When she had frizzed and set the fore part, her two damsels divided the hind hair, and in the same instant braided it up, which she twisted round her head before she put on her cap. I asked him ‘if he did not say some fine thing on the occasion;’ but he had only silently admired.” [Her age at that date was not fourscore, but threescore and fifteen.]
Her chambermaids became persons of some importance when the sad duty of proving her ladyship’s will had to be attended to. Her last will and testament, dated in March 1769, was proved on the 21st February 1772 on the testimony of Jane Fowler and Eulalia Carter, who each received a legacy of £200 and an annuity for life of £30. In the “Annual Register” the following notice appeared:— “Died in January 1772, the Marchioness de Montandre, in Lower Brook Street.” The true date of her death was 5th February. Her age was eighty-nine. She was buried in Westminster Abbey, beside her parents and her husband. She had intended Miss Henrietta Louvigny to be her heiress and executrix. This lady was the only daughter of a widow lady and refugee, Madame Jane dc Louvigny of London, formerly of the Hague, Henrietta having administered to her personal property on the 3d June 1720.[1] But Miss Louvigny died before her benefactress; and, according to the provisions of the will (the only deductions being for the domestic servants’ benefit, £600 cash, and £167 per annum in annuities), the heir and sole executor of the Marchioness de Montandre was Samuel Pechell, Esq.
- ↑ Aufrère MSS.
