MONTAGU. 343 III. 1680. ■'! and Kalph (Montagu), I'.aron Montagu op Earldom BoUGWKHJ. 2d but 1st surv. ». and h. ; at his grandmother's (Lady Winwood's) house in London, and Imp. 29 Dec. 1638, at St. L 1080. Bartholomew's the Less; Master of the Horse to the Queen , j Consort, 1005-83 ; Ambassador to Paris where he affected the Uuiceaom. greatest splendor, 1006, 1060, 1676, and 1677-78 ; P.O., 1672-78, I 1705. anfl *f*' n » 1680; Master of Hie Wardrobe, 1671-Sfi, and again, 1689-65 ; M.P. for Northampton, 1078 : for Huntingdonshire, 1078-79, and for Northampton (again), 1070-83, supporting the Hill of Exclusion in the House of Commons, lie tut. to the peerage, 10 Jan. 1083 ; took a most active part in the House of Lords in promoting the Revolution, and was, by tin- new Sovereigns, restored to his otlice in the Wardrobp, and er., 0 April 1080, VISCOUNT MONTH KRMKR,(«) of Montberffler, co. Essex, and KARL OF MONTAGU. In 1695 he entertained King William III. with great splendour at Houghton house, co. Northampton, He was n: (by Queen Anne), 14 April 1705, MARQUESS OF MONTHERMER(») and DUKE OF MONTAGU.-; 1 ') He »«. firstly in 1071 nt Tttchfield, Hants, Elizabeth, Dow. Countess ok Northumberland, da. and coheir of Thomas ( Wkiothksi ey), Ith Earl ok Southamiton, by his second wife, Elizabeth, da. and coheir of Francis (Leiuii), 1st Earl ok Chichester. She was bur. 20 Sep. 1000, atWarkton. co. Northampton. He mi. secondly, S Sep. 1092, Elizabeth, Dow. Duchess ok Albemarle, 1st da. and coheir of Henry (Cavendish), 2d Di ke ok Newcastle, by Frances da. of the Hon. William Pierrei'ont. He d. suddeuly at Montagu house, Bloomsbury, 0. and was tnr. 10 March 170S/9, at Warkton.( c ) Will pr. Dee. 1700. His widow, who was well known as " the mad Duchess" d. s.p.s. at Newcastle house, Clerkeuwell, Midx., 2S Aug., and was bur. 11 Sep. 1731, in Westm. Abbey, aged SO, or, according to the journals of the day, 90. Admou. 4 Nov. 1734. [Winwood Montagu, styled Loud Montiiermer, 2<l( li ) but 1st surv. ?. and h. ap.. by first wife. He tl. v. p. ami until, at Flauders,( e ) aged about 20, and was bur. 28 June 1702, at Warkton.] ( :l ) The IJarony of Montiiermer devolved soon after 1340 on the family of Montacute from whom the grantee assumed himself to be descended. See p. 206, note " d," tub "Manchester." m Thai this distinction was beyond what was merited may be inferred from the following lines " written by Mr. Gwinnett " alluding to this creation together with the Knighthood of Sir Edward Hanucs. one of the Queen's physicians (who " having been for some time mad, died July 1710") and of Sir William Read, an occulist, ("a mountebank formerly " and a '• barber at Ashdou, in Essex," who "can neither write nor read ") at the same date. " The Queen, like Heaven, shines equally on all, Her favours now without tlislinction fall, Great Read and slender Hashes, both knighted, show That none their honours shall to merit owe, J hat popish doctrine is exploded quite, Or Ralph had been no Duke, aod Read no Knight ; That none may virtue or their learning plead, This has uo Grace, and that can hardly Read." See " Top. and Gen.," iii, 153 and 379. ( c ) Macky in his " Characters " says of him, " he is a great supporter of the French and other Protestants who are drove into England by the tyranny of their Princes ; an admirer of learning and learned men, especially the Beaux Bsprits and the Belles Littles ; a good judge of architecture and painting as his fine pictures at his houses in Northamptonshire | Boughton house] anil London [Montagu house, Bloomsbury], do show ; he hath one of the best estates in England which he knows very well how to improve ; is of a middle stature, inclining to fat, of a coarse, dark, complexion, and is near 00 [in 1705, however, he was nearer 70] years old." () Ralph Montagu, his eldest br. b. S Aug. 1079, d. at the age of about 12, before his father had attained the Earldom. («) He died, "coming from Hanover [being] said to be killed with drinking too much in that Court." Le Neve's memoranda as in Top. and Gen. hi., 41.
