“The Earl of Ogle, to his father, the Duke of Newcastle.
“1675, July 11. “I most humbly acquante your Grace, that when I was at London Mr. Robert Buttler desired to know of me wheather I would assent of my Lord Lexington for one of my daughters. I made answer if his Lordship would be contented with three thowsand pound portion and marry my second daughter, and upon those termes, I should take it for a friendship from any friend that procured it, soe the young people liked each other. After this discourse, my sister Bolingbrooke was desired by my Lady Sellinger to offer her grandson my Lord Lexington to me, I wayted with my sister Bolingbrooke upon my Lady Sellenger and Sir Anthoney her husband, and before my sister I told them I desired them to expect but 3000£. portion, and if thay weare contented with that I would acquante your Grace, and that I did hope your Grace would approove of it. Thay was very well contented and offered me my Lord Lexington should come, downe with me. My Lord is fourteen years of age next January; then I wish he was marryed, and soe doe thay too. There can be no settlement of his esstate upon his childeren untill he be one and twenty yeares old, and soe noe portion paid till that time, but security thay will expect for the payment of it. If my Lord Lexington should die before he be of age my daughter hath the thirds of his esstate, and thay are not to live togeather till he be eighteen yeares of age. He keepes him selfe, and I keepe my daughter, and my wife and I thinkes it a very good fortune for such a portion, and my wife and I most humbly desire to know your Graces pleasure concerning this offer.”
Here we see a little of his celebrated match-making great-grandmother exhibiting itself in Ogle. The Lexington match, however, never came off. Ogle’s second daughter married John, second Earl of Breadalbane.
The next entry in the Historical Commission’s Report of the Welbeck MSS. shows that even daughters, like other worms, will turn if tried too hard.