Kingston House, built about 1770, a large and pleasant mansion, and when first erected attracting notice by the conservatory attached to it. In this conservatory is a large window, representing a garden scene, painted by John Martin when a pupil of Charles Muss, the enamel painter.
Elizabeth Chudleigh was daughter of a Devonshire gentleman, who died when she was very young; but her mother having interest with Mr. Pulteney, she was appointed, at the age of eighteen, maid of honour to the Princess of Wales, mother to George III. In the aristocratic circle into which she was now introduced, she soon became a great favourite, and more than one young scion of nobility cast a lover’s eye towards her. The young Duke of Hamilton was, however, the successful one; and the pledge of affiance passed mutually. He set forth on his travels, and she retired to the residence of an aunt, Mrs. Hanmer, where she found one of the most frequent visitors was the Hon. Mr. Hervey. He seems to have made up his mind instantly; but aware of her pledge to the duke, he induced Mrs. Hanmer to intercept their letters. The result of the scheme was as Hervey expected: no letters arriving, Miss Chudleigh believed herself slighted; and wrought on by the persuasions of Mrs. Hanmer, agreed to accept Captain Hervey. They were married privately, August 4th, 1744, but separated the day after, she continuing to fill her office as maid of honour. The dissimulation this compelled her to practise was probably the main cause of her after misfortunes; it was only by the knowledge that he would be compelled to maintain her, that Captain Hervey could be induced not to assert his claim; and her union being unknown at Court, she was still as much courted as ever. Home came Hamilton—he had been faithful to her—and demanded that explanation she was not able (unaccountably to him) to give, offered his hand again, which, of course, she was compelled to refuse. His despair was excessive; inquiries were made, and the duplicity of Mrs. Hanmer unveiled.
Unfortunately, instead of allowing time to soothe her sorrows, she began to drown them in a manner which showed a disregard of her sex and position. To escape the torrent of torment, she resolved to travel; but unwilling to go alone, was indiscreet enough to advertise in the newspapers for a companion. She succeeded, and off they started; but, as might have been expected, were soon tired of each other, and separated at Berlin. Here she was introduced to the great Frederick, who treated her with great distinction.
Returning home, she plunged into all the dissipation which then characterised society in the metropolis; but again her husband crossed her path and seemed determined to claim her, and finding remonstrance useless, she resorted to the dishonest stratagem of tearing out the leaf bearing the register of her marriage. Her husband had now no power to prove their union, as the clergyman who performed the ceremony was dead. This step she soon regretted; for Captain Hervey, succeeding to the Earldom of Bristol, by his father’s death, her vanity made the rank of Countess very acceptable, and through the clerk she succeeded in replacing in the register-book the leaf she had abstracted.
Such was her position when the Duke of Kingston offered her his hand. Of course such was impossible; and accordingly they lived together for several years, but with such observance of external decorum, that though a moral, it was not an evidenced certainty. Her husband, on negotiations being opened, refused to gratify her with the title of Duchess; but a separation afterwards suiting his own wishes, he agreed not to oppose her application for a divorce, and the necessary proofs being withheld, it was granted. She now attained her wishes, and was married to the Duke March 8th, 1769.
While the Duke lived, the legality of the marriage was not questioned; but he died September 24th, 1773, and left her his whole fortune, on condition she did not marry again—a restraint she was by no means inclined to abide by. She, however, set out for Rome, where Ganganelli gave her apartments in the palace of one of his cardinals, and otherwise showed her distinction. Here, however, her gaiety was soon stopped by news of a disagreeable nature from home.
A Mrs. Cradock had been present as a domestic at her marriage with Lord Bristol, and, being in reduced circumstances, applied to the Duchess’s solicitor for relief; he, discrediting her tale, refused any, on which she went to Mr. Evelyn Pierrepoint, nephew of the Duke, and informed him of every particular. He thereupon preferred an indictment for bigamy against the Duchess, of which being informed, she, after surmounting various obstacles, landed at Dover, and was immediately bailed before Lord Mansfield, preparatory to taking her trial.
Before, however, that came on, an unexpected enemy appeared. Foote, imagining the case to afford capital material for his wit, wrote a piece, called “The Trip to Calais,” in which the Duchess was cleverly satirised as Lady Kitty Crocodile. Foote, whose real object was to obtain a sum of money to suppress the piece, contrived to let her know what was astir; and the Duchess, alarmed for once most terribly, sent for him. He waited on, and read her a part of his play. She felt the sting, and rose in great passion, declaring his delineation scandalous. He denied that the character was intended for her ladyship, and the play was left for her perusal. An intimation was made as Foote expected; but he refusing the offer of £1,600, and declaring he would not abate one shilling from the £2,000 demanded, he lost all; for her friends interceding with the Lord Chamberlain, he sent for, and censured the play. Foote published a letter of remonstrance, but the Duchess making every preparation for an action at law, he was completely defeated. A paper-war ensued, in which Foote had the advantage, greatly to the amusement, if not edification, of the public.
On April 15th, 1776, her trial commenced in Westminster Hall, Lord Bathurst sitting as Lord Steward. She was convicted; but pleading the privilege of the peerage, was discharged with a caution.
She left England immediately, and passed the rest of her life abroad. She purchased a magnificent estate near Fontainebleau, where she died, August 20th, 1788. [170a]