THE EARL OF BERKELEY AND THE HIGHWAYMAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 46

THE EARL OF BERKELEY AND THE HIGHWAYMAN.

HE DIDN'T SURRENDER. Perhaps the most remarkable old lady whom I knew intimately was Caroline Lowbher, Duchesß of Cleveland, who was born in 1792 and died in 1883. She had been presented to Queen Charlotte when there were only 40 people ab tbe Drawing Room, had danced with the Prince of Orange, and had attended the "breakfasts" given by Albinia, Countest of Buckinghamshire (who died' in 1816), at her villa JQab outside London. The'sifco of the villa is now Hobart place, Eton square, having taken its name from that of the Buckinghamshire family ; and under the treea of its orchard, still discoverable in the back gardens of the Hobart place homes, Sic Hamilton Seymour, who lived to become Am* bassador at Vienna, was stopped by a highwayman when travelling in his father's carriage. He died in 1880 — certainly a good link with the past. Another story of highway robbery which excited me when I was a boy was that of the fifth Earl of Berkeley, who died in 1810. He had always declared that anyone might without disgrace be overcome by superior numbers, bub that he would never surrender to a single highwayman. As he was crossing Hounslow Heath one night, on his way from Berkeley Castle to London, his travelling carriage was stopped by a man on horseback, who put his head in at the window, and said, "I believe you are Lord Berkeley?" J ♦• I am." " I believe that you have always boasted that you would never surrender to a single highwayman ?" "Ihave." . . " Well," presenting a piatol, " I am a single highwaymaD, and I gay, ' Your money or your life ' " "You cowardly dog," said Lord Berkeley, "do you think I can't see your confederate skulking behind you ? " The highwayman, who was really alone, looked hurriedly round, and Lord Berkeley shot him through the head. I asked Lady Caroline Maxse (1803-1886), who w&s born at Berkeley, if this story was true. I c*n never forget my thrill when she replied, "Yes- and lam proud to say that I am that man's daugbter."-A "Diarisfc," in the, Manchester Guardian.