With storms she welcomes his expiring groans, He guides through gentle seas the prow of state; Enjoyed, from absence, with enraptured zest. Loudly carousing, bless their Lord's return; Exulting shouts announce the finished race. Such simple sports our plain forefathers knew : Their joys were many, as their cares were few. From these descending, sons to sires succeed, Another crowd pursue the panting hart. • This is an historical fact; a violent tempest occurred immediately subsequent to the death or interment of Cromwell, which occasioned many disputes between his partisans and the cavaliers. Both interpreted the circumstance into divine interposition; but, whether as approbation or condemnation, we leave to the casuists of that age to decide; I have made such use of the occurrence aз suited the subject of my poem. ↑ Charles II. Newstead! what saddening change of scene is thine! Now holds thy mouldering turrets in his sway. Thy vaults, where dead of feudal ages sleep; Cherish'd affection only bids them flow! Yet he prefers thee to the gilded domes Or gewgaw grottos of the vainly great; Nor breathes a murmur 'gainst the will of Fale. Haply thy sun, emerging, yet may shine, Hours, splendid as the past, may still be thine, William, the eldest son, born in 1722, succeeded to the family honours, on the death of his father, in 1736. He entered into the naval service, and became lieutenant of the Victory, under Admiral Balchen; which ship he had but just left before she was lost on the rocks of Alderney. In 1763 he was made Master of the Stag-hounds; but in 1765 he was sent to the Tower, and tried before the House of Peers, for killing his relation and neighbour, Mr. Chaworth, in a duel fought at the Star and Garter Tavern, in Pall Mall; of which unhappy occurrence the following is the only authentic and impartial statement that has been published: 'Lord Byron and Mr. Chaworth were neighbours in the country, and it was their custom to meet, with other gentlemen of Nottinghamshire, at the Star and Garter Tavern, in Pall Mall, once a month, at what was called the Nottinghamshire Club. The meeting at which the unlucky dispute arose that produced the duel was on the 26th of January, 1765, at which were present John Hewett, Esq. who sat as chairman, Lord Byron, the Honorable D Thomas Willoughby, Sir Robert Burdett, Frederic Montagu, John Sherwin, Francis Molineux, William Chaworth, George Donston, and Charles Mellish, jun. Esqrs. Their usual hour of dining was soon after four; and the rule of the club was, to have a bill and a bottle brought in at seven. Till this hour all was jollity and good humour; but Mr. Hewett, who was toast-master, happening to start some conversation about the best method of preserving the game, setting the laws in being for that purpose out of the question, the subject was taken up by Mr. Chaworth and Lord Byron, who happened to be of different opinions; Mr. Chaworth insisting on severity against poachers and unqualified persons, and Lord Byron declaring that the way to have most game was to take no care of it at all. Mr. Hewett's opinion was, that the most effectual way would be to make the game the property of the owner of the soil. The debate became general, but was carried on with acrimony only between Lord Byron and Mr. Chaworth; the latter, in confirmation of what he had said, insisting that Sir Charles Sedley and himself had more game on five acres, than Lord Byron had on all his manors. Lord Byron, in answer to this, proposed a bet of one hundred guineas; and Mr. Chaworth called for pen, ink, and paper, to reduce the wager to writing, in order to take it up; but Mr. Sherwin treating it in a jesting manner, as a bet that never could be decided, no bet was laid, and the conversation went on. Mr. Chaworth said, that were it not for Sir Charles Sedley's care, and his own, Lord Byron would not have a hare on his estate; and Lord Byron asking, with a smile, what Sir Charles Sedley's manors were? was answered by Mr. Chaworth, Nuttall and Bulwell. Lord Byron did not dispute Nuttall, but added, that Bulwell was his; on which Mr. Chaworth with some heat replied, "If you want information with respect to Sir Charles Sedley's manors, he lives at Mr. Cooper's, in Dean-street, and, I doubt not, will be ready to give you satisfaction; and, as to myself, your lordship knows where to find me, in Berkeley-row;" or words to that effect. These words, uttered in a particular manuer, could admit of no reply, and at once put an end to that subject of discourse; every gentleman in company fell into chat with him who sat next to him; and nothing more was said generally till Mr. Chaworth called to settle the reckoning, as was his general practice, in doing of which Mr. Fynmore, the master of the tavern, observed him a little flurried; for, in marking, he made a small mistake. The book had lines ruled in checks, and against each member present an 0 was placed, but if absent five shillings were set down. He placed five shillings against Lord Byron's name; but Mr. Fynmore observing to him that my lord was present, he corrected his mistake. In a few minutes after this, Mr. Chaworth, having paid his reckoning, went out, and was followed by Mr. Donston, who entered into discourse with him at the head of the stairs; and Mr. Chaworth asked him particularly if he had attended to the conversation between himself and Lord Byron; and if he thought he had been short in what he said on the subject. To which Mr. Douston said, "No; he had rather gone too far upon so trifling an occasion, but did not believe that Lord Byron or the company would think any more about it;" and, after a little ordinary discourse had passed, they parted. Mr. Donston returned to the company, and Mr. Chaworth turned to go down stairs; but, just as Mr. Donston entered the door, he met Lord Byron coming out, and they passed, as there was a large screen that covered the door, without knowing each other. Lord Byron found Mr. Chaworth still on the stairs, and it now remains a doubt whether Lord Byron called upon Mr. Chaworth, or Mr. Chaworth upon Lord Byron; but both went to the first landing-place, having dined upon the second floor; and both called the waiter to show an empty room, which a waiter did; and having first opened the door himself, and placed a small tallow candle, which he had in his band, on the table, he retired; when the gentlemen entered, and pulled the door after them. In a few minutes the affair was decided; the bell was rung, but by whom is uncertain; the waiter went up, and, perceiving what had happened, ran down stairs frighted, told his master the catastrophe, who ran instantly up stairs, and found the two combatants standing close together: Mr. Chaworth had his sword in his left hand, and Lord Byron his in his right; Lord Byron's left hand was round Mr. Chaworth, as Mr. Chaworth's right hand was round Lord Byron's neck, and over his shoulders. He desired Mr. Fynmore to take his sword, and Lord Byron delivered up his at the same time: one, or both, called to him to get some help immediately; and in a few minutes Mr. Hawkins, the surgeon, was sent for, who came accordingly. In the mean time Mr. Montagu, Mr. Hewett, Mr. Donston, Mr. Willoughby, Mr. Molineux, and Mr. Sherwin, had entered the room. The account Mr. Chaworth then gave was, "That he could not live many hours; that he forgave Lord Byron, and hoped the world would; that the affair had passed in the dark, only a small tallow candle burning in the room; that Lord Byron asked him if he meaut : the conversation on the game to Sir Charles Sedley or to him. To which he replied, 'If you have any thing to say, we had better shut the door. That, while he was doing this, Lord Byron bid him draw; and, in turning, he saw his lordship's sword half drawn on which he whipped out his own, and made the first pass. The sword being through my lord's waistcoat, he thought he had killed bim; and, asking whether he was not mortally wounded, Lord Byron, while he was speaking, shortened his sword, and stabbed him in the belly." 'When Mr. Hawkins, the surgeon, came in, he found Mr. Chaworth sitting by the fire, with the lower part of his waistcoat open, his shirt bloody, and his hand upon his belly. He was very earnest to know if he thought him in imminent danger; and, being answered in the affirmative, he desired his uncle Levinz might be sent for, that he might settle his private affairs; and in the mean time gave Mr. Hawkins a particular detail of what had passed. He said, "That Lord Byron and he entered the room together, Lord Byron leading the way; that his lordship, in walking forwards, said something relative to the former dispute, on which he proposed fastening the door; that, on turning himself round from this act, he perceived his lordship with his sword either drawn, or nearly so; on which he instantly drew his own, and made a thrust at him, which he thought had wounded or killed him; that then, perceiving his lordship shorten his sword to return the thrust, he thought to have parried it with his left hand, at which he looked twice, imagining he had cut it in the attempt; that he felt the sword enter his body, and go deep through his back; that he struggled, and, being the stronger man, disarmed his lordship, and expressed a concern as under an apprehension of having mortally wounded him; that Lord Byron replied by saying something to the like effect; adding, at the same time, that he hoped now he would allow him to be as brave a man as any in the kingdom." Mr. Hawkins adds, that pained and distressed as Mr. Chaworth then was, and under the immediate danger of death, he repeated what he had heard he had declared to his friends before, "That he had rather be in his present situation than live under the misfortune of having killed another person." After a little while he seemed to grow stronger, and he was then removed to his own house, where Mr. Adair, another surgeon, Mr. Man, an apothecary, and Dr. Addington, his physician, came to the assistance of Mr. Hawkins, but no relief could he given him: he continued sensible, however, till the time of his death; and Mr. Levinz being now come, Mr. Partington, an attorney, was sent for to make |