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attribute his concession of the abovementioned privileges to any other motives than those of fear, and for the reason here assigned. Had he proceeded as a direct and determined Conqueror, would he not, to complete his victory, have negatived privileges and rights (of the nature of which he knew nothing, and which might, for ought he could tell, be utterly inimical to the system of government he intended to introduce,) wrested from him, as it were, by actual compulsion, and have pushed forward his title, as a Conqueror,', by the sword? I deduce the inference from his being (as History relates) a cruel, vindictive, and rapacious tyrant. This, I conceive, to be one argument exceedingly derogatory to the misapplied epithet of Conqueror:' and in the next and last place, I will observe, that it is a notorious fact, that part of Kent, to this very day, bears for its arms, a rampant white horse, the motto "Invicta," subscribed. I proceed, then to propose the following important question in relation to William's being strictly and appropriately endowed with the appellation of Conqueror t,' and would state my arguments thus: If part of Kent, being part of England, remain unconquered, how is it possible that England, in a distributed sense, can be said to have been conquered? or perhaps the question might be more syllogistically stated in the following yanner, viz. For England to be subdued, the whole must be conquered. Part of England was unsubdued; there fore England was not conquered.

manner,

I have troubled you by inserting the foregoing remarks, in hopes that they may attract the attention of some ingenious reader or readers, and beg to close them by subscribing myself, Yours, &c. J. D. Oxon.

[Aug.

Mr. URBAN, Chelsea, Aug. 11, THE remarks of your intelligent Correspondent "J. S. H." Supplement, First part, 1825, p. 583, appear to my mind most acute, masterly, and conclusive. They evince soundness of judgment with delicacy of critical taste, and certainly require not the authority of an autos ipa, "the master said it," to confirm their validity. But, Mr. Urban, should that be deemed important; should the image and superscription of Cæsar be sought for on the coin before its general currency be allowed, I am happy in the power of satisfying your readers with reference to Samuel Johnson himself. In his very entertaining and instructive Life of Dr. Johnson, in quarto, 1791, vol. 11. p. 171, Mr. Boswell writes thus: "" f perceived that he pronounced the word heard, as if spelt with a double e, heerd, instead of sounding it herd, as is most usually done. He said, his reason was, that if it were pronounced herd, there would be a single exception from the English pronunciation of the syllable ear, and he thought it better not to have that exception." Conceiving it the duty of every one who is improved by your work, to aid your views, I have made this extract; and remain, your obliged humble servant.

*B.

Δ. Π.

Mr.

1825.]

"Since my coming into this melancholy place of Bergeu, I have been often thinking of the most unparalleled villainy of William Fraser, Thomas Frederick, and Smapa, a black merchant, who brought a paper before Governor Addison in Council, insinuating that I had unfairly got possession of a large Diamond, which tended so much to the prejudice of my reputation and the ruin of my estate, that I thought it necessary to keep by me the true relation how I purchased it in all respects, that so, in case of sudden mortality, my children and friends may be apprised of the whole matter, and so be enabled thereby to put to silence, and confound those, and all other villains in their base attempts against either. Not having got my books by me at present, I cannot be positive as to the time, but for the manner of purchasing it I do here declare and assert, under my hand, in the presence of God Almighty, as I hope for salvation through the merits and intercession of our Saviour Jesus Christ, that this is the truth, and if it be not, let God deny it to me and my children for ever, which I would be so far from saying, much less leave it under my hand, that I would not be guilty of the least untruth in the relation of it for the riches and honour of the whole world.

"About two or three years after my arrival at Madras, which was in July 1698, I heard there were large Diamonds in the country to be sold, which I encouraged to be brought down, promising to be their chapman, if they would be reasonable, therein; upon which Jaurchund, one of the most eminent diamond merchants in those parts, came down about December 1701, and brought with him a large rough stone, about 305 mangelius, and some small ones, which myself and others bought; but he asking a very extravagant price for the great GENT. MAG. August, 1825.

105

one, I did not think of meddling with it, when he left it with me for some days, and then came and took it away again; and did so several times, not insisting upon less than 200,000 pagodas; and, as I best remember, I did not bid him above 30,000, and had little thoughts of buying it for that. I considered there were many and great risques to be run, not only in cutting it, but also whether it would prove foul or clear, or the water good; besides, I thought it too great an amount to be adventured home on one bottom. But Janrchund resolved to return speedily to his own country; so that I best remember it was in February following he came again to me (with Vincatee Chittee, who was always with him,) when I discoursed with him about it, and pressed me to know, whether I resolved to buy it, when he came down to 100,000 pagodas, and something under before we parted, when we agreed upon a day to meet, and make a final end thereof one way or other, which I believe was the latter end of the aforesaid month, or the beginning of March; when we accordingly met in the Consultation Room, where, after a great deal of talk I brought him down to 55,000 pagodas, and advanced to 45,000, resolving to give no more, and he likewise resolving not to abate, I delivered him up the stone, and we took a friendly leave of one another. Mr. Benyon was then writing in my closet, with whom I discoursed on what had passed, and told him now I was clear of it; when about an hour after, my servant brought me word that Jaurchund and Vincatee Chittee were at the door, who being called in, they used a great many expressions in praise of the stone, and told me he had rather I should buy it than any body, and to give an instance thereof, offered it for 50,000; so bebelieving it must be a pennyworth, if it proved good, I offered to part the 5000 pagodas that was then between us, which he would not hearken to, and was going out of the room again, when he turned back and told me that I should have it for 49,000, but I still adhered to what I had before offered him, when presently he came to 48,000, and made a solemn vow he would not part with it a pagoda under, when I went again into the closet to Mr. Benyon, and told him what had

passed, saying, that if it was worth 47,500, it was worth 48,000*; so I closed with him for that sum, when he delivered me the stone, for which I paid him very honourably, as by my books appear. And I here farther call God to witness, that I never used the least threatening word at any of our meetings to induce him to sell it me; and God himself knows it was never so much as in my thoughts so to do. Since which, I have had frequent and considerable dealings with this man, and trusted him with several sums of money, and balanced several accounts with him, and left upwards of 2000 pagodas in his hands at my coming away. So had I used the least indirect means to have got it from him, would not he have made himself satisfaction when he has had money so often in his hands? Or would I have trusted him afterwards, as I did, preferable to all other diamond merchants ? As this is the truth, so I hope for God's blessing upon this and all my other affairs in this world, and eternal happiness hereafter. Written and signed by me, in Bergeu, July 29th, 1710,

THOMAS PITT."

The Diamond was sold to the King of France for 200,000l. and the crown jewels of France, in sealed packets, numbered, were pledged for the payment of it. My great-grandfather, Mr. Cholmondeley of Vale Royal, who was for 42 years M.P. for the County Palatine of Chester, at stated periods took one of these packets to Dover, which he delivered to a messenger of the King, and received from him an instalment of the purchase money. This descended principally in the other branches of Governor Pitt's family; but the estates I possess in Dorsetshire, Devon, and Wilts, were purchased with a part of this money on the marriage of his 2d son, Colonel Thomas Pitt, afterwards Earl of Londonderry, with Lady Frances, daughter of Robert Ridgeway, Earl of Londonderry. The ancient house at Woodlands, in the parish of Mere, Wilts, is a part of this property, which you will find amply described by our learned and indefatigable friend Sir R. Colt Hoare, in his elaborate and splendid History of the Hundred of Mere; and as, with his usual kindness, he has

* 20,400l. sterling, at 8s. 6d. per pagoda.

[Aug.

given me the plate, from which the print of Woodlands House, in that work, is taken, I have sent it for insertion in your Magazine, if you think proper. (See Plate I.)

As I do not understand what is become of the Pitt Diamond, perhaps some one of your Correspondents may be able to inform you, together with its history during the French Revolution.

Ridgeway, the last Earl of Londonderry of the Pitt family, having broken his leg in shooting, died at Woodyates Manor, a part also of this property, 11 miles from Blandford.

Yours, &c.

WM. MEYRICK..

was born at

Thomas Pitt, esq.' St. Mary's, Blandford, 1653. He was in Queen Anne's reign appointed to the government of Fort St. George, in the East Indies, where he resided many years, and gained an immense fortune. In 1716 he was made Governor of Jamaica; but resigned that post 1717. He was M. P. in the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th parliaments of Great Britain, for Old Sarum and Thirsk. He repaired and beautified the churches of Blandford St. Mary, Dorsetshire, Stratford in Wiltshire, and Abbot Inn, Hampshire. It having been reported that he gained his famous diamond by a stretch of power, he made the above solemn declaration that he purchased it fairly for 48,000 pagodas, or 20,4007. A further vindication was thought necessary, in a sermon preached at his funeral by Mr. Richard Eyre, Canon of Sarum. It was at the time reckoned the largest jewel in Europe, and weighed 127 carats. When polished it was as big as a pullet's egg. The cuttings amounted to 8 or 10,000l. Governor Pitt sold it to the King of France, as our Correspondent above states, for 200,000l. Other accounts say, for 120,000l. 125,000l. or 135,000l. See Gent. Mag. vol. XLVI. p. 105; LXXXV. i. p. 593, in which volumes an account of several rare Diamonds will be found. Query, what was the precise sum obtained by Governor Pitt?

The Pitt Diamond, or as it was called in France, the Regency Diamond, formed the principal ornament in the French Crown before the Re

A full pedigree of the Pitt family is given in the new edition of Hutchins's Dorset, vol. iii. p. 361.

volution;