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Farewell then, sister flesh, and think of me, What I am now, to-morrow thou mayst be. In the glass window of the Chancel where this monument is, is written

These arms here set up in the memory of Humphrey Conyngsby, esq. some time Lord of Neen Sollers, by his half-sister and the executrix Joice Jeffrys. Anno Domi. 1628.

When this MS. account is perused by many of your Correspondents, I am induced to flatter myself that through your kind medium I shall be favoured with some additional information respecting this Humphrey Coningsby and his ancient family, which will be very thankfully received by yours, &c. N.Y.W.G.

Mr. URBAN, Plymouth, Oct. 8.

marked, that it was often an astonishment at the saloon at Paris, that the Emperor never could be seen after the Minister of Marine had been with him, to which Napoleon replied, in his rapid style, "the Minister of Marine always brought me bad news.” It is, doubtless, known to you, Mr. Urban, that his Majesty's 'Government most liberally provides for the Widows of Officers of the Navy, a boon for which, I believe, every one is most grateful; but then this pension, though most handsome on the part of Government, yet intrinsically considered, is very small, when it is remembered the rank of life the poor widow and her children are supposed at least in some little measure to support.

The cessation from war during the past nine years, has brought the Officers of the Navy more domesticated. Many now look around them, and see little families rising up; and the thought, that if Providence should call them away by death, and their widows and families be left, comparatively unprovided for, has produced feelings which the pen in vain endea

vours to describe. It is true there are some institutions most nobly supported, which are ever ready to hold out the hand to assist the distressed, but few of these are permanent, and thus the feelings are continually liable to be wounded by a repeated petitioning for aid. To obviate this, a number of officers, these last five years, have met in the sea-port of Plymouth, to endeavour to devise some plan by which they might hope to place their widows and children out of the reach of want, and though they should make an annual sacrifice to effect this, yet the satisfaction of looking at futurity with

calculated to please the Old English Gentleman, any subject connected with the Navy will, I have no doubt, meet with a favourable reception; they remember the time when the only thing which stood between our fire sides and slavery, were our wooden walls, therefore the prosperity of the Navy is a subject unquestionably dear to them.

The late Emperor of the French (while at St. Helena) by Las Cases' Journal, bore a striking testimony to the character of the British Navy. Bertrand one day after dinner re

feeling which amply compensates for any temporary inconvenience.

In the spring of the present year, after much labour and fatigue, a society was established, entitled "The Royal Navy Annuitant Society." After a considerable number of officers had joined the Society, it was deemed expedient to solicit his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence to become the Patron of the Institution, and Lord Melville the Vice Patron. At his Royal Highness's request a deputation from the Committee waited on him, and after receiving them most

hand

handsomely, and minutely examining into each regulation, his Royal Highness stated his full approval of the Institution, and very condescendingly accepted the office of Patron. Lord Melville at the same time testified to the deputation that he accepted the office of Vice Patron; thus the Society boast for its supporters the two highest authorities in his Majesty's Navy.

A liberal civilian of Plymouth Dock has become a Life Subscriber to the Institution, and though of course he receives no pecuniary benefit from it, yet has he the internal satisfaction of considering, that by so doing he is endeavouring to consolidate an Institution whose end is "to visit the fatherless and the widow in their afflictions," and I doubt not, that when the Institution becomes generally known, many among our Old English Gentry will step forward and help in the work of Mercy. The Naval Charitable Society, which has done an infinity of good, boasts among its supporters a Tong list of nobility and commoners of this country, which shews the Navy is still respected, and I question not, should those bulwarks of the nation be again called into action, (though may a gracious Providence in mercy avert it) they will find that every man will do his duty."

A FRIEND TO THE NAVY.

WISH to correct a mistake in the observations of "Y. S." in Minor Correspondence, p. 194, referring to a former notice of the Leigh family (part i. p. 326), who there states that Mr. Leigh, of Addlestrop, co. Gloucester, is descended from an Uncle of the first Lord Leigh of Stoneley," and that that gentleman "enjoys the last Peer's large estate, under the words of his will as next of the name and blood of Leigh,' which was interpreted to be the nearest in blood of the male line." Y.S." then adds, "it cannot be doubted that Lord Leigh MEANT his next heir male;" to which I most cordially assent, and beg to add, as being somewhat further of his MEANING, that person, who (though perhaps unknown to him) would come within the line of descent prescribed for the dignity. I will now GENT. MAG. Suppl. XCIII, PART II.

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correctly state the descent which "Y. S." has erroneously given to Leigh, of Addlestrop, holder of this property, not merely by referring to Dugdale's Warwickshire and Baronage, works of the best authority on this subject; but from an ancient MS. History of the Leigh family, written by a member thereof, now in my possession, as well as other documents remaining on record. This MS. accords with Dugdale in deriving the Leighs of Addlestrop from Rowland, eldest son of Sir Thos. Leigh, Lord Mayor of London, 1st of Elizabeth, buried in Mercers' Hall Chapel, 1571. Sir Thos. Leigh was an apprentice to Sir Rowland Hill (ancestor of Lord Hill), by whom, for his faithful services, he was much advanced, became his partner, and whose niece, Alice Barker, a rich heiress, he had in marriage. This Sir Thos. Leigh had four sons, among whom his great estate was thus divided *; viz. I. Rowland (from whom the present possessor of Addlestrop, and occupier of the last Lord Leigh's estate, is descended), had Longborough, Addlestrop, &c. co. Gloucest.—2. Richard, had lands in Middlesex, at Kilburn, &c. and premises in Old Jewry (and where he had children born) abutting on Mercers' Hall, in which his father, Sir Thos. Leigh, had resided.-3. Tho

mas,

whose grandson Thomas + was created Baron Leigh at Oxford, 1641, had Stoneley Abbey.-4. William, whose grandson Francis was created Earl of Chichester, but died s. p. m. had Nunum Regis, co. Warwick.

Thus have I clearly deduced the Leighs' of Addlestrop from the elder son of the great-grandfather of the 1st Lord Leigh, and not from an Uncle

* Vide Will of Sir Thos. Leigh in Prerog. Office, Archb. Cant. also Inq. p. mortem circa 1571, in Rolls Chapel.

+ This Nobleman had five sons: 1. John died young.-2. Thomas died before his father, whose son Thomas succeeded, but which line terminated in his great grandson Edward, the last Lord Leigh, who died 1786, which circumstance gave rise to the general belief of the extinction of this branch of the family in the male line.-3. Charles, seated at Leighton, co. Beds. who died s. p. 1704.-4. Christopher, who is stated to have left issue.-5. Ferdinand, who died in life-time of his father, a student at Lincoln's Inn.

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