The family of Clive, established in Shropshire, since the time of Henry
II., have, for a long period, possessed the small estate of Styche, in
the parish of Moreton-Say, near Market-Drayton. At this seat of his
ancestors, Robert Clive, the subject of this memoir, was born on the
29th of September, 1725.
His father, Richard Clive, married Rebecca, daughter of Nathaniel
Gaskill, of Manchester, Esq., by whom he had a family of six sons,
and seven daughters. He had been educated for the law, and continued,
through a great part of his life, to practise that profession.
Mrs. Clive had two sisters, the one of whom, Elizabeth, was married, in
1717, to Daniel Bayley, Esq., of Hope Hall, near Manchester; and the
other, Sarah, to the Right Hon. Hugh, eleventh Lord Sempill.
Mr. Clive's eldest son, Robert, while not yet three years of age, was
sent to his uncle, Mr. Bayley, in whose family he was trained and
educated for several years, as his own son.
In the end of the year 1728, the infant Clive seems to have had a
dangerous attack of fever. "If I were given to be superstitious,"
says Mr. Bayley, writing to the Rev. Mr. King at Styche[15], "and to
believe things ominous, I think I should omit writing to you; for it
has been poor Bob's fate to grow worse, just after I have finished my
letters. From the time of Andrew's leaving us till yesterday about five
o'clock, he was worse than at any time yet; and the doctor discovered,
by all his behaviour, that he apprehended full as much danger as ever;
but since that time he has been much better, and we hope that _then_
was the crisis of the fever. He slept pretty well last night; and,
when awake, talked with his usual cheerfulness; and, I can say, is
now better, and in a more hopeful way to recover than hitherto, if no
relapse come upon him. He is, as you may well imagine, very weak; but
the doctor doubts not his getting more strength if the fever continues
(as it has begun) to leave him. This is what account I can now send:
you will excuse haste. Our services wait on Madame Clive and all the
family."