_Account of the Earl of Roseberry’s Son, and a Clergyman’s Wife, in
Essex._
In the Cambridge Journal of October, 1752, is the following Article.
_Extract of a Letter from Colchester, August 18._
“Perhaps you have heard that a chest was seized by the Custom-house
officers, which was landed near this place about a fortnight ago: they
took it for smuggled goods, though the person with it produced the king
of France’s signature to Mr. Williams, as a Hamburgh merchant: but
people not satisfied with the account Mr. Williams gave, opened the
chest, and one of them was going to run his hanger in, when the person
to whom it belonged clapt his hand upon his sword, and desired him to
desist (in French,) for it was the corpse of his dear wife. Not content
with this, the officers plucked off the embalming, and found it as he
had said. The man, who appeared to be a person of consequence, was in
the utmost agonies, while they made a spectacle of the lady. They sat
her in the high church, where any body might come and look on her, and
would not suffer him to bury her, till he gave a further account of
himself. There were other chests of fine clothes, jewels, &c. &c.
belonging to the deceased. He acknowledged at last that he was a person
of quality, that his name was not Williams, that he was born at
Florence, and the lady was a native of England, whom he married, and she
desired to be buried in Essex: that he had brought her from Verona, in
Italy, to France, by land, there hired a vessel for Dover, discharged
the vessel there, and took another for Harwich, but was drove hither by
contrary winds. This account was not enough to satisfy the people: he
must tell her name and condition, in order to clear himself of a
suspicion of murder. He was continually in tears, and had a key of the
vestry, where he sat every day with the corpse: my brother went to see
him there, and the scene so shocked him he could hardly bear it, he said
it was so like Romeo and Juliet.
“He was much pleased with my brother, as he talked both Latin and
French, and to his great surprise, told him who the lady was: which
proving to be a person he knew, he could not help uncovering the face.
In short, the gentleman confessed he was the earl of Roseberry’s son,
(the name is Primrose,) and his title lord Delamere, [Dalmeny,] that he
was born and educated in Italy, and never was in England till two or
three years ago, when he came to London, and was in company with this
lady, with whom he fell passionately in love, and prevailed on her to
quit the kingdom, and marry him: that having bad health, he had
travelled with her all over Europe; and when she was dying, she asked
for pen and paper, and wrote, ‘I am the wife of the rev. Mr. G--, rector
of Th--, in Essex: my maiden name was C. Cannom; and my last request is
to be buried at Th--.’
“The poor gentleman, who last married her, protests he never knew, (till
this confession on her death-bed,) that she was another’s wife: but in
compliance with her desire, he brought her over, and should have buried
her at Th-- (if the corpse had not been stopped) without making any stir
about it. After the nobleman had made this confession, they sent to Mr.
G--, who put himself in a passion, and threatened to run her last
husband through the body; however, he was prevailed on to be calm: it
was represented to him, that this gentleman had been at great expense
and trouble to fulfil her desire; and Mr. G-- consented to see him. They
say the meeting was very moving, and that they addressed each other
civilly. The stranger protested his affection to the lady was so strong,
that it was his earnest wish, not only to attend her to the grave, but
to be shut up for ever with her there.
“Nothing in romance ever came up to the passion of this man. He had a
very fine coffin made for her, with six large silver plates over it: and
at last, was very loth to part with her, to have her buried: he put
himself in the most solemn mourning, and on Sunday last in a coach,
attended the corpse to Th--, where Mr. G-- met it in solemn mourning
likewise.
“The Florentine is a genteel person of a man, seems about twenty-five
years of age, and they say, a sensible man: but there was never any
thing like his behaviour to his dear, dear wife, for so he would call
her to the last. Mr. G-- attended him to London yesterday, and they were
very civil to each other; but my lord is inconsolable: he says he must
fly England, which he can never see more. I have heard this account from
many hands, and can assure you it is fact. Kitty Cannom is, I believe,
the first woman in England that had two husbands attended her to the
grave together. You may remember her to be sure: her life would appear
more romantic than a novel.”
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