On the death of George I., a singular scene, with which Lord
Chesterfield's interests were connected, occurred in the Privy Council.
Dr Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury, produced the king's will, and
delivered it to his successor, expecting that it would be opened and
read in the council; what was his consternation, when his Majesty,
without saying a word, put it into his pocket, and stalked out of the
room with real German imperturbability! Neither the astounded prelate
nor the subservient council ventured to utter a word. The will was never
more heard of: and rumour declared that it was burnt. The contents, of
course, never transpired; and the legacy of L40,000, said to have been
left to the Duchess of Kendal, was never more spoken of, until Lord
Chesterfield, in 1733, married the Countess of Walsingham. In 1743, it
is said, he claimed the legacy--in right of his wife--the Duchess of
Kendal being then dead: and was 'quieted' with L20,000, and got, as
Horace Walpole observes, nothing from the duchess--'except his wife.'
The only excuse that was urged to extenuate this act on the part of
George II., was that his royal father had burned two wills which had
been made in his favour.
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