a black gown, four pounds of beef, two loaves of bread, a little bottle
of wine, a candlestick, a pound of candles, two saucers, two spoons, a
black pudding, a pair of gloves, a dozen points, two red herrings, four
white herrings, six sprats and two eggs"--a quaint and lavish symbol of
his charity when alive.

So enormous was the fortune he left, that it is said Lord Compton, on
hearing its amount (£800,000) "became distracted, and so continued for a
considerable length of time, either through the vehement apprehension of
joy for such a plentiful succession, or of carefulness how to take up
and dispense of it."

That my Lady Compton, who a few years after her father's death blossomed
into a Countess, proved a devoted and dutiful wife to her lord there is
no reason to doubt; but that she had an adequate idea of her own
importance and a determination to have her share of her father's
money-bags is shown by the following letter, which is sufficiently
remarkable to bear quotation in full.

"My sweet life,--Now that I have declared to you my mind
for the settling of your estate, I suppose that it were
best for me to bethink what allowance were best for me;
for, considering what care I have ever had of your
estate, and how respectfully I dealt with those which
both by the laws of God, nature, and civil policy, wit,
religion, government, and honesty, you, my dear, are
bound to, I pray and beseech you to grant to me, your
most kind and loving wife, the sum of one thousand pounds
per an., quarterly to be paid.