reated
him on his allegiance not to thwart the queen, his sister, in this
measure; and the duke, being always bent upon effecting the king's return
to his kingdom through a reconciliation between his Majesty and Queen
Anne, and quite averse to his landing with arms and French troops, held
aloof, and kept out of Scotland during the time when the Chevalier de St.
George's descent from Dunkirk was projected, passing his time in England
in his great estate of Staffordshire.

When the Whigs went out of office in 1710, the queen began to show his
grace the very greatest marks of her favour. He was created Duke of
Brandon and Baron of Dutton in England; having the Thistle already
originally bestowed on him by King James the Second, his grace was now
promoted to the honour of the Garter--a distinction so great and
illustrious, that no subject hath ever borne them hitherto together. When
this objection was made to her Majesty, she was pleased to say, "Such a
subject as the Duke of Hamilton has a pre-eminent claim to every mark of
distinction which a crowned head can confer. I will henceforth wear both
orders myself."

At the Chapter held at Windsor in October, 1712, the duke and other
knights, including Lord-Treasurer, the new-created Earl of Oxford and
Mortimer, were installed; and a few days afterwards his grace was
appointed Ambassador-Extraordinary to France, and his equipages, plate,
and liveries commanded, of the most sumptuous kind, not only for his
excellency the ambassador, but for her excellency the ambassadress, who
was to accompany him. Her arms were already quartered on the coach panels,
and her brother was to hasten over on the appointed day to give her away.

His lordship was a widower, having married, in 1698, Elizabeth, daughter
of Digby, Lord Gerard, by which marriage great estates came into the
Hamilton family; and out of these estates came, in part, that tragic
quarrel which ended the duke's career.

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From the loss of a tooth to that of a mistress there's no pang that is not
bearable. The apprehension is much more cruel than the certainty; and we
make up our mind to the misfortune when 'tis irremediable, part with the
tormentor, and mumble our crust on t'other side of the jaws. I think
Colonel Esmond was relieved when a ducal coach-and-six came and whisked
his charmer away out of his reach, and placed her in a higher sphere. As
you have seen the nym