Add MS 35428

HARDWICKE PAPERS. Vol. LXXX. Select political papers of Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, and the Hon. Charles Yorke, successively Solicitor-General, Attorney-General, and Lord Chancellor, viz.:-

1. "A Memorial of Family Occurrences from 1760 to 70 inclusive," written by the 2nd Lord Hardwicke in Jan. 1771. The Memorial describes the position of the Yorke family in the public service and in court favour from the last year of the reign of George II. to the eve of the offer of the Chancellorship to Charles Yorke in Jan. 1770. ff. 1-1 9.

2. "Private Memoirs, part 1; drawn up by Lord Hardwicke, copied by Philip Yorke [afterwards 3rd Earl of Hardwicke] March 17, 1780." A narrative of what passed in 1765 and 1766, when Lord Hardwicke was; offered the posts of First Lord of Trade and Secretary of State, both of which he refused; concluding with some account of his service as Cabinet Minister (without office) in 1766, and of the fall of the Rockingham Ministry. ff. 21-34.

3. Draft of the preceding article in Lord Hardwieke's own hand, dated July, 1768. If. 35-49.

4. Draft of letter from Charles Yorke to Lord Hardwicke, 3 Sept. 1762, describing certain political conversations and negotiations relative to the ministry of Lord Bute and the position of himself and his friends. ff. 51-63.

5. Minute of the opinions of members of the Duke of Newcastle's party, to be represented by the Duke to Mr. Pitt; Claremont, 11 and 20 Sept. 1763. f. 64.

6. Notes by Charles Yorke of his conversation with the King on resigning his office of Attorney-General, 3 Nov. 1763. ff. 66-71.

7. Narrative of the circumstances accompanying the return of Charles Yorke to the office of Attorney-General in Sept. 1765. ff. 72-107. The papers include: (a) Letter from Charles Yorke to the 2nd Lord Hardwicke, 3 July, 1765, recounting his conversation with the Duke of Cumberland, when the step was proposed. f. 76;-

(b) Notes of his interviews with the King and other negotiations on the subject in July, 1765 (rough draft and fair copy). ff. 81, 94; -(c) A letter from Charles Yorke to Lord Hardwicke, 10 Aug. 1765, narrating a conversation with the King on the previous day. f. 103. The whole prefaced (f. 72) by a covering letter front Charles Yorke to his brother Sir Joseph Yorke, 7 Sept. 1765, with which these papers were Sent.

8. Rough notes relative to Charles Yorke's resignation of the office of Attorney-General in August, 1766. ff. 108-115 b.

9. "Private Memorial, Dec^r the 30^th 1770," a narrative by Lord Hardwicke of the circumstances attending the offer of the Great Seal to Charles Yorke in Jan. 1770, and of his death on 20 Jan. ff. 116-121.

10. Five letters from the Duke of Grafton to Charles Yorke; 11-17 Jan. 1770. With drafts of two answers. ff. 123-130.

11. Memoirs of the same circumstances as in art. 9., by Agneta, widow of Charles Yorke, dated 20-28 Oct. 1772. ff. 132-140 b.

12. Letter from Charles Yorke to Agneta Johnson, his future wife, proposing marriage, 23 Oct. 1762; with endorsement by Mrs. Yorke, 25 April, 1798. ff. 142-145 b. Paper; ff. 145. Folio.

includes:

• ff. 1-19 Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke: Memorial of family occurrences: 1760-1770.
• ff. 21-49 Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke: Memorial of political occurrences in: 1765 and 1766 ; 1768.
• ff. 51, 76, 103 Hon Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor: Correspondence with his brother, the 2nd Lord Hardwicke: 1740-1770.
• ff. 66-115 Hon Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor: Memoranda of political negotiations: 1763-1766.
• f. 72 Hon Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor: Correspondence with his brother, Sir J. Yorke: 1742-1769.
• f. 116 Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke: Memorial of circumstances attending the death of Charles Yorke: 1770.
• ff. 116-141 Hon Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor: Papers relating to his acceptance of the Great Seal and his death: 1770.
• ff. 123-130 Augustus Henry Fitz Roy, 3rd Duke of Grafton: Correspondence with C. Yorke: 1770.
• f. 132 Agneta Yorke, daughter of H Johnson, wife of Hon. C Yorke: Memoir of circumstances attending her husband's death: 1772.
• f. 144 Hon Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor: Letter to Miss A. Johnson: 1762.