(1750 - 78), 1st. surv. s. of 2nd D. of Newcastle; sty. Ld. Clinton 1752 - 68 and Ld. Lincoln 1768 - 78; educ. Eton; MP 1772 - 8; m. 1775 Ldy. Frances Seymour-Conway, dau. of 1st M. of Hertford.
1769 - 72 Turin (Oct. 1769), Florence (Sep. 1770), Naples (by Dec. 1770), Rome (Mar. 1771), Venice (8 May), Florence (Sep. - 22 Dec.), Leghorn, Naples (Dec. 1771 - ) [England by May 1772]
Young Lord Lincoln's propensity for dancing girls made his tour particularly expensive, despite the presence of his governor, the Rev. George Chamberlayne. He had first gone to the Academy in Turin, where he was expected in October 1769.1 A year later, in September 1770, he came to Florence,2 and by December he was in Naples.3 At Caserta in January he danced with the King in a men-only country-dance, giving his Majesty 'such a twirl in return, as both surprised and pleased [him].'4 In March he was in Rome, looking for virt?,5 and on 8 May he arrived in Venice,6 to stay in fine apartments in the Palazzo Contarini (which were taken by Mrs Anne Miller on 31 May).7
Lincoln returned to Florence where he was ensnared by a Venetian dancer, Mme Lamberti, who worked in collusion with sharpers named Zanovitch and Zen.8 By September Chamberlayne and a Mr Barrett (who was apparently travelling with them) had complained to the Abb? Grant that his Lordship was 'loosing his time with a Strumpet of the Theatre, the Gibetta'.9 Lincoln was spectacularly fleeced, to the tune of twelve thousand guineas, and although his oppressors were to be banished from Florence by the Grand Duke, it was only the intervention of the Duke of Gloucester that led to Lincoln's escape. Meanwhile Lincoln was listed in Florence on 30 November10 and he was dining with the Duke of Gloucester, Lord Cowper, Lord Cholmondeley and others on the Trident at Leghorn on 1 December.(11) On 22 December Lincoln was dragged from Florence, put on board the Trident and taken to Naples.(12) Soon afterwards he returned to England. He was elected to Parliament in May 1772.
1. SP 105/319, f.685 (Lynch, 24 Oct. 1769). 2. Wal.Corr., 23:223 and n2. 3. SP 93/25 (Hamilton, 11 Dec. 1770). 4. Miller, Letters, 2:53 (25 Jan. 1771: 'Lord L - '). 5. Thorpe letters
MSS (23 Mar. 1771). 6. ASV is 759. 7. Miller, Letters, 2:335 - 6 (30 May 1771: 'Lord L - '). 8. Wal.Corr., 23:368n12. 9. Byres letters MSS c (30 Sep. 1771). 10. Gazz. Tosc. 11. Scots Charta Chest, 242 - 3. 12. See Wal.Corr., 23:368nn12, 13, 378, nn.8 - 12. Coke Letters, 4:12.