(1662 - 1732), 4th s. of 1st E. of Derwentwater; unm.
- 1720 - 32 Rome
A shady character, Radclyffe lived many years in Rome following 'le métier d'usurier et de Brocanteur des bijoux d'Angleterre'.1 At Easter 1720 the 'Illmo Sigt. Gugliemo Radcliffe' was living with a John Briggs in the Strada Gregoriana,2 and in 1721 Radclyffe's house was described by Rawlinson as at the corner of the Piazza Novona, 'being a part of the Prince of Panfili's palace, very magnificent'.3 In July 1724 Stosch described how 'Ratclif', a Catholic who had been a merchant 'usurier' for some years, was arrested in Rome for ill-treating one Mrs Morison, formerly his servant and mistress; he wanted, understandably, to return to England.4 At the same time Rawlinson recorded that Radclyffe had been 'seized by two sbirns [sbirri] and carryed to the Monte Citono, and afterwards his house was given him for his prison'.5 Stosch said Radclyffe was on his deathbed in January 1730,6 but he recovered, eventually dying in Rome on 5 November 1732, leaving estate to the value of £50,000.7 He bequeathed his house and contents (which included a considerable collection of 'Radcliffe heirlooms', pictures, tapestries, armour, etc.) to his nephew Charles Radclyffe, to whom he had once paid an allowance.7
1. SP 98/32, f.456 (Walton, 15 Nov. 1732). 2. AVR sa, S.Andrea delle Fratte. 3. Rawlinson jnl.MSS (27 May 1721). 4. SP 85/15 (Walton, 29 Jul. 1724). 5. Rawlinson jnl.MSS (11 Jul. 1724). 6. SP 98/32, ff.21, 24 (26 Jan., 2 Feb. 1730). 7. Cf. R. Arnold, Northern Lights, 130, 186, 220.