Lady Cowper's Diaries November 1714

Public Domain

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18th November 1714  

…[Lady Bristol] spoke to me also to give a an ill character of Mrs Cooke to the Princess, which I refuse’d to do, saying that I knew no ill of her; so that it would be barbarous to slander any one without cause.  She reply’d that I might say she told me that she was an ill woman, that her behaviour at her house was scandalous, that she had seen my Lord Berkeley give her a letter, & that Sir John Germain & Lady Betty had both told her that the last child Mrs Cooke had was certainly Lord Berkeleys.   

I answer’d that I thought it was much properer for her to say this to the Princess than me, because she could speak of her own knowledge which I could not, but she still insisted that she had private reasons not to do it, which she was oblig’d not to tell me, but  that I should do a great serviceto the Princess if I would say this to her; but I refus’d & said if there were any private reasons to conceal I was sure that was reason enough for me not to do it, for I did not know what I was about & so I would not meddle in it.  

I have since learnt from undeniable testimony, that Lady Bristol had spoke [sic] to the Princess to be Mistress of her Robes, & she answer’d her that she did not design to have any, but if she was oblig’d to take one the Prince had made her promise it should be Mrs Cooke…    

19th November 1714  

In the morning whilst I was in waiting came in my Lady Nottingham.  We had just before been talking of Dr Smaldridge, Bishop of Bristol, who had been prais’d to the Princess as the greatest saint upon Earth but till this morning she had never known that he was one of Dr Sacheverl’s speech makers, & that he had waited upon him all the time of his tryal.   

When my Lady Nottingham came in the Princess addressed her self to her & said we have been talking of Dr Smaldridge.  Upon which the other launch’d out in his praise, & says my mistress here’s Dr Clarke shall be one of my favourites, his writings are the finest things in the world.  Says the Countess yes madam his first writings, but his last are tainted with heresy, & so she said abundance upon that subject, & in speaking of his Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, that part relating to Athanasius’s Creed (which she call’d the Test of Religion) & quoted Dr Smaldridge as an authority against Dr Clarke.   

Mrs Clayton was by & said that Dr Smaldridge, whatever he might have said to the Countess, yet to her had said that every private Christian was not oblig’d to believe every part of the Athanasian Creed.  Notwithstanding Lady Nottingham defended her opinion of Dr Clarke’s being a heretick as well as she could, & I said to her, Madam I have read these books & I really see no cause to accuse him of heresy which is an heavy charge, but I suppose your Ladyship is better acquainted with them than I am.  Since you can accuse him, pray quote a passage out of the book.  

To which she answer’d drawing her self up as tho’ she had been afraid of something, not I indeed; I dare not trust my self with the reading such books.  I’ll assure you I never look’d into it.  What Madam, said I, do you undertake to condemn any body as a Heretick, or to decide upon a controversy without knowing what it is they believe & maintain.  I would not venture to do so for all the world.  

This dispute hap’ning before the Princess will hardly be a step to making her Governess to the young Princesses which she had ask’d…