Life of Henry Pelham

Henry Pelham Fiennes Pelham-Clinton, twelfth Earl of Lincoln and fifth¹ Duke of Newcastle, was born in Charles Street, Berkeley Square, on May 22, 1811.

The Clintons were first heard of in Henry I.'s reign. In Edward HI.'s time one of them was created Lord Clinton for distinguished service in France. The ninth Lord Clinton was Lord High Admiral under Henry VHL and Elizabeth, and by the latter Sovereign was created Earl of Lincoln for his services in the navy. One of his descendants was a staunch supporter of the royal cause during the Civil Wars of the next century.

Six weeks later [21st March 1829] Lord Winchelsea [aged 37] again called on the Duke of Newcastle [aged 44] on precisely the same errand. The latter, however, was away at Clumber, and was not available, which was a great relief to him, for he would have felt bound not to refuse, and Lord Falmouth [aged 41] acted as second instead of him. There was no mistake this time. The duel took place on Wimbledon Common. Lord Winchelsea, after receiving the Duke of Wellington's [aged 59] fire, fired his own pistol in the air, and then tendered an apology. The Duke of Newcastle writes in his journal:

'Lord Falmouth gave me an account of the duel. He says the Duke of Wellington behaved in a very churlish, overbearing manner, and when the affair was over did not shake hands, and departed sulkily. One is almost tempted to wish that a life so dangerous had been taken away, but one must not indulge in such unchristian feelings .... The Duke of Wellington's time may not yet be come, but it may, and that shortly, for assuredly he is a villain and a [word illegible].'