Wilson, James Grant, The memorial history of the City of New-York (v. 2)

([New York] :  New York History Co.,  1892-93.)

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  Page 179  



CHAPTER VI

THE CITY UNDER GOVERNOR JOHN MONTGOMERIE

1728-1732

N June 11, 1727, the first of England's kings of the name
of George, and the first of the line of Hanover, died and was
gathered to his fathers, and George II., his son, reigned in
his stead. The change of kings in England was attended
almost immediately by a change of governors for the provinces of New-
York and New Jersey. William Burnet was transferred to the gov¬
ernment of Massachusetts. In August the lords of trade received
official notice that the new king had appointed in his place one of the
gentlemen-in-waiting on his Majesty while he was still Prince of Wales.
This was John Montgomerie, Esq., of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, who
had been bred a soldier and, according to some accounts, had attained
the rank of colonel. But he had exchanged this active and stirring
career for that of a member of parliament and a courtier. Unfortu¬
nately, his close association as groom of the bed-chamber with such a
personage as George II. does not necessarily bespeak any high mental
capacity. "A man is known by the company he keeps;" and while
this old adage may not strictly apply to a man's accepting office in a
king's household, still Governor Mont-          /J

gomerie's  mind   or   morals   need  not        /   /y         ^

have been of a very exalted order to u/ C/^^- 0 ^ / ^ 0 /vUu ^l^
have made him a suitable companion                         0

and favorite of his master. Thackeray's picture of George II. is not
very flattering: "How he was a choleric little sovereign; how he shook
his fist in the face of his father's courtiers; how he kicked his coat
and wig about in his rages, and called everybody thief, liar, rascal,
with whom he differed: you will read in all the history books." A
curious commingling of baseness and pathos is that presented by
the scene at the queen's deathbed. With all his licentiousness the
king was devotedly attached to his wife. When in her last farewell
she advised him to marry again, his Majesty burst out, amid his sobs :
"Non, non; j'aurai des maitresses !" ^

1 ''Pour Georges" (London, 1879), p. 35, et passim,.
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