their former footing, and in the sudden emergency thus created, the victualling department needed able administration.

When the New View of London was published in 1708, Abraham Houblon was on the Commission of Lieutenancy of London. His name is included in the list of members which came down in June 1707 1707,' and is given by the author, who thus describes the functions of this important body. The Commissioners of Lieutenancy consisteth of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and those most powerful and wealthy citizens, formerly called Barons, in whom the military government of London is lodged, as Lord Lieutenants of a County. These make choice of officers of the Train Bands.'1 Abraham was never an Alderman; but his brothers, Sir James and Sir John, in virtue of their office, as such were included in the Commission of Lieutenancy.'

Abraham, who was born on the 23rd of January 1639, survived all his brothers and sisters, and his wife predeceased him in 1703, by twenty years. During the latter part of his life, having retired altogether from business, he lived at Langley, his wife's property in Buckinghamshire. His marriage with Dorothy Hubert had brought him two children, viz. Richard, born in 1672, and Anne, who was born some ten years later. Richard was soon busily employed, like the rest of his family, in commercial matters; and he became a successful merchant of large fortune, apart from what his father bequeathed to him at his death in 1722. When Richard was but little more than twenty-one, we come across his name, together with that of John Harvey, a young man who had lately married Elizabeth, a daughter of Sir James Houblon. Harvey (afterwards Colonel Harvey, of St. Andrew's Hall, Old Beckenham, in

New View of London, 1708, 1. xl.

2 Ibid.

Norfolk) had fought a duel, Richard Houblon acting as his second. From a State Paper, being a warrant for the reprieve of John Harvey and Richard Houblon of London, gentlemen, if found guilty of manslaughter," we conclude that the result was fatal to their antagonist, also that strong interest was exerted by their friends on behalf of the young men.

Richard Houblon's sister Anne is said to have been very lovely as a young girl, and there is a charming portrait of her painted by Michael Dahl before her 1703 marriage, in June 1703, to Henry, eldest son of Sir John Temple, of East Sheen, a brother of the famous Sir William Temple, the friend and adviser of William III. Both were descended from Sir John Temple, one of the Lords Justices in Ireland during the 'troubles' before the Civil Wars. Needless to say, the Temples were all strong Whigs.

3

Richard Houblon was knighted by King George I. in 1715, and was then described as of Woodford in Essex. But he served as High Sheriff for Herts in 1709,5 after he had become possessed of Hormead Hall in that county. Later he removed to Langley, the home of his mother's family, where Mr. Abraham Houblon 1 The estate now belongs to Prince F. Duleep Singh.

2 H. O. Warrant Book, vol. vi. p. 498.

3 See Swift's Works, ed. 1883, vi. 416, and Dictionary of National Biography, lvi. 15.

Catalogue of Knights from 1660-1828, by F. Townsend, Pursuivant of Arms, p. 37.

5 Robert Clutterbuck, History of Hertfordshire, i. p. xxxiv.

had resided till his death in 1722. The same year of the death of his father-in-law, Henry Temple was created Viscount Palmerston. Sir Richard Houblon never married. Besides his business as a merchant, he was deeply interested in the affairs of the Bank of England, of which he became a director in 1713, and continued on the 1713 direction till 1719, at which date he retired. Strype gives lists of the officers of the Bank for the years 1718 and 1719, together with those of the South Sea Company at the same period; and we note that the governor and directors were one and the same of both companies.1 Like everybody else, he invested largely in South Sea stock in the early days of the company; but he seems to have retired from any participation in its affairs before the mad craze of speculation which later led to such dire results in the South Sea Bubble.

Sir Richard was the last of the merchant princes of his name, and already in the latter part of his career the conditions which had brought his father and uncles into touch with the higher politics of the nation had passed away. He appears to have been of a kindly, affectionate disposition, and to have been much loved by the members of his own family, as also of his mother's. So overwhelmed was he by the shock of his father's sudden death in 1722, that we find Lord Palmerston undertaking all letters and business after it occurred. A letter dated the 14th of May, St. James's Square, to the Reverend Jacob, Houblon at Bubbingworth, informs him I am desired by my brother Houblon to lett you know that on Fryday night Mr Houblon dyed att Langley, having been well the day before, and not halfe an hours warning of his departure given to any in the family; my brother is now att Langly where I left him

'The Governours and Directors of the South Sea are the same, continuing customarily 3 years.'-Stowe, Survey of London, 11. iv. 272.

He was a son of Jacob,, Rector of Moreton (Mr. James Houblon's fifth son), who died 1698.