The family of Burnett of Leys, with collateral - Electric Scotland

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THE FAMILY OF BURNETT OF LEYS.
some more suitable place. The result was its removal to the place it
now occupies." *
By his second wife, Maria Scot, Bishop
Burnet had three sons and
two daughters (all his family, except two daughters by his third wife,
who died in infancy), viz. :
I. WILLIAM. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, as a gentleman
commoner. Governor of New York and New Jersey in 1720,
afterwards of Massachussetts in 1728, and New Hampshire. He
married (ist) Maria (who died in 1714), daughter of Dr. George
Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, and (2nd) Mary, daughter of
Abraham Vanhorn of New York By his first wife he had a son,
Gilbert, born 1714, who left a son, Thomas, born 1740, a surgeon
at Chigwell, Co. Essex, married to Margaret (who died at
Chigwell 27th August, 1811, aged 83), and had a daughter, Mary,
who died unmarried in 1795, the last descendant in the male line
of Bishop Burnet. By his second marriage, Governor Burnet
had two sons, William in holy orders, and Thomas in the army,
who both died unmarried, and a daughter, Mary, married to the
Honourable William Brown of Salem, New England, in 1737.
Governor Burnet died at Boston I7th September, 1729.
II. GILBERT. Educated at Merton College, Oxford. In holy orders,
chaplain to George I., and rector of East Barnet ; died, unmarried,
in 1726.
III. (Sir) THOMAS, born 1694. Educated at Merton College, Oxford.
Was employed in the diplomatic service, and appointed secretary
for the King to the Diet at Ratisbon. He was afterwards consul
at Lisbon for several years, and whilst there is said to have
played a practical joke upon the ambassador, Lord Tyrawley,
somewhat in the style of Theodore Hook. Hearing that the
ambassador, who is said to have been a pompous man, and who
laid great stress on Court etiquette, was to appear at a birthday
leve*e in a particularly gorgeous dress, Burnett appeared at the
leve in question with his footmen attired in liveries exactly like
it, he himself wearing a perfectly plain suit. The result was a
* MS. Notes on Clerkenwcll.