rd.
During his college _curriculum_ this divine had made the acquaintance
of Count Poniatowski, who afterwards became King of Poland, and had
been introduced by him to his sister. The enamoured and beautiful
Polish princess fell in love with Wilmot and married him, and the
result of their union was a daughter, who grew up to rival her
mother's beauty. The fact of the marriage and the existence of the
daughter were, however, carefully kept from the outer world, and
especially from Oxford, where Dr. Wilmot retained his fellowship. The
girl grew to the age of sweet seventeen, and, in 1767, met the Duke of
Cumberland, the younger brother of George III., at the house of Lord
Archer, in Grosvenor Square. After a short courtship, the duke was
said to have married her--the marriage having been celebrated by her
father on the 4th of March, 1767, at nine o'clock in the evening. Two
formal certificates of the marriage were drawn up and signed by Dr.
Wilmot and by Lord Brooke (afterwards Lord Warwick) and J. Addey, who
were present at it; and these certificates were verified by the
signatures of Lord Chatham and Mr. Dunning (afterwards Lord Ashburton).
These documents were put in evidence. The Duke of Cumberland and Olive
Wilmot lived together for four years; and, in October, 1771, while she
was pregnant, her royal mate deserted her, and, as was alleged,
contracted a bigamous marriage with Lady Anne Horton, sister of the
well-known Colonel Luttrel. George III., having been aware of the
previous union with Olive Wilmot, was very indignant at this second
connection, and would not allow the Duke of Cumberland and his second
wife to come to Court. Indeed, it was mainly in consequence of this
marriage, and the secret marriage of the Duke of Gloucester, that the
Royal Marriage Act was forced through Parliament.

Olive Wilmot, as the petitioner's counsel asserted, having been
deserted by her husband, gave birth to a Child Olive, who ought to
have borne the title of Princess of Cumberland. The baby was baptised
on the day of its birth by Dr. Wilmot, and three certificates to that
effect were produced, signed by Dr. Wilmot and his brother Robert. But,
although the king was irritated at the conduct of his brother, he was
at the same time anxious to shield him from the consequences of his
double marriage, and for that purpose gave directions to Lord Chatham,
Lord Warwick, and Dr. Wilmot that the real parentage of the child
should be conceale