Reported On This Day (June 5 1739): Murdering Irish peer is pardoned by King George II

LONDON, May 15.

The lord Santry, of the kingdom of Ireland, now under sentence of death, will be repriev’d, sine Die.

DUBLIN, May 22.

[Last Sunday] evening the greatest demonstrations of joy were shewn in many parts of this city, by bonefires, ringing of bells, &c. upon a report of a reprieve being granted by his Majesty to the right hon. the lord Santry; which rumour, however wished for by his friends, yet cannot be entirely depended on; and we are fully assured, that those rejoicings gave his lordship the greatest uneasiness, as they were made altogether without his knowledge or approbation.

[Baron Barry of Santry was found guilty by a trial of his peers of a drunken murder. His powerful friends appealed it]

LONDON, May 15.

The orders for his majesty’s and the rest of the royal Family’s removing this day to Kensington, were countermanded, on account of her royal highness the princess Louisa’s being ill of the measles; but her royal highness is judged to be in a fair way of recovery.

Their royal highnesses the prince and princess of Wales, with his grace the duke of Bedford, the lord Baltimore, and a vast concourse of the nobility and gentry of both sexes, were last night at Vaux-Hall-Gardens. There were a great many French horns upon the water, and the Bells at Lambath saluted their royal highnesses in their passage up and down the river.

They talk of a doublemarriage being propos’d, between Frederick, prince royal of Denmark, born March 31, 1723, and her royal highness the princess Amelia, second daughter to his majesty of Great Britain. As also, between his royal highness the duke of Cumberland, and Louisa, princess royal of Denmark, born October 19, 1726. [King George II’s daughter Amelia was aged 27 at this time, but this report was wrong — she would die unmarried. Prince Frederick in fact married her younger sister Louise, George II’s fifth daughter, who was aged 14 in 1739. Prince Frederick became King of Denmark-Norway and she Queen. The speculation might be confusing Prince Frederick with Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia, later Frederick the Great, who was closer in age to Amelia, aged 29 in 1739, and who was also talked of as a match for her. King George II’s third son William Duke of Cumberland was aged 18 in 1739 but the speculation about him is also wrong – he never married.]