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The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
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The Lawless family, originally Roman Catholic woolen drapers, acquired a French estate after naturalization. A dispute with the selling Duke led to a felon being hanged opposite their home using reserved manor rights. They sold, moved to Ireland, converted to Protestantism, and rose to nobility as Baronet and Lord Cloncurrey.
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His father, having made a very considerable fortune as a woolen draper, and being disqualified by law from laying it out in the purchase of landed estates (being a Roman Catholic) went over to France, where he got himself naturalized, and then purchased a fine estate.
He had some difference about the presentation to a living on the estate with a noble Duke from whom he had purchased it. The Duke took a very singular method of mortifying Mr. Lawless. This nobleman has reserved to himself the royalties of the estate which he had sold—one of which was the power of trying felons, and causing them to be executed in any part of the manor he should please.—Accordingly, a felon having been convicted of a capital offence, the Duke caused the gallows to be erected just opposite the house of Mr. Lawless, and the man to be hanged on it. Mr. Lawless then sold the estate, went to Ireland, turned Protestant, and became a purchaser in his own country.
He was soon made a Baronet, and is now become a Lord. Thus it may be said—the gallows has exalted the family of the Lawless.
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France, Ireland
Story Details
Mr. Lawless, a wealthy Roman Catholic draper, naturalized in France to buy an estate but clashed with the selling Duke over a living. The Duke retaliated by hanging a felon opposite their home using reserved rights. They sold, relocated to Ireland, converted to Protestantism, purchased land, and the family rose to Baronet and Lord.