The Rev. George Villiers, who still owned property which had been settled by Sir Edward Coke on his daughter, Lady Purbeck, died without issue, in 1774, and his brother died a bachelor. The male line of Villiers, alias Danvers, alias Wright, then expired. We hear no more of any claims to the Purbeck peerage; henceforward the title which stands at the head of this story was no longer to have any place in living interests. At this point, let us also take leave of it; and the author hopes that his readers, if ever reminded of this book by the mention of Lady Purbeck, may not exclaim in the words of a character in Macbeth:--"The devil himself could not pronounce a title more hateful to mine ear." FOOTNOTES: [101] _Coles' MSS._, Vol. XXXIII., p. 17. [102] He married a daughter of Sir William Slingsby of Kippax, Yorkshire. [103] Burke's _Extinct and Dormant Peerages_. [104] The authorities for most of what follows are _The Historical MSS. Commission_, Ninth Report, Part II., p. 58; _MSS. of the House of Lords_, 30th April, 5th May, and 3rd June, 1675, 14th March, 16th June, and 9th July, 1678, and Burke's _Extinct and Dormant Peerages_. [105] _MSS. of the House of Lords_, 228, 30th April, 1675. [106] _MSS. of the House of Lords_, 228, 30th April, 1675. [107] _Absalom and Achitophel_, line 447, _seq._