I quote this valentine at length because it is a fair sample of the quality of our poet's efforts. At the end of the eighteenth century, and far into the nineteenth, a rhyming faculty of this kind was quite sufficient to make a literary reputation in an English provincial town, and in the case of Mrs. Clarke it was followed up by the writing of a novel, _The Sword_, published at Liverpool in 1791. It is interesting to find the name of Roscoe the historian among the subscribers for this book. In the same year--within six months of her marriage--the writer lost her husband. The interest of Elizabeth Knipe's life, however, begins for us when very shortly after this she became the wife of John Cobbold, of the Cliff Brewery, Ipswich. Cobbold was a widower. He had already had sixteen children, of whom fourteen were then living. When it is remembered that by his second wife he had six more children it will be seen that there was a large family, and it is not surprising therefore that the Cobbold name is still very much in evidence in Norfolk and Suffolk, and particularly in Ipswich. "Placed in the bosom of this numerous family", writes her biographer, "and indulged in the means of gratifying her benevolent and liberal spirit, 'The Cliff' became the home of her dearest affections, the residence of taste, and the scene of hospitality." One need not complain of the lady that she was not very much of a poet, for she had otherwise a versatile character. In addition to being, as we are assured, a good housekeeper, she was, if her self-portraiture be accepted, a worker in many fields:-- A botanist one day, or grave antiquarian, Next morning a sempstress, or abecedarian; Now making a frock, and now marring a picture, Next conning a deep, philosophical lecture; At night at the play, or assisting to kill The time of the idlers with whist or quadrille; In cares or amusements still taking a part, Though science and friendship are nearest my heart. Laetitia Jermyn tells us much about her charity and kindness of heart, her zeal in behalf of many movements to help the poor, and she dwells with enthusiasm upon her friend's literary achievements.[2] But the scope of this Introduction to her son's book does not justify devoting more attention to the mother, although her frequent appearance in Margaret Catchpole's partially true story demands that something be said about her "mistress". Elizabeth Cobbold died in 1824. Her husband outlived her for eleven years. John Cobbold (1746-1835) traced back his family in the direct line as landowners in Suffolk to a Robert Cobbold, who died in 1603. He was a banker as well as a brewer, and lived first at "The Cliff" and afterwards at "Holywells", which has ever since been the seat of the head of the family. It was the fourteenth child of his first marriage--Henry Gallant Cobbold--who was saved from drowning by Margaret Catchpole.