Coote MOLESWORTH [24780]

  General Notes:

Coote II
His Pedigree states that Coote:
"(so called from his Mother's family name) was born (as were some of the above) in Bury Street, near S.t James's Street London, June 23.d OS July 4.th N.S. 1798⁷⁶. In his Infancy was sent to Edlington, Yorkshire; and, at or about the Age of 7years, was put to a School at Beighton near Sheffield Yorkshire. When his Brother John was (in 1710) appointed Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of Tuscany, he was sent for to London, in order to have been carried thither; but, it being thought that he was too young to be capable of Business, he was sent to the School of Mons.r La Place, in Queen's Square, Ormond Street, to learn Latin, but Chiefly French, to qualify him for going abroad, in Publick Business. He remained there about two years, and thence was put to Westminster School, under Doctor Friend; went through that school; and, Parties running high, was taken away in or about the year 1715. or 16. and was sent to Leyden, in Holland; with Directions to attend the Lectures of Civil Law, Belles Lettres, and Philosophy; still with a View to being employed in Publick Affairs⁷⁷. Having gone through two Courses of said Lectures, he was sent to Geneva, to perfect the French Language, and learn the Genteel Exercises. After staying there about Six Months, he was ordered to Leyden again, in his way to Sweden, in Case his youngest Brother Bysse (who attended Lord carteret, on his Embassy to that Court) had died; he being very dangerously ill there. He fortunately recovered; and Coote was order'd to remain in Holland, and to pursue the same Studies. In the year 1720. when his Brother John was appointed Envoy & Plenipotentiary to all the Courts of Italy, and to reside at Turin, he accompanied him thither, and did all the Business of Secretary (though he had a nominal one) till Lord Carteret (at that time Secretary of State) insisted upon his taking Bysse in his stead: Wherefore Coote was to return home; but obtained permission to visit the most remarkable Towns in Italy; by which means he was twice at Rome, at Naples etc.a etc.a & came home through France⁷⁸.
The Earl of Sunderland, Mr Secretary Craggs, and Mr Addison being now dead (on whom were his sole dependance for being put forward in the way to which his Education led.) and his Father having highly disobliged the Court and Ministry, by pursuing the Principal Actors in the South Sea scheme (for he was thrust out of his Station for Bodmyn, and Mr Leheup chosen [paper torn] he had 97. Votes against 19. on the other side⁷⁹). for these Reasons it was [paper torn] proper to give up all thoughts of Perferment that way: Whereupon he was entered in the Middle Temple, with design to his pursuing the Study of the Law. But his Father dying in May 22.d 1725. and his Brother John the year following; he seeing himself deprived of all Assistance, and disliking the Study of the Law, went a third time to Leyden, and applied himself very closely to the Study of Physick, Botany, and Chemistry under that Great Man Hermannus Boerhaave, & of Anatomy, under the well known Professor Albinus. There he continued two years, and brought back six Vol.s, large Quarto, of Boerhaave's Lectures in Manuscript.
Having entered himself, beforehand, fellow commoner of S.t John's College Cambridge, he compounded for his Terms, and April 25.th 1728. took his Degree of Doctor in Physick there⁸⁰. March 28.th 1730. he was elected fellow of the Royal Society, of which he is a Member at this time (1765.) Sept.r 30.th 1735. He was appointed Physician to His Majesty's Troops in the Island of Minorca, with a Salary of 10.sh a Day; which, in the beginning of the following year, was increased to 20sh a day, payable out of the Revenues of that Island; where be resided, with his family many years. In the year 1756, the Island was conquered by the French; and he lost both his employment and Salary, as long as it remained in the hands of the Enemy: But in 1763. was restored to both, which he now enjoys. July 13th 1742. he took his Degree of Doctor in Physick in the University of Dublin. May l5.th 1731. he married Mary⁸¹ sole daughter and Heiress of Doctor Wm Palmer of Wanlip, in Leicestershire; by whom, (now living) he has no Issue. He resides at present (Feby. 26.th 1765) in a good House of his own, at the Town of Chichester in Sussex. He had always a great facility in learning Langauges; and acquired a Competent Knowledge of French, Italian, Spanish and low Dutch, which he reads and understands perfectly; and, with a little residence on the Spot, would speak any of these fluently.
Dr Coote Molesworth, and his Wife Mary, were at Lady Molesworth 's House in Upper Brook's Street⁸², when that dreadful fire happen'd in the Morning of the 6th of May 1763. wherein so many of the family perished, and they miraculously escaped with their Lives. The latter was obliged to throw herself out at a Window towards the Garden, 3 stories high; and falling on an Iron rail which fenced off the Area; whereby she bounded into the Garden, instead of falling to the bottom; bruised her left arm so much that it was doubtful whether she might ever recover the use of it, which is yet very imperfect. The former got out at the said Window, and finding an Iron in the Wall, caught hold of it, and hung 12 or 15 Minutes, by one hand, until a Ladder was brought from a great distance. They were both burnt in several parts of the Body, and lost all their Cloaths, Linnen, Jewels Watches etc.a etc.a etc!' escaping only in a Shirt & Shift, with each a Night Cap, by the most Wonderful Goodness and Power of Providence⁸³."
He died at Chichester, 29th November 1782⁸⁴.
Ref: "Robert Molesworth & his "Account of Denmark" by William Molesworth, MA (Cantab), MLitt (Dub) https://anaccountofdenmark.wordpress.com/
Footnote references can be found in "Children of the First Viscount"
https://anaccountofdenmark.wordpress.com/children-of-the-1st-viscount/ or in the Books section of this website.