Irish peerage as Baron Altham of Altham, with remainder, on failure of
male issue, to Richard his third son.

Altham, Lord Altham, died without issue, and the title and estates
accordingly devolved upon Richard, who, dying in 1701, left two sons,
named respectively Arthur and Richard. The new peer, in 1706, espoused
Mary Sheffield, a natural daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, against
the wishes of his relatives. He lived with his wife in England for two
or three years, but was at last obliged to flee to Ireland from his
creditors, leaving Lady Altham behind him in the care of his mother
and sisters. These ladies, who cordially hated her, set about ruining
her reputation, and soon induced her weak and dissipated husband to
sue for a divorce, but, as proof was not forthcoming, the case was
dismissed. Thereupon his lordship showed a disposition to become
reconciled to his wife, and she accordingly went over to Dublin in
October 1713; and through the good offices of a friend a
reconciliation was effected, and the re-united couple, after a
temporary residence in Dublin, went to live at Lord Altham's country
seat of Dunmain, in the county of Wexford. Here, in April or May 1715,
Lady Altham bore a son, which was given to a peasant woman, named Joan
Landy, to nurse. At first the young heir was suckled by this woman at
the mansion, and afterwards at the cabin of her father, less than a
mile from Dunmain. In order to make this residence a little more
suitable for the child it was considerably improved externally and
internally, and a coach road was constructed between it and Dunmain
House, so that Lady Altham might be able frequently to visit her son.

Soon after the birth of the child Lord Altham's dissipation and his
debts increased, and he proposed to the Duke of Buckingham that he
should settle a jointure on Lady Altham, and for this purpose the pair