Early on Thursday 15th January 1801. Horatio Nelson, "one arm, one peeper, vain as Pretty Poll", was on his way to Plymouth to make preparations for his ship to put to sea. He was expected to pass through Exeter. The British victory at the Battle of the Nile had made his a household name. He was the hero of the hour. The Mayor and Chamber of the City of Exeter wanted to present him with the Freedom of the City and thus"to add (his) illustrious name to the number of their Fellow-Citizens."
Nelson made no objection to this and the city made ready to receive him. Sir Stafford Northcote's troop of the 1st Devon Volunteer Cavalry rode two miles out to meet him and to escort his carriage into town. The citizens turned out in force to see the nation's hero. The bells of the Cathedral and of all the churches were rung and little Lord Nelson came to the Guildhall and was formally made a citizen.
He made a short speech which included the stirring lines about the Battle of the Nile in which he famously said that his directive from the Lords of the Admiralty had been very concise: "It was to take, burn, sink and destroy the French fleet wherever he should meet them"
"A grand dinner was prepared by the Right Worshipful the Mayor and Chamber, for his Lordship's entertainment." But Nelson would not stay for it. His carriage drove off at one o'clock. He had been in Exeter for only a few hours. The mayor's grand dinner must have been a Hamlet-without-the-prince occasion but "his Lordship set out on his journey, apparently much pleased with the attentions he had received."
Anyway, let us rejoice that we can count Lord Nelson as one of our fellow-citizens. There's glory for you!
Source: The Exeter Flying Post, 22nd January 1801. (and Robert Graves!)
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