The pair read Murray's new edition of Gibbon.

Byron confesses to Hobhouse both his distaste for marrying before his financial affairs are arranged and his belief--though uncertain of his love for Annabella--that marriage is the surest road to happiness.

Hobhouse writes in his journal: "Never was a bridegroom less in haste" (503).

Byron visits Colonel Leigh and Augusta at Six Mile Bottom; Hobhouse stays at Cambridge.

Hanson promises to be available in ten days.

Byron and Hobhouse dine with Clarke, then attend a party with Davies and Henry Matthews.

Though Annabella wishes for a large wedding, Byron insists on a private ceremony.

Byron complains that Hanson has put off their meeting for 5 weeks.

Year Date Chronology Entry

1815 January 2 Byron weds Annabella Milbanke at 11 a.m. in the presence of Hobhouse, her parents, her governess Mrs. Clermont, and two clergymen. Lord and Lady Byron spend their honeymoon at the Noel's estate, Halnaby. Byron begins the Hebrew Melodies.

January 21 - February 9 Byron and Annabella return to Seaham. Hobhouse tries to arrange Byron's financial affairs in London, including arranging the lease for a house in London.

January 22 Byron, Annabella and the Noels celebrate Byron's 28th birthday.

February 2 Leigh Hunt is released from prison.

February 10 Byron's financial affairs require him to return to London, but Annabella refuses to be left behind.

February 12 - March 28 The pair visit Six Mile Bottom, where Annabella and Augusta meet for the first time.

? Napoleon, having escaped from Elba, lands in France. Hobhouse plans to travel to France.

March 28 The Byrons leave Six Mile Bottom for London. Once there, they take up the lodging Hobhouse had leased for them from the Duchess of Devonshire at 13 Piccadilly Terrace.

NO DATE GIVEN Byron renews his acquaintance with literary men in town, regularly visiting the literary group that met at Murray's. Murray encourages Byron to publish more of his poetry.

Early April Augusta arrives at Piccadilly Terrace.

April 7 Murray introduces Byron to Sir Walter Scott. Byron also meets William Gifford, James Boswell, and William Sotheby.

April 10 or 11 Lord Wentworth, Lady Byron's uncle, falls ill; and Annabella travels to Seaham to care for him.

April 12 At the House of Lords, Byron hears debates on Bonaparte's escape from Elba.

April 14 or 15 Lady Milbanke finally arrives at Seaham; and, at Byron's urging, Annabella returns to London.

April 15 Byron's creditors--encouraged by his recent wedding and his comfortable lodgings in Piccadilly--begin to bring legal action to gain payment of his debts. But appearances are deceiving: Lady Byron's marriage settlement from her parents barely pays the rent at Piccadilly Terrace, and the couple's other expenses strain their financial accounts. Claughton's payment continues to be delayed.

April 17 Lord Wentworth dies. In adherence to his will, the Milbankes change their name to Noel. The Kirkby Mallory estate does not produce the expected 7,000 a year, and the Noels are placed in significant financial difficulty. Byron too adds the Noel to his name, becoming George Gordon Noel Byron.

April ? Braham and Nathan publish Byron's Hebrew Melodies with Nathan's musical settings. Though expensive at a cost of one guinea, over 10,000 copies sell. By summer, Murray brings out an edition of Byron's poems, without the musical settings.

May At Douglass Kinnaird's request, Byron is appointed a member of the Management Sub-Committee of the Drury Lane Theatre. Other members included Lord Essex, George Lamb, Kinnaird, Peter Moore, and Samuel Whitbread, the theatre manager.

May 23 At the encouragement of Hobhouse, Byron participates in voting at the House of Lords. He supports the Whig attempt to censure the Tory government's part in the Congress of Vienna.

June 20 George Ticknor, an American, presents letters of introduction to Byron who treats him graciously. Byron receives news of the Battle of Waterloo, expressing regret that Napoleon was in retreat.

June 21 Byron visits Murray's literary salon, participating in the conversation on the victory at Waterloo.

June 25 Augusta leaves London.

June 26 Byron introduces Ticknor to Mrs. Siddons.

June 27 Ticknor visits the theatre in Byron's private box with the Byrons and the Noels.

July Caroline Lamb leaves England. Her brother Frederick Ponsonby had been wounded at Waterloo, and Caroline travels to Brussels to help her mother nurse him.

Early July The Noels allow the Byrons the use of Seaham; the Noels move to the Kirkby Mallory estate.

July 6 Samuel Whitbread, manager of Drury Lane, dies unexpectedly.

Late July Byron learns from Hobhouse the state of Parisian politics.

July 28 Byron tries unsuccessfully to sell the Newstead and Rochdale estates at auction, but is forced to bring them in when the bidding fails to meet the reserve. Byron's financial situation grows desperate, and as the months go on with no relief, Byron becomes moody, angry, and openly hostile to family. He also turns to drink.

July 29 As a result of the Wentworth inheritance, Byron signs a new will stipulating that after the payment of Annabella's marriage settlement, the remainder of his estate would go to Augusta and her children. The new will supercedes that of Sept. 29, 1813. Hobhouse and Hanson are named as Byron's executors.

August 30 - September 4 Byron visits Augusta at Six Mile Bottom.

September 9 The autumn season of the Drury Lane Theatre opens. Byron works to recruit good actors and good scripts. Despite failures with Sotheby, Thomas Moore, S. T. Coleridge, and Walter Scott, Byron is able to secure Charles Maturin's Bertram (which becomes a great success when it is staged in 1816 ).

NO DATE GIVEN Among the actors who perform on the stage during Byron's tenure on the committee are Kean, Miss Kelley, and Mrs. Mardyn. He also tries to engage Mrs. Siddons, but she refuses to leave Edinburgh.

September 14 Byron writes Augusta that he believes Annabella has been searching through his papers and has broken open his writing desk.

September 26 Mrs. Mardyn debuts at Drury Lane in Lovers' Vows; she becomes a principal of the company.

September Byron writes Coleridge to secure a new drama.

? Byron writes Coleridge of his admiration of Christabel which he has heard recited by Scott.

? Coleridge sends Byron a copy of Christabel; after reading it, Byron realizes that he has unconsciously borrowed from it in Siege of Corinth and offers to omit the lines. When the poem is published, Byron retains the lines but offers an explanatory note.

September 28 Leigh Hunt sends Byron a copy of Feast of the Poets, a gift which elicits comments from Byron on Wordsworth's poetic skill.

October 15 Byron sends Hunt a copy of English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. This copy contains the corrections Byron had intended for the suppressed fifth edition.

October 31 Byron attends a large dinner with theatrical people, among them Sheridan, Colman, and Harry Harris of Covent Garden.

November 2 Annabella completes her fair copy of Siege of Corinth.

Early November Though Byron's properties are worth over 100,000, he remains unable to sell. A bailiff enters Byron's house and refuses to leave until Byron settles his debts. Having already sold the Newstead furniture to meet debts, Byron arranges to sell his library as well. Murray offers 1,500 for the library and an additional sum for Byron's remaining copyrights; Byron refuses the money out of pride. Since maintaining the house at Piccadilly Terrace is expensive, Byron plans to break up the household there and move to cheaper accommodations.

Early November In reaction to tremendous financial problems at home, Byron begins a short-lived liaison with a minor actress, Susan Boyce. Boyce continues to trouble Byron until he leaves for the Continent in March, 1816.

November 15 Augusta, in response to Annabella's alarming letters, arrives at Piccadilly Terrace to help manage Byron's moods. Byron turns his anger on Augusta.

NO DATE GIVEN Byron completes Parisina.

November 18 At the Kinnaird's, Byron's heavy drinking leads to a drunken argument with Alexander Rae, an actor, that stops just short of a fight. At home, his rages continue. Annabella believes him temporarily insane.

Early December At the request of Augusta, Mrs. Clermont and George Byron move into the house on Piccadilly Terrace to offer support to Annabella during her confinement.

December 10, 1 p.m. Annabella delivers a baby girl, Augusta Ada.

NO DATE GIVEN Murray offers 1000 guineas for the copyrights of Parisina and Siege of Corinth, but Byron refuses money for his writing.