His father died before he reached his majority, leaving him a considerable fortune, which, however, he soon dissipated, his wife and family being compelled by destitution to retire to their relations in Wales in 1721.
The same year, he received from the government a small office connected with the customs at Chester.
In connection with the election of a relative as a member of parliament for Liverpool he wrote a libellous attack on the rival candidate, and to escape prosecution was advised to abscond.
In the middle of the stream he quit his horse, resolving to trust to his remarkable powers as a swimmer, but he was unable to reach the shore.
She wrote a good deal of verse in The Gentleman's Magazine and elsewhere, which was collected after her death and published, together with some of her letters (1744).