According to Ross, Cornbury dispensed thousands of state acres in a corrupt fashion.
The most solid evidence of misappropriation of land by Lord Cornbury came in 1706 when he granted a swath of government land south of Albany to nine friends of his, which included his secretary.
The transaction, which included part of the Great Nine Partners Patent, was likely illegal and was sold by Hyde for cash.
The land would eventually become Hyde Park (named for Lord Cornbury), famous for being the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Virtually every reference written about Lord Cornbury has described him in disparaging terms.
The criticisms can be traced back to a spring 1706 complaint written to the newly appointed Whig ministry by Lewis Morris (1671–1746), and Samuel Jennings (about 1660–1708) in behalf of the New Jersey Assembly.
In 1708, the New York Assembly followed suit with their letter.
Specific accusations included:
Asserting royal prerogative over locally elected assemblies
Accepting bribes
Persecution of the Presbyterians by confiscating church property and imprisoning their ministers
Embezzlement of defense funds
Fiscal mismanagement, leading to a large amount of public & personal debt
Such complaints were commonplace during that era.
Similar allegations were made about the royal governors who preceded and succeeded Cornbury – both in New York & New Jersey, and in the other colonies.
What was unique about Governor Cornbury was the allegation of wearing women's clothes.

A generation later, the story was told of a conversation about Lord Cornbury between the famous Whig minister & author Horace Walpole (1717–1797) and author George James Williams (1719–1805).
Walpole recounted that:
[Lord Cornbury] was a clever man.
His great insanity was dressing himself as a woman.
When Governor in America he opened the Assembly dressed in that fashion.
When some of those about him remonstrated, his reply was, 'You are very stupid not to see the propriety of it.
In this place and particularly on this occasion I represent a woman (Queen Anne) and ought in all respects to represent her as faithfully as I can.'

Williams reply was reportedly:
My father did business with Cornbury in woman's clothes.
He used to sit at the open window so dressed, to the great amusement of the neighbours.
He employed always the most fashionable milliner, shoemaker, stay maker, etc.
I saw a picture of him at Sir Herbert Packington's in Worcestershire, in a gown, stays, tucker, long ruffles, and cap....
According to Ross, Cornbury dispensed thousands of state acres in a corrupt fashion. The most solid evidence of misappropriation of land by Lord Cornbury came in 1706 when he granted a swath of government land south of Albany to nine friends of his, which included his secretary. The transaction, which included part of the Great Nine Partners Patent, was likely illegal and was sold by Hyde for cash. The land would eventually become Hyde Park (named for Lord Cornbury), famous for being the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Virtually every reference written about Lord Cornbury has described him in disparaging terms. The criticisms can be traced back to a spring 1706 complaint written to the newly appointed Whig ministry by Lewis Morris (1671–1746), and Samuel Jennings (about 1660–1708) in behalf of the New Jersey Assembly. In 1708, the New York Assembly followed suit with their letter. Specific accusations included:
Asserting royal prerogative over locally elected assemblies
Accepting bribes
Persecution of the Presbyterians by confiscating church property and imprisoning their ministers
Embezzlement of defense funds
Fiscal mismanagement, leading to a large amount of public & personal debt
Such complaints were commonplace during that era. Similar allegations were made about the royal governors who preceded and succeeded Cornbury – both in New York & New Jersey, and in the other colonies. What was unique about Governor Cornbury was the allegation of wearing women's clothes.
A generation later, the story was told of a conversation about Lord Cornbury between the famous Whig minister & author Horace Walpole (1717–1797) and author George James Williams (1719–1805). Walpole recounted that:
[Lord Cornbury] was a clever man. His great insanity was dressing himself as a woman. When Governor in America he opened the Assembly dressed in that fashion. When some of those about him remonstrated, his reply was, 'You are very stupid not to see the propriety of it. In this place and particularly on this occasion I represent a woman (Queen Anne) and ought in all respects to represent her as faithfully as I can.'
Williams reply was reportedly:
My father did business with Cornbury in woman's clothes. He used to sit at the open window so dressed, to the great amusement of the neighbours. He employed always the most fashionable milliner, shoemaker, stay maker, etc. I saw a picture of him at Sir Herbert Packington's in Worcestershire, in a gown, stays, tucker, long ruffles, and cap....
Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon