erred to the great preiudice of the honourable Lord viscount Monta-cute the Lord Cobham and the Baron Wentworth with manie other now liuing descended of the same honourable familie the true discent here following will explaine Michael De-la-Poole Lord Wingfield Earle of Suffolke and knight of the noble order of the Garter sonne and heire of Sir William De-la-Poole knight Banneret and of Katherine his wife sister of sir Iohn Norwich knight had issue Michaell De-la-Poole the second Earle of Suffolke who died at Haresflew 1415. leauing issue two sonnes Michaell De-la-Poole Earle of Suffolk that died at the battell of Agincourt in the 3. yeare of Henry the fift without issue William De-la-Poole Marques and afterward Duke of Suffolke who was beheaded on the seas 26. of king Henrie the sixt whom you make sonne to his grandfather Michaell the first of that name And for the better satisfying of the world that this Michaell De-la-Poole the first Earle of Suffolke of that familie was not basely descended nor a marchant of Hull as you and others after you haue written I haue hereto added a deede of the said Michaels before he was Earle which doth proue his father mother brother sister and children MIchael De-la-poole dominus Wingfield c. I Michael De-la-Poole Lord Wingfield doe confirme certaine landes to the religious house of Saintcleare neare vnto Kingstone vpon Hull the which lands were before giuen by sir William De-la-Pole knight my father to pray for the good estate of king Richard and for Michaell De-la-poole Iohn Thomas William Richard and Margaret my children and for sir Edmond De-la-Poole knight my Brother and Margaret Neuill my sister and for the soules of sir William De-la-Poole my father and Katherin my mother c. Witnesses Alexander Archbishop of York Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland Thomas Sutton Robert de Hilton and Walter Fawconbridge knights with manie others Dated at Hull the first of March the seuenth yeare of the reigne of King Richard the second HEngham the Barons thereof were called the Barons of Rhia who discended from Iohn Marshall nephew of William Marshall Earle of Penbroke by his brother to whome King Iohn gaue the lands of Hugh Gurney a traitor togither with the daughter and coheire of Hubert de Rhia From the Marshals the same came to the Morleys and from them by the Louels to Parker now Lord Morley Pag. 360. NOw comming to speake of the Barons of Rhia let mee by your patience put you in minde of a late conference had before the now right honourable Earle marshall of England concerning the true coates of the two families of Bygot Earle of Norfolke and Marshall Earle of Penbroke Master Garter hauing before that time set downe and quartered in diuerse noble personages atchieuements for Marshals coate quarterly gold and vert a Lion passant Gules a coate latelie deuised and for Bygots coate perpale golde and vert a Lion rampant Gules neither of them both being in truth their right coates My selfe being commaunded to say what I knew touching these matters shewed for Marshals coate one faire deed with a seale of Armes thereto of Iohn Marshall father of William Marshall Earle of Penbroke and Anselme that was father to Iohn Marshall Baron of Rhia on which seale was written Iohn Marshall and in his shield or escucheon a bend fuzulie Also I shewed a transcript of an other deed of the said Iohn in which was written Iohn sonne of Iohn the Kinges Marshall with the same Armes of a bend fuzulie testified vnder the hand of an Officer of armes long before that time deceased Lastly I shewed an old roll of Armes wrought in colorus in Henrie the thirds time wherein was the same coate viz. Gules a bende fuzulie golde and ouer the heade thereof written the name of Marshall All which proofes notwithstanding your selfe being there then present verie stedfastlie denied the same to bee the coate of Marshall Earle of Penbroke affirming that bend fuzulie to be the peculiar coate of Marshall Baron of Rhia who was as you then said of no consanguinitie to Marshall Earle of Penbroke For further maintaining of which your speach you then shewed two newe petegrees lately contriued and made by your consent declaring the saide two Marshals to bee seuerall families and not one Since which time perusing well your Britannia fol. 360 I finde the same there auouched by yourselfe for truth which at that time you so confidently denied before the said Earle Marshall viz. That Iohn Marshall Baron of Rhia was nephew to William Marshall Earle of Penbroke by his brother which is quite contrarie to your speeches before vsed By this your information of these Marshals to be seuerall families without which you had no colour to maintaine your errour for that the Barons of Rhia alwayes vsed for their coate of Armes the said bend fuzulie the right coate of Marshall is like now to bee neglected and the Lion in the parted field vsed in stead thereof the same being the peculiar coate borne by Marshall and Bygot when they were Marshals of Englnd and not belonging to anie one priuate name as by many other good proofes it may appeare And because I would not haue any heareafter to stand doubtfull which of vs both are to be beleeued touching these two Marshals to bee discended of one parent I will here set downe the record that doth warrant the same Which being proued I trust you will shew vs some reason why the yonger brother did beare the bend fuzulie if not discended to him from his father That done I will then shew you proofe howe and when both the elder Marshall and Bygot did beare the Lion on the parted field which you missed to find in Master Somersets Notes and Master Leylands twelue bookes lent you by master Iohn Stow in whose custodie I haue seene diuerse of them being most excellent and rare works touching the description of this Countrey written not vpon here-say and reportes but vpon his eye-sight and long trauell from towne to towne and place to place vpon the Kings charge and Commission which Bookes I wish might bee published in the right Authours name EX Rotulo cartarum de Anno quinto Regis Iohannis Iohannes Mariscallus nepos Guilielmi Marescalli comitis Penbroc Habet terras in Norfolke Suffolke quae fuerunt Hugonis de Gornaco proditoris regis terram quae fuit Hugonis de Angee in Norfolke Kantelee Castre c. Testibus I. Norwich Episcopo Gulielmo Marescallo Comit. Penbroc Galfrid filio Petri Comit. Essex Roberto filio Rogeri Hugone de Neuill Dat. apud Merleberge 16. Ianuarii KIng Stephen gaue Norwich to his sonne William from whom king Henrie the second tooke it againe and kept it himself although that Henrie his sonne called the yong King had when hee had aspired vnto the crowne with great protestation promised the same vnto Hugh Bygot whom he had drawne vnto his faction Bygot notwithstanding following the yong kings side who
approbation hereof it appeareth by diuerse offices in the time of king Edward the third that Iohn Handlo in right of Maude Burnell his wife was seased of the Mannors of Holgat and Acton Burnell for terme of his life the Remainder to Nicholas Handlo alias Burnell sonne and heire of the said Iohn by Maude his wife And therefore no such Hugh as you auouch to be sonne of Iohn Handlo but had you said that Hugh had bene grand-childe of Iohn and sonne of Nicholas then had you in this point saued your owne credit and me a labour HArewood Castell came from the Curcyes to Waryn Ftz-Gerald whose daughter Margaret was married first to Bauldwyn Riuers sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire who dyed before his father and after she married Foulke de Brent from her it came by inheritaunce to G. Lisley whose successors were called Lordes of the Isle Rougemont and Harewood But male issue fayling the sister of the last Robert transported this inheritaunce by mariage to William de Alborough by whose onely daughter it came to the Rythers which now holdeth the same Pag. 535. YOur errors committed in this Title of Harewood Castell are worthie some censure For first you say that Harewood Castell came from the Curcyes to Waryn Fitz-Gerald and that his daughter Margaret caryed the same by marriage to Bauldwyn Ryuers Wherein you are greatlie deceaued For Waryn Fitz-Gerald which first possessed Harewood Castell by marrying the sister heire of Curcy had issue a sonne and no daughter which sonne had issue an other sonne and two daughters and so your discent verie vntrue in that poynt Secondly you affirme that after the death of the said Margaret Harewood Castell did discend by inheritance to G. Lisley To that I answere Had you knowne the trueth of this discent you would haue set downe both the time and how the said G. Lisley was the said Margarets heire whether by lineall or collaterall discent but that being a matter too intricate for you to performe in steede thereof you were forced to leaue for his name a bare letter G. and his right of inheritance for the readers of your Booke to finde in nubibus And although for some speciall cause I do forbeare heere to lay open this honorable progenie of Lisles yet by the way will I tell you that there was neuer anie one of that familie whose name began with a G. that possessed Harewood as an inheritance discended to him from the foresaid Margaret nor that wanting heires male his issue carried the same by marriage to the familie of Aldborough as you verie vndiscreetly haue heere set downe for all those Lysleys that were owners of Harewood were called by the name of Iohn Thirdly that the sister and heire of Robert Lysley transported this inheritance by marriage to William de Aldborough I vtterly deny the same and for proofe say that Elizabeth the wife of Sir William Aldborough was sister and heire of Iohn Lisley in the time of king Edward the thirde and not of Robert And lastly whereas without any probabilitie you affirme that the foresaid Sir William Alborough had issue by his wife one onely daughter and heire married to Sir William Ryther I answere that in saying he had but one onelie daughter you wrong diuers Worshipfull families now liuing that are discended of Elizabeth an other daughter and coheire of the said Sir William Aldborough and his wife who was first married to Sir Bryan Stapleton and after to Sir Richard Redman as by an inquisition taken after the death of the said Sir William Aldborough and Elizabeth his wife in the. 12. yeere of king Richard the second it doth appeare FOkingham now the habitation of the Clyntons in auncient time the Barony of Gauntes who discended from Gilbert of Gaunt grand-child to Bauldwyn Earle of Flaunders to whom many goodly Reuenewes fell by the bountie of William the Conquerour His sonne Walter of Gaunt begate Gilbert created by king Stephen Earle of Lincolne and Robert of Gaunt but the Earle left one onely daughter maried to Symon the third Earle of Northhampton who dyed without issue to whom her vncle Robert succeeded in the Baronie and was father to Gilbert de Gaunt to whom Lewis the Frenchman called in by the Barons against king Iohn graunted the tytle of Earle of Lyncolne whose sonne the thirde Gilbert begate the fourth Gilbert and Margaret wife to William Kyrdeston which fourth Gilbert hauing no children made E. 1. his heire and king E. 2. gaue this Barony to Henrie de Bellement or Beaumonte Pag. 412. FIrst in your assertion that Gilbert the Earle sonne and heire to Walter de Gaunt had but one onely daughter It is manifestly to be prooued that he had two sonnes and a daughter both which sonnes had issue Secondly I say that neither the daughter of Gilbert came to the inheritance nor any such vncle Robert succeeded her in that dignitie the right thereof euer remayning in her brothers who with their issue succeeded in the dignitie Thirdly that the foresaid Robert was not father to the third Gilbert as you report whom Lewis the Frenchman made Earle of Lincolne but great vncle if any such Robert were euer at all and the better to manifest the same I haue heere set you downe the rrueth of this discent as ensueth WAlter de Gaunt sonne of Gilbert de Gaunt that founded the House of Gauntes in the citie of Bristow in William Conquerours time had issue Gilbert made Eare of Lincolne by king Stephen Walter Henrie Bawldwyn Gonora and Agnes The said Earle Gilbert maried Hawise daughter of the first William Romare Earle of Lincolne and had issue Gilbert the second Earle of Lincolne disinherited by Henrie the second Bawldwyn Lord of Borne and Alice wife to Simon Sanctolice Earle of Northampton Gilbert the seconde had issue the thirde Gilbert whom Lewis the Frenchman made Earle of Lincolne and that died sanz issue in Henrie the thirdes time Bawldwyn second sonne of the first Earle Gilbert was by the gift of his father Lord of Borne and Deeping he founded the Abbay of Borne 1140. in the honour of Henrie the second his Maister and died the 4. of May. 1156. leauing Emme his onely daughter and heire maried to Hugh Lord Wake of Lydell of whom the noble families of Wakes descended And now to returne againe to Walter de Gaunt Lord of Folkingham seconde sonne to the first Walter whom you name Robert he had issue Gilbert de Gaunt father to the second Gilbert whose sonne Gilbert the third was the first Baron of Folkingham and was by that name in a Parliament holden at Worcester 49. of Henrie the thirde This Gilbert had great liuinges geuen vnto him by Gilbert the last Earle of Lincolne his kinsman He died leauing issue Gilbert de Gaunt his sonne who was Baron of Folkingham 24. E. 1. Nichola wife to Peter Malolakue and Margaret wife to William Kyrdeston Thus by my long and laborious iourney in the ende
her deede to King E. 1. Pag. 710. THis is quite Camme from your wordes before in the tytle of Earles of Deuon Pag. 144. for there you affirme Bauldwyn Ryduers to be made the first Earle of Deuonshire by king Henrie the first And now in this place you make Richard father of the said Bauldwyn to be first Earle of Deuon in the same kinges time which Richard must needes be vnderstood to be that Richard which was father to Bauldwyn whom you say was driuen from the Isle of Wight in king Stephens time as in mine answere before to the Earles of Deuon more at large it doth appeare Thus your wordes in one place being meerly repugnant to those in an other what credite may any geue to your writinges THe owners of Skelton Castell were first Robert de Bruse a Norman who had issue two sonnes Adam that was Baron of Skelton and Robert Lord of Auandale in Scotland from whose posteritie came the Kings of Scotland Peter Bruse the fift in succession from that Adam died without issue and left for his heires his sisters Agnes marid to Walter Faulconberg Lucy married to Walter Twenge from whom is descended the Baron of Lumley Margaret maried to Robert de Roos and Ladrina to Iohn Bella-aqua men of great accompt in that time Page 556. WHat thankes you looke for I know not but well assured I am in this place as in many others you haue deserued none for few or none of the Noble Families with whom you haue had to deale with or to write off but that you haue iniured them in some one poynt or other And now that we are come to speake of the last Peter Bruse Baron of Skelton who dyed 14. Kalendes of October 1273. I pray you let vs examine a little that honorable the Lord Lumley his discent whom in your owne conceipt you haue made much beholding vnto you for adding to him one Auncestor such as I dare boldly say neither he nor any other as yet euer knew or heard of I meane Walter Twenge who you say married Lucy the sister and coheire of Peter Bruse Baron of Skelton was Auncestor to the now Baron of Lumley But that you may the better reforme this with many other your faultes I will for your better instruction manifest vnto you the name true husband of the said Luce which was Marmaduke Twenge a noble Baron in king Edward the first his time who died in the Kalendes of March 1284. and was buried by his said wife Lucia in the Church of Gwisborne founded by Robert Bruse the Norman his wiues Auncestor 1129. DAnby came from the successors of Walter Twenge to the Latymers which were afterward Barons Latymers of Danby from whom it passed by mariage vnto the Willoughbyes which inheritance with the honour Ralph Neuill the first Earle of Westmerland did purchase for his younger sonne George Neuill in whose issue it remayneth to this day Pag. 556. THat Danby was the possession of Walter Twenge and that from his successors it came to the Latymers who were after Barons of Danby I answere as before in the title of Skelton That there was neuer anie such Walter yet borne and then no such successors of his could carrie the same to the Latymers as you verie vntruly haue heere set downe for proofe hereof I referre me to the iudgement of the honorable Lord Lumley himselfe who hath this discent most exactly set downe by that worthy and late Officer of Armes Sommerset Herault And to the other That Ralph Neuell Earle of Westmerland did purchase the said inheritance and honour of Iohn Lord Latymer of Danby for his younger sonne George I graunt for true that he purchased the Landes but not the dignitie for Iohn Neuill that solde the said landes had no fee simple in the dignitie to sell but onely an estate for tearme of life therefore can you not rightly say that Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland did purchase the dignitie which George his sonne enioyed But more agreeable to the trueth had it been if you had said that George sonne of Ralph Neuill in regarde that he had the Landes whereof the dignitie of Latymer was erected obtained the honour by the Kinges free gyft and fauour otherwise that title and dignitie had been extinct for seldome shall you finde that the Kinges of this Realme did euer create or inuest any into a Baronie which tooke the name of dignitie from an others peculiar place of inheritance or possession THe Barony of Burford descended from the posteritie of Theodericke Saij to Robert Mortimer and from his posteritie to Geffrey Cornwall that came of Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of Romanes his of spring hauing continued Barons thereof to this day Pag. 455. I Doe much pittie you that in such high sayles of learning you should haue so little ballace of discretion You haue a great facilitie and a rare gift in the creating and making of Barons with the dash of your penne But it argueth how shallow you are in the true definition of a Baron in that you will publish in print that the familie of Cornwalles were Barons of Burford you being not able euer to make proofe of any one of them to haue had that dignitie Notwithstanding diuers of that surname haue been Knightes of which number king Henrie the sixt did erect Sir Iohn Cornwall to be a Baron and Peere of this Realme by the name and title of Lord Fanhope which Iohn was both the first and last Baron of that familie and therefore it standeth now with your credite to make proofe of these your Barons of Burford which I thinke wil be too hard and difficult a matter for you to doe KIng Stephen made Walleron Earle of Millent brother to Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester the first Earle of Worcester whose children left the Realme and returned to their auncient patrimonie in Normandie And that dignitie lay voyde vntill Richard the second bestowed it vpon Thomas Percy who was after slaine by King H. 4. Pag. 445. IS it possible or do you thinke to perswade any senscible man to beleeue that this late borne Britannia was of your owne collection you as it seemeth not vnderstanding the same No assure yourselfe for who knoweth not that the contentes thereof are neither taught nor learned amongst children in Schooles and your selfe neuer employed els where to attaine the knowledge thereof Many learned thinke it more fitter you had waded within the compasse of your owne profession and knowledge in which your errours would not so apparently haue been descried as heere they are In this Title of Earles of Worcester you make Walleron to be the first Earle of Worcester and that his issue did depart this Realme to their auncient patrimonie in Normandie By which if it were true then were there none of that progenie to be looked for heere in this Realme of England to the great preiudice of many honorable Families descended of the
said Walleron But to reforme this your errour I wish you to vnderstande that the foresaid Walleron had issue Robert Earle of Millent Worcester and Lord of Ponttadomara which Robert did remaine heere in England and maried an English woman named Mauld Lady of Estrumenister Moreys and Rydlestone And by her had issue Henrie Peter Mabell and Mary the two sonnes and the youngest daughter dying without issue Mabell the eldest daughter was married to William de Vernon alias Ryduers Earle of Deuonshire and had issue Bauldwyn Earle of Deuonshire and Mary first married vnto Sir Robert Courteney by whom she had issue of whom all the Courteneys are descended After she married Peter de Prouz a noble Gentleman of Deuon to which Peter the said Robert Earle of Millent and Worcester did by his deede giue in franke marriage with the said Marie his grand-child the third part of all his Land in England and vnto Bauldwin his gran-gran-child by his daughter Mabell all his Land in Normandie with the Mannors of Estrumenister Moreyes and Riddleston in England So that heere you are not onely found to faile in your affirmation that there was not any Earle of Worcester betweene the said Walleron in King Stephens time and Thomas Percy who had that dignitie of Richard the second But also in saying his issue returned to their auncient Patrimonie in Normandie when it is manifest that his sole heire continued here and left issue of whom are discended many of our noble Families at this present THe first Lord of Gillesland was William Meschines brother to Ranulfe Earle of Carlell Pag. 604. AS you did begin at the first so haue you in your Booke continued vnto the ende making to some Nobles vnnaturall mariages and to others vnlawfull issue In this place you haue made the sonne to be brother to his owne father by affirming William Meschines Lord of Gillesland to be brother to Ranulph Earle of Carlell And to prooue that the saide William was sonne of Ranulph Earle of Carlell and not his brother I will first for the better vnderstanding of the reader hereof set downe a briefe of the said Williams discent beginning at Hugh Lupus his vncle the first Earle of Chester whose sister Margaret was married to Ranulph Earle of Carlell and by him had issue two sonnes Ranulph the first of that name and thirde Earle of Chester and William Mischines Lord of Gilleslande and that this is true which heere I haue incerted reade this Deede following which done I trust you will not onely recant your errour but also acknowledge from whence you haue receaued the trueth hereof NOtum sit omnibus me Ran. Comit. Cestrae concessisse quando feci transferri corpus Hugonis Comitis auunculi mei a cimiterio in Capitulum c. Be it knowne vnto all mem That I Ranulph Earle of Chester haue graunted at such time as I caused the body of Hugh the Earle my vncle to be translated from the Church yard into the Chapter house That on the day of my death I should giue togither with my body to the Church of S. Werburge Vpton in pure Almes free from euery thing for the soule of the foresayd Hugh and the health of my soule and the soules of all my kinsfolkes And whereas Hugh the Earle before had graunted to the Church of S. Werburge at the feast of the translation of the same the Priuiledge of a Fayre I also do graunt and confirme the same Moreouer William Meschinus my brother hath geuen the Church of Destart Mathew of Ruelant hath giuen the Church of Thurstanestone c. An inforced Conclusion WHen as I had collected readie for the Presse so many of your defectes and errors published in your so highly commended Britannia as might well haue satisfied the worlde that I vndertooke not this worke in vaine nor yet without good cause me moouing thereunto Then was I stayed in the printing thereof by the disturbance and indirect dealing of your friendes the Stationers who heretofore haue made no small gaine of your foure former Impressions and thereby constrayned abruptly heere to make an ende suppressing a great part of my first pretended purpose yet before I doe ende I thinke it my duetie heere to put the Nobilitie in minde that your Booke now going in hand may be both seene and alowed before it goe to the Presse by such as haue both skill and authoritie so to doe I meane the Earle Marshall and not to passe as before it hath done to the preiudice of so many honourable Families And to the ende the worlde may know with whose plumes you haue heretofore fethered your nest besides the Heraults I haue hereunto annexed a New-yeeres gyft dedicated to king Henrie the eight in the. 37. yeere of his reigne by that worthy and learned Englishe Antiquarie Maister Iohn Leyland concerning his sixe yeeres trauayle and laborious Iourney for the search of Englandes Antiquities vpon the sayd Kinges commission and charges by which it may appeare vnto the indifferent Reader who was the first Author and contriuer of this late borne Britannia either he whose name is cleane razed and blotted out or you that haue both taken the tytle and whole credite thereof to your selfe Also I may not heere let passe the wordes of Maister Iohn Bale in his declarations vpon the same worke dedicated to King Edward the sixt which are these following Blessed be the man which shall set this worthy worke abrode and contrarywise Cursed be he for euer and euer that shall in spight of his Nation seeke thereof the distruction Iohn Leylands nevv yeeres Gyft giuen of him to King Henrie the. viii in the. 37. yeere of his reigne concerning his laborious Iorney and search for Englandes antiquities WHere as it pleased your Highnesse vpon very iust considerations to encorage me by the authoritie of your most gratious Commission in the XXXV yeere of your prosperous reigne to peruse and diligently to search all the Libraries of Monasteries and Colledges of this your noble Realme to the intent that the Monuments of auncient Writers as well of other Nations as of your owne Prouince might be brought out of deadly darknesse to liuely light and to receiue like thankes of their posteritie as they hoped for at such time as they employed their long and great studies to the publique wealth Yea and furthermore that the holy Scripture of God might both be sinceerely taught and learned all maner of superstition craftie coloured doctrine of a route of Romane Byshops totally expelled out of this your most catholique Realme I thinke it now no lesse then my very duetie briefly to declare to your Maiestie what fruite haue sprung of my laborious iourney and costly enterprise both rooted vpon your infinite goodnesse liberalitie qualities right highly to be esteemed in all Princes and most specially in you as naturally your owne well knowne proprieties First I haue conserued many good Authors the which otherwise had bin like