succession of these Earles saying That from the first Hugh in Henry the first time succeeded in direct line from father to sonne Hugh that tooke parte against king Henry the second c. To this I answere that you were in a Labyrinth not able to finde out what issue there was betwixt the first and second Hugh And to vnfolde this your error I affirme that the first Hugh and those that you say succeeded betweene from father to sonne to that Hugh whome you name the second were all but one person for he that was Steward to king Henry the first and was after made Earle of Norffolke by king Stephen was the same person that liued in the time of king Henry the second and that tooke part with the yong king against his father Thirdly where you affirme that the last Earle Roger surrendred all his honors and almost all his inheritance vnto king Edward the second it seemeth a matter vnto me very vnlike that the said Roger dying in the life of king Edward the first could in the reigne of king Edward the second make any such surrender But here haue you done very wisely in leauing out the cause of the kings displeasure against the said Roger for therein would you haue disclosed your owne error But because I would not haue you ignorant of the same king Edward the first in the fifteenth or sixteenth yeare of his reigne required this Roger Bygot Eerle of Norffolke Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester and Humfrey de Bohun then Earle of Hereford to goe with him into France whose request these three noble persons refused whereupon at the said kings returne againe into England he forced Gilbert de Clare and Humfrey de Bohun the yonger sonne of the soresaid Humfrey to marrye with two of his daughters without either land or money and the said Roger Bygot to appease the kings indignation did make ouer vnto him most part of his landes with the office of Marshall of England And this was done by king Edward the first and not by Edward the second as you haue here set downe KIng Edward the third gaue the Earledome of Cambridge vnto Edward of Langley his fift sonne Afterwardes Richard his yonger sonne enioyed the same honor by the fauour of king Henry the fift But he being disloyall and vngratefull plotting the death of that most excellent prince was beheaded and the Earledome of Cambridge vtterly decayed with him Pag. 381. THe Earledome of Cambridge vtterly decayed not with Richard of Conesborough yonger sonne of Edmond of Langley Earle of Cambridge and Duke of Yorke who was executed in the third yeare of Henry the fift as you say but was after reuiued againe in Richard his sonne whome king Henry the sixt in the fourth yeare of his reigne created Earle of Cambridge and after Duke of Yorke Regent of Fraunce and protectour of England HVntingdon had these Earles Syward and Walthe of his sonne after whome by Maude his daughter that honor came first to Simon Sant-lize Earle of Northampton After that to Dauid brother to Alexander king of Scots for Maude was marryed to to them both and had issue by both Whereupon as the princes fauour and fortune changed sometimes the Sant-lizes and sometimes the Scots enioyed this honor vidz Henry the sonne of Dauid then Simon Sant-lize sonne to the first Simon And then Simon Sant-lize the third who dying without issue William king of Scots brother of the foresaid Malcolme succeeded whome Dauid his brother followed and had issue that succeeded him Iohn his sonne surnamed Scote that was Earle of Chester and dyed without issue leauing for his successor Alexander the second which marryed the daughter of king Henry the third who possessed this honor but a while Pag. 387 BEfore I enter to open your errors in this succession of the Earles of Huntingdon I would entreate you of this number of eleuen Earles to put out fiue of them at the least And because you shall take them right I will first nominate vnto you those which ought to stand beginning with Walthe of Earle of Northumberland vnto whome William the Conqueror gaue in mariage with Iudith his neece the Earledomes of Huntingdon Northampton This Walthe of had issue Maude who was giuen in marriage vnto Dauid brother to Alexander king of Scots which Dauid was after a witnesse to the Charter of king Henry the first touching landes and liberties that the said king gaue vnto the Cittie of London by the name of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon After the death of Dauid the foresaid Maude was marryed againe to Simon Sant-lize a Norman gentleman who had with her the Earledome of Northampton Dauid before named had issue Henry who in the life of his father was Earle of Huntingdon and dyed in the 18. yeare of king Stephen leauing issue three sonnes Malcolme William and Dauid Malcolme being king of Scottes rebelled against king Henry the second for which cause the king seised into his handes the Earledome of Huntingdon After the said Malcolmes death William his brother succeeded him in the kingdome of Scotland He likewise rebelled against his Lorde king Henry the second and being taken prisoner was caryed into Normandie Anno 1174. Where he compounded to pay for his raunsome ten thowsand markes and to release all his title and interest of the Earledomes both of Huntingdon and Northumberland After which king Henry gaue the Earledome of Huntingdon to Dauid the third sonne of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon before mentioned Which Dauid was a witnesse to the Charter of king Richard the first of landes that he gaue to the Abbey of Peterborough Anno 1189. by the name of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon He dyed in the second yeare of king Henry the third and left issue Iohn his sonne surnamed Scotte who succeeded him which dyed without issue in the 22. yeare of king Henry the third Thus haue I rightly set downe the succession of the Earles of Huntingdon vnto Iohn surnamed Scotte which vnlesse you can by good authorities disproue as I assure my selfe you cannot I hope you will not onely confesse your error but will abate in your next impression those fiue which in deede were neuer Earles of Huntingdon vidz Syward who was but Earle of Northumberland then the three Simons Sant-lizes that were Earles of Northampton onely and lastly William king of Scottes Ashbye de-la-zouch was sometimes belonging to Alane de-la-zouch Baron who bare for his armes a Shielde gules tenne bezants He by marrying the daughter of Roger Quincie Earle of Winchester greatly increased his inheritance But calling in question of lawe Iohn Earle Warrin who would haue his cause tryed by sworde and not by lawe he was by him slaine in the kings courte at Westminster Anno 1279. and within a fewe yeares after the daughters and heires of his grand-childe caryed this inheritance by marryage to the familie of Hollands who were Barons a long time whose inheritance passed to the Louels and
I haue brought these honorable Families descended of the Lord Wake to their right and auncient Auncestor Gilbert de Gaunt the first Earle of Lincolne whom you would haue obscured by making him to die without heires male he hauing issue two sonnes as before in this place I haue mentioned THis Countie of Lyncolne boasteth of her Earles after Egga and Morcar Saxous William de Romara a Norman borne of Luce sister of Morcar and Roger Fitz-Gerald de Romara to whom being dead for neither his sonne vvho died before his father nor his grand-childe vsed this tytle Stephen substituted Gilbert de Gand vvhose daughter and heire Symon S. Lice married and succeeded in this honour but he being dead Ranulph Earle of Chester William de Romara his brother by the mother for Luce had novv the third time married Ranulph the second of Chester obtained this inheritance and honour of king Henrie the third Pag. 420. FIrst where you affirme Symon de Sanctolice to haue been Earle of Lincolne in right of Alice his vvife daughter of Gilbert de Gaunt Earle of Lincolne I denie that there was euer any of the Sanctolices Earles of Lincolne as by their seuerall deedes extant is to be prooued wherein they write themselues onely Earles of Northampton and not of Lincolne Secondly you say that Ranulph of Chester the second maried Lucy the mother of William Romara Earle of Lincolne and begot on her Ranulph who succeeded his father in the Earledome of Chester and obtayned of Henrie the third the Earldome of Lincolne In which saying you haue brought your selfe into a laborinth of errours for if you meane by second the second Earle of Chester his name was Richard and not Ranulph If by that word second you meane the second of that name the second Ranulph maried not Lucy but Alice the daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester and had issue by her Hugh Againe if you confesse that you mistooke the thirde Earle for the second and so meant Ranulph the first to haue been the same that married Lucy Mother to William Romara and begot on her the second Ranulph whom king Henrie the third made Earle of Lincolne that is impossible to be true that the second Ranulph should be made Earle of Lincolne by king Henrie the third he being dead almost an hundred yeeres before the said king came vnto the Crowne But to helpe you out of this perplexitie and that your selfe and others may be warned for falling into the like errour hereafter I will set you downe what I finde by Recorde and Euidences touching the same which is that Ranulph the first of that name and thirde Earle of Chester had issue the second Ranulph fourth Earle of Chester halfe brother to William de Romara who married Alice daughter to Robert Earle of Glocester otherwise called the Consull and had issue Hugh the fift Earle of Chester father of Ranulph the sixt and last Earle of Chester of that familie vnto whom Henrie the thirde gaue the Earledome of Lincolne And for proofe that it was this last Ranulph to whom king Henrie the thirde gaue the Earledome of Lincolne and not Ranulph his grand-father who you say was brother to William Romara peruse these two Deedes following HVgo Comes Cestriae omnibus Baronibus suis et ministris c. Hugh Earle of Chester vnto all his Barons Ministers and people aswell French as English and to all the faythfull of the holy Church aswell Cleargie as Laytie and aswell these that are present as they that shall come hereafter greeting Know ye that I haue geuen and confirmed by this my present Writing vnto the Church of S. Augustine of Grimesby and to the Chanons there seruing God all those Almes which Ranulph Earle of Chester my father did giue and confirme vnto them by his Writing c. Witnesses Richarde sonne of the Earle Ranulph de Vir Hachet de Ridefort c. RAnulphus Comes Cestriae et Lincolinae omnibus Christi fidelibus c. Ranulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne vnto all the faythfull people of Christ vnto whom this present writing shall come sendeth health in the Lord. Be it knowne vnto you that I haue graunted and by my present writing confirmed to God and the Church of S. Augustine of Grimesby and to the Canons there seruing God for the health of my soule and of my father and mother c. The fourth part of that Mannor which Hugh de S. Paule helde of Ranulph my grand-father c. which Ranulph Earle of Chester my grand-father gaue vnto them and which Hugh my father confirmed according as their writing witnesseth which the Canons then had and seauen Roddes of Land c. euen as the writing of Gilbert of Turfs and the confirmation of William Romare which they then had doe shew Wherefore I will and straightly commaund that the foresaid Canons may freely and quietly possesse the same c. Witnesses Iohn the Earle my Nephew William of Cantelup Fulco Fitz-Warin Baldwyn de Ver Henrie de Ferraris THe first Lord of Couentrie was Leofrike from whom by Luce his Neece daughter of Algar his sonne it passed to the Earles of Chester for she married the first Ranulph of Chester c. Pag. 434. FRom Lincolne to Couentrie is a long and wearisome Iourney especially when the traueller is ignorant of the way and wanteth a guide as heere it seemeth you did when you past from the one to the other and setting downe the successions of the Earles of Lincolne and Lords of Couentrie where in the first you haue made Luce daughter of Algar the Saxon to be wife to Ranulph the second Earle of Chester and after in the other not farre distant to be wife to Ranulph the first Earle of Chester the one being the father and the other his sonne But how lawfull a thing it is for the father to marrie his sonnes wife or the sonne his owne mother as your wordes in these two places import I referre my selfe to the iudgement of the indifferent readers COncerning the Lordes of the Isle of Wight After that William Fitz Osberne was slaine in the warres in Flaunders and his sonne Roger banished this Lordship came into the Kinges handes and king Henrie the first gaue this Island vnto Richarde Riduers Earle of Deuonshire with the fee of the mannor of Christ-church where the sayd Richard buylded a Castell as he likewise did at Caresbroke But his sonne Bauldwyn was driuen thence in the troublesome times of king Stephen when there were so many Kinges or Tyrants in England as there were Lordes or keepers of Castles of the which euery one challenged the priuiledge of Coyning money and other rightes and royalties of the Crowne yet his successors did after enioy the same againe At length Isabell wydow of William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes the sister and heire of Bauldwyn the last Earle of Deuonshire of that familie with much entreatie passed ouer all her right by
A DISCOVERIE OF CERTAINE ERROVRS PVBLISHED IN PRINT IN the much commended Britannia 1594. Very preiudiciall to the discentes and successions of the auncient Nobilitie of this Realme By Yorke Herault Quam quisque norit artem in hac se exerceat TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT EARLE OF ESSEX Earle Marshal of England Viscount Hereford and Bourchier Lo. Ferrers of Chartley Bourchier and Louayne Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter c. Lord generall of her Maiesties Forces in her Realme of Irelande And to all other the Nobilitie of England RIght Honorable hauing vpon deligent search apprehended within the compasse of my profession and science of Heraldry certaine errours in descentes and successions such as may be scandolous to the gray heares of Antiquitie and preiudiciall to the branches of our Nobilitie I thought it my duetie to present them as Captiues at your Honors feete being the vndoubted Champion of trueth and the worthy Marshall of all Heroike magnanimitie and honour vnto whom I humble my selfe for a fauourable censure and protection of this my poore seruice As no childe is so deformed but the father commonly hath a naturall affection towardes it so these errours will no doubt be both fathered and fauoured of the Author whose reputation for Learning is so great and beard of Antiquitie lately growne so long that the goodly Britannia Mother of vs all is become his daughter trayned vp and taught to speake Latine in his Schoole onely she lisps and makes no good congruitie in these principles of Herauldy For which I challendge him not that my exception and challendge is about the wordes and tearmes of our Arte that is the least but touching the falsifiyng of Noble discentes depriuing some Nobles of issue to succeede them who had issue of whom are discended many worthie families Naming others to haue but one sole Daughter and heyre when they had diuers Sonnes and Daughters Denying Barons and Earles that were and making Barons and Earles of others that were not mistaking the Father for the Sonne and the Sonne for the Father affirming legittimate children to be illigittimate and illigittimate to be legittimate those to be basely borne who were in deede discended of very honourable Parentage assigning Armes and ensignes of Honour to others not their owne Lastly the framing incestious and vnnaturall mariages making the Father to marrie his Sonnes wife and the Sonne his owne Mother These and such like matters of importaunce are the errours that I haue examined and attached to abide your Honours censure and reformation For whom with bowed hart and knee I pray to God for all increase of honor harts contentment and happie victorie Your Honours in all duetie Ra. Brooke Yorke Herault at Armes TO MAISTER CAMDEN WHere as You expect thankes at the handes of her Maiesties Heraults for entermedling so sparingly and gently with that which appertaineth to their profession Contrarie to your expectation and answerable to your deserts my selfe being the most vnable haue vndertaken to answere your vnkinde speeches as also your vntrue and erronious writing touching matters of our profession and science published in your Britannia In deede you dealt but sparingly and after a sort gently as you say in the handling of our misteries at the first but in your fourth and last Edition though your Preface spake as it did sparingly still yet your Booke hath swelled with large additions of Herauldrie in which you haue by your patience been too busie and venterous except your proceedinges in those poyntes had been more firmely grounded vpon experience And I doubt not but the grouth and encrease of your Booke hath sprung from some of those Heraults labours which you so much holde in scorne Nay it can not be denyed but since the death of Glouer late Somerset Herault 1588. you haue gleaned not onely handfuls but whole sheaues out of his industrious collections being reserued in the Librarie of that Honorable Lord Treasurer deceased and by that meanes incommoned to your vse and free recourse I would his Gloues might haue fitted your handes in such sort as you might haue smoothly carried them away his Notes I meane I wish you had neither misunderstood nor misreported as contrariwise you haue in such palpable maner that me thinks euer hereafter you should distrust your selfe in the search of such mysticall poyntes without the aduice of an Herault better experimented then your selfe I prognosticate alreadie what entertainement in these mine aduertisementes I shall haue It will be obiected from your selfe that I vnderstande not your Booke I confesse mine intelligence not so great but my feare is the greater and my care the more to vnderstande you by helpes so that the trust in my selfe is the lesse And this suspition I hope will force me to make sure worke in that I vndertake Valure they say may be too bolde and Learning too full of quillities the one standing more vpon the brauerie of his fyght then the goodnes of the quarrell the other more vpon the generalitie of his knowledge then the trueth of his cause The mother tongue of euery Nation as you affirme is the best conseruer of Originall names And your selfe endeuour to get a more ample credite in Historie by auouching that you haue read ouer many home-bredd Historinas By your example therefore I am induced to beleeue that English Authors and English Heraults though they haue concealed their trauayles from the worlde and not published a Rapiamus generall vpon euerie light occasion are to be credited for the trueth of English successions discentes and reportes of all honorable designementes Againe who is more vnfit to describe the trueth of actions in their proper nature then such affectate Nouices as haue their mouthes and pennes running ouer with the foaming Muste of vn-refined Eloquence who chouse rather to let the trueth of the matter slip then to abate one title of their selfe-pleasing phrase Therefore I haue heard meny great statsmen affirme that the Court hath affourded more absolute Wisemen for any actiue employment in the Common-wealth then the Schooles which falleth out especially because to these proceedinges of the one in Arte there hath not been added some lecture of discretion to qualifie the same withall which is to be had dayly by examples and practise in the other And doubtles for a meere Scholler to be an Historian that must take vp all by hearesay and vncertaine rumors not being acquainted with the secretes and occurrences of state matters I take it as many others affirme with me verie vnfit and dangerous I hope you will in some sort acknowledge this to be true if indifferently you take a viewe of these errours by your selfe committed a man of so rare knowledge and singular industrie Yet no one man so generally well seene in all thinges but an inferior person in some one speciall matter may goe beyonde him In regarde whereof contemne not these few Collections of mine wherein I haue not vaunted my Learning
dignitie he continued vntill the fourth yeare of king Henry the fift in which yeare he sate in Parliament by that name of dignitie and after was made Duke of Exceter And therefore herein haue you failed And to the second concerning the time of Thomas Beaufordes death it maketh me much to muse how the said Duke should dye Anno 1410 and being deceased how he should start vp out of his graue and make personall appearance at the high courte of Parliament holden at VVestminster 1425. fifteene yeares after except you can shewe some strange Metamorphosis or prooue that dead men being summoned did take their places in that Parliament which cannot be without some Negromancie or strange worke beyond nature THe Barons Botreaux alias Boterels did beare for their armes three toades sable in a fielde argent The first of that familie named William maryed Alice daughter of Richard Corbet whose sister was Paramour to king Henry the first on whome he begot Reignald Earle of Cornewall From this William discended successiuely eleuen Barons all called Williams except the third and seuenth which were called Reignalds Margaret the sole daughter of the last of them maried Robert Hungerford by whose posteritie that inheritaunce came to the familie of Hastings Which said inheritance was augmented by the marriage of the said Margarets grandfather with Katherine a Coheire of Katherine Twenge and by the mariage of her great grandfather with the daughter heire of Sir Iohn Saintlow knight and by the mariage of her great great grandfather with the daughter and heire of Iohn de Moeles a rich Baron Pag. 129. FIrst in making Botreaux and Boterell to be all one family and name you do much erre they being seuerall and not one as may be proued by William Botreaux Sherif of Cornwall who liued in the ninth yeare of king Iohn and bare for his Armes as you fay three Todes Sable and William Boterell that liued in the fift yeare of king Edward the first and was summoned amongst other Barons for the leuying of an armie against Llewellin Prince of Wales did beare for his Armes checkie gold and Gules a cheueron Azur By which two great differences both of the name and Armes it doth euidently appeare that they were not one but two seuerall families Secondly in affirming that William Botreaux maried Alice the daughter of Richard Corbet sister to her that was Paramour to king Henrie the first and mother to Reignald Earle of Cornwall you are also greatly deceiued for the mother of the said Reignald was daughter and coheire of Robert Corbet and not of Richard as by the gift of king Henrie the first to the saide Robert his Concubines father of the borough of Alencester in the Countie of Warwicke it is manifested But I need not striue much against you for this point seeing I may oppose your owne narration pag. 438. of your booke against your selfe and therefore I leaue you to quarell with your owne memorie not doubting but you can take it best to bee controller to your selfe Thirdly your Arithmeticall pen can as well multiplie for a neede as detract when it list hauing as quicke a slight to make Barons as the heathens had to make gods which were something in name but manie times nothing in nature for here you make eleuen Barons of the familie of Botreaux one to succeede the other after the first William Whereas you are able to proue but foure And to make your computation aright you must begin first with William Botreaux who began his Baronie at a Parliament holden at Westminster the first day of May in the 24. yeare of king Edward the third which William had issue William that was the second Baron who begat William the third father of William the fourth and last Baron of that familie Of which second and third Barons you haue made the father to marry his sonnes wife and the sonne to marry his own mother To which most vnnatural matches I wonder how you could euer giue your consent you being the onely parent of seuen of those eleuen Barons who had all their conceptions and births in the wombe of your pregnant braine Lastly I denie that any of the saide Williams Lordes Botreaux did marie with anie Katherine that was coheire to Katherin Twenge as you vntruly haue set downe Pemsey Castle was sometime belonging to the Earle Morton afterward William sonne to king Stephen had it who deliuered vp the same with the landes thereabout vnto King Henrie the second It was called the honour of the Eagle of Gilbert Lord of the Eagle who taking part against King Henrie the second beeing depriued of all that hee had fled into Normandie Pag. 231. THis Castle tooke not the title of honour of the Eagle of Gilbert who tooke part against King Henrie the second as you say for King William the Conquerour gaue to Stephen Earle of Blois and Charters with Ella his daughter the Earledome of the Eagle in Normandie and the Castle and honour of Pemsey in Suffex Which foresaid honours the said Stephen enioyed and afterward gaue the same to Henrie of Bloys his sonne who enioied the same vntil he resigned them vnto Richard his sonne and became Abbot of Glastenburie and after Bishop of Winchester This Richard being Earle of the Eagle and Lord of Pemsey liued in King Stephens time and was a witnesse to the couenants of peace betwixt him and Henrie Duke of Normandie by the name of Richard Earle of the Eagle He gaue his said Earledome and honour of Pemsey to William Earle of Morton his Cosen germane sonne to King Stephen Which gift with the said titles of honour King Henrie the second did confirme but not long after he constrained the said William to surrender vnto him againe aswel those honours as also all other lands that he had both in Normandie and in England vpon condition that the said king should re-assure vnto him al those lands which king Stephen his father was possessed of at the death of king Henrie the first And how truly you affirme the honour of Pemsey to haue belonged to any Earle Morton before the reigne of King Stephen William sonne to king Stephen being the first Earle Morton which enioyed the same it is thought as vnworthie of credit as that before where you alledge Pemsey castle to haue taken his first honour from Gilbert Lord of the Eagle in the reigne of King Henrie the second when it is trulie proued to bee an honour at such time as William the Conquerour gaue the same in marriage with his daughter FIue Earles of Sussex were of the familie of the Albeneys who in like maner were Earles of Arundell William de Albeney sonne of William Lord of Buckenham in Norfolke was the first of them who vsed for his Armes a Lion rampant in a field Gules He was called Earle of Chichester and of Arundell who had issue by Adelize daughter of the Duke of Loraine and Brabant William the
Earle of Kent dyed without issue as you here report hee did then doth the now Lord de La-ware wrong to quarter the said Huberts Coate of Armes pretending thereby to bee his heire But whether the said honourable person doth wrong therein or you wrong him in so saying Let vs examine this matter a little better First it doth appeare in a summons of the Nobilitie of this realme for the leuying of an army against Llewellin Prince of Wales in the fift yeare of king Edward the first that Iohn de Burgo Baron of Lammale grandchilde to Hubert by his sonne Iohn was by the name of Iohn sonne of Iohn de Burgo called thereunto Also by an inquisition taken after the death of the said Iohn in the same kings reign it was found that Deruergulda the wife of of Robert Fitz-Walter Lord of Woodham and Hawise the wife of Robert Greylie of Manchester were the daughters and heires of the said Iohn de Burgo and that the foresaide Hawise did holde of the inheritance of Hubert de Burgo her great grandfather the Mannor of Werkerley in Northamptonshire and the Mannor of Portland in Essex Which discent being thus farre prooued to Greyley I doubt not but you will confesse that Ioan the onelie daughter of the saide Robert Lord Greyley was married to Iohn Lord de La-ware Which done I hope you will yeeld your selfe to haue erred herein and acknowledge the said noble person now to be right heire and that the said Hubert died not without issue as you very daungerously haue affirmed he did HErbert married the sister of William Earle of Hereford and in her right was Lord of Deane from whom is discended the noble familie of the Herberts From hence also if we shall credite the heraulds and Escucheons of Armes Anthonie Fitz-Herbert that great lawier and Lord chiefe iustice of England tooke his originall But I thinke he rather descended from the worshipfull familie of the Fitz-Herberts in Derbishire Pag. 267. YOur often and suspitious obiections whereby you call in question the credit of her Maiesties Heraulds as though you iudged them scarce worthy to be belieued doth proceed as I suppose from a malignant humour in you rather then from any grounds or sufficient reasons that might moue you thereto But I trust those of discretion will sooner giue credit vnto them in matters that they shall auerre by good warrantise and authoritie then to you who ground your contradicting arguments vpon heare sayes and opiniatiue imaginations And where you charge the Heraulds to haue made Anthonie Fitz-Herbert that was Lorde chiefe Iustice of England to bee discended from that familie of Herberts which married the sister of William Earle of Hereford I say they haue done therein like honest and learned Officers of Armes and those that haue or shall deriue the saide Anthonie or anie of that familie of Fitz-Herberts from anie other originall then that aforesaid they haue and shall erre from the trueth IN the time of king Edward the first the barons of Winterborne were the Bradstones from whom by the Ingeldesthorpes and Neuils the Viscount Montacute and the Baron of Wentworth are discended Pag. 271. YOur Barons of Winterborne must be turned out of the plurall into the singular number and where you make them Barons in the reigne of king Edward the first therein are you much deceaued for Thomas Bradston the first and last Baron of that surname began his dignitie at a Parlement holden at Westminster in the 21. yeare of king Edward the third and dyed aboute the 34. yeare of the said kings reigne leauing issue a daughter and heire marryed to Poole who had issue a daughter and heire marryed to Ingeldesthorpe which likewise had a daughter and heire marryed to Neuill Marquis Montacute who hauing diuers daughters his heires one of them was marryed to Browne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an other to Stoner of whome the Lord Wentworth is discended So that hereby it may appeare that the Vicount Montacute and the Lord Wentworth are discended from Bradston by these foresaid three seuerall families whereof you haue left out Poole the first of them without which the other cannot discend from Bradstone And thus haue you through ignorance obscured and made vnperfect this honorable discent to the preiudice of many worthie families discended of the same SVdley was lately the seate of Giles Baron Chandos whose father Edmond Bruges was created Baron Chandos by Queene Elizabeth because he was discended from the auncient familie of the Chandos out of which familie issued Iohn Chandos Baron de Santo-Saluatore that famous warriour Pag. 272. YOu thinke by your perswasions to make men beleeue you haue seene that which God knoweth you were neuer neare by many a mile otherwise I take it you would not doe as heere you haue done making Edmond Bruges father of the now Lord Chandos to be the first Baron of his surname and that hee was created into that dignitie by Queene Elizabeth Because say you he was discended of the auncient familie of Chandos So that here is both a cause lay de downe a time for a colour and shadowe to this your vntrue imaginatiō to the no small preiudice of that honorable house But to manifest these your delusions and to restore againe this honorable person to his right knowe you for certaintie that Iohn Bruges the grandfather of the now Lord Chandos was the first Baron and not Edmond his father as you very vniustly haue written And for proofe here of I affirme that the said Iohn was created Baron Chandos by Queene Mary at her manner of Saint Iames the eight day of Aprill in the first yeare of her reigne 1553. as by his letters patents bearing date the same day and yeare aboue said it may appeare Which being true I would now gladly knowe heere of you how you can make good that Edmond Bruges was the first Baron and had his creation by Queene Elizabeth OVr Heralds haue thrust vpon vs William Fitz-Eustace to be the first Earle of Glocester But I suppose there was neuer any such borne I haue read in the historie of Teukesbury that aboute the time of the Conquest Bithricke a Saxon was Lorde of Glocester who was much hated of Maude the Conquerors wife because he before that despised to take her to his wife In reuenge of which disgrace she caused him to be imprisoned and dispossessed of all his honors and landes Whose titles and possessions were after giuen to Robert Fitz-Hamon the son of Hamon of Corbule whose onely daughter and heire named Sibill was marryed to Robert Fitz-Roy base sonne to king Henry the first Who was made the first Earle of Glocester commonly called the Consull of Glocester This Robert had issue William who had issue three daughters which caryed this honour by marriage vnto three families Isabell the eldest marrying with Iohn sonne to K. Henry the second honored him with that title who being after king made Almericke de
Ebroice◠soun◠to Mabel the secōd daughter Earle of Glocester who dying without issue the inheritāce came to the yongest daughter Amicia that was wife to the Earle of Clare and had by him issue Gilbert Earle of Clare Glocester who had issue Richard father of Gilbert the second which had issue Gilbert the third that was slaine at Sterling in Scotland but during the nonage of this Gilbert the third Rafe de Mounthemerye who had marryed Ioan of Acres the kings daughter and widowe of Gilbert the second was for a while called Earle of Glocester Afterwardes this honor as some say came to Peter of Gaueston a Gascoyne by right of his wife which was daughter to Gilbert the second He dying without issue this honor discended to Hugh Spencer sonne of Eleonor second daughter of Gilbert aforesaid Hugh Spencer being executed this title came to Hugh Audley who had marryed the widowe of Gaueston Pag. 275. YOu heere charge the Heraldes with thrusting vpon you one Earle that you cannot finde nor thinke as yet euer to haue bene borne And sure I suppose this was but a flourish of your flowing stile whereby you loue to girde at Heraldes Yet graunt they did obtrude some such Earle you are euen with them for you force on them here two Earles of Glocester which neuer attained vnto that dignitie vidz Peter de Gaueston and Hugh de Spencer Wherefore the better to satisfie you and those that haue written Peter Gaueston to be Earle of Glocester and to haue succeeded Raphe Mont-Hermerye I affirme that the said Raphe Mont-Hermerye sate in Parliament in the 27. yeare of king Edward the first as Earle of Glocester and continued in all Parliaments by that name vntill the last yeare of the said kings reigne when yong Gilbert de Clare his wiues sonne came of age who the next yeare after being the first yeare of K. Edward the second was placed in Parliament by the name of Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester He continued in that dignitie vntill he was slaine at Sterling in Scotland in the sixt yeare of the same kings reigne which was a yeare after the said Peter Gaueston was beheaded by the Earle of Warwicke Which I hope is sufficient proofe against the said Peter And touching Hugh de Spencer that he was euer Earle of Glocester I vtterly deny the same and therefore now it standeth you vpon being in the affirmitiue to proue it otherwise neither I nor any other are bound to beleeue you Lastly where you haue made Sibill to be the onely daughter and heire of Robert Fitz-Hamon and wife to Robert Earle of Glocester called the Consull I deny not onely that the one had euer any such daughter named Sibill but also that the other euer marryed any such wife And for proofe hereof I will desire no other then your owne Author the booke of Tewkesbury which you haue so greatly wronged IF it please you to beleue our Heraulds Hertford had these Earles Roger who was also Earle of Clare and those Clares whome we haue said to be Earles of Glocester for Richard Clare who dyed 1262. is plainely named by Florilegus to be Earle of Glocester and Hertford Pag. 309. TO this your scoffing sporte that you make your selfe vpon the credite of Herauldes I answere that there is great reason and so I hope all men will acknowledge that her Maiesties Heraulds inuested officers of Armes who at their creations and admittances into their offices are solemnly sworne to be true in all their reportes and haue their imploiments in the greatest affaires betweene Princes should be beleeued in matters of their owne profession before others not of like experience And touching this Roger whome you haue brought vpon the Stage by the name and title of Earle of Hertford I saie it resteth in you to make proofe of your affirmation the Herauldes being quite against you whome you notwithstanding so iniuriously traduce and yet produce as Authors of your owne fantastique assertions And for your better direction herein I will here inserte the saide Rogers deede by which it is very manifest that he was Earle of Clare and not of Hertford ROgerus Comes de Clare confirmauit donationem H. Comitis Cestr. quam fecit Sanctae Werburg super Ecclesia de Deneford terram Ecclesiae cum decimis de molend omnibus pertin precipuè illam virgatam terrae quam Adeliza de Claro-Monte aura sua dedit praefatae Ecclesiae c. HAresfield the Patrimonie of Richard Earle of Clare in William Conquerors time Pag. 312. THat there was one Richard Fitz-Gilbert in the time of William the Conqueror which held Haresfield of the king it is manifest by the booke of Domesday but that he was euer Earle of Clare and that Haresfield was his patrimonie I vtterly deny And for proofe hereof I say that he being the first of his name that euer came into this realme and that possessed any landes here could haue no possessions left vnto him by his Auncestors which might be said to be his patrimonie And where you nominate the said Richard to be Earle of Clare that are you not able to proue for in diuers Charters of William the Conqueror and William Rufus the said Richard is a witnesse by the name of Richard Fitz-Gilbert Dapifer as also in the booke of Domesday by the name of Richard sonne of Earle Gilbert And this doe you your owne selfe confesse against your selfe in the title of Clare in your booke Pag. 350. Dunmow was the towne of the Fitz-walters who issued from the familie of the Clares Iuga daughter of Raphe Baynard founded a Monasterie there 1103. But William Baynard of whome Iuga did holde forfaited the Barony of Dunmowe to the king through fellonie King Henry gaue the same to Robert sonne of Richard sonne of Gilbert Earle of Clare with the Castle of Baynards in London Pag. 332. HEre haue you made Gilbert the grandfather of Robert Fitz-Richard to be Earle of Clare which Gilbert neuer arriued in England till your penne conducted him hither but was slaine in Normandie by Raphe Waceio Anno 1033. Which was 33. yeares before the Norman Conquest And Richard his sonne was the first of that familie that came into England with William the Conqueror who had issue Gilbert and this Robert to which Robert king Henry the first gaue the Towne of Dunmowe by the name of Robert Fitz-Richard his Sewer As witnesseth your Author of Dunmowe whome you alledge though very vnfaithfully for had you alleadged the same truely and put downe what king Henry he was which gaue to the said Robert Dunmowe as your Author doth you should then haue disclosed your owne error and saued me a labour RIchard sonne of Gilbert Earle of Angy in Normandie for his seruice in the Conquest was by the Conqueror aduanced to the honor of Clare He had issue Gilbert who succeeded his father and was the first that was called Earle of Clare Who
had issue Richard Earle of Clare which was slaine by the Welshmen This Richard had issue three sonnes Gilbert Earle of Clare that dyed without issue Roger Earle of Clare created Earle of Hertford by Henry the second and Robert his third sonne from whom the familie of Fitz-Walters discended Roger begat Richard Earle of Clare Hertford who marryed Amicia yongest daughter and heire of William Earle of Glocester Pag. 350. YOur historicall reportes are very changeable for in the title of Haresfield Pag. 312. you tell vs that Richard was Earle of Clare in William the Conquerors time and now here you affirme that Gilbert his sonne was the first Earle of Clare of that familie And againe in the title of Dunmowe there haue you set downe this Robert the third sonne of Earle Richard truely to be the sonne of the first Richard that came into this land with William the Conqueror but here will you haue him to be great grand-child to the same Richard Which by no meanes the now Earle of Sussex will consent vnto because thereby he shall loose two of his greattest auncestors with their wiues they being the daughters and heires of Saint-Lyce Earle of Northampton and the Lord Lucy which were both marryed the one to the said Robert and the other to Walter his sonne as more plainely doth appeare by the true discent here following Richard sonne of Gilbert Earle of Angy in Normandye was Lorde of Tunbridge and Clare in England by the gift of William the Conqueror and had issue Gilbert Earle of Clare Roger that dyed without issue 1173. and Robert who was Sewer to king Henry the first and Lord of Dunmow by the said kings gift He maryed Matilda de Sainct-Lice lady of Bradham and had issue Walter Lord and Baron of Woodham that had to wife Matilde the daughter and coheire of Richard Lucy Lord chiefe Iustice of England in Henry the seconds time Of which Walter the honorable familie of Fitz-walters tooke first their surname He dyed 1198. leauing the second Robert his sonne to succeede him who dyed in the 19. yeare of king Henry the third So that by this your mistaking you would cut off the first Robert and Walter his sonne making the second Robert to be the first that came from the maine line of the familie of Clares And for proofe hereof I wish you to examine Gemiticensis who will affirme the same to be true that I haue here said GEffery Magnauill made Walden the seate and head of his honor and Earledome Pag. 342. THe dignitie and Earledome of the Magnauills whilest they were honored with the title of Earles was Essex and not Walden Well that familie might be Lordes and owners thereof but that neuer the head of their honour and Earledome Wherefore if your Author so write hee did it rather like a nouice then an Herauld and your discretion may be suspected in that you played not rather your parte to teach him to speake more Herauld-lyke then to bring in his absurd tearmes for a testimonie amongst Earledomes and Honors THe first Earles of Essex of the Norman race was Geffrey Magnauill commonly called Mandeuill sonne of William by Margaret heire of Eudo the Sewer who was slaine in battell in king Stephens time There succeeded him two sonnes Geffrey and William from whome by a daughter that honour went to Geffrey Fitz-Pieres whose two sonnes Geffrey and William succeeded in that honor Geffrey dyed yong slayne at the Tilte William tooke parte with Lewis of Fraunce against king Iohn and dyed without issue 1227. After whome succeeded Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Constable of England who had marryed their sister Pag. 343. YOur vndiscreete wordes vsed in this place may make those noble personages deceased to be called in question for that which nature abhorreth but it were better your penne should prooue a false witnesse then so heynous a matter true Shall we surmise as you write in this page that Humfrey de Bohun sonne of Henry did marrye his owne mother Assuredly we might seeme in so dooing not onely ouer-credulous but also irreligious Yet you say here Humfrey Bohun marryed the sister and heire of William Magnauill Earle of Essex who dyed without issue 1227. Which by no meanes we may beleeue because the match were against nature if it be true that Henry Bohun marryed with that sister and heire of William Magnauill aforesaid which is so vndoubted a trueth that voluntarily it drops out of your owne penne Pag. 479. of your booke in the title of the Earles of Hereford Besides that it is most euident that the saide Henrie in the right of his wife aboue mencioned was the first Earle of Essex of that familie as appeareth by a Charter of king Henrie the thirde in the 25. yeare of his reigne concerning lands that he gaue to the Abbay of Westminster whereunto the said Henrie was a witnesse by the name of Henrie de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex and Constable of England And further to manifest that it was not Humfrey the sonne of this Henrie that married with Matilda Know you that she died 1236. in the one and twentie yeare of king Henrie the third which was during the life of the said Henry her husband and foure years before he was a witnesse to the kings Charter aforesaide AFter the death of the familie of Bigots and Vffords Richard the second aduanced Michael De-la-Poole from a Marchant to the Honour and dignitie of Earle of Suffolke and Lorde Chauncellor of England King Henrie the sixt created William his sonne first Marques and after Duke of Suffolke He was beheaded on the Seas and left issue Iohn who married the sister of king Edward the fourth Pag. 357. VVHat is it that you will not vndertake to write and publish of a meane person when you verie vniustly haue wrōged that honorable familie of De-la-Pooles reporting Michael De-la-Poole the first Earle of that name to haue beene aduaunced by Richard the second from a Merchant of Hull Pag. 549. to the dignitie of Earle of Suffolke he being a knight of the noble order of the Garter by the Satutes whereof none can bee elected vnlesse hee be borne gentle three discents both of father and mother Also it doth appeare by an inquisition taken the 9. of Edwarde the third that sir William De-la-Poole knight Banneret father of this Michael was sonne and heire of sir William De-la-Poole knight All which testimonies might haue satisfied you or any other reasonable person both to haue thought and written more reuerentlie of him But not herewith contented you after depriue him the saide Michaell both of his sonne and eldest grandchild which succeeded him in the said dignitie the one after the other by the names of Michaell the second and Michaell the thirde placing in their rowmes as immediate successor and son to the foresaid first Michaell William De-la-Poole duke of Suffolke his second grandchilde In both which points howe much you haue
Saint-mawres Pag. 399. BY ayming at successions without sure grounde you still misse the marke whereat you doe shoote as here when you say That the daughters and heires of the grand-childe of Alane Baron Zouch were marryed to the families of Holland Who long time continued in the name and title of Barons you being not able to proue but one of those daughters marryed to Holland and he no Baron nor any of his posteritie other then of your making And where you say That the said Hollands inheritance discended to the families of the Louells and Saint Mawres I answere Well may you dreame of such a succession but neuer can you produce any testimony for the same For had you knowne the trueth hereof you would haue said that both Holland Saint-Mawre maried the two daughters and coheires of Zouch and not haue made Saint-Mawre to discend from Holland when there was neuer any such matter NOw let vs come to the Earles of Warwicke And to let passe Guare Morindus Guy that bare the bell of England and others of like account whome the fruitefull wittes of our Herauldes were brought a bed with all at one byrth c. Pag. 438. BY this may all men euidently see your malicious and disdainefull humour against her Maiesties Herauldes of Armes in that you cannot be contented in many other places of your booke to make doubt and question of their reportes and dooings whether the same may be credited yea or no but heere most iniuriously and falsely you charge them to haue brought forth for Earles of Warwicke Guare Morindus Guy the bel-ringer and many others of that rancke of which though Rouse of Warwicke and others haue written of Guy yet are not you able to iustifie that the Herauldes were Authors of any such suspected Chieftaines And in that you make your worship mery with The fruitefull wittes of our Herauldes supposed by you To haue bin brought a bed with those imagined Earles all at one birth I wonder that so cunning a midwife should make vs the reputed fathers of those which we neuer wrapped vp within the sheets or leaues of our Recordes But such a midwife such a nursse are you as haue not onely changed other mens children in the cradle and sophisticated the reportes of worthie Authors but also most vngratefully haue charged the parents and first collectors of many sounde notes helpefull to your credite and labours as the inuentors of your misreportes whereby you haue not onely falsified in your booke many things concerning the discents of noble families imagining of your owne braine diuers nobles to haue bene that neuer were extinguishing the memoriall of others that were But also most vntruely haue made her Maiesties Herauldes the Authors of feigned stories and legends of lyes when beside concealement of many fauours receaued from the Heraulds you cease not to carpe at them from whose workes you haue borrowed the substance of your Herauldy and the groundes of your skill in discents therefore owe them good wordes at the least for your owne credite least they should call for their lent feathers againe and leaue you naked of your Armorie as Esops crowe EArles of Leicester were of the Saxons first Leofrike who was Earle there in the yeare of our Lorde 716. to whome in right line succeeded Algare the first Algare the second Leofrike the second Leofestan Leofrike the third who lyeth buryed at Couentrie Algare the third whose sonnes were Edwine Earle of March Morkar Earle of Northumberland and Lucie his daughter who first was marryed to Iuon Talboys borne at Aniou after to Roger de Romara of whome was borne William de Romara Earle of Lincolne when male issue of the Saxons fayled and the naeme of a Saxon became dispised Robert de Beamont a Norman Lord of Pont-Audomare and Earle of Millent was created Earle of Leicester by king Henry the first After him succeeded his sonne surnamed Bossu then his grand-childe called Blanchmaine and his grandchildes sonne named Fitz-Parnell all Roberts This Fitz-Parnell so called of Parnell his mother the daughter and onely heire of Hugh Grantmaismill dyed without issue Within a fewe yeares after Simon de Mountford who was discended of the kings of Fraunce Robert Fitz-Parnels sisters sonne enioyed this honor After that Ranulfe Earle of Chester had it not by right of inheritance but by the princes fauour Then Almericke the sonne of Simon de Montford and after him Simon de Mountford his sonne whome being banished king Henry the third sent for out of Fraunce and honoring him wich the Earledome of Leicester and other great promotions marryed him to his sister he rebelling against his soueraigne Edmond surnamed Crouchbacke Earle of Lancaster yongest sonne to king Henry the third had this honor giuen him by his brother Afterwardes this honor lay hid as it were a long time amongst the titles of the familie of Lancasters And Maude the daughter of Henry Duke of Lancaster being marryed to William of Bauare Earle of Holland Zeland c. Added moreouer to him the Earledome of Leicester she dying without issue it came againe to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who had marryed Blanch the other sister of Maude Since that it continuaed to be all one with Lancaster vntill the sixt yeare of Queene Elizabeths reigne when she made Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Pag. 404. HEre will we not stand to examine the trueth of your Saxon Earles but receaue them as mattter indifferent to fill vp a roome in your booke And touching these other Earles of Leicester I say your wittes haue misconceiued and brought forth Rainulph Earle of Chester Almarike Earle Mountfort Simon his sonne William of Bauare and others which as yet were neuer Earles of Leicester with whose vntimely byrth you were so payned as it seemeth that you quite forget foure other Earles that were rightly inuested and succeeded in that dignity vidz Thomas Henry grand-children to king Henry the third by his sonne Edmond After Henry succeeded the second Henry his sonne And after him his grand-childe by his daughter Blanch called Henry of Bullingbrooke who was after king of England by the name of Henry the fourth And therefore I would intreate you to leaue out in your next and fift edition your first foure Earles here mentioned in which doing you should make roome for the other foure whome very iniuriously you haue thrust out of their right place of succession HInckley if our Heraults deceaue me not had for Earles thereof Hugh Grantmaisuill great Steward of England during the reigne of king William Rusus and of Henry the first he had issue two daughters Petronell that was marryed to Robert Earle of Leicester who in her right was high Steward of England And Alice marryed to Roger Bygot c. Pag. 399. TRuely I must needes confesse that her Maiesties Herault hath deceaued you and contrary to your expectation hath answered some of your vntruthes but that the Heraults doe affirme Hugh
Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester who brought with her the honor and barony of Grooby Of which fruitfull mariages if you make a fained nullitie or deuorce you intercept those noble plants from whence sprung sundry the most famous branches of our nobilitie florishing in this our declining age CHartley Castle builded by Ranulph earle of Chester came to the Ferrars by Agnes his daughter whom Robert earle Ferrars and Derby maried of whose progeny issued seuen barons Ferrars of Chartley Anne daughter of the last of thē brought this title and honor by mariage to Walter Deuereux her husband who was the great-great-great grand-father of the right honorable Robert Earle of Essex that now is Pag. 449. WHere you affirme in this place Ranulph Earle of Chester to haue builded the Castle of Chartley which after came to be the possession of Robert earle Ferrars and Derby by marying Agnes the daughter of the foresaide Ranulph and that there did discend of the said Robert Agnes seuen barons in direct line successiuely hereto I answere that Ranulph Earle of Chester builded indeed the castle of Chartley in the fourth yeare of king Henry the third died An. 1236. But that he was father to the said Agnes I vtterlie denie affirming him to die without any issue at all And for proofe hereof I appeale to your self in perfect remembrance testifying the same against your selfe in the title of Earles of Chester Pag. 471. And for the foresaid Robert Earle Ferrars he neuer maried any such woman So that by this your not vnderstanding you haue obscured and made vnperfect that noble line of the Earle Ferrars Nay you haue done them a farre greater wrong for hereby haue you contrarie to all law and reason made the said Agnes to be daughter to her owne brother and the said Robert to be husband vnto her that was his grandfathers wife By which vntrue wresting you haue thrust out of their places not only two of the greatest Earles of their time but also the coheire of Quincy who as before I saide brought into that family the barony of Grooby Therfore that you may reforme this your error I will here set you down the truth of this discent prooued by good authoritie beginning first with William Earle Ferrars and Derby grandfather of the said Earle Robert who maried the forenamed Agnes the third sister and coheire of the forenamed Ranulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne and not his daughter as you haue written This saide William died in the 27. yeare of king Henrie the thirde and left issue William Earle Ferrars and Derbie his sonne Lord of Chartley who maryed with Margaret Ladye of Grooby daughter and coheire of Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester on whome he begot Robert Earle Ferrars and Derby and after died in the 38. yeare of king Henry the third Which Robert was he that you would haue to mary Agnes the daughter of Ranulph Earle of Chester who was in trueth his grandmother But for your further satisfaction vnderstand that the said Robert maryed to his wife the daughter of the Lord Basset and was taken prisoner soone after by King Henry the third in the Barrons warres and forced to paye at one entyre payment for his ransome deliuery to Lord Edmond the Kings sonne the summe of fiftie thousand poundes for the assurance of which payment he bound ouer all his landes as before in the title of Tutbury I haue set downe He died in the seuenth yeare of king Edward the first 1278. leauing issue by his said wife Iohn Lord Ferrars of Chartley auncester to the Earle of Essex now liuing REignald base sonne to king Henry the first was made Earle of Cornewall and after dyed without issue Pag. 130. IN making Reignald Earle of Cornewall to dye without issue you offer great iniurie to diuers worshipfull families depriuing them of their Auncestor from whome they are discended For the said Reignald had issue three daughters his heires one maryed to Baldwin Riduerse Earle of Deuon of whome discended the honorable families of Courtneys and an other to Valitort of whose issue many remaine at this present KIng Richard the second honored William le Scroope first with the Earledome of Wiltshire But the felicitie of this man did both stand and fall with his Prince c. Not many yeares after this dignitie came vnto Iames Butler Earle of Ormond From thence the familie of Lancaster decaying it went vnto Iohn Stafford second sonne to Humfrey Duke of Buckingham by the gift of king Edward the fourth of which stocke one or two succeeded At last a grand-childe of the forenamed Iames Butler by his sonne caryed this title into the familie of Bullens for Thomas Bullen in right of his mother was created Earle of Wiltshire whose eldest daughter Anne was maryed vnto king Henry the eight and by him had issue our soueraigne Lady Elizabeth Pag. 187. ALthough your rash and ouer hastie penne haue seemed vnto you so priuileged as that thereby you durst aduenture the preiudice of many honorable persons in their discents and ensignes of honor as you haue done yet me thinkes that her Maiesties sacred name might iustly haue lymited your writings within such boundes of loyall duetie as that your hand should haue trembled to endite or your hart once to admitte the publishing any vntrueth whereby her honor might in any part be eclipsed Heere you say that Iames Butler Earle of Wiltshire had a grand-childe by his namelesse sonne which was mother vnto Thomas Bullen Earle of Wiltshire graund-father to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie that now is in which you greatly wrong her she being not discended of the said Iames but of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond his brother And the better to manifest the same the said Iames was atteinted by Acte of Parliament for high treason suffered for the same at New-castle in the first yeare of king Edward the fourth without any issue of his body at all to beget such a grand-child as you say was the mother to Sir Thomas Bullen Which being true as it cannot be denyed I admire that a man of your learning and professing such skill in Heraldy would so vnaduisedly publish in print to the view of the whole worlde so great an vntrueth you hauing neither proofe nor warrant for the same And not contented herewith after for maintenance and colour of these your errors you further affirme that the said Sir Thomas Bullen was created Earle of Wiltshire in right of Margaret his mother graund-childe as you say of the said Iames. In which so saying you shewe your selfe very ignorant in the discents of dignities And for answere hereunto First I say that Margaret the mother of Sir Thomas Bullen was second daughter and coheire of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond brother of Iames Earle of Wiltshire and not the saide Iames his grand-childe and so in that poynt haue you falsified this discent Secondly where you would haue this dignitie of Wiltshire
maried to Edward Lord Hastings Pag. 168. YOur fault cōmitted here is far greater then that before in the title of Bridgewater for in that you added a supposed earle that neuer was frō this discent of Hungerford you haue subtracted a Baron that was in making Robert Lord Hungerford who maried the daughter and heire of the Lord Mollins to be son of Walter lord Hungerford that was Treasorer to King Henrie the sixt and father to Thomas which was slaine at Salisburie In which you are greatly deceiued for that Robert who you say maried the daughter of Lorde Mollins was grand-childe to Walter and sonne to Robert Lord Hungerford and Margaret the daughter and heire of William Lord Botreaux By which your errour you haue not onely thrust quite out of this discent Robert the true sonne of the foresaide Walter but his wife also the heire of the Lord Botreaux to the great preiudice of the now Earle of Huntingdon who is heire generall both to the said Lord Robert and Margaret his wife And for your better satisfaction that there were two Roberts the father and sonne betwixt Walter that was Treasorer to king Henrie the sixt and Thomas that was slaine at Salisburie looke into the Parliament holden at Westminster in the 29. yeare of king Henrie the sixt and there shall you find both the said Roberts the father by the name of Robert Lord Hungerford the elder and the son by the name of Robert Lord Mollins PHilibert de Chandew a Bretaigne borne in France was by king Henry the seuenth made Earle of Bathe after whom king Henrie the eight in the 28. yeare of his reigne created Iohn Bourchier Earle of Bathe He had issue Iohn his sonne that succeeded him who had issue Iohn Lord Fitz-Warren that died in the life of his father leauing issue William nowe Earle of Bathe 1594. Pag. 171. VVHat your meaning is by so often falsifying the petigrees and discents of the Nobilitie I know not but wish there were some good order taken in time for reformation of the same least these and other like vntruths bee receiued generally for infallible verities to the disparagement of noble families as well in their fame as right of inheritance And especially would I desire your selfe being famous for learning which you acknowledge through all the prouinces of Christendom to recant such erroneous fallacies that the worlde may perceiue in your great learning a spirit of singlenesse not obstinately resting in the loue of your selfcōceited opinion but willingly subscribing to the cleare shining truth which truth hath vncharged the noble succession of honorable houses from the mist of your ignorant coniectures by the meanes of vs contemned Heraulds And now to manifest your errour committed in this succession of Earles of Bath I affirme you haue thereunto added an Earle who neuer had other father then your selfe If you demaunde his name I answere Iohn whom you make to bee sonne to Iohn the first Earle of Bathe and grandfather to William that now liueth But that you may the better amend this your rash and vnaduised writing I will set you downe the truth of this discent beginning with Iohn Bourchier Lord Fitz-Warrin whom king H. 8. on the 9. day of Iulie 1536. created Earle of Bathe He had issue Iohn Lord Fitz-Warin that died before his father at Hengraue in Suffolke 1560. leauing issue William nowe Earle of Bath to whose honourable iudgement I submit my self to say whether he had any such grandfather KIng Henrie the second and Robert the sonne of Harding who was the sonne of the king of Denmarke were founders of the Monasterie of Saint Austens by Bristow This Robert was Alderman of Bristow and so dearlie beloued of king Henrie the second that by his meanes he maried the onelie daughter and heire of the Lord Berkeley whereby the saide Roberts posteritie liuing in great honour are yet called Barons of Berkeley some of which are buried in this Church at Bristow Pag. 174. IN this title of Berkley you make Morice the sonne of Robert Fitz-Harding to be sonne to his owne wife and the said Robert to marrie his sonnes wife which vnnaturall mariages though well liked of by your selfe yet neuer knowne nor allowed of by any others And where you affirme Robert Fitz-Harding to marrie the onely daughter and heire of the Lord Berkeley therein will you faile of your proofe for Roger Lord Berkeley of Dursley whome you meane had issue a sonne of whom are discended manie liuing at this present But that you may both knowe and confesse yout fault I will set you downe againe the true discent hereof with my authoritie for the same beginning first with Harding the Dane who by the Booke of Domesday in the 20. yeare of William the Conquerour helde of Brictric in morgage the Mannor of Witenhort in the Countie of Glocester He had issue Robert Fitz-Harding who founded the Abbay of Saint Augustines and the hospitall of Saint Iohns in Bristow 1135. and maried one Eua by whom he had issue Morice Fitz-Robert who tooke to wife Alice the daughter of Roger Berkley Lord of Dursley as doth appeare by the said Rogers deede made in the sixt yeare of the reigne of King Stephen where hee giueth vnto the saide Morice Fitz-Robert in franke mariage with Alice his daughter the Mannor of Slimbridge in the Countie of Glocester And this I hope will bee sufficient to make a deuorce of this your forenamed vnlawfull and vnnaturall mariage VVAlter d'Eureux Earle of Rosmar in Normandie had great possessions giuen him by William Conquerour aboxt Salisburie which possessions he left vnto his yonger sonne Edward surnamed of Salisburie giuing to Walter his eldest sonne his other landes in Normandie with the Earledome of Rosmar whose posteritie failed within a while Edward aforesaide liued in the twentith yeare of William the Conquerour Walter his sonne builded a Monasterie at Bradenstocke wherein he became a Monke yet hee first left issue a sonne called Patrike By Sybill de Chaworth his wife which Patrike was the first Earle of Salisburie and was slaine comming out of the holie lande by Guy de Lusignan to whome succeded William his sonne which died at Paris in the time of King Richarde the first Whose onelie daughter honoured William Longa-Spatha her husbande with the title of that Earledome and with her Escucheon Azure charged with sixe Lions golde His sonne William succeeded and was in battell in the holie lande Anno. 1250. Whose sonne William lost the Earledome through displeasure of King Henrie the thirde but hee had issue one sole daughter named Margaret which being maried to Henrie Lacie Earle of Lincolne and Salisburie in her right had issue by him a daughter called Alice that was married to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Pag. 183. THe more plainlie to decipher your errours in this title of Salisburie I will first beginne with Edwarde d'Eureux whom I finde to liue in the 21. yeare of King William the Conquerour