against whom John Smith sued several Writs of Entry to recover the Premisses accordingly Hanging this Writ of Entry Sir John Mordaunt sued a Subpoena against Sir Nicholas Sir John Turbervile and John Smith and disclosed his Bargain of Devilish and desired an Injunction in Chancery thereof that they should not proceed in the Recovery So he had an Injunction for two or three Terms and when Sir John Mordaunt had proved his Bargain by the great favour that my Lord Chancellor bore to Turbervile the Injunction was Released and Smith proceeded in the Recoveries and had Judgment against all Conscience and all Precedents like before that time as it was said And I think it appeared in Chancery that Turbervile and Smith had knowledge of the Bargains between Sir Nicholas and Hardyng and Mordaunt before the Bargain made between him and Sir Nicholas After these Recoveries Sir Nicholas sued a Subpoena against John Smith to Execute the State Tayl to Sir Nicholas according to the trust and express words of the Indenture which Estate he would never Execute nor Sir Nicholas could ever have Judgment thereof in the Chancery by the labour of Sir John Turbervile and the great favour that my Lord Chancellor bare to Turbervile which favour appeareth in as much as before the Recovery and after the Recovery all the time of that Suit hanging during the Life of the said Lord Chancellor it appeared of Record in the Chancery and was confessed by all Parties That that Estate should have been made to Sir Nicholas by express words in the Indenture When Sir John Mordaunt perceived that Sir Nicholas could not obtain his Estate then in the fifteenth year of Henry the Seventh he bought Hardyngs whole Title to Devilish of Nicholas Hardyng Heir to William Hardyng Then died my Lord Chancellor after that Bargain and then died the Wife of Sir Nicholas Latimer that was old and past Child-bearing but she was like to have over-liv'd Sir Nicholas And then in the end of Anno xv o Sir John Mordaunt was called into the Kings House and went thither wholly at Michaelmas Anno xvio. Then Married Sir Nicholas a young Gentlewoman of twenty years of Age by the which it was doubted as well by Sir John Turbervile as by Sir John Mordaunt That Sir Nicholas's Wife might have Issue Male and for that neither of them trusted so surely to come to the Inheritance according to the Title that either of them had as they did in the Life of the old Wife of Sir Nicholas And from the Death of the Lord Morton and of Sir Nicholas's Wife Sir John Turbervile feared that Sir Nicholas by help of Sir John Mordaunt should cause the State Tayl to be Executed to Sir Nicholas and that was one cause that he was glad to Bargain with John Smith that though such Judgment had been given John Smith should not Execute it but stand still seized to the use that he recovered it for And that for his so doing if Sir John Turbervile died without Issue of his Body begotten John Smith should have the Fee-Simple of all the same Mannors to the use of the same John Smith and his Heirs for ever Another Consideration why Sir John Turbervile should depart with the Fee-Simple to John Smith was for that John Smith should labour Sir Nicholas with more diligence for his own Interest in the Fee-Simple to have changed his Estate in Tayl to a State for Term of Life and for that he should have the Fee-Simple for lack of Issue of Sir John Turbervile At this time was not the Fee-Simple so greatly to be regarded for that it was openly known that Mr. Turbervile intended to Marry where he might have Issue And also Sir John Turbervile feared that my Lady Latimer should have had Issue Male and for that should John Smith labour to have the Estate of Sir Nicholas changed to a State for Term of Life Upon these Considerations and others and for other things here under-written It was Covenanted and Bargained between Sir John Turbervile and John Smith in Winter Anno xvii o of Henry the Seventh That for the Reversion of the Mannor of Snodland in Kent of the yearly value of twenty Marks as it is said which Sir John Turbervile had to him and to the Heirs of his Body and for lack of such Issue it should remain to John Smith in Fee which Reversion John Smith should Surrender and Release all his Right therein to such use as Sir John Turbervile would Assign And for that also that John Smith should Release an Annuity of ten Marks which he had for Term of Life out of the same Mannor It was Covenanted That John Smith should stand still seized of all the said Latimers Lands to the use of Sir John Turbervile and of the Heirs of his Body begotten and for lack of such Issue to the use of John Smith and his Heirs in Fee of which Bargain Sir John Mordaunt knew not till September Anno xviij o of Henry the Seventh But William Mordaunt Brother to Sir John Mordaunt which at the Commandment of the said Sir John had many times broken with John Smith that Sir John Mordaunt his Brother might redeem the Title of Sir John Turbervile in the Premisses by the means of the said John Smith without whom Sir John Turbervile would make no Bargain Agreed and Bargain'd with John Smith in Trinity Term or else Easter Term Anno xvii o Henrici vii mi That for the Mannor of Estpulham to be made sure to John Smith and his Heirs from Sir John Mordaunt and his Heirs discharged of the Title of one John Crokerne which Crokerne pretended Title to the Moity thereof whether Sir John Turbervile lived or died If Sir Nicholas died without Issue Male That for lack of Issue of Sir John Turbervile lawfully begotten John Mordaunt should have all the Residue of Latimers Lands to him and to his Heirs for ever This Bargain and Agreement John Smith rehearsed and agreed to at the Dutchy Chamber Door in the Life of Sir John Turbervile to Sir John Mordaunt in the presence of William Mordaunt on the Morrow after the Agreement between William and John Smith had And the said William at the first Agreement and on the Morrow the said John Mordaunt also desired to know of John Smith how he could make that sure if Sir John Turbervile died And thereto John Smith Answered That they should know that another time but not then and said Doubt ye not but live he or die he ye shall be sure of that I have said and thus they departed And before the next Term died Sir John Turbervile in the beginning of Anno xviii o of Henry the Seventh After the said Bargain Agreed between John Mordaunt and John Smith by the means of William Mordaunt the sixth day of September after Turberviles Death John Mordaunt sent word to Smith into the West Country of Turberviles death willed him to come to London as soon as he might and to
that unfortunate Fight where the Christians did receive so great a defeat under the Command and Conduct of Robert Earl of Artois the French Kings Brother Particular honours were done to the memory of Sir Robert de Vere by the greatest Men of that Age and there was ever after retain'd for the Arms of his Successors Lords of Addington and Thrapston in a Shield Argent a Cross Gules which in order to that War he had assumed and in memory of the occasion wherein this their Ancestor had faln with so much glory His Issue Sir Baldwin de Vere Sir John de Vere THE Lady Ellen being then the Widow of Sir Robert de Vere applied her whole thoughts to the good and advantage of her Children the dear remainders of so noble a Husband to which end she contriv'd to establish BALDWIN the eldest of them in an Alliance with the Lord Gilbert de Seagrave at that time the Chief Subject in England by reason of his Office which was great Justiciar and a man besides in extraordinary favour with the King Which Gilbert contracted with her for the Marriage of the said Baldwin with his Daughter Margaret obliging himself to give her a hundred Marks for her consent thereunto and as a Portion to her Son his Lands in Aleby and Melton in the County of Leicester With the years of the young Baldwin de Vere there grew up in his mind all those inclinations for Arms and Piety to which the Knights of his House had been so accustomed and the Fields of Palestine were the scenes whereon these vertues were usually presented In the company then of other Heroick Pilgrims he went thither to pay his first vows and to win his Spurs where after several generous adventures the effects of two years spent in that hazardous warfare he returned to his own House to enjoy the esteem and honour he had acquired After which he received from the grant of Ralph the great Earl of Chester the Lordship of Tywa and seventeen Virgates of Land in that Town with all the men holding the same and their sequels Which gift was after confirmed by particular Charter from King Henry the Third He had likewise from the Lord Robert Fitz Walter the Land of Bishopscote to hold by the service of half a Knights Fee Besides other testimonies of the love and value of diverse great Lords of that time There is likewise extant an Agreement between him and the Lord Abbot of Peterborow about the liberties of Thrapston concerning which there had been a difference And as the last testimony of him there is extant a Charter from Henry the Lord Abbot of Croyland granting him liberty to erect a Chapel in his Court at Addington upon certain conditions His Issue Robert de Vere Baldwin Vere SIR ROBERT de VERE was a Minor at the death of his Father thereby becoming a Ward for his Mannor of Addington to his Cousin Sir Baldwin of Drayton under whose conduct having passed those years which were to bring him to lawful age it appears he was much bound to him for his Education which produced such generous qualities as made him very considerable He applied himself much to the War which we find by the appearance of his name in several Lists of those Knights that accompanied King Edward the First in his Expeditions into Wales and Scotland He exercised the Office of High Sheriff of the County of Northampton in the thirtieth year of that King and he dyed seised of the Lordships of Thrapston of Addington of Sudburgh of Melton of Tywa of Twyvell of Bishopscote and other Lands and Lordships He had Married Anne the Daughter of Sir Roger of Watervill by whom he had Issue Randal de Vere RANDAL or RANULPH de VERE after the death of Sir Robert his Father became possessed of all his Lands and Lordships And in the third year of King Edward the Third we find him to have been summoned by the Kings Justices to answer by what Warrant he held and exercised certain Customs and Liberties in his Lordship of Thrapston Which upon his appearance and production of the Charter were reserved and he dismissed In the ninth year of the same King an Inquisition passed upon the value of his Lands in Thrapston and Addington and in the twelfth by his Charter dated on the Friday being the Feast of Saint Edmund he granted and gave to the Lord Henry then Bishop of Lincoln and to Agnesse that was the Wife of Sir Richard de Waldgrave the custody of the Lands and Tenements which the said Richard had held of him in the Town of Twyvell that did belong to him by reason of the minority of Thomas the Son of the said Richard and Agnesse as likewise the Marriage of the said Thomas for a certain summe of Money paid to him by the forementioned Lord Henry and Agnesse The Wife of Sir Randall de Vere was ...... Their Issue Sir John de Vere Sir Robert de Vere Randal de Vere Idonea de Vere JOHN de VERE in the life time of his Father Sir Ranulph being as then but young was married to a Lady whose name was Alice Clifford and for his subsistance setled in possession of the Lordship of Twyvell and other Lands of his Fathers Inheritance But the spirit and inclinations of this House being predominant in his nature and disposition they would not suffer him to remain at home but postposing to the love of Honour and the War all considerations of ease and interest he followed the noble King Edward into his first Wars with France where for his service he acquired the honour of Knighthood and after having given extraordinary proofs of his valour in divers occasions it was his fortune to be slain in the famous Battel of Crecy among other Heroes who fought in that place for the honour of their King and Country and leaving no Issue behind him he was succeeded by his Brother Sir Robert de Vere BY the death without Issue of Sir John de Vere we find that his Brother ROBERT came to inherit the Lordships of Addington Thrapston Sudburgh Melton Aleby Kemington Hokenhanger with the rest of the Lands and possessions belonging to that House There were several transactions that passed between the Lady Alice de Vere that was the Widow of his Brother and him about agreements for setling of her Thirds in the Lordships of Thrapston Addington and other places which were performed with much mutual respect and Justice on either side and at last ended in a fair accord and composition for the whole Several other marks there do remain of the Justice Oeconomy and Prudence of this Robert de Vere whom we find to have married Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir Robert de Northburgh and to have deceased in the three and fortieth year of King Edward the Third leaving Issue Robert de Vere Baldwin de Vere ROBERT the Son of Robert de Vere Lord of Addington and Thrapston being a minor at the death of his
Provisions necessary to the maintenance of the Town or that his Head turn'd round under the divers difficulties of so great a charge having never before commanded alone such a Garrison nor so considerable a place did shew so much confusion and such unsteadiness in his Orders as after brought his Life and Honour into question and lost him in the Opinion of the King and the Chief Officers of the Army Succors had been promised to the relief of this Town and at last a considerable body of Horse and Foot was sent in hopes to raise the Siege an attempt whereof was made at Causam Bridge but so unsuccessfully as after the loss of many Souldiers and divers Gentlemen and brave Officers the King's Troops were forc'd to Retreat leaving the Town in a much worse condition than it was before the Garrison and Inhabitants being much disheartned by such a disappointment There were great disputes afterwards whether it proceeded from the want of number and strength in the Party that was sent or the neglect if not a worse reflection upon the Commander for not Sallying out upon the Enemy with what might have been spared of the Garrison at the same time they were so vigorously assailed by his Majesty's Troops on the other side And this some did affirm to have been concerted at the time of the undertaking But the Colonel now beginning to despond of any farther endeavors were intended to releive the Town and finding his Men dissatisfied his Ammunition wasted â—nd his provision grown very short he demanded a Treaty which the Enemy easily condescended to well knowing an attempt to take a Town by force wherein were so many and so good Men if it did succeed was like to be at a rate would prove â—â—â—y dear And Commissioners being appointed on either side it was agreed The â—â—â—arrison should march out with Arms Bag and Baggage Flying Colours and Balle en Bouche The only thing was found weak and mean in the Commander among the conditions was That such as had from a certain time left the Parliament Service were to be abandon'd to their reprisal and resentment an Article calculated on purpose for delivery of this Young Lord. To which the Commander so ancitient and so great a pretended Friend had condescended with very small resistance the dishonor of which was afterward at his Tryal before the Court Martial at Oxford with very much exaggeration laid to his charge The night before the surrender it may be imagin'd the Lord Mordaunt was in no small concern how to escape the danger of being seiz'd by the Enemy according to the right they had so to do by reason of the Articles Divers ways were proposed for his escape whereof some seem'd too mean others too precipitate At last he resolv'd to take the Habit Arms Horse and Apparel of an ordinary Trooper and at adventure to march in the Rank of such a one even under inspection of the Earl of Essex himself before whom all the Troops were to march away This the next morning he put in practice and was so successful as to pass clear without any discovery or obstruction although the General had employ'd divers to search for him among the Troops and that his Father had sent of his own domesticks to assist in his seisure as well to vindicate himself from any suspicion of connivance with his Son as to divert the young Lord from his intended Engagement among the Cavaliers from which the Countess his Mother was at that time very averse He marched in company of the Troops till he came to Wallingford where he saw Prince Rupert the first time whom he found much enflamed against Colonel Fielding He complemented the Young Lord with a particular sence he express'd to have of the hazards whereunto by these mean Articles he was expos'd The Lord Mordaunt came the next day to Oxford where he presented himself to the King and was receiv'd with that goodness which was natural to one of the best Kings that ever Reign'd After which he apply'd himself in his respects to the Ministers became acquainted with the Great Officers of the Army and though he had lost some of his Servants his Baggage his Money and which was worst all his Horses whereof there were some very excellent these necessaries having been known at their march out of the Town and were all seized by the General 's Order as the Goods of a Dissertor whom himself they could not find yet the Lord Mordaunt esteem'd himself a gainer upon the whole having by this generous testimony of his Loyalty gained an opportunity of justifying himself with the good Opinion and esteem of all the Worthy and Ingenuous persons of the Court. His next care was to repair the losses of those necessaries which were useful to the method of Service he did intend Horses Arms and Money towards which the kind care of the Noble Lady Mordaunt his Grandmother that had always been a zealous Catholick did much enable him and he was soon after in a condition to follow the King in all his Marches and Expeditions whereof the first was when he advanc'd from Oxford to Bristol to take possession of that important City that had been delivered up by Colonel Fines and there to settle a strong Garrison and his Authority After which and his return to Oxford he follow'd the King to the Siege of Gloucester wherein he endeavour'd to advantage his Experience with the observation of every Action and Proceeding was practised in that occasion and so signaliz'd his application towards enabling him for the future Service of his Prince as gain'd him much honor from all that did observe him But after the disappointments and ill success of this enterprise and that by the approach of the Parliament Army the Siege was forc'd to be raised to the shame of those had engag'd the King upon the undertaking upon the assurance of a present delivery the Lord Mordaunt follow'd his Majesty to Newbery where the King engaged in Battel with the Parliament Forces The Two Armies lay the first Night in fight one of another and by break of day they began to skirmish The Fight soon became very fierce the young Lord shew'd his Valor and Bravery in several parts but particularly when among other generous Volunteers he put himself in the first Rank of the Prince's Troop then Commanded by Sir Richard Crane when it went to Charge the Great body of the Parliament's Foot which had Cannon planted before it all loaden with Case Shot for the better reception of their Enemies It was an occasion never to be forgotten for at the first charge of the Horse they were saluted with such a Fire as killed and dismounted above Fourscore at one Volley There it was the Earl of Sunderland was slain and so many considerable persons hurt and disabled The Lord Mordaunt was shot in the Arm wounded with a Pike in the Thigh had several honourable marks made in the Coat that cover'd his Arms
and his Horse was shot in the shoulder The end and consequences of this Fight is known in Story The King return'd to Oxford the Earl of Essex to London and the Lord Mordaunt remain'd at Court the ensuing Winter The young Lord had not attained the full age that might capacitate him to sit in Parliament but the Earl his Father being deceased and he succeeding to his dignity of Earl of Peterborow it pleased his Majesty to dispense with a year of that time and by Writ to call him to fit in the Oxford Parliament It was in this Assembly the Earl of Peterborow shew'd the fruits of a Generous Education his Manners were grave and decent his Judgment sound his Learning above his Years and his Quality and he spoke so as satisfied much and affected those that heard him In fine the Great and Unfortunate Charles took such an impression from his proceedings as had the King out-liv'd the disorders of that Age the Earl of Peterborow had been certainly both employ'd and cherish'd by him After this Session he follow'd the King in the Expeditions of the succeeding Summer He was engag'd in the Fight at Cropradey he was with him in the West at Exeter and in Cornwall where the Parliaments Army was Besieg'd their Generals shifted for themselves by Sea and their Troops passed by the King's Army on conditions The Winter following was employ'd by this Earl in an Action very considerable to him which was his Marriage with a beautiful young Lady of great birth called Penelope Obrien only Daughter to Barnaby Earl of Thomond part of whose Portion was at that time very useful to him his Mother being then alive and in possession of most of his Estate and the rest sequester'd and in the Parliament Quarters The next Spring he carried his Lady to Bristol a place in appearance of most safety and farther from the Scene of the War which was likely as it did fall out to be more Northward Here he happn'd to be about the time of the Fight at Leicester where the good King was worsted and from whence his greater misfortune began to flow Upon the King's retreat Westward the Earl of Peterborow to be more free to follow him in all his Fortunes got a Pass for his Lady to go to London to agitate among his Relations some supplies towards enabling him for his subsistance and to furnish him towards certain designs he had for his Majesty's Service He went with the King after this for Wales but losses and defections coming now more and more upon his Majesty every day he retired again to Oxford and Winter drawing nigh the Earl took that Season to pass into Ireland where was a considerable remainder of his Wife's Portion with which he intended to pass into France unto the Queen being then at Paris to Negotiate the interests he had at Court and after to return Unto all this he had not only the King's leave but such Passes and Letters of Recommendation from his Majesty and the Principal Secretary the Earl of Bristol as will for ever bear honourable testimony of this Earl's behavior He did then prosecute his journey which was in all things very fortunate though full of particular adventures too long for this relation He pass'd into Ireland came into Thomond in the Province of Munster where his Father-in-law lived and carried thence the Moneys he did demand Embark'd at Galloway in Cannaught for France after extraordinary sufferance and hazards at Sea landed at Saint Mallows and came afterwards to Paris where he was received by the Queen with that kindness and concern as was due to a Man who had adher'd so faithfully and so long to the King her Husband and all his Interests By this time every Post brought news of the King's misfortunes who having been at last forced to quit Oxford and the few Troops he had left had cast himself upon the Protection of the Scotch Army Here to well judging people seem'd to be an end of all the hopes of the Royal Party who had reason to fear what was the present Interest and was like to be the resolution of that People After some time then every one as in a Shipwrack seeking for a Plank whereon they might save themselves the Earl of Peterborow upon discourse with the Queen and the King's Secretary that was then in France had not only their leave but their advice to make it his business to get admission to come home into England and compound for his Estate as the rest of the Cavaliers in England did The Earl's Mother that always liv'd in the Parliament Quarters and had many Friends among them procur'd his desire So that with the young Countess his Wife at that time with him in France he repair'd home and at last by a very severe composition in Money for which he was fain to sell and mortgage many of his Lands he made such a kind of Peace as that wherewith the Lords and Gentlemen of the King's Party were at that time forc'd to be contented In the care then of his Fortune composing of domestick differences and providing as well as he could against future accidents the Earl of Peterborow spent his time till the King came to be abandon'd by those false Scots and deliver'd into the hands of the Parliament He happn'd to be residing upon his Noble Lordship of Turvey at the time the King was taken from Holmby and brought on his way towards London His Majesty happn'd one Night in his journey to be lodg'd at Ampthill where it was design'd he should rest a day or two at hearing hereof the Earl's House not being above seven Miles from thence he thought it his duty to endeavour to see his Sacred Master and try if he could have occasion to be useful to him in any kind He rose then and by Eleven of the Clock came to the House where the King lay Not without some difficulty he got to be admited where he was and he found his Majesty going to the Prayers usual before his Dinner After they were perform'd he kneel'd down for the honor of his Majesty's Hand but had only opportunity for the ordinary Complements being overlook'd by the Officers appointed to observe the addresses and behavior of all that did approach him Chearfulness there was not much in the King's looks but no disorder grave they were but distinguishing to any he took for Friends and injur'd goodness appear'd in every motion The Dinner was soon brought up during which the Earl waited by him and near the end of it the Officers withdrew and all except the Guards of the Door The Earl quickly took the opportunity of asking his Majesty If there were any thing wherein he might be serv'd with the hazard of his Life and Fortune The King Answer'd He was not in a place to take any measures but would have him advise with those that were his Friends The Earl said no more by reason of the Villainous Jaylers returning so
more plainly shall appear Which recoveries of the said Mannors and other the premisses were had for the only surety of payment of one thousand pounds to the use of the late noble King of Memory Henry the Seventh our most dear Father by the said John Mordaunt Son and Heir of John Mordaunt Knight Deceased to be paid And after the said thousand pounds were fully content and paid then ye and your joint Recoverers should be Recoverers or Feoffees to the use of the said Sir John Mordaunt the Son and his Heirs for ever as by certain and divers Covenants in certain Indentures specified between Giles Dawbeny late Lord Dawbeny for the part of our said dearest Father of the one party and the said Sir John Mordaunt the Son of the other party made the xxth day of January the year of the Reign of our said Father the twenty second more plainly may appear Of the which sum of a thousand pounds four hundred pounds were paid to the use of our said Father to John Heyron Knight late Treasurer of the Chamber of our said Father by the said John Mordaunt the Son And we for certain Causes and Considerations us moving have remised and pardoned two hundred pounds parcel of the said thousand pounds to the same Sir John Mordaunt the Son And one hundred pounds parcel of the said thousand pounds the said Sir John Mordaunt the Son hath paid to Sir Harry Wyat Knight Treasurer of our Chamber to our use And for three hundred pounds residue of the said thousand pounds the same John Mordaunt the Son by the name of John Mordaunt Knight is bounden by several Obligations to certain persons to our use for the sure payment of the same three hundred pounds to be paid to our use as by the same several Obligations thereof made and remaining with the same Sir Harry Wyat to our use it may appear Wherefore we signifie unto you that our Pleasure is and we will and Command you that ye without any delay do seal the said two Releases and deliver them as your Deeds to the bringer of them to the use of the said Sir John the Son And these our Letters Signed with our Hand and Sealed with our Seal shall be your sufficient Warrant and discharge in that behalf Yeven under our Signet at our Mannor of Greenwich the _____ A SUCCINCT GENEALOGY Of the HOUSE of DRAYTON Justified by Ancient and Extant Charters Publick Records Histories and other Authentick Proofs By ROBERT HALSTEAD The Armes of the House of Drayton were Argent a Cross Engrailed Gules Of the Name Original Descent Possessions Alliances and Arms of the House of Drayton THE Mannor of Drayton being one of the fairest and most Noble of the Country wherein it lies both for its Commodities Situation and the Royalties belonging thereunto was in the dayes of those Kings that did precede the Conquest among the Possessions of one Oswinus a famous Saxon. But upon the distribution of the Lands acquired by King William it became part of the Estate of Aubrey de Vere who first Entred England with that Prince From this Earl Aubrey the Elder for so he was termed the Lordship of Drayton did descend to Earl Aubrey the Second who was Father to the first Earl of Oxford Great Chamberlain to King Henry the First and Lord Chief Justice of England and from him it was given in Partage as a Foundation of his Fortune to Robert his second Son with the Lordships of Adington the greater and the less as likewise the Lands he held in Twyvell of the Abbey of Thorney and other fair possessions This Mannor and Lordship consisted at that time of a fair ancient Castle encompassed with four large high Walls Embattailed round with such Fortifications as were necessary both for resistance and offence It had as parcels thereof very useful Demesnes a Park a Warren and flourishing Woods besides the Villages of Luffwick Islip Slipton and certain Lands in the Parishes of Aldwinkle and Tichmarsh in each of which the Lords had Courts of their own the Advowsons of the three Churches belonging thereunto with free Warren upon all those Lands and free Fishing for a long Tract upon the River of Avon To this Robert de Vere Lord of Drayton did succeed Sir Henry de Vere who left his Inheritance to Sir Walter de Vere his Son who from the Excellency of the place and his great love thereunto did assume the Name thereof to remain to him and his Posterity ever after A thing in those days very usual as may be instanced in several Examples too long for this Occasion This Sir Walter de Vere having among other Heroes of that time design'd his Application to the Holy War took for his Arms as a mark of his Intention Argent a Cross Engrailed Gules which was afterwards constantly born by the Successors of this Family and under that same Name and Ensign did flourish a fair Posterity of several Noble Knights which upon this Lordship of Drayton did long live in much honour and opulency in possession of that Noble Mannor with other Lands in Sudborow in Brigstock and in Irtlingborow in the County of Northampton of fair possessions in Luton and Flamstead in Bedfordshire of the Mannors of Bottlebrigg and Stoke-Goldington in the County of Huntingdon and of the Lordship of Southnewenton in Oxfordshire Their Alliances were not less Illustrious than their Original they having been contracted with the Houses of Bassett and de la Zouch of the great and ancient Baronage and other Families famous for high Actions and the faithful Service of their Princes This Lordship notwithstanding with its Name and Arms came afterwards to be incorporate into the House of Greene and by them as to what is most remarkable through a fatal revolution of humane things after near four hundred years unto the Original Veres again by Isabella Greene who being Married to Sir Richard Vere that was Lord of Thrapston and Adington and descended from Robert Brother of that Walter we first mentioned by the Issue which she brought Created such a Title as for default of Posterity from Constance Countess of Wiltshire the Daughter of the last Sir Henry Green the Lordship of Drayton came to Elizabeth Grandchild of this Richard Vere and by her to the Mordaunts that were descended from her Sir WALTER of DRAYTON Lord of Drayton Luffwick Islip Addington Twyvell and other Lands and Lordships WAlter de Vere the eldest Son of Henry the Son of Robert that was second Son of Aubrey Great Chamberlain to King Henry the First and Chief Justice of England being then very young and in the Life-time of Sir Henry his Father did attend King Richard the First into the Holy Land and on that Occasion assum'd for his Arms Argent a Cross Engrail'd Gules After he had there won his Spurs by divers generous Actions and received the Honour of Knighthood at the hand of that victorious King he returned home with several Companions of that
Duc remayning the foresaid Henry Greene hath sett his Seall and to that othir parte of the same Endentures with the said Henry remayning the said Duc hath sett his Seall Yeven the day and yere abovesaid Ultima Voluntas Henrici Greene. THIS is the Will of me Henry Greene Squyer made the third day of September the seaventh yere of the Reigne of King Edward the Fourth upon the Maner of Sudburgh and all the Londs and Tenements with theire appurtenances that byn of my purchase in Sudburgh aforesaid in the Counte of Northampton Thorpe beside Petirburgh Marham Wittelsey Southorp and Luffwyck and of the woodes called Langhyll and Ferthyngshaw in the same Counte and of all othir woodes whâ—che I bought of William Aldwyncle and in the handes of divers persones by Testemenâ— made to theyme for myne use as it appereth in severall dedes to performe my will Whereupon first I will that my Feoffes of and in my Londs and Tenements in Thorpe beside Petirburgh after my decesse make estate of theyme to Margaret my wyfe for terme of her lyve the remaindre thereof to Constance my Doughter to have to her and to the heirs of her body begotyn and for defaute of suche issue the remaindre thereof to my right heires Item I will that my Feoffes of the Londs and Tenements in Wittelsey Southorp and Marham of my purchase after my decesse make estate of them to Margaret my wyfe for terme of her lyfe the remaindre thereof to Robert Wittelbury and to the heirs of his body begotyn and for defaute of suche issue the remaindre thereof to my right heirs And I will that my Feoffes of the Londs and Tenements in Luffwyk of my purchase called Coles Thynge and Befviles Thynge after my decesse make estate to my Lord John of Buckingham and to my Lady his wyfe and to the heires comyng betwix theyme and for defaute of suche issue the remaindre thereof to my right heires for ever if my said Lord nor Lady nor theyr heires nor any othir by theyme procuryng assentyng or commandement in any part hereof lett not my will to be performyd and if they or any of theyme lett my said will to be performyd then I will that theire estate thereyn be void and that the same Londs and Tenements be sold and disposed by mine Executours in dedes of Charite Item I will that two Priestes shall be made sure ether of them to have fourtene marks yerely on the charges of my purchased Londs or Rentes perpetually to syng in the Parysh Chirche of Luffwyk and to doe othir devyne service there and pray for the sowles of me and of Sir Henry Greene Justice and othir of myne Auncestres and Benefactors and all Crystyn sowles And if hit shall happyn no suche xxiiij marks yerely to be purchesid hereafter be me then I will they shall have sewerly to theyme and they re successours for evermore xxiiij marks yerely perpetuelly of my Maner of Sudburgh Item I will that Thomas Haldenby shall have a sufficiant graunte of one annuite of xiiij marks to have to hym for terme of his lyfe to be taken of the revenue of my Maner of Houghton in the Counte of Northampton if he make his Lettres Patents that he hath of like graunte by me made to hym to be taken of the Maners of Hardewyk and Grateley to be surrendid and cancellid and he to doe lyke service as is contenyd in his said first Lettres Patentes Item I will that Margaret my wyfe after my decesse have the Maneres of Buckworth in the Counte of Huntyngton and Herdewyk in the Counte of Northampton with othir Londs and Tenements before expressed for terme of hir lyve the remayndre of theyme to my right heires Item I will that my Feoffees of my Woods and Assartes called Langhill and Farthingshaw and Tolkithorpewoode after my decesse make a state of my said Lord John and Dame Constance his wyfe my Doughter and to the heires of the body of the same Dame Constance comyng and for defaute of suche issue the remayndre of theyme to the right heires of me the said Henry Greene. In witnesse whereof to these Presents I set the Seal of myne Armes Yeven the daie and yere abovesaid SIGILLVM HENRICI GRENE ARMIGIRI Carta Margaretae Relictae Henrici Greene. NOverint Universi per Praesentes me Margaretam quae sui uxor Henrici Greene Armigeri defuncti fecisse ordinâsse loco meo posuisse Dilectos mihi in Christo Robertum Wittelbury Armigerum Jacobum Barlowe meos veros legitimos Attornatos conjunctim divisim ad recipiendum pro me nomine meo de Thoma Lenton Katherina filia Roberti Long consanguinea haerede Willielmi Aldwyncle Armigeri defuncti vel de eorum in hac parte Attornatis plenam pacificam possessionem seisinam de in Manerio de Comberton cum suis pertinentiis in Comitatu Cantabrigiae secundùm vim formam effectum cujusdam Cartae indentatae per praefatum Thomam Katherinam mihi prefatae Margaretae ad terminum vitae meae inde confectae Ratum gratum habens habitura totum quicquid praedicti Attornati mei nomine meo fecerint aut alter eorum fecerit in praemissis In cujus rei Testimonium Praesentibus Sigillum meum apposui Datum vicesimo sexto die mensis Maii Anno Regni Regis Edwardi Quarti post Conquestum nono The Tombe of Henry Greene Lord of Drayton Extant in St. Peters Church in Luffwick CONSTANCE GREENE Countess of Wiltshire Lady of Drayton and other Lands and Lordships Antiquities of Warwickshire Page 729. Writing of Maxton Castle WITHIN the body thereof is a little Chapel in which by special dispensation of Reynold Boaters then Bishop of this Diocess was solemnized the Marriages of John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and Katharine Stafford one of the Daughters of the said Duke in the thirty sixth year of King Henry the Sixth and of John Stafford one of his younger Sons after created Earl of Wiltshire and Constance the Daughter of Henry Green Esquire Baronage of England Page 174. Stafford Earl of Wiltshire IN the ninth of Edward the Fourth the fifth of January John Stafford a younger Son to Humphrey Duke of Buckingham was created Earl of Wiltshire and in the twelfth of Edward the Fourth joyned in Commission with the Earl of Northumberland and others to treat with the Ambassadors of James the third King of Scotland upon certain complaints of grievances from each Realm And having married Constance the Daughter and heir of Sir Henry Greene of Drayton in the County of Northampton Knight departed this life the eight of May the thirteenth of Edward the Fourth leaving Edward his Son three years of age being then seized joyntly with the said Constance of the Manors of Southo in Com. Hunt of Newinton-Blosmaville Clifton and Pollicote in Comitatu Bucks of the Manors of Stamford Rivers Tracies Suttons Piggesland Bottelles and Briggs in Comitatu
pleaded the King's Cause in defence of his imprisoning certain Bishops which was there laid to his Charge But it fell out that in the succeeding year he was slain in London in a tumult raised by the Seditious Citizens He married Adeliza the Daughter of Gilbert of Clare by whom he had Issue Aubrey de Vere the first Earl of Oxford Sir Robert de Vere Roetia Vere the Wife of Jeffery de Magnavilla Earl of Essex MY business being to deduce the Descent of the Veres that were Lords of Drayton and Addington and not of the Earls of Oxford I am obliged to return to ROBERT de VERE the second Son of the forementioned Aubrey to whom his Father left for his provision and Inheritance the Lordships of Drayton Luffwyck Slipton Islip both the Addingtons and the Land of Twyvell which latter they had held of the Abby of Thorney We find this Robert in a Charter of his under the stile of Robert the Son of Aubrey the Kings Chamberlain did acknowledge to hold the Land of Twyvell for so long as he should live from Robert the Lord Abbot of Thorney and the Monks of that House by the same Covenants under which his Father before him held the same and that for the Tenths of the five Carucates which his Father had given to Saint Mary of Thorney to wit of Drayton Islip and Addington that were of his dominion he did grant the same to God Saint Mary and the Monks of Thorney There is extant of his another Charter wherein by the name of Robert the Son of Aubrey in the first year of the Reign of King Henry the younger in the presence of his own Son Henry he did quit-claim the Mannor of Twyvell to the Monastery of Thorney which gift was after confirm'd by Pope Alexander the third He was one of the most faithful and vigorous assertors of the interest and pretences of Matilda the Empress and the Prince her Son against King Stephen during the heats of all the differences appertaining to that contest and of such esteem were the effects of his Valour and generous endeavours as obliged that Princess to promise him a Barony valuable with that given to Jeffery de Vere and other Lands of equal consideration within a year after she should come to enjoy the Realm of England He Married Matilda the Daughter of the Lord Robert de Furnell with whom her Father gave in free Marriage divers Lands in Cranford by whom he had Issue Sir Henry de Vere And William de Vere HENRY the Son of Robert de Vere that was Lord of Drayton Addington and other Lordships was bred up under the care and conduct of his Cousin the great William de Magnavilla Earl of Essex and Albemarle who was the Son of Roesia de Vere Countess of Essex his Fathers Sister Henry de Vere did give himself to a dependance upon this Earl who was a man of great military fame in that time and from his example and precept became a Knight of much renown and valour For his first essay in Arms he slew with his own hand Ralph de Vaux in an encounter near the City of Gysors who was the Son of a great Lord that would have fortified a strong House of his too near the Borders and had besides injured his Cousin the Earl of Albemarle the King 's Chief Governor in those parts the words are verbis dehonestavit amaris He was made Constable of the Castle and City of Gysors where he commanded with much reputation till that after the death of his Father he was called home to the care of a considerable fortune of his own where we find him afterwards to have been one of those that sided with King John being then but Earl of Moriton against the proud Bishop of Ely whom King Richard had left behind him to govern the Land in his absence being by the same Bishop amongst diverse others of the great Lords of that time excommunicated He had in Marriage with one of the Daughters of a great Lady whose name was Hildeburga ....... the Mannor of Mutford and thirty pounds Land in Ampton which she held of the Barony of Bouden that did belong to her Father Baldwin of Boxo a great Lord of that time Their Issue Sir Walter de Vere Lord of Drayton Sir Robert de Vere Lord of Addington WE find not any Lands were left by his Father unto ROBERT the second Son of Sir Henry de Vere but it is to be esteemed that he inherited no small part of his Vertue and his Valour since his own merits acquired him such a fortune as was sufficient to maintain his descendants in much splendor and reputation for many Ages He was bred up to that renowned calling wherein every well born man aspired to an excellence in that heroick Age Fame in Arms being an Ornament without which no great man could appear with any advantage but it was the subsistance and only hopes of their younger Brothers And herein this Robert did succeed so well as he became the Favorite to the great Warriers of that time from several of which he received great gifts of Lands whose values were in that Age very considerable to engage him in their interests and dependance as those in Dalentune from the Lord Jeffery de Lucy the Lordships of Addington and Twyvell from his Uncle William de Vere and the noble Lordship and Market Town of Thrapston from the Lord Baldwin de Wake in Marriage with his Aunt the Lady Margaret to which King Henry the Third did after in his favour and in the twenty ninth of his Reign grant by his Charter divers liberties and priviledges After the death of his first Wife he contracted a new Marriage with a Lady whose name was Elena that is conjectured to have been of the highest quality from her Seals her stile the complements used towards her in the applications of Ranulph Earl of Chester Jeffery of Lucy and other of the greatest Lords by whom in their deeds she was ever treated with the stile of Nobilis Domina Elena de Vere and it is believed she was that Elena the Daughter of Roger de Quincy the last Earl of Winchester and Widow to Alan de la Zouch a great Lord in the Counties of Leicester and Northampton by the interest she had in several Lands of those shires belonging to that Family as also by other probabilities collected from a Letter that is extant and a rare Antiquity of her Sisters the Lady Margaret Countess of Lincoln and Pembroke to this Sir Robert her Husband being on his Voyage to the Holy Land The friendship he had contracted with the Famous William Longespé Earl of Salisbury natural Grandson to King Henry the Second who had been chosen Captain of those English that were sent unto that enterprise could not suffer so illustrious an undertaking to be unaccompanied with his Sword He attended that Prince in quality of his Standard-bearer and was slain together with his Captain in
Father had his Wardship purchased by his Mother the Lady Elizabeth Vere of Edward the black Prince for the summe of twenty pounds who by his Charter which is extant did grant the custody of his Lands with his Marriage to his dear and well beloved Elizabeth that was the Wife of Robert de Vere those are the words of the Deed on condition it might be without disparagement There are remaining Covenants hereupon agreed unto between the said Robert and his Mother as also a Petition from the said Lady to Queen Isabel for her protection against Sir Henry Greene a man of great power by whom the Minor and her self were oppressed in some circumstances of the rights that did belong unto them When this Robert had attained to mans estate he confirmed to his Uncle's Wife the Lady Alice de Vere the agreement had been made with her by his Father He became afterwards much considered from his Vertue and noble qualities and in the eighteenth year of Richard the Second he served his Country in the Office of High Sheriff and did much adhere to the King in those difficulties which happened in his Reign Yet there fell out about this time a quarrel between him and a Knight of great Authority called Sir Edmund Noone on whom having made an assault wherein the said Edmund was wounded it caused him trouble for a time and an Imprisonment in the Fleet upon pretence of the Riot but the matter being composed by Friends he afterward recovered the King's grace and his liberty He Married Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir John de Tay of a noble Family and descended from antient Barons of that Name by whom having had but one Daughter called Margaret he gave her for Wife to Thomas Ashby Lord of Lovesby in the County of Leicester with his Lordships of Thrapston and Addington to them and the heirs of their bodies but it falling out that she dyed without Issue His Lands he had setled upon them returned to his Brother Baldwin and his heirs as being his lawful successors SIR BALDWIN de VERE being for many years a younger Brother appli'd himself to the Wars and a dependence upon great Princes for the support of his fortune We find him in the fourth year of King Henry the Fourth to have been Lieutenant Governor of the Isles of Guernsey and Jersey under that noble Prince Edward Earl of Rutland and of Corke and who was afterwards Duke of York He followed this illustrious Hero in all the succeeding Wars of that Age and fought by his side at the time he fell with so much glory in the famous Battel of Agencourt after whose death he had confirm'd unto him by King Henry the Fifth an annuity of twenty marks by the year that had been granted to him by that Duke for his life out of his inheritance in the Customs of Linnen Leather and Skins in the Port of Kingston upon Hull to be received at the hands of the Collectors thereof during the Minority of Richard the Son of Richard late Earl of Cambridge After this his fortune or rather his setled affection to the relations and interests of the House of York carried him into the Kingdom of Ireland where in the second year of King Henry the Sixth he was constituted Treasurer of his Liberties by the Lord Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and Ulster and at that time Lord Lieutenant of Ireland which by his Letters Patents that are extant and other testimonies does appear After the death of the Earl of March and the return of Sir Baldwin Vere into England the fortunes of Love as well as those of Armes did contribute to the advantage and establishment of this worthy and industrious Knight for he fell into the favour of a young Lady the Daughter and heir of Sir John Kingston alias Mohun who brought him the Mannors of Barkloe Overhall and Hoakenhanger that were of her inheritance And in conclusion his Brothers Death without Issue male made him possession of the Lordships of Thrapston Addington and the other Lands belonging to that Family So as having no more to desire at the hands of fortune he departed this life full of years and happiness leaving Issue Sir Richard Vere Lord of Addington and Thrapston Elizabeth Vere Amy Vere AFTER the decease of Sir Baldwin de Vere RICHARD his Son came to inherit the Estate and interests of that Family He met with some trouble in the beginning about this accession which came to his Father for want of Issue male from his Uncle Sir Robert de Vere who notwithstanding had made over the Lordships of Addington and Thrapston to certain Trustees for the security of the Portion promised to his Daughter Margaret that had been married to a Gentleman of consideration one Thomas Ashby of the County of Leicester And these Trustees happening to be men of the highest rank and of most power in the Kingdom as the Earls of Hereford and Stafford the Lord Beaumont the Lord Cromwel and the Lord Zouch and not a little partial to Thomas Ashby and his Wife Margaret it was no easy matter to procure a resignation of their interest But his Cousin Margaret coming to dye without Issue and having given testimony of her desire to have justice done unto her lawful successor those noble Lords were induced upon some fair agreement with Thomas Ashby to redemise to Richard de Vere the Mannor of Aldington and the other Lands wherein they had been formerly enfeoffed Soon after this Richard de Vere was setled in his fortune he contracted an alliance in the Family of Greene the most considerable among the Gentlemen of that tract by marrying Isabella one of the Daughters of John Greene who stiled himself Lord of Herdwick in the days of his Brother Ralph that was Lord of Drayton and from whose death without Issue male his descendants came to be possest of a great and noble Patrimony The great Lords of the Church being no easie neighbours in that age from their exceeding interest and authority and this Sir Richard de Vere being a man of a great spirit and of a Family unaccustomed to unreasonable submissions there arose a contest between him and the Lord Abbot of Croyland which made much noise about certain bordering pretences How it was ended does not appear but soon after this Sir Richard de Vere departed this life leaving Issue by his Wife Isabella Greene Sir Henry de Vere Baldwin Vere Constance Married to John Butler Lord of Woodhall Elizabeth Vere Married to William Dounhalle Margaret Vere Married to John Verners of Essex Amy Vere Married to John Ward of Irtlingborow Elena Vere Married to Thomas Isham of Pitchtsley HENRY the eldest Son of Sir Richard Vere with the Estate of his Father inherited the Suit and Difference with the Lord Abbot of Croyland and by his endeavours to defend his interests in that affair he incurr'd the displeasure of King Richard III. which was particularly testified in a Letter to himself and in some
premisses whansoever it pleas the Kings Highnes and your Lordship to comande me And Almighty God ever preserve your good Lordship to your most hertes pleasure Written at Haroweden the fower and twentyeth Day of October By your own Servant Nicholas Vaus The Answer of Henry Vere Esquire to the Bill of Complaint of Thomas Watts THE said Henry saith by protestation That the said Bill of Complaint is insufficient and compriseth matter slaunderous For the declaration of the trouth of the premisses the said Henry saith That the said Thomas Watts before the said twentye sixthe day of August specified in the said Bill that the said Compleynent in the dayes of King Richard late in dede and not in right King of England took from the said Henry riotously with thirty persons defensibly arrayed certeyn Timber Hey-Rekes Peese-Rekes with much other Stuff of Howshold to the value of eleven Marks and more And alsoe the said Thomas in lyke riotous wise resevyd of the Rents of the said Henry ten Mark in Ekton Barton and Wouleston within the Counte of Northampton for the whyche the said Henry compleyned to the Kings Grace imediately after his first feld And it pleased the Kings Grace among other of his Highnes Comandemenâ—s to comand the said Henry to bring the same Thomas to him to answer to the premisses And the said Henry by reason of the same Comandement with two persons harnessed came from his first Feld unto the House of the said Thomas to the entent to execute the Kings said Comandements then and there being John Tresham Esquier the Viccar of the said Town of Rothewell John Dove and one Cowper and many others and they knowing the premisses and knowing for trouth that the said Thomas of and in the premisses and many other had offended the said Henry desired the said Henry to take some reasonable weye and end with the said Thomas in eschewing further expences and troubles At the whych time the said Viccar and John Dove by the special desire of the said Thomas brought unto the said Henry ten Mark And the said Thomas by his Servant sent the same Black Horse specified in his said Bill to the said Henry in full recompence of such injuries as been afore rehersed All which matters and every eche one of them the said Henry is ready to prove as this Court will award and prayeth to be dismissEd out of this Court with his reasonable Costs and expence for his wrongful vexation Fuller's History of the Worthies of England Page 296. HEnry Vere was High Sheriff of the County of Northampton in the first Year of Henry the Seventh To the Right Worshipful Maister Vere Shrese of Northamptonshire be this Letter delivered c. MAister Shrefe After due recommendation with my service in my most herty manner I pray yow that for as mikyl as the Ferme of all th' assarts within the Forest of Rokyngham was granted to my Brother Sir William Stoke and Richard Burton yontly and to other of them longer lyffing and my sayd Brother whom God hath called from this World nothyng medled with the gadryng up of the deutes of the same but onely Richard Burton like as he said unto yow at Stamford but lately that he would charge himself with them and discharge my Brother in that behalfe It may please yow in that manner-wise and after that Forme to make returne of your Writte And as for my Brothers Lyvelode within the Shyre it is but littyl he purchased and bought two Cottages in Rokyngham of lityl value and a Meese in Kyrtby also two Closes one beside Pipwell and one at Brigstock and here is all the livelode that he had in the Shyre for that livelode that was my Moders in Warmington and elsewhere she gaf hit to me twenty Yere ago and my Broder had never ado the with but by myn assignement and for myn behofe In this and in other thinges concerning me and myn I pray yow shew your kindly favor and I shall so dele with yow at our next meetyng in Northamptonshyre that ye shall hold yow ryght well content From Lincoln the twentyeth Day of March. And as for Newys with us This day my Lady of Northumbyrland came to the King to Lincoln and brought to the Kings Grace with hyr hyr eldest Sonne a goodly yong Lord. On Munday cum sevenyght the Kyng is preposed toward Nottingham there to tary six or seaven dayes and from thence to take his journay toward York c. Yours to his power Thomas Stoke To his Worshipful Brother Henry Vere be this Bill delivered at Addington RYght Worshipful Brodyr I recommend me unto yow and to my Sister your Wife hertily desiring to here of your welfares the which Almightie God preserve to his plesure and yowr hertes desire Sure I have spokyn with Maister Catesby and he hath promissed me to be as frendly to yow in yowr matter as he can He is ryding with my Lord Chamberlyn this Morning toward the Kyng Watts calleth for the processe and therefore I went to Maister Catesby this morning when he took his Horse and fete a Tokyn from him to Watts that he shuld cale noe more on the processe till he come to Towne ayene and that shall be when the King come and that shall be within fourteen dayes and if ye come up then he will see an end betwix you and the other Gentilman the Jewe and so I think best yow doe for anoder man cannot labour your mattir soe well to yowr intent as yowr self sure As for your Suite against Beke they have yeven yow none Answere as yet There is an Exigent out against Parson Edward Davy sure I pray yow remember my Brother Barners for I sent him word That ye would send him ten Pounds within fourteen dayes after Alhallow-Day Brother whereas yow wrote unto me that ye were not in hertes ese ye have made me very hevye of that tydings but I trust to God in the next Bill ye shall send me better comforte And sure at the reverence of God whatsoever adverfityes befall yow take them lytely and set them not to yowr herte and then remedye them as ye think best for if ye set them to yowr herte ye shall hurt your selfe and that shall plese syche as be the causes thereof and all syche as love yow not and shall discomforte all syche as be yowr frendes and Lovers Wherefore I will avise yow to take that way that may comforte yowr frendes and lovers and displese yowr foes No more to yow at this tyme but I shall be at yowr comandement both here and elswhere be God's Grace who have yow in his kepeing At London on Symond Jude is Evyn Be your Brother and Servant Baldwyn Vere To my Right Trusty and Welbeloved Henry Vere Gentilman RYght Trusty and Welbeloved I commend me unto yow And whereas I have perceived by my Right Welbeloved Sir Thomas Thornton Parson of Addington in the County of Northampton how that he of
in contrarium factis editis sive ordinatis non obstantibus In cujus rei testimonium c. Sub Sigillo Magno An Indenture septipartite between Edward Duke of Buckingham and the Coheirs of Greene and Vere THis Indenture septipartite made the second Day of September in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh Between the Right Noble Prince Edward Duke of Buckingham Earl of Herford Stafford and Northampton on the one partie Margaret Countesse of Wiltes late Wife of Edward late Earl of Wiltes on the second partie Thomas Cheyne of Artlingburgh Knight and Elizabeth his Wife Daughter and Heir of Margery Hodleston Daughter and oon of the Heirs of John Greene and Sister and oon of the Heirs of Herry Greene late Lord of Drayton in the County of Northampton on the third partie Richard Gilford Knight Comptroller of the Kings most honourable Houshold Garden of Audre youngest Daughter of Henry Vere late of Great Addington in the County of Northampton Esquire Son and Heir of Isabell Daughter and another of the Heirs of the said John Greene and Sister and another of the Heirs of the said Herry Greene on the fourth part Alice Lady Fits Hugh late the Wife of William Fits Hugh Knight Lord Fits Hugh Garden of Constance the third Daughter of the said Harry Vere now married to John Parre on the fifth Partie John Mordaunt of Turvey in the County of Bedford oon of the Kings Sergeants at Law Garden of Elizabeth first and eldest Daughter of the said Harry Vere and married to John Mordaunt Son and Heir Apparent of the same John Mordaunt of the sixth partie And the same John Mordaunt Garden alsoe of Amye second Daughter of the same Henry Vere now married to Robert Mordaunt second Son to the same John Mordaunt the Fader of the seventh partie Witnesseth That where upon Communication and Agreement of Marriage had and concluded between Edward late Earl of Wiltes and the said Margaret Countesse of Wiltes It was fully covenanted bargained and agreed That the said Countesse should have in Joynture for terme of her life Mannors Lands and Tenements of the same late Earl of suche yerely value as Sir Reynald Grey Knight would name And alsoe such other as the said Sir Reynald would name And after the said Sir Reynald by the assent and agreement of the said late Earl named that the said Countesse should have in Joynture for terme of her life Mannors Lands and Tenements of the said Edward late Earl of Wiltes to the yearly value of three hundred Marks above all Charges and after the same naming a Youes was made to the same Edward and Margaret and to other persons for terme of life of the same Margaret to the use and behoof of the same Margaret of the Mannors of Newton Blosmavile Clifton Watershall Brafeld and Policote in the County of Bucks Sutton Peggislond Botellis Tracies and Stamford-rivers in the County of Essex Which Mannors Lands and Tenements were sometimes of the Right Noble Prince Humphrey Duke of Bucks Aile to the said Edward late Earl of Wiltes and bene of the yearely value of one hundred twenty one Pounds thirteen Shillings and four Pence And towards the recompence of the residue of the said Joynture the said Edward late Earl and Margaret and other had Estate of the Mannors of Wamiden Empton and Moche Wolston in the County of Bucks and Chalton in the County of Bedford Which Mannors Lands and Tenements were sometimes of the said Herry Greene and be of the yerely value of forty one Pounds ten Shillings eleven Pence All which Mannors Lands and Tenements as well such as were late of the sayd late Duke of Bucks as of the sayd Herry extend to the yerely value of one hundred sixty three Pounds fower Shillings and three Pence And soe the sayd Margaret now Countesse lacked of her Joynture to her belonging by reason of the same Covenant Bargain and Agreement thirty six Pounds fifteen Shillings nine Pence And whereas after that the sayd Earl in his life for the tender favour and love which he had to the sayd Edward now Duke of Buckingham was in very mind and fully agreed that the sayd Joynture Lands and Tenements that were of the Inheritance of the sayd Duke of Bucks should be changed and that the sayd Margaret now Countesse should have in recompence of them other Mannors Lands and Tenements that were of the same Herry Greene of like value And where Estate was made to Robert Wittelbury William Merbury Esquires Robert Bayston Clerk Thomas Montague John Freman and one John Feld Clerk now dead of and in the Mannors of Raunds Ringstede Cotes Stawike Luffwike Sudburgh and Harringworth in the County of Northampton Emton and Mochewolston in the County of Bucks Chalton in the County of Bedford Warmester Westbury Grately Dichrich in the Countye of Wiltes and Southampton Buckworth in the County of Huntington and Combton in the County of Cambridge and of all other Lands and Tenements which sometime were of the sayd Constance late Wife of John late Earl of Wiltes and Moder to the sayd Edward late Earl of Wiltes in the sayd Countyes of Northampton Wiltes Southampton Bedford Bucks Huntington and Cambridge To have to them and to their Heirs for ever to the use of the said Edward late Earl and of his Heirs And where alsoe Estate was before that made of and in the said Mannors of Wamiden Emton Mochewolston and Chalton in the Countyes of Bedford and Bucks and of divers other Lands and Tenements in the same Countyes the which late were of the sayd Harry Greene to the sayd Edward and Margaret then his Wife Johane Vicountesse Lesle John Vicount Lesle Thomas Grey Esquire Thomas Kebell one of the Kings Sergeants at Law Edward Hungerford Esquire Humphrey Connesby Thomas Frowike Sergeants at Law John Tichbourne John Smith John Gardiner Thomas Bayall and Thomas Haywode To have to them for terme of life of the sayd Margaret the Remainder thereof to the right Heirs of the sayd Edward late Earl of Wiltes And of the residue of the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements whereof the sayd Robert Wittelbury and his Cofeffez were infeossed they were satisfied thereof at the time of the death of the sayd Edward late Earle and yet thereof be seised And where alsoe the sayd Edward Duke of Bucks hath before this time pretended Title to part of the sayd Mannors Lands and Tenements and other Mannors Lands and Tenements late of the sayd Edward late Earle of the Greenes Lands as Cosyne and next Heir to the sayd Edward late Earle of the Faders side of the sayd late Earle And where alsoe the same Countesse claymeth to have dower of parcel of the same Mannors Lands and Tenements over and beside her sayd Joynture And where alsoe the sayd Richard Alice Lady Fits Hugh and John Mordaunt the Fader as moche as in them is for their interest for causes comprized in their Indentures have promissed to the sayd Sir
Prince King John the disorderly rigours of whose Government was become unsufferable to the greatest part of the Nation He was at first received with all the applause which sometimes follows Novelties of this nature He was crown'd at London He had Homage done him and Allegiance sworn as to a lawful King He proceeded with their assistance in divers warlike Undertakings wherein he had admirable success and acted in all the other Parts of the Government as one who expected to be soon establish'd During this time among the great Lords of his Party there happened to be one who to all his Concerns was most useful and to his Person most officious This Lord whose Name is omitted out of respect to the Descendants of his Family had no Issue of his own and only for his Heirs three beautiful Sisters The youngest whereof whose Name was Philippe by her admirable Qualities had so engaged the Prince's love as it made the Conquest of her heart to share his cares with that of the Kingdom But against a King that was young and seemed happy it was not strange that a Lady did not long resist She yielded at last and the Prince enjoyed the effects and her misfortune began to appear together She found her self with Child and by the fatal loss of the Battel of Lincoln that her Lover was like to be abandoned by his Friends and by his fortune He was obliged to retire to London whence from the Tower where he had refug'd himself he made Conditions to depart home in safety by relinquishing to the young King Henry his farther pretences The poor Lady left in this condition owned her disaster to her Brother who pitying her state from the greatness and merit of the Author gave her a comfortable assurance of his kindness and protection She was after secretly delivered and the Child named Lewis Which Fruit of her Loves being nourished under this Great Lords Care and Education he having no Children of his own afore his death bestowed upon the Youth the noble Lordship of Westhornedon with divers other Lands in the County of Essex obliging him to bear himself and transmit to his Descendants the Name of Fitz-Lewis for ever after Among his three Sisters this Lord coming to dye did leave his vast Inheritance with whom the Lady Philippe hath her share and her misfortune either conceal'd or else gilded over with the advantages of her Riches did not hinder her from being afterwards married to an Husband of great Quality in whom she was happy for her time and brought him a Posterity whence are descended some of the greatest Lords that flourish in this Age. Sir LEWIS FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships LEwis Fitz-Lewis having been bred under his Uncle in the Notion of a more distant relation than in the truth of the matter he did indeed stand towards him at the time of that Lord's death found himself possessed by his favour and affection with such an Estate as was capable to support the generous inclinations of his heart which did altogether incline him to the love and practice of Armes the only application of Gentlemen in that Age and therefore he made himself very considerable especially toward the end of that Kings Reign where he attained the Honour of Knighthood and having allied himself to a very notable Family by his Marriage with Margaret of Essex he left Issue Sir John Fitz-Lewis Sir JOHN FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships JOhn Fitz-Lewis flourished in the days of King Edward the First and followed him in several of his Expeditions He won his Spurs in the first Scotch War and became after very considerable in his Country when he married Elizabeth de Harpden an Inheritrix whose Lands did plentifully add to his former Patrimony but after the death of this great King we find he was unfortunately drawn into the adherence of Thomas Earl of Lancaster and that he did unhappily perish in the War caused by that Rebellion leaving to succeed him his Son Richard Fitz-Lewis Sir RICHARD FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships RIchard Fitz-Lewis being with divers others through the Grace and favour of King Edward the Third restored to his Rights and Lands that had been seised upon pretence of his Father's trespass in the former Reign he became much considered from his own merit and the opulency of his fortune notably encreased by the accession of his Mothers Inheritance He was very useful to the Government of his Country during the King's absence in his long Wars and always contributed his best cares towards the service and supplies of the King's occasions from the Parts where he had interest being always zealous for the honour of his Prince and Country He married Elizabeth de Baude a Lady of a Family very antient and considerable both from their Riches and good same whose true Name was de Baden but corruptly otherwise called and by her he left his Son Sir John Fitz-Lewis Sir JOHN FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships THE great consideration wherein this Family was in these days held may be judged by the alliance contracted by Sir John Fitz-Lewis who to his first Wife took Alice the Daughter of Aubery the tenth Earl of Oxford and to his second Anne Mountague Daughter of John the third Earl of Salisbury of that House and that was after his death Dutchess of Exeter Issue by his first Wife Sir Henry Fitz-Lewis Sir Lewis Fitz-Lewis Issue by his second Wife Elizabeth Fitz-Lewis married to Sir John Wingfield of Suffolk Sir HENRY FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships SIR Henry Fitz-Lewis that had signalized himself in an adherence to the House of Lancaster was so esteemed by the chief Supporters of that Faction as he had given him in Marriage by Edmund the noble Duke of Somerset the Lady Eleanor his youngest Daughter by whom he had Issue Mary the second Wife of Anthony Woodville Earl of Rivers But for want of Issue Male his intailed Lands descended to his Brother Sir Lewis Fitz-Lewis with the other Interests of that Family Sir LEWIS FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships LEwis Fitz-Lewis liv'd in his Brother's time in Marriage with a Lady called Margaret Stonore of whose life and actions we are ignorant but it is recorded He left Issue his Son and Heir Sir Richard Fitz-Lewis Sir RICHARD FITZ-LEWIS Lord of Westhornedon and other Lands and Lordships THis Richard Fitz-Lewis appears to have had some Controversie with his Cousen Mary Countess of Rivers about his Inheritance by a Judgment recorded in his behalf whereby he was declared Heir of all the entailed Lands of that Family she to inherit only such as had been her Father 's by Gift or acquired by proper Purchace Richard Fitz-Lewis was a busie man in his time much imployed in the interest of King Henry the Seventh against the Usurper with whom he was in immediate action at the
indeed the very Heir and of this Family it was which is so very admirable where Fortune and Virtue that are so oft at odds about the Creatures they intend to raise did both concur to make the Lords thereof so very Great with so little Envy Great they were as all the greatest Dignities could make them they had been Generals in the Field Admirals at the Sea Counsellors at the Board Ambassadors abroad Commissioners in the most important Treaties and borne the greatest Offices in the Houses of their Kings but greater far in that their Noble Qualities and Virtuous Actions did deserve them so as they seemed made to adorn those Honours which might well at first have been designed to illustrate other Men. For their Descent it was several ways derived from the Beds of Kings they took Marriages from the Crown and gave Wives into the Arms of Princes Their Estates were suitable to their other Greatness and the Rewards of their Services such as became the acknowledgment of generous Princes After all which I know not what could obstruct the Lustre of this House unless it were the Malignity of Oblivion or want of Friends within the House of Fame to obviate which these short Memorials are thought fit to be Recorded by a Servant and honourer of their Descendants THOMAS HOWARD Second Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Surrey Lord High Treasurer and Earl Marshal of England and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter CHAPTER I. THOMAS HOWARD who was afterward the Second Duke of Norfolk from whom more immediately the Howards of Effingham do Descend being the greatest and most happy Subject of his time it were not amiss for example sake to shew by what Education and Practices he became fit for such a Fortune for he was certainly the Son of Virtue and Chance or Favour had little share in his Prosperity He was by a prudent Father as soon as he was fit for Study committed to the severity of the Schools to the end a great Spirit under discipline might be acquainted with the moderations that are to be used in the course of Humane Life as that he should apply himself to obtain the Favour of the Muses whose Graces if he could acquire they would certainly be to him of use or comfort in every Fortune After he had such a tincture of Letters as was necessary for a Man that was neither design'd for the Pulpit nor the Bar the Lord Howard his Father sent him out of the Country where there was little improvement to be made besides enabling himself in the conduct of mean Sports or meaner Inclinations He addressed him to the Court where he was soon received in the quality of Page or Henchman to King Edward the Fourth continuing there till he came to Mans estate in perpetual practice of those Exercises that are necessary to fit a Man for the Knowledge and use of Arms of all which when he was become a Master he was ambitious to shew his Learning upon a proper Stage And hearing that the Duke of Burgundy one of the nearest and most considerable Allies of the Crown of England was undertaking a War against Lewis the Eleventh at that time King of France He begged leave of the King his Master to go into that Service in Company of other considerable Gentlemen of his own Country who desired to gain Knowledge and Experience in that great Art to be the better able afterward when there should be occasion to serve their own Prince and Country They were received with all the courtesie they could expect from that War-like Prince and had every Encouragement young Adventurers could pretend to in such an undertaking The young Howard did particularly advance into the Favour of the Duke by his extraordinary application to what he came for being the first in every occasion that could possibly gain him either Honor or Experience And thus he continued in this Service till the end of that War at which time he returned home to his own King loaden with the Rewards and Praises of the Duke of Burgundy King Edward as well for the desert of the Young Gentleman as to give Example and Encouragement to other of his Subjects for enabling themselves by such generous untertakings upon his Arrival did distinguish him by several Graces and took him into an Office at that time very considerable to be the Esquire of his Body whose duty it was to attend the King at his making ready both Morning and Evening and afterward he made him Knight He continued from thenceforth to follow King Edward in all his Fortunes he Fought by his side at the Field in Lincoln-shire at Banbury Field and was with him at Warwick when he was taken Prisoner by the Earl of that place And after the Kings escape into Flanders and that all the ways were so be-set as it was over hard for any of his Servants to get after him Sir Thomas Howard was fain to take sanctuary at Saint Johns in Colchester for the true love that he bore King Edward where he remained till the Kings Return upon which he immediately resorted to him and went with him to Barnet Field at which he was sore hurt The King after this being settled in the Throne and designing to go over into France with an Army Royal he sent thither before divers Gentlemen and having great opinion of the Conduct and Experience of Sir Thomas Howard from the Service he had seen under the Duke of Burgundy as because he had been with himself in so many Fields and Businesses he commanded him to go over with them that nothing might be done without his Advice till the Kings own Arrival And when King Edward and King Lewis met at the Barriers upon the River of Somme the said Sir Thomas Howard was with King Edward by the King's Commandment in that Occasion and no Man else save only the Chancellor of England the Chancellor of France and Sir Thomas Cheyny Sir John Howard the Father of Sir Thomas had before this been made Lord Howard and lived always exercised in the greatest Employments having just pretentions to the Honors and Lands of the Great and Antient House of Mowbray as Son and Heir to Margaret the Eldest Daughter to Thomas Mowbray the last Duke of Norfolk But Sir Thomas Howard his Son of whom we Treat having acquired noble Possessions of his own by his Services and his Wife's Inheritance who was Elizabeth Daughter and Heir of Sir Frederick Tilney did about this time desire the King's leave to retire from Court which having obtained he came into Norfolk and dwelt during the rest of King Edward's days at a House of his Wife 's called Ashwoldsthorpe where he kept an honourable House in favour of the whole Shire The Lord Howard his Father being yet alive and so continuing many Years after What was the inducement to this retreat is still uncertain but it is constant that the last Years of King Edward were so full of Faction
between the power of the Queen and her Kindred and the Ambition of his Brothers as it was not strange that Wise Men should desire to withdraw from the difficulties of keeping well with both or the danger of disobliging either In this condition remained the House of Howard at the death of Edward the Fourth and for some time after till the Ambition of King Richard with the Arts and Practices subservient thereunto had through Blood and Violence made way unto the Crown and that the Young King was destroyed with his Brother and as many of the great Lords as were like to have taken part with the unhappy Prince The new King after this being one of the most Politick as well as the most daring Princes in the World was not ignorant of the ill Actions he had committed nor of the consequences they were like to have he knew all the Friends he could make would be little enough to sustain him against the potent Enemies he had created And therefore he made it now his business to gain among the Nobles and among the People every Man that had Parts or Interests suitable to his occasions To this end knowing the Lord Howard and his Son had from the latter Years of King Edward been retired from the Court not oversatisfied and in no good Correspondence with the Queens Kindred which he had been forced to suppress He thought from the great interest they had and their exceeding reputation for Wisdom and Valour they were the sittest persons to be gained and the likeliest to adhere to him of any other He therefore invited them to Court and as an earnest of his Favour and dependance he created the Father Duke of Norfolk with the restitution of the Lands of his Mother's Inheritance and makes the Son at the same time Earl of Surrey They were also from thenceforth the chief in all his Councils and with this proceeding he captivates their grateful Hearts and makes them resolve to stand by him in every Fortune After King Richard had Reigned two years in all the endeavours that could be practised by a Wise Ruler to get his faults to be forgotten and to oblige his People by doing Justice and making good Laws and favouring particulars as far as was in his power he found notwithstanding from every part Clouds a-gathering in order to a Storm Abroad the Earl of Richmond sought for Aid at Home the Duke of Buckingham and other great Lords prepared to assist him In fine towards the end of the Second Year of his Reign that Earl Landed in England and at last the King was forced to see his Crown set at Com-promise in the Fortune of a Bloody Battel at Bosworth was the Fatal Field whereat this Criminal King was as prodigal of his own Blood as he had been of other Mens All that could be performed by the conduct of a Captain or the Valour of a Souldier he put in practice to save that Crown which had cost so many Crimes And when by the overthrow of some Troops and desertion of others he found it could not be as one that scorned to out-live his Power and his Fortune he threw himself into the Arms of Death as the only refuge against humane miseries John Duke of Norfolk his faithful Friend and Subject with his Son the Earl of Surrey Fought both this day in behalf of their Benefactor and the Duke who led on the Archers and had his post at the head of the Foot was there slain upon the place in performing that duty to which he was called by his Honor and his Gratitude The Earl toward the end of the day overcome by his own Valour which had spent his strength and spirits in continual exercise of Heroick Actions but that disdained to save his Life by flying from the Fortune of his Friends was taken by his Enemies and brought a Prisoner to the Victorious King The Earl of Surrey was at this time in the vigor of his youth Tall Strong and Graceful of a flourishing Health and Constitution and esteemed one of the best Men of Arms of that Age He was of a high Spirit but had a sober Aspect and was nothing dejected by his ill Fortune King Henry was surprized though not undelighted with the sight of a Man so extraordinary and after having said some thing to the other Prisoners of Quality he called for the Earl and ask'd him How he durst engage in the Service of so Vnjust and Cruel a Tyrant To whom the Earl Replied That King Richard was in the Throne before he came into his Interest and if he had found the Crown of England upon a Bush he would have Fought for it The King did not seem exasperated with so bold an Answer and with the rest he did dismiss him to the charge of those in whose custody he was to be conveyed to the Tower Within these fatal Walls which seemed built for the restraint of Hero's the Earl of Surrey was detained Three Years During which Imprisonment he often with gratitude acknowledged the Goodness and Care of the Duke his Father who had given him such a share of Learning as did enable him during that solitude to divert himself with the Records and Notions of Philosophy and other useful and esteemable Studies He had acquiesced in the determination of Heaven and the destruction of his Master who leaving no Heir to pretend a right to his farther Services this Earl did believe he might well submit to his Authority whom God had made a Conqueror who was now Crown'd and whose Royal Virtues did deserve that he should Reign He therefore refused all the invitations were made him by the King's Enemies and the Malecontents of that time of which there were many and those very potent to enter into the intriegues of their Faction He would not hear of the Dutchess of Burgundy nor of the Earl of Lincoln And when a great Consternation arose upon that Prince's Invasion and the Armies approach towards Stoake in Lincoln-shire in order to Fight with the King and his Forces the Lieutenant of the Tower offer'd the Earl his Liberty to have gone where he pleased but he generously refused it and said He would never leave to be a Prisoner but by his consent that had thought him worthy of such a punishment And so he continued till the King's return from the Battel of Stoake who having been informed of his submissive and modest behaviour during so long an Imprisonment and of the other great Capacities of the Earl which would render him very useful to any Prince that should imploy him he took him out of the Tower and made him one of his Privy-Council being as Polidore the Historian says Vir Prudentia Gravitate Constantia summa In the Fourth Year of this King he was restored by Act of Parliament to the Title of Earl of Surrey and to all those Lands that were of his Wife's Inheritance But after this he began to be set at the head of
every important business this Wise King believing he might trust a Man who had proved so faithful to another Master There having then happned a great Commotion in the North occasioned by the raising of a Subsidy and of that importance that the Earl of Northumberland was slain therein who was the greatest Lord of all those parts The King raising a great Army for suppressing of the same he gave the whole Command thereof to the Earl of Surrey and sent under his Obedience the greatest Lords and the best Captains of his Court as the Earl of Shrewsbury the Lord Hastings Sir William Stanly his Chamberlain Sir Rice ap Thomas Sir John Bourchier Sir John Savage Sir John Risely and divers others And he was after in the Eighth of the same King imployed again for suppressing the Incursions of the Scots His Deserts and great Abilities appearing every day more and more to this Sagacious King in the Sixteenth Year of his Reign he conferr'd upon him the great Office of Lord High-Treasurer of England and in the Two and twentieth of his Reign finding the Earl worthy of all the acknowledgments he could make King Henry granted him a special Livery of all the Lands whereof his Father died Seized Mowbrays Howards and what ever he had acquired This put him in a condition to support his great Merit his great Blood and his great-Condition And after the death of this King which soon succeeded his Young Successor King Henry the Eighth found the Earl of Surrey in a condition of Fortune and Reputation as much to do as to receive Honor from the Court or any Imployment whereunto he could be called He therefore chose him into the number of his first Counsellors renewed his Patent for Lord High-Treasurer and constituted him Earl Marshal of England for his Life In the Fourth Year of this King there happned a great Crisis of State The King was Engaged with an Army consisting of the flower of England to go for France where he Besieged and took several Towns At the same time he had cause to believe the King of Scots would enter England with his utermost Power the Defence whereof would be enough for the greatest Captain he could appoint He thereupon chose the Earl of Surrey under whose Protection he left all that could be dear to him his Country and his Wife and it falling out as he did apprehend and the Scottish King entring the Kingdom with a mighty Army the Earl with all power he could make Marched to meet him He found the King had taken Norham Castle and being resolved now to do something should render him worthy of the Trust he had received or to die in the endeavour he brought by several industries of which the Historians are very particular the Scottish Army to a necessity of Fighting Which they did under the Example and Sight of their Valiant King with all the Valour and Resolution that was possible But such was the Conduct the Valour and the Ascendant of this Earl as their Resistance did prove fruitless the whole Scottish Army was overthrown and their King who for his Valour deserved a better Fortune was slain Fighting upon the Field If ever the Action of any Subject was opportunely Fortunate to a King or his Affairs this Victory proved so to King Henry at that time Engaged in the War with so Potent an Enemy as the King of France and the consequence would have proved of the last misfortune if the Earl had otherwise succeeded The applauses of the Court of the King and Kingdom were of mighty satisfaction to the great and publick Spirit of this Earl but the Generous King forbore not to add Rewards suitable to the Great Merits of his Service He did him several Honors but as the greatest was his restitution to the Illustrious Dignity of his Ancestors the Dukedom of Norfolk of which his Father was possessed and that by his Grandmother had Descended to him from the Mowbrays in former times Dukes of that Country He gave him for the support of this Dignity many Mannors and great Lordships and continued him during the rest of his Life in the greatest Honours of the Kingdom But at last loaden with Years as well as with Felicities he yielded to Death in the Castle of Framingham the Twenty first of May in the Year 1524. in the Sixteenth Year of King Henry the Eighth Having Married Two Wives The First Elizabeth Daughter and Heir of Sir Frederick Tilney Knight Widow of Humphrey Burcher Lord Barners The Second Agnes Daughter of Sir Philip Tilney Knight Issue by his First Wife Thomas afterwards Duke of Norfolk The Lord Edward Howard Knight of the Garter Edmund Howard And Five that died young Elizabeth Married to Thomas Viscount Rochford Muriell Married to John Viscount Lisle Mary Married to Henry Fitz-Roy Duke of Richmond and Sommerset Issue by his Second Wife William Lord Howard of Effingham Knight of the Garter Lord Privy-Seal and Lord High-Admiral of England Thomas who Married Margaret Dowglas Daughter to the Queen of Scots which Thomas died in the Tower Richard who died young Anne Married to John Earl of Oxford Dorothy Married to Edward Earl of Darby Elizabeth Married to Henry Earl of Sussex And Katharine first Marrid to Sir Rice ap Thomas and afterwards to Henry Daubeny Earl of Bridgwater WILLIAM Lord Howard Lord Baron of Effingham Lord-High-Admiral of England Lord Chamberlain Lord Privy-Seal and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and Privy-Counsellor to Henry the Eighth to Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth and eldest Son by his Second Wife to Thomas the Second Duke of Norfolk CHAPTER II. WILLIAM Lord Howard though he had the advantage of so great and so fortunate a Father yet it was not to that he owed the least part of his Fame or of his Fortune The Duke his Father loved Virtue and Industry and to a Son that would have been Great without Care or Labour he would have afforded little assistance The Earl of Surrey the Lord Howard and the Lord Edmund were the Sons of his Prudence by his Dutchess Elizabeth Daughter to Sir Philip Tilney who brought her Husband a great Inheritance But the Lord William was the Son of his Love and Born of Agnes Tilney his Second Wife that was a young Virgin Cousin to the former Dutchess and who brought in partage but her Beauty her Virtue and her Fruitfulness To this young Lord the Duke had indeed a secret partiality but his great Lands were already all to be inherited by the Children of his First Wife and it was the principle in those days for Great Men to do little in detriment of them that were to sustain their Names and Dignities He resolved then so to cultivate the Virtue and noble Inclinations of the young William as should make him deserve any Fortune what ever his own were like to be He gave him therefore admirable Education and thrust him betimes into the World He made use of his Inclination
King and from which Elizabeth descended to the Mordaunts the Noble Lordships of Drayton Thrapston Addington Sudburgh Islip Luffwick Slipton and many other great Possessions Many disputes notwithstanding arose about the pretences of these Heirs even with the greatest Lords in England as the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Shrewsbury but the Credit of Sir John Mordaunt and his interest with the King joyn'd to his Wisdom and great Knowledge in the Laws had ever influence upon them But after his decease they set up great pretences to Drayton and the Green 's Lands and the Young Mordaunt soon found how much his Fathers Life had conduc'd to the settlement of that Estate In the Agitations of the Establishment whereof and the Agreements made with those great Lords he spent the remainder of King Henry the Seventh's Reign and was by that time become a person greatly accomplish'd After this King's Death he apply'd himself wholly to the farther designs of the Honor and Advantage of his House and made his Court to the Young Successor follow'd him in his First Wars and got so successfully into his Favour and Opinion as upon his return he received the gratification of a Patent containing the grant of several Noble Privileges and Immunities Among the rest to be Pilo Copertus in the presence of the King or of any of his Judges Ministers or Magistrates The Consideration he was at this time in appears by several Letters directed to him when he was yet but a private Gentleman He was Knighted by him after this and made a Privy Councellor wherein his Wisdom Fidelity and Zeal to his Majesty's Service were very Exemplary He was at one time Surveyor General of the King's Woods and Wood-sails and the Chief in another Commission for providing Necessaries for the Fortifications of Calice and the other Ports and Castles within the English Pale in the Country of Picardy and in many other matters he was Employ'd of great Importance wherein he so behaved and discharg'd himself as his generous Master thought fit for a reward of his many Services to take him into the Illustrious Dignity of the Peerage calling him by Writ a Baron into the Parliament in the Twenty fourth Year of his Reign After this upon the Revolutions which happned by the change of the Church Government whereunto he was not able to shew that compliance which others of more supple tempers did condescend to do his Favour did decline and his Master's Kindness to him So as being retired to his own House and Country he did not remain without several mortifications which his Enemies of the prevailing Faction that Govern'd in the Court did endeavour to put upon him several hard Letters he received from the King about matters which they imputed to him concerning his backwardness in suppressing the Interest of the Old Religion and as the last endeavor of their Revenge they strove to make the King oblige him to an Exchange of the Noble Lordship of Drayton and the other Towns lying about it of his Wives Antient Inheritance and that he had in his Old Age settled against all Competitors at great Labour and Charges with certain of the Abby Lands newly acquired unto the Crown with which his Conscience as well as his Interest were altogether incompatible From this oppression he had not been able to have defended himself notwithstanding all his great Friends and Antient Services if the King's Death had not succeeded which in this point set him at liberty The Reign of King Edward he spent in peace But at the beginning of Queen Mary he labor'd a little under an imputation of his Enemies who would alledge he favoured the Dudleys and the claim of the Lady Jane but it was blown off with the improbability of an Inclination so contrary to his Principles and Profession and he lived out her time too and to the Second Year of her Successor Queen Elizabeth when he being very Old departed this Life in great Honor and Happiness Leaving Issue by his Wife the Lady Elizabeth Vere Sir John Mordaunt his Son and Heir Edmund Mordaunt William Mordaunt from whom are the Mordaunts of Oakely and that Married Agnes Booth George Mordaunt from whom are the Mordaunts of the Hill Married to Cecilia Harding Edith Mordaunt Married to John Elms. Anne Mordaunt Married to John Fisher Margaret Mordaunt Married to Edmond Fettyplace Dorothy Mordaunt Married to Thomas Moore Elizabeth Mordaunt Married to Silvester Danvers Winifreid Mordaunt Married to John Cheyney of Chesham Boys Sir JOHN MORDAVNT Knight Peer of England Lord Mordaunt Lord Baron of Turvey and Privy Councellor to Queen Mary CHAPTER XIII JOHN MORDAVNT was the early fruits of his Father's Marriage with the Lady Elizabeth Vere and the Lord Mordaunt being but young himself when his Son was born this John grew up to early Manhood while his Father was yet in the vigor of his own years and so they had the happiness to live long together in the same Generation The Lord Mordaunt in the time of his favor had the opportunity to purchase of the King at an easie rate the Marriage of Elly Fitz-Lewis who had become Heir of that Antient Family by the untimely Death of her Brother as has been expressed in the relation appertaining thereunto She was a very rich and considerable Fortune bringing with her the noble Lordship of Westhorndon and many other fair possessions And unto this Lady he Married John Mordaunt his Eldest Son who with his Wife lived long in his Father's life time upon her Estate in great Plenty and Reputation He had for several Years participated with the Lord Mordaunt much of King Henry's Favour and in the Twenty fourth Year of his Reign and in the same wherein his Father was made a Baron he was summoned to come and receive at his Majesty's hands the Honourable Order of the Bath at the Coronation of Queen Anne of Bollen which he did at that time in fellowship of the Marquess of Dorset the Earl of Darby the Lord Clifford the Lord Fitz-Waters the Lord Hastings and the Lord Mounteagle But with his Father being entirely addicted to the old Religion the change that succeeded in the one produc'd the same in both their Fortunes which was to retire to their Houses from all further applications in that Reign and at home Sir John Mordaunt continued likewise during that of the young Successor But at the Death of King Edward and the early difficulties of Queen Mary he was of the first that put themselves into the Field at the head of the Essex Men where his interest and reputation was very great offering unto her his and their Services in defence of her Person and Government at the Castle of Framingham in Suffolk where she was then retired in expectation of being assaulted by the Troops raised in behalf of the Faction of the Lady Jane and her Husband upon whom the Dukes of Suffolk and Northumberland intended to settle the Crown of England The considerableness of
but their happening a conjuncture which rendered those of his profession under much suspicion and jealousy from the Proceedings of that Conspiracy called The Gunpowder Treason which if it had succeeded would have been of so cruel a consequence This worthy Lord was envolv'd in the unhappy troubles it produc'd to most of his perswasion For upon surmise of his holding correspondence with the Traytors the innocent Lord in the Seventh Year of King James the First was seized in his House and committed Prisoner to the Tower for which there could be never produc'd other grounds than his professed Religion his being absent from that Parliament which was upon leave and some neighbourly correspondences he had held with Sir Everard Digby and certain others of the conspirators which were but slender Reasons for so large Sufferings His Lordship thereupon was severely Fined and so long kept a Prisoner that by the distruction of his Health it brought him finally to his Grave after which his Innocency sufficiently appear'd to convince his persecutors of the Injustice of their severe dealings His Issue John Lord Mordaunt first Earl of Peterborow James Mordaunt first married to Mary Tirringham after to ....... Gostwick from whom is descended John Mordaunt of ...... in the County of Leicester Lewis Mordaunt that dyed without Issue by his Wife ...... Smith the Widow of Sir Robert Throgmorton Frances Mordaunt married to Sir Thomas Nevill Eldest Son of the Lord Abarganey Elizabeth that dyed unmarried Margaret that dyed unmarried Anne that dyed unmarried JOHN Earl of PETERBOROW Peer of England Lord Mordaunt Lord Baron of Turvey and Lord Lieutenant of the County of Northampton CHAPTER XVI JOHN Lord Mordaunt being young and under years at the Death of his Father and remaining in the care and government of his Mother the Lady Margaret Mordaunt who was a Zealous as well as a Publick Professor of the obnoxious and suspected Religion after he came of an age capable of taking important impressions was by the command of King James the First as an act of State taken out of that Lady's custody and committed to be brought up in the House and under the direction of his Grace George Abbot at that time Archbishop of Canterbury Where he lived for a while till he was thought fit to be sent to improve his Studies at Oxford In this University this young Lord flourished in the liking and esteem of every body He enjoy'd many perfections of Body and Mind He was very Beautiful Ingenious Affable and Applicable to all was good and useful and there he remain'd the Star of the University till King James the First coming to Oxford in a Progress took him from that place to follow the Court designing him to such kind of farther improvement as might render him in time more useful to his Service and the Government The first testimony he gave him of his Favour was to quit him of the Fine had been imposed upon his Father of Ten Thousand Pounds for his being suspiciously absent from the dangerous Parliament and to set him at liberty from any burthens of Obligations might come upon him by reason of his Wardship of which by the King's Command he was discharg'd He commanded his attendance in his first Journey he made back to Scotland during which that Gracious King gave him so many particular marks of his Favour and Kindness As to standers by Fortune and occasion never seem'd to present themselves to any with more fairness to be taken hold upon than to this young Lord. But in fine he was not born to the advancement of his House and a humor he had which was averse to Constraint and indulgent to all his own Passions gave way afterward to anothers entrance into Favour who was design'd for all the Greatness England could give Notwithstanding the Great and Unfortunate Charles Son and Successor to this King conferr'd upon him the Dignity of an Earl under the Title of Peterborow gave him the Lieutenancy and Government of the Province where he lived besides many invitations to his nearest Affairs and Councils But the destiny of this Lord carried him to other purposes for having Married Elizabeth Howard the Daughter of William Lord Howard of Effingham and sole Heir to that Family which had bred so many Admirals and Great Officers of State he was invited by her that had receiv'd some disgust at Court and was a Lady of a very haughty Spirit to take part with those unhappy Reformers who at last destroy'd all they pretended to amend and this Lord with much regret for having been engag'd among those unfortunate Politicians at last ended his life of a Consumption in the Second Year of the Civil War leaving Issue Henry Earl of Peterborow John Lord Viscount Mordaunt Married to Elizabeth Cary. Elizabeth Mordaunt Married to Thomas Lord Howard of Escrick HENRY Earl of PETERBOROW Peer of England Lord Mordaunt Lord Baron of Turvey Groom of the Stole and First Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to King JAMES the Second Lord Lieutenant of the County of Northampton and One of the Lords of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council CHAPTER XVII HENRY Lord Mordaunt although at his coming into the World he found the greatest part of Men enclined to Rebellion and defire of change both in the Government of Church and State Yet having been bred under well principled Masters in the Royal College of Eaton in the Company of several young Lords of great Quality whose Education was inspected by the Learned and Memorable Sir Henry Wotton at that time retired from sundry Embassies and Employments to the Provostship of that place He received such a tincture of Duty to his Prince and Love to the Monarchy as neither Hazards Disappointments Hard Usage nor any difficult Circumstances could ever afterward extinguish I leave the particulars of his Childhood and early Youth and come to meet him at his first appearance in the City of York where he accompanied his Father who came to attend the King at his Great Council which he had called in order to take Resolutions about the Scotch War and the ensuing Parliament The English Army that had been Raised for the Defence of the Kingdom lay Encamped about the Town among the Souldiers this young Lord continually appear'd at the Musters at the Reviews and at the Exercises whereat he was always present and being not then in his Seventeenth Year he intended if the War had proceeded to have personally engaged in all the Actions and Successes of it In the Assemblies of the Council he did ever constantly attend to hear the Debates of the most important matters were agitated there being admitted thereunto in Quality of a Peer's Son who had all place behind the King as in Parliament But at last the Cessation being made and a Parliament resolv'd upon the King return'd to London and the Young Lord with his Father to his House in order to â—â—ake preparation for their attendance in that occasion The time come for the
meeting of the Parliament the Earl with his Son came to Town here the Young Lord began to be acquainted with Great Men and gave such early testimonies of his Prudence Generosity and Zeal for the concerns of 〈◊〉 Crown as acquired him the particular notice and esteem of the King with the Favor of the first Men of the Court who from the pregnant appearances of his merit began severally to wish and design him into their Alliance The Parliament growing now every day into greater heats than other and the Earl apprehending the consequences of the Factious Proceedings of that time thought it not amiss to have his Son free from the beginnings of the Troubles that he might the better discern to what they were like to tend He sent him therefore into France to learn his Exercises and acquire those Improvements were necessary for the qualification of a young Man whose Birth and Fortune was so considerable The young Lord out-did the expectation of his Parents and became Master of every quality was necessary for him to possess But after too years spent in that Kingdom England his own Country was now in a flame the Rebellion broke out and a Battel had been fought yet it was far from a decision and the War like to draw out in length And the Earl his Father not knowing by what accidents his Fortune might be so intercepted or encomber'd as it would be out of his power to maintain his Son abroad as he did desire thought it best to recal him home But at the time he had the unwelcome orders for his return he receiv'd worse News which was That of his Father's being engag'd in the Parliament party It had like to have made the Lord Mordaunt desperate it was a stroke he look'd upon as sent from Heaven to punish him and his Family for all their Sins But he was then resolv'd to expiate that Crime by the hazard of all could be dear to any Man and to wash out his Father's Faults with his own Blood that with his Life he was resolv'd to expose in support of the good King and his Authority But to enable him thereunto it was necessary he should at present obey and dissemble too so he return'd and was receiv'd into the Embraces of his Friends as one they hoped to make useful to their designs and the party wherewith they were engag'd And to the end they might charm the Inclinations of the Young Lord whom they found to be Active Generous and fond of Business and Command the Earl his Father who was then Field Marshal of the Army and had besides a Regiment of Foot and a Troop of Horse did consign the command of the Troop to the charge of his Son that he might busie himself therewith and practise the Trade of a Souldier under the Command of Robert Earl of Essex at that time Captain General of all the Parliament Forces The Lord Mordaunt receiv'd a Commission to that purpose and in appearance busied himself a whole Winter in the Care of the Troop but in the mean time by the intermise of a Noble Gentleman called Sir John Manwood whom he had known abroad he cultivated a correspondence at the Court made the King understand That the colour of his engagement in that Army was but to enable him the better and more usefully to make his escape from the Party and so settled the understanding of his proceeding and intentions there as he was sure to be receiv'd with open Arms at Oxford when ever it would be fit for him to quit the Rebels In order hereunto the Lord Mordaunt retired to Henly which was at that time his Quarters and intending to leave the Parliament Army prepar'd his Servants his Equipage and all other necessaries which could be useful in the future Service he intended to his King and Country And so upon the Twenty first day of April in the Year 1643 in company only of a French Gentleman that had been his Lieutenant and Fifteen Servants with about Twenty good Horses he rode into the King's Quarters and came into the Town of Reading which was at that time well Fortified and whereof Sir Arthur Aston an experienced Souldier was tâ—â— Governor After he had made and receiv'd the Complements usual upon such an occasion he intended to have left that place and pursued his Journey to the Court but there happ'ning to be at that time in the Garrison and in a Post very considerable an old Friend and Acquaintance of the Earl his Father's called Colonel Richard Fielding the Treatment the Respect and the Attendance he paid to the Lord Mordaunt would not permit him decently to leave that place without affording to a particular Friend of his Family his company for a day longer He stay'd therefore the next day which was employ'd in seeing the Works in being enform'd of the condition of the place and understanding the designs of the Enemy But in the Evening Intelligence was brought them That the Earl of Essex was upon his March with his Army and Train of Artillery in order to Besiege the Town Hereupon the Lord Mordaunt's business not being in that place he resolv'd to have departed in the Morning But his Friend the Colonel who had business himself at Oxford did much desire to accompany his Lordship to the Court and no way believing the Intelligence of the Enemies approach for many reasons which he did alledge he assur'd him That if he would but stay another day he would take leave of the Governor and not fail to attend his Lordship to Oxford which he thought would be very much for his Lordships Service and convenience The young Lord let himself be perswaded and pass'd the night in expectation of the morrow's Journey But by the break of day he heard the Alarm and now the whole Garrison was employ'd in preparation to receive the Enemy whose Scouts appear'd and that were upon their March ready to invest the Town This render'd it now too late to leave that place where was like to be occasion of serving the King by Fighting in defence of it and encouraging the Souldiers who love to see Great Men participate of their toils and hazards This young Lord prepar'd then to do the part of a Volunteer wherein he had soon occasion to signalize himself by the sudden advance of the Enemy the Earl of Essex with his whole Army sitting down before this Town upon the 25th day of April just Three days after the arrival of the Lord Mordaunt The next day there was a Sally resolv'd upon wherein the Young Lord went out with a Musquet on his Shoulder and so distinguish'd himself in this first adventure as made him admir'd and lov'd by all the Garrison The day after by an accident the Governour was hurt and so as it made him uncapable of farther Function and in his default the whole command of the place devolv'd upon Colonel Richard Fielding who whether it were that he did really want the
his enemies wish'd that he should be and objections were not wanting from many of them that were in place to speak and in right to be heard in Occasions and Councels of that nature against any seem'd proper to his Friends for his Alliance Some of them 't was said wanted Fortune others were not of Quality enough and there were those that were not bred in the Religion of the Country which in certain Men was not easie to digest At last the good King who it were to have been wish'd had in more things follow'd his own good nature and judgment accepted the proposition made from Spain by Sir Mark Ogniaty at that time Agent here out of Flanders of a Marriage and Treaty to that purpose with the Young Archduchess of Inspruk which was believed would have answered all the objections of Honor Fortune and Fruitfulness more than any Princess that had been propos'd This could not apparently be refused by the Ministers who found the King did himself desire his Brother's Marriage and that the Duke was resolv'd to have a Wife at any rate Therefore the expedient for its hindrance was to propose a Creature of their own one that follow'd the Court and the favor of it by birth a Stranger not concern'd what became of the Succession of England to be sent over in quality of Negotiator of this business This Man was engaged in the affair whom they did manage as they pleased they made him advance it one day and retard it another and at last he did contribute by his skill to so long delays as it became apparent by divers signs of the Empress's ill health that she was not like long to live From that time the Emperor who thought it just he should provide for his own happiness in the first place began to cast his thoughts upon this Princess and his Council for his satisfaction as well as the interest of his House by reuniting the concerns of Inspruk that had been the Appennage of those Archdukes did wholly give their approbation of that conditional intention in case of the Empress's death So that when the Court of England was in expectation of a final conclusion of this Treaty the cunning Negotiator did procure the appearance of it to stop the Mouths of dissatisfied Men and the clamors would have been upon a rupture after a years suspence and chargeable Treaty so as the Duke being then upon the Sea immediately after his Engagement of Sole Bay in the last Dutch War the Envoy at Vienna sent word The Treaty was now ended and there wanted only an Extraordinary Embassador from the King to come to demand and Marry the Archduchess according to the forms towards bringing her into England contenting the King in that affair and making the Duke happy Hereupon his Royal Highness who had long in his mind pitch'd upon the Earl of Peterborow to undertake and manage this great trust not only as the first person about him for his Birth and Quality but as a Man whom he knew could never be corrupted to act or omit any thing might prove contrary to his intention or his service did now declare he should with the King's leave be alone employ'd and trusted as Extraordinary Embassador in perfecting this matter which so nearly did concern him The Earl did at that time attend the Duke in his own Ship He had been with him the whole Expedition and was particularly participant of all the Honors and Hazards of that bloody Battel wherein the Noble Earl of Sandwich lost his life and so many brave Gentlemen in either Party And from off this Fleet it was he commanded the Earl to repair to the King and entreat his orders to the Ministers for preparing Monies Instructions and Instruments that might enable him to proceed upon his journey in order to bring home the Princess had been so much desired At his arrival and first Audience of the King upon this affair he found His Majesty not so warm as he did expect he would not trust the Earl entirely with his indifference but let fall some doubtful words as it were to sound Whether he would comply with more delays But when he found by the steddiness of his Lordship's Answers That he did expect an ingenuous proceeding for his Master's satisfaction His Majesty a little abruptly broke off the Discourse and bid him repair to the Ministers who should have orders to dispatch him with as much speed as the preparations would admit He address'd himself in the first place to the Lord Treasurer who for all his concurrence with the Duke to other ends and enterests by which he had gain'd a most particular share in his Credit and Favour yet he was certainly no friend to this nor wish'd success to any other Foreign proceeding and did comply with if not foment the King's inclination to a farther delay in the affair Whether it was that he would not appear to the approaching Parliament author of a Match of which he thought they were not like to approve or that he hoped the over-long delays would weary the Duke and make him at last content to take up with some Lady for whom this Lord had a favor in the Court at home Certain it is That he receiv'd the Earl's pressing desires for a dispatch with a colder kind of moroseness than he could have imagin'd and in a way as did seem to expect from the Earl an understanding of some thing he was not willing plainly to express The Duke seem'd to believe the obstructions did proceed from the insinuations of another Minister with whom he had long been out upon many other accounts but he being in most things competitor with the Lord Treasurer was glad to have occasion to justifie himself in a thing so tender to the Duke at the reasonable cost of the other and to set the Saddle on the right Horse The account the Earl of Peterborow gave to his Highness of these Affairs brought him with as much hast as matters would admit from the Fleet to the Town And when he arrived the business was so pressed on his side as the Ministers were driven to break or comply with his desires But it is most true That in all the matters expected from the Treasurer he was more dry more stiff and more scarce than was agreeable to the good opinion it was necessary for him to preserve in the Duke's Mind and the Earl of Peterborow was fain to make use of his competitor who had a desire at that time to justifie himself to the Duke and had also much interest with the King to procure from his Majesty upon reasons of publick honor more large allowances than the Treasurer would otherwise have made who thought to have pinch'd the Earl and made his business uneasie on that part for not complying with him in an indirect sufferance of those delays to take place which might have obstructed the Duke's Marriage in any Foreign part whatsoever However those difficulties were
being incognito would not be perswaded from personally paying her his Complements and those respects which a General Reputation did declare were due to her Royal Qualities He made her then a visit in the Forms under all the state to himself and with all the consideration to her that could be possible This drew on a necessity of a Visit from her Highness to the Queen and indeed she was receiv'd at Versailles by their Majesties with all imaginable circumstances of Honor and Consideration and there entertain'd with that Royal profusion and magnificence accustomed from that great Monarch towards such Guests and on such occasions The Queen of France return'd the visit of her Royal Highness And this afterwards drew on the consideration of receiving and giving visits to the other great Princesses of the Royal. House wherein was much circumspection to be had about Punctilio's and Formalities But being in the King of France's House the Marriage made upon his account and his Favours continually employ'd upon all concern'd in this Affair it was thought but a just and necessary return to give unto those of his Royal Blood what respects could be paid without lessening the Dutchess of York or practising any undue condescentions Mediums were then found and expedients for all pretences visits were made by Madmoiselle Madmoiselle de Montpensier and Madame de Guise and repay'd to them again after which and the receipt of very Royal Presents from the King her Royal Highness began her Journey from Paris on the _____ of October was defray'd by the King's Officers till she came on board the King of England's Yachts which attended her at Calice and in all the Provinces and Towns she passed she was met and received by the Governours and Magistrates as if she had been the Queen of France To Calice she came at last and there in company of her Mother her Uncle and all that came with her out of Italy Embark'd in the Katherine Yacht whence in few hours they arrived at Dover upon the Sands whereof the Duke her Husband did attend her and upon her landing she took possession of his Heart as well as of his Arms and was thence conducted by him to her lodging After she had reposed her self his Royal Highness that had provided so to confirm this matter as the malice of any Age to come should have no pretence to call it into Question led out his Dutchess into the great Room before his Bed-chamber and there in presence of all the Lords who had attended him from London of all the Country Gentlemen who were come to see him and what it could contain of the Citizens of Dover he Married again his Wife after the forms of the Church of England by the hands of Dr. Nathanael Crew at this time Bishop of Durham After which and that they had Supp'd together they were lawfully put to Bed for the final consummation of this undertaking And here the Earl of Peterborow ended this great service which through so many difficulties brought to the Duke the fairest Lady in the World and to England a Princess of the greatest Example and Vertue This little Court the second day after the Marriage began their journey to London where by the King the Queen and the Loyal party of the Court they were receiv'd with the countenance and satisfaction honest Men could expect But clouds hung upon the brows of many others who had a mind to punish what they could not hinder and great device there was how to mortifie the Earl of Peterborow that had prov'd the instrument of bringing a Popish Princess into England Great wait was set upon it by some Eminent persons But his Lordship having had the King's Commission for all he did they found there was nothing to be wrought upon it without attacking the King's Prerogative in that part and so though the Parliament began to sit within two days the greatest effect of all the noise came to end but in a Libel What passed in this Parliament is the business of another story and how it came to be dissolv'd but when it was so here did soon appear that great conjuncture where on a sudden his Royal Highness took a resolution to leave the practice and profession of the Church of England Upon what grounds this was resolv'd and with whose concurrence is yet a secret and a mystery But from hence his open enemies took occasion to act against him with greater assurance and his private ones to declare themselves more freely than they had done before He did not at first proclaim he was a Roman Catholick but by little and little not denying he was such and having left the exercise of all his charges to avoid the Oaths it became an uncontested conclusion he was of that perswasion The succeeding Spring and Summer proved full of domestick contrivances great effects of Faction did appear The Envy of the Duke of Monmouth play'd by many little resorts of clandestine Creatures to all the secret prejudice it could against the Duke who on the contrary misled by his desire to please the King or insinuation of ambodexters about himself gave all the testimonies of love and value for that young Viper and besides the publick countenance he gave to him contributed in all he could to his greatness and advantage The Earl of Peterborow constantly declared his Opinion of this proceeding how prejudicial any encrease of Power or Reputation in this young Man would in time prove to his Royal Highness and always foretold he would some time or other become his rival even to the Crown it self From hence and his faithful adherence to his Master's interests he became the most particular object of that Duke's hatred which upon all occasions he shew'd to him and his near Relations and indeed he so managed his advantages in this dislike as during the last Raign kept his Lordship from all the rewards and acknowledgments his long and faithful services to the King and the Crown might justly have pretended to Several Parliaments were assembled after this in each of which the Faction improved that especially which design'd the ruine of the Crown and establishment of a Common-wealth against the prevalency whereof there was but the Duke's fidelity to the King his Brother his valor and vigilancy that did oppose It was he that stood up in every Parliament for the King 's just Power and Prerogative against popular invasion it was he encouraged the King's faithful Friends and his fainting Ministers and it was in him alone the Enemies of the Crown found resistance He made them desperate at last and to accomplish their designs they saw it was impossible without his ruine This did seem a great undertaking to destroy a Prince such as he such in his Birth such in his Merit and Vertues and such in the esteem of all just and reasonable Men. But the zeal of these Common-wealth-Men made them find nothing impossible their resolution was great in this particular their
we purpose by God's help to set forward upon our Journey the said first day of May next coming yet natheless We be content that ye be with Us at Our Town of Newcastle the last day of the said Month of May. A Letter from King Henry the Seventh to John Mordaunt Gentleman To our Trusty and Welbeloved John Mordaunt Gentleman of our County of Bedford By the King TRusty and welbeloved We greete you wele And whereas we have directed Our Commission and certain Instructions in Writting to Our trusty and welbeloved Maister Walter Felde Clerk Thomas Fouler Squier and others to do and exercise in Our Name and the usual wele of this Our Realm such things as be comprised in the said Commissions and Instructions We for the great trust we have in you desire and heartily pray you that at such season as Our said Commissioners shall repair unto these parties to execute the said Commandment Ye upon the sight of the said Commission and Instructions which our said Commissioners shall shew unto you be unto them in all things concerning the same Counseling Aiding and Assisting Exhorting and by your discretion and wisdom moving and inducting all such Persons as Our said Commissioners shall name unto you to the good accomplishment of Our other Letters at this same time sent unto them and to Our said Commissioners by Us delivered not failing hereof in any wise as Our special trust is in you Given under Our Signet at Our Castle of Windsor the three and twentieth day of January The Indenture of Marriage between William Mordaunt and Anne Huntington THis Indenture tripartited made the fourteenth day of February the tenth Year of the Reign of King Henry the seventh between Thomas Huntington of Hempsteed next beside Radwinter in the County of Essex Esquire oon that oon John Mordaunt of Turvey in the County of Bedford Esquire and William Mordaunt his Younger Broder oon that second Partie and Robert Parys of Little Lynton in the County of Cantebrig Esquire and John Parys Son and Heir apparent of the said Robert oon that third Partie Witnesseth That the said William by the Grace of God shall take to his Wife Anne one of the Daughters and Heirs apparent of the said Thomas Huntington and Margaret his Wife and likewise the same Anne by the Grace of God shall take to her Husband the said William The Solemnization of the said Matrimony to be had and done by the fifth day of June next coming at the Cost and Charges of the said William as well in Apparel as in Meat and Drink and other Charges It is also assented covenanted and bargained between the said Parties That the said Thomas Huntington shall have to him for Term of his Life without Impeachment of wast all the Maners of Crochemans in the County of Cantebrig and all other Lands Tenements Rents Reversions and Services with their Appurtenances in Mochesampford little Sampford Mocheradwinter little Radwinter Fynchingfeld Ashdon Barklowe Stevyngton Bimsted Helionbimsted next beside Mocheradwinter in the County of Essex and Trumpyngton Cambridge Newnham next besides Cambridge Saweston Baburgham Wittelff Trippolo and Cleyhithe in the said County of Cantebrig and elsewhere in the said Counties of Essex and Cantebrig whereof the said Thomas Huntington or any other Person or Persons to his use at this time stand or be seized And after his Decease all the said Maners Lands and Tenements and Appurtenances shall be go and remain to the said John Parys and Margaret his Wife the Elder Daughter and oon of the Heirs apparent of the said Thomas Huntington and of Margaret his Wife and to the said William and Anne and to the Heirs of the Body of the said Margaret now Wife to the said John Parys and Anne lawfully and generally begotten And for default of Issue of the Body of the said Margaret lawfully begotten all her part of the premises shall be go and remain to the said Anne and to the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten And likewise in default of Issue of the Body of the said Anne lawfully begotten all her part of the premises shall be go and remain to the said Margaret now Wife of the said John Parys and to the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten And for default of Issue of the Bodies of the said Margaret and of the said Anne lawfully begotten all the said Maners Tenements and other Premises with the Apputenances shall be go and remain to the said Thomas Huntington and to the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten And for default of Issue all the said Maners Lands and Tenements with the Appurtenances shall be go and remain to the right Heirs of the Body of Robert Huntington Son of Walter Huntington lawfully begotten and to the Heirs of the Bodies of those Heirs lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to remain to Catherine now Wife of John Wetham and Sister to the said Walter Huntington and to the Heirs of her Body lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to remain to the right Heirs of the said Thomas Huntington for ever And for the further accomplishment of the same the said Thomas Huntington before the Feast of the Assension of our Lord God next coming shall make or cause to be made to George Nicolls John Jenour and Thomas Thorpe and to their Heirs a sufficient and lawful Estate of all the said Maners Lands and Tenements and other the Premises with their appurtenances to the said use and intent as by the Councel of the said John Mordaunt and Robert Parys shall be devised And the same Thomas Huntington before the Feast of Saint Martin in Winter next coming shall suffer all such Recoveries to be had by William Fyndern Knight William Thyne Esquire John Mordaunt Esquire Thomas Frowyke Esquire Robert Tyrall Esquire Richard Higham Esquire Robert Bradbury Gentilman John Vynter Gentilman and William Gascoigne Gentilman or by and against such of them as then shall be in Life to make sure all the said Lands and Tenements and other the Premises with their Appurtenances to the uses and intents abovesaid And the said Thomas shall do and suffer to be done in the same Recoveries at such time as reasonably shall be devised by the said William Mordaunt and John Parys their Heirs and Assigns at the Cost and Charges of the said William and John It is also assented and agreed between the said Parties that the said William Fyndern and the other Demandents before rehearsed shall at the assignment desire or according to the last Will of the said Thomas Huntington make a Grant or Grants of forty Shillings by Year yearly going out of the said Maners of Crochemans with the Appurtenances in the County of Essex and of other forty Shillings by Year yearly going out of the said Maner of Trumpyngton with the Appurtenances in the County of Cantebrig to oon two three or four Persons severally or jointly at the Pleasure of the said Thomas Huntington to be named during the
Impeachment of Wast during the Life of the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son And after their deceases to the use of the said Lewis Mordaunt and of the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to the use of the right Heirs of Dame Elizabeth Mordaunt for ever And of all the residue of the said Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their Appurtenances which lately were the Inheritance of the said Sir Richard Fitz-Lewis wherein the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son or any of them had any Estate of any manner of Inheritance or Freehold jointly or severally or otherwise in Use Possession Reversion Remainder or otherwise at any time since the last Day of August in the said Year of our Lord God One thousand five hundred fifty and eight to the use of the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son for term of his Life without Impeachment of Wast And after his decease to such Person and Persons and to such use and uses as by the last Will and Testament of the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son shall be declared in Writing for and during the space of Ten Years or under and not above so that the same to be declared first for and to the Payment of his Debts And after his Debts paid then to and for the Advancement of his Children Unmarried and after his Debts paid and his Children Unmarried advanced then for the Performance of the Legacies of the same Sir John Mordaunt my Son And after the same Ten Years ended and expired then to the proper use and behoof of the said Lewis Mordaunt and of the Heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to the use of the said Lewis Mordaunt and the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten And for default of such Issue to the use of the right Heirs of the same Dame Eilzabeth Mordaunt for ever And also That if the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son doth convey and assure unto the said Lewis Mordaunt to the use of the said Lewis Mordaunt all the Estate Right Title Interest which the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son hath in and to the Maner of Snelson in the County of Buckingham and in and to all other Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in Snelson aforesaid and in Turvey Harold Lavenden and Brafeld or elsewhere to the said Maner of Snelson belonging which were sometime George the Earl of Kents in the County of Buckingham and Bedford And also do permit and suffer the said Lewis Mordaunt quietly to have hold occupy and enjoy all and singular the Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments which be conveyed or assured unto the said Lewis according to the true intent and meaning as well of certain Indentures Quadripartite made between me the said John Lord Mordaunt on the one Party and the said Sir Robert Throgmorton John Cheyne and Thomas Nichols on the other Party bearing date the last Day of August in the Second Year of the Reign of the Queen's Majesty that now is as also of other Conveyances and Assurances made by me unto the said Lewis Mordaunt And also do permit and suffer my Executors to execute and perform my Will without any Impeachment or Disturbance That then my Executors shall well and truly content and pay or cause to be contented and paid unto the said Sir John Mordaunt my Son within One whole Year next after such lawful and sufficient Conveyance and Assurance of the said Maners Lands Tenements and Hereditaments which were of the Inheritance of the said Sir Richard Fitz-Lewis the Summ of Three thousand Marks of Lawful Money of England towards the payment of his Debts and Advancement of his Children Unmarried And further That then the said Lewis Mordaunt shall assure or cause to be assured unto the said Dame Joan now Wife to my Son Sir John Mordaunt one yearly Rent of One hundred Marks during her Life with a sufficient clause of Distress in Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to the yearly value of One hundred Pounds for the not payment thereof at Two Feasts in the Year that is to say At the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel and the Annunciation of our Lady by even Portions And also my Will is That all my Funeral Debts Legacies and Charges of this my Last Will and Testament paid and discharged that the said Lewis Mordaunt shall have all the residue of my Goods Plate and Chattels whatsoever they be Executores Testamenti ultimae voluntatis Johannis Mordaunt Militis Domini Mordaunt tertio decimo die Augusti anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo sexagesimo secundo anno regni Reginae Elizabethae quarto Robertus Tirewhite miles Henricus Darcy Armiger Thomas Nichols Generosus Ludovicus Mordaunt Armiger Georgius Mordaunt Armiger Johannes Ashecomb Generosus Thomas Darcy Armiger Quilibet Executorum praedictorum assumens super se onus Testamenti mei habebit viginti libras Also I make Sir Robert Catlin Knight and my loving Cousin Justice Anthony Brown Supervisors of this my Last Will and Testament and I give to either of them Ten Pounds for their pains taken herein these being Witness John Hatcher Thomas Larkin Robert Pemberton John Moreton Edward Knight Robert Bennet and John Richardson SIGILLVM IOHANNIS DOMINI MORDAVNT In the Parish Church of Turvey Sir JOHN MORDAVNT Knight Third of that Name Second Lord MORDAVNT Peer of England Lord Baron of Turvey and Privy Counsellor to Queen Mary CHAPTER XIII A Letter from King Henry the Eighth to Sir John Mordaunt To our Trusty and welbeloved Sir John Mordaunt the Younger Henry R. By the King TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well And forasmuch as we are determined upon the Feast of Pentecost next coming to keep and do to be Celebrated at Westminster with all due Circumstances of Honor the Coronation of our most dear and welbeloved Wife the Lady Anne our Queen as to her Estate and Dignity doth appertain at which time it hath been accustomed to advance to the Honor of Knighthood to be made and ordered with the Ceremonies of the Bath such of the Nobility as was at that time by the Sovereign thought convenient for the same And therefore minding to pretermit nothing that might set forth the Honor of the said Coronation and thinking you right able and worthy to receive that Degree have appointed you to be one of those whom we intend to advance to such Honor. And therefore our Pleasure is That ye being advertised hereof do make such Preparation against the time aforesaid and put your self in such a Readiness as shall be requisite for you in the acceptation of the said Order and as for the Honor thereof hath been used and accustomed Given under our Signet at our Maner of Greenwich the Five and twentieth Day of April Hollinshead 's Chronicle page 931. No. 50. ON Fryday at Dinner served the King all such as were appointed by his Highness to be Knights of the Bath which after Dinner were brought to
in his Extraordinary Embassy touching my Marriage with the Princess of Modena I. YOU are in pursuance of his Majesty's Command and Powers to that effect to make what speed you can to Modena or where-else that Court shall be and there having obtained Audience of the Dutchess Regent Duke and Princess his Sister and presented your credential Letters from his Majesty and my self which shall be sent you herewith You are to profess to them the earnest desires I have of Marrying that Young Princess and the great Affection I have conceived of her Person and Vertues with such other expressions as you judge proper for the occasion II. Your are to apply your self to that Court and the Ministers there in such sort as to expedit all you can the Conclusion of this Treaty and my Marriage to which end in Stipulating the conditions for payment of the Marriage-Portion whether as to the same it self or as to the times and methods of payment In case you find any difficulties therein you are to refer to the determination of the most Christian King who being a Neutral Person between the parties and a Friend to each will adjust this point to the mutual Satisfaction of both III. You are as a particular mark of my esteem of the Young Princess to offer for her Jointure in case she survive me the annual Rent of Fifteen thousand Pounds Sterling payable quarterly and to be given out of my whole Revenue and to be secured according to the best and most effectual Forms used in the Common Laws of England at the same time assuring the Dutchess Regent and her Ministers of my willingness to augment this Pension according to the proportion of what her Portion shall be judged to exceed it in value by the determination of the most Christian King IV. When you shall have contracted the Princess in my name you are to present to her as a token of my esteem such part of my Jewels in your custody as you shall judge convenient and on the Morning of the Day of performing the solemnity of the Marriage you shall present her with the remainder of my said Jewels as a farther pledge of my Affection and Satisfaction of what you have done for me V. When the Marriage Ceremonies are performed you shall with all convenient speed conduct the Princess at the charge of the Court of Modena to Paris or Calice rather if it may be and for avoiding many troublesome and expensive Formalities it will be advisable that she come incognita But for the better adjusting this point likewise you are to consult with the French Minister upon the place who will be fully instructed therein VI. At the same time the Princess shall arrive at Paris or Calice which you are to signify to me before hand as soon as you can compute it exactly I shall order out of the Officers and others of my Household a suitable Retinue for her to be assisting to her there and wait upon her hither always supposing you will do your utmost to inculcate to the Princess her self and the Ministers there the great inconveniences would follow her being attended with too numerous a train of Foreigners who are seldom so useful here as Natives and are obnoxious to censure upon any miscarriages but because this point is such a one as may be better handled by the French Minister you shall herein use his help VII In all things touching this matter whether expressed here or omitted you are to consult likewise the Instructions you shall have received from his Majesty on this occasion that by comparing both you may be the better guided in what you are to transact VIII You are to lose no opportunity of giving me or my Secretary constant advice of your Proceedings and Progress as well for my own Information as for your further Direction if any new matter occur not at present foreseen Finally His Majesty having left it to me more particularly to direct you the best I can in the performance of this Service so as it may speedily take effect to my satisfaction I cannot think it will be well brought to pass if you carry with you a Train or Equipage answerable to your Character of Extraordinary Embassador viz Coaches Horses Footmen and many other Officers proportionably My Opinion therefore and Direction is That you go Post to Modena by the way of Lyons and Turin incognito with such a Train as is suitable to that way of Travelling and yet with as much regard to the dignity of your Embassy as may be viz. A competent number of Gentlemen Pages and other ordinary Servants as are convenient for you dividing which by several companies they will never be far behind you especially at your arrival in the Court of Modena where it is only necessary they should be seen with you And arriving there you must without delay enter into a Conference with him that is the Minister of the most Christian King under what Character soever he be there and imparting to him freely the scope of your Errand advise with him and use his assistance in obtaining and adjusting for you such things as may facilitate all the ends thereof as well for your own dignity and convenience as the speedy accomplishment of the Marriage and all the Circumstances depending thereupon When the Marriage shall be over and that you have adjusted also the manner of the Princess's coming into France which Journey I think will most conveniently be performed by Sea to Marseilles whither the Gallies of the most Christian King will be ordered to bring her and whither you must attend her it will be fit that then or before you dismiss most of your Retinue least their Attendance may not consist with the figure the Princess may probably desire to take of Travelling incognita or embarras you in the Conveniences of your Journey retaining only as many as will fill one Coach and thus follow her all the way until she arrive at Paris or Calice at one of which places my Servants shall be appointed to attend upon her and then you shall be sure of receiving new orders from me Given under my Hand and Seal at Saint James's the First Day of August 1673. JAMES By command of his Royal Highness Jo. Werden The Earl of Peterborow's Pass from the King to go Extraordinary Embassador to Modena CArolus Secundus Dei gratia Magnae Britaniae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Fidei Defensor c. Universis singulis ad quos praesentes Literae pervenerint salutem Cum praedilectus ac perquam fidelis Consanguineus noster Henricus Comes de Peterborow Legatus à nobis Extraordinarius ad Curiam serenissimi Principis Ducis de Modena proficiscatur quo tutius iter illud suscipiat conficiatque rogandos duximus omnes singulos Reges Principes tam Ecclesiasticos quam Seculares Status Respublicas liberasque Civitates Amicos nostros faederatos eorumque subditos quod subditis nostris ubique