the Parliament Anno 25. of Henry the sixt by the name of Robert Lord Mollens And after the death of the forenamed Walter the said two Roberts were both at one time of the Parliament Anno 29. of Henry the sixt the father by the name of Robert Lord Hungerforde senior and the sonne by the Name of Robert Hungerforde Lord Mollens Iunior Which I take to be so strong a proofe as vpon the sight hereof you will recant and subscribe to the same VVIdehay was the auncient seate of the Barons Saint Amend whose inheritance and dignitie came to Gerald Braybrooke in right of his wife And Elizabeth his grand-child by Gerald his sonne transported the same to William de Beauchampe who left issue but one onely sonne which was a bastard Pag. 207. VVHat an vngodly course is this you take to depriue noble men both of their honor and honestie framing to some vnnaturall mariages falsifying the discentes of other and making legitimate heires illegitimate which abuses by reason of my oath taken at my creation I may not let passe without telling you thereof Vnderstand therefore that where you affirme William Beauchamp Lord Saint Amond who maryed Elizabeth grand-childe to Gerald Braybrooke to haue issue one onely sonne and he a Bastard therein doe you greatly both wrong and scandalize him for he had in lawfull matrimonie by his said wife Richard Beauchamp Lord Saint Amond his legitimate sonne that succeeded him in the dignitie of Saint Amond and maryed Anne the daughter of Sir Walter Wrotesley knight And therefore very vntruely haue you charged the said William to haue had any such Bastard THe Barons of Windsore tooke their original from William the sonne of Other that was Constable or keeper of Windsore Castle in the time of king William the first from whome also are discended the Fitz-Geraldes in Ireland Earles of Kildare and Desmond as Robert Glouer called Somerset the most studious and skilfull in Heraldie of all that societie hath proued Pag. 213. HEre would you impeache the credite of that worthie Officer of Armes Robert Glouer in making him the Authour of your imagined dreames he hauing vnder his owne hand in the Petigree of the honorable Lord Windsor both denyed that William de Windsor was sonne to Other keeper of the Castle of Windsor as also that the Earle of Kildare and Desmond were discended from the said William By which your vntrue misse-alledging the said Somersets workes to serue your turne you shewe your selfe very vngratefull towardes him out of whose bookes in the custodie of the late Lorde Treasorer you gathered the flowers wherewithall you haue made your vnperfect garland which you in your last edition so much haue boasted of But here would I not that you or any other should misconceaue my meaning that I thinke or iudge Somerset Herald hath written or set downe in his said bookes any of these vntruthes but rather that you not rightly vnderstanding them nor able to discerne the true vse of his trauels haue thorough ignorance committed these your errors in affirming William de Windsor to be sonne to Other and auncester to the Earles of Kildare and Desmond in Ireland of which two pointes you cannot prooue any one for the originall auncester of these before spoken of was Walter the sonne of Other and not William sonne of Other for Walter had two sonnes William of whome are discended the Lordes of Windsor and Gerald who was auncester to the Geraldines Earles of Kildare and Desmond And where you make William de Windsor to be sonne of Other therein are you also deceiued for the same William you speake of was sonne of Walter and grand-childe to Other as doth appeare by the Charter of king Henry the second here following HEnricus rex Angliae Dux Normanniae Aquitaniae Comes Andegauiae Archiepiscopis Episcopis c. Henry king of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Earle of Aniou to all Archbishops Byshops c. Knowe ye that I haue giuen and graunted to William de Windsor as his inheritance all the landes which before were the possessions of William sonne of Walter his father and of Walter sonne of Other his grandfather Wherefore I will c. that he hold it as his fee and inheritance c. peaceably freely and honorably euen as his father and grandfather held the same in the time of king Henry my grandfather and of my predecessors in woodes and plaines c. Witnesses William my brother Reignald the Earle and Ioceline Baillol c. VVIlliam Rufus king of England made William Earle Waren first Earle of Surrey whose armes were a shield gold checked azure He had issue a sonne and a grand-childe of the same name succeeding him but the last had issue onely a daughter who marrying first with William sonne of king Stephen and after with Hamelin base sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet honored both her husbands with this title Hameline begot on her William Earle of Surrey who marryed the eldest daughter and coheire of William Earle of Penbrooke widow of Hugh Bygot This William was father of Iohn who begat William father of Iohn Afterwardes king Henry the fourth aduaunced Thomas Beauford to that title and dignitie making him after Duke of Exceter and Lord Chauncellor of England Pag. 223. ALthough I omit here to tell you that the first William Earle Warren was made Earle of Surrey by William Conquerour and not by VVilliam Rufus yet will I by your patience put you in minde of an other error by you here cōmitted of more importance which is if you remember in the title of the Earles of Norffolke Pag. 370. You there haue made Roger By got Earle of Norffolke to be husband vnto Maude the eldest daughter and coheire of VVilliam Marshal Earle of Penbrooke and now in this place you make the said Maude to be the widowe of Hugh Bygot father of the foresaid Roger which I take to be incest for the sonne to marry his owne mother And therefore least all their modest posteritie might blushe at such an incestuous Oedipus as your poeticall fansie hath brought vpon the stage I would wishe you to correct this your tragicall fable KIng Richard the second made Thomas Holland Earle of Kent being his halfe brother by the mother Duke of Surrey who being atteinted Thomas Beauford was aduanced to that dignitie by king Henry the fourth and after made Duke of Exceter and Chauncellor of England He dyed as Walsingham saith Anno 1410. Pag. 223. VVHere you say that Thomas Beauford after the attainder of Thomas Holland was aduaunced to the dignitie of Duke of Surrey and dyed Anno 1410. as VValsingham saith To the first I answere the said Thomas Beauford was neuer dignified with the title of Duke of Surrey by K. Henry the fourth or any other king And to proue the same I finde that the saide king in the 13. yeare of his reigne did create the said Thomas Earle of Dorset in which
dignitie he continued vntill the fourth yeare of king Henry the fift in which yeare he sate in Parliament by that name of dignitie and after was made Duke of Exceter And therefore herein haue you failed And to the second concerning the time of Thomas Beaufordes death it maketh me much to muse how the said Duke should dye Anno 1410 and being deceased how he should start vp out of his graue and make personall appearance at the high courte of Parliament holden at VVestminster 1425. fifteene yeares after except you can shewe some strange Metamorphosis or prooue that dead men being summoned did take their places in that Parliament which cannot be without some Negromancie or strange worke beyond nature THe Barons Botreaux alias Boterels did beare for their armes three toades sable in a fielde argent The first of that familie named William maryed Alice daughter of Richard Corbet whose sister was Paramour to king Henry the first on whome he begot Reignald Earle of Cornewall From this William discended successiuely eleuen Barons all called Williams except the third and seuenth which were called Reignalds Margaret the sole daughter of the last of them maried Robert Hungerford by whose posteritie that inheritaunce came to the familie of Hastings Which said inheritance was augmented by the marriage of the said Margarets grandfather with Katherine a Coheire of Katherine Twenge and by the mariage of her great grandfather with the daughter heire of Sir Iohn Saintlow knight and by the mariage of her great great grandfather with the daughter and heire of Iohn de Moeles a rich Baron Pag. 129. FIrst in making Botreaux and Boterell to be all one family and name you do much erre they being seuerall and not one as may be proued by William Botreaux Sherif of Cornwall who liued in the ninth yeare of king Iohn and bare for his Armes as you fay three Todes Sable and William Boterell that liued in the fift yeare of king Edward the first and was summoned amongst other Barons for the leuying of an armie against Llewellin Prince of Wales did beare for his Armes checkie gold and Gules a cheueron Azur By which two great differences both of the name and Armes it doth euidently appeare that they were not one but two seuerall families Secondly in affirming that William Botreaux maried Alice the daughter of Richard Corbet sister to her that was Paramour to king Henrie the first and mother to Reignald Earle of Cornwall you are also greatly deceiued for the mother of the said Reignald was daughter and coheire of Robert Corbet and not of Richard as by the gift of king Henrie the first to the saide Robert his Concubines father of the borough of Alencester in the Countie of Warwicke it is manifested But I need not striue much against you for this point seeing I may oppose your owne narration pag. 438. of your booke against your selfe and therefore I leaue you to quarell with your owne memorie not doubting but you can take it best to bee controller to your selfe Thirdly your Arithmeticall pen can as well multiplie for a neede as detract when it list hauing as quicke a slight to make Barons as the heathens had to make gods which were something in name but manie times nothing in nature for here you make eleuen Barons of the familie of Botreaux one to succeede the other after the first William Whereas you are able to proue but foure And to make your computation aright you must begin first with William Botreaux who began his Baronie at a Parliament holden at Westminster the first day of May in the 24. yeare of king Edward the third which William had issue William that was the second Baron who begat William the third father of William the fourth and last Baron of that familie Of which second and third Barons you haue made the father to marry his sonnes wife and the sonne to marry his own mother To which most vnnatural matches I wonder how you could euer giue your consent you being the onely parent of seuen of those eleuen Barons who had all their conceptions and births in the wombe of your pregnant braine Lastly I denie that any of the saide Williams Lordes Botreaux did marie with anie Katherine that was coheire to Katherin Twenge as you vntruly haue set downe Pemsey Castle was sometime belonging to the Earle Morton afterward William sonne to king Stephen had it who deliuered vp the same with the landes thereabout vnto King Henrie the second It was called the honour of the Eagle of Gilbert Lord of the Eagle who taking part against King Henrie the second beeing depriued of all that hee had fled into Normandie Pag. 231. THis Castle tooke not the title of honour of the Eagle of Gilbert who tooke part against King Henrie the second as you say for King William the Conquerour gaue to Stephen Earle of Blois and Charters with Ella his daughter the Earledome of the Eagle in Normandie and the Castle and honour of Pemsey in Suffex Which foresaid honours the said Stephen enioyed and afterward gaue the same to Henrie of Bloys his sonne who enioied the same vntil he resigned them vnto Richard his sonne and became Abbot of Glastenburie and after Bishop of Winchester This Richard being Earle of the Eagle and Lord of Pemsey liued in King Stephens time and was a witnesse to the couenants of peace betwixt him and Henrie Duke of Normandie by the name of Richard Earle of the Eagle He gaue his said Earledome and honour of Pemsey to William Earle of Morton his Cosen germane sonne to King Stephen Which gift with the said titles of honour King Henrie the second did confirme but not long after he constrained the said William to surrender vnto him againe aswel those honours as also all other lands that he had both in Normandie and in England vpon condition that the said king should re-assure vnto him al those lands which king Stephen his father was possessed of at the death of king Henrie the first And how truly you affirme the honour of Pemsey to haue belonged to any Earle Morton before the reigne of King Stephen William sonne to king Stephen being the first Earle Morton which enioyed the same it is thought as vnworthie of credit as that before where you alledge Pemsey castle to haue taken his first honour from Gilbert Lord of the Eagle in the reigne of King Henrie the second when it is trulie proued to bee an honour at such time as William the Conquerour gaue the same in marriage with his daughter FIue Earles of Sussex were of the familie of the Albeneys who in like maner were Earles of Arundell William de Albeney sonne of William Lord of Buckenham in Norfolke was the first of them who vsed for his Armes a Lion rampant in a field Gules He was called Earle of Chichester and of Arundell who had issue by Adelize daughter of the Duke of Loraine and Brabant William the
but cleared the trueth according to the oth and profession of an Herault vnlesse learnedly with trueth you confute the same Vntill then I bid you farewell A DISCOVERIE OF DIVERS ERRORS PVBLISHED IN PRINT ANNO 1594 preiudiciall to the discents and successions of most of the auncient Nobilitie of this Realme TVtburie castle was built by Henry Lo. Ferrars a Norman vnto whome William the first gaue large possessions which Robert Earle Ferrars and Derbie his grand-child by his sonne Robert lost by reuolting the second time from king Henrie the third Pag. 447. THe Catholike credite of your great learning which might haue beene a clubbe to daunt the courage of vnlettered Heraulds and cause them to retire the fielde from encountring with you hath beene the drumme that hath summoned me out not as a champion but as a defendant by my oth and profession for the triall of the truth and defence of the vnspotted honour of Armes and auncient Nobilitie The sacred bodie of my sweete and natiue Countrie Britannia I embrace The phrases of your scholler-like language I esteeme as gorgeous ornaments vpon a Matrone that is naturallie beautifull the reliques of industrious Leyland together with his farre-fetched and deare bought Antiquities I admire almost I had saide adore but for religion sake Onlie the disgrace of auncient Herauldie wherwith England hath much flourished in former age the empeachment of manie illustrious families the misreport of many honorable discents and the daungerous errors auouched by your lowd-sounding pen I must repeale and reuerse with a writ of Quo warranto least in time the countenance of your world-wondred and selfe-conceited knowledge cause naked truth to be helde in scorne of others as it is in captiuitie by your selfe My humble requestis that the honourable beholders of our combat blush not nor the scholasticall Readers bite the lippe to see an English Herauld encounter with an antique Hercules Let not the fore-running breath of deepe renowmed science blow vp the weight of long experience you may enioy the reputation of Artes but in Armes and Herauldie we except against your skill And because I intend onely a freedome of truth in matter of mine own profession you shal vnderstand that I wil not intermeddle with any other the commendable discoueries of Antiquitie beeing without the lists and compasse of mine exception but onelie where the auncient pedegrees of honourable families are either clipped or strange feathers imped into their traines there am I bold to note the defects and to declare the excesse that may make a worthie progenie seeme some monstrous ofspring if the truth bee not vnfolded What cause I haue to vndertake this charge may appeare by these fewe erronious slippes gathered out of manie in your Britannia In the detection whereof I haue not followed your Methode a long by the Riuers side from shire to shire and towne to towne for that were a iourney too tedious and out of my way but I haue fastened first vppon that noble Ferrarian line whose present issue so glorious at this time seemeth to commaund a redresse of that iniurious obscuritie wherewith your superficiall skill or rather ignorance hath somewhat eclipsed the former excellencie thereof First therefore I am prest to encounter you at the castle of Tutburie in the honour of whose founders I am to spend my first breath and valour to the ende I may reuiue the race of them which you haue ouerthrowne by falsifying and extinguishing foure discents in seuen If you demaund how I answere in making Robert Earle Ferrars grand-childe of Henrie Lord Ferrars the Norman to bee that Robert which did forfait all his landes to king Henrie the third when in truth it was the said Roberts great great grand-child And therefore to build vp againe this honourable discent and succession of the Earles Ferrars which you haue ruinated I will first begin with Henry Lord Ferrars the Norman vnto whom by the booke of Domesday William the Conquerour gaue manie large possessions in the counties of Stafford Leicester Bedford Glocester Oxford Bucking and Barkshire He had issue Robert Earle Ferrars who founded the Abbay of Muriuall in king Henrie the first his time and died the 19. of king Stephen whose eldest sonne William Earle Ferrars and Lord of Tutburie being slaine in his lodging in Lumbards streete in London without issue Robert his second son succeeded and was Earle Ferrars Lord of Tutburie and Oucam He kept the towne of Leicester for king Henrie the second against the yong king and had issue William Earle Ferrars and first earle of Derbie who maried Margaret daughter and heire of William Peuerell Lord of Nottingham and died the 12. of Henrie the thirde leauing issue William the second Earle Ferrars and Derbie his sonne who tooke to wife Agnes the third sister and coheire of Ranulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne and died 1242. vnto whome succeeded the thirde William Earle Ferrars and Derbie who maried Margaret daughter and coheire of Roger Quincy earle of Winchester On whom he be got Robert Earle Ferrars and Derbie who in the fiftie yeare of king Henrie the third was taken prisoner at the battell of Chesterfield and imprisoned in the castle of Chipenham where he for the obtaining of his liberty made assurance before Iohn Chishall then Lord Chancelor of England of all his lands except Chartley and Bolbroke to Lorde Henrie sonne of the king of Romanes William Valence Earle of Penbroke Iohn earle Warren Surry William Beauchamp earle of Warwicke Roger Somery Thomas Clare R. Walleron Roger Clifford Hamon le Strange Bartholomew de Sudley Robert Bruse Barons his suerties for the paiment of 50000. poundes on a day at one entire paiment to Lord Edmond the Kings sonne Which day paiment being broken and not performed the said Lord Edmond by the surrender of the sureties aforesaid tooke possession of those his lands and enioyed the same during his life and after left them to his heires the same being then valued at two thousand pounds by the yeare And this is that Robert whom you verie vntruly haue set downe to be grand-child to Henrie Lorde Ferrars that liued in the time of the Norman conquest he being the seuenth in line all discent from him as by your owne words in the title of Derby pag. 430. it may appeare where you confesse William to be the father William the grandfather of this Robert that forfeited his lands in king Henrie the third his time Now to let you knowe the inconuenience arising hereby It is the concealment and losse of three most notable inheritrices that were married vnto three of these Ferrarian Earles The first was the daughter and sole heire of William Peuerell Lord of Nottingham whose sonne was honoured with the title of earle of Notingham The second was the sister and coheire of Ranulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne who inriched this familie with the Castle and honour of Chartley. The third being the daughter and coheire of
Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester who brought with her the honor and barony of Grooby Of which fruitfull mariages if you make a fained nullitie or deuorce you intercept those noble plants from whence sprung sundry the most famous branches of our nobilitie florishing in this our declining age CHartley Castle builded by Ranulph earle of Chester came to the Ferrars by Agnes his daughter whom Robert earle Ferrars and Derby maried of whose progeny issued seuen barons Ferrars of Chartley Anne daughter of the last of thē brought this title and honor by mariage to Walter Deuereux her husband who was the great-great-great grand-father of the right honorable Robert Earle of Essex that now is Pag. 449. WHere you affirme in this place Ranulph Earle of Chester to haue builded the Castle of Chartley which after came to be the possession of Robert earle Ferrars and Derby by marying Agnes the daughter of the foresaide Ranulph and that there did discend of the said Robert Agnes seuen barons in direct line successiuely hereto I answere that Ranulph Earle of Chester builded indeed the castle of Chartley in the fourth yeare of king Henry the third died An. 1236. But that he was father to the said Agnes I vtterlie denie affirming him to die without any issue at all And for proofe hereof I appeale to your self in perfect remembrance testifying the same against your selfe in the title of Earles of Chester Pag. 471. And for the foresaid Robert Earle Ferrars he neuer maried any such woman So that by this your not vnderstanding you haue obscured and made vnperfect that noble line of the Earle Ferrars Nay you haue done them a farre greater wrong for hereby haue you contrarie to all law and reason made the said Agnes to be daughter to her owne brother and the said Robert to be husband vnto her that was his grandfathers wife By which vntrue wresting you haue thrust out of their places not only two of the greatest Earles of their time but also the coheire of Quincy who as before I saide brought into that family the barony of Grooby Therfore that you may reforme this your error I will here set you down the truth of this discent prooued by good authoritie beginning first with William Earle Ferrars and Derby grandfather of the said Earle Robert who maried the forenamed Agnes the third sister and coheire of the forenamed Ranulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne and not his daughter as you haue written This saide William died in the 27. yeare of king Henrie the thirde and left issue William Earle Ferrars and Derbie his sonne Lord of Chartley who maryed with Margaret Ladye of Grooby daughter and coheire of Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester on whome he begot Robert Earle Ferrars and Derby and after died in the 38. yeare of king Henry the third Which Robert was he that you would haue to mary Agnes the daughter of Ranulph Earle of Chester who was in trueth his grandmother But for your further satisfaction vnderstand that the said Robert maryed to his wife the daughter of the Lord Basset and was taken prisoner soone after by King Henry the third in the Barrons warres and forced to paye at one entyre payment for his ransome deliuery to Lord Edmond the Kings sonne the summe of fiftie thousand poundes for the assurance of which payment he bound ouer all his landes as before in the title of Tutbury I haue set downe He died in the seuenth yeare of king Edward the first 1278. leauing issue by his said wife Iohn Lord Ferrars of Chartley auncester to the Earle of Essex now liuing REignald base sonne to king Henry the first was made Earle of Cornewall and after dyed without issue Pag. 130. IN making Reignald Earle of Cornewall to dye without issue you offer great iniurie to diuers worshipfull families depriuing them of their Auncestor from whome they are discended For the said Reignald had issue three daughters his heires one maryed to Baldwin Riduerse Earle of Deuon of whome discended the honorable families of Courtneys and an other to Valitort of whose issue many remaine at this present KIng Richard the second honored William le Scroope first with the Earledome of Wiltshire But the felicitie of this man did both stand and fall with his Prince c. Not many yeares after this dignitie came vnto Iames Butler Earle of Ormond From thence the familie of Lancaster decaying it went vnto Iohn Stafford second sonne to Humfrey Duke of Buckingham by the gift of king Edward the fourth of which stocke one or two succeeded At last a grand-childe of the forenamed Iames Butler by his sonne caryed this title into the familie of Bullens for Thomas Bullen in right of his mother was created Earle of Wiltshire whose eldest daughter Anne was maryed vnto king Henry the eight and by him had issue our soueraigne Lady Elizabeth Pag. 187. ALthough your rash and ouer hastie penne haue seemed vnto you so priuileged as that thereby you durst aduenture the preiudice of many honorable persons in their discents and ensignes of honor as you haue done yet me thinkes that her Maiesties sacred name might iustly haue lymited your writings within such boundes of loyall duetie as that your hand should haue trembled to endite or your hart once to admitte the publishing any vntrueth whereby her honor might in any part be eclipsed Heere you say that Iames Butler Earle of Wiltshire had a grand-childe by his namelesse sonne which was mother vnto Thomas Bullen Earle of Wiltshire graund-father to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie that now is in which you greatly wrong her she being not discended of the said Iames but of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond his brother And the better to manifest the same the said Iames was atteinted by Acte of Parliament for high treason suffered for the same at New-castle in the first yeare of king Edward the fourth without any issue of his body at all to beget such a grand-child as you say was the mother to Sir Thomas Bullen Which being true as it cannot be denyed I admire that a man of your learning and professing such skill in Heraldy would so vnaduisedly publish in print to the view of the whole worlde so great an vntrueth you hauing neither proofe nor warrant for the same And not contented herewith after for maintenance and colour of these your errors you further affirme that the said Sir Thomas Bullen was created Earle of Wiltshire in right of Margaret his mother graund-childe as you say of the said Iames. In which so saying you shewe your selfe very ignorant in the discents of dignities And for answere hereunto First I say that Margaret the mother of Sir Thomas Bullen was second daughter and coheire of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond brother of Iames Earle of Wiltshire and not the saide Iames his grand-childe and so in that poynt haue you falsified this discent Secondly where you would haue this dignitie of Wiltshire
of Warin fitz-Gerald a sonne called Baldwin the third Earle of Deuon who changed his anncesters Escuchion from a griffon golde in a field gules vnto a shield golde charged with a Lyon azure He had issue two children Baldwin the last Earle of this familie and Isabell that was maryed to William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle and of Deuonshire in her right Pag. 144. HEre doe you wrong this discent of the Earles of Deuonshire making Baldwin Ryuers to be the first Earle of Deuonshire and Lord of Twyfferton and Plympton in king Henry the first his time when as it is very manifest that Richard Ryuers father of this Baldwin was the same person vnto whome king Henry the first gaue Twifferton Plimpton and the yle of Wight with the Earledome of Deuonshire and not to Baldwin his sonne whome you name as is very well prooued by the booke of Brightley and Forde where those of that familie doe lye buryed as also by your owne Testimonie against your selfe in the tittle of Iles in your booke Pag. 710. Secondly to your affirmation that Baldwin the third Earle of Deuon did change his Auncestors Escucheon gules a griffon gold vnto a shield golde a Lyon azure I answere it is a fault in a meane person to be founde vntrue in his reportes much more in you to publish in print such an vntrueth as this for you can not euer prooue the said shielde gules with the griffon golde to haue bene borne or vsed by any of the said familie or any other Armes at all of theirs can you shewe vntill that Baldwin the third did vse for his Armes the foresaid Lyon azure vpon golde Thirdly because in the beginnning of this succession of Earles of Deuon you abridged vs of the first now to make amendes for the same and to fill vp the number againe you doe here name for an Earle of Deuon William de Fortibus who neuer as yet attayned vnto that dignitie And therefore no reason why you should thus adde or substracte to or from noble persons dignities at your pleasure But here peraduenture yee will say Isabel the wife of the aforenamed William de Fortibus did in her widowhood write her selfe Countesse of Albermale and Deuon and Lady of the I le which if I graunt vnto that she did it was in respect that she was the onely heire then left aliue of that honorable familie and yet will not that make a necessitie that her husband must be Earle of Deuon THe Barony of Stoke-Curcy was so named of the Lordes thereof It was the seate of William Curcy that was Sewer vnto king Henry the first He had issue William whose daughter Auice was wife to Warin Fitz-Gerald and their daughter and heire was maryed to Baldwin Riuers Earle of Deuon Of this familie of Curcies did discend Iohn Curcie which by warlike force ouercame Vlster in Ireland Pag. 157. YOur errors here committted are these first you make William de Curcy that was Sewer to K. Henry the first to haue issue a sonne named William which is vntrue for that he dyed without issue and left Robert de Curcy his brother his heire Secōdly you say the said Williā de Curcy had a grand-childe by his sonne William called Auice maryed to Warrin Fitz-Gerald who had issue a daughter and heire maryed to Baldwin Earle of Deuon In which you are also deceiued For the first William as I saide before had not any issue at all and therefore no such grand-childe And where you affirme the said Warin Fitz-Gerald to haue issue by Auice his wife but one onely daughter it is manifest that he had issue a sonne named Warin Fitz-Gerald who had issue the third Warin Fitz-Gerald But for your better instruction herein and to correct this your errour I will set you downe the truth of this discēt as followeth Robert de Curcy a great Baron and Councellour vnto William Rufus had issue two sonnes William and Robert William the eldest sonne dying without issue Robert his brother succeded him in his dignitie and was a witnesse to the Charter of king Stephen of landes that hee gaue to the Abbay of Westminster by the name of Robert de Curcy the kings Sewer After whose death Robert de Curcy his eldest sonne Sewer to king Henry the second being slaine in Ireland without anie issue William the seconde sonne succeeded and was a witnesse to the Charter of king Henrie the second of landes and liberties that he gaue to Saint Peters at Westminster He had issue Iohn de Curcy gouernour of Vlster in Ireland in the time of king Iohn who hauing no issue left his rich patrimonie to Alice or Auice his sister then the wife of Warin Fitz-Gerald which Warin was a witnesse to the Charter of king Iohn of his submission to the Pope 1212. Hee had issue by his said wife the second Warin Fitz-Gerald Lord of Harewood father to the third Warin THe greatest glorie of Bridgewater was that king Henrie the seuenth honoured it with the title of an Earldome by making Giles Dawbeney Gentleman of his Chamber Earle thereof whose onely daughter and heire was maried to I. Bourchier the first earle of Bath of that familie Pag. 161. IF the making of Gentlemen heretofore hath beene greatly misliked by her Maiestie in the kinges of Armes much more displeasing I thinke it will be to her that you being no Officer of Armes should erect make and put downe Earles and Barons at your pleasure publishing in print falslie their admittance or depriuation as in this place you haue done making Giles Dawbeney to be created Earle of Bridgewater by King Henrie the seuenth when as the said King neuer aduaunced him nor any other to that dignitie neither was the said Giles euer anie Earle during his life And therefore here haue you no great cause to boast of your skill in Heraldie But to pleasure you I will bring you to the marke whereat your vnaduised penne hath roued which is to Henrie Dawbeney whome king Henrie the eight on the 21. day of Iulie in the 30. yeare of his reigne did at his Mannor of Ocking create Earle of Bridgewater which Henry was both the first and last that euer caried that title of dignitie and died without issue All which I hope you will confesse to bee true and acknowledge your fault HVngerford was a familie of great account euer since the time of King Edward the third for Thomas Hungerford was grandfather to Walter Lord Hungerford Treasurer of England Which Walter enriched his familie by marying Katherin Peuerell she being descended from the Moyles and Courtneys His son Robert also enlarged the same more by marying with Eleonore the daughter and heire of William Lord Mollins who was beheaded at New-castle in the ciuill warres betwixt the families of Lancaster and Yorke He had issue Thomas that was slaine at Salisbury in the life of his father yet left hee issue one sole daughter called Marie that was
that familie bare for their Armes fiue Swallowes siluer Pag. 127. VVOuld any man of learning or iudgement thus haue enterprised to publish in print to the viewe of the whole world those thinges he is vtterly ignorant of but your selfe And that you are meerely ignorant in matter of Armorie I thinke there needeth no further proofe then your owne writing touching the Armes of Bygot Earle of Norfolke Longa-spatha Earle of Salisburie Quincie and Lewis of Bruges both Earles of Winchester all in this booke mentioned as also this of Arundell touching which well am I assured that vntill you adde sable for a colour to the fielde of this coate and an other Swallowe to make vp the true number of 6. this is vnperfect Armory and no ensigne or armes pertaining to the familie of Arundels as you say it is nor any coate of Armes at all VVIgot a Saxon was Lord of that honor at the time of the Conquest who had one onely daughter maryed to Robert d'Oyley by whome he had issue Maude his heire who was first maryed to Miles Crispine and after to Brian filius-Comitis by the fauour of king Henry the first Bryan taking part with Maude the Empresse fortified this Castle of Wallingford against king Stephen who had erected a forte ouer against the same But after that an attonement was made betweene king Stephen and king Henry the second Bryan became professed in a Monasterie as also his wife whereupon the honor of Wallingfordwas annexed to the crowne Pag. 206. THe great trouble and late suite in the Starre-chamber for setting downe in Pedigree a forged heire generall of Anthony Lord Grey of Ruthin to the great danger of of disinheriting an honorable person now liuing might be a warning both to you others how they cōmit the like fault hereafter Which notwithstanding I see it is not regarded for that not long since I haue seene a petigree made by your selfe more faultie then that before spoken of which to let passe I will come to answere this title of Wallingford Here you affirme Robert d' Oyley to haue issue a daughter and heire named Maude maryed to Miles Crispine by which imagined heire you wrong most of the honorable families of this Realme now liuing discended of the said d'Oylye And to redresse this I will heere set you downe the true discent of the said Robert d'Oylye in which it shal appeare no such daughter euer to haue bene as you affirme First by the booke of Domesday it is set downe that William the Conqueror did giue vnto Robert d'Oylye these landes following Watelinton Garinges Bernecester Hochenorton Chedelinton Eton and Braiton with many other goodly possessions in the countie of Oxford Likewise in the booke of Osney I finde that in the time of the Norman conquest there liued two brothers of the familie of d'Oyleys Robert and Nigell and that Robert dyed without issue leauing Robert his nephew by his brother Nigel to succeede him in his possessions Also by diuers euidences in my custodie it is manifest that the foresaid Robert the nephew founded the Abbey of Osney in the time of king Henry the first and had issue Henry d' Oyley Constable to king Henry the second to whome succeeded the second Henry d' Oylye his sonne that was likewise Constable to king Richard the first and died without issue leauing Margaret his sister and coheire maryed to Henry Newborough Earle of Warwicke of whome that great and honorable familie of Beauchamps Earles of Warwicke did discend So that hereby you may see the true line of heires males continued from the first Robert in William the Conquerors time vnto Richard the first very apparantly prooued to the ouerthrow and auoyding of your feigned heire generall Whereby also you may take a caueat to alter recall in againe your late coyned pettigree being of the same stampe For proofe read these deedes following NOtum sit fidelibus Sanctae Ecclesiae c. Be it knowne vnto all faithfull people of the holy Church that I Henry d' Oleio by the consent of Robert my brother the kings sonne and other my friendes and acquaintance doe giue and graunt in free and perpetuall Almes vnto the Holy Church of Saint Marie of Osney for the soule of Henry the king and for the soule of my father Robert d' Oleio who founded the same Church and for the soule of Gilbert my brother and for the soules of all my predecessors c. tenne pound land c. These being witnesses Hugh de Chanuill Paganus Westbery c. NOtum sit tam praesentibus quà m futuris c. Be it knowne vnto all men aswell present as those that shall here-after come that I Robert sonne of king Henry by the consent of Henry de Oleio my brother and of all other my friendes doe giue and graunt in free and perpetuall Almes to the Church of Saint Mary de Osney c. tenne pound land c. These being witnesses Hugh de Chanuill Paganus Westbery Hugh de Westberie and Richard de Cahannes SCiant presentes futuri c. Let all men knowe that are present and those that shall be hereafter that I Henry de Oilli sonne of Henry de Oilli the kings Constable haue made a certaine change with my Cannons of Osney of Diuers landes in my Mannors of Cleinder and Weston by my owne free will and by the consent of Sibill my wife and by the counsell of my free mea aswell for the commoditie of my selfe as also of my said Canons which they held within my said Lordshippes aforesaid c. Dated the fift yeare of the reigne of king Richard the first witnesse whereof William Baiuell Stephen de Hampton Hugh Delahese Roger Azur my Sewer and many others VVAlter Hungerford high Treasurer of England to king Henry the sixt had issue Robert his sonne commonly called Earle Hungerford whose grand-childe by his sonne transported that inheritance to the Hastings Pag. 207. IN this discent of Hungerford you haue made the grand-childe to be sonne to his grandfather If you desire to know how I answere in making Robert Earle Hungerford to bee sonne to Walter Lorde Hungerford Treasorer to King Henry the sixt who was in deede his grand-childe In which doing you haue not onely bereaued the said Walter of his lawfull sonne but also Robert Earle Hungerford both of his father and mother And to manifest that there was a Robert betweene Walter which was Treasorer to king Henry the sixt and Robert called Earle Hungerford I will first here inserte the discent with the seuerall marryages beginning at the said Walter Lord Hungerford who maryed the daughter and heire of Peuerell and had issue Robert that tooke to wife Margaret the daughter and heire of William Lord Botreaux by whome he had issue the second Robert Earle Hungerford which in the life of his grandfather Walter and Robert his father marryed the daughter and heire of the Lord Mollens and in her right was summoned to
had issue Richard Earle of Clare which was slaine by the Welshmen This Richard had issue three sonnes Gilbert Earle of Clare that dyed without issue Roger Earle of Clare created Earle of Hertford by Henry the second and Robert his third sonne from whom the familie of Fitz-Walters discended Roger begat Richard Earle of Clare Hertford who marryed Amicia yongest daughter and heire of William Earle of Glocester Pag. 350. YOur historicall reportes are very changeable for in the title of Haresfield Pag. 312. you tell vs that Richard was Earle of Clare in William the Conquerors time and now here you affirme that Gilbert his sonne was the first Earle of Clare of that familie And againe in the title of Dunmowe there haue you set downe this Robert the third sonne of Earle Richard truely to be the sonne of the first Richard that came into this land with William the Conqueror but here will you haue him to be great grand-child to the same Richard Which by no meanes the now Earle of Sussex will consent vnto because thereby he shall loose two of his greattest auncestors with their wiues they being the daughters and heires of Saint-Lyce Earle of Northampton and the Lord Lucy which were both marryed the one to the said Robert and the other to Walter his sonne as more plainely doth appeare by the true discent here following Richard sonne of Gilbert Earle of Angy in Normandye was Lorde of Tunbridge and Clare in England by the gift of William the Conqueror and had issue Gilbert Earle of Clare Roger that dyed without issue 1173. and Robert who was Sewer to king Henry the first and Lord of Dunmow by the said kings gift He maryed Matilda de Sainct-Lice lady of Bradham and had issue Walter Lord and Baron of Woodham that had to wife Matilde the daughter and coheire of Richard Lucy Lord chiefe Iustice of England in Henry the seconds time Of which Walter the honorable familie of Fitz-walters tooke first their surname He dyed 1198. leauing the second Robert his sonne to succeede him who dyed in the 19. yeare of king Henry the third So that by this your mistaking you would cut off the first Robert and Walter his sonne making the second Robert to be the first that came from the maine line of the familie of Clares And for proofe hereof I wish you to examine Gemiticensis who will affirme the same to be true that I haue here said GEffery Magnauill made Walden the seate and head of his honor and Earledome Pag. 342. THe dignitie and Earledome of the Magnauills whilest they were honored with the title of Earles was Essex and not Walden Well that familie might be Lordes and owners thereof but that neuer the head of their honour and Earledome Wherefore if your Author so write hee did it rather like a nouice then an Herauld and your discretion may be suspected in that you played not rather your parte to teach him to speake more Herauld-lyke then to bring in his absurd tearmes for a testimonie amongst Earledomes and Honors THe first Earles of Essex of the Norman race was Geffrey Magnauill commonly called Mandeuill sonne of William by Margaret heire of Eudo the Sewer who was slaine in battell in king Stephens time There succeeded him two sonnes Geffrey and William from whome by a daughter that honour went to Geffrey Fitz-Pieres whose two sonnes Geffrey and William succeeded in that honor Geffrey dyed yong slayne at the Tilte William tooke parte with Lewis of Fraunce against king Iohn and dyed without issue 1227. After whome succeeded Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Constable of England who had marryed their sister Pag. 343. YOur vndiscreete wordes vsed in this place may make those noble personages deceased to be called in question for that which nature abhorreth but it were better your penne should prooue a false witnesse then so heynous a matter true Shall we surmise as you write in this page that Humfrey de Bohun sonne of Henry did marrye his owne mother Assuredly we might seeme in so dooing not onely ouer-credulous but also irreligious Yet you say here Humfrey Bohun marryed the sister and heire of William Magnauill Earle of Essex who dyed without issue 1227. Which by no meanes we may beleeue because the match were against nature if it be true that Henry Bohun marryed with that sister and heire of William Magnauill aforesaid which is so vndoubted a trueth that voluntarily it drops out of your owne penne Pag. 479. of your booke in the title of the Earles of Hereford Besides that it is most euident that the saide Henrie in the right of his wife aboue mencioned was the first Earle of Essex of that familie as appeareth by a Charter of king Henrie the thirde in the 25. yeare of his reigne concerning lands that he gaue to the Abbay of Westminster whereunto the said Henrie was a witnesse by the name of Henrie de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex and Constable of England And further to manifest that it was not Humfrey the sonne of this Henrie that married with Matilda Know you that she died 1236. in the one and twentie yeare of king Henrie the third which was during the life of the said Henry her husband and foure years before he was a witnesse to the kings Charter aforesaide AFter the death of the familie of Bigots and Vffords Richard the second aduanced Michael De-la-Poole from a Marchant to the Honour and dignitie of Earle of Suffolke and Lorde Chauncellor of England King Henrie the sixt created William his sonne first Marques and after Duke of Suffolke He was beheaded on the Seas and left issue Iohn who married the sister of king Edward the fourth Pag. 357. VVHat is it that you will not vndertake to write and publish of a meane person when you verie vniustly haue wrōged that honorable familie of De-la-Pooles reporting Michael De-la-Poole the first Earle of that name to haue beene aduaunced by Richard the second from a Merchant of Hull Pag. 549. to the dignitie of Earle of Suffolke he being a knight of the noble order of the Garter by the Satutes whereof none can bee elected vnlesse hee be borne gentle three discents both of father and mother Also it doth appeare by an inquisition taken the 9. of Edwarde the third that sir William De-la-Poole knight Banneret father of this Michael was sonne and heire of sir William De-la-Poole knight All which testimonies might haue satisfied you or any other reasonable person both to haue thought and written more reuerentlie of him But not herewith contented you after depriue him the saide Michaell both of his sonne and eldest grandchild which succeeded him in the said dignitie the one after the other by the names of Michaell the second and Michaell the thirde placing in their rowmes as immediate successor and son to the foresaid first Michaell William De-la-Poole duke of Suffolke his second grandchilde In both which points howe much you haue
succession of these Earles saying That from the first Hugh in Henry the first time succeeded in direct line from father to sonne Hugh that tooke parte against king Henry the second c. To this I answere that you were in a Labyrinth not able to finde out what issue there was betwixt the first and second Hugh And to vnfolde this your error I affirme that the first Hugh and those that you say succeeded betweene from father to sonne to that Hugh whome you name the second were all but one person for he that was Steward to king Henry the first and was after made Earle of Norffolke by king Stephen was the same person that liued in the time of king Henry the second and that tooke part with the yong king against his father Thirdly where you affirme that the last Earle Roger surrendred all his honors and almost all his inheritance vnto king Edward the second it seemeth a matter vnto me very vnlike that the said Roger dying in the life of king Edward the first could in the reigne of king Edward the second make any such surrender But here haue you done very wisely in leauing out the cause of the kings displeasure against the said Roger for therein would you haue disclosed your owne error But because I would not haue you ignorant of the same king Edward the first in the fifteenth or sixteenth yeare of his reigne required this Roger Bygot Eerle of Norffolke Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester and Humfrey de Bohun then Earle of Hereford to goe with him into France whose request these three noble persons refused whereupon at the said kings returne againe into England he forced Gilbert de Clare and Humfrey de Bohun the yonger sonne of the soresaid Humfrey to marrye with two of his daughters without either land or money and the said Roger Bygot to appease the kings indignation did make ouer vnto him most part of his landes with the office of Marshall of England And this was done by king Edward the first and not by Edward the second as you haue here set downe KIng Edward the third gaue the Earledome of Cambridge vnto Edward of Langley his fift sonne Afterwardes Richard his yonger sonne enioyed the same honor by the fauour of king Henry the fift But he being disloyall and vngratefull plotting the death of that most excellent prince was beheaded and the Earledome of Cambridge vtterly decayed with him Pag. 381. THe Earledome of Cambridge vtterly decayed not with Richard of Conesborough yonger sonne of Edmond of Langley Earle of Cambridge and Duke of Yorke who was executed in the third yeare of Henry the fift as you say but was after reuiued againe in Richard his sonne whome king Henry the sixt in the fourth yeare of his reigne created Earle of Cambridge and after Duke of Yorke Regent of Fraunce and protectour of England HVntingdon had these Earles Syward and Walthe of his sonne after whome by Maude his daughter that honor came first to Simon Sant-lize Earle of Northampton After that to Dauid brother to Alexander king of Scots for Maude was marryed to to them both and had issue by both Whereupon as the princes fauour and fortune changed sometimes the Sant-lizes and sometimes the Scots enioyed this honor vidz Henry the sonne of Dauid then Simon Sant-lize sonne to the first Simon And then Simon Sant-lize the third who dying without issue William king of Scots brother of the foresaid Malcolme succeeded whome Dauid his brother followed and had issue that succeeded him Iohn his sonne surnamed Scote that was Earle of Chester and dyed without issue leauing for his successor Alexander the second which marryed the daughter of king Henry the third who possessed this honor but a while Pag. 387 BEfore I enter to open your errors in this succession of the Earles of Huntingdon I would entreate you of this number of eleuen Earles to put out fiue of them at the least And because you shall take them right I will first nominate vnto you those which ought to stand beginning with Walthe of Earle of Northumberland vnto whome William the Conqueror gaue in mariage with Iudith his neece the Earledomes of Huntingdon Northampton This Walthe of had issue Maude who was giuen in marriage vnto Dauid brother to Alexander king of Scots which Dauid was after a witnesse to the Charter of king Henry the first touching landes and liberties that the said king gaue vnto the Cittie of London by the name of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon After the death of Dauid the foresaid Maude was marryed againe to Simon Sant-lize a Norman gentleman who had with her the Earledome of Northampton Dauid before named had issue Henry who in the life of his father was Earle of Huntingdon and dyed in the 18. yeare of king Stephen leauing issue three sonnes Malcolme William and Dauid Malcolme being king of Scottes rebelled against king Henry the second for which cause the king seised into his handes the Earledome of Huntingdon After the said Malcolmes death William his brother succeeded him in the kingdome of Scotland He likewise rebelled against his Lorde king Henry the second and being taken prisoner was caryed into Normandie Anno 1174. Where he compounded to pay for his raunsome ten thowsand markes and to release all his title and interest of the Earledomes both of Huntingdon and Northumberland After which king Henry gaue the Earledome of Huntingdon to Dauid the third sonne of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon before mentioned Which Dauid was a witnesse to the Charter of king Richard the first of landes that he gaue to the Abbey of Peterborough Anno 1189. by the name of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon He dyed in the second yeare of king Henry the third and left issue Iohn his sonne surnamed Scotte who succeeded him which dyed without issue in the 22. yeare of king Henry the third Thus haue I rightly set downe the succession of the Earles of Huntingdon vnto Iohn surnamed Scotte which vnlesse you can by good authorities disproue as I assure my selfe you cannot I hope you will not onely confesse your error but will abate in your next impression those fiue which in deede were neuer Earles of Huntingdon vidz Syward who was but Earle of Northumberland then the three Simons Sant-lizes that were Earles of Northampton onely and lastly William king of Scottes Ashbye de-la-zouch was sometimes belonging to Alane de-la-zouch Baron who bare for his armes a Shielde gules tenne bezants He by marrying the daughter of Roger Quincie Earle of Winchester greatly increased his inheritance But calling in question of lawe Iohn Earle Warrin who would haue his cause tryed by sworde and not by lawe he was by him slaine in the kings courte at Westminster Anno 1279. and within a fewe yeares after the daughters and heires of his grand-childe caryed this inheritance by marryage to the familie of Hollands who were Barons a long time whose inheritance passed to the Louels and
said Walleron But to reforme this your errour I wish you to vnderstande that the foresaid Walleron had issue Robert Earle of Millent Worcester and Lord of Ponttadomara which Robert did remaine heere in England and maried an English woman named Mauld Lady of Estrumenister Moreys and Rydlestone And by her had issue Henrie Peter Mabell and Mary the two sonnes and the youngest daughter dying without issue Mabell the eldest daughter was married to William de Vernon alias Ryduers Earle of Deuonshire and had issue Bauldwyn Earle of Deuonshire and Mary first married vnto Sir Robert Courteney by whom she had issue of whom all the Courteneys are descended After she married Peter de Prouz a noble Gentleman of Deuon to which Peter the said Robert Earle of Millent and Worcester did by his deede giue in franke marriage with the said Marie his grand-child the third part of all his Land in England and vnto Bauldwin his gran-child by his daughter Mabell all his Land in Normandie with the Mannors of Estrumenister Moreyes and Riddleston in England So that heere you are not onely found to faile in your affirmation that there was not any Earle of Worcester betweene the said Walleron in King Stephens time and Thomas Percy who had that dignitie of Richard the second But also in saying his issue returned to their auncient Patrimonie in Normandie when it is manifest that his sole heire continued here and left issue of whom are discended many of our noble Families at this present THe first Lord of Gillesland was William Meschines brother to Ranulfe Earle of Carlell Pag. 604. AS you did begin at the first so haue you in your Booke continued vnto the ende making to some Nobles vnnaturall mariages and to others vnlawfull issue In this place you haue made the sonne to be brother to his owne father by affirming William Meschines Lord of Gillesland to be brother to Ranulph Earle of Carlell And to prooue that the saide William was sonne of Ranulph Earle of Carlell and not his brother I will first for the better vnderstanding of the reader hereof set downe a briefe of the said Williams discent beginning at Hugh Lupus his vncle the first Earle of Chester whose sister Margaret was married to Ranulph Earle of Carlell and by him had issue two sonnes Ranulph the first of that name and thirde Earle of Chester and William Mischines Lord of Gilleslande and that this is true which heere I haue incerted reade this Deede following which done I trust you will not onely recant your errour but also acknowledge from whence you haue receaued the trueth hereof NOtum sit omnibus me Ran. Comit. Cestrae concessisse quando feci transferri corpus Hugonis Comitis auunculi mei a cimiterio in Capitulum c. Be it knowne vnto all mem That I Ranulph Earle of Chester haue graunted at such time as I caused the body of Hugh the Earle my vncle to be translated from the Church yard into the Chapter house That on the day of my death I should giue togither with my body to the Church of S. Werburge Vpton in pure Almes free from euery thing for the soule of the foresayd Hugh and the health of my soule and the soules of all my kinsfolkes And whereas Hugh the Earle before had graunted to the Church of S. Werburge at the feast of the translation of the same the Priuiledge of a Fayre I also do graunt and confirme the same Moreouer William Meschinus my brother hath geuen the Church of Destart Mathew of Ruelant hath giuen the Church of Thurstanestone c. An inforced Conclusion WHen as I had collected readie for the Presse so many of your defectes and errors published in your so highly commended Britannia as might well haue satisfied the worlde that I vndertooke not this worke in vaine nor yet without good cause me moouing thereunto Then was I stayed in the printing thereof by the disturbance and indirect dealing of your friendes the Stationers who heretofore haue made no small gaine of your foure former Impressions and thereby constrayned abruptly heere to make an ende suppressing a great part of my first pretended purpose yet before I doe ende I thinke it my duetie heere to put the Nobilitie in minde that your Booke now going in hand may be both seene and alowed before it goe to the Presse by such as haue both skill and authoritie so to doe I meane the Earle Marshall and not to passe as before it hath done to the preiudice of so many honourable Families And to the ende the worlde may know with whose plumes you haue heretofore fethered your nest besides the Heraults I haue hereunto annexed a New-yeeres gyft dedicated to king Henrie the eight in the. 37. yeere of his reigne by that worthy and learned Englishe Antiquarie Maister Iohn Leyland concerning his sixe yeeres trauayle and laborious Iourney for the search of Englandes Antiquities vpon the sayd Kinges commission and charges by which it may appeare vnto the indifferent Reader who was the first Author and contriuer of this late borne Britannia either he whose name is cleane razed and blotted out or you that haue both taken the tytle and whole credite thereof to your selfe Also I may not heere let passe the wordes of Maister Iohn Bale in his declarations vpon the same worke dedicated to King Edward the sixt which are these following Blessed be the man which shall set this worthy worke abrode and contrarywise Cursed be he for euer and euer that shall in spight of his Nation seeke thereof the distruction Iohn Leylands nevv yeeres Gyft giuen of him to King Henrie the. viii in the. 37. yeere of his reigne concerning his laborious Iorney and search for Englandes antiquities WHere as it pleased your Highnesse vpon very iust considerations to encorage me by the authoritie of your most gratious Commission in the XXXV yeere of your prosperous reigne to peruse and diligently to search all the Libraries of Monasteries and Colledges of this your noble Realme to the intent that the Monuments of auncient Writers as well of other Nations as of your owne Prouince might be brought out of deadly darknesse to liuely light and to receiue like thankes of their posteritie as they hoped for at such time as they employed their long and great studies to the publique wealth Yea and furthermore that the holy Scripture of God might both be sinceerely taught and learned all maner of superstition craftie coloured doctrine of a route of Romane Byshops totally expelled out of this your most catholique Realme I thinke it now no lesse then my very duetie briefly to declare to your Maiestie what fruite haue sprung of my laborious iourney and costly enterprise both rooted vpon your infinite goodnesse liberalitie qualities right highly to be esteemed in all Princes and most specially in you as naturally your owne well knowne proprieties First I haue conserued many good Authors the which otherwise had bin like
maried to Edward Lord Hastings Pag. 168. YOur fault cōmitted here is far greater then that before in the title of Bridgewater for in that you added a supposed earle that neuer was frō this discent of Hungerford you haue subtracted a Baron that was in making Robert Lord Hungerford who maried the daughter and heire of the Lord Mollins to be son of Walter lord Hungerford that was Treasorer to King Henrie the sixt and father to Thomas which was slaine at Salisburie In which you are greatly deceiued for that Robert who you say maried the daughter of Lorde Mollins was grand-childe to Walter and sonne to Robert Lord Hungerford and Margaret the daughter and heire of William Lord Botreaux By which your errour you haue not onely thrust quite out of this discent Robert the true sonne of the foresaide Walter but his wife also the heire of the Lord Botreaux to the great preiudice of the now Earle of Huntingdon who is heire generall both to the said Lord Robert and Margaret his wife And for your better satisfaction that there were two Roberts the father and sonne betwixt Walter that was Treasorer to king Henrie the sixt and Thomas that was slaine at Salisburie looke into the Parliament holden at Westminster in the 29. yeare of king Henrie the sixt and there shall you find both the said Roberts the father by the name of Robert Lord Hungerford the elder and the son by the name of Robert Lord Mollins PHilibert de Chandew a Bretaigne borne in France was by king Henry the seuenth made Earle of Bathe after whom king Henrie the eight in the 28. yeare of his reigne created Iohn Bourchier Earle of Bathe He had issue Iohn his sonne that succeeded him who had issue Iohn Lord Fitz-Warren that died in the life of his father leauing issue William nowe Earle of Bathe 1594. Pag. 171. VVHat your meaning is by so often falsifying the petigrees and discents of the Nobilitie I know not but wish there were some good order taken in time for reformation of the same least these and other like vntruths bee receiued generally for infallible verities to the disparagement of noble families as well in their fame as right of inheritance And especially would I desire your selfe being famous for learning which you acknowledge through all the prouinces of Christendom to recant such erroneous fallacies that the worlde may perceiue in your great learning a spirit of singlenesse not obstinately resting in the loue of your selfcōceited opinion but willingly subscribing to the cleare shining truth which truth hath vncharged the noble succession of honorable houses from the mist of your ignorant coniectures by the meanes of vs contemned Heraulds And now to manifest your errour committed in this succession of Earles of Bath I affirme you haue thereunto added an Earle who neuer had other father then your selfe If you demaunde his name I answere Iohn whom you make to bee sonne to Iohn the first Earle of Bathe and grandfather to William that now liueth But that you may the better amend this your rash and vnaduised writing I will set you downe the truth of this discent beginning with Iohn Bourchier Lord Fitz-Warrin whom king H. 8. on the 9. day of Iulie 1536. created Earle of Bathe He had issue Iohn Lord Fitz-Warin that died before his father at Hengraue in Suffolke 1560. leauing issue William nowe Earle of Bath to whose honourable iudgement I submit my self to say whether he had any such grandfather KIng Henrie the second and Robert the sonne of Harding who was the sonne of the king of Denmarke were founders of the Monasterie of Saint Austens by Bristow This Robert was Alderman of Bristow and so dearlie beloued of king Henrie the second that by his meanes he maried the onelie daughter and heire of the Lord Berkeley whereby the saide Roberts posteritie liuing in great honour are yet called Barons of Berkeley some of which are buried in this Church at Bristow Pag. 174. IN this title of Berkley you make Morice the sonne of Robert Fitz-Harding to be sonne to his owne wife and the said Robert to marrie his sonnes wife which vnnaturall mariages though well liked of by your selfe yet neuer knowne nor allowed of by any others And where you affirme Robert Fitz-Harding to marrie the onely daughter and heire of the Lord Berkeley therein will you faile of your proofe for Roger Lord Berkeley of Dursley whome you meane had issue a sonne of whom are discended manie liuing at this present But that you may both knowe and confesse yout fault I will set you downe againe the true discent hereof with my authoritie for the same beginning first with Harding the Dane who by the Booke of Domesday in the 20. yeare of William the Conquerour helde of Brictric in morgage the Mannor of Witenhort in the Countie of Glocester He had issue Robert Fitz-Harding who founded the Abbay of Saint Augustines and the hospitall of Saint Iohns in Bristow 1135. and maried one Eua by whom he had issue Morice Fitz-Robert who tooke to wife Alice the daughter of Roger Berkley Lord of Dursley as doth appeare by the said Rogers deede made in the sixt yeare of the reigne of King Stephen where hee giueth vnto the saide Morice Fitz-Robert in franke mariage with Alice his daughter the Mannor of Slimbridge in the Countie of Glocester And this I hope will bee sufficient to make a deuorce of this your forenamed vnlawfull and vnnaturall mariage VVAlter d'Eureux Earle of Rosmar in Normandie had great possessions giuen him by William Conquerour aboxt Salisburie which possessions he left vnto his yonger sonne Edward surnamed of Salisburie giuing to Walter his eldest sonne his other landes in Normandie with the Earledome of Rosmar whose posteritie failed within a while Edward aforesaide liued in the twentith yeare of William the Conquerour Walter his sonne builded a Monasterie at Bradenstocke wherein he became a Monke yet hee first left issue a sonne called Patrike By Sybill de Chaworth his wife which Patrike was the first Earle of Salisburie and was slaine comming out of the holie lande by Guy de Lusignan to whome succeded William his sonne which died at Paris in the time of King Richarde the first Whose onelie daughter honoured William Longa-Spatha her husbande with the title of that Earledome and with her Escucheon Azure charged with sixe Lions golde His sonne William succeeded and was in battell in the holie lande Anno. 1250. Whose sonne William lost the Earledome through displeasure of King Henrie the thirde but hee had issue one sole daughter named Margaret which being maried to Henrie Lacie Earle of Lincolne and Salisburie in her right had issue by him a daughter called Alice that was married to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Pag. 183. THe more plainlie to decipher your errours in this title of Salisburie I will first beginne with Edwarde d'Eureux whom I finde to liue in the 21. yeare of King William the Conquerour
Grentemaisnill to be Earle of Hinckley I vtterly denye the same And now comparing your speaches here with those before in the title of Earles of Leicester I finde them very variable and your selfe forgetfull to contradicte your selfe in so little a distance for in that before you make erroneously Hugh Grantemaisnill to haue had but one onely daughter and heire named Parnell that was maryed to Robert Earle of Leycester and here you acknowledge that he had a second daughter named Alice marryed to Roger By got ancester to the Earles of Norfolke By disanulling of which Alice you endanger the succession and inheritance of most of the Nobilitie of this Realme which are from her discended But vnderstand that I doe not produce this your assertion as erronious in this place but rather to confirme your opinion here as true that your owne wordes before disagreeing from this trueth may not receaue any credite when they shall be read Pag. 404. of your booke VVIlliam Conqueror gaue Pontfret vnto Hildebert Lacy a Norman who builded there a Castel He had issue Robert that succeeded him to Robert succeeded Henrie whose onelie daughter Albrede was married to Robert de Luzures vnto whom she bare one onlie daughter maried to Richard Fitz-Eustace Constable of Chester whose successors tooke vnto them the name of Lacie and were Earles of Lincolne Pag. 534. YOu haue so long vsed this trade of patching and peecing of Petegrees with vntimelie issue and vnnaturall marriages as many now well experienced doe condemne you of palpable ignorance I wish you therefore some other practise more fitting your skill and lesse preiudiciall to the common wealth for here as in many other noble families you haue confused and falsified this petigree of Lacies making Henrie Lacie Lord of Pomfret to haue issue but one only daughter and sole heire named Albrede when as hee had a sonne named Robert that succeded him and no daughter at all After you auouch that daughter Albrede to bee wife to Robert de Luzurs a man as yet vnborne and to haue issue by him a daughter and sole heire married to Richard Fitz-Eustace Constable of Chester To which I answere that the same Albrede who you say married Robert de Luzurs was the widow of Henrie Lacie and not his daughter And that daughter and sole heire you affirme to be wife to Richard Fitz-Eustace was the onelie heire of Eudo de Luzurs by Albrede the relict of Henrie Lacie and not of Robert de Luzurs And for proofe that Henrie Lacie did marrie with Albrede and had issue Robert Lacie that died 1193. as also that the said Albrede after the death of Henrie Lacie married for her second husband Eudo de Luzurs and had issue one sole daughter heire named Albrede wife to Richard Fitz-Eustace Constable of Chester I set you downe these foure deeds folowing REgi Angliae omnibus fidelibus suis tam Franc. quam Angl. salutem To the king of England and to all his true and faithfull people as well French as English greeting Know ye that I Robert de Lacie of Pomfred for the health of my soule and Henrie my sonne and of all my auncesters haue giuen to Gilbert the Ermite of Saint Iames of Notall and to his ten brethren there seruing God being of the same house and to their successors the towne of Nether Sutton with all such liberties and bondmen as Gilbert my father had of the free gift of William Duke of Normandie the yeare after the conquest of England c. Witnesses Geffrey Estoteuile the Shiriffe and Roger his brother Sir Henrie de Alder c. OMnibus ad quos praesentes peruenerint tam Franc. quà m Angl. salutem To all to whom these presents shall come aswel French as English greeting Know ye that I Robert de Lacie of Pomfret for the health of my soule and for the soule of Henrie my father and Albrede my mother and for the soules of all my auncestors and successors haue giuen and confirmed in perpetuall Almes to the Abbay of Kirkestall and to the Monkes there seruing God foure Hydes of land with a Mill in the towne of Killinghale Witnesses Henrie the Archdeacon the writer William sonne of Richard c. OMmibus ad quos praesentes peruenerint tam Franc. quam Angl. salutem To all to whom these presents shall come aswell French as English greeting Know ye that I Eudo de Luzures haue confirmed certaine landes by my deede in Euerstone with the assent of Albrede my wife and Robert Lacie her sonne to Hugh de Osmondwike and to his heires for euer for homage and seruice c. These being witnesse Matthewe Vicar of Pomfret Sir Richard de Thoresworth c. NOuerint vniuersi per praesentes quod ego Robertus de Lacy c. Knowe all men by these presents that I Robert de Lacie of Pomfret haue giuen and granted and by this my deede haue clearely confirmed to Richard Fitz-Eustace to my sister Albrede his wife to their heires for euer the towns of Hotton Newton Locton Euerston and Broitton with the half part of the towne of Riggeton c. Moreouer I doe clearely acquite the said Eustace and Albrede his wife and their heires for euer of all seruice and homage due to me and my heires for the same Witnesses Sir Richard de Lunel Constable of Pomfret Sir William de Waterton c. ALencester the free towne which king Henrie the first gaue to Robert Corbet for loue of his daughter But he the said Robert gaue the same towne to William Botreaux and Peter Fitz-Herbert his gradchildren Pag. 438. HEre are you to be commended in reforming your own errour for in the title of the Barons of Botreaux page of your Booke 229. You there haue set downe Richarde Corbet to be father to the concubine of king Henry the first And here you say that Robert Corbet was her father which is true indeede and the other false but as you haue here in this place amended one errour so haue you likewise committed an other in auouching Peter Fitz-Herbert to be the saide Robert Corbets grandchilde when as the said Robert in your sence had neither sonne graundchild nor great grandchilde which was called by the name of Peter Fitz-Herbert And therefore I maruaile from whence you haue these fabulous fragments BArons Burnell were an ancient familie here vntill that in King Edward the seconds time the onely daughter and heire of that house maried first with Iohn Louell after with Iohn Handlo whose sonne Hâ—gh tooke to him the surname of Burnell from whom the Radcliffes Earles of Sussex are descended Pag. 456. TO this may I answere as to manie others That you write you knowe not what otherwise you would not here so vntruly haue affirmed Hugh Handlo to be sonne of Iohn Handlo and Maude Burnell his wife they neuer hauing any such sonne nor you any other proofe then your owne imagination for the same And for