Earle of Kent dyed without issue as you here report hee did then doth the now Lord de La-ware wrong to quarter the said Huberts Coate of Armes pretending thereby to bee his heire But whether the said honourable person doth wrong therein or you wrong him in so saying Let vs examine this matter a little better First it doth appeare in a summons of the Nobilitie of this realme for the leuying of an army against Llewellin Prince of Wales in the fift yeare of king Edward the first that Iohn de Burgo Baron of Lammale grandchilde to Hubert by his sonne Iohn was by the name of Iohn sonne of Iohn de Burgo called thereunto Also by an inquisition taken after the death of the said Iohn in the same kings reign it was found that Deruergulda the wife of of Robert Fitz-Walter Lord of Woodham and Hawise the wife of Robert Greylie of Manchester were the daughters and heires of the said Iohn de Burgo and that the foresaide Hawise did holde of the inheritance of Hubert de Burgo her great grandfather the Mannor of Werkerley in Northamptonshire and the Mannor of Portland in Essex Which discent being thus farre prooued to Greyley I doubt not but you will confesse that Ioan the onelie daughter of the saide Robert Lord Greyley was married to Iohn Lord de La-ware Which done I hope you will yeeld your selfe to haue erred herein and acknowledge the said noble person now to be right heire and that the said Hubert died not without issue as you very daungerously haue affirmed he did HErbert married the sister of William Earle of Hereford and in her right was Lord of Deane from whom is discended the noble familie of the Herberts From hence also if we shall credite the heraulds and Escucheons of Armes Anthonie Fitz-Herbert that great lawier and Lord chiefe iustice of England tooke his originall But I thinke he rather descended from the worshipfull familie of the Fitz-Herberts in Derbishire Pag. 267. YOur often and suspitious obiections whereby you call in question the credit of her Maiesties Heraulds as though you iudged them scarce worthy to be belieued doth proceed as I suppose from a malignant humour in you rather then from any grounds or sufficient reasons that might moue you thereto But I trust those of discretion will sooner giue credit vnto them in matters that they shall auerre by good warrantise and authoritie then to you who ground your contradicting arguments vpon heare sayes and opiniatiue imaginations And where you charge the Heraulds to haue made Anthonie Fitz-Herbert that was Lorde chiefe Iustice of England to bee discended from that familie of Herberts which married the sister of William Earle of Hereford I say they haue done therein like honest and learned Officers of Armes and those that haue or shall deriue the saide Anthonie or anie of that familie of Fitz-Herberts from anie other originall then that aforesaid they haue and shall erre from the trueth IN the time of king Edward the first the barons of Winterborne were the Bradstones from whom by the Ingeldesthorpes and Neuils the Viscount Montacute and the Baron of Wentworth are discended Pag. 271. YOur Barons of Winterborne must be turned out of the plurall into the singular number and where you make them Barons in the reigne of king Edward the first therein are you much deceaued for Thomas Bradston the first and last Baron of that surname began his dignitie at a Parlement holden at Westminster in the 21. yeare of king Edward the third and dyed aboute the 34. yeare of the said kings reigne leauing issue a daughter and heire marryed to Poole who had issue a daughter and heire marryed to Ingeldesthorpe which likewise had a daughter and heire marryed to Neuill Marquis Montacute who hauing diuers daughters his heires one of them was marryed to Browne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an other to Stoner of whome the Lord Wentworth is discended So that hereby it may appeare that the Vicount Montacute and the Lord Wentworth are discended from Bradston by these foresaid three seuerall families whereof you haue left out Poole the first of them without which the other cannot discend from Bradstone And thus haue you through ignorance obscured and made vnperfect this honorable discent to the preiudice of many worthie families discended of the same SVdley was lately the seate of Giles Baron Chandos whose father Edmond Bruges was created Baron Chandos by Queene Elizabeth because he was discended from the auncient familie of the Chandos out of which familie issued Iohn Chandos Baron de Santo-Saluatore that famous warriour Pag. 272. YOu thinke by your perswasions to make men beleeue you haue seene that which God knoweth you were neuer neare by many a mile otherwise I take it you would not doe as heere you haue done making Edmond Bruges father of the now Lord Chandos to be the first Baron of his surname and that hee was created into that dignitie by Queene Elizabeth Because say you he was discended of the auncient familie of Chandos So that here is both a cause lay de downe a time for a colour and shadowe to this your vntrue imaginatiō to the no small preiudice of that honorable house But to manifest these your delusions and to restore againe this honorable person to his right knowe you for certaintie that Iohn Bruges the grandfather of the now Lord Chandos was the first Baron and not Edmond his father as you very vniustly haue written And for proofe here of I affirme that the said Iohn was created Baron Chandos by Queene Mary at her manner of Saint Iames the eight day of Aprill in the first yeare of her reigne 1553. as by his letters patents bearing date the same day and yeare aboue said it may appeare Which being true I would now gladly knowe heere of you how you can make good that Edmond Bruges was the first Baron and had his creation by Queene Elizabeth OVr Heralds haue thrust vpon vs William Fitz-Eustace to be the first Earle of Glocester But I suppose there was neuer any such borne I haue read in the historie of Teukesbury that aboute the time of the Conquest Bithricke a Saxon was Lorde of Glocester who was much hated of Maude the Conquerors wife because he before that despised to take her to his wife In reuenge of which disgrace she caused him to be imprisoned and dispossessed of all his honors and landes Whose titles and possessions were after giuen to Robert Fitz-Hamon the son of Hamon of Corbule whose onely daughter and heire named Sibill was marryed to Robert Fitz-Roy base sonne to king Henry the first Who was made the first Earle of Glocester commonly called the Consull of Glocester This Robert had issue William who had issue three daughters which caryed this honour by marriage vnto three families Isabell the eldest marrying with Iohn sonne to K. Henry the second honored him with that title who being after king made Almericke de
erred to the great preiudice of the honourable Lord viscount Monta-cute the Lord Cobham and the Baron Wentworth with manie other now liuing descended of the same honourable familie the true discent here following will explaine Michael De-la-Poole Lord Wingfield Earle of Suffolke and knight of the noble order of the Garter sonne and heire of Sir William De-la-Poole knight Banneret and of Katherine his wife sister of sir Iohn Norwich knight had issue Michaell De-la-Poole the second Earle of Suffolke who died at Haresflew 1415. leauing issue two sonnes Michaell De-la-Poole Earle of Suffolk that died at the battell of Agincourt in the 3. yeare of Henry the fift without issue William De-la-Poole Marques and afterward Duke of Suffolke who was beheaded on the seas 26. of king Henrie the sixt whom you make sonne to his grandfather Michaell the first of that name And for the better satisfying of the world that this Michaell De-la-Poole the first Earle of Suffolke of that familie was not basely descended nor a marchant of Hull as you and others after you haue written I haue hereto added a deede of the said Michaels before he was Earle which doth proue his father mother brother sister and children MIchael De-la-poole dominus Wingfield c. I Michael De-la-Poole Lord Wingfield doe confirme certaine landes to the religious house of Saintcleare neare vnto Kingstone vpon Hull the which lands were before giuen by sir William De-la-Pole knight my father to pray for the good estate of king Richard and for Michaell De-la-poole Iohn Thomas William Richard and Margaret my children and for sir Edmond De-la-Poole knight my Brother and Margaret Neuill my sister and for the soules of sir William De-la-Poole my father and Katherin my mother c. Witnesses Alexander Archbishop of York Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland Thomas Sutton Robert de Hilton and Walter Fawconbridge knights with manie others Dated at Hull the first of March the seuenth yeare of the reigne of King Richard the second HEngham the Barons thereof were called the Barons of Rhia who discended from Iohn Marshall nephew of William Marshall Earle of Penbroke by his brother to whome King Iohn gaue the lands of Hugh Gurney a traitor togither with the daughter and coheire of Hubert de Rhia From the Marshals the same came to the Morleys and from them by the Louels to Parker now Lord Morley Pag. 360. NOw comming to speake of the Barons of Rhia let mee by your patience put you in minde of a late conference had before the now right honourable Earle marshall of England concerning the true coates of the two families of Bygot Earle of Norfolke and Marshall Earle of Penbroke Master Garter hauing before that time set downe and quartered in diuerse noble personages atchieuements for Marshals coate quarterly gold and vert a Lion passant Gules a coate latelie deuised and for Bygots coate perpale golde and vert a Lion rampant Gules neither of them both being in truth their right coates My selfe being commaunded to say what I knew touching these matters shewed for Marshals coate one faire deed with a seale of Armes thereto of Iohn Marshall father of William Marshall Earle of Penbroke and Anselme that was father to Iohn Marshall Baron of Rhia on which seale was written Iohn Marshall and in his shield or escucheon a bend fuzulie Also I shewed a transcript of an other deed of the said Iohn in which was written Iohn sonne of Iohn the Kinges Marshall with the same Armes of a bend fuzulie testified vnder the hand of an Officer of armes long before that time deceased Lastly I shewed an old roll of Armes wrought in colorus in Henrie the thirds time wherein was the same coate viz. Gules a bende fuzulie golde and ouer the heade thereof written the name of Marshall All which proofes notwithstanding your selfe being there then present verie stedfastlie denied the same to bee the coate of Marshall Earle of Penbroke affirming that bend fuzulie to be the peculiar coate of Marshall Baron of Rhia who was as you then said of no consanguinitie to Marshall Earle of Penbroke For further maintaining of which your speach you then shewed two newe petegrees lately contriued and made by your consent declaring the saide two Marshals to bee seuerall families and not one Since which time perusing well your Britannia fol. 360 I finde the same there auouched by yourselfe for truth which at that time you so confidently denied before the said Earle Marshall viz. That Iohn Marshall Baron of Rhia was nephew to William Marshall Earle of Penbroke by his brother which is quite contrarie to your speeches before vsed By this your information of these Marshals to be seuerall families without which you had no colour to maintaine your errour for that the Barons of Rhia alwayes vsed for their coate of Armes the said bend fuzulie the right coate of Marshall is like now to bee neglected and the Lion in the parted field vsed in stead thereof the same being the peculiar coate borne by Marshall and Bygot when they were Marshals of Englnd and not belonging to anie one priuate name as by many other good proofes it may appeare And because I would not haue any heareafter to stand doubtfull which of vs both are to be beleeued touching these two Marshals to bee discended of one parent I will here set downe the record that doth warrant the same Which being proued I trust you will shew vs some reason why the yonger brother did beare the bend fuzulie if not discended to him from his father That done I will then shew you proofe howe and when both the elder Marshall and Bygot did beare the Lion on the parted field which you missed to find in Master Somersets Notes and Master Leylands twelue bookes lent you by master Iohn Stow in whose custodie I haue seene diuerse of them being most excellent and rare works touching the description of this Countrey written not vpon here-say and reportes but vpon his eye-sight and long trauell from towne to towne and place to place vpon the Kings charge and Commission which Bookes I wish might bee published in the right Authours name EX Rotulo cartarum de Anno quinto Regis Iohannis Iohannes Mariscallus nepos Guilielmi Marescalli comitis Penbroc Habet terras in Norfolke Suffolke quae fuerunt Hugonis de Gornaco proditoris regis terram quae fuit Hugonis de Angee in Norfolke Kantelee Castre c. Testibus I. Norwich Episcopo Gulielmo Marescallo Comit. Penbroc Galfrid filio Petri Comit. Essex Roberto filio Rogeri Hugone de Neuill Dat. apud Merleberge 16. Ianuarii KIng Stephen gaue Norwich to his sonne William from whom king Henrie the second tooke it againe and kept it himself although that Henrie his sonne called the yong King had when hee had aspired vnto the crowne with great protestation promised the same vnto Hugh Bygot whom he had drawne vnto his faction Bygot notwithstanding following the yong kings side who
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
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
mooue you to the sight of it And because that it may be more permanent and farther knowne then to haue it engraued in Siluer or Brasse I entende by the leaue of God within the space of xij moneths folowing such a description to make of your Realme in writing that it shall be no masterie after for the Grauer or Painter to make the like by a perfect example Yea and to wade further in this matter where as now almost no man can well gesse at the shaddow of the auncient names of Hauens Riuers Promontories Hilles Woodes Cities Townes Castles and varietie of kindes of people that Cesar Liui Strabo Diodorus Fabius Pictor Pomponius Mela Plinius Cornelius Tacitus Ptolomeus Sextus Rufus Ammianus Marcellinus Solinus Antoninus and diuers other make mention of I trust so to open this window that the light shal be seene so long that is to say by the space of a whole thousand yeeres stopped vp and the old glory of your renowned Britaine to reflorish through the worlde This done I haue matter at plentie alreadie prepared to this purpose that is to say to write an Historie to the which I intende to adscribe this title De Antiquitate Britannica or els Ciuilis historia And this worke I intende to deuide into so many Bookes as there be Shires in England and Shires and great dominions in Wales So that I esteeme that this Volume will include a fiftie Bookes whereof each one seuerally shall containe the beginninges encreases and memorable actes of the chiefe Townes and Castles of the Prouince allotted to it Then I intende to distribute into sixe Bookes such matter as I haue already collected concerning the Isles adiacent to your noble Realme and vnder your subiection Whereof three shall be of these Isles Uecta Mona and Menauia sometime Kingdomes And to superadde a worke as an ornament and a right comely garlande to the enterprises aforesayd I haue selected stuffe to be destributed into three Bookes the which I purpose thus to entitle De nobilitate Britannica Whereof the first shall declare the names of Kinges and Queenes with their chyldren Dukes Earles Lordes Captaines and Rulers in this Realme to the comming of the Saxons and their conquest The seconde shal be of the Saxons and Danes to the victorie of King William the great The thirde from the Normannes to the reigne of your most noble Grace descending lyneally of the Brytaine Saxon and Norman kinges So that all Noble men shall cleerely perceiue their lyniall parentell Now if it shall be the pleasure of Almightie God that I may lyue to performe these thinges that be alreadie begun and in a great forwardnesse I trust that this your Realme shall so well be knowne once paynted with his natiue colours that the renowne thereof shall giue place to the glory of no other Region And my great labours and costes proceeding from the most abundant fountaine of your infinite goodnesse towardes me your poore Scholar and most humble Seruant shall be euidently seene to haue not onely pleased but also profited the studious gentile and equall Reeders This is the briefe declaration of my laborious iourney taken by motion of your Highnesse so much studying at all houres about the fruitefull preferment of good letters and auncient vertues Christ continue your most royall estate and the prosperitie with succession in kingly dignitie of your deere and worthyly beloued Sonne Prince Edward graunting you a number of princely Sonnes by the most gracious benigne and modest Lady your Queene Catherine Ioannes Leylandus Antiquarius Leylands supposed Ghost AM I deceau'd or doth not Leylands ghost Complayne of wrong sustayned after death As Virgils Polidore accusd his host The Thracian King for cruel breach of fayth And treasurs gaynd by stoppinge of his breath Ah greedie Gardian that t'inioye his goods Didst plundge thy princelie Ward into the floods Am I deceau'd or doth not Leylands spirit Complaine with ghostes of English Notaries Whom Polidor Virgil robd of merit Bereft of name and sackt of Histories While wretch he rauisht English Libraries Ah wicked Booke-theefe whosoeuer did it Should one burne all to get one single credit Am I decau'd or doth not Leylands spirit Make hue and crye for some Booke-treasure stelth Riffling his workes and razing name and merit Whereby are smothered a prince-giuen wealth A learned wryters trauayle witts and health All these he spent to doe his cuntrie pleasure Oh saue his name the world may know this treasure I am deceau'd for Leylands ghost doth rest From plaints and cryes with soules of blessed men But Heauen and humane Lawes cannot disgest That such rare fruicts of his laboriouse penn Came to be drownd in such a thankles Denn And therefore heauen and all humanitie doth sue That Leyland dead may haue his titles due Tutburie Chartley. Reignald earle of Cornewall Earles of Wiltshire Totnes Torbay Haccombe Exceter Wiscombe Earles of Deuon Stoke-Curcy Bridgewater Hungerford Earles of Bathe Lo. Berkley Earles of Salisburie Earles of Winchester Lanheron Wallingford Hungerford Widehay Barons of Windsore Earles of Surrey Thomas Beauford Barons Botreaux Pemsey castle Earles of Sussex Tunbridge Leeds castle Folkestone Earles of Kent Fitz-Herbert Barons of Wintenborne Barons de Chandos Earles of Glocester Earles of Hertford Haresfield Dunmow Earles of Clare Walden Earles of Essex Earles of Suffolke I. Hayward saith M. De-la-poole was a marchants son of London Hengham Norwich Wormegay Earles of Norfolke Earles of Cambridge Earles of Huntingdon Ashbye de-la-zouch Earles of Warwicke Earles of Leicester Hinckley Pontfret Alencester Barons Burnell Harewood Castell Barons of Fokingham Earles of Lyncolne Lordes of Couentrie Lordes of the Isle of Wight Skelton Castell Danby The Barons of Burford Earles of Worcester Lordes of Gillesland Studium antiquitatis in principe Cura religionis in principe Exemplaria veterum authorum conseruata Auctae Bibliothecae palatinae Stylus agrestis veterum scriptorum Exemplaria praelis cōmissa Antiphilarchia repellens ambitiosum Ro. Epi. Imperiu Albertus Pighius Affectus autoris erga patriā Libri quatuor de viris illustribus siue de scriptoribus Britannicis Principes eruditi Ingenia scriptorum Britannicorum omni genere eruditionis exercitata Ingens numerus scriptorum rerum Britannicarum Perogralio laboriosa totius Britanniae primae Descriptio totius Britanniae primae in quadrata argenti tabula Liber de Topographia Britanniae primae Restituta vētera locorum in Britannia nomina De Antiquitate Britannica siue de Ciuili historia libri quinquaginta Libri sex de insulis Britanniae adiacentibus De nobilitate Britannica libri tres Conclusio a delectabili vtili Iohn Bale Blessed be that man which shall set this worthy worke abrode And cōtrariwise Cursed be he for euer and euer that shall in spite of his nation seeke thereof the destruction
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
to discend to Thomas Bullen in right of his mother that doe I also denye and for proofe thereof say that the said Iames being both the first and last Earle of Wiltshire of that surname did by his attainture forfaite the same to king Edward the fourth by reason whereof the said honor reuerted to the crowne and there remained vntill king Henry the eight of his meere grace and great fauour did bestowe the same vpon Sir Thomas Bullen grandfather to our most gracious soueraigne lady Queene Elizabeth And thus was Sir Thomas Bullen aduaunced to this dignitie and not as in any right discended to him from Iames Butler Earle of Wiltshire from whome he did not discend TOtnes the auncient possessions of Iudeall surnamed de Totnes afterwardes it came to William Briwer a Noble man by one of whose daughters it came to the Bruses and from them by a daughter to George Cantelup Lord of Abergeuenny whose daughter did cary the same by maryage to the Barons Zouches in which name it remained vntill Iohn Baron Zouch was banished for taking parte with Richard the Tyrant Pag. 135. TO that part where you affirme George Lord Cantelup of Abergaueny to haue issue a daughter and heire maryed vnto the Baron Zouch I answere that the said George had no daughter at all but dyed without issue as by his office taken after his death in the first yeare of king Edward the first it doth plainely appeare and therefore haue you greatly erred in making him to haue issue a daughter IN the time of king Richard the second Torbay was the seate of the Briwers who were in those dayes men of great account Pag. 136. IT seemeth vnto me very strange that you will affirme Torbay to be the Seate and habitation of the honorable familie of Briwers in the time of king Richard the second when as you are not able to proue any of that surname to liue in almost an hundreth and fiftie yeares before for William Briwer the last of that progeny dyed without issue in the beginning of the raigne of king Iohn leauing his fiue sisters his heires of whome are discended many of our Nobilitie now liuing HAccombe was in times past the Mansion of Iurdan Fitz-Stephens a famous knight His daughter and heire Cecilie did marrye into the familie of the Archdeacons from whome in processe of time that possession came by Hugh Courtney vnto the Carewes For Iane the sole daughter and heire of Peter Courtney was maried to Nicholas Baron Carew and had issue diuers sonnes Pag. 136. HAccombe was neuer the Mansion or possession of Fitz-Stephens but alwayes the seate and inheritance of the familie of Haccombs and did continewe in that surname vntill their heire generall was maryed to Archdeacon And for proofe that these were two seuerall families Haccombes bare for their Armes argent three Bends sables Fitz-Stephens was an other familie alwayes seated at Norton in the countie of Deuon and neuer at Haccombe and did beare for their Armes gules an Eagle displayed golde But because I see you are at a stand I will heere helpe you with an excuse giuing you to vnderstand that about the reigne of king Edward the second there was one Stephen de Haccombe who dwelling at Haccombe had a sonne named Waren which happily might be called Waren filius Stephani de Haccombe And so I thinke that worshipfull familie of Carewes will confesse to whose iudgement I referre my selfe in this point and you to be corrected as also to say whither Nicholas Baron Carewe did euer marye with Iane the daughter and sole heyre of Peter Courtney Which Peter by my bookes as yet had neuer other father then your selfe EXceter had three Dukes vidz Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon made Duke of Exceter by king Richard the secōd his halfe brother by the mother he was dispossessed of that honour by king Henry the fourth and Thomas Beauford of the house of Lancaster set in his place Yet afterwardes Iohn Holland sonne of the said Iohn recouered his fathers honour which he left to his sonne Henry who had issue one onely daughter maryed to the familie of Neuils Pag. 139. IN this place haue you committed a dangerous error to the hazard of disinheriting many honorable families by publishing in print that Henry Holland duke of Exceter had issue one sole daughter and heire maryed to the familie of Neuills when as it is manifest that after his depriuation by Act of Parliament the first of Edw. the fourth he was found drowned in the sea the 12. yeare of the said kings reigne without any issue and therefore no such daughter of his could be maryed to Neuil as you affirme And that you may the better knowe the said Henry Holland as also his coate of armes I wish you to see his tumbe where he lyeth buryed in the South-side of Saint Peters Church at Westminster which you haue heretofore auouched to be the tumbe of Iohn of Eltham Earle of Cornewall But if you will take good viewe thereof you shall finde him that lyeth thereon to weare on his head a Dukes crowne no fit ornament for Iohn of Eltham being but an Earle and to beare in his shielde the armes of England within a border of Fraunce The which shielde and armes to be the said Henry Hollands it doth appeare by diuers his deedes yet extant with their seales affixed to the same VVIscombe appertained to William Baron Bonuill who in right of his wife did augment his inheritance with the barony of Harington and left behinde him one sole daughter named Cecilie who by her maryage transported both those titles with their possessions vnto the Greys Marquis Dorcet Pag. 140. HEre you make William Lord Bonuile that maryed the daughter and heire of the Lord Harington to dye without issue male leauing one sole daughter maryed to Graye Marquis Dorcet when as in trueth the said William had issue a sonne that succeeded him in his dignitie and no daughter at all And if you would knowe his name I answere William who caryed both the title of Lord Bonuile and Harington and had to wife Katherine daughter to Richard Neuill Earle of Salisburie by whome he had issue Cecilie his daughter and sole heire maryed to Thomas Gray Marquis Dorcet Which Cecilie you would haue to be sister to her father and daughter to her grandfather by which mistaking the father for the sonne and the sonne for the father you haue obscured and made vnperfect this discent of the Lord Bonuills of whome many honorable families at this day are discended BAldwin Riuers was by king Henry the first made Lorde of Twifferton and Plymton and after Earle of Deuonshire He had issue Richard that succeeded him who had issue Baldwin and Richard both Earles successiuely which dying without issue that honor came to their fathers brother called William of Uernon This William had issue Baldwin who dyed before his father leauing issue by Margaret daughter
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
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
approbation hereof it appeareth by diuerse offices in the time of king Edward the third that Iohn Handlo in right of Maude Burnell his wife was seased of the Mannors of Holgat and Acton Burnell for terme of his life the Remainder to Nicholas Handlo alias Burnell sonne and heire of the said Iohn by Maude his wife And therefore no such Hugh as you auouch to be sonne of Iohn Handlo but had you said that Hugh had bene grand-childe of Iohn and sonne of Nicholas then had you in this point saued your owne credit and me a labour HArewood Castell came from the Curcyes to Waryn Ftz-Gerald whose daughter Margaret was married first to Bauldwyn Riuers sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire who dyed before his father and after she married Foulke de Brent from her it came by inheritaunce to G. Lisley whose successors were called Lordes of the Isle Rougemont and Harewood But male issue fayling the sister of the last Robert transported this inheritaunce by mariage to William de Alborough by whose onely daughter it came to the Rythers which now holdeth the same Pag. 535. YOur errors committed in this Title of Harewood Castell are worthie some censure For first you say that Harewood Castell came from the Curcyes to Waryn Fitz-Gerald and that his daughter Margaret caryed the same by marriage to Bauldwyn Ryuers Wherein you are greatlie deceaued For Waryn Fitz-Gerald which first possessed Harewood Castell by marrying the sister heire of Curcy had issue a sonne and no daughter which sonne had issue an other sonne and two daughters and so your discent verie vntrue in that poynt Secondly you affirme that after the death of the said Margaret Harewood Castell did discend by inheritance to G. Lisley To that I answere Had you knowne the trueth of this discent you would haue set downe both the time and how the said G. Lisley was the said Margarets heire whether by lineall or collaterall discent but that being a matter too intricate for you to performe in steede thereof you were forced to leaue for his name a bare letter G. and his right of inheritance for the readers of your Booke to finde in nubibus And although for some speciall cause I do forbeare heere to lay open this honorable progenie of Lisles yet by the way will I tell you that there was neuer anie one of that familie whose name began with a G. that possessed Harewood as an inheritance discended to him from the foresaid Margaret nor that wanting heires male his issue carried the same by marriage to the familie of Aldborough as you verie vndiscreetly haue heere set downe for all those Lysleys that were owners of Harewood were called by the name of Iohn Thirdly that the sister and heire of Robert Lysley transported this inheritance by marriage to William de Aldborough I vtterly deny the same and for proofe say that Elizabeth the wife of Sir William Aldborough was sister and heire of Iohn Lisley in the time of king Edward the thirde and not of Robert And lastly whereas without any probabilitie you affirme that the foresaid Sir William Alborough had issue by his wife one onely daughter and heire married to Sir William Ryther I answere that in saying he had but one onelie daughter you wrong diuers Worshipfull families now liuing that are discended of Elizabeth an other daughter and coheire of the said Sir William Aldborough and his wife who was first married to Sir Bryan Stapleton and after to Sir Richard Redman as by an inquisition taken after the death of the said Sir William Aldborough and Elizabeth his wife in the. 12. yeere of king Richard the second it doth appeare FOkingham now the habitation of the Clyntons in auncient time the Barony of Gauntes who discended from Gilbert of Gaunt grand-child to Bauldwyn Earle of Flaunders to whom many goodly Reuenewes fell by the bountie of William the Conquerour His sonne Walter of Gaunt begate Gilbert created by king Stephen Earle of Lincolne and Robert of Gaunt but the Earle left one onely daughter maried to Symon the third Earle of Northhampton who dyed without issue to whom her vncle Robert succeeded in the Baronie and was father to Gilbert de Gaunt to whom Lewis the Frenchman called in by the Barons against king Iohn graunted the tytle of Earle of Lyncolne whose sonne the thirde Gilbert begate the fourth Gilbert and Margaret wife to William Kyrdeston which fourth Gilbert hauing no children made E. 1. his heire and king E. 2. gaue this Barony to Henrie de Bellement or Beaumonte Pag. 412. FIrst in your assertion that Gilbert the Earle sonne and heire to Walter de Gaunt had but one onely daughter It is manifestly to be prooued that he had two sonnes and a daughter both which sonnes had issue Secondly I say that neither the daughter of Gilbert came to the inheritance nor any such vncle Robert succeeded her in that dignitie the right thereof euer remayning in her brothers who with their issue succeeded in the dignitie Thirdly that the foresaid Robert was not father to the third Gilbert as you report whom Lewis the Frenchman made Earle of Lincolne but great vncle if any such Robert were euer at all and the better to manifest the same I haue heere set you downe the rrueth of this discent as ensueth WAlter de Gaunt sonne of Gilbert de Gaunt that founded the House of Gauntes in the citie of Bristow in William Conquerours time had issue Gilbert made Eare of Lincolne by king Stephen Walter Henrie Bawldwyn Gonora and Agnes The said Earle Gilbert maried Hawise daughter of the first William Romare Earle of Lincolne and had issue Gilbert the second Earle of Lincolne disinherited by Henrie the second Bawldwyn Lord of Borne and Alice wife to Simon Sanctolice Earle of Northampton Gilbert the seconde had issue the thirde Gilbert whom Lewis the Frenchman made Earle of Lincolne and that died sanz issue in Henrie the thirdes time Bawldwyn second sonne of the first Earle Gilbert was by the gift of his father Lord of Borne and Deeping he founded the Abbay of Borne 1140. in the honour of Henrie the second his Maister and died the 4. of May. 1156. leauing Emme his onely daughter and heire maried to Hugh Lord Wake of Lydell of whom the noble families of Wakes descended And now to returne againe to Walter de Gaunt Lord of Folkingham seconde sonne to the first Walter whom you name Robert he had issue Gilbert de Gaunt father to the second Gilbert whose sonne Gilbert the third was the first Baron of Folkingham and was by that name in a Parliament holden at Worcester 49. of Henrie the thirde This Gilbert had great liuinges geuen vnto him by Gilbert the last Earle of Lincolne his kinsman He died leauing issue Gilbert de Gaunt his sonne who was Baron of Folkingham 24. E. 1. Nichola wife to Peter Malolakue and Margaret wife to William Kyrdeston Thus by my long and laborious iourney in the ende
I haue brought these honorable Families descended of the Lord Wake to their right and auncient Auncestor Gilbert de Gaunt the first Earle of Lincolne whom you would haue obscured by making him to die without heires male he hauing issue two sonnes as before in this place I haue mentioned THis Countie of Lyncolne boasteth of her Earles after Egga and Morcar Saxous William de Romara a Norman borne of Luce sister of Morcar and Roger Fitz-Gerald de Romara to whom being dead for neither his sonne vvho died before his father nor his grand-childe vsed this tytle Stephen substituted Gilbert de Gand vvhose daughter and heire Symon S. Lice married and succeeded in this honour but he being dead Ranulph Earle of Chester William de Romara his brother by the mother for Luce had novv the third time married Ranulph the second of Chester obtained this inheritance and honour of king Henrie the third Pag. 420. FIrst where you affirme Symon de Sanctolice to haue been Earle of Lincolne in right of Alice his vvife daughter of Gilbert de Gaunt Earle of Lincolne I denie that there was euer any of the Sanctolices Earles of Lincolne as by their seuerall deedes extant is to be prooued wherein they write themselues onely Earles of Northampton and not of Lincolne Secondly you say that Ranulph of Chester the second maried Lucy the mother of William Romara Earle of Lincolne and begot on her Ranulph who succeeded his father in the Earledome of Chester and obtayned of Henrie the third the Earldome of Lincolne In which saying you haue brought your selfe into a laborinth of errours for if you meane by second the second Earle of Chester his name was Richard and not Ranulph If by that word second you meane the second of that name the second Ranulph maried not Lucy but Alice the daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester and had issue by her Hugh Againe if you confesse that you mistooke the thirde Earle for the second and so meant Ranulph the first to haue been the same that married Lucy Mother to William Romara and begot on her the second Ranulph whom king Henrie the third made Earle of Lincolne that is impossible to be true that the second Ranulph should be made Earle of Lincolne by king Henrie the third he being dead almost an hundred yeeres before the said king came vnto the Crowne But to helpe you out of this perplexitie and that your selfe and others may be warned for falling into the like errour hereafter I will set you downe what I finde by Recorde and Euidences touching the same which is that Ranulph the first of that name and thirde Earle of Chester had issue the second Ranulph fourth Earle of Chester halfe brother to William de Romara who married Alice daughter to Robert Earle of Glocester otherwise called the Consull and had issue Hugh the fift Earle of Chester father of Ranulph the sixt and last Earle of Chester of that familie vnto whom Henrie the thirde gaue the Earledome of Lincolne And for proofe that it was this last Ranulph to whom king Henrie the thirde gaue the Earledome of Lincolne and not Ranulph his grand-father who you say was brother to William Romara peruse these two Deedes following HVgo Comes Cestriae omnibus Baronibus suis et ministris c. Hugh Earle of Chester vnto all his Barons Ministers and people aswell French as English and to all the faythfull of the holy Church aswell Cleargie as Laytie and aswell these that are present as they that shall come hereafter greeting Know ye that I haue geuen and confirmed by this my present Writing vnto the Church of S. Augustine of Grimesby and to the Chanons there seruing God all those Almes which Ranulph Earle of Chester my father did giue and confirme vnto them by his Writing c. Witnesses Richarde sonne of the Earle Ranulph de Vir Hachet de Ridefort c. RAnulphus Comes Cestriae et Lincolinae omnibus Christi fidelibus c. Ranulph Earle of Chester and Lincolne vnto all the faythfull people of Christ vnto whom this present writing shall come sendeth health in the Lord. Be it knowne vnto you that I haue graunted and by my present writing confirmed to God and the Church of S. Augustine of Grimesby and to the Canons there seruing God for the health of my soule and of my father and mother c. The fourth part of that Mannor which Hugh de S. Paule helde of Ranulph my grand-father c. which Ranulph Earle of Chester my grand-father gaue vnto them and which Hugh my father confirmed according as their writing witnesseth which the Canons then had and seauen Roddes of Land c. euen as the writing of Gilbert of Turfs and the confirmation of William Romare which they then had doe shew Wherefore I will and straightly commaund that the foresaid Canons may freely and quietly possesse the same c. Witnesses Iohn the Earle my Nephew William of Cantelup Fulco Fitz-Warin Baldwyn de Ver Henrie de Ferraris THe first Lord of Couentrie was Leofrike from whom by Luce his Neece daughter of Algar his sonne it passed to the Earles of Chester for she married the first Ranulph of Chester c. Pag. 434. FRom Lincolne to Couentrie is a long and wearisome Iourney especially when the traueller is ignorant of the way and wanteth a guide as heere it seemeth you did when you past from the one to the other and setting downe the successions of the Earles of Lincolne and Lords of Couentrie where in the first you haue made Luce daughter of Algar the Saxon to be wife to Ranulph the second Earle of Chester and after in the other not farre distant to be wife to Ranulph the first Earle of Chester the one being the father and the other his sonne But how lawfull a thing it is for the father to marrie his sonnes wife or the sonne his owne mother as your wordes in these two places import I referre my selfe to the iudgement of the indifferent readers COncerning the Lordes of the Isle of Wight After that William Fitz Osberne was slaine in the warres in Flaunders and his sonne Roger banished this Lordship came into the Kinges handes and king Henrie the first gaue this Island vnto Richarde Riduers Earle of Deuonshire with the fee of the mannor of Christ-church where the sayd Richard buylded a Castell as he likewise did at Caresbroke But his sonne Bauldwyn was driuen thence in the troublesome times of king Stephen when there were so many Kinges or Tyrants in England as there were Lordes or keepers of Castles of the which euery one challenged the priuiledge of Coyning money and other rightes and royalties of the Crowne yet his successors did after enioy the same againe At length Isabell wydow of William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes the sister and heire of Bauldwyn the last Earle of Deuonshire of that familie with much entreatie passed ouer all her right by
her deede to King E. 1. Pag. 710. THis is quite Camme from your wordes before in the tytle of Earles of Deuon Pag. 144. for there you affirme Bauldwyn Ryduers to be made the first Earle of Deuonshire by king Henrie the first And now in this place you make Richard father of the said Bauldwyn to be first Earle of Deuon in the same kinges time which Richard must needes be vnderstood to be that Richard which was father to Bauldwyn whom you say was driuen from the Isle of Wight in king Stephens time as in mine answere before to the Earles of Deuon more at large it doth appeare Thus your wordes in one place being meerly repugnant to those in an other what credite may any geue to your writinges THe owners of Skelton Castell were first Robert de Bruse a Norman who had issue two sonnes Adam that was Baron of Skelton and Robert Lord of Auandale in Scotland from whose posteritie came the Kings of Scotland Peter Bruse the fift in succession from that Adam died without issue and left for his heires his sisters Agnes marid to Walter Faulconberg Lucy married to Walter Twenge from whom is descended the Baron of Lumley Margaret maried to Robert de Roos and Ladrina to Iohn Bella-aqua men of great accompt in that time Page 556. WHat thankes you looke for I know not but well assured I am in this place as in many others you haue deserued none for few or none of the Noble Families with whom you haue had to deale with or to write off but that you haue iniured them in some one poynt or other And now that we are come to speake of the last Peter Bruse Baron of Skelton who dyed 14. Kalendes of October 1273. I pray you let vs examine a little that honorable the Lord Lumley his discent whom in your owne conceipt you haue made much beholding vnto you for adding to him one Auncestor such as I dare boldly say neither he nor any other as yet euer knew or heard of I meane Walter Twenge who you say married Lucy the sister and coheire of Peter Bruse Baron of Skelton was Auncestor to the now Baron of Lumley But that you may the better reforme this with many other your faultes I will for your better instruction manifest vnto you the name true husband of the said Luce which was Marmaduke Twenge a noble Baron in king Edward the first his time who died in the Kalendes of March 1284. and was buried by his said wife Lucia in the Church of Gwisborne founded by Robert Bruse the Norman his wiues Auncestor 1129. DAnby came from the successors of Walter Twenge to the Latymers which were afterward Barons Latymers of Danby from whom it passed by mariage vnto the Willoughbyes which inheritance with the honour Ralph Neuill the first Earle of Westmerland did purchase for his younger sonne George Neuill in whose issue it remayneth to this day Pag. 556. THat Danby was the possession of Walter Twenge and that from his successors it came to the Latymers who were after Barons of Danby I answere as before in the title of Skelton That there was neuer anie such Walter yet borne and then no such successors of his could carrie the same to the Latymers as you verie vntruly haue heere set downe for proofe hereof I referre me to the iudgement of the honorable Lord Lumley himselfe who hath this discent most exactly set downe by that worthy and late Officer of Armes Sommerset Herault And to the other That Ralph Neuell Earle of Westmerland did purchase the said inheritance and honour of Iohn Lord Latymer of Danby for his younger sonne George I graunt for true that he purchased the Landes but not the dignitie for Iohn Neuill that solde the said landes had no fee simple in the dignitie to sell but onely an estate for tearme of life therefore can you not rightly say that Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland did purchase the dignitie which George his sonne enioyed But more agreeable to the trueth had it been if you had said that George sonne of Ralph Neuill in regarde that he had the Landes whereof the dignitie of Latymer was erected obtained the honour by the Kinges free gyft and fauour otherwise that title and dignitie had been extinct for seldome shall you finde that the Kinges of this Realme did euer create or inuest any into a Baronie which tooke the name of dignitie from an others peculiar place of inheritance or possession THe Barony of Burford descended from the posteritie of Theodericke Saij to Robert Mortimer and from his posteritie to Geffrey Cornwall that came of Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of Romanes his of spring hauing continued Barons thereof to this day Pag. 455. I Doe much pittie you that in such high sayles of learning you should haue so little ballace of discretion You haue a great facilitie and a rare gift in the creating and making of Barons with the dash of your penne But it argueth how shallow you are in the true definition of a Baron in that you will publish in print that the familie of Cornwalles were Barons of Burford you being not able euer to make proofe of any one of them to haue had that dignitie Notwithstanding diuers of that surname haue been Knightes of which number king Henrie the sixt did erect Sir Iohn Cornwall to be a Baron and Peere of this Realme by the name and title of Lord Fanhope which Iohn was both the first and last Baron of that familie and therefore it standeth now with your credite to make proofe of these your Barons of Burford which I thinke wil be too hard and difficult a matter for you to doe KIng Stephen made Walleron Earle of Millent brother to Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester the first Earle of Worcester whose children left the Realme and returned to their auncient patrimonie in Normandie And that dignitie lay voyde vntill Richard the second bestowed it vpon Thomas Percy who was after slaine by King H. 4. Pag. 445. IS it possible or do you thinke to perswade any senscible man to beleeue that this late borne Britannia was of your owne collection you as it seemeth not vnderstanding the same No assure yourselfe for who knoweth not that the contentes thereof are neither taught nor learned amongst children in Schooles and your selfe neuer employed els where to attaine the knowledge thereof Many learned thinke it more fitter you had waded within the compasse of your owne profession and knowledge in which your errours would not so apparently haue been descried as heere they are In this Title of Earles of Worcester you make Walleron to be the first Earle of Worcester and that his issue did depart this Realme to their auncient patrimonie in Normandie By which if it were true then were there none of that progenie to be looked for heere in this Realme of England to the great preiudice of many honorable Families descended of the