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
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
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
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
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
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
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