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
succession of these Earles saying That from the first Hugh in Henry the first time succeeded in direct line from father to sonne Hugh that tooke parte against king Henry the second c. To this I answere that you were in a Labyrinth not able to finde out what issue there was betwixt the first and second Hugh And to vnfolde this your error I affirme that the first Hugh and those that you say succeeded betweene from father to sonne to that Hugh whome you name the second were all but one person for he that was Steward to king Henry the first and was after made Earle of Norffolke by king Stephen was the same person that liued in the time of king Henry the second and that tooke part with the yong king against his father Thirdly where you affirme that the last Earle Roger surrendred all his honors and almost all his inheritance vnto king Edward the second it seemeth a matter vnto me very vnlike that the said Roger dying in the life of king Edward the first could in the reigne of king Edward the second make any such surrender But here haue you done very wisely in leauing out the cause of the kings displeasure against the said Roger for therein would you haue disclosed your owne error But because I would not haue you ignorant of the same king Edward the first in the fifteenth or sixteenth yeare of his reigne required this Roger Bygot Eerle of Norffolke Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester and Humfrey de Bohun then Earle of Hereford to goe with him into France whose request these three noble persons refused whereupon at the said kings returne againe into England he forced Gilbert de Clare and Humfrey de Bohun the yonger sonne of the soresaid Humfrey to marrye with two of his daughters without either land or money and the said Roger Bygot to appease the kings indignation did make ouer vnto him most part of his landes with the office of Marshall of England And this was done by king Edward the first and not by Edward the second as you haue here set downe KIng Edward the third gaue the Earledome of Cambridge vnto Edward of Langley his fift sonne Afterwardes Richard his yonger sonne enioyed the same honor by the fauour of king Henry the fift But he being disloyall and vngratefull plotting the death of that most excellent prince was beheaded and the Earledome of Cambridge vtterly decayed with him Pag. 381. THe Earledome of Cambridge vtterly decayed not with Richard of Conesborough yonger sonne of Edmond of Langley Earle of Cambridge and Duke of Yorke who was executed in the third yeare of Henry the fift as you say but was after reuiued againe in Richard his sonne whome king Henry the sixt in the fourth yeare of his reigne created Earle of Cambridge and after Duke of Yorke Regent of Fraunce and protectour of England HVntingdon had these Earles Syward and Walthe of his sonne after whome by Maude his daughter that honor came first to Simon Sant-lize Earle of Northampton After that to Dauid brother to Alexander king of Scots for Maude was marryed to to them both and had issue by both Whereupon as the princes fauour and fortune changed sometimes the Sant-lizes and sometimes the Scots enioyed this honor vidz Henry the sonne of Dauid then Simon Sant-lize sonne to the first Simon And then Simon Sant-lize the third who dying without issue William king of Scots brother of the foresaid Malcolme succeeded whome Dauid his brother followed and had issue that succeeded him Iohn his sonne surnamed Scote that was Earle of Chester and dyed without issue leauing for his successor Alexander the second which marryed the daughter of king Henry the third who possessed this honor but a while Pag. 387 BEfore I enter to open your errors in this succession of the Earles of Huntingdon I would entreate you of this number of eleuen Earles to put out fiue of them at the least And because you shall take them right I will first nominate vnto you those which ought to stand beginning with Walthe of Earle of Northumberland vnto whome William the Conqueror gaue in mariage with Iudith his neece the Earledomes of Huntingdon Northampton This Walthe of had issue Maude who was giuen in marriage vnto Dauid brother to Alexander king of Scots which Dauid was after a witnesse to the Charter of king Henry the first touching landes and liberties that the said king gaue vnto the Cittie of London by the name of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon After the death of Dauid the foresaid Maude was marryed againe to Simon Sant-lize a Norman gentleman who had with her the Earledome of Northampton Dauid before named had issue Henry who in the life of his father was Earle of Huntingdon and dyed in the 18. yeare of king Stephen leauing issue three sonnes Malcolme William and Dauid Malcolme being king of Scottes rebelled against king Henry the second for which cause the king seised into his handes the Earledome of Huntingdon After the said Malcolmes death William his brother succeeded him in the kingdome of Scotland He likewise rebelled against his Lorde king Henry the second and being taken prisoner was caryed into Normandie Anno 1174. Where he compounded to pay for his raunsome ten thowsand markes and to release all his title and interest of the Earledomes both of Huntingdon and Northumberland After which king Henry gaue the Earledome of Huntingdon to Dauid the third sonne of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon before mentioned Which Dauid was a witnesse to the Charter of king Richard the first of landes that he gaue to the Abbey of Peterborough Anno 1189. by the name of Dauid Earle of Huntingdon He dyed in the second yeare of king Henry the third and left issue Iohn his sonne surnamed Scotte who succeeded him which dyed without issue in the 22. yeare of king Henry the third Thus haue I rightly set downe the succession of the Earles of Huntingdon vnto Iohn surnamed Scotte which vnlesse you can by good authorities disproue as I assure my selfe you cannot I hope you will not onely confesse your error but will abate in your next impression those fiue which in deede were neuer Earles of Huntingdon vidz Syward who was but Earle of Northumberland then the three Simons Sant-lizes that were Earles of Northampton onely and lastly William king of Scottes Ashbye de-la-zouch was sometimes belonging to Alane de-la-zouch Baron who bare for his armes a Shielde gules tenne bezants He by marrying the daughter of Roger Quincie Earle of Winchester greatly increased his inheritance But calling in question of lawe Iohn Earle Warrin who would haue his cause tryed by sworde and not by lawe he was by him slaine in the kings courte at Westminster Anno 1279. and within a fewe yeares after the daughters and heires of his grand-childe caryed this inheritance by marryage to the familie of Hollands who were Barons a long time whose inheritance passed to the Louels and
Ebroice◠soun◠to Mabel the secōd daughter Earle of Glocester who dying without issue the inheritāce came to the yongest daughter Amicia that was wife to the Earle of Clare and had by him issue Gilbert Earle of Clare Glocester who had issue Richard father of Gilbert the second which had issue Gilbert the third that was slaine at Sterling in Scotland but during the nonage of this Gilbert the third Rafe de Mounthemerye who had marryed Ioan of Acres the kings daughter and widowe of Gilbert the second was for a while called Earle of Glocester Afterwardes this honor as some say came to Peter of Gaueston a Gascoyne by right of his wife which was daughter to Gilbert the second He dying without issue this honor discended to Hugh Spencer sonne of Eleonor second daughter of Gilbert aforesaid Hugh Spencer being executed this title came to Hugh Audley who had marryed the widowe of Gaueston Pag. 275. YOu heere charge the Heraldes with thrusting vpon you one Earle that you cannot finde nor thinke as yet euer to haue bene borne And sure I suppose this was but a flourish of your flowing stile whereby you loue to girde at Heraldes Yet graunt they did obtrude some such Earle you are euen with them for you force on them here two Earles of Glocester which neuer attained vnto that dignitie vidz Peter de Gaueston and Hugh de Spencer Wherefore the better to satisfie you and those that haue written Peter Gaueston to be Earle of Glocester and to haue succeeded Raphe Mont-Hermerye I affirme that the said Raphe Mont-Hermerye sate in Parliament in the 27. yeare of king Edward the first as Earle of Glocester and continued in all Parliaments by that name vntill the last yeare of the said kings reigne when yong Gilbert de Clare his wiues sonne came of age who the next yeare after being the first yeare of K. Edward the second was placed in Parliament by the name of Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester He continued in that dignitie vntill he was slaine at Sterling in Scotland in the sixt yeare of the same kings reigne which was a yeare after the said Peter Gaueston was beheaded by the Earle of Warwicke Which I hope is sufficient proofe against the said Peter And touching Hugh de Spencer that he was euer Earle of Glocester I vtterly deny the same and therefore now it standeth you vpon being in the affirmitiue to proue it otherwise neither I nor any other are bound to beleeue you Lastly where you haue made Sibill to be the onely daughter and heire of Robert Fitz-Hamon and wife to Robert Earle of Glocester called the Consull I deny not onely that the one had euer any such daughter named Sibill but also that the other euer marryed any such wife And for proofe hereof I will desire no other then your owne Author the booke of Tewkesbury which you haue so greatly wronged IF it please you to beleue our Heraulds Hertford had these Earles Roger who was also Earle of Clare and those Clares whome we haue said to be Earles of Glocester for Richard Clare who dyed 1262. is plainely named by Florilegus to be Earle of Glocester and Hertford Pag. 309. TO this your scoffing sporte that you make your selfe vpon the credite of Herauldes I answere that there is great reason and so I hope all men will acknowledge that her Maiesties Heraulds inuested officers of Armes who at their creations and admittances into their offices are solemnly sworne to be true in all their reportes and haue their imploiments in the greatest affaires betweene Princes should be beleeued in matters of their owne profession before others not of like experience And touching this Roger whome you haue brought vpon the Stage by the name and title of Earle of Hertford I saie it resteth in you to make proofe of your affirmation the Herauldes being quite against you whome you notwithstanding so iniuriously traduce and yet produce as Authors of your owne fantastique assertions And for your better direction herein I will here inserte the saide Rogers deede by which it is very manifest that he was Earle of Clare and not of Hertford ROgerus Comes de Clare confirmauit donationem H. Comitis Cestr. quam fecit Sanctae Werburg super Ecclesia de Deneford terram Ecclesiae cum decimis de molend omnibus pertin precipuè illam virgatam terrae quam Adeliza de Claro-Monte aura sua dedit praefatae Ecclesiae c. HAresfield the Patrimonie of Richard Earle of Clare in William Conquerors time Pag. 312. THat there was one Richard Fitz-Gilbert in the time of William the Conqueror which held Haresfield of the king it is manifest by the booke of Domesday but that he was euer Earle of Clare and that Haresfield was his patrimonie I vtterly deny And for proofe hereof I say that he being the first of his name that euer came into this realme and that possessed any landes here could haue no possessions left vnto him by his Auncestors which might be said to be his patrimonie And where you nominate the said Richard to be Earle of Clare that are you not able to proue for in diuers Charters of William the Conqueror and William Rufus the said Richard is a witnesse by the name of Richard Fitz-Gilbert Dapifer as also in the booke of Domesday by the name of Richard sonne of Earle Gilbert And this doe you your owne selfe confesse against your selfe in the title of Clare in your booke Pag. 350. Dunmow was the towne of the Fitz-walters who issued from the familie of the Clares Iuga daughter of Raphe Baynard founded a Monasterie there 1103. But William Baynard of whome Iuga did holde forfaited the Barony of Dunmowe to the king through fellonie King Henry gaue the same to Robert sonne of Richard sonne of Gilbert Earle of Clare with the Castle of Baynards in London Pag. 332. HEre haue you made Gilbert the grandfather of Robert Fitz-Richard to be Earle of Clare which Gilbert neuer arriued in England till your penne conducted him hither but was slaine in Normandie by Raphe Waceio Anno 1033. Which was 33. yeares before the Norman Conquest And Richard his sonne was the first of that familie that came into England with William the Conqueror who had issue Gilbert and this Robert to which Robert king Henry the first gaue the Towne of Dunmowe by the name of Robert Fitz-Richard his Sewer As witnesseth your Author of Dunmowe whome you alledge though very vnfaithfully for had you alleadged the same truely and put downe what king Henry he was which gaue to the said Robert Dunmowe as your Author doth you should then haue disclosed your owne error and saued me a labour RIchard sonne of Gilbert Earle of Angy in Normandie for his seruice in the Conquest was by the Conqueror aduanced to the honor of Clare He had issue Gilbert who succeeded his father and was the first that was called Earle of Clare Who
coulde not containe his hope offered touching the kingdome within the bounds of right and reason grieuouslie afflicted this citie And afterward being made Earle of Norfolke he is thought to haue builded that Castle vpon a high hill neare to the Church which being maruailous deepely entrenched about was in those dayes thought impregnable But Lewis the Frenchman to whom the seditious Barons of England had sworne their fidelitie easilie tooke the same by composition We thinke in deed that Bygot did build this Castle because we haue seene their Lyons saliant in the same forme engrauen in stone as the Bygots vsed them in their seales before they obtained the honour of Marshals Pag. 363. IF your wordes here had beene but coniecturall or gathered by reports as in many other places they are you should haue lesse discredited your selfe then by affirming you had seene that which in truth you did neuer see for where you say We thinke that the Bygots builded this Castle because wee haue there seene Lions saliant in the same forme engrauen in stone as the Bygots vsed in their seales before they obtained the honour and office of Marshall certaine it is that on the said Castle there are no Lions saliant nor any such Ensigne or token as the Bygots did beare in seale or shield or any Armes at all And for that you did of late as before vpon conference had before the now Earle Marshall of England affirme the saide Lious saliant vpon the Castle walles of Norwich to bee the true Armes of the Bygots before they came to bee Marshals of England my selfe hauing seene diuerse deedes of the said Bygots to prooue the contrarie the Seales whereof were Shieldes charged onelie with a plaine Crosse which coate you then auouched to be the Armes of Vlster whervpon I for my better satisfaction therein did ride to Norwich for to search the truth of your speach and going into the said castle I founde ouer the first gate two great stones fixed of some yarde square and vppon each of them a Lyon passant cowardie their tayles turning vnder their bellies and comming ouer their backes but in no Shielde or Escucheon And seeking more diligentlie all other places about the saide Castle I did finde ouer the hall doore other two like stones with a Lyon also vppon each of them but contrarie to the former for these were passant regardants with their tayles ouer their backes and the endes in their mouthes yet neither in Shielde nor Escucheon And therefore no such coate armour is there vppon the Castell of Norwich as you sayde you had seene that the Bygots did vse in their Shieldes and Seales In consideration of this my great paines and iourney I desire but that you will from hencefoorth make a difference betweene the Antique fictions of a caruers braine and the right ensignes of our auncient Nobilitie which you say Were in King Henrie the thirds time but euerie mans owne inuentions they being long time before the honorable rewardes and tokens of valorous persons VVOrmegay commonly called wrongay was giuen by William the third Earle Warren and Surrey to Reignald de Warren his younger brother by whose grandchilde Nicholea daughter of William his sonne it was forthwith translated to the Bardolphs who bare for their armes in a shield Azur three Cinkfoyles golde a great part of whose inheritance togither with the dignitie fell to William Philips and by his daughter vnto the viscount Beaumount Pag. 369. YOur bare imagination coÌ„cerning the gift of Wormegay by William Earle Warren to his yonger brother is nothing probable for Reignald de Warren had the same by marriage with the daughter heire of William de Wormegay not by any gift of his brother And where you affirme the said Reignald had a grandchild by his sonne William named Nicholea married to Bardolph I say he neuer had anie such grandchild but two others called Beatrix and Isabell which Beatrix was married to Bardolph as by the testimonie of seuerall deedes here following it may appeare NOtum sit omnibus tam praesentibus quam futuris quod ego Reginaldus de Warren c. Be it knowne vnto all men aswell present as they that shall be hereafter that I Reignald de Warren haue giuen my church of PlumbtoÌ„ to the Canons of Southwark for the health of my soule and of Alice my wife William my sonne Isabel the Countesse my mother and William Earle Warren my brother and of William de wormegay father of Alice my said wife c. SCiant praesentes futuri quod ego Gulielmus de Warren c. Let those men know that are present and they that shall come hereafter that I William de Warren do giue and confirme to the Canons of Southwarke thirtie Acres of land in â—otisâ—ray for the health of mine owne soule my father Reignald my mother Alice and my wife Beatrix my sonne Reignald and my daughters Beatrix and Isabell and for all my auncestors c. VVIlliam the Conquerour made Raph the first Earle of Norfolke who as I haue saide stirring vp newe Rebellion had for his successor Hugh Bygot Earle of Norfolke who had the third pennie of the said Countie as appeareth in his Charter of creation giuen him by king Henrie the first whose stewarde he was After whom in direct succession from father to sonne followed Hugh that tooke part with Henrie the yong king against king Henrie the second his father Roger which flourished in king Iohns time Hugh who died in the yeare of our Lord 1225. Roger who in right of his wife brought into his familie the Honor of Marshall of England for he married Maude the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Marshall Earle of Penbroke by whom he had issue Roger earle of Norfolke who being wounded with running at the tilt died without issue and Hugh Bygot Lord chiefe Iustice being slaine in the battell of Lewis his sonne Roger was placed after his vncles death in the Earldome of Norfolke and dignitie of Marshal who incurring the displeasure of king Edward the second was inforced to passe ouer all his honours and almost his whole inheritance to the king Pag. 370. THe errors herein are these first you say that Hugh Bygot was Earle of Norfolke and had the third pennie of that Countie as appeareth by his Charter of creation giuen him by king H. the first For answere I say you haue not seene nor can proue any such Charter as you here auouch neither was he the said Hugh or any of that familie Earle before the first yeare of king Stephen who then made him Earle of Norfolke because he being present at the death of king Henrie the first testifie before the Archbishop of Canterburie and other the Barons of this realme that hee heard king Henry vpon his death bed say his will was that his Nephew Stephen and not Maude his daughter should succeede him in his kingdome of England Secondly where you reckon a confused