Upon the decease of John, late Earl of Westmoreland, his Majesty was graciously pleased, on April 19th, 1763, to confirm to him, as only son of Lady Mary, eldest sister of the said Earl, the ancient BARONY OF LE DESPENSER.

His Lordship married Sarah, daughter and coheir of Thomas Gould, of Iver in Bucks, widow of Sir Richard Ellys, Bart. Her Ladyship died at West-Wycomb in Bucks, February 2d, 1769, without issue, and his Lordship died at West-Wycomb, December 9th, 1781, s. p.

His Lordship was one of the lords of his Majesty's most honourable privy-council, lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum, and colonel of the militia of the county of Buckingham, joint postmaster general, Fellow of the Royal Society, and a doctor of laws.

of whom hereafter: also four daughters; first, Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Lewes, Esq. Alderman of London; second, Mary, of John Coppin, Esq. son and heir of Sir George Coppin, of Mergate-street, in the county of Hertford, Esq.; third, Martha, of William Roberts, of London, merchant; and, fourth, Sarah, of Fulke Greville, Lord Brook. Their father died in the year 1683.

Sir FRANCIS DASHWOOD, the third son, was created a Baronet, by Queen Anne, and represented the port of Winchelsea, in the second and third parliaments of Great Britain.

He married, first, Mary, only daughter of John Jennings, of Westminster, Gent. by whom he had issue two daughters; Mary, wife of Sir Fulwar Skipwith, of Newbold-hall in the county of Warwick, Esq.; and Susanna, of Sir Orlando Bridgman, of Ridley in the county palatine of Chester, Bart.

He married, secondly, Lady Mary, eldest daughter of Vere, and sister of John, Earl of Westmoreland, by whom he had issue Francis, Lord le Despenser, and one daughter, Rachael, married, in November, 1738, to Sir Robert Austen, of Bexley in Kent, Bart. Their mother died on August 19th, 1710, in the thirty-fifth year of her age, and was buried in the church upon the hill, at West Wycomb, where an elegant monument, with a suitable inscription, is erected to her memory.

His third wife was, Mary, daughter of Major King, and niece of the ingenious Dr. King, master of the Charter-house, by whom he had issue two sons; Sir John, third Bart. who represented the borough of Bishops Castle, in the seventeenth parliament of Great Britain, and married Sarah, daughter of Moore, of Byfleet in Surrey, Esq.; and Charles, who died unmarried; and two daughters, Henrietta, who died young; and Mary, mar ried to John Walcot, of Walcot in Shropshire, Esq.

His fourth wife was Elizabeth, second daughter of Thomas Windsor, Earl of Plymouth, by his second wife, Ursula, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Widdrington, of Sherburne-Grange in the county of Northumberland, Knt. and sister of the Viscount Windsor, by whom he had no issue.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, FRANCIS, afterwards Lord le Despenser, who was succeeded in the Baronetage by his brother Sir JOHN, father of the present Baronet.

RACHAEL Dashwood, sister of Francis Lord le Despenser, married, in November, 1738, Sir Robert Austen, of Bexley in Kent, Bart. and surviving her brother till April 16th, 1788, the Barony of Le Despenser fell in abeyance between her and Sir Thomas Stapleton, Bart. great grandson of her aunt, Lady Catherine Paul. On her death, in April 1788, the honour devolved on the above-mentioned

Sir THOMAS STAPLETON, Bart. now LORD LE DESPENSER.
His Lordship was born November 10th, 1766.

He married Elizabeth, second daughter of Samuel Elliot, Esq. of Antigua, by whom he has issue,

First, Thomas, born April 24th, 1792.

Second, Elizabeth-Mary, born March 22d, 1793.
Third, Frances-Catherine, born September 22d, 1794.
Fourth, Emma, born February 27th, 1796.
Fifth, William, born December 2d, 1797.
Sixth, Emily, born December 8th, 1798.

Seventh, Miles-John, born March 21st, 1801.

Titles. Thomas Stapleton, Lord le Despenser, and Baronet. Creations. Baron le Despenser, by writ of summons, May 25th, 1604, 2 Jam. I.; but originally by summons, June 3d, 1295, 23 Edw. I.

Arms. Quarterly, first and fourth argent, a lion rampant sable; for Stapleton, second and third, azure, three right-hand gauntlets with their backs affronteè, or.

Crest. In a ducal coronet, or, a Saracen's head affronteè, proper, wreathed about the temples, ar, and sable.

Supporters. On the dexter side, a gryphon, party per pale ar. and or, his beak, fore-legs, and chain of the second, his collar sable, charged with three escallops, argent; on the sinister, a bull argent, pyed, sable, armed, collared, chained and hoofed, or; on the collar a rose, gules.

Motto. NE VILE FANO.

Chief Seat.

Mereworth, near Tunbridge, Kent.

THE noble family of CLIFFORD claims a lineal descent from RICHARD, DUKE OF NORMANDY, who had six sons and three daughters; Eleanor, married to Baldwyn IV. Earl of Flanders; Alisa, married to Rainald, Earl of Burgundy; and Papia, married to Gilbert, advocate for St. Valery. The sons were, first, Richard, surnamed the Good, the fifth Duke of Normandy, who died 1028; second, Robert, sixth Duke of Normandy, and father to William the Conqueror; third, William, of whom hereafter; fourth, Nicholas, abbot of St. Andrews; fifth, William, a monk; sixth, Mauger, archbishop of Rouen. The third son,

WILLIAM, surnamed Ponce, or Poncius, a was Earl of Arques and Tholouse, and came into England with William the Conqueror. He had three sons,

First, Walter, surnamed Walter Fitz-Pontz, who held Alford, Westwell, and Alwoldsbery, in Oxfordshire, in the time of William the Conqueror.

Second, Dru, or Drogo, held Segry, Colesell, and Aldrinton, com. Wilts; Franton and part of Lece, com. Glouc. &c.

Third, Richard. Which

RICHARD Fitz-Pontz, or des Pontz, obtained from Henry I. the cantred of Bychan, and the castle of Lahnyndhry, in Wales. He married Maud, daughter of Ralph de Toney, of Clifford castle in Herefordshire, and had three sons, Simon, Walter, and Richard; the eldest of which,

SIMON, was founder of Clifford priory; and

Dugdale begins the pedigree with this Ponce.

WALTER was called at first Fitz-Richard Fitz-Pont; but after he came into possession of Clifford-castle, through his mother, he assumed the surname of CLIFFORD, which has continued with his posterity. By his wife, Margaret, he had issue two sons and two daughters.

First, Walter, his son and heir.

Second, Richard de Clifford, Lord of Frampton, in the county of Gloucester, from whom descended those of that place.

The daughters were,

First, Rosamond, who is taken notice of by most of our historians, as concubine to King Hen. II. by the name of the Fair Rosamond, and dying, 23 Hen. II. was buried at Godstowe nunnery, in Oxfordshire. ↳

Second, Lucia, who was married to Hugh, Lord Say, Baron of Richard's castle, in the county of Hereford; and secondly, to Bartholomew de Mortimer.

WALTER DE CLIFFORD, eldest son and heir of Walter, lived in the reigns of Richard I. John, and Henry III. He married Agnes, daughter and heir of Roger de Cundy, Lord of Cavenby and Glentham, in the county of Lincoln, by Alice, daughter and heir of William de Cheney; and had issue five sons, viz. first, Walter de Clifford; second, Roger de Clifford; third, Richard de Clifford; fourth, Simon de Clifford; fifth, Gyles de Clifford.

WALTER DE CLIFFORD, the eldest, succeeded his father in his lands and honours, and married Margaret, daughter of Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, and widow of John de Braose; by this lady (who died 1265, and was buried at the priory church at Aconbury, in Herefordshire) he had issue one daughter, Maud, married to William de Longespèe, third Earl of Salisbury, descended from King Henry II. by Rosamond Clifford, before mentioned. This Walter died 48 Hen. III.

C

ROGER DE CLIFFORD, brother of the last Walter, married Sibill, daughter and heir of Robert de Ewyas, and widow of Lord Tregoz; and dying in his brother's lifetime, 16 Hen. III. was buried at Dore abbey, leaving issue

ROGER Clifford, a great Baron, famous for his valour and ex

b Her body was buried in the Chapter-house of Godstowe nunnery, with this epitaph:

VOL. VI

"Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi, non Rosa Munda,

Non redolet, sed olet, quæ redolere solet."

c See Topographer, vol. i. under Aconburg.

2 L

perience in military affairs, who was at least eighty-six years old when he died, in 1286, and was buried at Dore abbey,; in the county of Hereford. d He was governor of Marlborough and Ludgershall castles, in Wiltshire, 1268; governor of Erdesley castle in Herefordshire, 1277; and justicier of all Wales, 1280. His second Lady was the Countess of Lorrain: but by his first wife he had issue

ROGER DE CLIFFORD, renowned for his skill and magnanimityin the wars in Henry III. and Edward I's days; and being in the Welch wars, he was slain on St. Leonard's day, 1283, (his father then alive) in the Isle of Anglesey, and was there interred. He married Isabel, eldest daughter and coheir of ROBert de Vipont, Lord of Westmoreland, and in her right held Brougham castle, in Westmoreland; part of which he built and repaired, causing this inscription to be cut in stone over the door of the inward gate: THIS MADE ROGER. By his wife aforesaid he had issue ROBERT DE CLIFFORD, commonly called FIRST LORD DE CLIFFORD, his son and heir, (born about Easter 1274), who was cousin and heir of Ralph de Gaugi; as also of Richard Fitz-John, a great Baron, in Essex. He was sheriff of Westmoreland, a justice of the forests north of Trent, 1297; governor of Nottingham castle, 1298; King's lieutenant and captain-general in Cumberland, Westmoreland, Lancaster, and the marches towards Scotland, 1299. He was SUMMONED TO PARLIAMENT, December 29th, 28 Edward I. and also from that time to 1314. He was carl-marshal of England, 1307. He was a martial man, and, being often engaged against the Scots, at length was slain at the battle of Striveling, or Bannocksburne, June 25th, 1314; and, as supposed, was buried at Shapp abbey in Westmoreland. He married Maud, daughter and coheir of Thomas de Clare (son of Richard de Clare) steward of Waltham forest, and left issue, two sons; of which,

ROGER, SECOND LORD DE CLIFFORD, the eldest, was born February 2d, 1299, and succeeded his father in his lands and honours. He was sheriff of Westmoreland, and had SUMMONS TO PARLIAMENT in 1319, and 1320. He was beheaded at York,

d Hen. III. by charter in the 49th of his reign granted to Roger de Clifford, "omnes terras et tenementa in BRUGES quæ fuerunt SIMONIS DE BRUGES inimici et rebellis nostri." Among these was the lordship of Brugge-upon-Wye, com Hereford.