Page images
PDF
EPUB

other room, with a letter from Mr.
Smoakum, his banker, acquainting
him that lady Jenkins had taken up
three hunderd pounds: this drives
the knight into a violent paffion:
all the terrors of the Gazette Where-
as ftares him in the face, and he
runs into his wife's room to upbraid
her with her extravagance. Seeing
the money on the table, he first
pockets it, and then wakes her to a
fecond altercation, in which he af,
fures her, that she shall never have
a guinea at her own command, and
that he will instantly relate her be-
haviour to her brother. In the mean
time Mr. Nettle, the attorney, ar-
riving (whom Mr. Jeremy had fent
for to know how he had proceeded
against the banker who had paid
the money without his order) he is
shewn in. After a few interroga-
tories to the lady, Nettle tells Sir
Jeremy that the money must be
paid, as the banker had received no
order to refufe lady Jenkins any

money he should call for: but he advifes an action to be commenced against any perfon to whom her ladyfhip had loft more than 101. and promifes large damages, befides confidering himself very decently in the bill of cofts.

Lady Jenkins giving him the time and parish, in which the loft 100l. to one perfon, the poor lawyer is thunderftruck, on enquiring the name, to find the party was his own wife; he runs out raving; Sir Jeremy, threatening to employ another lawyer, as he intends to purfue every tittle of his advice, lady Jenkins, through fear of being expofed, promifes never to touch a card again for any fum that can make herself blush, or Sir Jeremy uneasy, upon condition he forgets her paft indifcretion; to this the knight agrees; the diftrefs of the lawyer having put him in a good humour; and thus the affair is happily finifhed.

Anecdote of Henry IV. King of France.

SOON after the peace of Vervins,

Henry IV. returning from hun ting, in a plain garb, and only two gentlemen with him, croffed the Seine in a common ferry-boat. Perceiving the waterman did not know him, he asked him, what people faid of the peace?"Faith, anfwered the waterman, as to this fame fine peace I know nothing of it; but every thing, I know, is taxed, even to this old tool of a boat, so that I can scarce get a living." Well, but continued Henry Fourth, does not the king intend to fee the people eafed? "The king, replied Charon, is well enough of

himself; but he has a mistress, who must have so many fine cloaths and gewgaws, and it is we pay for all ; however, if he had her to himself, it would not be fo much; but the is fo devilishly bely'd, Mafter, if the does not play the beaft with two backs with fome others." Henry Fourth, who had been exceffively diverted with this colloquy, fent next morning for the waterman, and made him repeat before the dutchess of Beaufort, without mincing one word, what he had faid the evening before. Her Grace was fo incenfed, that nothing would

ferve her, but the king muft immediately order him to be hanged. "Poh! faid Henry, are you mad? Don't you fee he is a poor devil,

[ocr errors][merged small]

ΤΗ

A Genealogical Account of Cecil, Earl of Exeter.

HE name of this family has been, like others of long continuance, varioufly written, as Sitfilt, Sicelt, Seycil, Seifel, and Cecil, &c. yet it is evident, that though the name was fo differently fpelled, the perfons were of the fame family.. It is agreed by Cambden, and other genealogifts, that Robert Sitfilt, an affiftant to Robert Fitz-Hamon, in the conqueft of Glamorganfhire, in the fourth year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1091, was an ceftor to the family. Which Robert was rewarded with lands by the faid Robert Fitz-Hamon, for his services; and afterwards, by marriage, had Alternnes, that part of Herefordfhire called Ewgas-lands, with other lands in Herefordshire and Gloucefterfhire to whom fucceeded his fon and heir, Sir James Sitfilt, or Seifel, baron of Beauport, (now called Beaupore) in Glamorganfhire, flain at the fiege of Wallingford-castle, in the 4th year of king Stephen; hav ing then on a vefture, whereon was wrought in needle-work, his arms or enfigns, as they appeared on the tomb of Gerald Sitfilt, in the abbey of Dore, which were blazoned in a judgment given by commiffion from king Edward III. on a controverfy of the fame arms, as I fhall hereafter fhew. He left iffue, John his fon and heir, and four daughters.

Which fon was, after his father's death, in the fame wars with Roger earl of Hereford, and being taken prifoner at the fiege of Lincoln, in the 9th year of king Stephen, and paying for his ranfom 400 marks, was obliged to fell his lordship of Beauport, and his lands in Gloucefterfire. He had, by Maud his wife, daughter of de Frenes, Euftace, his fon and heir, who married Eleanor, daughter of Sir Walter Pembridge, knt. and had iffue Sir Baldwin Seifel, knighted by king Henry II. and flain at the fiege of the caftle of Cardiff, his father then living. He gave lands in Kegeftone to the monks of Dore; as alfo freedom of common and pasture, and other liberties in his woods. This Sir Baldwin, by his firft wife, daughter of Maurice de Brampton, had iffue fix fons, Gerald, Euftace, Henry, John, and Walter; as alfo two daughters, Catharine, wife to Hugh ap Meredith Maredake; and Eleanor, to Walter Wallis. And by his fecond wife Margara, daughter of Sir Stephen Radnor, knt. had iffue, Stephen, Roger, Hugh, David, Maud, a nun; Joan, wife to John de Solers; and Anne, to Owen ap Meredith. The eldest fon, Gerald Sitfilt, married Mabel, daughter of Sir William Moigne, knt. and had iffue Gerald, who died an infant,

Robert,

[blocks in formation]

Robert, Owen, a monk in the abbey of Dore, in Herefordshire; Catharine, wife of Sir Griffin ap Gereford, knt. fecondly, to David ap Evan; and thirdly, to Geffery, fon of Sir Walter Bret, knt. Anne, wife to Robert, fon of Richard Bromhwich; Ellen, wife to John, fon of Sir Richard Abrahall, knt. He was fucceeded by Robert Sitfilt, who married Alice, daughter of Sir Robert de Tregoze, knt. and had iffue James, Gerald, Thomas, Baldwin, Margaret, and Elizabeth.

James Sitfilt, eldest fon of Robert, had to wife Ifabel, daughter of Sir John Knell, knt. by whom he had iffue, James, who died young, and Gerard, twins; Robert, John, Alice, wife to Walter Monington, Grace, married to Roger, fon of William Blunt, Eleanor, wife to Thomas Paine, Margery, wedded to Morgan ap Meredith, and Cecil, wife to Howel ap Blethin; fecondly, to Sir Hugh Bruge, knt. Gerard Sirfilt, eldeft fon, was buried in the abbey of Dore, in Herefordshire, under a tomb erected to his memory, thereon the arms of his ancestor, Sir James Sitfilt, flain at the fiege of Wallingford-castle, in the 4th year of king Stephen. He married four wives: by his first wife, Margaret, daughter of Stephen de la Bere, he Nad iffue John and by his fecond wife, Bridget, widow of Sir Simon Ward, knt. had a fon James. Alfo, by his third wife, -, daughter of Martin Hopton, had iffue Martin, Henry, David, and Jane: and lastly, by his fourth wife, Joan, daughter of Robert Emerton, had iffue Stigand Seiffel, flain at the fiege of Strivelin, in Scotland, in the reign of king Edward II. and had no iffue, as the register of the abbey of Dore

March, 1763.

mentions. John Sitfilt the eldest fon, by the first wife, married Sibil, daughter of Robert de Ewyas, had iffue Sir John, and George, and a daughter, Margaret, wife of Sir Robert Bafkerville. Which Sir John Sitfilt being at a place called Halidown-hill, near Berwick, in the 6th year of Edward III. there arose a great controverfy between him and Sir William Fankenham, concerning a banner of arms charged with this coat, viz. a field barry of ten pieces, argent and azuré, on fix efcutcheons; three, two, and one fable, as many lions rampant of the firft. Which arms each challenged as their right, and offered to maintain the fame by combat in their proper perfons; but the king was pleafed to forbid it, and ordering the heralds to decide the affair by law and juftice, they folemnly adjudged the right of bearing thofe arms to Sir John Sitfilt, as heir of blood, fineally defcended from the body of James Sitfilt, baron of Beauport, flain at the filege of Wallingford caftle, in the 4th year of king Stephen. This Sir John had a charge of men of arms for the cuftody of the marches of Scotland, in the reign of Edward Ill. He married Alice, fifter to Sir Robert Bafkerville, and had iffue John, his fon and heir, who having married Joan, daughter of Slr Richard Mannington, knt. had iffue John, who died in his life time; and Sir Thomas Sitfilt of Alterennes, in Herefordshire, knt. Which Sir Thomas married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Gilbert Winston, knt. and had iffus Richard, his fon and heir, who had to wife Margaret, daughter of Sir John Philips, knt. by whom he had Philip Sicelt, (as the name was then T

wrote)

« PreviousContinue »