is yet living, unmarried. Alfo three Daughters, Lady Catherine, and Lady Anne, both Nuns in Flanders, and Lady Philippa, married to William Standish, of StandishHall, in Com. Lancaft. Efq;

ARM S.

Gules, a Bend between fix Crofs-Croflets Fitché, Argent, with an Augmentation, fcil. In the midst of the Bend, on an Efcutcheon Ör. a Demi-Lyon rampant, (pierc'd thro the Mouth with an Arrow) within a double Treffure Counterflory Gules.

Note: The Duke of Norfolk hath Precedence of all other Dukes, not only by his Creation, but likewise in refpect of his Office; for as Earl-Marthal of EngLand, he is to take place with the Lord Great ChamberJain, Lord Great Conftable, (but after them) and Lord High-Admiral of England, Lord Steward, and Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houfhold, next after the Lord Privy-Seal, above all other Perfonages, being of the fame Eftate and Degree.

SEY

F this Family, which derives its Defcent from Sir Roger Seymour, of Evenswinden, in the County of Wilts, Knight; who married Cecilia, Daughter of John, Lord Beauchamp, o£ Seymour Hacche, in Com. Somerset, was Sir John Seymour, of Sir John. Wolf-Hall, in Com. Wiltshire, Knight. Which Sir John, in the 9th of Henry VIII. being then one of the Knights for the Body of that King, obtain'd a Grant of the Conftablewick of Bristol-Caftle, to himself, and Edward his Son, by Elizabeth his Wife, Daughter of Sir Henry Wentworth, of Nettlefted, in the County of Suffolk, by whom he had likewife, Thomas and Henry, his Sons, and three Daughters, the eldest of which, the Lady Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII. afterwards made his Wife, the being, at the time of the King's casting his Affections on her, Maid of Honour to Queen Anne Bullen; Edward. fo that Edward, her eldest Brother, wanted for no Titles of Honour, the King could well beftow on him. He was, at the time aforemention'd, one of the Knights of the Body, but at the time of the Solemnity of his Sifter's Marriage, (28 Henry VIII.) he was created, or had the Title of Viscount Beauchamp beftow'd on him, and the Heirs-Male of his Body, (by reafon of his Defcent from an Heir-Female of that Houfe, as has been before obferv'd) and was alfo made Captain of the Ifle of FerJey, upon the Surrender of that Command, by Sir Thomas Vaux, Lord Harrowden. In the 29th of Henry VIII. he was, upon the Death of his Father, created-Earl of Earl of Hertford. In the 34th of Henry VIII. he was made Hertford. Lord Great Chamberlain of England, for Life; and employ'd in moft Places of Profit and Truft, during the Remainder of that Reign, which held, in all, thirty eight

Viscount

Beau

champ.

Years.

Years. He was chofen Governour to King Edward VI. conftituted Lord Treafurer of England, and advanc'd

to the Dignity of Duke of Somerfet, and created Earl- Duke of Marfhal of England, for Life, and a little time after, Somerset. receiv'd his Patent of Protector and Governor of the King and Realm; and, the fame Year, had a fpecial Grant, that he fhou'd fit alone, and be plac'd at all times, as well in the King's Prefence in Parliament, as in his Absence, on the middle of the Bench, or Stool, standing next on the Right-Hand the King's Seat Royal, in Parliament. Soon after, he was fent, at the Head of a ftrong Army, into Scotland, where he fought Muffelborough Battle. He was, the next Year, being the 2d of Edw. VI. again conftituted Protector of the King's Perfon and the whole Realm, during his Minority.

Being much in Favour with King Hen. VIII. and by him much employ'd, he was always obferv'd to be Faithful and Fortunate, as well in giving Advice, as in managing a Charge. The Invafion of Fames V. of Scotland, was fruftrated, and Solem-Moffe Battle_won, by his Direction. The next Year, he and the Earl of Warwick, burnt Leith and Edinburgh, and wasted Tivedale and the Marches. The next Year following, being fent to view the Fortifications of the Marches of Calais, with the hardy Approach of 7000 English, he beat up an Army of 21000 French, took their Baggage and Cannon, and all with the Lofs of one Man, and after won the Caftle, commonly call'd Red-Pyle. The next Year, he invaded and fpoil'd Picardie, and began the Forts of Newhaven, Blackness, and Bullingberge. Upon these and other like Succeffes, his fucceeding Fortunes were always esteem'd rather new, than ftrange; and his only Prefence was reputed fufficient Surety for an Army. But after all this Honour and Greatnefs, and profperous Succeffes in thefe his Undertakings, he fell, at laft, thro' the Pride and revengeful Humour of Anne Stanhope, his Wife, who envying that his Brother, Lord Thomas Seymour, of Sudley, High Admiral of England, had married the Lady Catherine Par, Queen Dowager to Henry VIII. and by that Marriage, the younger Brother's Wife claim'd Precedence before her; the poffefs'd the Duke, her Husband, that his Brother ftudied his Ruin, which alfo, by the Artifices of the

E

ambi

Fdward,

ambitious Earl of Warwick, took place, fo that the Lord Sudley was arrested, and fent Prifoner to the Tower, and in a very short time after, condemn'd by Act of Parliament, and loft his Head, and what feems more rigid, by a Warrant under his own Brother's Hand. His Death created great Hatred in the People, against the Protector, many of the Nobility calling him Bloodfucker, Murderer, unfit to be the King's Protector; befides, another thing help'd to confirm the publick Hatred, his pulling down a Church and two Bishops Houfes in the Strand, to make way for Somerset-House, and ruining the Steeple, and most part of the Church of St. John of Jerufalem, &c. to carry on the Building. Upon which the Earl of Warwick, watching his Opportunity, form'd a Party in the Privy-Council, against the Protector, who remov'd the King from Hampton-Court, to Windfor, and was foon after charg'd as the Occafion of all the Calamities, that had befallen the Nation, and fent Prifoner to the Tower, where he fubmitted to his Accufation, and himself beg'd the King's Pardon for the fame, who again releas'd him, remitted his Fines, return'd all his Goods, undifpos'd of, and once more fwore him of his Privy-Council. After which, his Daughter was married to the Lord Lifle, Son and Heir to the Earl of Warwick, and the Earl of Warwick himself made Admiral of England, and Duke of Northumberland. But this Match was fo far from ftifling all former Animofities, that now the aforefaid Duke, having a more full and fufficient Authority, chargd the Duke of Somerset anew, with feveral wicked Designs to murder himself, and many more of the Nobility, for which, being put in the Tower, and brought to his Tryal, he was found Guilty of Felony, and fentenc'd to be hang'd, and two Months after, the Violence of his Enemies, notwithstanding the King's Defire to fave him, drew him to Tower-Hill, where, January the 24th, 1552, he loft his Head: He fuffer'd with great Conftancy, and was very much lamented, People dipping their Handerchiefs in his Blood, and laying them up as Sacred Relicks.

His eldeft Son Edward, being difpoffefs'd of all, by the Lord Beau-Attainder of his Father, was, by Queen Elizabeth, in champ. the first Year of her Reign, advanc'd to the Degree of

a Baron of this Realm, by the Title of Lord Beauchamp, as alfo to the Dignity of Earl of Hertford, married the Lady Catherine Grey, Daughter to Henry, Duke of Suffolk, and near allied to the Queen; for fome of the Circumftances of which Marriage, he fuffer'd Imprisonment, and much Trouble. This Earl lived to be an aged Man, and in 3 Jac. I. Anno 1605, was fent Ambaffador to the Arch-Duke, for confirming a Peace. By the aforefaid Lady Catherine, his firft Wife, he had three Sons, of which his eldeft, Edward, Lord Beauchamp, in 6 Fac. I. obtained Letters Patents, granting that he, and the Heirs-Male of his Body, after the Death of his Father, thould be Barons of Parliament, and have Place and Voice there; but died in the Lifetime of his Father, as did alfo, Edward, his eldest Son; Edward fo that on the Death of Edward, Earl of Hertford, Son and his Father, Sir William Seymour, his fecond Son, fucceed-Heir. ed him in his Honours. This William, in Confideration of his eminent Merits, was advanced to the Dignity of Marquis of Hertford, Anno 1640, 16 Car. I. and there- William, Marquis of upon conftituted Governor to the Prince, and faithfully Hertford. adhering to that King, upon the grand Rebellion against him, he was made Lieutenant-General of all the King's Forces, in the Counties of Wilts, Southampton, Dorfet, &c. and elected Chancellor of the Univerfity of Oxford, and made Groom of the Stool to the King; and living to fee the happy Reftoration, was reftor'd to the Title of Duke of Somerfet, and died October the 24th, in the Duke of 12th Year of the Reign of King Charles II. By the La- reftor'de dy Frances his Wife, he had Iffue, five Sons and four Daughters; William and Robert died unmarried, Henry, the third Son, died in his Father's Life-time alfo, but had taken to Wife, Mary, the Daughter of Arthur, Lord Capel, by whom he had Iffue, one Son William, and three Daughters; which William, furviving his williant, Grandfather, fucceeded him in his Honours, but died Grandfon Anno 1671, unmarried. Whereupon, John, the fifth and Heir. and only Son, Survivor of William, Duke of Somerset, and Uncle to the laft William, fucceeded him.

Somerfet

Which John married Sarah, Daughter of Sir Edward John, Alfton, Knight; but died without Iffue, Anno 1675.