riors of Agincourt, who m. Isabel, daughter and heiress of Sir John Nevill, of Rolleston, in the county of Notts. Of this Sir Robert, the following curious memorial is recorded in the "Woodford Chartulary." Kyng Henry the Fyfte reyned Kyng of Yngland ix yere and more; and in the third yere of his regne he wan Harefleur by a sege; and on the friday, in the fest of Saint Cryspyn, and Crispynyam, erly in the mornyng, he dubbyd Sr Robt. Woodford knyght, and many odure at that Sege beyng present; and anon aftr. that same friday he faught manfully agens a 100.000, of frenchmen at Agincourt, And had the victory of them. And toke the Duke of Orlyaunce, and odr dukis and grete Lordys of F'nce, and there was slayn of frenchmen yt day thirteen thowsand. And aftr he wan the cyte of Roon and Cane and all wholle Normandy and ye cyte of Paryse, and mykyll of all F'nce. And he made his brodn Sr John the Duke of Bedford Regent of all Fraunce. And aftr that at the ix yere of hys Reyngne, he passid to God Almighty, on whos soulle of J'hu have m'cy," Amen. | right, might have in all that entry, in length and in breadth, as it lies before the gates of the Grange of the Abbots of Croxton, for which grant the aforesaid Abbot and the convent have granted and promised with the oath of priesthood, that is verbum Dei, that the said Sir Robert and dame Isabelle his wife, shall be in all their special prayers, and yearly to the end of the world to keep their obit day, with placebo and dirge, and a mass in their quire, solemnly as appears in the following article." "A release of Sir Robert Woodforde of the above premises and a reciprocal engagement of the abbot and convent." The son of Sir Robert and Isabella, his wife, THOMAS WOODFORD,* who died during his father's lifetime, m. Alice, daughter of Sir Laurence Berkeley, of Wymondham, in the county of Leicester, grandaughter Maurice, Lord Berkely, and by her had issue, John, Walter, Humphrey, Ralph, and John, amongst whom, their grandfather, (the aforesaid Sir Robert), at his decease, being then very old, divided all his lands. "To John, the eldest son, he gave the manor of Sproxton, and lands in Wiganhall, and Tilney, in the county of Norfolk, and lands in Easton, and South Stoke, in the county of Lincoln. To Walter, the second son, he gave the manor of Newbolt Folvile, in the county of Leicester. To Humphrey, the third son, he gave the manor of Brentingby, lands in Wyfordby, Thorpe Arnold, Stapleford, Traby, and Melton Mowbray, in the county of Leicester. To Ralph, the fourth son, he gave 16 messuages, 4 tofts, 12 yard lands, 30 acres of meadow in Knipton, county of Leicester. To John, the fifth son, he gave the manor of Garthorpe, in the county of Leicester, to them and their heirs male for ever, to the manifest injury of the heir of that ancient family which had continued in great account and high dignity for so many years." Here follows an extract from a deed, "Here you may see and truly understand how that Robert Woodforde, esq. made a feoffment of all his land that he had in Leicestershire, Lincoln, Stafford, and Derbyshire, what time he went over sea with HENRY V. Here you may see and truly understand how that Robert Woodforde, Knyght and Lord of Ashby Folvile has given to his well beloved sons aforesaid, that is to say to every one of them by themselves, a parcel of lifelihold lying in divers towns as ye may understand truly in the fine hereafter, the which lifelihood the said Sir Robert Woodford, had after the decease of John of Woodford of Brentingby his father, by descent of heritage and standing in fee simple, for it was purchased all the lands and tenements, that ever the Woodfords had in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire, and in faith there was never none of the Woodfords that ever enfeoffed any of their wives in no manner of land or rent, as by way of joint feoffment in taille, that was a right ungentle deed, as me thinketh, in good faith, and as you may see in all these fines and deeds well insealed of all their purchases." From the Woodford chartulary. "Sir Robert Woodford knt. and Lord of Sproxton has given and for ever more hath released with warrant to the Abbot of Crox-with ton and to his successor all the right that the said Sir Robert had, or by any title of The Neville pedigree, showing the direct descent of the Woodfordes from the Princess Elgiva, is set forth in the Woodforde chartulary in the British Museum. John, m. a lady named Sherrard, and d. s. p. as did all the other sons except Ralph, the fourth son, who surviving them came into possession of the manor of Sproxton, with those of Brentingby, Newbolt Folvile, Garthorpe, and Knipton. This SIR RALPH WOODFORDE, sheriff of Leicester, (heir to his brothers who d. s. p.) m. Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Villiers, knt. of Brokesbie, in the county of Leicester, grand-aunt of the celebrated George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, and had other issue, I. WILLIAM, (who predeceased his father), leaving by Ann, hiswife, daugh I. THOMAS. III. Eustace. IV. Christopher. 1. Mary. 11. Margery. III. Elizabeth. The eldest son, THOMAS WOODFORDE, esq. m. Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Blount, esq. of Iver, Bucks, (see vol. iii. p. 167,) and had issue, I. JAMES, who m. Catharine, daughter and heir of Thomas Rede, esq. of Borresdale, Bucks, brother of Sir William Rede, and had issue, Robert, who m. Ursula Colt, of Rickmansworth, Bucks, and had John, who d. s. p. James, William, Mary, Catherine, and Elizabeth. Edward, d. s. p. Jane, m. to John Brinkhurst, esq. Mabel, m. to John Walter, esq. Anne. Ursula, m. first, to Booth; and - secondly, to John Duffield, esq. 11. Gamaliel, who m. first, Johanna, daughter of Sir Thomas Lodge, by whom he had two sons, Thomas, and William, presumed to have d. s. p. and secondly, Miss Fulke, by whom he had Fulcronia, who d. issueless, and Anna, m. to Anthony Warre. III. Thomas. IV. ROBERT, of whose descendants we have to treat. I. Anna, m. to Francis, second son of Paul Dayrell, esq. of Lillingston Dayrell, and had a son Edmund Dayrell, of Lamport, (see vol. iii. p. 149). II. Elizabeth. IV. Dorothea. VI. Cecilia. III. Ursula. v. Sibilla. VII. Susanna. VIII. Alicia, m. to John, Bishop of St. Davids. The fourth son, ROBERT WOODFORDE, m. Johanna Pres ton, of Radnorshire, an heiress, and had issue, 1. ROBERT, his heir. 1. Elizabeth, m. first, to Richard Ba- 11. Dorothy, m. to Roger Harries, esq. III. Mary,m. to Richard Morgan, gent. v. Gertrude, who was also married. The eldest son, ROBERT WOODFORD, esq. m. Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Wentworth, esq. of Burnham, Bucks, and had by her, ROBERT, and Anna, wife of Ægidio Buden, or Baden, D.D. He m. secondly, a daughter of Richard viz. Thomas, Edward, Sarah, Dorothea, JoMoore, and had by her several children, Silvester. hanna, Jane, Elizabeth, Ellen, Martha, and The eldest son, ROBERT WOODFORD, of Scaldwell, in the county of Northampton, wedded Miss Wymond, by whom he had 1. THOMAS, who d. s. p. III. Richard, whose great-grandson, Ed- IV. William. The son and heir, EDWARD WOODFORD, m. Margery, daughter of Ragdale, esq. of Old, in Northampton, lived till he was eighty-six, and died about 1604, leaving a son and successor, ROBERT WOODFORD, esq. espoused Jane, daughter of Thomas Dexter, of Old, Northamptonshire, and had a son, ROBERT WOODFORD, born at Old, in Northamptonshire, 3rd April, 1606. He wedded Hannah, daughter of Robert Hanch, esq. of London, by Hannah, his wife, daughter of Edward Heighes, esq. and niece of Sir Nicholas Heighes, of Heighes House and West Court Manor, Bensted, Southamptonshire, which lands had remained in the possession of the ancient family of the Heighes, from a period antecedent to the time of EDWARD I. when Peter de Heighes was verderer of the then forest of Wolmer: they had issue, 1. SAMUEL, his heir. II. John, of London, from whom the late Sir Ralph Woodforde descended. (See BURKE'S Extinct Baronetcies.) III. Thomas, d. s. p. Iv. Nathaniel, d. s. p. even our enemies, as happy and loving a pair as ever came together, blessed be our good God: she was the Saturday following buried in Heighes chancel, in the very place where my great grandmother, my Lady Heighes, about 37 years before was buried, whose silk stockings (all else but the bones in them being quite wasted) remained entire and without the least rottenness, as many in my parish said who saw them. Oh my God, sanctify this so great visitation to me I humbly beseech thee, for my Saviour's sake, Christ Jesus. Amen." Dr. Samuel Woodford was also a poet as well as divine, and a learned antiquary, the cotemporary and intimate friend of Tillotson, his kinsman; Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury; Stillingfleet, Bishop of Worcester; Sprat, Bishop of Rochester; Wilkins, Bishop of Chester; Gardner, Bishop of Lincoln; Cowley, Bates, &c. and the many other celebrated divines and learned men of that remarkable era. Besides his Paraphrase of the Psalms and Canticles, a poem on the return of King CHARLES II., and many minor poems, now in the possession of his great-great-grandson, William Woodforde, esq. of Ansford; he prepared for the press several learned works in Latin and Italian, on the coins and antiquities of Rome, &c. which were unfortunately destroyed in the great fire of London, "a just punishment (he says) for devoting so much of my time to profane learning instead of Theology when at college." Alicia, Dr. Woodford's first wife, was a near relation and intimate friend of Mrs. Mary Beale, the celebrated artist and poet, whose paintings in oil are highly prized by connoisseurs, she was a pupil of Sir Peter Lely, and by Walpole, styled the "incomparable Mrs. Beale." SAMUEL WOODFORD, D.D. F.R.S. prebendary of Winchester, and rector of Hartley Mauduit and Shaldon, in Hampshire, born in London, 15th April, 1636, became a commoner of Wadham College, 1653, took one degree in arts in 1656, and in 1658, retired to the Inner Temple, where he studied for several years, with the intention of becoming a barrister; he was "chamber fellow" with the poet Flatman, who wrote some interesting verses in his praise. In 1660, he published a poem on the return of King Charles II.: after that period he lived first at Albrook, afterwards at Heighes House, Bensted, Hants, was elected fellow of the Royal Society, 14th January, 1669, took orders from his cousin, Bishop Morley, and was soon afterwards presented by Sir Nicholas Stuart, to the rectory of Hartley Mauduit, Hants, to which place he then removed, 1672. In 1673, he was presented by his majesty King CHARLES II. to the rectory of Shaldon, in the same county, and appointed chaplain to Lord Maynard, comptroller of his majesty's household. In 1674, by the fiat of Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury, he was made doctor of divinity; May 18th, 1676, prebendary of Chichester, by Dr. Ralph Brideoake, bishop of that diocese; and in 1680, prebendary of Winchester, by Morley, Bishop of Winchester, his special friend and relative, to whom he dedicated his Psalms. The following is an extract from one of his journals: "I, Samuel, eldest son of Robert, grandson of Robert, and great grandson of Edward, of Old, being about 25 years of Dr. Woodford married 5th February, age, was married to Alicia, youngest daugh- 1666, secondly, Mary, daughter of John ter of Mrs. Elizabeth Beale, widow of The-Norton,* esq. of Benstead, and by her had odore Beale, B.D. of the county of Bucks, (a zealous adherent of the royal family of Stuart,) of the ancient family of the Beales of Beverly, in Yorkshire, aged about 27, at St. Christopher's, behind the Exchange, London, upon Thursday, 10th of October, 1661, by my cousin Tillotson, (the celebrated Archbishop of Canterbury,) and by her, through the blessing of God, have had issue, Alicia, born in London (married to the Rev. Alexander Dalgress, rector of Farringdon, Hants); HEIGHES, born at Bensted, in the county of Southampton, but then though I became the joyful father of a son, I was in a few days deprived of my dearest wife, whom my God was pleased, by a violent fever, to take out of this miserable life unto himself, upon Thursday, January 14th; we had lived by His infinite mercy, in the bands of holy wedlock, 2 years, 3 months, and 4 days, in the opinion of all, I believe issue, Samuel, in holy orders, who m. Miss Susannah Wakeford, of Southampton, who died in 1730, leaving one daughter. III. John, in holy orders, rector of Bucknell and Bicester, in Oxfordshire, d. s. p. IV. Robert, canon of Wells, and rector of Yeovilton, presented to the living by his friend and relative, Dr. George Hooper, Bishop of Bath and Wells. He wedded Miss Farewell, of Holbrook House, near Wincanton, Somerset, and died at Wells, 1762, aged eighty-seven. v. William, M.D. regius professor of * See Norton's of Hampshire, vol. iii. p. 474. physic. He resided for some years at Epsom, in Surrey, but subsequently removed to Bath, where he died. He espoused Mary, eldest daughter of the Rev. George Smyth, of Binderton, Sussex, by Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of Robert Peckham, esq. of Little Green,† and had one son and three daughters, 1. William, who died at sea. 2. Anna-Maria, m. esq. Wotton, "She was an ingenious lady, her drawings and works in cut paper, &c. are preserved in the Museum at Oxford, and for some curious performance presented to Queen ANNE, received from her majesty a beautiful gold watch." 3. Mary. VI. Anne, died unmarried at Bicester, Dr. Woodford died 11th January, 1700, and was s. by his son, THE REV. HEIGHES WOODFORD, rector of Elvetham, Hants, and of Epsom, Surrey, who wedded Mary, only daughter of Captain Thomas Lamport, of Alton, Hants, by whom he acquired lands near Pegham, Sussex, and had issue, 1. SAMUEL, of whom presently. III. John, rector of North Curry, So- 1. Robert, from whom the Woodfordes now of London. 2. Thomas, from whom the Woodfordes of Taunton, Somerset. IV. Thomas, m. Miss Adams, sister of Dr. Adams, the head of Pembroke College, and from this marriage springs the family of the late Rev. Francis Woodforde, rector of Ansford. 1. Anne, d. at Ansford, 1773. 11. Mary, m. to the Rev. Mr. Lewis, master of Kilkenny College, and d. in Ireland. III. Elizabeth, m. to Mr. Parr. IV. Jane, d. in Bath. The Rev. Heighes Woodford d. and was buried at Epsom, and s. by his son, THE REV. SAMUEL WOODFORD, rector of Ansford for fifty-three years, and vicar of Castle Cary, who was b. at Elvetham, 22nd July, 1695, and died 11th May, 1771, aged seventy-five. He m. 12th July, 1724, Jane, only daughter of James Collins, esq. of Ansford, by his first wife, Miss Tilly, daughter of Tilly, esq. of Widcomb House, Bath, and had issue, 1. HEIGHES, his heir. III. James, b. 16th June, 1740, in holy IV. John, b. at Ansford, 23rd September, 1744, m. Meliora, daughter of Capt. Clarke, and d. at Castle Cary, 23rd March, 1799, s. p. I. Sobieski-Clementina, m. to Dr. Richard Clarke, of Ansford, where she d. 30th July, 1821, aged ninety-six, leaving two daughters. 11. Mary, b. at Ansford, 1728, m. to Robert White, esq. of Ansford, and d. in 1804, leaving issue one son, Robert White. III. Jane, b. 13th November, 1734, m. to John Pouncett, esq. and d. in 1798, leaving a daughter, Jane, m. to the Rev. W. F. Grove, of Wiltshire. The eldest son, HEIGHES WOODFORD, b. at Ansford, 6th July, 1726, m. Anne, daughter and heiress of Ralph Dorville, esq. d. at Ansford, 1789, aged sixty-three, had issue, I. WILLIAM, his heir, the present Col. II. Samuel, R. A. b. 29th March, 1763, esq. of Cucklington and Shanks, her sister m. Mr. Davenish, of Lidlinch, and her brother, Hugh Watts, m. Miss Dalton, and had several daughters, one married a Gifford, another a Gibbons, and another a Yeatman; the estates now centre in the Dalton family. 1. Anna-Maria, b. 1757, d. 6th January, Arms-Sable three leopards' heads re versed gules, swallowing three fleurs-de-lis Crest-A woodman proper, holding a club Seat-Ansford House. MOLONY, OF KILTANON. MOLONY, JAMES, esq. of Kiltanon, in the county of Clare, b. in 1785, m. first in 1820, Harriet, daughter of William Harding, esq. of Ba raset, in Warwickshire, and has had by her, who died in 1826, two sons and one daughter, viz. 1. James, deceased. 1. Harriet, deceased. He wedded, secondly, 15th May, 1828, Lucy, second daughter of Sir Trevor Wheler, bart. of Leamington Hastang, in Warwickshire, and has had issue, Mr. Molony, who succeeded his father 12th October, 1823, is a magistrate and deputy lieutenant for Clare, and served the office of sheriff of that county in 1828. * Lineage. The Milesian family of Molony is one of great antiquity in the sister island. O'Halloran (Hist. of Ireland, vol. iii. p. 408,) says, "From Cormac Cas (who was of the line of Heber, eldest son of Milesius,) are descended, first, O'Brien, chief of Thomond; Macmahon, Lord of Corca-Bhaisgin; Macnamara, marshal of Thomond; Mac Clancy, hereditary chief justice; Mac Bruodin, hereditary historian; O'Hickery and Nolan, the hereditary medical tribe; Mac Curtins, hereditary bards, &c. Besides these hereditary officers, the following noble families are derived from this great source: O'Dea, O'Hehir, O'Quin, Mac Ennery, O'Grady, O'MOLLOWNEY, and others," and in his "list of ancient Irish territories, and by what Milesian families possessed both before and His lordship left a gold ring, (now in the possession of James Molony, esq. of Kiltanon,) which was to be sent to, and to denote the head branch of the family, who were thereby privileged to have any of the name of Molony brought up as priests in the above mentioned university, free of expense. |