SUSAN GREY, sister and heir to Henry Grey, Earl of Kent, (for whom see the articles of the Earl of Stamford in vol. iii. and Baroness Lucas in vol. vii.) inherited from her brother the BARONY OF GREY OF RUTHYN, and married Sir MICHAEL LONGUEVILLE, Knt. third son of Sir Henry Longueville, of Wolverton in Bucks, and had issue CHARLES LONGUEVILLE, her son and heir, who after a great and long dispute in parliament, had the title of LORD GREY OF RUTHYN assigned to him, and having married Frances, daughter and coheir of Edward Nevile, Esq. cousin-german to Henry, Lord Abergavenny, departed this life in the King's garrison at Oxford, on June 17th, 1643, leaving both title and estate to his only daughter and sole heir SUSAN, BARONESS GREY DE RUTHYN, who married Sir HENRY YELVERTON, Bart. son of Sir Christopher Yelverton, Bart. a a Of this family, which is of good antiquity in the county of Norfolk, was ANDREW Yelverton (living in the reign of Edward II.) the father of ROBERT Yelverton, who, in the time of Edward III. was seated at Rackheath, not far from Norwich, and marrying Cecilia, daughter of Sir Thomas Bardolf, a descendant + of the ancient family of the Bardolfs, Barons of this realm, had issue John, his son and heir. Which John Yelverton, of Rackheath, Esq. by his first wife, had issue Ex Collect. Tho. Jekyll, Arm. + Segar's Baronag. Geneal. MS. in Bibl. Cotton. CHARLES, the eldest son, born August 21st, 1657, succeeded his father in the title of Baronet, and on the death of his mother, Robert, who succeeded to the estate; and by his second, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of John Read, of Rougham in the county of Norfolk, had issue Sir William Yelverton, ancestor to the late Earls of Sussex. The eldest son writing himself ROBERT Yelverton, of Rackheath, son of John Yelverton, made his will on August 4th, 1420, and the probate thereof, bears date on July 10th, 1421. He ordered his body to be buried in the cathedral church of Norwich, near his father; and left issue, by Margery his wife, Thomas, his son and heir, who died without issue. * Sir WILLIAM Yelverton, the second son, was burgess for Yarmouth, 14 Hen. VI. in the parliament then held at Westminster, and by his abilities in the study of the common law, gained so great a reputation, that in 18 Hen. VI. he was elected to the degree of serjeant at law; and in 22 Hen. VI. constituted one of the judges of the King's Bench. He was continued in that employment by Edward IV. on his accession to the throne, and was created, against the coronation of that Monarch, ‡ one of the Knights of the Bath, on June 26th, 1461. Nevertheless, when Henry VI. for a short time recovered the throne, he was by him constituted § one of the judges of the court of Common Pleas, by patent dated October 9th, 1470, 49 Hen. VI. He lies buried at Rougham, as appears by this epitaph there to his memory.|| Orate pro Animabus Will Yelverton, Militis, et quondam Justic. Dom Regis de suo Banco, et Domina Agnetis Uxoris suæ, qui quidem Willus obiit The said Agnes, surviving her husband, died in 1489, as appears by her last will and testament, which bears date on November 3d, in that year, and the probate thereof December 9th following: "By which she orders her body to be buried in the chancel of Rougham church, before the image of our Lady there, beside the sepulchre of Sir William Yelverton, late her husband; and that her executors buy for the said church a chesible and a cope of the price of twenty marks, as also a bason for a lamp to hang in before the sacrament in the said chancel. And that they suffer the brotherhood and sisterhood of the fraternity of Christ's resurrection, founded in the said church of Rougham, to receive yearly the revenues of her messuage, and appurtenances belonging to the same, in Buknams, to keep her obiit yearly and pray for her soul, her husband's soul, and all christian souls. She bequeaths to the altar where her husband John Rands lieth buried, in the parish of Berking, one ehalice of silver weighing eighteen ounces; and to the church of St. Peter, in Brendwoode in Essex, another chalice of the like weight, and two altarclothes. She further orders, that five marks, bequeathed to her by her mother in her last will, in the hands of her brother Richard Campe, be disposed of to the said church of St. Peter, for the souls of her father and mother; and that Sir Ralph Parmer, her priest, sing for her soul, the souls Pryn's Bref. Reg p. 1013. Nom Milit. in Bibl. Cotton. Claudius, C. 3. Pat. 39 H. V. p. 1. m. 18. +Dugd. Orig. Juridiciales. Weaver's Mon. p. 821. January 28th, 1676, became LORD GREY OF RUTHYN; but dying unmarried of the small pox, in Pall-Mall, on May 17th, of her husbands, her father's and mother's souls, and all christian souls, for the space of two years, and to have for his salary eight marks. She also be queaths to William Yelverton, her godson, the stuff of her chamber, when he cometh to twenty-one years of age." Sir William Yelverton before-mentioned, husband of the said Agnes, was father of JOHN Yelverton, of Rackheath, Esq. who taking to wife Margery, daughter to William Morley, Esq. had issue William, his son and heir. Which Margery, his wife, survived both her husband and eldest son; and having lived to an advanced age, died in 1503, and writing herself Margery Yelverton, of Norwich, widow, she makes her will on June 4th, 1501. and thereby orders her body to be buried in the Fryars St. Austin's in Norwich, near unto the body of John Yelverton, late her husband, and bequeaths 47. to the parish of Castle St. Edmond's. She was a benefactor to the reparation of several churches, and gave ten marks to John her son, a monk. Also she willed her manor of Castle St. Edmond's, and all lands and tenements within the same, together with Markeshall, to Richard Walter, her son-in-law, for seventeen years, to pay her debts and legacies: and after, to William Yelverton, son and heir to William Yelverton, lately deceased; and in default, to Amy Yelverton, sister to the said William. WILLIAM Yelverton, her son and heir, in 1474, was * retained by indenture to attend the King in person in his wars in France, with two men at arms and four archers. He married, first, Anne, daughter of John Paston, of Paston in the county of Norfolk, Esq. by whom he had issue one son, William, and three daughters, coheirs to their brother, who died without issue: viz. Anne, married to Thomas Jermy, Esq. second son to Sir John Jermy, Knt.; Margaret, to John Palgrave, of Norwood-Barningham in the county of Norfolk, E-q; and Eleanor, to John Conyers, son and heir of Sir Robert. By his second wise, Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Brewse, Knt. he had issue WILLIAM, his son and heir, who succeeded to the estate at Rackheath and Rougham, and by Catherine his wife, daughter of John Randes, of the county of Essex, Esq. had is ue William, his son and heir, with four other sons, viz. John, Nicholas, Edward, Adam; and a daughter Anne, married to Matthew Canne, of Wessenham in the county of Norfolk, Esq. WILLIAM, the eldest son and heir, made his last will, + Jannary 30th, 1540-1, and the probate thereof is dated August 17th, 1541; he therein writing himself William Yelverton, of Rougham, the elder, Esq. appoints his body to be buried in the church of our Lady of Rougham, and wills that his executors give to poor people, at his funeral, as much money as they think necessary. Also, that hey make restitution to all persons they think in conscience he has wronged. He leaves all his goods, moveable and unmoveable, debts, plate, household-stuff, and all other utensils, to Margaret Yelverton, his wife, and Sir Roger Townshend, Knt. whom he ordains sole executors; and they to part them among his children as they shall think best. Rymer, tom. ii. p. 845. + Ex Regist. vocat. Allenger, qu 33 in Cur. Prærog. Cant. 1679, was buried at Easton-Mauduit, and his honour and estate devolved on Henry his brother and heir. He had issue two sons, William and John; and three daughters; Mary, married to William Baker, Esq and secondly, to Henry Wayte, Esq.; Susan, to Edward Eston, of Rainham in the county of Norfolk, Esq.; and after his decease, to Edward Harvey, Esq.; and Eleanor, to Richard Draper, of Marsham in Norfolk, Esq. WILLIAM Yelverton, the eldest son, succeeded his father in the estate, and increased his patrimony by marriage with Anne, daughter and heir to Sir Henry Fermor, of East Barsham in the county of Norfolk, Knt. who bore him five sons and four daughters, viz. Henry, William, Christopher, ancestor to the late Earls of Sussex, Humphry, Lancelot, Winifrid, Anne, Martha, and Frances. He married to his second wife Jane, daughter of Edward Cocket, of Ampton in com Suff. Esq. by whom he had Edward, Charles, and Jane, (who first married Edmund Lummer, of Manington in Norfolk, Esq; secondly, to John Dodge, Esq. son of John Dodge, of Wrotham in Kent.) And having lived to be very aged, departed this life * on August 12th, 1585, seized of ten manors, and divers other lands in the county of Norfolk, all. which descended to Henry his son and heir, at that time fifty-nine years of age. Which HENRY had issue WILLIAM Yelverton, of Rougham, Esq. his son and heir, who was sheriff of Norfolk in the 19th of James I. and advanced to the dignity of a Baronet, May 31st, 1620. He married Ursula, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Richardson, Knt. speaker of the house of commons, and lord chief justice of the King's Bench; but the title of Baronet expired in Sir William Yelverton his son. They lie buried in Rougham church in Norfolk, with the following inscription: Here lys the bodyes of WILLIAM YELVERTON, Baronet of Rougham, who dyed Anno Dai, 1648. decimo 9o die Julii, and URSULA the daughter of Thomas Lord RICHARDSON his wife who died Anno Dai 1657. 12mo die Martii; and Sir WILLIAM their only son who dyed Anno Dni. 1649. 15 die Nov. without issue. Our Lord grant them to find mercy from our Lord in that day 2 Tim. cap. i. v. 18. Posteris & præsentibus po uit Amoris ergo hoc Marmor JOHN BLADWELL Armiger. I shall now treat of Sir CHRISTOPHER Yelverton, third son to Sir William Yelverton, by Anne Fermor his wife. This Sir Christopher Yelverton, being a younger brother, was, after his school and university education, entered a student in Gray's-Inn, where he had the repute of a very ingenious gentleman, of which he gave a proof in † writing the epilogue of a play translated from Euripides, called Jocasta, written by Mr George Gascoine, and publicly acted at that Inn in 1560 He after proved an eminent counsellor, was Lent reader of Gray's-Inn in 16 and 25 Eliz. § but did not then read because of the pestilence. In the 21st and 27th of Eliz. he was Cole's Esch in Bibl Harley, lib. v. p. 325. + Wood's Athenæ Oxon vol. i. p. 151. § Ibid. p. 295. Dugdale's Orig. p. 294- Which HENRY, LORD GREY OF RUTHYN, bore the spurs both at the coronations of King James II. and King William and elected treasurer of the society of Gray's-Inn; and being called to the degree of serjeant at law in 31 Eliz. was the same year constituted Queen's serjeant. And having been elected to parliament from the fifth year of Queen Elizabeth one of the representatives for Brackley, com. Northampton, as also one of the knights of the shire for the county in two parliaments; whereby his great learning and sufficiency were more conspicuous, he was chosen SPEAKER of the house of commons in the 39th year of Eliz. and had a renewal * of his patent of Queen's serjeant in 40 Eliz. In 44 Eliz + he was constituted one of the judges of the King's Bench; and on King James's accession to the throne, he had his patent renewed, bearing date April 29th, 1603, and being no knight, the King § conferred on him that honour at Whitehall, July 23d, 1603. He died at Easton-Mauduit, a seat in Northamptonshire which he had purchased, and was buried in the church there, A. D. 1607. He I married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Catesby, of Ecton and Whiston in Northamptonshire, Esq. and had issue two sons, Henry and Christopher; likewise four daughters; Elizabeth, married to Sir Edward Cope, of Cannons-Ashby in com. Northamp; Anne, wife first of Thomas Sherland, of the county of Suffolk; secondly, to Sir Edward Cocker, of Ampton in Suffolk, Knight; ** Mary, to Sir William Gardiner, ⚫ of Lagham in Surry, Knight; and ** Judith, to Edmund Abdy, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. HENRY Yelverton, the eldest son, ++ born at Easton-Mauduit on June 29th, 1566; finished his education at Oxford, from whence he removed to Gray's-Inn, had the degree of barrister, was chosen recorder of Northampton, and elected one of their members, 1 Jac. I. He was thought so well read in our common law, §§ that he was made choice of for Lent reader of Gray'sInn, in 1606; was made his Majesty's solicitor-general, October 29th, 1613, and it may be very well asserted, that few ever deserved it better, having been for about ten years in full business and reputation at the King's Bench bar; a proof of his great abilities, which his Reports of the cases adjudged in those times, and digested with so great perspicuity and brevity, doth very much declare. But the great opinion the King some time had of this good man, his falling afterwards under his Majesty's frowns, and the censure of the parliament, having subjected his story to the observation of several writers, some of whom have imperfectly, and others as untruly, related the material passages of his life, I shall, from evidences that may be depended on, place them in a better light. Ten days after Mr. Yelverton was made the King's solicitor, his + Chronica Series, p. 100. Philpot's Cat. of Knights, p. 13. 1 Ex Stemmate. Pat. 40 Eliz. p. 1. ** Visitation of Surrey, anno 16 3. Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol.i p. 463. Dug. Orig. p. 296. Philpot's Cat. of Knights, p. 52. |