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SHUGH MYDDELTON.Kn: & Bar

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famous Aqueduct called the New River, was perform'd at his charge (notwithstan tural Difficulties and the Envious opposition He met with) A.D. 1613 He also caused to be Silver Mines in Wales, to the greal advantage of the Crown, and of the Public.

Published March 3.1792 by W. Richardson Castle Street, Leicester Fields

CLASS VIII.

SONS OF PEERS WITHOUT TITLES, BARONETS,
KNIGHTS, GENTLEMEN, AND PERSONS IN
INFERIOR CIVIL EMPLOYMENTS.

James I.

SIR HUGH MYDDLETON. (Bart.)-"The Created by famous aqueduct, called the New River, was performed at his charge; notwithstanding many natural difficulties, and the envious opposition he met with, A. D. 1613. He also caused to be wrought the silver mines in Wales, to the great advantage of the crown, and of the public." C. Johnson p. Vertue sc. 1722; large h.sh.

Small copy of the above. W. Richardson.

His portrait is in the possession of John Luther, esq. of Myless, in Essex.

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Sir Hugh Myddleton united two springs, one in the parish of Amwell, near Hertford, and the other near Ware; and conveyed them through a winding course of sixty miles to London. He is said to have erected no less than eight hundred bridges, for necessary passages over this river. This great work, which seems to have been better suited to the genius of a Roman emperor, than of a citizen of London, was begun the 20th of February, 1608, and finished the 29th of September, 1613.*

SIR GEORGE VILLIERS; from a picture by Cornelius Jansen, at Strawberry-hill. W. P. Sherlock sc. 4to.

SIR GEORGE VILLIERS; from his monument in Westminster Abbey, in Harding's "Biographical Mirrour;" 4to.

There is a large print, of the ceremony of letting the water into the bason at Islington, by Bickham.

Sir George Villiers was a country gentleman of Leicestershire, of an ancient family, but moderate estate. His grandfather," Joannes Vyllers," was of sufficient consequence to be recorded by Polydore Virgil, among the chief men who, in 1487, brought forces to the aid of Henry the Seventh against Lambert Simnel, at the battle of Stoke; and at the marriage of Prince Arthur, in 1501, was made a knight of the Bath.

Sir George himself was born in 1544, was sheriff of Leicestershire 33 Eliz. and obtained the honour of knighthood on the accession of King James. He died Jan. 4th, 1605-6. His first wife was Audrey, daughter and heir to William Sanders, of Harrington, in Northamptonshire, esq. and by her he had Sir William Villiers, created a baronet July 19th, 1619; and Sir Edward Villiers, president of Munster, and ancestor to the Earls of Jersey and Clarendon, and Lord Grandison of Ireland: beside three daughters; Elizabeth, married to John, lord Butler, of Bramfield; Anne, wife of Sir William Washington, of Packington, in Leicestershire; and Frances, who died unmarried. He married, secondly, Mary, daughter of Anthony Beaumont, of Glenfield, in the county of Leicester, esq. But Roger Coke, in his Detection of the Court of James the First, informs us "that Mary Beaumont was entertained in Sir George Villiers's family, in a mean office of the kitchen; but her ragged habit could not shade the beautiful and excellent frame of her person; which Sir George taking notice of, prevailed with his lady to remove her out of the kitchen into her chamber, which with some importunity on Sir George's part, and unwillingness of my lady, at last was done." Soon after my lady died, and Sir George became very sweet upon his lady's woman, which would not admit any relief without enjoyment; and the more to win Mary to it, gave her twenty pounds to put herself into so good a dress as this would procure; which she did; and then Sir George's affections became so fired, that to allay them he married her. In this coverture Sir George had three sons; John, after viscount Purbeck; Christopher, after earl of Anglesea; and George, the famous duke of Buckingham; and one daughter, married to the Earl of Denbigh. When Sir George died (in 1606), his son, George, was very young (being born in 1592), and Sir George having settled the estate upon the issue of his former lady, could leave the issue of his second lady but very little, and herself but a jointure of two hundred pounds per annum; nor was it possible for her, out of so contracted a jointure, to maintain herself and them, so as to make scarce any provision for

them after her death: and the issue of Sir George, by his former lady, both envied and hated her; so as little could be expected from them. To supply these defects, she married one Thomas Compton, a rich country gentleman, whereby she became able to maintain and breed up her children in a better than ordinary education.*

SIR THOMAS CHALONER, knt. a monumental effigy, with his lady, from his tomb in Chiswick church, Middlesex. R. Wilkinson exc.

Sir Thomas Chaloner was son of Sir Thomas Chaloner, of Gisborough in Yorkshire, and of Steeple Claydon, in Bucks, an eminent scholar, poet, and statesman, in the reigns of Edward VI. Mary, and Elizabeth. He was educated, first, at St. Paul's school; and then at Magdalen College, Oxon.; from thence he went on his travels, and in Italy devoted himself to the study of natural history and chemistry. The proficiency that he gained in those sciences led him, whilst at Rome, to observe the similarity of the soil which supplied the pope's great alum works to that of his own estate at Gisborough. He formed a plan for the establishment of an alum manufactory in England; and having privately engaged some workmen brought them home with him; for which he was formally anathematized by the pope. His scheme, although it proved, through great pains and expense, eminently successful, was rendered useless to his family; for the crown seized his lands, under its prerogative respecting mines royal. It is probable, that the office of governor to Prince Henry was conferred on him as a compensation; and not less probable, that two of his sons, Thomas and James, whose signatures are to the warrant for the execution of Charles I. were actuated in their enmity to that prince by the recollection of his father's injustice toward theirs. The estate and alum works were, however, restored to the family by the Long Parliament. Sir Thomas Chaloner's eldest son was created a baronet; but, he dying without issue, the title became extinct, and Edward, his next brother, inherited the estates, which have passed from him, through five descents, to Robert Chaloner, of Gisborough, esq. their present possessor, M.P. for Richmond, in Yorkshire, in 1812.

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INSCRIPTION ON SIR THOMAS CHALONER'S TOMB.

"Heere lieth the Bodey of St. Thomas Chaloner, who was knighted in the warres of France by Kinge Henrey the Fourthe A°. 1591. And after, governor in the minority, and châberlayne, to the laate prince of famous memorey Henrey, prince of Wales, duke of Cornwal, and earle of Chester; and he married to his first wiffe Elizabeth, daughter to William Fletwood, sergeant at lawe to Q. Eliz: and recorder of London; by whom he had yssue Thomas Decea: Williâ, Edward, Thomas, Henrey Decea: Arthure Decea: James, Eliza Decea: Mary, wiffe to St. Edward Fisher, knight, Elizabeth and Dorothey; and died the 22 day of Junne Ao. 1603, aged 35 yeares and to his second wiffe he married Jude the daughter to Will. Blunt, of Londô, esquier; by whom he had also yssue Henrey, Charles, Fredricke, and Arthure: Anne, Katharen, and Frances, and she Decea: the 30 day of Junne Ao. 1615, aged 36 yeares. And the afore sayed S1. Tho. Chaloner died ye 18 day of Novêber, 1615; being of the adge of 51 yeares.

SIR RICHARD SPENCER; in a collection of heads published by Hondius, 1608.

There is a small head of him, inscribed " H. Richard Spencer, Ridder, Ambas. Extraord." It is engraved with seventeen other heads of ambassadors to the states of Holland. This shews that he may be placed in the fifth class.

Sir Richard Spencer of Offley, in Hertfordshire, was fourth son of Sir John Spencer, of Althorp, in Northamptonshire, ancestor of the present Duke of Marlborough. The Spencers of Hertfordshire are descended from Sir Richard.

"SIR PHILIP PARKER, a Morley, of Erwarton, in com. Suffolk, knt. son of Sir Henry Parker, knt. eldest son and heir of Henry Parker, lord Morley, and lineal ancestor of Catharine Parker, countess of Egmont; knighted by Queen Elizabeth, 1578." J. Faber f. 1747, 8vo...

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