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ceftershire, and married Alice, daughter of Roger de Berkeley, the former owner of Berkeley, and of Durfley, by whom he had fix fons; Robert, Thomas, Maurice, William, Henry, and Richard; and dying June 16, 1189, was fucceeded by

HIS noble family are defcend- at the north of Berkeley in Gloued from Robert Fitz-Harding, who obtained a grant of Berkeley-caftle in Gloucestershire (which the family ftill inherit, and from whence they obtained the furname of Berkeley) from Henry duke of Normandy, afterwards king of Eng land, the faid Robert Fitz-Harding being defcended from the royal line of the kings of Denmark. Harding, the father of the faid Robert, accompanied William duke of Normandy, into England, was prefent at the memorable battle of Hastings, and died in the reign of Henry I. In the disputes between the emprefs Maud and king Stephen, the above-mentioned Robert Fitz-Harding efpoufed the caufe of the emprefs and her fon Henry; and was by him rewarded with the manor of Berthone in the county of Gloucefter, together with lands in Berke ley, valued at 100 l. per annum, and afterwards with the whole lordfhip of Berkeley, and Berkeley-Herheffe, thereunto belonging; of which Robert de Berkeley, owner of Durfley, was then divested for taking part with king Stephen. In 1158 he had the honour of entertaining Dermot Mac Marrough, king of Leiafter, with his retinue, at Brittol; and dying on February 5, in the 17th year of the reign of Henry II. left iffue by Eve, his wife, four fons; Henry, Maurice, Robert, and Nicholas.

Henry the eldest dying young, and without iffue, Maurice the fecond fon fucceeded, and is ancestor to the prefent earl of Berkeley. He founded Lowring Hofpital, and that of the Holy Trinity of Long-brigge, July 1764.

Robert, his eldeft fon, who fiding with the difaffected barons againfe king John, was excommunicated by the pope, and deprived of his caftle and all his lands: however, upon his fubmiffion, he got a grant of his manór of Came in Dorfethire, for the fupport of Julian his wife; and at last, on Henry the Firit's acceffion to the throne, for a fine of nine hundred fixty-fix pounds; thirteen fhillings, and four-pence, he made his peace, and was reftored to all his lands, except the caftle and town of Berkeley, which, however, were afterwards reftored to his brother in 1223, by Henry HI. He was a great benefactor to the canons of St. Auguftine near Bristol, Bradentoke in Wiltshire, Stanley Priory in Gloucefterfhire, as alfo to the canons of Hereford. He was twice married, but dying, without iffure on May13,1219, his honours and eftate defcended to

Thomas his fecond brother, who in the reign of Henry III. offered a fine to the king of fixty marks, to be exempted from attending him into Gafcoigne; on which his majelly, who was then at Xaintoigne, difpatched letters to him, informing him, that he should be exempted on fending his fon Maurice, and two other knights; with which he comHe died on Nov. 29, 1243. fue by Joan, daughter of

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Ralph de Somery, lord of Campville in Gloucestershire, fix fons, and was as remarkable as his father for his piety and large donations to the church.

He was fucceeded by his eldest fon Maurice, who accompanied his father in the wars of France, and attended prince Edward, fon of Henry III. in an expedition against the Welsh. But siding with the baTons against his sovereign, his lands were feized; however, he was afterwards pardoned. Maurice was a benefactor to the abbey of St. Augustine near Bristol; and departed this life on April 4, 1281: he had iffue by Ifabel his wife, Maurice, killed in a tournament in his own lifetime; Thomas, who fucceeded him; and Robert.

Thomas, earl of Berkeley, diftin guished himself very remarkably under Henry II. Edward and Edward II. in their wars with the Welsh and Scots, and was highly favoured and honoured by thofe three monarchs. Under Edward F. he was conftituted constable of England; and appointed ambaffador to the court of Rome, with William de Geynefburgh, D. D. about affairs in France, his two fons at the fame time accompanying him. He was present at the battle of Bannockfburne, in the reign of Edward II. where he was taken prisoner, and obliged to pay a large fine for his ranfom. Like his ancestors, he was a munificent patron to the religious houses. He adhered to Thomas earl of Lancafter in his rebellious actions; and died the fame year (1340, 15, Edward II.) on July 23, leaving iffue by Jane his wife, daughter of William de Ferrers, earl of Derby, three fons and two daughters.

Maurice his eldest fon, who fucceeded him, delighted from his youth in military atchievements, and diftinguished himself in several tournaments. He accompanied his father in most of his expeditions against the Welsh and Scots; and in 1312 was appointed by Edward II. governor of Gloucefter, and afterwards in 1314 governor of the town and caftle of Berwick upon Tweed. In 1315 he was made juftice of South Wales by the fame monarch; and in 1319, constituted Reward of the duchy of Aquitaine, by the title of the king's beloved kinfman. But unfortunately joining with Thomas earl of Lancafter, and his adherents, and upon fpecial fummons negle&ing to fubmit to the king, his caftiesand lands were feized, and himself afterwards fent prifoner to Wallingford caftle, where he died May 35, 1326. He was twice married: by his first wife Eve, daughter of Eudo la Zouche, he had five fons and one daughter; but left no iffue by his fecond, Ifabel, daughter of Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucefter.

Thomas, the eldest son and heir, fharing in the fate of the earl of Lancafter, and his followers, in oppofing the power of the Spencers, was first committed to the Tower of London, whence he made his efcape; but, being re-taken, was fent to Berkhamstead castle in Hertfordshire, and afterwards removed to Pevenfey in Suffex: however, on the queen's coming from France, and landing in England with all the forces fhe could mufter, he quickly regained his liberty, and had his castle of Berkeley delivered unto him, of which Hugh le Despencer, the younger, had got poffeffion through his intereft with Edward II. Afterwards, when that king was

made

made prifoner by the difaffected party, he was committed to the care of this Thomas lord Berkeley, to be kept in his castle of Berkeley; but exceptions being taken that he treated him with too much lenity and civility, he was commanded to deHiver him to John lord Maltravers, and Thomas Gourney, together with his caftle; upon which he retired to Bradley, one of his manorhoufes. Being afterwards indicted in the reign of Edward HI. for being acceffary to the murder of the late king; upon his trial he was acquitted by the jury, and also by the parliament. He was very active in the Scotch wars, during the reign of Edward II. and fignalized himself under Edward III. in various expeditions, both againft the French and Scots. He was prefent at the battle of Crecy; and was one of the chief commanders at the battle of Poictiers, where the English obtained immortal honour; and, in the latter engagement, he took fo many pri foners, that out of their ranfoms he built Beverftone-cattle in Gloucefterfhire. He conferred large endowments on several religious houfes, and founded fome chantries and other charitable inftitutions. He died on October 27, 1961, after having been twice married: firft, to Margaret, fourth daughter to Roger -de Mortimer, earl of March, and widow of Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford, by whom he had four fons and one daughter; and, fecondly, to Catherine, daughter of Sir John Clivedon, knt. widow of Sir Peter le Vere, knt. and by her had iffue four fons.

He left Maurice, his eldeft fon by his first wife, his heir, who followed his father's example in works of piety, and died on June 8, 1367.

His death was fuppofed to be partly occafioned by fome wounds he received at the battle of Poitiers, which had never been properly cured. By Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Hugh le Defpenfer, he had four fons; viz. Thomas, his eldest fon and heir; James, ancestor to the prefent earl of Berkeley; with two more fons and three daughters. - Thomas, when he fucceeded his father, was but fifteen years of age. He ferved with reputation and fidelity under Edward I. Richard II. and Henry IV. The latter made him admiral of his fleet, from the mouth of the Thames to the weft and fouth: he was alfo fworn of his privy-council in open parliament. He was a lover of learning, and an encourager of the fainous John Trevifa, vicar of Berkeley, author of feveral pieces; being, as Bale writes it, a man of much learning, and exceeding eloquent. He married Margaret, daughter to Gerard Warren, lord of Lifle, by whom he had a daughter, and died on July 13, 1416.

Dying without male iffue, James, fon and heir of James de Berkeley, brother of the daft-mentioned earl, became his heir; and by virtue of a special entail and fine, enjoyed the castle and lordship of Berkeley, with other lordships in the faid fine mentioned. He was twenty-three years of age at the time of his father's death, which happened on June 13, 1404, who was knighted, and had been ap pointed governor of Tretour-Caftle in Brecknockshire, by Henry IV. This earl was fummoned to parlia ment among the peers in the reign of Henry V. as he was alfo to all Henry VI's parliaments. He was thrice married; but had no issue by two of his wives. By his fecond wife, who was daughter of Thomas 3 A 2 Mowbray

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