THE PEERAGE O F IRELAND. VISCOUNT S. SOUTHWELL, VISCOUNT SOUTHWELL. TH HE ancient and honourable family of SOUTHWELL, according to Doctor Thoroton, Sir William Dugdale, &c. derives its name from the town of Suelle, Sewel, Suthwell, Southwell, (for fo it was variously written) in the county of Nottingham; the chief branch whereof continued its refidence there, and were Lords of that place until the time of K. Henry VI., when the family began to flourish chiefly in the eastern and fouthern counties of England, many collateral branches being in his reign tranfplanted, and dispersed in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Suffex, Surry, Effex, &c., and were many of them persons of distinguished worth and note. 38 During their refidence in the county of Nottingham about the latter end of the reign of Henry III. Sir Simon de Sir Simon. Suelle was prime witnefs to a deed of feoffment whereby VOL. VI. B John, John. John, fon of Benedict de Hokerton conveyed some small parcels of land to John, Rector of the church of Hokerton, Henry. and his heirs.--In the fame reign lived Henry de Sewel, Clerk, who gave the yearly rent of 40 fhillings to the church of Southwell, due to him from Robert Wulrington for lands which he held in Stretton in the Clay; and the rectory of South-Mufchamp being appropriated to the faid church, and making a Prebend by that name, he augmented it by the donation of three tofts in the town of Suelle, or Southwell, to William de Marcham, Canon of that church, and his fucceffors, Canons of the Prebend of South-Mufchamp.--One of the witneffes to the Chapter's certificate of this deed was John de Sewell, Clerk, and probably his fon; which John was Clerk to K. Edward I. (Domini Regis Clericus) fuppofed at that time to imply he was the King's Secretary, in which office he was continued by K. Edward II. He married Alice, daughter of Richard de Marefchal of Northwell, to whom, and his heirs, Nicholas de Skipton granted two felions of land in the fields of Suthwell; and if he happened to have no heir, to the faid Alice for life, remainder to his mother Maud Suthwell for life, remainder to his brother Gilbert his heirs and affignes. Alfo Peter fon of Gilbert de Eton, returning from the parts beyond the feas into England, at Canterbury, the Friday next before the feast of St. Margaret the virgin 21 Edward I. releafed to the faid John de Sewel, Clerk, his heirs and affignes, all his right in one toft in the borough of Sewel, lying in Pottergalt between the tofts of faid John, and Mr. Benedict de Halum, and the faid Peter by another release, dated at Suthwell the Sunday next after the feast of St. Vincent the martyr, 4 Edward II. confirmed the faid toft to faid John de Suthwell, the King's Clerk, and all other tenements, tofts, and crofts, in the faid borough or town of Suthwell, wherein the faid John was enfeoffed by Henry de Normanton, Chaplain, or any others, &c. he had iffue (very probably Sir John Suthwell, hereafter mentioned) and a daughter Joan, who by her deed, dated at Suthwell the Saturday after Michaelmas day 34 Edw. I., being then 22 years old, released to her father and mother, and their heirs, a toft and croft, &c. in Suthwell. Sir John. I Sir John de Suthwell, fon, as is thought, to the aforefaid John, was in fo great repute for his wifdom and fidelity, that K. Edward I., 7 June 1285, 13 of his reign, committed to him the fenefchalfy, or stewardship of Gafcoigne; and 2 • Collec June June 1289, 17 of fame reign, for his acceptable and commendable fervices, and efpecially for putting himself, at the King's inftance, an hoftage for the freeing of his most dear coufin Charles, the illuftrious King of Sicily, lately a prifoner in Arragon, he had a grant, for life, of the cattle of Bourdeaux, and whatever there belonged to the King, by reafon of the incroachment, or increment, coming to him by the commiffion of Arnold Beonard de Lados, Knight, deceased, and whatever the King had otherwite acquired there; receiving also, 27 of that month, a mandate from the King, to depute a fit perfon for the custody of his forests near Bourdeaux, with daily wages, to be paid him as long as the King and he, the conftable, fhould pleafe.--In 1294 (22 Edw. I.) he had letters from the King, dated at Portsmouth 16 July, to attend him there with horfe and arms on 1 September enfuing, to pass over with him for the relief of Gafcoigne; and 20 Edw. II., being then in that province, had power to make a league with any, who defired the King's friendship. In 1324 (8 Edw. III.) William de Suthwell was Attorney William. to William de Melton, Archbishop of York, before Ralph de Nevil, Richard de Aldeburgh, and Peter de Midleton, Juftices in Eyre, concerning his holding pleas of vert in his court of Suthwell, and many other privileges. In 17 and 18 Edward III. fine was levied between Henry de Southwell Clerk, Querent, and Benedict fon of Richard de Normanton Deforciant; of one meffuage, five tofts, and feven bovats and a half of land in Normanton by Southwell, whereby these were fettled on the faid Henry for life, remainder to Isabel daughter of the faid Benedict, and the heirs of her body, remainder to Alice, fifter of the faid Benedict, and her heirs, remainder to the faid Benedict and his heirs. We alfo find that Ralph de Suelle, fifter's fon of Ralph. Hubert de Hokerton, fon of Gilbert, was a witness to the faid Hubert's gift, whereby he confirmed to God and St. Mary, and to the monks of Rufford four felions or ridges of land in the territory of Hokerton, which monks were of their charity to give him yearly for life at the feaft of St. Michael, a pair of fhoes or four pence, grant him their brotherhood, and after his death, do for him as for a convert. To this Ralph fucceeded Robert Southwell, to whom and Robert. to John Briggeford of Hokerton, and Robert Warfop, Parfon of Weft-Retford, John fon of John Criche the elder of Hokerton releafed 14 Henry IV. all his right in all the lands of Hokerton, which, they had by his faid father's gift John. Sir Robert of Mereworth. and feoffment; and 1 July, 1 Henry VI. Richard son and heir to John Criche, released to faid Robert Southwell and Robert Warfop all his claim in two fhillings rent out of two meffuages in Rohagh, and out of all the lands which John Laurence fome time held, and which Richard de Criche, his grandfather, whofe heir he then was, gave to John Coke of Maplebeck and Alice his wife, and the heirs of their bodies, with remainder to himself and his heirs '. In the reign of Henry VI. lived John Southwell 2 of FelixHall in the county of Effex, (now the family feat of Abdy, Baronets) which John in 28 and 29 of that reign served in parliament for the borough of Lewes 3 in Suffex; and by the daughter of Samon, otherwife Pryde, had two fons; John Southwell of Norwich, or Ipswich, ancestor to the Viscount Southwell; and Robert, who in 1415, 3 Henry V. was made trustee to the Duke of Norfolk; and marrying Ifabella, daughter of John Boyfe of Norfolk, Efq., had Richard his heir; who, in the act of resumption, 3 and 4 Edw. IV. had his grant from the King faved; and in the reign of Henry VII. married Amy, eldest daughter and coheir to Sir Edmond Wychingham of Woodrifing in Norfolk, by his wife Alice, daughter and heir to Sir John Falftaffe, with whom he obtained that manor; where (quitting Felix-Hall) he fixed his refidence, and there his pofterity had a noble seat, with a fine park, which continued in the family, till parted with in this century. He had two fons, Sir Robert Southwell of Woodrifing, who in 1594 was' made chief butler of England; married Urfula, daughter and coheir to John Bohun of Midhurst in Suffex, Efq., and died childless in 1513; and Francis Southwell, Efq. * John * Which Francis Southwell, Efq. heir to his brother was auditor of the Exchequer to K. Henry VIII. and by Dorothy or Alice daughter and coheir to William Tendering, Efq. left three fons, Sir Richard of Woodrifing of whom prefently; Sir Robert; and Anthony, who married Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Leftrange of Hunstanton in Norfolk, Knt. by his wife Anne, daughter of Nicholas, Lord Vaux. Sir Robert Southwell the fecond fon, by Margaret daughter and heir to Sir Thomas Nevill of Mereworth, commonly called Mirwood in Kent, Privy Counfellor and Secretary of State to K. Henry VIII. fourth fon of George Lord Abergavenny, 4 acquired that feat and manor, now the Earl of Weftmorland's. In 33 Henry VIII. he was made master of the Rolis, and IQ. Mary, being fheriff of Kent, behaved well against Sir Thomas Wiatt, who 25 January 1553 in order 1 Collec. and Lodge. Houle of Yvery, II, 362. 2 Fuller's Worthies. 3 Dugdale, and Hist, of |