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Lord Dudley having lavished a great portion of his property on a concubine, and his children by her, and having thus involved himself and the estates of the family very much in debt, was obliged, according to Dugdale, in order to extricate them, to bestow the hand of his grand-dau.. and heiress, FRANCES SUTTON, upon Humble Ward, the only son of William Ward, an opulent goldsmith in London, and jeweller to the queen. His lordship d. 1643, and was s. by his grand-dau.,

FRANCES WARD (wife of the above-mentioned Sir Humble Ward, Knt., who was created by King CHAT LES I., 23 March, 1644, Lord Ward, of Birmingham), as Baroness Dudley. This lady had issue,

1. EDWARD, who s. his father as Lord Ward, in 1670.

11. William, who m. Anne, dau. and sole heir of Thomas Parkes. Esq. of Willngsworth, co. Stafford, by whom he acquired that and other estates, and had issue,

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WILLIAM WARD, Esq., of Willingsworth, M.P. for co. Stafford, temp. Queen ANNE and King GEORGE I. He m. Mary, dau. of the Hon. John Grey, of Enville Hall, and had issue,

1 JOHN, of Sedgley Park, co. Stafford, who inherited the Barony of Ward, at the decease of William. 5th baron, in 1740, and was grandfather of John-William Ward, late Earl of Dudley.

2 William, rector of Himley, ancestor of the present EARL OF DUDLEY.

III. Humble, d. young

1. Honora, m. to William Dilke, Esq., of Maxtocke Castle, co. Warwick.

II. Frances, m. to Sir William Noel, Bart., of Kirkby Mallory, co. Leicester.

III. Theodosia, m. 1st, to Sir Thomas Brereton, and 2ndly, to Charles Brereton.

Her ladyship d. in 1697, and was 8. by her eldest son,

EDWARD WARD, 2nd Lord Ward, of Birmingham, as (11th successor to the Barony of Dudley, and) 10th Baron Dudley. His lordship in. Frances, dau. of Sir William Brereton, Bart., of Handford, in Cheshire, and sister and sole heir of Sir Thomas Brereton, by whom he had issue,

1. John, who d. young, in 1675.

II. WILLIAM. m. Frances, dau. of Thomas Dilke, Esq., of Maxtocke Castle, co Warwick, and had issue,

1 EDWARD, who 8. his grandfather.

2 WILLIAM, Successor to his nephew.

1 FRANCES, m. 1706, to William Lea, Esq., of Hales-OwenGrange, co. Salop, and had issue,

FERDINANDO-DUDLEY LEA. of whom hereafter, as 14th Baron Dudley, upon the decease of William, 13th baron, in 1740.

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His lordship d. in 1701, and was s. by his grandson,

EDWARD WARD, 11th Baron Dudley, and 3rd Lord Ward. This nobleman . Diana, dau. of Thomas Howard, Esq.. of Ashted, co. Surrey, and dying 28 March, 1704, was 8. by his posthumous son,

EDWARD WARD, 12th Baron Dudley, and 4th Lord Ward, at whose decease, unm., 6 September, 1731, the honours reverted to his uncle,

WILLIAM WARD, 13th Baron Dudley, and 5th Lord Ward. This nobleman d. also unm., 21 May, 1740, when the Barony of Ward, of Birmingham, passed to his kinsman, JOHN WARD, Esq., of Sedgeley Park (refer to WILLIAM, 2nd son of Frances Ward, Baroness Dudley), and the Barony of Dudley devolved upon his nephew (revert to FRANCES, dau. of William Ward, eldest surviving son of Edward, 2nd Lord Ward, and 10th Baron Dudley),

FERDINANDO-DUDLEY LEA, Esq., as 14th Baron Dudley (15th in succession, one of the inheritors being a baroness). This nobleman d. unm. in 1757, and his brother having pre-deceased him, also unm., the Barony of Dudley fell into ABEYANCE amongst his lordship's sisters, as it still continues with their descendants. Of those ladies, the eldest, ANNE, wife of William Smith, Esq., of Ridgeacre, was great grandmother of FERDINANDO-DUDLEY-LEA SMITH, Esq., of Halesowen Grange, eo. Salop, senior co-heir of the Barony of Dudley; the second, FRANCES, wife of Walter Woodcock, Esq., had, with two sons, who d. 8. p., six daus., and eventually co-heirs, viz., MABY, m. Benjamin Smart; FRANCES, m. Joseph Green, and d. s. p.: ELIZABETH, m. John Green, and had issue; ANNE, . William Wilmot; SARAH, m. to the Rev. Thomas Hughes, and had issue; and Katherine, d. 8. p.

The youngest sister and co-heir of Ferdinando-Dudley Lea, 14th Lord Dudley, was ELIZABETH, wife of the Rev. Benjamin Briscoe, rector of Stanton, co. Worcester, by whom she had a son, the Rev. WILLIAM-LEA BRISCOE, LL.D., J.P. for the co. Wilts.

The following extract from the author's work, the Vicistitudes of Families, may not be deemed irrelevant here:

"The Barony of Dudley, at the death, in 1757, of Ferdinando-Dudley Lea, 14th baron, fell into abeyance amongst his lordship's sisters. One of these sisters, Frances, became the wife of Walter Woodcock, Esq., 'Justice Woodcock,' as he was called, to whose descendants Dame Fortune has been most chary in the distribution of her favours. Their dau. Anne, became the wife of William Wilmot, and another dau., Mary, was married to Benjamin Smart. Some seventeen or eighteen years ago, the traveller on the Dudley road, on reaching the tellgate of Cooper's Bank, and depositing the usual fees of the pike in the hands of that inflexible personage, the toll-bar keeper, little dreamt that the poor man following this lowly occupation was next brother of one of the co-heirs of the Barony of Dudley! But so it was: George Wilmot, the tollbar keeper of Cooper's Bank, was a descendant of the very Lords Dudley, whose proud castle towered in the distance; and when he died on Christmas day, 1846, his remains were borne from the turnpike-gate to Dudley, and deposited by the ashes of his kindred. One nephew, Daniel-Sinclair Wilmot, filled the office of second clerk of the customs at Bristol, and another, John K. Wilmot (son of his eldest brother, Pynson), at this moment one of the co-heirs of the Barony of Dudley, is residing in an humble station, at No. 1, Cleveland Grove, Mile End.

"At Oatenfield Farm, Halesowen, in Worcestershire, another and a senior co-heir of the barony resides, Joseph Smart, a worthy farmer: and at the town of Halesowen, his only brother, Robert Smart, carries on the business and trade of grazier and butcher.

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"Mr. Joseph Smart has in his possession an ancient and curious family record, tracing his descent from the old Lords Dudley, and setting forth his royal line through the Suttons, the Seymours, the Greys, and the Brandons from HENRY VII and Elizabeth of York. After which comes the following curious inventory:- An account of jewels and gold rings in the possession of Walter Woodcock, Esq., in an oak chest, at Dovehouse Fields, in the parish of Salop: 1. a mourning ring, with inscription engraved within it, Edward, Lord Dudley Ward, obt. 6 Sept. 1731, aged 27;' also three gold earings, apparently diamonds, supposed to have been his said lordship's mother's Lady Dudley Ward, of Dudley Castle, and by her given to her daughter, Frances Ward, who married with William Lea, of the Grange, Halesowen, by whom she had issue;' and then follows the genealogy of her descendants to the present day.

"Where can we find a more striking contrast than this mournful tale of the Barony of Dudley? The history of that famous title speaks in its first chapter of chivalry, warlike achievement, and magnificent hospitality in the ancient castle from which the barony took its name. The last chapter teils the story of the Halesowen farmer, the custom-house clerk, and the toll-bar keeper, all resident within range of that very castle."

Arms-Of the SUTTONS: Or, a lion rampant, vert, queue fourché. Of the WARDS: chequy, or and az., a bend, erm

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ROBERT SUTTON, Esq., of Aram, co. Nottingham, descended from a common ancestor, with the family of Sutton, Barons Dudley, was, in consideration of the eminent services he had rendered to the royal cause, during the civil war. elevated to the peerage, by letters patent, dated 21 November, 1645, as BARON LEXINTON, or Aram. His lordship m 1st, Elizabeth, dau. of Sir George Manners, of Haddon, co. Derby; 2ndly, Anne, dau. of Sir Guy Palmes, of Lindley, co. York, and widow of Sir Thomas Browne, and 3rdly, Mary, dau. of Sir Anthony St. Leger, Knt.: by the last wife, only, he had issue, viz.,

ROBERT, his successor.

Bridget, m. to John, eldest son of Conyers Darcy, son and heir-apparent of Conyers, Lord Darcy.

His lordship d. in 1668, and was s. by his son,

ROBERT SUTTON, 2nd baron, who m. Margaret, dau. and heir of Sir Giles Hungerford, of Colston, co. Wilts, by whom he had issue,

WILLIAM-GEORGE, who d. unm., v. p., anno 1713.

Eleonora-Margaretta, . unm.

Bridget, m. 1717, to John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland, K.G., and had issue,

JOHN, Marquess of Granby, ancestor of the Dukes of Rutland..

Robert, who assumed the surname of SUTTON, on succeeding to the Lexinton estates. His lordship d. s. p. in 1772, when those estates devolved upon his next brother, GEORGE, who then assumed the additional surname of SUTTON. Lord George Manners-Sutton . 1st, in 1749, Diana, dau. of Thomas Chaplin, Esq., of Blankney, co. Lincoln, and had issue,

1 JOHN, who d. in 1826: his grandson is the present JOHN-HENRY MANNERS-SUTTON, Esq., of Kelham, Notts. 2 CHARLES, archbishop of Canterbury, m. Mary, dau, of Thomas Thoroton, Esq., and left at his decease, in 1828, with other issue,

SIR CHARLES MANNERS-SUTTON, G.C.B., Speaker of the House of Commons, created VISCOUNT CANTERBURY, 10 March, 1835 (see BURKE's Extant Peerage).

3 Thomas, appointed lord chancellor of Ireland, and created BARON MANNERS, of Foston, in 1807.

1 Diana, m. 21 April. 1778, to Francis Dickins, Esq., of Wollaston, co. Northampton, and Branches Park, co. Suffolk, who d. 1834, aged eighty-five.

2 Louisa-Bridget, m. 1790, to Edward Lockwood Percival, Esq.

3 Charlotte, m. 1789, to Thomas Lockwood, Esq.

Lord George m. 2ndly, Mary, dau. of Joshua Peart, Esq., and had a dau.,

Mary, m. 1799, to the Rev. Richard Lockwood, prebendary of Peterborough, who d. 1830.

Lord Lexinton, who had been envoy-extraordinary to the Court of Vienna, and was appointed ambassador-extraordinary to that of Spain, and for the treaty of Ryswick, d. in 1723, when the Barony of Lexinton, of Aram, became EXTINCT, and the Sutton estates passed eventually to his grandson, LORD GEORGE MANNERS.

Arms-Arg., a canton, sa.

* LEXINTON.

This name is taken from Lexington, now called Laxton, co. Nottingham, which lordship

RICHARD LEXINTON held, in the reign of King JOHN, and was 8. by

ROBERT LEXINTON, a learned judge, temp. HENRY III., and justice itinerant for several northern counties. He was 8. by his brother,

JOHN LEXINTON, who, in the reign of HENRY III., was chief justice of all the forests north of Trent, and dying s. p., in the 41st of the same reign, was 8. by another brother,

HENRY LEXINTON, bishop of Lincoln, who d. the next year, leaving Richard Markham, and WILLIAM DE SUTTON, from whom the Lord Lexington, of Aram, derived, his heirs.

SUTTON-BARON SUTTON.

By Writ, 20 July, 1332.

Lineage.

JOHN SUTTON, of Sutton, in Holderness, co. York, was summoned to parliament, from 20 July, 1332, to 15 November, 1338, in which latter year he died. His son and heir,

JOHN DE SUTTON, 2nd baron, held the manor of Sutton "de Domina Isabellâ filiâ Domini Regis," and was summoned to parliament, from 25 August, 1339, to 20 April, 1344, and again 3 April, 1360. He d. s. p. in 1362, his brother, Sir Thomas Sutton, Knt., being his heir. This Sir Thomas left three daus. co heiresses, viz., Margery, n. Peter, 6th Lord Mauley; Agnes, m. 1st, to Edmond Hastings, and 2ndly, to Ralph de Bulmer; and Constance, m. to John Godard.

SWIFT-VISCOUNT CARLINGFORD.

By Letters Patent, dated 26 March, 1627.

Lineage.

The family of Swyft, or Swift, was of long consideration in Yorkshire, and from one of its branches DEAN SWIFT is reputed to have descended.

ROBERT SWYFT, Esq., "the rich mercer of Rotheram" (son of Robert Swyft, by Agnes, his wife, dau. of Martin Anne, of Frickley), m. Anne, dau. of William Taylor, of Sheffield, and had with two daus. (the elder, Anne, wife of Lionel Reresby, Esq. of Thribergh; and the younger, Margaret, of Richard, son and heir apparent of Sir Thomas Waterton, Knt., of Walton,) two sons, viz.,

ROBERT, of Rotheram, who m. Ellinor, dau. and sole heir of Nicholas Wickersley, co. York, and d. v. p. 1558, leaving three daus., his co-heirs, viz.,

ANNE, M. to Richard Jessop, Esq., and had issue. (For full details of the Jessops of Broom Hall, and their representatives, the Wilkinsons and Lawsons, see BURKE's Commoners.) MARY, m. to Francis Wortley, Esq. of Wortley.

FRANCES, . to Sir Francis Leke, Knt. of Sutton, co. Derby. WILLIAM.

The 2nd son,

WILLIAM SWYFT, Esq. of Rotheram, m. Margaret, dau. of Hugh Worral, Esq. of Lovershall, and widow of Thomas Ricard, of Hatfield, and left issue,

1. ROBERT, of whom presently.

1. Anne, m. to Ralph Beeston, Esq. of Beeston, co. York. II. Barbara, m. to — - Gemby. III. Jane.

The son,

SIR ROBERT SWYFT, Knt. of Rotheram and Doncaster, highsheriff of Yorkshire, 42nd ELIZABETH and 16th JAMES I., and bow-bearer of the royal chase of Hatfield, was bapt. at Sheffield, 5 December, 1568. He m. 1st, Bridget, youngest of the three daus, and co-heirs of Sir Francis Hastings, of Fenwick, co. York, and by her had issue,

1. Edward (Sir), of Rotheram, knighted 23 April, 1603, m. 1st, Elizabeth, dau. of Edmund, Earl of Mulgrave, Lord Sheffield, lord-president of the north: but by her (who m. 2ndly, Sir John Bouchier,) he had no issue.

1. Mary, sole heir of the whole blood of her brother, m. Robert Ryther, Esq. of Harewood Castle; her will was proved 22 September, 1632.

He m. 2ndly, Ursula, dau. of Stephen Barnham of Lewes, co. Sussex, and co-heir to her brother, Martin Barnham, Esq., and by her (who d. at Doncaster, 28 May, 1632,) had issue,

1. BARNHAM, created Viscount Carlingford.

II. Darcy, d. unm., administration granted 31 December, 1629. 1. Anne, under age in 1626.

11. Penelope, m. to William, 2nd Earl of Dumfries. III. Rosamond, b. after 1612.

Sir Robert d. at Doncaster, 14 March, 1625. His son, was BARNHAM SWIFT, Esq., who was created a peer of Ireland, 26 March, 1627, as VISCOUNT Carlingford, co. Louth, with limitation to the heirs male of his body. His lordship m. Lady Mary Crichton, dau. of William, 1st Earl of Dumfries,

* To Robert Swyft and his wife there is a splendid monument in Rotheram Church, erected in 1561.

and d. 28 January, 1634, leaving an only dau., MARY, who was so unfortunate as to marry the thoughtless and profligate Honourble Robert Fielding, of the court of CHARLES II., who squandered the Swyft property. The title became EXTINCT at his lordship's death.

Arms-Or, a chev., barry nebulée, arg. and az., between three roebucks courant, ppr.

SWILLINGTON-BARON SWILLINGTON.

By Writ of Summons, dated 3 December, 1326.

Lineage.

Of this family, which assumed its surname from a lordship in the west riding of Yorkshire, was

ADAM DE SWILLINGTON, who, in the times of EDWARD I. and EDWARD II., was in the Scottish wars, and in the latter reign obtained charter for free warren, in all his demesne lands at Swillington, Thorpe-Pyron, and Thorpe o' the Hill, co. York, and was summoned to parliament as a Baron, 3 December, 1326, but afterwards siding with the Earl of Lancaster against the Spencers, he was fined 1,000 marks. On the accession of EDWARD I., however, matters being changed, that judgment was reversed by parliament, and his lordship marched again into Scotland. Moreover, the next year he had another charter for free warren in his demesne lands, and had summons to parliament, to 5 March, 1328, but nothing further is known of his lordship or his descendants.

Arms Arg., a chevron, az.

23 April, 1337, had summons to parliament among the barons of the realm. He m. Johanna, dau. of Sir Robert de Hastange, and dying 1338, left two sons, ROGER his heir, and Robert, aged fifteen at the death of his father. The elder son,

SIR ROGER DE SWINNERTON, Knt., of Swinnerton, left, by Matilda, his wife, a son and successor,

SIR THOMAS SWYNNERTON, Knt., who m. Matilda, dan. of Sir Robert Holland, and was 8. by his son,

SIR ROBERT SWYNNERTON, Knt., who m. Elizabeth, dau. and heir of Sir Nicholas Beke, Knt., by whom he left an only dan. and heir,

MAUD SWYNNERTON, Who m 1st, William Ipstone, by whom she had issue,

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SWYNNERTON-BARON SWYNNERTON.

By Writ of Summons, dated 23 April, 1337.

Lineage.

This family (one of great antiquity in the co. Stafford,) derived its surname from the lordship of Swynnerton, co. Stafford.

SIR THOMAS SWINNERTON, Knt., of Swinnerton, m. Matilda, dau. of Sir Robert de Holland, and had two sons, viz.,

I. ROGER (Sir), his heir.

11. John (Sir), who d. 14th EDWARD III., leaving by Anne, dau. of Philip de Montgomery, his wife, two sons, viz.,

1 JOHN seneschal of Cannock, whose lineal descendant, HUMPHREY SWINNERTON, of Swinnerton, m. Cassandra, dau. of Sir John Giffard, Knt., and dying in 1562 left two daus., his co-heirs, viz.,

MARGARET, m. to Henry Vernon. Esq., of Sudbury, co.
Derby, and conveyed to her husband, the estate of
Hilton, co. Stafford.

Elizabeth, m. 1st, in 1552, to William, 4th son of Sir Anthony Fitz-Herbert, of Norbury, the celebrated judge of the Court of Common Pleas, temp. HENRY VIII., and conveyed the manor of Swinnerton to her husband. Elizabeth, m. 2ndly, Francis Gatacre. Esq., of Gatacre. 2 Thomas, of Butterton, co. Stafford, ancestor of the SwINNERTONS of that place, whose last male descendant, THOMAS SWINNERTON, Esq. of Butterton, m. 1793, Mary, dau. and heir of Charles Milborne, Esq. of Wonaston, by the Lady Martha Harley, his wife, and left three daus., his co-heirs, viz., Martha, m. to Wm. Bagot, Esq.; Mary, m. to Sir William Pilkington, Bart., of Chevet: and Elizabeth, m.to Charles-John Kemeys-Tynte, Esq., M.P.

The eldest son of Sir Thomas,

SIR ROGER DE SWYNNERTON, had, in the 34th EDWARD I., a charter for free warren in all his demesne lands, at his manor of Swynnerton, and for holding a market there on Wednesday every week, and a fair yearly upon the festival of our Lady's Assumption; and in the 4th EDWARD II. was in the wars of Scotland. In the 11th EDWARD II., he was governor of the town of Stafford, and in three years after of the stronghold of Hardelagh, in Wales. In the 15th of the same reign, he had the custody of Eccleshall Castle (during the vacancy of the Lishoprick of Lichfield whereunto it belonged), and was some years after constituted constable of the Tower of London. In the 2nd EDWARD III., being then a banneret, he had an assignation out of the exchequer of £145 138. 8d., as well for his wages of war in that expedition made into Scotland, as for his services in attending Queen ISABEL. In the 9th EDWARD III., he was again in the Scottish wars, and in two years subsequently,

SYDNEY-BARONS SYDNEY, OF PENSHURST, VISCOUNTS L'ISLE, EARLS LEICESTER.

Barony, by Letters Patent, dated 13 May, 1603. Viscounty, by Letters Patent, dated 4 May, 1605. Earldom, by Letters Patent, dated 2 August, 1618.

Lineage.

This family, anciently seated at Cranleigh, in Surrey, and at Kyngesham, in Sussex, derived its descent from

SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY, chamberlain to King HENRY II. with which monarch he came into England from Anjou. From this Sir William lineally sprang,

NICHOLAS SYDNEY (son of William Sydney, of Stoke D'Abernon), who m. Ann, dau. and co-heir of Sir William Brandon, Knt., cousin of Charles, Duke of Brandon, and was father of SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY, who in the 3rd HENRY VIII., being then one of the esquires of the king's house, accompanied Thomas, Lord D'Arcy into Spain, for the assistance of the Spaniards against the Moors; and when other persons of rank received the dignity of knighthood at the hands of King FERDINAND, excused himself from partaking thereof. The next year he was captain of one of the ships of war employed against the French, and came into action off the coast of Brest. In the 5th of the same reign, Sir William (then a knight) was a chief commander at the battle of Flodden Field; and the next ensuing year he accompanied the Duke of Suffolk, the Marquess of Dorset, and other persons of distinction to Paris, there to make proof of their skill in arms against the Dauphin of France, and nine other select persons, whom he had chosen for his assistants at those solemn justs, there held in the month of November The for all comers, being gentlemen of name and arms. English noblemen and gentlemen landed at Calais, arrayed in green coats and hoods, that they might not be known. Sir William was subsequently one in the second band of the English at the justs held before the courts of HENRY VIII. and FRANCIS I., on the field of the Cloth of Gold. He was also chamberlain and steward to King HENEY, and in the 15th of that monarch, accompanying the Duke of Suffolk into France, he shared in the glory then acquired by the English arms. After this, on the attainder of Sir Philip Vane, he had a grant of the honour of Penshurst, and manor of Enfield, with the park of Penshurst, and other manors and lands in Kent. Sir William m. Anne, dau. of Hugh Pagenham, Esq., and by her (who d. 22 October, 1544,) had issue,

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