1. SIR RICHARD GURNEY, alias GURNARD, knt. distinguished alike for his courage, loyalty, and sufferings, served the office of lord mayor of London in 1641, and was in that year created a BARONET by King CHARLES I. "The House of Commons," we quote Maitland, "not forgetting the great offence committed against them by Sir Richard Gurney, the lord mayor, in causing his majesty's commission of array to be proclaimed in divers parts of the city, preferred several articles of impeachment against him; for which he was, by the sentence of the peers, not only degraded from the office of mayorality, but likewise for ever rendered incapable of bearing any office and receiving any further honour, and also to remain a prisoner in the Tower of London during the pleasure of the House of Lords." Sir Richard did not long survive these misfortunes, but died a prisoner in 1647, when the BARONETCY became EXTINCT. He had been twice married, first to Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Sandford, esq. of Birchington, in the Isle of Thanet, and secondly, to Mrs. Elizabeth South, a widow, daughter of Richard Gosson, of London, goldsmith. SIR ROBERT DE HALES, knight, prior of the hospital of Jerusalem, and admiral of the North Seas of England, temp. EDWARD III. and constituted treasurer in the 4 RICHARD II. " in which year he had the hard fate, in the beginning of the insurrection under Wat Tyler, to be dragged from his habitation, and suffer death on Tower Hill, and his house at Hybury, built like another paradise, was utterly destroyed in that popu lar fury, as the chronicles testifie." His brother and heir, SIR NICHOLAS DE HALES, knt. was father of THOMAS DE HALES, of Hales Place, who had three sons, viz. JOHN HALES, of Hales Place, was s. by his son, HENRY HALES, of Hales Place, who m. Julian, daughter and heir of Richard Capel, esq. of Lenden, in Tenterden, and had two sons, viz. THOMAS, father of SIR CHRISTOPHER HALES, a ELIZABETH, M. to Sir George Sydenham, knt. Dodman, and thirdly, to William Horden, of Kent. Culpeper, and secondly, JOHN HALES, had a son and heir, JOHN HALES, who was a BARON OF THE EXCHEQUER, and was seated at Dungeon, near Canterbury, which estate he purchased from Roger Brent, esq. temp. HENRY VIII. and was residing there when Leland visited Kent, in the 30th of that reign. He was act ing steward for the Abbey of St. Augustine, in Canterbury, jointly with Sir Henry Guldeford, kant. comptroller of the king's house, and afterwards with Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. He m. Isabel, daughter and co-heir of Stephen Harris, and had issue, 1. JAMES (Sir) his heir, like his father, a lawyer of eminence, serjeant-at-law, temp. HENRY VIII. and one of the justices of the Common Pleas in the reign of EDWARD VI. Sir James was the only judge who refused to subscribe the king's will for disinheriting the Ladies Mary and Elizabeth, as against both law and conscience; yet in the next reign he was MARGARET PLANTAGENET, sole heir of her father, who was created DUCHESS OF NORFOLK. + Hasted calls her Harvey. committed to prison, and so severely treated by his keeper, that he made an attempt upon his own life: he was released soon after, but in so settled a melancholy, that he drowned himself near his house in Kent, anno 1555. His wife was the daughter and heir of Thomas Hales, esq. of Henley-upon-Thames, and by her he left issue two sons and a daughter.+ II. THOMAS, of Thanington, in Kent, from whom the Hales of Beaksbourne. Ill. EDWARD. Iv. William, of Nackington. 1. Mildred, m. to John Honywood, esq. of Seen, in Kent. The third son of Baron Hales, EDWARD HALES, esq. of Tenterden, m. Margaret, daughter of John Honywood, esq. of Seen, and had issue, 1. John, who m. Mary, daughter and co-heir of Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester, but d. 3. p. 11. Edward of Chelham, m. first, Mary, daughter and heir of Stephen Ford, of Tenterden, and secondly, Martha, daughter of Thomas Hales, but d. s. p. III. WILLIAM, heir to his father and brothers. 1. Jane, m. to Sir Thomas Honywood, knt. of Elmsted, in Kent. II. Elizabeth, m. to William Austen, esq. of Tenterden. The third son, and eventual heir of his father and brothers, WILLIAM HALES, esq. of Tenterden, m. Elizabeth, daughter of Paul Johnson, esq. of Fordwich, in Kent, and had issue, EDWARD (Sir), his heir. Mary, m. to Simon Smith, esq. of BoughtonMonchelsey, in Kent. Elizabeth, m. to Robert Kenrick, esq. of King's Sutton, in Northamptonshire. He was s. at his decease by his son, 1. SIR EDWARD HALES, knt. who m. first, Deborah, daughter and heir of Martin Harlackenden, esq. of WOODCHURCH, in Kent, by which event he acquired a considerable estate. Sir Edward was created a STRYPE, in his Memorials Ecclesiastical, says, "Sir James Hales, knt. of Kent, a pious and good man, and a just and able judge, under King HENRY and King EDWARD, was made a prisoner in the King's Bench, by the Bishop of Winchester, Lord Chancellor; and thence removed to the Counter, in Bread Street, and from thence to the Fleet; here, one Foster, a gentleman of Hampshire, laboured to persuade him to embrace the Popish doctrine, by his argument; That the error was without danger, but the truth full of peril. When it was known that Hales was inclinable to relent, Day, Bishop of Chichester, and Portman, a judge, came to him, (it being then the month of April, 1554,) and did to earnestly deal with him, that they overcame him at last, after his having lain three weeks in that prison of the Fleet. But the trouble that arose in his conscience for what he had done, filled him with great terror, and overwhelmed him with sorrow; so that he attempted, in the absence of his servant, to kill himself with his penknife. For being ill, and lying sobbing and sighing, be sent down his servant upon an errand, and in the mean time wounded himself in divers places of his body; but his servant came in on the sudden, and at that time prevented his death. But after his recantation, being dismissed home unto his own country and habitation, conquered with grief and despair, he drowned himself in a shallow pond near his own house, which is hewn to this day."-The family of Beaksbourne denied, however, that he so destroyed himself, and said, "That Sir James retiring to his seat at Thanington, near Canter BARONET, 29th June, 1611. He served in several parliaments, and being zealously devoted to the liberty of the subject, took part in the rebellion against King CHARLES I. He died in September, 1654, aged seventyeight, and was buried at Tunstall, under a noble monument, with the effigies cut in full proportion. He m. secondly, Martha, daughter of Sir Matthew Carew, knt. and relict of Sir John Cromer, knt. of Tunstall, in Kent, and by this marriage added another fine estate to his family, but by his second wife had no issue by the first he had 1. JOHN (Sir), m. Christian, daughter and co-heir of Sir James Cromer, knt. of Tunstal, and dying in the lifetime of his father, left an only child, EDWARD, Successor to his grandfather. 11. Edward, of Chelston, in Kent, m. a daughter of John Evelyn, esq. of Deptford, and left a son, Edward. III. Samuel, m. Martha Horenden, and had a son and daughter, Christian, m. to J. Hugessen. IV. Thomas, d. s. p. Sir Edward was s. by his grandson, II. SIR EDWARD HALES, bart. of Woodchurch, who in his younger years, risked life and fortune, in endeavouring to rescue King CHARLES I. from his imprisonment in the Isle of Wight, of which enterprize Clarendon gives the following details:-" Mr. L'Estrange [the famous Sir Roger] had a great friendship with a young gentleman, Mr. Hales, who lived in Kent, and was married to a lady of a noble birth and fortune, he being heir to one of the greatest fortunes in that country, but was to expect the inheritance from an old severe grandfather, who, for the present, kept the young couple from running into any excess; the mother of the lady being of as sour and strict a nature as the grandfather, and both of them so much of the parliament party, that they were not willing any part of their estates should be hazarded for the king. At the house of this Mr. Hales, Mr. L'Estrange was, when, by the communication which that part of Kent always hath with the ships which lie in the Downs, the report first did arise, that the fleet would presently declare for the king; and those seamen who came on shore, talked as if the city of London would join with them. This drew bury, amused himself with the pleasures of a country life, and crossing the river over a narrow bridge, as he was walking in his meadows, fell in accidentally, and was drowned, aged eighty-five." + The elder son and heir of SIR JAMES HALES, HUMPHREY HALES, esq. of the Dungeon, m. the daughter and heir of Robert Atwater, of Royton, near Lenham, and had issue, JAMES (Sir), his heir. Humphrey, who was York herald, left two sons, Samuel, m. Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Ham- Abigail, m. to Anthony Sampson, of Notts. The elder son, SIR JAMES HALES, knt. of Dungeon, m. Alice, daugh ter of Sir Thomas Kemp, knt, and one of the heirs of her mother, Cecilia, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Cheyney, knt. and was s. by his son, CHEYNEY HALES, esq. of Dungeon, who d. 18th March, 1596, leaving by Mary, his wife, daughter of Richard Hardres, of Hardres (who outlived him, and m. in her widowhood William Ashenden, and again becoming a widow, m. thirdly, George Waller, esq.) a son and heir, SIR JAMES HALES, knt. of Dungeon, living in 1619. many gentlemen of the country, who wished well, to visit the ships, and they returned more confirmed of the truth of what they had heard. Good fellowship was a vice spread everywhere; and this young great heir, who had been always bred among his neighbours, affected that which they were best pleased with; and so his house was a rendezvous for those who delighted in the exercise, and who every day brought him the news of the good inclinations of the fleet for the king; and all men's mouths were full of the general hatred the whole kingdom had against the parliament as well as the army. In this posture of affairs, Mr. L'Estrange easily induced Mr. Hales to put himself at the head of his own county, that was willing to be led by him; and his lady, who was full of zeal for the king, joining with him, the young gentleman resolved to do something for his majesty's service, at a juncture when the Scots were ready to march into England, and most parts of the kingdom ready to rise; but being not enough conversant in the affairs of the world, he referred himself and the whole buness to be governed by Mr. L'Estrange, who wa believed by his discourse to be an able soldier. ccordingly letters were sent to particular gentlemen, ar & warrants to the constables of hundreds, requiri ag In his majesty's name, all persons to appear at a time and place appointed, to advise together, and lay hold on such opportunities as should be offered for relieving the king, and delivering him out of prison.' And meeting accordingly, they unanimously elected Mr. Hales for their general: a good body of horse and foot was in consequence drawn together at Maidstone, Mr. Hales having taken up, on his own security, nearly EIGHTY THOUSAND POUNDS to defray the expense; and they were so strong, that the commander of the parliament forces, sent to suppress them, wrote word that he durst not advance. On the news of this commotion (the first in the kingdom), the Earl of Norwich was dispatched to Kent, to command as general. Upon the news of another general being sent, Mr. Hales retired, with his friend, Mr. L'Estrange, to Holland, and lived beyond seas, on account of the great debts he had contracted in the king's service."-The lady alluded to in the above narrative, as Sir Edward's wife, was the Hon. Anne Wotton, youngest daughter and co-heir* of Thomas, second Lord Wotton of Marley, by his wife, Mary, * Lord Wotton died in 1730 (when the barony became extinct), leaving four daughters, his co-heirs, viz. 1. KATHERINE, who m. Henry, Lord Stanhope, and 2. HESTHER, M. to Baptist, Viscount Camden. 4. ANNE, m. to Sir Edward Hales, knt. This memorable case was argued by Sir Edward Northey, for the plaintiff, and Sir Thomas Powis, for the defendant; the Lord Chief Justice Herbert delivered the opinions of the twelve judges. Abstract from the Patent of Creation: "James the Second, by the grace of God, &c. "To our Archbishops, Dukes, &c.-Whereas it is a kingly act, and a singular testimony of our benevolence, to enoble those persons we find worthy of our favour, as well that others may see how grateful the faithful duty of our subjects is to Us, as that they themselves may be encouraged to endeavour at great matters. Whereas, therefore, the fidelity of our well beloved and most faithful counsellor, Sir Edward Hales, of Hackington, other He died in France, and was s. by his eldest son, III. SIR EDWARD HALES, bart. This gentleman enjoyed the favour of King JAMES II. under which prince he had a regiment of foot, was of the privy council, and one of the lords of the Admiralty, deputy governor of the Cinque Ports, and lieutenant-governor of the Tower. Sir Edward had an action brought against him by Arthur Godden, his coachman, for the penalty of £500, for neglecting to take the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, within three months after he had his regiment, grounded upon the act of the 25th CHARLES II. and was convicted at Rochester assizes for the same; but moving it into the King's Bench, pleaded the king's dispensing power, and had judgment given for him,t eleven of the judges being of opinion that the king might dispense in that case. At the Revolution he was confined for a year and a half in the Tower: on his release he went to France, and in consideration of his services was created by the abdicated monarch Earl of Tenterden, with limitations to his brothers, John and Charles. Sir Edward m. Frances, daughter of Sir Francis Windibank, knt. of Oxfordshire, and by her, who d. in 1693, had issue, Edward, who fell at the Boyne, unm. Robert, James, lived to man's estate, and all d. unm. wise St. Stephens, in our county of Kent, baronet, has been by various changes abundantly known to us, and likewise bring to our minds the ancient nobility of his family, as well on the father's as mother's side; and especially the great merit of Robert Hales, formerly Lord High Treasurer of our kingdom of England, and the Prior of the Hospital, who upon account of a most prudent advise which he gave to our predecessor, King Richard the Second, had, on a popular sedition by the fury of the mob, his head struck off; and his father's great-grandfather, who in a rebellion, by reason of their fidelity towards the most serene kings, our father and brother of happy memory; besides what they otherwise suffered by the loss of liberties and legal possessions: and his great-grandfather, Sir Edward Hales, of Tunstall, in the county of Kent, baronet, suffered five years em prisonment in the Tower of London; and his father, Sir Edward Hales, of Tunstal, aforesaid, suffered banishment and confiscation of goods. His mother sprung from the ancient Earls of Hereford, and from the sister of St. Edward the Confessor; and finally, the said Sir Edward Hales, by his wise administration of many offices, and for his fidelity to us and the Catholic church, has with great fortitude suffered by the present rebellion, &c. &c. "His eldest son, Edward, in the mean time, a youth, by the brightness of his wit, the politeness of his manners, the greatness of his mind, very dear to us, was killed in Ireland, at the battle of the Boyne, as he was courageously fighting against the enemy, &c. &c. "Know ye therefore." &c. &c. He died in France in 1695, was buried in the church of St. Sulpice, in Paris, and s. by his eldest surviving son, IV. SIR JOHN HALES, bart. who m. first, Helen, daughter of Sir Richard Bealing, of Ireland, secretary to the queen dowager of CHARLES II. and had issue, John, who d. in infancy. EDWARD, who m. Mrs. Bulstrode, widow of Captain Bulstrode, and grandaughter of Sir Richard Bulstrode, by whom, dying before his father, he left EDWARD, who s. his grandfather. Frances, m. to George Henry Lee, second Earl of Lichfield, of that family. He m. secondly, Helen, daughter of Dudley Bagnel, esq. of Newry, and by that lady (who d. in 1737) had three sons, James, an officer in the emperor's service, killed in Italy, in 1735. Alexander. Philip. Sir John d. in 1744, and was s. by his grandson. V. SIR EDWARD HALES, bart. who wedded, first, Barbara Mabella, daughter and heir of John Webb, esq. elder son of Sir John Webb, bart. of Oldstock, and had by that lady, who d. in 1770, surviving issue, EDWARD, his heir. Anne, a nun. Barbara, m. to M. Jouchere, a French officer, and survived his widow. Mary, m. to M. Demorlaincourt, a French officer. He m. secondly, in 1790, Mrs. Palmer, but by her had no issue. Sir Edward d. in August, 1802, and was s. by his son, VI. SIR EDWARD HALES, who m. in 1789, Lucy, second daughter of Henry Darell, esq. of Colehill, but dying issueless, 15th March, 1829, the BARONETCY became EXTINCT. 11. Edward, from whom the Hales of Woodchurch. IV. William, of Nackington. 1. Mildred, m. to John Honywood, esq. of Seen, in Kent. The second son, THOMAS HALES, esq. of Thanington, m. Jane, only daughter and heir of Clement Holloway, esq. and was s. by his son, SIR CHARLES HALES, knt. of Thanington, who m. Anne, dau. of Robert Honywood, esq.* of Charing, in Kent, and was s. by his eldest son, THOMAS HALES, esq. who m. Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Payton, bart. of Knowlton, in Kent, and had issue, ROBERT, his heir. Samuel, of New Windsor, Berks, m. Frances, daughter of Sir Robert Bennet, knt. of Windsor, and had issue. Stephen. Mary, m. to Andrew Plumpton, esq. of New Windsor. He was s. by his eldest son, 1. ROBERT HALES, esq. of Beaksbourne, in Kent, who was created a BARONET by King CHARLES II. 12th July, 1660. Sir Robert m. Catherine, daughter and co-heir of Sir William Ashcomb, knt. of Allvescot, in Oxfordshire, and had issue, I. Thomas, his heir, who m. Mary, daughter and 1. THOMAS, successor to his grandfather. 3. Robert, one of the clerks of the privy Jessica, m. first, to- Clerk, of Swaffham, and secondly, to Hudson. She d. in 1768. 4. William, m. Mary, daughter and co-heir of John Gillon, gent. of the Isle of Thanet, and had issue, 5. Stephen, B.D. F.R.S.† vicar of Teddington, Middlesex, and rector of Farrington, Hants, m. Mary, daughter and coheir of Dr. Henry Newce, of Much Hadham, Herts. 1. Mary, m. the Hon. Robert Booth, D. D. dean of Bristol, and archdeacon of Durham. 2. Anne, m. to Samuel Milles, esq. of Herne, in Kent. 3. Elizabeth, m. to the Rev. John Metcalfe, vicar of Sunbury. 11. William, m. Mary, daughter and co-heir of Samuel Bland, esq. of London, one of the gentlemen of the band of pensioners, and had a son, Robert, m. first, Martha, daughter of Mr. Wickham, of Falmouth, merchant, and had by her Robert, b. 28th June, 1712. Joseph, b. 19th July, 1714. He (Robert, Sen.) m. secondly, Jane Green, and, by that lady, had another son, Edward, and four daughters, Jane, Anne, Mary, and Elizabeth. Sir Edward was s. at his decease by his grandson, II. SIR THOMAS HALES, bart. M. P. for the county of Kent, temp. King WILLIAM and Queen ANNE, m. Mary, daughter of Sir Charles Pym, bart. of Brymore, in Somersetshire (and sister and sole heir of Sir Charles Pym), and had, with other issue (who d. s. p.) THOMAS, his heir. Mary, m. to Sir Brooke Bridges, bart. of Goodneston. Catherine, m. to Edward Cook, esq. of Canterbury. Anne. Elizabeth, m. first, to Benjamin Lethieuillier, esq. of East Sheen, Surrey, and secondly, to Charles Pyott, esq. of St. Martin's, near Canterbury. Sir Thomas acquired the estate of Brymore with his wife, and took up his abode there. He d. 7th January, 1748, and was s. by his son, III. SIR THOMAS HALES, bart. This gentleman was clerk of the board of Green Cloth, and sate in parliament temp. GEORGE I. and George II. He m. Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Marsham, bart. of the Mote, near Maidstone, father of the first Lord Romney, and by her (who d. 4th August, 1769), had issue, 1. THOMAS-PYM, his heir. II. Charles, captain 3rd regiment of Foot Guards. III. Robert. IV. John. v. George. VI. PHILIP, who succeeded his eldest brother in the baronetcy. 1. Mary, m. to the Right Rev. Dr. Charles Moss, Bishop of Bath and Wells. II. Catherine. III. Elizabeth. IV. Anne, m. first, to Anthony Duncombe, Lord Feversham (his third wife), and secondly, to William, first Earl of Radnor. v. Margaretta, m. in 1769, to Samuel Pechell, esq. of Richmond, in Surrey, one of the masters in Chancery. Of this eminent man ANTHONY WOOD thus speaks: "He was commonly called Club-foot Hales, because in his younger days he had got that deformity by a wound from his own dagger at the bottom of his foot. This person being very much addicted to letters from his childhood, was sent to the university, and having a happy memory, accompanied with incredible industry, became admirably well skilled in the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew tongues, and at length in the municipal laws and in antiquities, which made him admired by all ingenious men of his time. In the reign of Henry VIII. he was clerk of the hamper (hannaper) for several years, and obtained a fair estate in Warwickshire and elsewhere upon the dissolution of monasteries and chauntries; founded a freeschool at Coventry, and for the use of the youth to be taught there, did write Introductiones ad Grammaticam, partly in English and partly in Latin. He wrote also Highway to Nobility; and translated into English Pre VI. Harriet. VII. Caroline. Sir Thomas d. 6th October, 1762, and was s. by his eldest son, IV. SIR THOMAS-PYM HALES, bart. M.P. for Dover, and afterwards for Downton, Wilts, m. Mary, daughter and heir of Gervas Heyward, esq. of Sandwich, in Kent, and relict of George Coussmaker, esq. of Staple, in the same county, and had five daughters, viz. 1. MARY-ANNE, b. in 1765. II. JANE, b. in 1766, m. in July, 1795, to the Rev. bart. III. ELIZABETH, b. in 1769, m. to John Calcraft, esq. of Remston, in Dorsetshire. IV. HARRIET, b. in 1770. V. CAROLINE, b. in 1772, m. in 1798, to Colonel the Hon. John William Gore, second son of Arthur-Saunders, second Earl of Arran, and has issue. (See BURKE's Peerage and Baronetage.) Sir Thomas-Pym, d. 18th March, 1773, and was s. by his only surviving brother, V. SIR PHILIP HALES, bart. one of the grooms of his majesty's bedchamber, m. in 1795, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Thomas Smith, esq. of Key worth, Notts, and had a daughter, cepts for the Preservation of Health. When Queen Mary came to the crown, he fled beyond sea as voluntary exile, and settling at Frankfort, in Germany, we find him a zealous man for the uniting of the exiles there in peace. When Queen Elizabeth succeeded he returned, and the first thing that made him then to be noted was an oration to Queen Elizabeth at her first entrance to her reign; it was not spoken, but delivered in writing to her by a nobleman. He also wrote a little book in favour of the house of Suffolk, especially of the children of Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, eldest son of Edward, Duke of Somerset, who was married to the Lady Katherine Grey, daughter of Henry, Duke of Suffolk (of near alliance in blood to the queen), the effect of which was to derive the title of the crown of England, in case Queen Elizabeth should die without issue, to the house of Suffolk. This marriage, notwithstanding the Archbishop of Canterbury did by his sentence pronounce unlawful, yet |