a

It is the opinion of Sir William Dugdale, and other antiquaries, who have written of this family, that it had the same ancestor with the Herberts, Earls of Pembroke, viz. Henry Fitz Herbert, chamberlain to King Henry I. and Leland gives this account: "The Finches that be now, say, that their proper name is Herbert, and that with marriage of the Finch's heir, they took Finch's name. One Vincent Finch, in Henry the fourth's days, recovered of the King, by a suit, the manor of ....., by Winchelsea." And in an old inscription in Braborne church, the name is written Herbert, alias Finch.

It appears from a record in the genealogical books of this family, which were in the custody of Heneage, late Earl of Winchelsea, that the name of Finch was first taken in the reign of King Edward I. Which record, as it is in those books, I have here transcribed.

Supersedeas de anno Octavo Edwardi II. in Dorso.

Rex Collectoribus suis Scutagii de Exercitibus Scotia de annis Regni Domini Edwardi quondam Regis Angliæ Patris notri 28 & 31, in com' Cantiæ, sal'. Quia constat nobis per Inspectionem Rotulorum Cancellariæ ipsius Patris nostri, quod dilectus & fidelis noster Herebertus Filius Hereberti dicti Finch defuncti, qui de nobis tenuit de capite, fuit infra ætatem, & in custodia

But see the doubts on this subject under the Pembroke article.

Weever's Fun. Mon. p. 270.

ipsius Patris nostri, temporibus exercituum prædictorum, vobis mandamus, quod Demandæ, quum eidem Hereberto fieri faciatis pro Scutagio ad opus nostrum, pro Exercitibus prædictis, in terris & tenementis suis, quæ tenet de hæreditate prædicti Hereberti, supersederi, & ipsum inde pacem habere permittatis. Proviso, quod Scutagium de feodis militum quæ de hærede prædicto tunc tenebantur, prout juste fuerit, levetur ad opus nostrum. Teste Rege apud Westmon. 16 die April, anno Regni nostri octavo.

Before that time they do not seem to have had any fixed surname in their family; but the sons, for several generations, added the christian name of their fathers to their own (as was anciently the custom of many families of great note) from the time of the conquest: as, "Herebertus filius Hereberti, Petrus filius Hereberti, Reginaldus filius Petri, Mattheus filius Hereberti, Herebertus filius Matthei, &c."

The ancient and best attested memoirs of this family affirm, that Matthew, the son of Herbert, (a very eminent Baron in King John's and King Henry IIId's reigns) was one of their lineal ancestors, and that his lands lay chiefly in Sussex, in the rape of Hastings, some part whereof were given him by King Henry III." and yet continueth," says Mr. John Philpot, rouge dragon, who drew up the pedigree of this family in the year 1620, “ in the possession of some of his descendants," viz. the manor of Warblington, with the hamlets of Empsworth, Estney, and Watlington, in the county of Sussex.

The same person assures us, that this Matthew Fitz Herbert was sheriff of Sussex and Surry five several times, in the reign of King John, and oftener under King Henry III.

The following records are proofs of some of the particulars abovementioned.

Mandatum est constabulario de Wallingford, quod haberi faciat Petro filio Hereberti terram quæ fuit Willi' Payne in Watlington, cum pertinen. quam dominus rex ei concessit apud Odyam 15 die Aprilis. Rot. claus. 17 R. Johan. membr. 3.

Rex Henricus III. dedit manerium de Warblington, cum hamJetis de Empsworth, Estney, & Watlington, cuidam Mattheo filio Herberti, & hæredibus suis in feodo, infra libertatem rapæ de Hastings. Fines 7 Edwardi II. membr. 1.

The said Matthew was sheriff of Sussex in the 12th of King John, for three parts of that year, and so continued till the 17th inclusive. He was one of the Barons that stood firm to that King

and his son, and did them both eminent service; and was sheriff of Sussex from the first to the twelfth year of King Henry III. At length, some authors say, he was slain at Margam in Wales, by the Welch, about the 29th of Henry III.

Mr. Philpot's pedigree of this family tells us, that Peter was the eldest son of this Matthew Fitz-Herbert, and died without issue; and Sir William Dugdale is of the same opinion: but then they differ much in their following accounts of the posterity of this Baron Matthew.

But the before-mentioned books of the family produce good authority for it, that Herbert, a son of Matthew, inherited all those lands in Sussex, and was Lord also of the whole demesne at Sandhurst in Kent; which seat, it is affirmed, was sold from the family by Herbert Finch, grandfather to William Finch, of Coldred in East Kent, and Anthony Finch (living A. D. 1620) of Petworth in Sussex. These Finches, and those of Watlington, that removed to Grovehurst in Kent, branched out from the same ancestor.

с

King Henry III. by his charter granted to Herbert, the son of Matthew, free warren in Warblington.

e

f

In another charter, dated the 23d of the same reign, he granted to Herbert filio Matthei, a market, fair, and free warren, in Empsworth and Warblington, and many other places wherein the said Herbert had lands and lordships.

In the 18th of. Henry III. he is named among the Barons (Placit. 18 Hen. III. Rot. 15, apud Westm.) cited by Mr. Selden, in his Titles of Honour.

The third in the genealogy is HERBERT, the son of Herbert, thus written in records, "Herebertus filius Hereberti dicti Finch," of whom I have already made mention, as the person that first appears to have borne the name of FINCH, having married the daughter and heir of .. .. .. Finch, lord of the manor of Finch in

Cart. 15 H. III. m.7.

d Sir W. Dugdale, in his Baronage, vol. i. p. 625, positively says, Matthew died without issue, and gave all his lands to the King. I mean Matthew, son of John, son of the first Matthew; but perhaps the Herbert in the text is taken to be son of the elder Matthew, and uncle to the last.

e It appears from Matthew Paris, that in 1245, 29 Hen. III. "Herbert, son of Matthew," was killed by the Welsh. Mat. Paris, p. 575. "Hubertus filius Matthæi," distinguished himself at the battle of Xantonge, 1242. Ibid. p. 523. See Gent. Mag. lxvii p. 648.

f Cart. 23 H. III. m. 5.

Kent.

It is evident from the record before recited, that he was under age in the 31st of Edward I.

VINCENT Herbert, alias Finch, was his son, who lived at Netherfield in Sussex, about the latter end of Edward the IId's reign, and was possessed of many other lands about Winchelsea, and in the rape of Hastings, as appeareth by his deeds: in one of which he gave certain houses and lands about Winchelsea, in frank marriage with his daughter Joan, unto Sir John de Pelham, ancestor to the late Duke of Newcastle. He married Joan, daughter of Sampson Salerne, of Iden, in com. Sussex.

John, the second son of this Vincent, married Dame Lucy de Wigsell, widow of Robert Allard, and by her had John Finch, his eldest son, lord prior of Christ-church in Canterbury," whose monument is there at this day, near to archbishop Warham's tomb, in the place called the Martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket.

HENRY Herbert, alias Finch, son and heir of the beforementioned Vincent, was in possession of Netherfield, and added to his patrimony the manor of Iklesham, which came to him from the Heringods, formerly lords of it. He married Parnel, daughter of Nicholas Allard, of Winchelsea; which name flourished there from the Conqueror's time. The monuments in the church, inscribed with Saxon characters, are testimonies of their antiquity; and their deeds, sealed fairly with their arms, shew their gentry. This Henry Finch lived in the time of King Edward III. as 1 appeareth by an inquisition on record in the Tower, and * died in 8 Richard II. possessed of lands in Gestlynge, Ikelsham, and Wyghtresham, in com. Sussex.

k

VINCENT Herbert, alias Finch, son and heir of Henry, was Lord of Netherfield, Marle, Iklesham, with other lands about Breade in Sussex, 1 as appeareth by inquisition taken in the 13th of King Richard II. recorded in the Tower. He married Joan, daughter and heir of Robert Pessinden, whose inheritance lay in the weald of Kent: their arms, being three pelicans, are very ancient on the seals of their deeds. This Vincent Finch left issue

VINCENT Herbert, alias Finch, who succeeded at Netherfield, &c. and was living in the reigns of Richard II. and Henry IV. He married Isabel, daughter and coheir of Robert Cralle, of

Query, where is this manor to be found?

Weever's Fun. Mon p. 236.

Esc. 8 R. II. in Turr. n. 94:

i MS. de Famil.

IMS. præd.

Eralle, in the parish of Warblington in Sussex, by his wife Margery, daughter and co-heir of Simon Peplesham.

First, WILLIAM Finch, of Netherfield, was his eldest son.

Second, m John, married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Richard Sewer, of Linstead, in Kent, and lies buried in the church of Sevington in Kent, as an inscription shews, which informs us that he died May 19th, 1442. He had issue William Finch of Linstead, his son and heir; who by Eleanor, daughter of William Hollingbrook, of Romney in Kent, had issue Herbert, father of Christopher, who had John, father of John Finch of Linstead. From this John descended Finch of Sewer, Finch of Kingsdown, Finch of Feversham, Finch of Wye, Finch of Norton, whose heir was married to Sir Michael Sonds; Finch of Linstead, whose heir Sir Drew Drury married; and many other families of the name descended from the persons here mentioned.

Joan, one of the daughters of the said Vincent, was married to Adam Iwood, Esq.; Elizabeth, unto John Ashburnham, of Ashburnham, Esq. ancestor to the present Earl Ashburnham, Isabel was first married to William Scot, of Scot's Hall, in Brabourne, Esq.; secondly, to Sir Gervase Clifton, of Nottinghamshire.

WILLIAM Finch, of Netherfield, Esq. son and heir of Vincent, was sheriff of Sussex and Surry in the 8th year of King Henry VI. and three years after P served in parliament for the port of Winchelsea. He took to wife Agnes, daughter of Walter Roo, of Dartford, Esq. by whom he had issue two sons; first, John; and second, Henry. Of John, the eldest son, we have the following record. 1

"JOHANNES HERBERT, ALIAS DICTUS FINCH, nuper de Iklesham in com. Sussex, Armiger, 2° die Decem. anno regni regis Hen. VI. 36, recognovit se debere Dionysia et Petronilla Finch centum et quadraginta libras. Qui quidem Johannes fuit seisitus de Maneriis de Netherfield, Iklesham, et Marle infra libertatem rapa de Hastings, &c."

He died in 17 Edward IV. leaving' HENRY, his brother, heir to his estate, having no issue himself.

Which HENRY Finch married Alice, the only daughter and

Weever's Fun. Monuments, p. 296,

"Sir Henry St. George's Baronage, MS.

• See Weever's Funeral Monuments, under Braborne.

P Pryn's fourth part of a Brief Register, p. 1169.

, Rot. Claus, de anno 10 E. IV.

* Esc. 17 E. IV.