This Earl married Elizabeth, daughter of Algernon Percy, Earl of Northumberland; which Lady was interred in the vault of the family in Watford church, near her husband, on February 5th, 1717-18. They had issue six sons, Algernon, Charles, Arthur, Henry, Algernon, and Arthur; also two daughters, Elizabeth and Anne: whereof only the last Algernon and Anne lived to maturity.

The said Anne was married to Charles Howard, third Earl of Carlisle; she died his widow, October 14th, 1752, aged seventyeight, and was buried at Watford.

ALGERNON, SECOND EARL OF ESSEX, his only surviving son, was gentleman of the bed-chamber to King William, whom he attended at the grand congress at the Hague, January 1690-1. He was colonel of the fourth regiment of dragoons, and serving in Flanders, distinguished himself in the battle of Landen, on July 29, 1693; and attended him during the campaign in Flanders, 1697. In the reign of Queen Anne he was constable of the Tower of London, and lieutenant-general of her armies, colonel of the said regiment of dragoons, and served in the wars in Spain. He was also, in both reigns, lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the county of Hertford, and for the county, town, and liberty of St. Alban's, so appointed on June 24th, 1702, some time before he embarked to serve in the wars of Spain. On November 25th, 1708, he was sworn of the privy-council, pursuant to the act for strengthening the union; and died on January 10th, 1709-10. His Lordship, on February 28th, 1691-2, married the Lady Mary Bentinck, eldest daughter to William Earl of Portland, and left issue by her one son and two daughters, viz.

First, William, third Earl of Essex.

Second, Lady Elizabeth, married, first, on April 5th, 1727, to Samuel Molineux, Esq. secretary to George II. when Prince of Wales; secondly, on May 27th, 1730, to Nathaniel St. Andre, Esq. and died on March 21st, 1759; and

Third, Lady Mary, who was one of the ladies of the bedchamber to the Princess Royal Anne, and married, May 7th, 1729, to Alan Broderick, Viscount Middleton in Ireland.

WILLIAM, THIRD EARL OF ESSEX, being in his minority at the decease of his father, took his seat in the house of peers, on November 11th, 1718.

On the 27th of the same month his Lordship married the Lady Jane, eldest surviving daughter of Henry Hyde, Earl of Clarendon and Rochester, by Jane his wife youngest daughter of

Sir William Leveson Gower, and sister to John, first Earl Gower; and by that Lady (who died on January 3d, 1723-4) had four daughters, whereof the Ladies Caroline and Jane died young.

Lady Charlotte was born on October 2d, 1721, and wedded, on March 30th, 1752, to the Hon. Thomas Villiers, of whom under the title of Earl of Clarendon; and

Lady Mary was born on October 18th, 1722, and married, on August 26th, 1758, to the Hon. John Forbes, admiral of the blue, general of marines, and second son to George Forbes, third Earl of Granard, who at his death in June 1765, was senior admiral of the British navy.

His Lordship married secondly, on February 2d, 1725-6, Lady Elizabeth Russell, youngest daughter of Wriothesly, second Duke of Bedford; and by her Ladyship had two sons, viz.

First, George, Viscount Malden, who died young; and,

Second, William Anne, fourth Earl of Essex.

And also four daughters; first, Lady Elizabeth, who died young; second, Lady Diana, born on February 22d, 1728, died September 22d, 1800; Lady Anne, born on May 13th, 1730, died January 8th, 1804; and Lady Amelia, born on September 9th, 1731, and died young.

His Lordship, on February 15th, 1718-19, was appointed gentleman of the bed-chamber to George II. when Prince of Wales; and in that post attended at his coronation in his robes of state, on October 11th, 1727. On August 18th, 1722, he was appointed lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum of Hertfordshire; and on February 2d, 1724-5, was elected a Knight of the most ancient Order of St. Andrew, or the Thistle. At the accession of his late Majesty, he was continued one of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber; and on November 2d, 1727," was constituted lord lieutenant of Hertfordshire. In 1731 his Lordship was appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the King of Sardinia; in which employ he continued till 1736. On FeDruary 12th, 1734-5, he was sworn of the privy-council. His Lordship was elected, on February 20th, 1737-8, a Knight Companion of the most noble Order of the Garter, and installed at Windsor on June 15th following. On December 4th, 1739, he was constituted captain of the yeomen of the guard, and at the same time resigned his place of keeper of Hyde-park. His Lord

Bill. Signat. Geo II.

ship died on January 8th, 1742-3; and was succeeded in his honours and estate by his only son,

WILLIAM ANNE, FOURTH EARL OF ESSEX (born on October 7, 1732, at Turin) who was one of the lords of the bed-chamber to King George II. and being appointed, by his present Majesty, lord lieutenant of the county of Hertford, in room of William Earl Cowper deceased, took the oaths of that office on October 19th, 1764.

His Lordship, on August 1st, 1754, married Charlotte, daughter of Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, Knight of the Bath, by his wife the Lady Frances, daughter of Thomas Earl of Coningsby; and by that Lady (who died in childbed July 19th, 1759) had a son

George, fifth Earl, born on November 13th, 1757.

Second, Lady Elizabeth, born on August 10th, 1755, and married, July 18th, 1777, to John Lord Monson; and,

Third, Lady Frances, who was born on July 14th, 1759, and died an infant, July 25th following.

His Lordship secondly married, on March 3d, 1767, Harriot, daughter of colonel Thomas Bladen, by whom he had issue. Fourth, a still-born son, January 5th, 1768.

Fifth, John Thomas, born March 2d, 1769; married, April 9th, 1792, Lady Caroline Paget, daughter of Henry, Earl of Uxbridge, and had Harriet, born March 17th, 1793; Caroline, born in September 1794; and a daughter, born May 8th, 1805.

Sixth, Thomas-Edward, born March 25th, 1770, lieutenantcolonel in the first regiment of foot-guards.

Seventh, William Robert, born April 28th, 1775, in holy orders; married, June 7th, 1803, Miss Salter, daughter of T. Salter, of Rickmansworth, in Hertfordshire, Esq.

Eighth, Bladen Thomas, born August 25th, 1776, a captain in the royal navy.

His Lordship died March 5th, 1799, and was succeeded by the present and fifth Earl,

GEORGE, FIFTH EARL OF ESSEX, who while a commoner was unanimously chosen representative in parliament for the city of Westminster, April 21st, 1779.

His Lordship married, June 6th, 1786, Mrs. E. Stephenson, widow of Edward Stephenson, Esq. but has no issue. His Lordship has taken the name of Coningsby, in right of his grandmother

to whose estates he succeeded. He is lord lieutenant of Herefordshire, and recorder and high steward of Leominster.

Titles. George Capel, Earl of Essex, Viscount Malden, and Baron Capel, of Hadham.

Creations. Baron Capel, of Hadham in Hertfordshire, by letters patent, August 6th, (1641) 17 Car. I. Viscount Malden in com. Essex, and Earl of that county, April 20th, 1661, 13 Car. II.

Arms. Gules, a lion rampant, between three cross crosslets fitchy, Or.

Crest. On a wreath, a demi-lion rampant, couped, Or, holding in his paws a cross crosslet fitchy. Or.

Supporters. Two lions, Or, ducally crowned, Gules.
Motto. FIDE ET FORTITudine.

Chief Seat. At Cashiobury, in the county of Hertford.

a

THE first from whom we can, with any certainty, deduce the genealogy of this noble family is WILLIAM de Bredenhill, a person of considerable note, and large possessions (in the reigns of Henry III. and Edward I.) who was seated at Dodington in Oxfordshire, held lands there, and in Adderbury and Bloxham, in the said county; as also in Aynho and Sibbertoft in the county of Northampton. On June 19th, 1291, being outlawed, he had the King's pardon, by these denominations, William de Brudenell, alias William de Bredenhill, alias William de Brodenhull, alias William de Bredenhill. He left a son,

EDMUND, who married Alice, daughter of Roger Draper, of Dodington, and by herhad two sons, HENRY, or (as others vouch) Sir Hugh Brudenell, of Dodington, and Richard Brudenell, of Aynho.

d

с

The said Sir Hugh, in 1373, was in that expedition into France with the Duke of Lancaster; and the army having passed Soissons, a party of them fell into an ambush, and after a valiant resistance, all of them were either killed or taken prisoners, and Sir Hugh Brudenell is in the list of those prisoners.

His brother Richard had also issue two sons, William Brudenell, of Aynho, and Thomas Brudenel, mentioned in an inquisition, anno 19 Rich. II.; also a daughter, Isolda, married to John Arnold, of Dodington in Gloucestershire.

WILLIAM Brudenell, of Aynho, e married Agues, daughter

a Segar's Baronagium Geneal. MS.
Liber Brudenell. præd. p. 81, b.

c Ex Stem. Script. p. Edm. Brudenell, in cod. Lib.

Barnes's Hist. of Edw. III. p. 857, 859.

MS. præd. p. 16.