b THAT this family is denominated from the lordship of Compton in còm. Warw. appears from several authorities, being descended from ancestors, who were lords of the place before the conquest. Sir William Dugdale, in treating of the owners of the lordship of Compton, has given no account of their original descent; but from the following evidences it plainly appears, that TURCHIL, the son of ALWYNE (cotemporary with King Edward the confessor and William the Conqueror) was the ancestor of this family. The said Turchil resided at Warwick, and had great possessions in the county, when William Duke of Normandy invaded this realm, A. D. 1066; but giving no assistance to King Harold, though he was then a person of especial note and power, being reputed Earl of the county, he found such favour with the Conqueror, as that he continued possessed of his lands; and among them the lordship of Compton, and forty-seven other manors, as is evident from Domesday-Book. He was one of the first in England, who, in imitation of the Normans, assumed a surname; for it appears, that in the reign of King William Rufus, he c wrote himself Turchillus de Eardene, from his residence in Arden (as it is now wrote) in the said county, the said King having dispossessed him of his castle of Warwick. Which Turchil had several sons, as appears from Sir William Dugdale's discourse on Curdworth, part of his possessions. By his first wife he had issue Dugdale's Antiq of Warw. p. 301. Ibid. p. 301, 302. Ex Regist. Abend. in Bibl. Cotton. fol. 122 b. 137 n. Antiq. of Warw. p 675. Siward de Arden, ancestor to the family of Arden; and by Leverunia, his second wife, he had issue OSBERT, who wrote himself of Compton in 16 Hen. II. and is without doubt the ancestor of this family. Which Osbert had issue three sons, Osbert, Philip, and Peter; the eldest whereof left only two daughters his coheirs. But PHILIP, second son, writing himself Philip de Compton, & was a witness, about 5 King John, with Walter Poer, to a grant of lands lying in Tishoe, made by Richard de Bereford, and Cecilia his wife, to the canons of Kenilworth. In 20 Hen. III. he was certified to hold half a knight's fee in Compton and to him succeeded Thomas de Compton his son and heir, who in 36 Hen. III. was i certified to hold half a knight's fee in Comptou, of Thomas de Arden, lineal heir to Turchil before-mentioned, and he of the Earl of Warwick, whose ancestors, as my author writes, had the greatest part of Turchil's lands made over to them by King William Rufus. 1 m This THOMAS DE COMPTON had issue three sons, Philip, Henry, and William; whereof Philip de Compton, the eldest, was certified in 7 Edward I. to be lord of the manor of Compton," and that he held it of Thomas de Arden, by the service of half a knight's fee. At which time the said Philip also held there two carucates of land in demesne, and had freeholders, who held of him six yard-land by several rents as also five tenants holding three yard-land, paying certain rent, and performing divers servile labours. He was succeeded by Robert de Compton his son and heir, who, in 8 Edw. I." granted, to Roger de Vallibus, right of common in his manor of Hawton, com. Nott. so that neither his servants, freeholders, villains, nor cottagers did common. He gave to Theophania, daughter of Adam de Vavasor, one messuage and two bovats of land, &c. in Hawton, paying yearly half a pound of Wax at Christmas; to which charter, on a triangular shield, were three helmets (the arms of this family) circumscribed with his name; which arms are on all the seals of this family, in the reigns of several Kings, though differing sometimes in the shape of the helmets. He was knighted before 1303, P and being . Antiq. of Warw. p. 676. f Rot. Pipe, 16 Hen. II. * Dugdale in com. Warw. p. 302, 303. Ex Stem. hujus Fam. ■ Thoroton's Antiq. of Nott. p. 175. ➤ Ibid. patron of the church of Compton, he presented thereto on March 2d, 33 Edw. I. The said Sir Robert de Compton left issue a son Robert de Compton, who was commissioned to negotiate certain affairs for Mary Countess of Fyfe; and thereupon in 14 Edw. II. had the King's letters of protection, requiring all officers not to stay, molest, or injure him. In 15 Edw. II. he was in the wars against the Welsh, and in 5 Edw. III. he presented Roger Herbelot' to the church of Compton. He was also living in 39 Edw. III. and had issue, by Margaret his wife, Thomas de Compton, and John de Compton, who was one of the knights for Warwickshire in the parliament held in 6 Edw. III. " and with Adam de Stynynton the other knight, had 67. allowed for their expenses for ten days attendance. And was also returned the same year to another parliament with Nicholas de Stratford, wherein they attended twelve days, and 47. 16s. were levied for their expenses. THOMAS DE COMPTON succeeded his father at Compton, and presented Thomas de Clipston, clerk, to the church of that place, in 18 Edw. III. He was one of the coroners for Warwickshire in 23 Edw. III. an office of very great account in those days (which be held till 50 Edw. III.) and in the same 23d year of Edw. III. was joined in commission with other persons of quality, for assessing and collecting a fifteenth and tenth in com. Warwick. He left issue by Christian his wife, Edmund his son and heir. Which EDMUND de Compton was likewise coroner of Warwickshire, both in the beginning and latter end of the reign of King Richard the Second, and deceased before the 13th of King Henry the Fourth, in which year Agnes his widow presented Thomas de Compton, clerk, to the church of Compton. They had issue six sons, William, Thomas, John, Robert, Edmund, and Richard; whereof William de Compton, eldest son, succeeded at Compton, and presented John Norton to the church of Compton in 1414. He married Joan, daughter to John Hobby, Esq. and departing this life about 10 Hen. VI. was succeeded by Robert Dugdale præd, p. 425. Pat. 15 Edw. II. p. 2, m. 13. Rymer's Fœd tom iii. p. 885, 886. Pryn's fourth part of a Brief Register, p. 117, 120. VOL. III. his son and heir, who deceased in 1480; and by Agnes his wife, left issue Edmund, his son and heir. Which EDMUND COMPTON, Esq. deceasing in the 8th year of Henry VII, was buried at Compton, and by Joan his wife, daughter and heir of Walter Aylworth, Esq. left issue a son named William, and a daughter Elizabeth, wife of Sir Walter Rodney, Knight. с The said WILLIAM COMPTON, being but eleven years of age at his father's death, was in ward to King Henry VII. who appointed him to wait on his son Henry, Duke of York, whereby he so demeaned himself, that he grew into his especial favour; insomuch that when he ascended the throne by the name of King Henry VIII. hed constituted him groom of his bed-chamber: and on January 12th ensuing, the King being informed that divers gentlemen had prepared themselves to just, he elected Mr. Compton for his companion; and being secretly armed in the little park of Richmond, came to the justs unknown to all persons, and unlooked for, and performed so gallantly, that (as my author says) the two strangers had great praise; but at length in a course of misfortune, Sir Edward Nevile, brother to the Lord Abergavenny, running against Mr. Compton, hurt him sore, and he was likely to die. e This endeared him more to the King, who soon after advanced him, viz. in the second year of his reign, to be chief gentleman of his bed-chamber (i. e. groom of the stole) as also constable of Sudeley castle in com. Glouc. and on all occasions shewed the great value he had for him. His Majesty caused proclamation to be made on November 2d, the same year, at his court of Richmond, that he, with his two aids, Charles Brandon and Mr. Compton, would answer all comers with the spear at the tilt one day, and at turney with swords the other; and accordingly on November 13th, they entered the field richly apparelled, their bases and trappers being cloth of gold set with red roses, ingrailed and embroidered with gold; and having valiantly performed before divers strangers of the Emperor Maximilian's court, the ambassadors of Spain, &c. had the prize adjudged to them. Ex Regist. Jankyn. qu. 17. in Cur. Prærog Cant. Esc. 9 Hen. VII. Ibid. p. 2. m. 10. Pat. Hen. VIII. p. 2, m. 13. Pat. 2 Hen, VIII. p. 3, m. 6. h Hall's Chron. fol. 8, b. i In the year following, he was constituted constable of the castle of Gloucester; and in 4 Hen. VIII. in consideration of his good and faithful services, had a special grant to himself and his heirs, of an honourable augmentation to his arms, out of the said King's own royal ensigns and devices, viz. a lion passant gardant, Or, and for his crest, a demi-dragon erased, Gules, with a coronet of gold upon a torse, Argent and Vert, as by special letters. under the King's sign manual appeareth, bearing date at Westminster, November 1st, and exemplified by Thomas Wriothesley, then garter principal king of arms, with his seal, and the seal of his office, December 14th following. On February 4th next ensuing,' he had a grant of the office of usher of the black rod, to bear the same at St. George's feast within the castle of Windsor, with a fee of 12 d. per day for that service. He had likewise the same year, by the bounty of the King, another grant, to himself and the heirs of his body, of the manor of Wyke in com. Middlesex, and of a certain mansion called Lovell's Inn, situate in Paternoster-row within the city of London, and divers tenements appertaining; as also the manor of Aldwynkle, com. Northamp. called Holand's manor, and Deyncourt, com. Bucks, part of the possessions of Francis Lord Lovell; with the manors of Rockholds, Cobeham, and Rishams, part of the lands of Richard Charleton, Knight, and being with Sir John Warner, collector of the petit customs in the port of London, paid a reward to Thomas Wriothesley, garter king of Arms, of 20l. 9s. 9d. In 5 Hen. VIII. he led the rear guard of the King's army at Therovenne," composed for the most part of the retinue belonging to Richard Fox, bishop of Winchester, and Wolsey, then the King's almoner, being 800 in number; and having valiantly behaved himself both in the siege, and the battle that ensued, called by our historians the Battle of Spurs, from the swiftness of the French in running away, he had the honour of knighthood conferred on him by the King, who is said never to have laid his sword on any that had not distinguished themselves. He was also further rewarded P with the office of chancellor of Ireland for life, which he officiated by deputies till the time of his death. He i Pat. 3 Hen. VIII. p 2. Pat 4 Hen. VIII. p. 2. k Ex Autog penes com. Northamp. m Anstis's Regist. Gart. vol. ii. p. 372. Herbert's Life of Henry VIII. p. 37. • MS. in Bibl Cotton. sub Effig. Claudius C. 3. Cox's Hist. Ireland, p. 205, 221. |