The Reader is requested to turn also to the Addenda at the end of THIS ancient family have been Barons by the male line from 1342; their ancestor, Sir Thomas West, having been summoned to parliament as Lord West, 16 Edw. III. The Barony of Delawarr, which takes date from 1294, having been brought into the family by marriage about 1400. That this family had large possessions in the west of England, our public records and other evidences, prove, and, it is probable, on that account, had the name of West. The first that I can, with certainty, fix on, as ancestor to the present Earl Delawarr, is SIR THOMAS DE WEST, Knight, first LORD WEST, who having married Eleanor, daughter and heir of Sir John de Cantilupe, of Hempston Cantilupe in com. Devon. Knight, by Margaret, his wife, daughter of John Lord Mohun, of Dunster in com. Somerset, had, in 17 Edward II.a entailed on him, and his said wife, and on the heirs of their two bodies, the manor of Sniterfield in com. Warw. The same year he obtained from the King a charter for a market, every week, there upon VOL. V. Fin. in co. War. lev. ann. 17 Edw. II. b Cart. 17 Edw. II. no. 10. B Tuesday: as also for a fair, yearly, upon the eve and day of St. Kenelme, and six days after; likewise for free warren, to them, and the heirs of their two bodies, in their demesne lands there. In the said 17th year of Edward II. he served in the parliament then held at Westminster, as one of the knights for the county of Warwick. In 1326, he received the honour of knighthood by bathing, &c. his robes, and all accoutrements for that solemnity, being then allowed out of the King's great wardrobe: and the same year, going into France with the King, had his protection (dated August 20th, that year) till Christmas following. e In 1327, 1 Edw. III. he obtained leave from the King to make a castle of his manor house at Rughcombe in Wiltshire; and on May 26th, 1329, he embarked at Dover with the King, when his Majesty went to do homage to the French Monarch, Philip' VI. for the duchy of Guienne, earldom of Ponthieu, &c. which " was performed verbally in the cathedral of Amiens, on June 6th, and not after the manner of his predecessors, by putting off the crown, and laying aside both sword and spurs, to do it kneeling. k In 4 Edw. III. he was made governor of Christ-chuch castle in com. Southamp. In the year after, King Edward having summoned David Bruce, King of Scotland, to do his homage, as also to render to him the town of Berwick, and his refusal thereof occasioning a war with Scotland, this Sir Thomas was present at the siege of Berwick, and memorable battle of Halidown, July 23d, 1333, and thereupon a truce ensued, which being near expired, in 1335, the King, about Midsummer," at the head of his army, on July 12th, entered Scotland in an hostile manner," in which expedition this Sir Thomas de West was also with him. He was likewise with the King, in 12 Edw. III. who, on July 16th, took shipping in the port of Orwell, in com. Suff. having in company 500 sail of ships, and many Barons: and on the expedition into Flanders, being in the retinue of William Earl of Salisbury, he had thereupon a protection, P dated July 10th, that year, to hold in force till Christmas following. He was also there in 13 Edw. III. and the same year, in consideration of those Claus. 17 Ed. II. in dors. m. 24. 1 Rot. Scot. 7 Ed. III. m. I n Rot. Scot. 9 Ed. III. m. 9. Rymer's Feed. tom. v. p. 63. 0 d Comp. Tho. de Useflete. f Pat. 1 Ed. III. p. 2, m. 10. n Barnes's Hist. Ed. III. p. 36. k Barnes's Hist. Ed. III. p. 7c. Barnes, p. 94. • Barnes's Hist. Ed. III. p. 120. 9 Rot. Aleman. 13 Ed. III. |