of Sussex, which he resigned in 1759; his Lordship married, February 5th, 1753, Henrietta, daughter of Thomas Pelham, late of Stanmere, in Sussex, Esq. sister to Thomas, late Earl of Chichester, by which Lady, who died in August 31st, 1768, he had issue,

First, Henry, his heir apparent, born February 22d, 1755.

Second, the Rev. George Henry, born September 6th, 1760, married, May 11th, 1787, Caroline, daughter of the Hon. Richard Walpole, and has a daughter born August 5th, 1789, and a son born March 12th, 1792.

And a daughter, Henrietta, born May 24th, 1756; married at Hingham in Norfolk, September 9th, 1779, to Sir John Berney, of Kirby, in com. Norfolk, Bart.

His Lordship was on May 17th, 1784, advanced to the dignities of Viscount Neville, and EARL OF ABERGAVENNY, and died September 10th, 1785, and was succeeded by his son

HENRY, SECOND EARL OF ABERGAVENNY. His Lordship was born February 22d, 1755, and married, October 3d, 1781, Mary, only child of the late John Robinson, of Wyke House, in Middlesex, Esq. by whom (who died October 26th, 1796) he had,

First, Mary Catharine, born February 27th, 1783; married, January 2d, 1802, Thomas Meyers, Esq. late accomptant-general in Bengal; and dying July 11th, 1807, left issue by him a son, born June 4th, 1803.

Second, Henry, Viscount Neville, born May 22d, 1785, died April 8th, 1806.

Third, Ralph, Viscount Neville, born December 21st, 1786, brought up in the navy.

Fourth, Henrietta, born July 14th, 1788.
Fifth, John, born December 25th, 1789.

Sixth, William, born June 28th, 1792.

Titles. George Neville, Earl of Abergavenny, Viscount Neville, and Baron Abergavenny.

Creations. Baron by tenure of the castle of Bergavenny (Jure Uxoris) 27 Hen. VI. 1448, and writ and summons to parliament, September 5th, 1450, 29 Hen. VI. By descent anciently, July 23d, 1392, 16 Rich. II. Originally, June 23d, 1295, 23 Edw. I. and Viscount Neville and Earl of Abergavenny, May 17th, 1784.

Arms. Gules on a saltire Argent, a rose of the first barbed and seeded, proper.

Crest. In a ducal coronet Or, a bull's head, Argent, pied, Sable, armed of the first, and charged on the neck with a rose, Gules.

Supporters, Two bulls, Argent, pied, sable, armed, unguled, collared, and chained, Or.

Motto. NE vile velis,

Chief Seats. At the castle of Abergavenny, in the county of Monmouth; at Eridge park, in the county of Sussex; and at Kid, brook, near East Grinstead, in the same county.

THIS family sprung from Staffordshire. The first who attained to the dignity of Peerage was WILLIAM Paget, a person of humble origin, but of very great and eminent abilities, whose father, WILLIAM Paget, one of the Serjeants at Mace of the city of London, born near Wednesbury, in Saffordshire, had issue two other sons, John and Robert; also one daughter, Anne, married Smith, Esq.

to

b

C

WILLIAM, who was created FIRST LORD PAGET, was a born at London; and having been educated under the famous Lilly, in St. Paul's School, was sent to the University of Cambridge, where, in Trinity-hall, he had his academical education: from whence he went into the family of the noted Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, as appears from these lines Leland writ to him:

Tu Gardineri petiisti tecta diserti,
Eloquii sedem, Pieriique chori.

Which is, that being young, he went into the learned Gardiner's family, which was the very seat of eloquence, and of the muses. From his family he went to study in the University of Paris, and after some stay, returned again into the Bishop's house. Soon after, in respect of his learning and merits, he was employed in several important affairs; for in 21 Henry VIII. he was sent into France, to obtain the opinions of the learned in that kingdom, concerning the King his master's divorce from Queen Ca

a Fuller's Worthies in London, p. 210.

Strype's Memorials, Vol. II. p. 379.

e Ibid. Vol. III. p. 282. Herbert's Life of Henry VIII. in Hist. of Eng. Vol. II. p. 140.

tharine; and in 23 Henry VIII. on November 8th; he obtained a grant of the office of Warden and Constable of the castle, Keeper of the park, and Bailiff of the manor of Maxstoke, in Warwickshire, during the minority of Peter Compton, Esq. Also the same year made fone of the Clerks of the Signet; which title he bore in 26 Henry VIII. when he had licence from the King to import 400 casks of wine from Gascony. In the year 1537, the King sent him privately (with instructions to take France in his way), into Germany, with Christhor Mount, to prevail on the Protestant German Princes from agreeing with the Emperor, but rather, to refer all their differences to him and the French King. This employment required an extraordinary prudence, the voyage being to be performed in a disguised habit; and the King's Ambassador in France, and the French King (Francis I.) were first to be acquainted of it, with whose directions they had orders to comply. In this arduous negociation he behaved himself so much to the King's satisfaction, that in 32 Henry VIII. he was made Clerk of the Privy-council, constituted one of the Clerks of the Signet for life, and 'Clerk of the Privy-seal, with the fee of 301. per ann. likewise soon after, m Clerk of the Parliament for life.

The year following, he was constituted Clerk of the Privycouncil for life, and sent Ambassador into France. In 1543, on May 19th, he and one Thomas Knight, Esq. were constituted Clerks of the Parliament for life, with the salary of 401. per ann. and soon after, he received the honour of Knighthood: for he bears that title on January 16th following, when the King granted to him, and his heirs, the lordships of Bromley, and Hurst, in the county of Stafford. Also in the same year he was made one of the Principal Secretaries of State. In 36 Henry VIII. on June 26th, he was commissioned, with the Lord Chancellor Wriothesley, and the Duke of Suffolk, to treat with Matthew Earl of Lenox, about certain affairs relating to the government of Scotland, and to treat of a marriage between the Earl and the Lady Margaret, the King's niece. The same year he attended King

Henry at the siege of Bulloign; and on his return into England, after the surrender of that town, he had a "grant (with John Mason, Esq.) of the office of Master of the Posts, within and without the realm, to occupy by themselves or deputies; and was joined in commission with the Earl of Hertford, to conclude a general peace with the French King; who demanding restitution of Bulloign, the treaty was immediately broke off. But being again set on foot the following year, he was then sent Ambassador into France; and while it was in agitation, received the following letter from the King; which forasmuch as it shews how greatly he was esteemed, and that it gives an insight into the politics of those times, I shall here > insert it verbatim :

< Trustic and right wel-beloved, we greet you well:

And having receyved your letters of the 22 of this instant, by the which we do at good length understand the'ole discourse and conference which passed the day before betweene yow and Brewno, with th' ordre which yow intende to observe in proponinge th' overture for the Treux; we have thought good, as wel to signifie unto yow that we take your proceedings in very thankfull parte, and lyke your devyse for proponinge the overture of the treux very well, as also t'advertise you for answer of such things, as ye desired to know our further pleasure in this sorte, ensueing.

First, you shall understand that having perus'd th' articles or capitulations, which you sent unto us, and having altered and added certain points of importance therein, we do remit the same unto you to be concluded upon in such forme, as they be now conceyved, yf you may induce the French Ambassadors thereunto, or otherwise to be altered and qualified by your common agreement in some words and terms, so as the substaunce of the matters do remayn.

And touching the comprehension of the Scots, our pleasure is that you shall travell as earnestly as ye may, to have this treux concluded without any comprehension of them, whom we wold most gladely, and think it necessary to be left out, for without that this treux, serving the French King to many purposes, should be to us every way over much prejudicial; and therefore lyke as we for our part can be pleased to conclude this treux generally with them, without comprehension of any States or Princes, so

"Pat. 36 Henry VIII. p, 16.

y Rymer, tom, XV. p. 82,

x Herbert, p. 249.