[From Seacombe, History of House of Stanley]

GENEALOGICAL HISTORY'
OF THE
BARONS OF STRANG
of KNOCKING, in SALOP

THE history and full description of this very antient and honourable family., from its long duration and many intermarriages with the leading, nobility,, be attended with much difficulty in giving the reader a true and intelligible idea thereof, insomuch that I find myself constrained to introduce it by that of the Earls Palatine of Chester, without which (as I conceive), he will never rightly apprehend how the family of Derby became entitled to, and dignified with the several honours I have annexed to it in the history of James, the last Earl of that honourable house.

THE
EARLS PALATINE
OF
CHESTER.

THE first whereof was Hugh Lupus, Nephew to William the Conqueror, who gave to him the city and county of Chester, .and conferred upon it the honour and dignity of a County Palatine, with Barons under him, and a Chamberlain, or Chancellor of all his Courts., with all other proper officers attendant thereon, as a principality.

Richard the eldest son of Hugh Lupus, was second Earl of Chester, but being accidentally drowned, continued not long in that honour.

The third Earl was John Bohun, who had married Margaret, sister to Hugh Lupus, stiled Countess of Cumberland, by whom he had a son named Randulph, and was succeeded by him.

Randulph Bohun, his son by Margaret Countess, of Cumberland, commenced the fourth Earl of Chester., in the twenty first year of Henry I. 1120, and died in the year 1130, and was succeeded by his son Randulph.

Randulph, the second of that name., and son of the former, was the fifth Earl of Chester,, and continued to the year 1152, and dying that year, was succeeded by Hugh, called Kavelock. his son, as sixth Earl of Chester, who had the misfortune to be taken prisoner but ransomed in the year 1174, and died in the year 1180. leaving issue one son and four daughters.

And was succeeded by Randulph his son, surnamed Blundeville, who was the seventh and last Earl of Chester., of the Lupus line, but had conferred upon him the Earldom of Lincoln, and died in the year 1232, and was buried with his ancestors at Chester.

When Maud. the eldest daughter of Hugh called Kavelock, Earl of Chester, had married David, son to the King of Scots who died in 1219, and left issue a son named John surnamed Scott, who was also Earl of Chester, in right of his mother, but died in the year 1237, by which the Earldom of Chester expired with him.

By King Henry III. taking that Earldom into his own hands, and annexing it to the crown (as being too popular in the hands of a subject) from which time the King's eldest son has been stiled Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, and Prince of Wales. Now if any reader here has a curiosity to know the further particulars of the Earls of Chester, I must refer him to their history, and proceed to shew the occasion I had to bring them in, by way of introduction to the history of the Barons of Stanley.

By informing the reader that Hawisse, the fourth daughter of Hugh Bohun, alias Kavelock. Earl of Chester, married to Robert, Lord Quinsey, Earl of Lincoln, descended lineally, from Robert, Lord Quinsey. who came into England with William the Conqueror.

This Robert., Lord Quinsey, Earl of Lincoln., had issue by Hawisse his wife two daughters; Margaret the eldest daughter married to John Lacy, Baron of Halton

And the second daughter married to Hugh Audley, Baron of Healey castle, in the county of Stafford, a near relation to the House of Stanley.

John Lacy, Baron of Halton, hold issue by Margaret, his,wife, the eldest daughter and one of the coheirs of the said Robert Lord Quinsey, a son named Edmund, who succeeded his father in honour and estate.

This Edmund was likewise Baron of Halton, and married Isabel,, the daughter of the Marquis of Saluce, by whom he had issue a daughter named Elinor, who married to Ebulo, Lord Strange, of Knocking, who had issue by her in 1335, temp. Edward III. a son named Robert, whose. mother Elinor dying soon after, Ebulo, Lord Strange, his father, married to his second wife, Alice, the daughter and heir of Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, and widow of Thomas Plantagenet, Earl of Lancaster, who died in the year 1322, as by Mr. Mills, page 945, and Mr. York, page 193.

Robert, Lord Strange, the son of Ebulo aforefaid, succeeded his father in the Baronies of Strange, of Knocking, and of Halton, and married to his wife, one of the daughters and coheirs of Thomas, Lord d Basset, by whom he had issue a son named Roger.

Roger, Lord Strange, the son of the above Robert, married the only daughter and heir of Hugh, Lord Barnwell, by whom he had issue a son named John.

John, Lord Strange, the son of the above Roger, by Lady Barnwell, married Maud., the daughter of J. Lord Mohun, by whom he had issue a son named Richard. The said Lord Mohun, had two sisters, Phillippa, who married Edward, Duke of York, and Elizabeth, married William Montague, Earl of Salisbury.

Richard, Lord Strange, the son of above John, married to his Lady the daughter of Sir Reynold Cobham, of Scarborough, in the county of York, by whom he had a son called John, Lord Strange, the son of Richard.

John, Lord Strange, the son of Richard, married to Jacoline, one of the daughters and coheirs of Richard Woodville, Earl. Rivers, and sister-in-law to King Edward IV. and by her had issue one daughter only called Jane, and sole heir to the Baronies, of Strange and Mohun.

This Lady Jane, married Sir George Stanley, the eldest surviving son of Thomas the first EARL of DERBY, Who had issue by her three sons and two daughters, Elizabeth, and Eleanor; he died in his father's lifetime

When Thomas, his eldest son succeeded him in the Baronies of Strange, Mohun, Barnwell, Basset., and Lacy, and upon his grandfather's death succeeded him in the Earldom of Derby, as before-mentioned.

John the, second son of George, Lord Strange, died without issue.

But James, his third son had issue one son named George, but by whom history and record are silent on that head, but very full in the character of his merit, valour and military performances, being thereby advanced to the honour and dignity of Knight Marshal of Ireland, and the common ancestor of the house of Grange Gorman, in the kingdom of Ireland. See Barlow's history. But of this gentleman more hereafter.

Sir George Stanley, called the black Stanley (whom I have just before mentioned) was the son of James Stanley, Esq. second son of George, Lord Strange.

This gentleman was a most martial and valiant man in the field, and a wise councellor in the closet; his boldness and resolution in action were not to be withstood; he was an utter enemy to the Irish insomuch that his name was a terror to them,, and when he engaged them their cry was " Pagh Chrifh faave me cramochree." happy was he that could get away soonest.

None came thither before him more hardy nor exposed himself to more danger hazard of life than he; until he had f reduced the rebellious sons of that nation to the King his master's obedience, which he was greatly honoured and esteemed, and had for his bravery and eminent services conferred upon him the high office of Knight-marshal of Ireland, which he enjoyed, and executed with the greatest honour and commendation, and was a great addition to his worth and memory. He became the founder and common ancestor the Stanleys of Grange Gordan in that kingdom, whose posterity are still subsisting in person of Sir John Stanley, one of the honourable commissioners of his Majesty's customs, London; and upon his decease in a good old age and lasting reputation, he was interred by his very great and honourable relation Sir John Stanley I. whose-memory (says my author, the Right Rev. Thomas Stanley, Lord Bp. of Sodor and Man) ought never to be. forgotten.

The next collateral branch falling in course, is the issue left by the great Sir William Stanley, who suffered death in the reign of King Henry VII. whose personal history hath been fully related; but hath not yet recited that of his posterity, of whom I am able to discover no more than one son, named William, who married Jane, the sole daughter and heir of Sir Geoffrey Massey of Tatton., in the County of Chester, but what issue he had by this, Lady, or how long this branch continued, I cannot discover.

The next collateral branch I meet with, is stiled Sir Edward Stanley, of Eusham, in the county of Oxford.

This gentleman was the only son of Sir Thomas Stanley, second son to Edward EARL of DERBY, by Margaret, one of. the daughters and coheirs of Sir George Vernon of Haddon, in the county of Derby, and had the above estate, with many others, settled upon him in remainder, after his father and mother, by his said grandfather Edward.

Who this gentleman married I am not informed, but find that he did marry and had issue three daughters, Petronella, Frances and Venetia, but no issue male; by which this branch became extinct in the Stanley, family; and, as I am informed, the estate also, by division amongst the said daughters and their issue.

In the next place I find that Henry, EARL, of DERBY., and successor to the aforesaid , Earl Edward, had a natural son called Francis Ferdinand, on whom he settled Whittle in the parish of Bury, where he afterwards lived, and also Broughton, near Manchester. Who he married I cannot be informed, but find at his death., that he left a son. named, Henry, who mortgaged Broughton to James Cheetham of Turton, Esq. and that George Cheethem of Smedley, Esq. paid off the said Mortgage, and purchased the manor of Broughton, with its appurtenances, from, the said Henry Stanley, who, it is imagined, married a daughter of the aforesaid Peter Stanley; or in other words, that a daughter of Peter Stanley, married one of the Stanleys of Latham, but which of them I am not able to discover.

The next collateral branch I meet with of the whole blood is Sir Robert Stanley, second son to William, EARL of DERBY, and younger brother to James the Matyr. He married Elizabeth, one of the daughters of the Lord Widrington, and by her had issue two sons, Charles and James ; James, the second son died without issue, but Charles the elder brother had issue a son named William, and that the said Charles is long since dead, and that William his son likewise died without issue about the year 1691 or 1692, whereby this branch became extinct

The next and last collateral branch I have to treat of issuing out of this antient and honourable house, as far as I can collect or be informed. is the noble Lady Emelia Stanley the third daughter to James, EARL of' DERBY, by his renowned and most eminent Lady Charlotte de la Tremouille.

This Lady married John, Earl of Athol afterwards Marquis of Athol, by whom he had a son born at Knowsley the 24th of February, 1659, and was baptized by the name of John, the eighth of March following.

Also a daughter born at Knowsley, the second day of April, and baptized the sixth of the same month. by the name, of, Charlotte.

Also another son born at Knowsley, the eighth day of .May, and was baptized by the name of James, the twenty-first day May, 1663.

Thus far of this noble branch from whom his Grace, James the present Duke of Athol is descended, who being the last and most noble remainder of the very ancient and honourable house of Stanley, and also possessed of the most princely branch of their extensive fortune, the reader may justly expect I should give him the genealogical history of this most noble house, otherwise he may remain a stranger to the antiquity and honour of it, and that by their intermarriages therewith, the honour of the House of Stanley was not diminished, - which I shall endeavour to manifest in the clearest and fullest manner I an enabled from manuscript, history, and record.

*Murray, in Latin Moravia. is one of the north-eastern shires of the kingdom of Scotland, of great extent from east to west; on the north it has the German Ocean, and Murray Frith; on the east Buchan; on the south Athol and Marr; and on the west Loquabar. It is in length ninety Scotish miles, and in its greatest breadth thirty miles; the principal town is Elgin, an ancient bishop's fee, under the Archbishop of St. Andrew's, 'but is commonly stiled Bishop of Murray, and not of Elgin.

 (*From the great Historical, Geographical and Poetical Dictionary)

Murray is one of the ancientest as well as most numerous house in Scotland. Some historians write that they derive their original from Germany' and from part of it called Moravia; however that be, it is agreed that they first planted in that part of Scotland called the shire or county of Murray, to which they gave name; but what follows is copied from histories, records, and charters.

The family of Tullibardine has been reported chief of this name, which is now in the person of John, Marquis of Athol, 1694, this family being united with that of Athol, by his grandfather William Earl of Tullibardine's marriage with Dorothy eldest daughter, of John Stuart the fifth Earl of Athol. The Marquis's first predecessor of the family of Tullibardine, was Congal, who got the barony of Tullibardine, with his wife Ada, from Robert Earl of Strathorn, which was confirmed to them by a charter, from King Alexander II., 1234, which charter is still extant and is dated at Scoon April the tenth; the witnesses, William Archbishop of Glasgow, Chancellarius Alexander Abbot of Melross; Alexander,Abbot of Couper.

The grandaughter of Congal called Ada, had the barony of Tullibardine confirmed to her by another charter, which relates her being, married to Sir William Murray, son to Sir Malcolm Murray, who was second son to Murrayof Bothwell. Sir William had by his wife, Sir Malcolm who succeeded him in the barony of Tullibardine which continues in the fame name and familly, by a direct line of heirs male being ratified and confirmed by charters from several succeeding Kings.

Murray of Bothwell's eldest son called Thomas, had an only daughter, married to. Archibald Black, the Earl of Douglas, and his third son called Andrew, was father to that Andrew who married King, Robert Bruce, and was governor of Scotland, in the troublesome times of King David Bruce's minority.; and there is yet remaining on the castle of Bothwell the Murray's Arms cut in :stone', as. the family of Tullibardine still bears.

Buchanan and Spotwood's histories mention Sir William Murray of Tullibardine offering himself to accept the challenge of the Earl of Bothwell, after refusing of his brother at the head of Queen Mary's army near Mussleborrough, for deciding the truth of that Earl's being guilty of the murder of King Henry, who was husband to the said Queen. This Sir William married Jane daughter of the Lord Graham, by whom he had Sir John, afterwards Earl of Tullibardine, and five daughters; the lady Arabella Countess of Marr, the Lady Claikmanan, Lady Aberearny, Lady Rosyth, and Lady Fodrell Henderson..

Sir John Murray created Earl of Tullibardine,, by King James VI. married Catharine Drummond, daughter to the Lord Drummond, and had by her afterwards William Earl of Tullibardine, Patrick, and Mungo who was created Viscount of Stormount, an five daughters, Ann Countess of Kinghorn, now Strathmore the Lady Grant, Lady Wenchton, Lady Gleneagles, and Lady Belnagowan.

In this Sir John's time the peace of the country being disturbed by depredations and there happening also some differences amongst those of the name of Murray, they had a general meeting, wherein they agreed that Sir John should be arbitrater of all their differences, and determine all their causes, as well civil as criminal; and obliged themselves to assist him when required, in freeing the country from the depredations, against whom he also obliged himself to protect them.

This paper is subscribed by Sir. Andrew Murray of Arngothe, Murray of Aberearney, and most of the, considerable heads of the family, dated at Tullibardine, 1586.

William the eldest son of the said Sir John. Murray, Earl of Tullibardine. being accidentally with several gentlemen of his name at a wedding in Perth, when John, Earl of Gowry was killed in 1600, did, with their assistance rescue King James VI. from the danger he was in by a tumult of the inhabitants after the death of the said Earl, who had been their provest; for which service his Majesty did, by a writing under his own hand,. confer the dignity of sheriff of Perthshire, upon the said William and his heirs, which has continued in the family ever since.

This William married Dorothy Stuart daughter to John Stuart the fifth Earl of Athol., whose son was John Earl of Athol, father to this present Marquis, whose predecessor by the said Dorothy, of the house Athol was James Stuart, commonly called the black knight of Lorn lineally defscended from Walter,. the great Stuart of Scotland who gave the sirname of Stuart to his posterity, and of whom Robert the first that sirname King of Scotland descended.

This James Stuart married Jane, Dowager of King James I. who was daughter to John, Duke of Somerset, third son to John of Gaunt, son to king Edward III. of England,' to which James Stuart, the bore jo~ created Earl of Athol, by King James. II. brother by the mother's side. Hauthorden's history, fifth of James, Page 47. The title having fallen into the King's hands by the forfeiture of the former Stuart, Earl of Athol, had no succession, the Cummings having borne the title before them, which is all that history make mention of.

There is also a charter dated in the year 1460, wherein the said King James grants to John, Earl of Athol, eldest son to the aforesaid James, the Lordship of Balveny, in portion with Margaret Douglas, commonly called the Fair Maid of Galloway, in which charter the King calls this Earl his brother.

The same history, page 66, gives an account of this marriage, and calls her the Lady Beatrix., instead of Margaret.

In 1451, Donald, of the isles, proclaimed himself King of the isles, in King James the third's minority, and possessed himself of the town and castle of Inverness, put the country under contribution, and surprized the castle of Blare, with the Earl of Athol, and his, Lady. Buchanan, and Hauthorden.

In 1470, the fame Earl of Athol. being made Lord Lieutenant by King James III. reduced Donald of the isles, and brought him to submit to the King's clemency, from which action the Earl of Athol had the motto, " Furth Fortune, and fill the Fetters"

Hauthorden's history, page 87.

This John, Earl of Athol, after the death of Margaret Douglas, by whom he had only one daughter, who was married to the Lord Gray, took to his second wife, Eleanor Sinclair, daughter to the Earl of Orkney and Cathness., by whom he had John, who succeeded, and four daughters; the Countess of Sunderland, Countess of Crawford, Lady Tullibardine, and Lady Glenurghey.

John Stuart, second Earl of Athol, married Jane Campbell, daughter to the Earl of Argyle, by whom he had John Stuart, who succeeded. This Earl was killed at the battle of Floddon-field, assisting King James IV. against the English. Hauthorden, January 4.

John Stuart, third Earl of Athol., married the heiress of Ratray, by whom he had John, who succeeded, and three daughters; the Countess of Lenox, grandmother to King Henry, and mother to King James VI. the Countess of Crawford,, and Countess of Errol.

John the fourth Earl of Athol, and chancellor of Scotland, married Gordon, daughter to the Earl of Huntley, who dying without children, he married Dorothy Fleming and had by her John, who succeeded, and four daughters; Lady Lovet, Lady Salton, Lady Glenurghey, and Lady Weems.

This Earl adhered to Queen Mary's interest, till after the murder of King Henry, and then he was the occasion of the nobility's entering into a bond for the preservation of the young Prince, King James VI. and commanded part of the army against her at Pinky. He died and was buried in the high church at Edinburgh, in 1579. See Spotwood's history.

John, the fifth Earl of Athol, married Mary Rathven, eldest daughter to William, Earl of Gowry, by his wife, Dorothy Stuart, daughter to Henry Stuart, Lord Methwin, and Margaret, Queen Dowager of King James, IV. and daughter to Henry VII. King of England. By this marriage, John, Earl of' Athol, had no sons, but four daughters; Dorothy, the eldest, married to William, Earl of Tullibardine before mentioned by whom he had John, who succeeded, and Mary, married to Sir John.Moncrie, chief of that name; Mary, the second daughter of John, married James, Lord Innermouth This Lord Innermouth procured the title of Earl of Athol, which afterwards he quitted in favour of Dorothy, his wife's elder sister and this James, died without issue.

John., Earl of Athol, eldest son to William Murray, Earl of Tullibardine, and Dorothy Stuart; he married Jane Campbell, daughter to Sir Duncan Campbell, of Glenurghey. He raised his men in the beginning of the troubles of King Charles I. for that King's service, against the Marquis of Argyll, who took part with the Parliament. His children were John, who succeeded, Mungo, who died unmarried and Ann, married to James, Earl of Tullibardine, by whom she had no children. and Jane, who died unmarried.

John, created Marquis of Athol, by. King Charles II. bears also the title of Tullibardine, Lord Murray, Balvany and Gask; he appeared early for the interest of the King and continued several years in arms against Cromwell. He was made by the said King, justice General of Scotland, Lord Privy Seal, Captain of His Majesty's Guards, one of the Lords of the treasury, and one of the extraordinary Lords of the Session. He married Emelia Stanley, daughter to James, EARL of DERBY, and Charlotte de la Tremoullle, daughter to. Claude de la Tremouille, by his wife, Charlotte, of Nassau, daughter to William, the great Prince of Orange.

Dugdale's Ba. on Stanley, EARL of DERBY.

And their eldest son John,, Lord Murray, married Catharine Hamilton, eldest daughter to William and Ann, Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, whose eldest son John is the ninth of that name of the house of Athol, and the nineteenth representative of the house of Tullibardine. The other children of the present Marquis are Charles Earl of Dunmore, Lord James Murray, William Nairn, Mungo, and Edward, and Emilia married Frazer, Lord Lovat.

There were several cadets descended of this family of Tullibardine in England as well as in Scotland. William Murray grandson of Murray of Woodend was created Earl of Dyfert, who had three daughters, the eldest Elizabeth married Sir Lionel Talmoth, of an ancient family, in Suffolk, and after his death John Duke of Lauderdale; his eldest son by the first marriage is Lord Huntingtour, the second Thomas, was lieutenant general to King William in Flanders; her eldest daughter Elizabeth, married the Earl of Argyle the second Catharine married the Lord Doun, eldest son to Stuart Earl of Murray - the other daughter by the. Earl Dyfert, was married to the Lord Maynard, by whom he had Henry and Elizabeth.

David Murray, now Viscount of Stormort is descended of a second brother of the family of Tullibardine, who married the heiress Balvaird, which failing in the eldest to Murray of Latherbannoky, who came

a younger brother. succeeded, and was created first Lord of' Balvaird, and then Viscount of Stormont. Sir Charles Murray of Blato, is descended of a younger son of Tullibardine; Mr. Thomas Murray, one of the sons of Murray, of Woodend, a Cadet of Tullibardine, was a tutor to Kirig Charles I. whose son Henry was married to Viscount Banning's daughter, by whom he had four daughters; the eldest Elizabeth, married

George Egerton; the second married Mr. Robert Peirpoint, of Nottingham nephew, to the Marquis of Dorchester, by whom she had William, who married the Countess Dowager of Kingston; the third was married to Sir John Boyer, and the fourth to Sir R. Bradshaw.

There were at one time seventeen brothers of the family of Tullibardine, by one father and mother; of whom descended Murray of Strutan; Murray of Woodend; Sir Thomas. Murray of Glendogg; Murray of Tippermuir; Murray of Dollary;, and Sir Patrick Murray of Auchtertiers, a considerable family in Perthshire, lineally descended of the youngest of the brothers.

There are also of this name the Lord Ellbank, the Lairds of Aberearney, Potmais, Blackbaronry, Philip, Haugh, and Newton, all of ancient families and considerable estates.

Having thus with much labour and pain deduced and brought down the ancient and honourable House of Stanley, from their original, through many genealogies to our own time, as well in all the collateral branches as the direct line, to his Grace James Duke of Athol, the last branch of the old stock and given you their names and honourable titles, with their chief seats, and all the Memorable and most celebrated actions performed by them in their several ages, I have considered it no less than a duty incumbent upon me, and an act of justice due to the noble., ancient and honourable houses of Athol, and Tullibardine, to declare their antiquity, magnanimity and renown, with the many and high honours conferred upon the several branches thereof, for the steady an many eminent services done by them to the Prince and country, as well in England as in Scotland; which being done, I have only to add the titles and seats of his present Grace of Athol, who is stiled the most noble James, Duke of' Athol, Lord of Man and the Isle; Marquis of Tullibardine; Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle; Viscount of Balliquidder, Glenalmond and Glenlyon; Baron Strange.. Lord Murray, Balvany and Galk.; Heritable Steward of the Stewarties of Fife and Huntingtour; Heritable Lord of the Regalites of Athol and Dunkeld; Heritable Captain and Constable of the Castle and Constabulary of High Sheriff of Perthshire; Lord of the Privy Seal of Scotland; one of the Lords of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Counsell, and Knight of the most noble and most ancient Order of the Thistle, whose chief seats are Dunkeld, Blaire-castle, in the Blaire of Athol, Huntingtour near Perth, and Falkland, with some others which I cannot recollect.

[FPC - see Stanley and Athol Lords pages for links to other relevant pages]

 


 

Back index next


Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2001