hun, 5 November 1712 and by him who died 5 April 1754 æt. 80, in Pall-Mall London, had four fons and two daughters, the elder of whom Elizabeth was married 16 May 1742 to Francis, Earl Brooke; and the younger 24 July 1753 to Charles, Lord Cathcart, fhe died 13 November 1770. Lady Jane was first Lady of the bedchamber, mistress of the robes, and privy purse to her Royal Highnefs Augufta, Princess of Wales.

Sir

3

Sir James, the fecond Viscount Strabane and feventh Earl of Abercorn, was fworn of the privy council in Eng- James, land 20 July 1738, and coming into Ireland the year Viscount. following, was fworn of the privy council here 26 September, having been fo appointed in July 1737. He took his feat in the House of Peers 9 O&ober 1739 2, was Fellow of the Royal Society; died 13 January 1743-4, and was interred the 17 in the Duke of Ormond's vault, Weftminfter-Abbey. In 1711 his Lordship married Anne, eldest daughter of John Plummer of Blaxware in the county of Hertford, Efq. and had iffue by her who died 16 March 1754, two daughters, the elder Lady Anne, married 16 August 1746 to Sir Henry Mackworth, Bart. another daughter born after his deceafe 27 February 1736; and fix fons, viz.

James, his fucceffor.

John, who being bred to the fea-fervice, was made Lieutenant of the ship Louisa, and in that station, in December 1736, attended his Majesty in his return from Hanover to England; when a violent ftorm arifing, wherein all the fleet narrowly escaped being loft, his fhip was wreck'd ; and boats being fent to their relief, he bravely refused to go into them before the failors, faying, In that common calamity be would claim no precedency; and was the last that quitted the fhip. Upon his going afhore he was prefented to the King, who graciously received him; and his father was complimented by the Queen on the gallant behaviour of his fon. On 12 February following he was made Lieutenant of the Diamond of 40 guns, and 14 October 1741 firft Lieutenant of the Ruffel of 70 guns, whence (19 February) he was appointed commander of the Kingfale, from that fhip preferred 10 February 1742 to the Augusta, a 60 gun fhip newly launch'd; in April 1748 to the Vanguard of 60 guns, and 18 December 1755 was unfortunately drowned, being overset in his boat as he was going from his fhip to Portsmouth. In November 1749 he mar tied the widow of Richard Elliot of Port-Elliot in Corn

• Lodge.

2 Lords Jour. III. 449.

wall,

(2)

(3)

(4)

wall, Efq. by whom he had iffue John-James who 20 June 1779 married Catharine, daughter of Sir Jofeph Copley, Bart. and has iffue.

William, died young.

George, educated in Exeter-College, Oxford, entered into holy orders, was presented by his brother in September 1753 to the rectories of Tagheyou and Donaghadee in the diocess of Raphoe; and married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Onflow, uncle to the present Lord.

Plummer, died young.

William, appointed 16 August 1742 Lieutenant of a man of war, and in 1755 Captain of the Lancaster; he married and had iffue.

James, James, the third and prefent Viscount Strabane, and 3 eighth Earl of Abercorn, was fummoned by writ to the Viscount. Houfe of Peers in Ireland 23 March 1735-6, by his fa

ther's Barony of Mountcastle, and took his feat the fame day 8 Auguft 1786 he was created a Peer of Great Britain by the title of Viscount Hamilton of Hamilton in the county of Leicester, with remainder to John-James Hamilton, fon of the Honourable John Hamilton deceased, next brother to his Lordship.

TITLES.] Sir James Hamilton, Viscount Strabane, Earl and Baron of Abercorn, Baron of Strabane, Paisley, Mountcastle, and Killpatrick, Viscount Hamilton, and Baronet.

CREATIONS.] Baronet, by K. Charles II. B. of Paisley in the shire of Renfrew, Anno 1591; B. of Abercorn in the county of Lanark, Anno 1604, 2 Jac. I. E. of the fame place; B. of Hamilton, Mountcastle, and Killpatrick, 10 July 1606, 4 Jac. I. B. of Strabane, 8 May 1618, 16 Jac. I. V. of Strabane and B. Mountcastle in the county of Tyrone, 2 December 1701, 13 Will. III. and V. Hamilton of Hamilton in the county of Leicester, 8 August 1786, 26 Geo. III.

ARMS.] Ruby, three cinquefoils pierced, ermine.

CREST.] In a ducal coronet, topaz, an oak-tree fructed and penetrated tranfverfely through the main stem by a faw, proper, the frame gold.

SUPPORTERS.] Two Antilopes, pearl, their horns, ducal collars, chains and hoofs, topaz.

MOTTO.] SOLA NOBILITAT VIRTUS.

SEATS.] Paifley in the fhire of Renfrew; and Witham in the county of Effex, 32 miles from London.

Lord's Jour. III. 352.

MOLESWORTH.

MOLESWORTH, VISCOUNT MOLESWORTH.

THE family of Molefworth, anciently had their refi

dence in the counties of Northampton and Bedford, where they flourished for many ages, and particularly in the reigns of Edward I. and II. in the perfon of Sir Walter de Moldefworth, or Molefworth; contemporary with whom was John de Molefworth, who, 12 Edward I. was presented to the Rectory of North-Luffenham in the county of Rutland, by Edmond, Earl of Cornwall, son of Richard Plantagenet, King of the Romans, youngest son of K. John.

I

22

Sir

The aforefaid Sir Walter de Molefworth, attended K. Edward I. in his expedition to the Holy-Land against the Walter. infidels, (to which his coat-armour alludes) and 26 of that reign, was conftituted Sheriff of the counties of Bedford and Bucks for the space of ten years (an office in those early times of great trust and authority).-In 1306, when the King on a grand Whitfuntide Festival, to adorn his court with great fplendour, and augment the glory of his intended expedition into Scotland, knighted. Edward, Earl of Caernarvon his eldet fon; the young prince, immediately after that ceremony, at the altar in WestminsterAbbey, conferred the fame honour on near 300 gentlemen, the fons of Earls, Barons, and Knights, of which number was Sir Walter de Molesworth: And that prince fucceeding to the throne, 7 July 1307, directed a charter of fummons * to Sir Walter and his lady, to attend at his

coronation;

*The Charter runs thus. Rex dilecto et fideli fuo Waltero de Mollefworth, et Conforti, Salutem. Quia hac inftanti die dominica poft feftum fancti Valentini apud Wefimonafterium proponimus coronari, vobis mandamus, quatenus vos et Confors veftra hujufmodi Coronationis noftræ folemniis, dictis die et loco celebrandis, ad Cometivam nobis et cariffimæ Conforti noftræ Isabellæ Reginæ Angliæ, ob nof

* Fuller's Worthies, co, Bedford.

tri

Hugh.

Sir

coronation; appointing him that year, with Gilbert de Holme, Sheriff of the aforefaid counties, and in 1313 fole Sheriff of the fame. He was returned Knight for the county of Bedford to the first parliament of that King, which met at Westminster 5 of his reign, and (as was then the custom) had, with Gerard de Braybroke his colleague, writs of their expences iffued, for their attendance and fervice; and three years after, he reprefented that connty again; but not long furviving, was fucceeded by his

fon

Hugh, who the fame year, with Henry de Tilly, was Knight of the county of Huntington, in the parliament held at York, having the like writ for defraying his expences; and to him fucceeded his fon and heir Sir WalWalter. ter de Molefworth, whose fon Richard is mentioned in Richard, the pipe rolls of Northamptonshire, 13 Edward III. (1339) in relation to a fine of 20l. for a pardon to him Sir Simon Drayton, Knt., John, his fon, William, fon of Thomas Seymour, and Simon Squire of Drayton, and others, at the King's fuit, for an infringement of the peace belonging to the royal cognizance, on the death of John de Sutton Lungeville. He married Eleanor, daughter and heir to Sir Thomas Mortimer of the county of Lincoln, (a descendant of the noble houfe of Mortimer, Barons of England in the reigns of Henry III. and Edward I. whose coat-armour Lord Molesworth bears in the second quarter) and by her was ancestor to Sir Roger Molefworth of the Roger, county of Huntington, Knt. whofe fon John, of the fame John. county, became alfo feated at Helpefton in Northampton

Sir

fhire; ferved the office of Efcheator for the county of Rutland, and died 14 May 1542, 2 leaving John his heir, then 26 years of age, who married Margaret, daughter and heir to William Weftcot of Hanfacre in Staffordshire, Efq. and had five fons, Anthony his heir, ancestor to the Viscount Molefworth; Robert; Bevil; John; and Wingfield.

Family 3 John, the fourth fon, fettled at Pencarrow in the of county of Cornwall, and made a good addition to his forPencar- tune by marriage with two wives; by the latter Philippa. daughter

row,

Baronets.

tri et ipfius Confortis noftræ honorem faciendum perfonaliter, mo dis omnibus interfitis, et hoc, ficut nos deligeris, nullatinus omittatis. Tefte, &c. 8vo. Februarii.

Fuller's Worthies, co. Bedford.

2 Inq. poft mortem. 3 Baronetage of England, Edit, 1741.

daughter of Henry Rolle of Heanton in Devonshire, Efq. he had only two daughters; but by the former Catharine, eldest daughter and coheir to John Hender of BotreauxCaftle in Cornwall, Efq. he had two fons and two daughters; Hender; John, killed in the expedition to the Ifle of Rhee, under the Duke of Buckingham; Jane, married to William Rifdon of Vilefton in Devonshire, Efq.; and Elizabeth, to John Tredenham of Philly in Cornwall, and was mother to Sir Jofeph Tredenham of Tregonan, Knt. who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward Seymour of Berry-Pomroy, Baronet, and had iffue, Jofeph, who died an infant; John; and Seymour, who married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Lewis, Efq. Telict of Sir Richard Tufton, Knt. and died in 1696, leaving her a widow 1.

Hender Molefworth, Efq. the elder fon, born in 1597, married Mary, eldest daughter of John Sparke, of the Friary in Plymouth, Efq. and had iffue three fons, John; Hender; and Richard, who died young.-Sir Hender of Spring-Garden, the fecond fon, was bred a Merchant, and fettling in Jamaica, lived at St. Catharine's; was prefident of the council of that Island in the reign of Charles II. and upon the death of Sir Thomas Lynch, chosen to act as Governor by the constitution of the Island, till a commiffion fhould arrive from England appointing a fucceffor; in which station he continued, until K. James II. 15 September 1687, conferred the Government on Chriftopher, Duke of Albemarle 2: Upon whose death, there, in the beginning of 1689 3, he fucceeded by commiffion from the King; and favouring the revolution, was created a Baronet, 19 July 1689, (the first advanced to that dignity by K. William 4) with limitation of the honour to his elder brother and his heirs male. He married firft the daughter of Mr. Mangey, Goldfmith of London, widow of Mr. Thomas Tottle, Merchant, of Jamaica; and fecond-ly, Mary, daughter of Thomas Temple of Frankton in Warwickshire, Efq. widow of the aforefaid Sir Thomas Lynch, but by neither having iffue, his elder brother

Sir John Molefworth of Pencarrow, Knt. fucceeded to the title. He was knighted by K. Charles II. who conftituted him Vice-Admiral of the North parts of Cornwall, in which he was continued by their majefties James,, WilVOL. V. liam,

K