William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, now THIrd Duke of PORTLAND, was born on April 14th, 1738; and at the general election in 1761, was returned one of the members for Weobly in Herefordshire.

On April 5th, 1783, his Grace was appointed first lord of the treasury; which he resigned on December 27th, following. On July 11th, 1794, he was constituted principal secretary of state for the home department, which he held till July 30th, 1801, when he was nominated president of the council, which he held till 1805; and in the Spring of 1807, he was again appointed first lord of the treasury. His Grace is a Knight of the Garter, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire.

On November 8th, 1766, his Grace was married to Lady Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of William, the late Duke of Devonshire, and by her, who died June 3d, 1794, he has had issue,

First, William Henry Cavendish, Marquis of Tichfield, born June 24th, 1768; who has for several years represented the county of Buckingham in parliament. His Lordship married, Aug. 4, 1795, Henrietta Scott, daughter of the late general Scott, by whom he has issue, first, William Henry, born August 21st, 1796; second, Caroline, born July 6th, 1799; third, William John, born September 18th, 1800; and two sons, who died infants.

Second, Lord William Henry Cavendish, born September 14th, 1774, late governor of Madras, and a major general in the army; who married, February 19th, 1803, Lady Mary Acheson, second daughter of Arthur, Earl of Gosford, in Ireland.

Third, Lady Charlotte, born October 3d, 1775, married, March 31st, 1793, Charles Greville, Esq. son of Fulk Greville, Esq. of Wilbery in Wiltshire, and has issue.

Fourth, Lady Mary, born March 17th, 1778.

Fifth, Lord Charles, a lieutenant colonel in the army, and captain in the first regiment of foot guards.

Sixth, Lord Frederick, born November 21st, 1781, also a lieutenant colonel in the army, and captain in the first regiment of foot guards.

Titles. William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, Duke of Portland, Marquis of Tichfield, Earl of Portland, Viscount Woodstock, and Baron of Cirencester.

Creations. Baron of Cirencester, in com. Gloucester, Viscount Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, and Earl of Portland, in com. Dorset,

April 9th, 1689, 1 William and Mary; and Marquis of Tichfield, and Duke of Portland, July 6th, 1716, 2 George I.

Arms. Azure, a cross móline, Argent.

Crest. Out of a Marquis's coronet, proper, two arms, counter embowed, and vested Gules, gloved, Or, and holding each an ostrich feather, Argent.

Supporters. Two lions double quevée; the dexter, Or, the other, Sable.

Motto. Craignez honte.

Chief Seats. At Bulstrode in Buckinghamshire, and at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire,

SIR EDWARD MONTAGU, the immediate ancestor of this family, was constituted chief justice of the court King Bench, 29 Henry VIII. He was the youngest son of Thomas Montagu, Gent. who died in 1517, and lies buried in the church of Hemington in Northamptonshire.

This family claim a descent from the powerful and illustrious house of Montagu, who make a figure in our annals as Barons from the time of the conquest, and were anciently Earls of Salisbury. For this reason a detailed account of that House has been given in all our late Peerages. But I find myself compelled to throw the brief notice, which I shall take of those extinct peers, into a note. a

a Collins and others have deduced the above Thomas Montagu from Simon Montagu, who is stated to have been younger brother to John, third Earl of Salisbury; and uncle to Thomas the fourth and last Earl of Salisbury, of that name, who died November 3d, 1428. This Simon is asserted to have had issue, by Elizabeth Boughton, Thomas Montagu, who is said to have left by Christian Basset John Montagu, whose wife was Alice Holcot, and their son William marrying Margaret Bouling, was father of Richard Montagu, of Hemington in Northamptonshire; who, by Agnes Snelling, was father of the above Thomas, who died in 1517. Unfortunately there is no proof of the existence of this Simon; nor of any of the intermediate generations But the late Mr. Thorpe, (and it seems Mr. Anstis concurred in this opinion) suspected this family to be descended from James Montagu, a natural son of Thomas, the last Earl of Salisbury. This James lies buried in the church of Ludsdowne in Kent, of which place he derived the manor from his father. See Thorpe's Custumale Roffense, p 125. The bordure round the arms of the present family favours this idea. The question is now of little consequence: a proud family may be content with such a mark once in seven centuries. I

Thomas Montagu, before mentioned, married Agnes, daughter of William Dudley, of Clopton in Northamptonshire, Esq. and had sepulture in the chancel of the church of Hemington, under a grey marble, with the figures in brass, of a gentleman and his wife, he in a long gown, she in the habit of the times; and at their feet this inscription in a brass tablet:

"Of your charite pray for the soules of Thomas Montagu, gentilman, and Agnes his wyff. Which Thomas decessed the 5 day of September, the yer of our Lord 1517. On whos soules Jesu have mercy."

He had two sons, JOHN, who succeeding to the estate, died without issue; and Sir EDWARD Montagu, born at Brigstock in the county of Northampton, who being entered in the Middle

have made these remarks with some reluctance; but truth has extorted them from me.

Drogo de Monte-acuto came over with the Conqueror. From him descended William de Montacute, a great Baron in the time of Henry III. whose son, Simon de Montacute, was a great Baron in the time of Edward I. and survived till after the 8th of Edward II. His son William, Lord Montacute, died 13 Edward II. leaving William Lord Montacute, who was the principal person concerned in seizing Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, at Nottingham Castle; and was a man of great power and large estates, and in much favour with Edward III. who created him Earl of Salisbury, on March 16th, in the 11th of his reign. He makes a figure in the pages of Froissart; and is amply noticed by all our historians, as well as in our records. He founded the Abbey of Bisham in Berkshire, and died 17 Edward III. His Countess was Katherine, daughter of William de Grandison, the Lady, whose attractions, as it is pretended, gave rise to the Order of the Garter,

William, second Earl of Salisbury, commanded at the battle of Poytiers, and filled many high offices. He died June 3d, 1397, (20 Richard II) and was succeeded by his nephew John, (son of his brother Sir John de Montacute, Lord Montacute.)

John, third Earl of Salisbury, (whose mother was Margaret, daughter and heir of Thomas de Monthermer) succeeded his father as a Baron before he came to the Earldom, and fell a sacrifice to his plot for restoring Richard II. His death happened 1 Henry IV. He was the chief of the sect of Loilards. He left by Maud, daughter of Sir Adam Francis of London,

Thomas, fourth Earl of Salisbury, who was killed at the siege of Orleans, 3d November, 7 Henry VI. leaving by Aleanore, sister and coheir of Edmund Holland Earl of Kent, one sole daughter and heir Alice, wife of Richard Nevile, (a younger son of Ralph Earl of Westmoreland) who thence became Earl of Salisbury, and was father of the famous Earl of Salisbury and Warwick, the King Maker.

Earl Thomas had also a natural son, James Montagu, of Ludsdowne in Kent, before mentioned.

Temple, became such a proficient in the study of the laws, that in 16 Henry VIII. he was chosen Autumn reader of that society, to which none but persons of great learning were then elected. He was b also of such authority and account, credit and countenance, in the house of commons, of which he was speaker, that a bill for subsidies not passing, he was sent for to his Majesty, who said to him, "Ho! Will they not let my bill pass?" And laying his hand on the head of Montague (kneeling before him) said, "Get my bill to pass by such a time tomorrow, or else by such a time this head of yours shall be off." Sir Edward, considering the danger wherein he stood, in regard of the displeasure of such an impetuous Prince, wrought so effectually, that, before the time prescribed, the bill passed with the approbation of the house, and to his Sovereign's satisfaction. In 23d Henry VIII. he was called to the degree of serjeant at law, and with others then elected, kept such a magnificent feast at Ely House, in London, for five days, that it wanted little of a feast at a coronation, the King and Queen, and the whole court, honouring them with their company. In 29 Henry VIII. he was constituted the King's serjeant at law, and had the honour of knighthood conferred on him the year following, and was advanced to the office of lord chief justice of the King's Bench.

In 31 Henry VIII. he had a grant of divers lands in Hemyngton, in com. Northamp. late belonging to Ramsay abbey, and the year following had grants of the manors of Barnwel and Warketon, alias Warton, in the same county.

In 1545, he resigned his office of lord chief justice of the King's Bench, and on November 6th, was constituted lord chief justice of the Common Pleas; a transition which Fuller calls a "descent in honour, but an ascent in profit." He was also of the privy-council, and in such high favour and esteem with his Sovereign, Henry VIII. that he appointed him one of those sixteen executors of his last will and testament, who should also be regents of the kingdom, and governors to Edward VI. his son.

The said King Edward appointed his well-beloved counsellor Sir Edward Montagu, Knight, chief justice of the Common Pleas, with others, commissioners for the receiving and allowance of all claims of his subjects, to do service at his coronation, which was solemnized on February 20th, 1547. In 4 Edward VI. he ob

MS huj Famil nuper penes prænob. Johann. Duc. Montagu.