manors of Edenham, and Scottlethorp, and rectory of Fulston, the lordship and manor of Withcalle, with divers messuages, &c. a messuage called the scite of the manor of Dawbney, and divers messuages, &c. in Wottral, Willingham North, and South Willingham, and elsewhere, in the county of Lincoln. He survived his Duchess, who deceased on September 19th, 1580; and was buried at Spilsby in Lincolnshire, leaving issue by him an only son, Peregrine Bertie, before mentioned, and a daughter, Susan,' married to Reginald Grey, Earl of Kent, and surviving him, to Sir John Wingfield. Which PEREGRINE, in the first of Elizabeth, m was naturalized and made a free denizen, the patent bearing date August 2d, 1559. " n On the death of his mother, he claimed the dignity and title of Lord Willoughby of Eresby, wearing his mourning apparel at i F. F in offic. arm. p. 271. Harl. MSS. No 6829 p. 90. in Brit. Museum. 1 Cat. of Nob. by R. Brooke. m Pat. 1 Eliz. p. 2. m. 7. n of his birth in the church porch of Willebrode in Wesel, Germany, we have these further testimonials. A copy of the register of the city of Wesel, concerning the birth of the Right Honourable PEREGRINE BERTIE, Lord WILLOUGHBY Of ERESBY, born there the 12th of October, 1555 We the Burgomasters, Aldermen, and counsellors of the city of Wesel in the Duchy of Cleve, certify by these presents, that in the register of this city is found entered the following account, the 20th of November, 1555. Anno à partu Virginco restitutæ salutis per Christum millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo quinto, qui fuit Annus à Mundi exordio quinquies mil. lesimus, quingentisimus vigesimus tertius, ab innovatâ verò Doctrinâ Evangelij per Dominum Martinum Lutherum trigesimus octavus, die Saturni qui erat duodecimus Mensis Octobris, Illustrissima Domina Catharina Baronissa de Willoughby, Ducissa Suffolciæ, in Anglicano Regno, Uxor Illustrissimi Principis Domini Richardi Bertie d' Eresby ex Angliâ, in hac nostra Urbe Vesaliensi Ducatus Clivensis (Divinâ obstetricante gratiâ) Filium peperit, qui Die Lunæ à partu proximo decimo quarto, Videlicet, ejusdem Mensis in Templo nostro suburbano (vulgo Upter Mathena) Sacrosancto Baptismate per Henricum Bomelium ejusdem Ecclesiæ suscepto PEREGRINUS Vocatus est ; cò quod in Terrâ Peregrinâ, pro Consolatione exilij sui Piis Parentibus â Domino donatus sit. Postulatum est referri in Annales. In the testimony of which we have put the common seal of our city hereunto, at the request of the honourable Mr. Charles Bertie, envoy extraor dinary from his Majesty of Great Britain to the Electors, and other Princes of Germany, at his passage through this city; and have caused our clerk to sign the same in the place of out secretary lately deceased. Given at Wesel the 18th of January, 1681. (LS) GODF. NIFEN, Secretarij defuncti Amanuensis, her funeral in all points as a Baron; and was by Queen Elizabeth admitted to the dignity of Lord Willougly, and to the place and integrity of honour thereunto belonging (his father then living) on Friday November 11th, 1580, by the mouth of Sir William Cecil, Knight, Lord Burleigh, Lord High Treasurer of England; Thomas, Earl of Sussex, Lord High Chamberlain ; and Robert, Earl of Leicester, who by her Majesty's assignment had before heard and seen the petition, and proofs exhibited and shewed by the said Peregrine, for the same dignity of Lord Willoughby of Eresby; and were, after report made unto her Majesty of his right and title to the same, commanded by her Majesty to declare unto him the said Peregrine, that, according to Likewise this Inscription is placed at the East entrance of the porch of the church of St. Willebrode in Wesel. Anno Dom. 1555, 120 Octobris In hoc Ecclesiæ Vesaliensis Propylæo Baro WILLOUGHBY de Eresby in Regno Angliæ, Qui Conjugali inter se, et piâ erga Deum Fide insignes, Idem PEREGRINUS BERTIE, Copiarum Anglicarum in Fœderato Belgio Qui etiamnum inclarescunt Titulo Hunc Lapidem Altero partim vetustate exeso, partim Militum vi fracto, MONTACUTI Comitis de LINDSEY Filius, et . Ex Collect. Dom. Gul. Le Neve, Claren Bibl. Toh Astis, Arm. Not. B. 21. 1 his right, her pleasure was, that he should be named and called Lord Willoughby, and be placed, reputed, and taken Lord Willoughby, of Eresby, which they did in the star-chamber the day and year aforesaid, even as they were ready to sit down to dinner there and at the same time placed the said Peregrine, Lord Willoughby, at the table with them, according to his degree, above divers other Barons which dined with them at the table, and did all of them drink to him by the name of Lord Willoughby. And on Monday, January 16th following, he took his seat in parliament, next unto the Lord Zouch of Harringworth. г In 1582, he, with other nobles, by the Queen's command, attended the Duke of Anjou to Antwerp, who had staid in England three months in hopes of gaining her in marriage; and, before the end of that year, was sent to Frederic II. King of Denmark, with the ensigns of the order of the garter. In 29 Elizabeth, at the siege of Zutphen, in the Netherlands, on a sharp encounter with the forces of that garrison, he overthrew George Cressiak, at that time commander in chief of the horse, and took him prisoner. The year after, on the recess of the Earl of Leicester, he was made general of the English auxiliary forces in the united provinces, and most valiantly defended Bergen-opzoom, besieged by the Prince of Parma, who was obliged to raise the siege, notwithstanding he had deemed it incapable of holding out any time. In 32 Elizabeth, he was sent general of 4000 auxiliaries into France, in aid of the King of Navarre, who, in a letter which he wrote to Queen Elizabeth, says, "You may, Madam, be entirely satisfied, that I have been so effectually served by your troops, and have had such convincing proofs of the good conduct and courage of the Lord Willoughby, who is worthily seconded by all the other gentlemen your subjects here, that they more and more do honour to your judgment in your choice of them, and encrease the obligations I lie under already to your Majesty." His Lordship being at the Spa in Germany for the recovery of his health, at the time when an invasion was expected to be made upon these kingdoms by Spain, the Queen wrote him the following letter. ▸ Camden's Annals. a Stow's Annals, p. 695. $ Rymer's Fœd. Tom p. XVI. p. 14. GOOD PEREGRINE, We are not a little glad that by your journey you have received such good fruit of amendment; especially when we consider how great a vexation it is to a mind devoted to actions of honour, to be restrained, by any indisposition of body, from following those courses, which, to your own reputation, and our great satisfaction, you have formerly performed. And therefore as we must now (out of our desire of your well doing) chiefly enjoyne you to an especial care to encrease and continue your health, which must give life to all your best endeavours; so we next as seriously recommend to you this consideration, that in these times, when there is such an appearance, that we shall have the trial of our best and noble subjects, you seem not to affect the satisfaction of your own private contentation, beyond the attending on that which nature and duty challenneth from all persons of your quality and profession. For if necessarily (your health of body being recovered) you should elloigne yourself by residence there from those employments, whereof we shall have too good store, you shall not so much amend the state of your body, as haply you shall call in question the reputation of your mind and judgment, even in the opinion of those that love you, and are best acquainted with your disposition and discretion. Interpret this our plainness, we pray you, to an extraordinary estimation of you, for it is not common with us to deal so freely with many; and believe that you shall ever find us both ready and willing on all occasions, to yield you the fruits of that interest, which your endeavours have purchased for you in our opinion and estimation. Not doubting, but when you have with moderation made trial of the successes of these your sundrie peregrinations, you will find as great comfort to spend your days at home, as heretofore you have done; of which we do wish you full mea, sure, howsoever you shall have cause of abode or return. Given under our signet at our manor of Nonesuch, the seventh of Oc tober 1594, in the thirty-seventh year of our reign. Your most loving Sovereign, E. R. And being governor of Berwick, makes his will there, August 7th, 1599, bequeathing his body to be buried in the parish church of Spilsby in com. Linc. and dying in 1601, was there buried, as is evident from a monument erected to his memory. "My Lord Willoughby," says Naunton, " was one of the Queenes first swordsmen he was of the antient extract of the Bartewes, but more enobled by his mother, who was Duches of Suffolk. He was a great master of the art military, and was sent Generall into France, and commanded the second army of five the Queene had sent thither in aid of the French. I have heard it spoken that had he not slighted the court, but applied himself to the Queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of her grace and it was his saying, and it did him no good, that he was none of the Reptilia, intimating that he could not creepe on the ground, and that the court was not his element: for indeed he was a great soldier, so he was of a suitable magnanimitie, and could not brooke the obsequiousness and assiduitie of the court; and as he was then somewhat descending from youth, happily he had an a nam revertenti, and to make a safe retreat." His last testament is very memorable, as follows: "" In the name of the blessed divine trynitie in persons, and of omnipotent unitye in godhead, who created, redeemed and sanctified me, whom I steadfastlye beleeve will glorifie this sinfull corruptyble and fleshely bodye with eternall happiness, by a joyeful resurrection at the general judgment, when by his incomprehensible justice and mercye having satisfied for my sinfull soule, and stored it uppe in his heavenly treasure, his almightie voyce shall call all fleshe to be joyned together with the soule to everlasting comfort or discomforte. In that holy name I Peregrin Bertye, Knighte, Lord Willoughbie of Willoughbie, Beeke, and Eresbie, in perfect healthe and remembrance, and considering the frayltie of man, and the incertentye howe shorte and evil his dayes be, and intending to establishe and dispose theis worldely benefytts that God hath lent me, to the comforte and advantage of such children as God hath blessed me withall, hoping that they my said chilldren will nourish and mayntaine all brotherly kindness, love and affectyon betweene themselves, considering the misery division bringeth in all estates of this hatefull worlde, styll to the wurse declyning. Now I the said Lord Willoughbie make and declare this my laste wyll and testament, as followeth : "He orders his body to be buried in the church of Spilsby in the county of Lincoln, observing christian conveniency, and avoiding superfluous charge. He bequeaths to his son Peregrine Bertie Ex Regist in Cur Prerog Cant. vocat. Woodhall, qu 58. |