Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gerard, Richard
GERARD, RICHARD (1613–1686), cavalier, second son of Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn, Lancashire, by Frances, daughter of Sir Richard Molineux of Sefton, in the same county, was born in 1613, went to Maryland, soon after the charter had been granted to Lord Baltimore in 1634, but returned to England the following year, raised a troop of foot for the king of Spain, and served in the Netherlands between 1638 and 1642, when he quitted the Spanish service and entered that of Henrietta Maria, then at the Hague. He raised and commanded the bodyguard which escorted her from the Hague to Bridlington Bay, Yorkshire, where he obtained from the Earl of Newcastle a lieutenant-colonel's commission (16 March 1642–3). Thence he went to Oxford, and on the way thither was wounded in an attack on Burton-on-Trent. He took part in the second battle of Newbury (27 Oct. 1644), after which he retired to Oxford, and there remained until the surrender of the place. He attended the king at Hurst Castle, and carried letters between him and the queen in France. On the Restoration he was appointed (1 Jan. 1660–1) cupbearer in ordinary and waiter to the queen-mother. He died on 5 Sept. 1686 at Ince, Lancashire, the manor of which he had bought from his cousin, Thomas Gerard, and was buried in the parish church of Wigan. Gerard married, first, Frances, daughter of Sir Ralph Hansby of Tickhill Castle, Yorkshire, by whom he had issue one son only, who died in infancy; secondly, Judith, daughter of Sir Nicholas Steward of Pattishall, Northamptonshire, by whom he had issue six sons and three daughters.
[Gregson's Portfolio of Fragments (Lancashire), p. 239; Wotton's Baronetage, i. 56; Dodd's Church Hist. (fol.) iii. 62.]Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.134
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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