Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 1 Vol 4.djvu/64

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66 GRAFTON. GRAFTON. Dukedom. /, Henry Fitz-Roy, 2d of the threo illegit, sons of I IG75 Barbara, suo jure Ducuess op Cleveland, by King Charles IX,( R ) was b. 2 Sep. 16C3, and was, when nine years old, m. in the preseuee of the Court (by the Arehp. of Canterbury) 1 Aug. 1672, to Isabella (then aged five) ally child and heir presumptive of Jleniy (Rennet), 1st Earl of Arlington, by Isabella, da. of Louis dk Nassau, Count ok Blverwaet and Auverqcerque, in Holland. They were re-married, () seven years later ( c ) 6 Oct. 1679, at her father's lodgings in Whitehall. In consequence of this alliance he was cr., 16 Aug. 1072, BARON SUDBURY, VISCOUNT IPSWICH, and EARL OF EUSTON,( 1 ') all co. Suffolk, with a spec, rem., failing heirs male of his body, to George Fitz-Roy alias Palmer,( e ) another (the 3d and yst.) illegit. son of the said Barbara by the said King. He was shortly afterwards, 11 Sep. 1675,( r ) er. DUKE OF GRAFTON, co. Northampton, being then 12 years of age; el. K.G., 31 Aug., and inst. (by proxy) 30 Sep. 1680. He served at eea on several expeditions; Col. of the 1st Foot Guards, 16S1-S8, becoming Brig. Gen. of Foot, 1688 ; Vice Admiral of England, 1682. Gov. of the Isle of W'ight, 1681. Clerk of the Treasury and Keeper of theRecordsin the Common Pleas (jointly with hisbaby son) 16S5. Lord High Constable for the coronation of King James II., 23 April 16S5. Lord Lieut, of co. Suffolk, 1685. Ranger of Whittlebury Forest, 1685, and first took his stat in the House of Lords, 9 Nov. 1685. He distinguished himself in suppressing the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth, but was one of the first( h ) to desert his uncle, James II. on the landing of the Prince of Orange, at whose coronation (as William III.), he carried the orb. He was mortally wounded at the siege of Cork, 2S Sep. and d. 9 Oct. 1690, aged 27, (a) See vol. i, p. 284, note "e," nub "Cleveland." It is stated that '-Charles long refuBed to own him and his parentage appears doubtful." See Jesse's " &tu«>ts," vol. iv, p. 58. ( b ) Evelyn who w.ls present at both marriages considers the bride to have been " sacrificed to a boy that has been rudely bred." ( c ) These early marriages are commented on in " N. and Q.," 6th s., viii, p. 176, where the English Law, as to the age requisite for a valid marriage, is set out (from J. W. Smith's "Manual of Common Law," 5th edit., 1S72, p. 112), by which it seems that if either party is under seven years of age the marriage is void ; but if the husband be above seven, tho' under fourteen, or if the wife be above seven, tho' under twelve, the marriage is valid if, on attaining those ages, they agree to continue together but is voidable if the man on attaining 1 4 or the wife on attaining 1 2 (but not before such attaiutment of those respective agesl disagree thereto. ( d ) Euston Park, &c, co. Suffolk (inherited by the 2d Duke) was the property of the Earl of Arlington ; the spec. rem. of the title of Euston to n person not connected with that Earl, seems rather hard on him, tho' (as it happened) it did not take effect. (°) See vol. iii, p. 285, note " d," sub " Cleveland," for some remarks as to the appellation of " Fitz Roy alias Palmer " to the sous of Barbara, stw jure Duchess of Cleveland, wife of Roger (Palmer), Earl of Castlemaine [I.] 0 "A Docket of the Signed Bill for the creation of this dignity, as well as for the Dukedoms of Southampton and Cleveland, granted to his mother and natural brother, will be found in the Signet Books, but no enrolment of either one of the patents appears to have been made." [Courlhope.] (8) The following Dukedoms were conferred by Charles II. on six of his bastard sons (1) Monmouth in 1663 (2) Richmond in 1675 (3) Graftou in 1675 (4) Southamp- ton [afterwards, by inheritance, Cleveland] in 1675 (5) Northumberland in 1683 and (6) St. Albans in 1684. The King had, in all, 13 illegit. children of whom eight were 80ns. Of these sons, James Beauclerk (bis 2d son by Eleanor Gwin) d. 1680 in his 9th year without having been ennobled, while another, Charles Fitz Charles (his son by Catherine Pegg) was er. Earl of Plymouth in 1675 but d. v. p. 1680, aged 22, without having been raised to a Dukedom. It is to be observed that of the six Dukedoms above conferred (on the six remaining sons) the second one, Richmond, was given to the younyert of these eight brothers. ( h ) See vol. i, p. 28, note " b," s«6 " Abingdon," for a list of those " in arms with the Piince of Orange, 16S8." His Grace deserted the King's camp, for whom hi was in command, and accompanied by Churchill "fled to the Prince's quarters," 24 Nov. 1688.