HENRY III. 1. RANUL. com. Cestr. et HENR. de AldICHELEIA.—This Henricus of Aldicheleia was the first lord Audley in this county, and founder of that noble family so long famous for martial achievements. I meet with a record extant in the Tower, too long to transcribe, wherein king Henry the Third confirmed unto him not only many lands of his own donation, but what other persons of quality in this county had bestowed on him.*

• Sampson Erdeswicke, MS.

Nich. de Verdun gave him Aldithlege ; Hugh de Lacy, Coulton; Eutropius Hastang, Cold Norton; Will. de Betleigh, Betleigh ; Harvey de Stafford, Heleigh ; Egidius Erdington, Shagbourn; Herbert Rusbin, Stanweare; Eugenulphus Greasly, Tunstal, Chaderley; Alice his wife, Chell, Normancot; Margaret Strange, Nerle, Brudnap; Alice Hartoate, Weston; Joan Noel, Weston ; Peter Morton, Hauksley, Bagley, and Morton.

All or most of these were great manors cum pertinentiis. What man of men was this Henry, that so many of both sexes should centre in their bounty upon him ? was it fór fear, or love, or a mixture of both? But I have no calling to inquire into the cause thereof; and if they were pleased to give, none will blame him for receiving them.

Heleigh, the fifth manor here mentioned, was afterwards the prime seat of the lord Audley, who also had great lands in Devonshire, where formerly we have spoken of him. Their heir-males failing about the reign of king Henry the Sixth, Joan one of their heirs was married to Sir John Tutchet, whose son Sir John assumed the title of Baron Audley, and was ancestor to the present lord Audley earl of Castle-haven* in Ireland.

son.

EDWARD III. 18. John de Aston.—I have not met with a more noble family, measuring on the level of flat and un-advantaged antiquity. They have ever borne a good respect to the church and learned men, and not without just reason, seeing Roger de Molend, bishop of Litchfield in the reign of king Henry the Third, gave Haywood in this county “Rogero de Astont Valecto suo,” (to Roger de Aston his servant.) This Roger was son to Ralph Aston, and father unto Sir John Aston, whose succession is thus ordered: 1. Sir John Aston, aforenamed. 2. Sir Thomas Aston, his

3. Sir Roger Aston, his son. 4. Sir Robert Aston, his

5. John Aston, his son, esquire. 6. Sir John Aston, his son, knight banneret. 7. Sir Edward Aston, his son.

8. Sir Walter Aston, his son. 9. Sir Edward Aston, his son.

10. Sir Walter Aston, his son.

This last Sir Walter was employed by king James ambassador unto Spain. He married Gertrude sole daughter of Sir Thomas Sadler of Standon in Hertfordshire.

Nor must it be forgotten, that that pious poet, master Michael Drayton, confesseth, that his muse oft found safe and sweet retreat at Tixhall

, the habitation of this family; and thus windeth up his well-wishing for them;

“Whose bounty still my muse so freely shall confess,

That when she lacketh words, then signs shall it express." • This title became extinct in 1777.-ED. Sampson Erdeswicke, MS. In his Polyolbion, the 12th Song. VOL III.

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SHERIFFS.

RICHARD III. Anno Name and Arms.

Place. 1 Brian. Cornwall . . SHROPSHIRE.

Arg. a lion rampant G. armed Az. in a border S. bezantée. 2 Will. Calleson. 3 Joh. de Verdon.

O. a fret G. 4 Rog. de Wirley

Hampshed. Ar. a chev. engrailed betwixt three bugle-horns S. 5 Will. Walshall.

Arg. a fox passant S. 6 Idem

ut prius. 7 Humf. de Stafford.

0. a chevron G. a quarter Erm. 8 Will. de Walshal

ut prius. 9 Rog. Manneyson. 10 Adomar de Lichfeld. 11 Will. Chetwin

Ingestree. Az. a chevron betwixt three mullets 0. 12 Humf. de Stafford ut prius. 13 Will. Walshall

ut prius. 14 Joh. Delves

Apedale. Arg. a chev. G. fretty 0. betwixt three delfs S. 15 Joh. Swinerton.

Arg. a cross formée flurt S. 16 Will. de Sharshall. 17 Adam. de Lichfield. 18 Rob. Frances.

Arg. a chev. betwixt three spread eagles G. 19 Rob. Mannesin. 20 Will. Walshall

ut prius. 21 Idem

ut prius. 22 Idem

ut prius.

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HENRY IV. 1 Will. Sharshall, mil. 2 Rob. Mannesin, mil. Will. Newport, mil.

Arg. a chev. G. betwixt three leopards' heads S. 3 Rob. Frances

ut prius. 4 Humf. Stafford

ut prius. 5 Idem

ut prius. 6 Will. Newport

ut prius. 7 Will. Walshal

ut prius. 8 Will. Newport, mil. ut prius. 9 Rob. Frances, mil. ut prius.

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Anno
Name.

Place. 10 Tho. Aston, mil.

Haywood. Arg. a fess, and three lozenges in chief S. 11 Joh. Delves

ut prius. 12 Tho. Giffard

Chillington
Az. three stirrups leathered O.

HENRY VI. i Tho. Gresley, mil.

Vairy, Erm. and G. 2 Hug. Erdeswick, arm. . Sandon.

O. on a chev. G. five bezants. 3 Ni. Montgomery, mil.

0. an eagle displayed Az. 4 Johan. Bagot, mil. : : Blithfield.

Arg. a chev. G. betwixt three martlets S. 5 Roger Eston. 6 Ric. Vernon, mil. ut prius. 7 Phil. Chetwin

ut prius. 8 Tho. Griffith.

G. a chev. betwixt three helmets Arg. 9 Ni. Montgomery, mil. ut prius. 10 Rog. Aston, mil. . ut prius. 11 Radul. Egerton.

Arg. a lion rampant G. between three pheons S. 12 Thom. Stanley.

Ar. on a bend Az. three stags' heads 0. 13 Rob. Strelley, mil. NOTTINGHAM.

Paly of six, Arg. and Az. 14 Rich. Peshale

Horsley.
Arg. a cross formy fleury S.; on a canton G. a wolf's head

erased of the first.
15 Phil. Chetwin, mil. ut prius.
16 Radul. Basset

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Anno
Name.

Place. 17 Thomas Stanley

ut prius. 18 Thomas Gresley

ut prius. 19 Humf. Lowe. 20 Radulphus Aucher. 21 Willielmus Mitton.

Per pale Az. and G. an eagle with two heads displayed 0. 22 Nic. Mountgomery

ut prius. 23 Thomas Blount.

Barry nebulée of six 0. and S. 24 Joh. Griffith, mil. ut prius. 25 Humf. Blount

ut prius. 26 Tho. Ferrers, arm. Tamworth.

Vairy, O. and G. 27 Idem

ut prius. 28 Humf. Swinerton

ut prius. 29 Joh. Stanley, arm. ut prius. 30 [AMP.] Tho. Astley Patshall, 31 Robertus Aston

ut prius. 32 Rich. Bagot, arm.

ut prius. 33 Th. Cotton, arm.

sive Lotton.

(Let the name first be agreed on.) 34 Joh. Delves, arm. ut prius. 35 Joh. Coles, arm.

Quarterly, Erm. and Paly of six O and G. 36 Will. Mitton, arm.

ut prius. 37 Hug. Egerton, arm. ut prius. 38 Joh. Stanley, mil. ut prius.

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EDWARD IV. 1 Walt. Wrotesley Wrotsley.

O. three piles S. a canton Erm. 2 Joh. Harecourt, arm.

0. two bars G. 3 Idem

ut prius. 4 Humf. Peshal

ut prius. 5 Joh. Stanley, mil. ut prius. 6 Tho. Basset, arm.

ut prius. 7 Joh. Harecourt, arm. ut prius. 8 Johan. Aston, arm.

G. two lions passant Arg. betwixt nine croslets 0. 9 Joh. Stanley, mil. ut prius. 10 Ran. Brereton, mil.

Arg. two bars S. 11 Hen. Beaumont, mil.

Az, semée de flowers-de-luce, a lion rampant O. 12 Walt. Griffith, mil.

ut prius. 13 Will. Basset