Earl of Albemarle

“ On his father's death in 1242 William, who was already a knight and of full age, was at once recognised as Earl of Albemarle, paying 100l. as his relief. In 1246 he signed the letter of remonstrance addressed by the English magnates to Innocent IV (Fœdera, i. 265) . In the same year a long quarrel between him and the abbot of Fountains was brought to a satisfactory conclusion (Dunstaple Annals, p. 170) . In 1248 he made a rich second marriage with Isabella de Redvers (b. 1237) , daughter of Baldwin de Redvers, earl of Devon and lord of the Isle of Wight (Tewkesbury Annals, pp. 104, 137) . ”

“ Monk’s hereditary claim to this semi-royal peerage was a very shadowy one, being based—as was also his subordinate style of Baron Beauchamp—on his descent from the youngest of the three co-heiresses of Richard, earl of Warwick, and, with yet more remote applicability, on that from Arthur Plantagenet, a natural son of Edward IV. The title became extinct in 1688, on the death of Christopher, 2nd duke of Albemarle. ”

“ He joined the forces of the allies in 1703, was present at Ramillies in 1706 and at Oudenarde in 1708, and distinguished himself at the siege of Lille. He commanded at the siege of Aire in 1710, led Marlborough’s second line in 1711, and was general of the Dutch forces in 1712, being defeated at Denain after the withdrawal of Ormonde and the English forces and taken prisoner. He died on the 30th of May 1718, aged 48. He married Geertruid, daughter of Adam van der Denijn, by whom, besides a daughter, he had a son, William Anne, who succeeded him as 2nd earl of Albemarle. ”

“ He founded abbeys at Meaux in Holderness and at Thornton, and died in 1179. His elder daughter and heiress Hawise married (1) William de Mandeville, 3rd earl of Essex (d. 1189) , (2) William de Fortibus (de Fors, de Fortz or des Forts [1] ) , (3) Baldwin de Betun or Bethune, all of whom bore the title of earls of Albemarle.
Soon after the death of Baldwin (October 13, 1213) , William de Fortibus, Hawise’s son by her second husband, was established by King John in the territories of the countship of Albemarle, and in 1215 the whole of his mother’s estates were formally confirmed to him. ”

“ His adoption of liberal political views estranged him from his father and the court, and excluded him from lucrative employments similar to those enjoyed by the other royal dukes. Indeed, he had incurred the resentment of his father for political contumacy as early as his seventh year, when 'he was by order of the king locked up in his nursery, and sent supperless to bed, for wearing Admiral Keppel's election colours' (Earl of Albemarle, Fifty Years of my Life, vol. ii. p. 103) . ”

“ They retained by force the royal castles, which they had seized during the past convulsions, or which had been committed to their custody by the protector; they usurped the king's demesnes; they oppressed their vassals; they infested their weaker neighbours; they invited all disorderly people to enter in their retinue, and to live upon their lands; and they gave them protection in all their robberies and extortions.
No one was more infamous for these violent and illegal practices than the Earl of Albemarle ”

“ He left behind him debts incurred in the king's service, and in 1220 the citizens of Dax petitioned for repayment. In the same year he resumed his duties as sheriff of Yorkshire, and was despatched to Scotland on business connected with the marriage of the king's sister to Alexander II. On 23 Jan. 1221 he was summoned to meet Henry at Northampton to concert measures against the Earl of Albemarle, who had seized Fotheringay Castle. ”

“ The titles of Earl of Montague and Viscount Monthermer succeeded to that of a simple baron. A second marriage added to his wealth; for his first wife having died in giving birth to his only surviving son, he resolved to acquire, by an union with the Duchess of Albemarle, a revenue of six thousand pounds additional to his wealth, and, moreover, to unite his family with the house of Newcastle. The Duchess of Albemarle, whom he for these interested motives addressed, was the heiress of Henry Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle, and relict of Christopher March, Duke of Albemarle. ”

“ When Lord Fitzwalter made the charge against the Duke of Albemarle, twenty other lords joined in it, for Albemarle had been a notorious traitor to both sides, and twenty hoods were flung down on the floor of the House as pledges of battle in support of their assertions. The accused flung down his hood in acceptance of the challenge, and all wore taken up and given into the custody of the constable and Earl Marshal. ”

“ Thus, the Dukes of Albemarle, of Surrey, and of Exeter, appear again as the Earls of Rutland, Kent, and Huntingdon, the Marquis of Dorset as Earl of Somerset. The scene in the House of Lords in the first Parliament marks the pitch to which passion had risen, and the preparation already made for future civil war. Rutland, the son of the Duke of York, was challenged by Lord Fitz-Walter, and when Lord Morley, the friend of the new King, challenged Lord Salisbury, no less than forty lords threw down their hoods as gages of battle on one side or the other. ”

“ Albemarle did not go on crusade, and was suffered to remain unmolested in England. The return of the Earl of Chester to his old policy of opposition doubtless made his position more secure, and late in 1223, when fresh attacks were made by the confederates on Hubert de Burgh, William was once more strong enough to join in open rebellion. He was associated with Falkes de Breauté, Chester, and others, in a sudden attack on the Tower of London. ”

“ He, however, refused to be sworn, remonstrated with the officers of the university, and, finding them resolute, took horse and hastened to relate his grievance at Whitehall. Whereupon Peachell, at the urgent instance of the chief members of the senate, wrote to the Duke of Albemarle, who was then chancellor of the university, and also to the Earl of Sunderland, to beg their intercession with the king. Albemarle soon replied to Peachell that he had done his best for the university, but that in two special interviews he had only succeeded in provoking the displeasure of the king. ”

“ Horace Walpole calls Albemarle ‘the spendthrift earl,’ and says that the British embassy in Paris was kept up for his benefit (Letters, ii. 331) . Walpole adds that Albemarle had 90,000l. in the funds when he was married, and his wife brought him 25,000l. more, all of which, with the exception of about 14,000l., he squandered, without leaving a penny for his debts or for his children, legitimate and illegitimate, who were many (ib. ii. 420–1) . George II conferred a pension of 1,200l. a year on his widow. His correspondence in 1732–54 is in Brit. Mus. Add. ”

“ He held high command in the army. On all great occasions he was trusted and consulted. He was far more powerful in Scotland than the Lord High Commissioner, and far deeper in the secret of foreign affairs than the Secretary of State. He wore the Garter, which sovereign princes coveted. Lands and money had been bestowed on him so liberally that he was one of the richest subjects in Europe. Albemarle had as yet not even a regiment; he had not been sworn of the Council; and the wealth which he owed to the royal bounty was a pittance when compared with the domains and the hoards of Portland. ”

“ Aberdeen, Earl of, 105 Ailesbury, Lord, 58 Airlie, Earl of, 105 Albemarle, Lord, 115, 118, 119, 120 Alberoni, Cardinal, 14, 17 Amelot, his warning to Murray of Broughton, 73 Anderson, Mrs., of Arradoul, nurses Prince Charles, 85 note Ardsheil, his estates, 274 Argyll, Duke of, at Sheriffmuir, 11 ”

“ He was appointed a trustee of Westminster School in 1854, in succession to the (first) Marquis of Anglesey, and was long the ‘father of the trust.’ Few men have been longer known or more generally popular in London society. He retained his faculties to the end of his life, during the latter part of which he held receptions on each anniversary of Waterloo, at his daughter's house in Portman Square (see Broad Arrow, 28 Feb. 1891, p. 278, and 13 June 1891, p. 749) .
Albemarle died at his London residence in Portman Square, 21 Feb. ”

“ He was William's constant companion, and shared the royal favour with Portland. During William's last illness Albemarle was sent to communicate his future plans to the deputy Heinsius at the Hague. On his deathbed William handed to Albemarle the keys of his cabinet and private drawers. ‘You know what to do with them,’ he said (Macaulay, v. 81–3; cf. Hist. MSS. Comm. 10th Rep. v. 193) . After William's death (8 March 1702) Albemarle returned to his own country, took his seat as a member of the nobility in the States-general, and was made a general of horse in the Dutch army. ”

“ Matters soon reached a crisis, and the smouldering feeling of resentment against the Proprietors broke out into open rebellion. In 1676 the Lords appointed Thomas Eastchurch Governor of Albemarle and Thomas Miller collector of customs for that settlement. Both of these men, who were then in London, had previously lived in Albemarle and had incurred the enmity of some of the leading men in the settlement, Eastchurch especially being in bad repute among the planters. ”

“ John Jenkins, Valentine Byrd, and other wealthy men came later into this newly settled region, and by 1663 the Albemarle region was a settlement of importance, and Governor Berkeley, of Virginia, one of the Lords Proprietors, had, with the concurrence of his partners in this new land, sent William Drummond to govern the colony; and the Grand Assembly of Albemarle had held its first session at Hall's Creek, an arm of Little River, in Pasquotank County. ”

“ But he would not dismiss Albemarle; he listened to Sunderland; and everything was nothing to Portland compared to the fact that he should have to share the King's confidence with this young, untried, light-hearted young man.
When he returned from Paris he had found Albemarle in possession of rooms in the Palace that he considered belonged to him in virtue of one of his offices, and the little incident had confirmed his resolution of quitting the Court. He would be second to no one, least of all to a man whom he considered as the tool of a faction that he loathed and despised. ”

“ What did the English Government know of this from their regular agents?
On October 9, Albemarle wrote from Paris that Charles was believed to have visited the town. His ‘disguises make it very difficult’ to discover him. Albemarle gives orders to stop a Dr. Kincade at Dover, and seize his papers. He sends a list of traffickers between England and the Prince, including Lochgarry, ‘formerly in the King’s service, and very well known; is now in Scotland.’ ‘The Young Pretender has travelled through Spain and Italy in the habit of a Dominican Fryar. He is expected soon at Avignon. ”

“ Houed. The earle of Albemarle departed this life. the summe of 1500 marks aforesaid. This yeare died William de Forz earle of Albemarle, in whose place succéeded Baldwine de Betun by the kings gift, and married the countesse of Albermarle.
Otho sonne to the duke of Saxonie. There was a motion also made for a marriage betwixt the lord Otho, sonne to Henrie duke of Saxonie, king Richards nephue by his sister, and the ladie Margaret, daughter to [258] the king of Scots, so as they should haue inioied the countries of Lothian, Northumberland, and the countie of Lawnes. Caerleill with the castels. ”

“ But the day was not to be one of entire joy and triumph, for as evening drew on there began to be some fresh commotion in the streets; and running forth to see what it might mean, I found people looking scared and grave, whilst women began to cry out,—
"The Duke of Albemarle is coming! We shall be destroyed! Our town will be demolished! There will be a terrible and bloody battle ere nightfall. God have mercy on us all!" ”

“ Many people wondered, but I do not, for I know, and will tell you: it was his air, his address, his manners, and his graces."—Lord Chesterfield to his Son, May 27, 1752.
Lord Albemarle died suddenly at his post in December, 1754. "You will have heard, before you receive this, of Lord Albemarle's sudden death at Paris. Every body is so sorry for him—without being so; yet as sorry as he would have been for any body, or as he deserved. ”

“ I am tired," he added roughly, "of suspicious looks and covert smiles, an atmosphere of ill-will which greets me at every turn. Politically, many may differ from Me, but I have yet to learn that a Gentleman hath not the right to his own Opinions without being cold-shouldered by his Friends."
The Duke of Albemarle allowed him to talk on for awhile. His Grace obviously was making up his mind to take a decisive step in the matter. ”

“ He was promoted to captain-lieutenant in the 1st royal dragoons 25 April 1741, was transferred to the Coldstream guards 14 April 1743, and became captain and lieutenant-colonel therein 27 May 1745. Albemarle, then Lord Bury, was the favourite aide-de-camp of William, duke of Cumberland, with whom he was present at Fontenoy and at Culloden. On the morning of Culloden he had a narrow escape from death at the hands of a highlander, who had found his way into the camp, and, snatching a musket from a soldier, fired at Bury point-blank, believing him from his showy dress to be the duke. ”

“ In secular as well as religious affairs, Perquimans precinct in those early days took an active part. Men of political and social prominence resided within her borders, and at their homes, for lack of other shelter for public gatherings, much of the business of the colony, legislative and judicial, was transacted.
As early as 1677 the population of Albemarle had grown so numerous that the settlers found themselves strong enough to successfully resist the oppressive rule of the unworthy governors set over them by the Lords Proprietors. ”