Esq. whose sole daughter and heir, Margaret, was married in 1724, to Robert, Lord Walpole, afterwards second Earl of Orford, and was mother to George, the third Earl of Orford.) The BARONY OF CLINTON being therefore in abeyance, King George I. conferred it on Hugh Fortescue, Esq. son and heir of the before-mentioned Hugh and Bridget, by writ of summons to parliament, March 16th, 1721, who thus became LORD CLINTON; and he took his seat in the house of Peers, as the ancient Barons Clinton, who by several summonses had enjoyed the honour from February 6th, 1298, 26 Edward I. On April 11th, 1721, he was constituted Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Devonshire. In 1723, his Lordship was appointed one of the Lords of the Bed-chamber to the King; and, on May 27th, 1725, elected a Knight of the most honourable order of the Bath. At his late Majesty's accession to the throne, he was, on July 24th, 1727, appointed one of the Lords of his Bed-chamber, and, on October 26th following, constituted Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Devonshire; both which he resigned on April 13th, 1733, On July 5th, 1746, his Majesty was pleased to create him LORD FORTESCUE, Baron of Castle hill, in com. Devon, and EARL CLINTON, with limitation of the barony to Matthew Fortescue, Esq. his brother (by his father's second wife), and his heirs male; and his Lordship deceasing on May 3d, 1751, was succeeded in the barony of Castle-hill by his brother Matthew, and in that of Clinton, by Margaret, Countess Dowager of Orford before mentioned; which Barony of Clinton will be more particularly treated of in Vol. VI. of this work. But I shall now take notice, that their father had also issue by his wife Bridget, Boscawen Fortescue, second son, who died December 1st, 1719, and was buried at Filleigh. Theophilus Fortescue, third son, who was chosen for the borough of Barnstaple, to the parliament summoned to meet on November 28th, 1727, also to the succeeding parliament in 1734, He was elected one of the Knights for Devonshire in 1741, died unmarried during the sitting of that parliament, on March 12th, 1745, and was buried at Filleigh. Also two daughters; 1. Margaret, who died unmarried in 1760, and was buried at Filleigh. 2. Bridget, who died unmarried in April, 1742, and was buried at Filleigh. The said Hugh Fortescue (Earl Clinton's father), married, to his second wife, Lucy, daughter to Matthew, first Lord Aylmer, in the kingdom of Ireland; and by her, who died February 18th, 1767, aged eighty, and was buried at Filleigh, had issue, Matthew, second Lord Fortescue; and a daughter, Lucy, who was married in 1742 to the Right Honourable Sir George Lyttelton, Bart. late Lord Lyttelton, and died on January 19th, 1746. Which MATTHEW, SECOND LORD FORTESCUE, took his seat in parliament on May 17th, 1751. His Lordship (who was High Steward of Barnstaple), married on June 8th, 1752, Anne, second danghter to John Campbell, of Calder, in Scotland, and of Stak pole-court, in the county of Pembroke, Esq. one of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury; and by her Ladyship had issue, 1. Hugh Fortescue, present Earl. 2. Matthew, born on April 12th, 1754; a superannuated Captain in the Navy, married in June, 1795, Lady Ackland, widow of Sir T. Ackland, Bart. 3. John, born on March 6th, 1755, died single in March, 1773. And, Lucy, born July 20th, 1756, and married, September 1778, to the Rev. Mr. Harrington. His Lordship died July 8th, 1785, and was succeeded by his eldest son, HUGH, FIRST and present EARL Fortescue, born March 12th, 1753. His Lordship is Lord Lieutenant, Custos Rotulorum, and Viceadmiral of Devonshire, High Steward of Barnstaple and South Moulton. His Lordship married, May 10th, 1782, Hester Grenville, sister to George, Marquis of Buckingham, K. G. by whom he has Hugh, Viscount Ebrington, M.P. for Barnstaple, 1804, 1806, in the Army, born February 13th, 1783. Hester, born December 17th, 1784; married May 26th, 1804, Peter, Lord King. Matthew, born in August, 1786. George, Cornet in the 14th Light Dragoons. She was the subject of that Peer's celebrated Monody. k Aunt to Lord Cawdor. He has a son, Matthew, a Lieutenant in the Coldstream regiment of Foot Guards, who must have been by a former wife. His Lordship was advanced to the dignities of Viscount Ebrington, and EARL FORTESCUE, August 18th, 1789. Titles. Hugh Fortescue, Lord Fortescue, Baron of Castle-hill, Viscount Ebrington, and Earl Fortescue. Creations. Baron Fortescue, of Castle hill, July 5th, 1746, 20 George II.; Viscount Ebrington, and Earl Fortescue, August 18th, 1789. Arms. Azure, a Bend ingrailed, Argent, cotized, Or. Crest. On a wreath, a plain shield, Argent. Supporters. Two greyhounds, Argent, each having a ducal collar, and line, Gules. Motto. FORTE SCUTUM SALUS DUCUM. Chief Seats. At Filleigh, and at Castle-bill, both in Devonshire, THE surname of this ancient and honourable family is said to be originally TILTON, assumed from their residence at Tilton, in the county of Leicester, where they possessed a fair estate in the reign of Henry II. in whose time lived Sir John Tilton, who gave certain parcels of land in Billersdon and Kirby-Bellers, in that county, to the lepers of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, which the King confirmed to the infirm brethren of Burton-Lazars. In 1256, 40 Henry III. the family removing from Tilton to Digby, in the county of Lincoln, received a name from that place, which hath ever since been retained; and of this line we read of с JOHN Digby, who in the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 32d, and 33d years of Edward I. was a Commissioner for the gaol-delivery at Warwick, and served that King in his wars. He lies buried at Tilton, under a tomb, adorned with his effigies at full length, and cross-legged, holding a shield of his arms of the Fleur de lis, with the sun and moon thereon, and this line, Jehan de Digby, gist icy, praiez pour luy. To him succeeded ROBERT de Diggeby, to whom, in the reign a There is a famous genealogy of the Digbys of Tilton, compiled by the direction of Sir Kenelm, in 1634, at the expence of 1200l. Pennant was furnished with the use of it by his neighbour, Watkin Williams, Esq. See Journey to London, p. 328. Rot. f. 40 Henry III. m. 7. Lib. rub. f, 99. b. d Pat. de iisd. Ann. in d. of Henry III. William Franceis conveyed certain lands in Billersdon, in Leicestershire; and by Catharine, daughter and coheir of Simon Pakeman, he was father of SIMON, otherwise EVERARD Digby, Esq. who marrying Agnes, daughter of John Clarke, and widow of Richard Seddale, had issue e EVERARD Digby, of Tilton, and three other sons, who all in 1440, 1 Edward IV. lost their lives at Towton-Field, in the county of York, fighting against that King, on the part of his unfortunate predecessor Henry VI. EVERARD Digby, of Tilton, Esq. (for he was not a Knight, as some make him), was also possessed of the lordship of Digby, and the manor of Stoke-Dry, or Drystoke, in the county of Rutland, the latter whereof descended to him from Richard Digby, who was interred in the church there, with Agnes his wife, who only survived him a few days, under an alabaster gravestone, with this circumscription: Hic jacent Ricardus Digbi et Agnes Uxor h In 1434, 12 Henry VI, the King's Commissioners returned the said Everard one of the Gentry of the county of Huntingdon, in which reign he was Sheriff and Member of Parliament for the county of Rutland; but being killed in the said battle of Towton, he left issue by Jaqueta, daughter and coheir to Sir John Ellys, of Devonshire, seven sons and a daughter, Baringold, married to Robert Hunt, of Lynden, in Rutlandshire, living 20 Henry VII. This Jaqueta lies buried in the church of Stoke-Dry, under an alabaster tomb, adjoining to the South wall, with this memorial round the verge: e Ex vct. Membr. f Wright's Antiquities of Rutland. Pennant says, Stoke-Dry descended to him by the marriage of Everard Digby, Esq. with Agnes, daughter of Francis Clare, of Wyssenden and Stoke-Dry, Esq. Journey to London, p. 328. Visit. com. Leicest. anno 1634. i Wright's Antiq. of Rutland. |