The church-history of Britain from the birth of Jesus Christ until the year M.DC.XLVIII endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

The Lord Darcy his Extraction justly vindicated.

AMongst the principal persons who suffred for their zeale in defending of Abbeys was the lately mentioned Thomas Lorda Darcy, whose extracti∣on I finde foully aspersed by the pen of that passionate Prince, K. Henry the eighth: for when the Rebels boasted of the many Noblemen who sided with them, in confutation thereof, King Henry returned a Letter to them, interlined with His own hand, wherein this passage, [b Others, as the Lord Marney and Darcy are but mean, scarce well-born Gentlemen, and yet of no great Lands till they were promoted by Us, and so made Knights.] It cannot be denied but that K. Henry

too much consulted His choller (now swelling high, because opposed by the Re∣bels) more than His judgment in this His expression; and seeing an Historian should, suum cuique tribuere, give me leave a little to enlarge in this subject.

2. Of the Lord Marney, I can say but little, finding him whilst as yet but a Knight, Sir Henry, Servant, and one of the Executors to the Lady Margaret, Countesse of Darby: at which time, he was Chancellour of the Dutchie of Lan∣caster. It seemeth he rose by the Law, being the first and last Baron of his name, whose sole Daughter was married to Thomas Howard Vicount Bindon.

3. Longer must we insist on the Parentage, performances, and posterity of Tho∣mas Lord Darcy, finding in the North three distinct branches thereof, whereof the first was

Begun	Continued	Extingnished
In Norman de Adrecy or Darcy possessed under K Will: the Conquerour, of many Manours in Yorke shire and Lincoln shire, where Normanbye His prime seat seemeth so na∣med by him.	For ten Generations, most of them buried in Noke∣ton Priory in Lincoln sh. by them founded, and in∣dowed, viz: 1. Robert. 2. Thomas. 3. Thomas. 4. Norman. 5. Norman. 6. Philip. 7. Norman. 8. Philip. 9. Norman. 10. Philip.	In Philip Darcy dying is∣sue-less, whose two Sisters and Co-heires were mar∣ried, the one to Roger Ped∣wardine; the other, to Pe∣ter of Limbergh.

4. The first Male Line of the Darcyes being thus determined, a second Race succeeded, derived from Norman Darcy the Penultim Lord in the last Pedigree,

Begun	Continued	Extinguished
In Iohn Darcy (Son to the aforesaid Norman) Steward to the King's Houshold, Justice of Ire∣land.	For five descents, being Barons of Knaith & Moy∣nill. 1. John. 2. John. 3. Philip. 4. John. 5 Philip.	In Philip the fifth Baron, who (though dying under age) left two Daughters, Elizabeth married to Sir James Strangewayes of Hartley Castle, and Mar∣garet to Sir Iohn Coigniers of Hornbey-Castle.

5. Thus expired the second Male stem of the Darcyes, styled Barons of Knaith, long since aliened from their Family, and for this last hundred years the habita∣tion of the Lord Willoughby of Parham. Come we now to the third Stemme, which was

Begun	Continned	Extinguished
In Sir Iohn Darcy of Tor∣xay, second Son to the last Lord John Darcy of Knaith.	Through seven Generati∣ons, 1. Richard. 2. William. 3. Thomas. 4. George. 5. Iohn. 6. Michael. 7. Iohn.	In Iohn Lord Darcy of Ashton, dying issue-lesse, (though hee had foure Wives) in the Reigne of King Charles.

6. Thomas Darcy here named is the person, the subject of this discourse, of whom four things are memorable:

• 1. He was Knighted by K. Henry the seventh, who made him Captain of the Town and Castle of Barwick, and Commander of the East and Middle Marches.
• 2. K Henry the eighth, in the first year of his Reign, made him Iustice in Eyre of the Forests beyond Trent, summoned him the same yeare as a Baron to Parliament, imployed him with a Navie, An. 1511. to assist Ferdi∣nand King of Arragon against the Moores, and made him knight of the Garter.
• 3. Though the Ancestours of this Thomas Darcy (since the second Branch was expired) were styled Lords in some Deeds (whether by the courtesie of the Countrey, or because the right of a Barony lay in them) yet this Thomas was the first summoned Baron to Parliament, in the first of King Henry the eighth, and his Successours took their place accor∣dingly.
• 4. Though the Revenue of this Thomas Lord Darcy was not great at the beginning of King Henry the eighth, (because the Heires Generall of the Lord Darcyes of Knaith carried away the maine of the Inheritance) yet he had a considerable Estate, augmented by his Match with Dowsa∣bella the Daughter and Heire of Sir Richard Tempest.

The result of all is this, This Lord was most Honourably descended, and his Nobility augmented; not first founded by K. Henry the eighth, as his words did intimate. Let therefore passionate Princes speak what they please, their patient Subjects will believe but their just proportion. And although the Foxes eares must be reputed horns whilst the Lyon in presence is pleased so to term them; yet they never alter their nature, and quickly recover the name after the Lyons de∣parture. This I though fit to write in vindication of the Lord Darcy, who though he owed his life to the Law, it is cruelty he should lose both it and the just honour of his Extraction.

7. As for the present Coigniers Lord Darcy, he is not onely descended from the foresaid Lord Thomas, but also from the Heire Generall of the second Stem of the Lord Darcyes of Knaith, and was by King Charles accordingly restored to take his place in Parliament.

Notes

• a

  vide supra, pag. 313. parag. 5.
• A causlesse a∣spersion groun∣ded on passion.
• b

  Speeds Ch••••. in his 1 ••dit. pag. 776.
• What the Lord Marney was.
• Three noble Branches of the Darcyes in the North.
• Dooms-day book, chap. 32. in Lincoln shire.
• privatae Sigilla de anno 14 Henrici 7.