Mr. URBAN,

YOUR

August 2.

YOUR Magazine is now in the 87th year of its age-an age at which no other periodical publication in Europe, probably, has ever arrived. In this long period it has, in the usual tide of human affairs, occasionally varied the shades of its character, but has, nevertheless, not materially changed from its first traits; and has been distinguished for its historical rather than its scientific bias. Its Obituary is alone a treasure of personal memorials, which can fear no rivalry. Its Poetical department opened the channel for a display of the first efforts of genius of Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, Dr. Akenside, William Collins, Joseph Warton, Dr. Johnson, and many others.

But there is no benefit which it more frequently affords, than as a receptacle for registering many minutiæ, which from their want of bulk might otherwise perish. For my own part, having little method in preserving those scraps which a life of literary curiosity is continually presenting to me, I am apt to scatter about, like Sibylline leaves, the major part of that which I find occasion to write down. Now and then your pages tempt me to register fragments of my notations.

I should say that there is scarce any subject about which the publick cares less than the history of Families, were it not that this has, for many years, formed a favourite topick of your popular Miscellany. I must confess that with regard to common epitaphs and topography, not distinguished by eminence either public or private, you are sometimes a little too indulgent. But of those whose high station has brought them into contact with the world, and whose functions have given them an opportunity of taking a part in public affairs, the prosperity or decay can neither be uninstructive nor uninteresting. I take this opportunity, therefore, of recording in

your pages a few notices of the exit of a Baronial family now little remembered.

"Sir William Eure (or Evre), created Lord Eure, was succeeded by his grandson William Lord Eure, who died 1593, leaving issue by his wife, Margaret Dymoke, three sons.

1. Ralph, third Lord Eure.

2. Sir Francis Eure, of whom presently, as ancestor to the two last Lords Eure.

3. William Eure, of Bradley, co. Durham, 24 years old in 1593, who by Katherine Bowes left issue William Eure, of Elvet, who lived in the suburbs of Durham, and by Katherine, daughter of Peter Forcer, left issue Peter his only son, living 1666.

Ralph, third Lord Eure, left issue, by Mary Dawney,

William, fourth Lord Eure, 1618, æt. 14 at his grandfather's death, who by Lucy, daughter of Sir Andrew Noel, had issue

Ralph Eure, who died before his father, leaving issue, by Catherine Arundel, father as fifth Lord Eure, and died unmarried; when the title devolved on his cousin George Eure, grandson of his great great uncle, Sir Francis Eure.

William, who succeeded his grand

(second son of William Eure, who died Sir Francis Eure, already mentioned 1593), was a justice of North Wales. Married first, Elizabeth, daughter of John Lennard, of Knowle in Kent, by whom he had issue,

1. William Eure, ob. s. p. 1720. 2. Horatio, of whom presently. 3. Sir Sampson, of Gray's-inn, serjeant at law, who by Martha, daughter of Anthony Cage, of Stowe, in Cambridgeshire, had John Eure, his only son, who married Susan, daughter of Sir John Tracy, of Staunton, Norfolk, knt. 26 Sept. 1661.

Sir Francis married, secondly, Helen, daughter of Morris, relict of Owen, by whom he had

4. Compton Eure, living 1660.

Horatio Eure, eldest surviving son of Sir Francis, married Deborah, daughter and coheir of...... Brett, of Romney, Kent, by whom he had four sons;

1. Francis

1. Francis Eure, ob. s. p.

2. George, who succeeded to the Barony.

3. Sampson Eure, a draper in Cheapside, died unmarried.

4. Ralph, succeeded his brother. George Eure succeeded his cousin William as sixth Lord Eure, and died unmarried.

Ralph, living 1693, succeeded his brother George as seventh Lord Eure. He was of Esseby, co. York. He lodged at a seed-shop in Holborn. He was a woollen-draper in London, and died s. p. Harl. MSS. Brit. Mus. 5808, a book in the hand of Peter Le Neve."

But

Thus frequently end the most antient and illustrious families. woe betide their rights of inheritance, if the blot of obscurity or degradation can be brought to bear on any technical or other scruple, which the ingenuity of malice, or envy, or corruption, can raise.

The same MS. has furnished me with one or two additions to the Devereux pedigree, not recorded by Collins, or his late Editor, which I take this opportunity of registering.

"Sir George Devereux, of Sheldon Hall, Warwickshire, grandfather of Price, ninth Viscount Hereford, 1701, was father of Walter Devereux, second son, of Colshill, Warwickshire, who by Mary, daughter of James Bitton, D. D. (See Dugd. Vis. Salop, 53.) had issue,

1. George Devereux, living in Moorfields, London, who by Anne, daughter of Bryan Janson, of Daventry, had, 1. George Devereux, young 1710; 2. William Devereux, young 1710.

2. James Devereux, of the New Exchange, milliner, living 1710, who by Izard, daughter of Anthony Farington, of the Exchange, and of Battenhurst in Lingfield, Surrey, had three sons and two daughters: 1. James Devereux, 21 years old in 1710. 2. Essex Devereux, 15 years old 1710. 3. Farington, 5 years old. 4. Frances, young. 5. Mary, young.

3. Arden Devereux, died s. p.

4. Samuel Devereux, of ..... married Mary, daughter of Jordan, of Warwick, and had issue Mary, married to Lloyd, living in Virginia, and Anne, wife of Hill, stockingseller in the New Exchange.

5. "Robert Devereux, living at Colshill, co. Warwick, 1710, who had issue 1. George, 2. Robert, 3. Elizabeth, wife of

Smith of Colshill, co. Warwick."

It is mortifying to contemplate the blood of so many Kings and Nobles

thus fallen into the mean occupation of retail traders of milliners, and stocking-sellers, and drapers. But it teaches, perhaps, a wholesome lesson. It warns us against putting too much confidence in our alliances and connexions. It shews how weak are the ties of brotherhood and kindred; and how soon the pride of mutual protection to the branches of the same tree decays, and is lost. It is thus, perhaps, that those of most obscure birth generally display the greatest energy of character. They know from their childhood, that it is self-exertion alone to which they must trust. The false prospect of family aid leads the well-descended to indolence, disappointment, despair,

and ruin!

It would be easy to pursue these reflections to some length; but I dare not any longer intrude on your pages.

A Genealogical Anecdote Hunter. Extracts from Smythe's "History of the Berkeley Family;" continued from Vol. LXXXVI. ii. 212. WILLIAM MARQUIS BERKELEY. The Application and Use of his Life. IRST, from the foule life of this

Lord may be drawn many fair instructions for his posterity; as, first, To begin with God in our youth, that our elder years may relish him the better. The proverb is wicked, A young Saint an old Devil: for Quod nova testa capit, inveterata sapit. All vessels taste of their first seasonings: Soon crooks the tree, that a good cambril will be: Seldome doth that man end well that began ill: He that walketh mad a mile, seldom comes home wise: as in this Lord, whose ill-led life in his youth grew worse in age. A man that from the font to the grave, from his swathing bonds to his winding-sheet, walked always bias wise.

Secondly: Not to dip the tip of their finger in blood, lest the whole body be defiled, as here we see it. Margaret, Countess of Shrewsbury, lawlessly pouring out the blood of the Lady Isabel, this Lord's mother, had the same measure returned upon the head Viscount Lisle, by this Lord William, of her grandchild and heir, the Lord son and heir of that Lady Isabel; and the cry of blood in both so prevailed with God, that, against hope and likelihood, they left no issue to posterity.

And

And it is to be noted that, howsoever this fact may in honor and reputation seem justifiable, yet evil-doing is ever attended with ill success; for this family seeth that this their ancestor, who made another childless, had, by the returning hand of Heaven, his own children shortly after taken from the earth, and the bodies of himself and his wife dried up in bar

renness.

Thirdly: Not to daub up our titles with the mortar of violence and blood, as this Lord did, which, notwithstanding all art used in the smoothing, yet never left shaking till it dissolved and fell about the workmen's ears; yea, and from the posterity of all this Lord's brethren also, for that their partaking hands were imbrued in the same bason, the stain whereof remained till four generations did wash it out; as in the life of Henry Lord Berkeley appears.

Fourthly: That it is not much having that maintaineth a family in a plentiful estate, or maketh rich (for none of this Lord's ancestors had so much as he), but a provident saving, and a wise husbanding of what we have, which this vast Lord neglecting, scarce found sufficient for his later years, and left nothing to posterity, save a thriftless precedent, which if they seriously view, this example in their own meridian of this unadvised, prodigal man, may serve as a reclaimer from inordinate prodigality, and be a persuader to discreet frugality, the true conserver of state

and families.

Fifthly: Not to transgress that moral duty required by God and Nature, our obedience to our parents; a commandment which this Lord for many years grossly transgressed, and sped thereafter.

Sixthly: Not to make our malice or displeasure immortal towards any, but least of all to our brethren and allies; an offence of this Lord's, which I pray the Heavens may blot out from the remembrance of men, and never be again beheld in this family.

Seventhly: Not to be too popular or ambitious; for men's titles ace but men's breath, a blast of air and wind; if popular titles, the wind of a vulgar pair of bellows; if of a higher strain, the wind of a gilt pair of bellows. So all but wind: swell all thou canst, thou art but a shadow: take the wall of the Gods if thou wilt: all thy

glory is but vanity; and under thy name (Man) are comprehended all the vanities and miseries of this world, "Quemcunque miserum videris, hominem scias." (Seneca.)

:

Eighthly Sith goodness and greatness are the true ends whereto each man intends, and, according to that choice of being good or great, each man doth frame the practice of his life: Sith this Lord, choosing greatness, did nothing benefit himself, but hurt his posterity, I wish his present heir may, by this error of his ances tor, alter that choice; and surely, by being good, he will be great also, and better speed with God and man.

Againe: It is not the least of wisdom's meditations for this Lord's posterity to consider, how this great Lord and Ancestor of theirs was befooled or flattered out of his estate, or suffered himself so to be; and to observe the miserable fate of Princes, and great personages, to be eaten up, and their posterity also, by flatterers, the cruellest of all beasts; beasts that bite smiling: whereas wise men are never much affected with the applauses of the rude and unskilful vulgar, but hold fast to their own wellchosen and well-fixed resolutions. Every fool knows what is wont to be done; but what is best to be done is known only to the wise. The wiser the man, the less he will look after the vain and popular multitude.

Lastly: By the death of this Marquis's children, and his dying issueless, his posterity may conceive that he paid thereby the debt of blood, which himself had shed ; a crying sin, which I pray may never howl in the generation of this family: and take his character from this, that he was much trusted, and received like honours and favours from those four Kings, Henry VI. Edward IV. Richard III. and Henry VII.; as opposite and discording amongst themselves as man might be to man, and yet this Lord held unsuspected by each of them; but, whether with this serpentine prudence he had columbine simplicity, I leave his life to declare, and his posterity to judge, and thereafter to make their use.