Crest. On a wreath, a bull passant, party per pale, Sable and Gules, all bezanty, and a ring in his nose, Or.

Supporters. On the dexter side a stag, on the sinister a talbot, both proper and reguardant, each having a radiant collar and line, Or.

Motto. AUCTOR PRETIOSA FACIT.

Chief Seat. At Nocton, Lincolnshire.

IN 1565, Hugh Fitz-William, of Sprotburgh, in com. Ebor. Esq. with great cost, care, and industry, collected the records of his family, from which this account is deduced; and for the verity thereof, it will not be improper to relate some particulars, set forth by the said Hugh Fitz-William, in a very curious manuscript, now in the custody of the present Earl Fitz-William, beginning thus:

The burninge of three great Bagges of evidence of the FitzWilliams, by Sir Henry Savell, of Tankersley, who married Elizabeth Suthill, sole daughter and heir to Margery Fitz-William, pretendinge title, by the right of his wife, to the lordshippes of Emley, Sprotburgh, Warenhall, Darington, Cromwell, Athwike, Rodington, Basforde, Hathelsey, Plomtree, and others; and meaninge thereby to deface the bloode and name forever, hath moved me, Hugh Fitz-William, nowe eldest sonne to John Fitz-William, late of Sprotburgh, and of Hathilsey, to gather together all such pieces of evidence and matter of recorde, as by diligent scrutiny I could fynde in the Tower, in th' Exchequer, in the Rowles, and in the office of the Haraldes, thereby to maintayne the right of the said lordshippes to the bloode and name. And further to declare, from what noble Progenyes the bloode and name are descendid, as well within this realm, as in forrayn contreys. The which accordith with th' olde and new Testament, to mayntayne antiquity, nobility, and birthright.

For the veryfyeing of every particular of this descent, and to shew that Hugh Fitz-William, fourth son to John Fitz-William, the younger, of Sprotburgh, and of Hathilsey, is now the next heir male of the Fitz-Williams, Lordes of Emley; and for a per

petuall memory of the truth thereof, these gentlemen of the bloode and name, whose names are here under written, have subscribed with th' officers of armes; whereunto the three Kings of Armes have sette the seals of their offices, of every their several provinces, the thirde day of Maye, in the yere of our Lord MCCCCCLXV, with their severall declaracions as followeth, verbatim, videlicet.

Whereas it may right well seeme, sondry of honour and worshippe of this name, by slouthe and negligence, have bin omitted and lefte owte of this lyne, as Sir John Fitzwilliam, Knight, in the dayes of King Henry the Third; Sir Raufe Fitzwilliam, Baron of Graystoke, in the days of King Edward the First; Sir George Fitzwilliam, Knight of the Bath, in the days of King Henry the Eighth; Sir William Fitzwilliam, of Windesore, Knight, one of the Privy chambre to King Edward the Sixt, and others; the offspringe whereof affirme, by reporte of their fathers, that they be descendid owte of Emley, and Sprotburg. But I cannot fynde, by diligent scrutiny, howe, neither by my evidence, nor matter of recorde, to their greate displeasure, being utterly owte of helpe, withoute great coste of further serche. I have therefore thoughte it good, and my dutie by the law of nature, for justice sake, to preserve the rest of the lyne, and combyne them togither, for that they be dispersid into several counties of this realme, and is, by the lawe of God, successively inheritable to the same, accordinge, as they be sette owte with there due differences in this booke. Taking God to witness, that I have not omitted, or left owte any one of the name, that I coulde by eny means have authorite for my doinges, either by evidence, or the memory of manne. And have traveylid with every one of the name, that I could heere of, sondry tymes, to my greate costes and charges with theim, and theire freindes, to know by what auctoritie, either by mater of recorde, or memory of manne, that may menteyne ther descent and birtheright: and have set them foorthe accordingly, and of as meny as I could obteyne auctory te for the same. And for a perpetuall memory of the truthe herof, I have subscribed my name, the thirde daye of Maye, Anno Domini MCCCCCLXV, and in the viith yere of the prosperous reigne of our Sovereyne Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God Queene of Englande, France, and Irelande, defendour of the faith, &c. By me Hugh Fitzwilliam de Sprotsburg, in com. Ebor. And hereunto also hath set my seale of armes [Losenge] with the Kinges of Armes.'

The rest of the family subscribed as follows:

By me, William Fitzwilliam, of Milton, Knight, and eldest

brother of that house, with the rest of my blood, subscribed here

unto.

John Fitzwilliam de Milton, in com. Northampton.

By me Brian Fitzwilliam de Geinsparke, in Essex.

In the verifyinge of the truthe of this descent, I doo subscribe my name William Fitzwilliam de Lincolne.

I have perusid the evidence of the originall of the particulars of this descent, and for the verifienge of the truth thereof, I have sett to my hande, with the rest of my bloode and name, by me Gervis Fitzwilliam of Bentley.

By me William Fitzwilliam, eldest sonne to John Fitzwilliam of Kingesley, in Hampshire.

• William Fitzwilliam de Plomtree.

George Fitzwilliam of Hathilsey.

Thomas Fitzwilliam, eldest sonne to Frauncys Fitzwilliam of

Fenton.

By me John Fitzwilliam, sonne and heire to Richard FitzwilLiam of Ringstede.

Charles Fitzwilliam de Swandbie, in com. Nottingham.' Also Sir Gilbert Dethicke, Garter; Harvey, Clarencieux; and William Flower, Norroy, King of Arms, signed the following certificates.

I have exactly examyned this descent, with the recordes of myne office, and do fynde the same to agree with this booke; and that the above namyd Hugh Fitzwilliam, sonne to John Fitzwilliam, now is the next heire male of Sprotburgh and Elmeley, &c. and for the verification of the truth hereof, I have subscribed my name, and set to the seale of myne office. Per me G. Dethicke, alias Garter principall Kinge of Armes, 1565.'

Although the order of this descent is sufficient to satisfye eny judge, alleadginge such auctoritie of recorde and evidence, being thoroughly perusid and subscribid of the eldist of every severall braunche of the bloode and name thereof, ratyfyenge the true naminge and placinge of there cotes, with there due diferences, of every one of their auncestors, that is to be knowne presently, either by mater of recorde, or memory of manne, fathers, mothers, uncles, auntes, brothren and sisters: neverthelesse, being ernestly requested, I have conferrid the saide descent with the records of myne office, and also conferried the evidence and recordes mentioned in the same with the originalls, brought unto me by Hugh Fitzwilliam, the next heire male, now of Emley and Sprotburgh, is it may appeere by the same. And in the verifyinge the truthe

every particular of this descent, I have subscribed my name,

and sette the seale of myne office, the day and yeere above written, William Harvey, alias Clarencieux Roy d'Armes.'

• I Norroy Kinge of Armes, have thoroughly perused this descent of Hugh Fitzwilliam, with the bookes of my recordes; and for the verifyenge of the truth thereof, I have subscribid my name, and set thereunto the seal of myne office. Per moy William Flower, alias Norrey Roy d'Armes.'

The first mentioned in the said pedigree is Sir WILLIAM FitzGodric, cousin to King Edward the Confessor. His son and heir,

Sir WILLIAM Fitz-William, being Ambassador at the court of William Duke of Normandy, attended him in his victorious expedition into England, as Marshal of his army, A. D. 1066; and for his bravery at the battle of Hastings, on October 14th, that year (when King Harold lost the crown with his life), the Conqueror gave him a scarf from his own arm. This Sir William FitzWilliam married Emma, daughter and heir of Monsieur de Solabis, a Norman Knight, and by her was father of

Sir WILLIAM Fitz-WILLIAM, who is said in the manuscript before mentioned, and in several pedigrees by different antiquaries and heralds, to have wedded Eleanor, daughter and heir of Sir John Elmley, of Elmley and Sprotborough, &c. in Yorkshire, and to have had issue,

Sir WILLIAM Fitz-William, Lord of Elmley and Sprotburgh, who was living in 1117, as appears from his agreement that year with the monks of Biland, wherein he is wrote William son of William, and grants to the said monks a piece of his wood in Elmley, viz. from the way which comes from the Monk's-Mill, as far as Benetly, and from thence to Dyrne, and so through Dyrne to the Sart of Simon, and thence through the dry ground which comes from Simon's houses, to Simon's gate, and to the highway leading from Emmelie, and so to Walter's Sart, and thence to Tonelie Dry Way, and so as far as Emmelie-Mill, and thence to the Monk's-Sart, and so to the Monk's-Mill. And whatever oak shall be standing, to do with the same as they shall think proper, and to hold it for ten years, paying fourteen marks at Michaelmas. And that no person be permitted to meddle with the said wood besides those who have Sarts there, Simon de Torp's men, and the men of the upper town, &c. This agreement commenced on the day of the incarnation of our Lord, 1117.

a Liber. Coll. marked 4th D. 15, in the Herald's office.

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