George Paulett, of Gothurst, in com. Somerset, in right of his wife Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Edward Paulett, of the same place, Esq. lineally descended from John Poulett, of Gothurst, brother to Sir William Poulett beforementioned, who first resided at Henton St. George. Also three daughters, Joan, married to Robert Heydon, of Bowood, in com. Devon., Esq. Sarah, first wife of Sir Francis Vincent, of Stoke-Dabernon, in Surry, Knt. and Bart. and Elizabeth, who died unmarried. His eldest surviving son and heir, Sir ANTHONY Poulett, was alfo constituted Governor of the Isle of Jersey, on the death of his father; was likewise Captain of the guard to queen Eliz. who conferred the honour of knighthood on him; and in 1600, he departed this life. He married, in 1583, Catherine, sole daughter to Henry Lord Norreys, Baron of Rycot, by whom he had issue John his son and heir, and Henry second son, from whom the family at Preston, and those that were of Taunton, ïn Somersetshire, descended. And two daughters, Margery, married to John Sidenham, of Combe, in the county of Somerset, Esq. and Susan, the wife of Sir Peter Prideaux, of Netherton, in Devonshire, Bart. Which JOHN Poulett, Esq. FIRST LORD POULETT, being a very accomplished gentleman, of quick and clear parts, and a bountiful house-keeper (as Fuller in his Worthies of England relatesh), King Charles I, consigned Mons. Soubize unto him, who gave him and his retinue many months liberal entertainment. After which he was by letters patent, bearing date June 23d, 1627, advanced to the dignity of a Baron of this realm by the title of LORD POULETT, of Hinton St. George. He was kknighted with his eldest fon, Sir John Poulett, by the earl of Lindsey, on board his Majesty's ship the Mary-honour, on September 27th, 1635, with four other persons of quality; being in that fleet then sent out to secure our commerce, the Spanish bullion, &c. in English bottoms, which was expected home, and thought to be in danger from the Hollanders, who had lately made a league with France against Spain. Which service our fleet performed. f Holinshed, p. 1355. e Fall's Account of Jersey, p. 94• g He died 8th May, ---- - buried at Bishop's Lydiard, co. Somerset. Where is an inscription for Malet Poulet, son of Henry Poulet, Esq. who was buried here, 23d Nov. 1672, aged 38; and Margaret, sister to Malet Poulet, who died 24th October, 1683. Collinson, Vol. II. 496. h In com. Somerset, p. 32. i Pat. 3 Car. I. p. 36. k Cat. of Knights, p. 152. In the year 1640, he was summoned to that council appointed to meet at York, to advise his Majesty what method should be taken with the Scots, who had then invaded the northern parts of the kingdom. And this meeting producing a treaty at Rippon, he was appointed by the King, with seventeen other Peers, commissioners for that purpose, being (as Lord Clarendon writes'), all popular men, and not one of them of much interest in the court, except the earl of Holland. But when the Parliament that met soon after, engaged in designs (as he thought) prejudicial to his Majesty's interest, he manifested the greatest dislike thereof, and immediately repaired to his Majesty at York; where he, with many other Lords and Counsellors, on June 15th, 1642,TM subscribed a declaration, disavowing any intention, either in the King, or themselves, of raising war against the Parliament. And an unnatural rebellion openly breaking out soon after, he most loyally engaged both himself and his eldest son in the royal cause; and having accepted of a commission to raise a regiment of 1500 foot, he "accompanied the Marquis of Hertford into the west of England, by whose great reputation, and the interest of this Lord Poulett, with some other gentlemen of prime quality there, his Majesty hoped to form an army in those parts able to relieve Portsmouth, then besieged by the Parliament's forces; "they being (as Lord Clarendon writes), like to give as good examples in their persons, and to be followed by as many men, as any such number of gentlemen in England could be." However, after having, with less than 1000 men, withstood an army of 7000, commanded by the Earl of Bedford, and finding themselves unable, by reason of his coming, to draw more forces together, the Marquis and the Lord Poulett P transported themselves into Wales, where they raised 2000 foot, and one regiment of horse. r In the year 1644, he was one of the principal commanders that besieged Lyme, in Dorsetshire, which, after many gallant attacks, being almost reduced, was supplied with provisions by the Earl of Warwick, and the siege raised soon after by the Earl of Essex. Thereupon the Parliament voted, that 10001. per annum, out of the Lord Poulett's estate, should be given to the inhabitants, in recompence for their service. The same year he met his Majesty a mile from Exeter, in order to conduct him to that city; 1 Hist. of the Rebellion, 8vo. Vol. I. p. 155. ■ Ibid. p. 681. o Hist. præd. p. 715. q Ibid. p. 127. m Ibid. p.655,656. P Ibid. Vol. II. p. 20. r Whitlock's Memorials, p. 86. 5 Walker's Historical D.sc. p. 47. and on September 30th, following, had the honour to 'entertain him at his seat at Henton St. George. The year following the King was unsuccessful in all his undertakings, and the kingdom being reduced to the obedience of the Parliament, he endeavoured to compound for his estate. But the houses of Peers and Commons differing in their opinions, the Lords" thinking fit to pardon him, and the Commons dissenting, he on April 20th, 1646, obtained leave to stay at Exeter, until he should compound with the Parliament, or get a pass to transport himself out of England. However, on May 2d following, after a sharp debate, he, at the request of the General, was permitted to compound; and the same day, on a petition from the town of Lyme, it was ordered they should have reparation out of his estate for the losses they had suffered by him. How far this was complied with, appears not; but his composition was not settled till three years after, when, on March 6th, 1648-9,y it was voted to be 4,2001. and at the same time Sir John Poulett, his son, was likewise allowed to compound for 37601. This noble peer departed this life on March 20th, 1649, having taken to wife, Elizabeth, daughter and coheir to Christopher Ken, of Ken-Court, in com. Somerset, Esq. who survived him, and was married secondly to John Ashburnham, of Ashburnham, in com. Suss. Esq. (ancestor to the present Earl of Ashburnham), by whom he had three sons and five daughters; viz. John, his successor; Francis, who married Catherine, daughter to Robert Creighton, Bishop of Bath; And Amias Poulett. Florence, married to Thomas Smith, of Long-Ashton, in Somerset, Esq. ancestor to Sir John Smith of the same place, Baronet; secondly to Colonel Thomas Pigot, of the kingdom of Ireland; Margaret, first to Dennis Rolle, of Stephenton, in com. Devon, Esq.; secondly to Sir Richard Cholmley, of Grosinont, in coni. Ebor. Knt. Banneret, Governor of Axminster, for Charles I.; and lastly, to colonel Edward Cook, of Highnam, in com. Gloucest. Susanna, to Michael Warton, of Beverley, in com. Ebor. Esq. Helena, to William Wilmot, son and heir to Sir George Wilmot, of Charlton, in Berkshire, Knt, and dying May 12th, 1651, u Whitlock præd. p. 202. t Walker's Historical Difc. p. 98. v Ibid. p. 207. x Ibid. p. 208. y Ibid. p. 278. z There is a portrait of him in Harding's British Cabinet. was buried in Wantage church, in the same county, where a monument is erected to her memory; Elizabeth, youngest daughter, was married first to William Ashburnham, of Ashburnham, in com. Suss. Esq. ancestor by her to the present Earl; and afterwards to Sir William Hartop, of Rotherby, in com. Leicest. Knt. JOHN, his eldest son and heir, SECOND BAron, received the honour of knighthood in his father's lifetime, as before observed; and being elected Knight of the shire for the county of Somerset to that Parliament, which met on Nov. 3d, 1640, he eminently manifested his loyalty to his sovereign during the civil wars. He had the command of a regiment of foot, after the rebellion broke out in Ireland, and served some time in that kingdom. But in the year 1643, it was 'transported out of Munster for the service of the west, where he served. In 1645, he was besieged in the castle of Winchester (where the lord Ogle commanded in chief), by Cromwell, who first summoned them to surrender, but being refused, he battered it so long with his guns, that he made a breach in the walls fit to enter, on which the castle was delivered up, October 14th, and the officers and soldiers conveyed to Woodstock. He afterwards compounded for his estate; and having lived to see the restoration of Charles II. departed this life at his manor-house of Court de Weeke, in Somersetshire, on September 15th, 1665, in the fiftieth year of his age, and was buried at Hinton St. George. He married two wives; first, Catherine, daughter and coheir of that famous General Sir Horatio Vere, Knt. Lord Vere of Tilbury in Essex, widow of Oliver St. John, Esq. by whom he had issue two sons, John and Horatio; and three daughters, Elizabeth, married to Sir John Sydenham, of Brimpton, in com, Somerset, Bart. who, dying anno 1669, was buried at Brimpton; Vere died unmarried; and Catherine, wedded to Mr. Secretary Johnston. His Lordship married secondly Anne, second daughter and coheir to Sir Thomas Brown, of Walcote, in com. Northamp. Bart. (cshe surviving him, was secondly married to Sir John Strode, of Chantmarle, in Dorsetshire, Knt.) by whom he had issue two sons, Amias, and Charles; also four daughters, Anne, Florence, and Mary, who all died young; and Margaret, married to Francis b Clarendon præd. Vol. IV. p. 468. Fulford, of Fulford, in Devonshire, Esq. she died 1689, aged twenty-five. JOHN, his eldest son and heir, succeeded him in honour and esats, as THIRD BARON. On July 6th, 1674, he was appointed Lord-lieutenant of the county of Dorset, and dying about the year 1680, left issue by his first wife, Essex, eldest daughter to Alexander Popham, of Littlecote, in com. Wilts, Esq. two daughters, Catherine, second wife to William Lord Lempster, and Letitia, to Sir William Monson, of Broxburn, in Hertfordshire, Bart. By his second lady, Susan, daughter of Philip, Earl of Pembroke, he had issue, his only son and heir, JOHN, FOURTH LORD AND FIRST EARL POULETT, who soon after the accession of Queen Anne to the throne, was sworn of her Privy-council; and having been one of the Commissioners for the treaty of Union, anno 1706, was the same year, on Dec. 29th, created Viscount Hinton St. George, and EARL POULETT. For some years his Lordship declined accepting of several places of great distinction; and at length Queen Anne desired to have him appointed first Lord-commissioner of the Treasury, which his Lordship accepted on August 8th, 1710; in which high ftation he continued till the year 1711, when, on June 13th, he was declared Lord-steward of her Majesty's household. He was also appointed, June 10th, 1702, Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Devon, and Custos Rotulorum of Somersetshire, March 2d, 1712-13. On Oct. 26th, 1712, at a chapter then held, he was elected a Knight companion of the most noble Order of the Garter, but was not installed till August 4th following; when his Lordship was Lord-steward of the household, Lord-lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Devonshire, and Custos Rotulorum of Somersetshire. He lived in the latter part of his life at his country seats, and died on May 28th, 1743, in the 81st year of his age. His Lordship married Bridget, daughter and coheir to Peregrine Bertie, of Waldershare, in Kent, Esq. brother to Robert, Earl of Lindsey, and uncle to Robert, Duke of Ancaster; and by her had four sons, and four daughters; 1. John, second Earl Poulett. 2. Peregrine, twin with his brother, John, born Dec. 10th, 1708; who, on a vacancy, was chose Member for Bossiney, in d Hutchins's Dorsetshire, Vol. I. p. 524. e By the coheiresses of the Moins family of Waldershare, Baronets. See Topogr. I. 16. |