a THERE have been several persons of great note in England of the surname of Fox; but the first of his Lordship's family, on record, was WILLIAM Fox, of Farley, in Wiltshire, who had a competent fortune there, and brought up his sons agreeably thereto. He had to wife b Elizabeth, daughter to Thomas Pavey, of Plaitford, in Wiltshire, by whom he had issue a daughter, Margaret, baptized at Pitton, on July 3d, 1616, Walter Fox, baptized at Pitton, on July 30th, 1618, who died without issue; William Fox, baptized on May 14th, 1620, who also died unmarried; as did Richard, another son, baptized on May 26th, 1627. So that the said William Fox, deceasing in October, 1652, left issue only two sons, John, and Stephen Fox, ancestor to the present Earl of Ilchester, and Lord Holland. JOHN Fox, Esq. the eldest son, took up arms for King Char. I. and, when King Charles II. came into England from Scotland, he immediately repaired to him; and, escaping from the battle of Worcester, fought on September 3d, 1651, he returned to Farley, to his father's; but soon after retired into France, where he lived till the restoration of King Charles, and then was made Clerk of the Acatry to his household. He was seated at Averbury, in Wiltshire; and by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Henry Smart, of Plymouth, in Devonshire, had issue John Fox, his only son, thirty-two years old, June 14th, 1672 (who left issue an only son, Stephen Fox, Esq. who died unmarried about 1699), and four daughters; Mary, wife of Edward Thorneborow, son and a Lib. de Benefactors, MS. not. S. 1, in Offic. Arm. c Ex Regist. Eccl. de Pitton. d Lib, de Benefact. MS. not. S. 1. p. 70, in Offic. Arm. b Ibid, heir of Sir Edward Thorneborow; Elizabeth, married to Thomas Dunkley, Closet-keeper to King Charles II.; Margaret, wedded to Sackvile Whittle, one of his Majesty's surgeons; and Jane, the wife of Richard Ridge, of Portsmouth, who had issue by her Thomas Ridge, Esq. STEPHEN FOX, the youngest son, was born at Farley, in Wiltshire, on March 27th, 1627; and, having a liberal education, his proficiency in learning and sagacity were conspicuous in his youth. John Fox, his elder brother, escaping from the battle of Worcester (as before-mentioned), his brother, Stephen Fox, went with him from Farley to Paris, being then in the twentyfourth year of his age. On his arrival there, he was (as Lord Clarendon relates), entertained by Henry Lord Percy, then Lord Chamberlain of the King's household: and about the latter end of the year 1652, on the remove of his Majesty from Paris, the charge of governing the expences of his family, and of payment of the wages of the servants, and issuing of all moneys, as well in journeys, as when the court resided any where, was committed (as the noble author relates), to Mr. Stephen Fox, who was well qualified with languages, and all other parts of clerkship, honesty, and discretion, as was necessary for such a trust; and, indeed, his great industry, modesty, and prudence, did very much contribute to the bringing the family, which for so many years had been under no government, into very good order; by which his Majesty, in the pinching straights of his condition, enjoyed very much ease from the time he left Paris.' It is certain Mr. Fox discharged his trust with great fidelity, which appeared so visibly to the King, that he was actually sworn Cofferer of his household; but, on the restoration, never obtained that office, as Mr. William Ashburnham produced a reversionary grant from King Charles I. However, in consideration of his good and faithful services, Sir Edward Walker, then Garter, Principal King of arms, by his Majesty's command, granted to bim, and his heirs, an honourable augmentation to his arms out of the royal ensigns and devices, viz. in a canton Azure, a Fleur de Lis, Or; as by a special instrument, under his hand and seal, appeareth, dated at Brussels, November 23d, 1658. When his Majesty took up his residence for some time at Cologne, her royal highness his sister, Princess of Orange, making a visit to him, was so surprisingly affected with Mr. Fox's conduct, in the management of the whole course of her entertain e Hist. of the Rebellion, 8vo. Vol. VI. p. 527. nient, that she shewed him very particular marks of her esteem, and presented him with a diamond ring of value. She also recommended him to her royal brother, as the most grateful messenger he could send to her on any emergent occasion; and his Majesty knew so well his prudence and conduct, that he employed him in several important dispatches to the Princess, as also to persons of the greatest note in Holland; and his negociations had that weight and success, as to procure frequent supplies of money, to the value of 10,000l. per annum, constantly paid, till his Majesty's return into England. During the King's exile, he likewise kept a correspondence with the Royalists in England, and had such intelligence, that he received the news of Oliver Cromwell's death six hours before it reached Brussels, and imparted it to the King, whilst he was playing at tennis with the Arch-Duke Leopold, Don John, and other Spanish Grandees. The King thenceforward employed Mr. Fox on messages from the Netherlands to England, as one the royal party confided in. He married his first lady, Elizabeth, only surviving child of Mr. William Whittle, of Lancashire, before he went abroad;f for Stephen, his eldest son, was born and buried in France. When the King came to Breda, on the invitation of the StatesGeneral, being desired to make a public entry into their provinces, Mr. Fox, and Sir Edward Walker, Garter, King of arins, were jointly sent to the Hague, to adjust the ceremonies of his Majesty's reception there. After the King's happy return to his dominions, his faithful services were immediately rewarded, being made, first Clerk of the Green cloth, on the settlement of the King's household; the Duke of Ormond, Lord High Steward, having a great esteem for him, and desirous of leaving the management thereof to one he knew so well experienced in it. Also on that wild insurrection of Venner, and the fifth-monarchy-men, in January, 1660-1, the King being advised not to be without guards, two regiments were raised, of which Mr. Fox was appointed paymaster: and afterwards other forces being raised, on the war with the Dutch, he was constituted paymaster-general of all his Majesty's forces in England. By that title, as also that of first clerk of the Green cloth, I find him among the benefactors to the building of the College of Arms, after the fire of London. f Ex Stemmate in lib. de Benefact. præ '. Lib. de Benefact. MS. S. 1. p. 71, in Offic, Arm. The just profits of those two offices not only enabled him to provide for his family, but also to exercise acts of generosity and charity. His regard was shewn to the place of his birth, by building the church of Farley at his own charge; and, in 1678, he built and founded an hospital there, for six old men, and six old women; a neat building, with a chapel in it, and handsome lodgings for a Chaplain, who resides there, and hath the title of Warden of the hospital. This he endowed with 1881. per annum; and there is likewise a charity-school, wherein are taught six boys, and six girls, all at his sole charge, by the said Chaplair. or Warden. He also built an hospital at Brome, in Suffolk; and another at Ashby, in Northamptonshire. In the North part of Wiltshire, he built a chancel entirely new, where he was not at all concerned in the tythes; but, the Rector being unable, it moved him to build it. He likewise built the church of Culford, in Suffolk; and pewed the body of the cathedral church of Sarum, in a manner suitable to the neatness of that church, to which he was many other ways a great benefactor. These are lasting monuments of his piety and generosity; and he wash the first projector of the noble design of Chelsea-hospital, having contributed to the expense of it above 13,0001. His motive to it was known from his own words: he said, He could not bear to see the common soldiers, who had spent their strength in our service, to beg at our doors. He therefore did what he could to remove such a scandal from the kingdom. He first purchased some grounds near the old college at Chelsea, which had been escheated to the crown in the reign of King James I. and which that monarch designed for the residence and maintenance of Protestant divines, to be employed in defence of the Reformation against all opposers: and on these grounds the present college is erected. In memory of which publick benefaction, his name is transmitted to posterity, in a fine prospect and description of Chelsea-college, by Mr. Inglish, then Comptroller of the works thereof, inscribed to the Right Honourable Sir Stephen Fox, the Earl of Ranelagh, and Sir Christopher Wren, with their several coats of arms. I shall now proceed to treat of the publick employments and honours conferred on him. King Charles II. to distinguish so ▸ Vide the Sermon at his Funeral by Mr. Eyre, canon-residentiary of the church of Sarum, valuable a servant, knighted him, on July 1st, 1665. And, as he had been in the intimacy and confidence of George Monk, the renowned Duke of Albemarle, he paid a respect to his memory, at the pompous and public funeral of his Grace, on April 30th, 1670, from Somerset-house to Westminster-abbey, being the first assistant in bearing the Royal standard. Also, when the effigy was taken out of the open chariot at the West door of Westminster-abbey, and carried under a canopy to be placed in a mausoleum there, Sir Stephen was the first of the six Knights, supporters of that canopy. k In 1679, he was constituted one of the Lords commissioners of the treasury; in which place he was thought so very serviceable, that he was kept in it (through divers changes), longer than could ever be said of any man but himself; being continued, without intermission, in all commissions, except that when the Earl of Rochester was Lord Treasurer on February 16th, 1685-6, till he chose to retire from public business. In the same year, 1679,m the King appointed him first commissioner in the office of Master of the horse, in conjunction with Sir Richard Mason, Sir Nicholas Armorer, Thomas Wyndham, and Roger Pope, Esqrs. In 1681, the Prince of Orange, after his marriage, coming over to visit the English court, came post from Margate to Whitehall, on July 23d; and, the King being then at Windsor, the Prince made his first visit" to Sir Stephen Fox, and did him the honour of dining with him the same day, and in the evening he waited on his Majesty at Windsor. On his being in the treasury, and supplying the place of Master of the horse, his son, Charles Fox, Esq. and Nicholas Johnson, Esq. were, on December 26th, 1679, constituted joint paymaster of the forces; but, he dying in 1682, Sir Stephen, hy his interest, got it solely conferred on his son, Charles Fox, Esq. though he was then but in the twenty-third year of his age. And on February 18th, 1684, Sir Stephen was made sole commissioner for Master of the horse. King James II. on his accession to the throne, on February 6th, i Funeral of the Duke of Albemarle, p. 19. k Ibid. p. 25. 1 Life of King Charles II. in Hist. of England, fol. Vol. III. p. 368. Hist. of Eng. Vol, III, p. 392. p Ibid. p. 396. |