Baptift, in Weltminster - abbey. Leaving no male-iffue, his nephew David Cecil, fon and heir to Sir Richard Cecil, his brother, fucceed ed him in his honours. Sir Richard Cecil refided at Wakerly, in the county of Northampton; and in the 39th year of queen Elizabeth, was elected a member in the parliament called by king James I. when waiting on his majesty at Wooftock, in Oxfordshire, had the honour of knighthood conferred on him on the 28th of Aug. 1616. The remaining part of king James's reign he ferved in parliament for Stamford, and having married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Anthony Cope of Hanwell, in Oxfordshire, knt. and baronet, had iffue David, his fon and heir before-mentioned; which David fucceeded his uncle William earl of Exeter, in his honours, in the year 1640, but found the estate much diminished by the fortunes of the three coheirs, and the dowers of two widows, his grandfather's, and his uncle's. The former however died foon after; and the latter in 1658, and was buried at the upper-end of the fouth-itle, under the north-wall, in the parish church of St. James's Clerkenwell. The faid David, earl of Exeter, married Elizabeth, daughter to John earl of Bridgewater, by whom he had fix fons and three daughters; Thomas, the youngest of the fons, was buried at Tinwell, in Rutland fhire, the 28th of May 1641; and Elizabeth, one of the daughters, was buried there, Nov. 13, 1638. Anne, another daughter, died young; and Frances was married to Sir Anthony Afhley Cooper, afterwards earl of Shaftesbury. His fons that furvived him, were John eart of Exeter; William and David. And his lordship dying at London, on the 18th of April 1643, was buried in the church of St. Martin's, Stamford, near the remains of William lord Burghley his great grandfather. John earl of Exeter was only fix years of age, anno 1634 ; and by the lady Frances, his firft wife, daughter to John earl of Rutland, had three children, John earl of Exeter, David, who died young; and one daughter, Frances, married to John lord viscount Scudamore, in the kingdom of Ireland. She died in June 1694, leaving one fon, James lord viscount Scudamore, whofe daughter and heir, Frances, was married to the late duke of Beaufort: on July 17, 1662, he was conftituted lord-lieutenant of the county of Northampton. His fecond wife was the lady Mary, daughter to Mildmay Fane, earl of Westmoreland, widow to Sir Brian Palmes of Aftwell, in Rutland hire, knt. but had no iffue by her. He died at Burghley-houfe, near Stainford, on the 18th of March 1687-8, and was buried in St. Martin's, church. He was fucceeded in his honours by John lord Burghley, his only furviving fon, who married Anne, only daughter of William earl of Devonshire, and fifter to William duke of Devonshire, a lady colebrated by Mr. Prior, in one of his firft poems; and her lord was bis patron. It is from Burghley he dates his ingenious epittle to Fleetwood Shephard, Efq; he was widow of Charles lord Rich, fon and heir of Charles earl of Warwick. The earl of Exeter had by her John, bis fon and heir; William Cecil of Snape, in the county of York, Efq; ter of John Bennet, lord Ofsulston, who dying in Aug. 1698, he had no iffue by her. He next married Elizabeth, eldest daughter, and one of the coheirs of Sir John Brownlow of Belton, in the county of Lincoln, baronet. They were married in September 1699, and her ladyship died in the 43d year of her age, on the 28th of Nov. 1723. They had iffue five fons, John lord Burleigh; Brownlow, late earl of Exeter; William, (who having been educated with his brother, the late lord, at St. John's college Cambridge, where moft of his predeceffors had ftudied, gave great hopes of keeping up the luftre of the family; but he died very early to the concern of all who had the happiness of his acquaintance) Francis, and Charles, who died unmarried. Also a daughter, lady Elizabeth, the wife of William Aillabie, Efq; chancellor of the Exchequer, and of the privy-council, to his late majefty; which lady died on the 6th of April, 1733, leaving feveral children. His lordship refigned his breath on the 21ft of Dec. 1721, and was buried with his ancestors at Stamford. was several times member for Stam- in Feb. 1696-7, Annabella, daughford, as was his brother Charles, after him; and Edward, who all three died unmarried; the latter was at the fiege of Barcelona, in the reign of queen Anne, and died in that kingdom, after raifing the fiege alfo, four daughters, Chritian, Anne, and Frances, who died young; and Elizabeth, married to Charles Boyle, late earl of Orrery in Ireland, and baron of Marftown in England. This noble earl had a learned education, and an excellent genius, for the improvement whereof he twice vifited Rome, and the moft polite parts of Europe; fo that no perfon was better adapted to adorn the court, or more proper to direct the adminiftration of public affairs. But choofing a retired life, he refided chiefly in the country, in great honour and reputa-. tion; being affable and pleafing to his friend, bountiful to the poor, and a constant affertor of the religion and liberties of his country. His lady was a faithful companion in his travels, and prefent when he died in his laft returning from Rome, in the ville of Iffy near Paris; the furvived him three years, and was buried by him, under a very magnificent and elegant monument, brought, among other exquisite works, from Rome, and erected in the church of St. Martin's, in Stamford. His eldest fon and heir, John earl of Exeter, ferved in parliament for the county of Rutland, in 1695 and 1698; and on the death of his father, took his feat in the house of Peers on the 28th of March 1700; and the oaths as lord-lieutenant of the county of Rutland, on Dec. 11, 1712. His lordship married first, He was fucceeded in his honours by John lord Burleigh, his eldest fon and heir; but he dying unmarried on the 9th of April 1722, was fucceeded by his brother and heir, Brownlow Cecil, Efq; then member of parliament for Stamford. married, in the year 1724, HannahSophia, daughter of Thomas Chambers of Derby, Efq; by whom he had two fons and three daughters; the right honourable Brownlow, lord Burleigh, now earl of Exeter; lady Margaret-Sophia Cecil, who died in Feb. 1737-8; the hon. Thomas Chambers Chambers Cecil, born July 25th, 1728; lady Elizabeth Cecil, born July 22, 1729; and lady Anne, born in 1734. His lordship dying on Nov. 3, 1754, was fucceeded in his honours and eftate by his eldest fon. Brownlow, now earl of Exeter, was elected member of parliament for Stamford, and likewife for the county of Rutland; he was alfo chofen for the fame county for the parliament which met on the 31ft of May 1754. On June 22, 1752, his lordship took the oaths as lord. lieutenant and cuftos rotulorum of the faid county of Rutland. His lordship married, July 24, 1749, Letitia, fole daughter and heir of Horatio Townshend, Efq; one of the commiflioners of the Excife. Armorial Bearings.] Barry, of ten argent and azure, over all fix efcutcheons, 3, 2, and 1, fable, each charged with a lion rampant of the field. Creft] On a chapeau, gules, turned up ermine, a garb, or, supported by two lions; that on the dexter-fide argent, the finifter azure. Supporters.] Two lions ermine. Motto.]. Cor unum, via una.-One heart, one way.' Chief Seats] At Burleigh, near Stamford, in the county of Northampton; and Grofvenor-ftreet, London. A Genealogical Account of Compton, Earl of Northampton. THIS noble family are defcended from the Comptons of Compton, in Warwickshire, who were lords of that place before the conqueft. The firft time we find this family mentioned in hiftory, is in the reign of Edward the Confef for; but it does not appear that they had taken the furname of Compton, till the reign of Henry II., Sir Henry Compton was created baron of Compton in the fourteenth year of the reign of queen Elizabeth, and accordingly took his feat in the House of Peers. He was one of the peers appointed for the trial of the queen of Scots; and attended as one of the four principal affiftants to her corpfe at her funeral. In the fixteenth year of James I. William lord Compton was created carl of Northampton in the bishop's April, 1763. palace at Salisbury, and inftalled one of the knights companions of the most noble order of the Garter on the 21st of April 1629. George Compton, late earl of Northampton, was conftituted lordlieutenant of Warwickshire by king James II. on the 29th of March 1686; but on refufing to join in the meafures propofed for repealing the penal laws, his commiflion was fuperfeded, and the earl of Sunderland made lord-lieutenant and cuftos rotulorum in his tead. In the next reign, on the 16th of March.1688, he was again cons ftituted lord lieutenant of Warwickfhire; and at the coronation of king William, and queen Mary, carried the fcepter and crofs. On the accethon of queen Anne, his lordship was worn one of the privy-council, Bb |
