Old Hampshire Mapped
Cox's Hampshire
Transcription (19)Southampton
Osric
Southampton, Earl of
Aelfegus
Alfelme
Harold
Bogo
Beauvois
Fitz William, William
Wriothesley, Thomas
Wriothesley, Henry
Fitz Roy, Charles
Cleveland, Dutchess
Southampton, Duke of
Several Noblemen have taken their Title of Honour from this Town; as,
Osric, who was Earl of Southampton in the Reign of King Ethelbert, Anno 860, and is famous for his brave Encounters against the Danes, who for so many Years were troublesome to this Nation; first at Pedredesmouth, where being joined with Earnulf, Earl of Somersetshire, and Alstane, Bishop of Shiburn, he encountred them, and having slain a Multitude of them, obtained a signal Victory: Then in this County, after they had destroyed the City of Winchester, he, with the help of Ethelwolf, Earl of Berkshire, gave them Battle, and after a great slaughter dissipated their Army. After him
Aelfegus was Earl of Southampton, in the Reign of King Edgar, (as Dugdale tells us) but we have no other mention of him in other Histories, but that he died, An. 981. To him succeeded in the reign of King Canutus the Dane,
Alfelme, whose Daughter Ailiva was married to that King, and was the Mother of Harold, his Son, who was his Successor in this Realm. After him we read of
Bogo or Beauvois, Earl of Southampton, who at the Time of the Conquest was a powerful Saxon Lord, of that Spirit, that he could not bear the Norman Yoke, and therefore gathering an Army of English, Danes and Welsh, resolved to maintain his Liberty. The Normans gave him Battle at Cardiffe in Glamorganshire Anno 1070, and defeated him, whereupon he fled to Carlisle, and we hear of him no more. He was a person of great military Courage and Conduct, as well as personal Strength, as the Monkish Historians represent him, and our modern Writers have mightily improved in a Romance, bearing his Title. His Sword is said to be preserved in Arundel Castle. After this Beauvois, we find no Person bearing this Honour, till King Henry VIII. Reg. 29. conferred it on
William Fitz Williams, whose Mother was Lucy, daughter and Co Heir of John Nevil, Marquess Montacute. He was a Person of great Worth and Merit, being made Admiral against the French, Treasurer of the King's Houshold, Captain of Guisnes, Knight of the Garter, and lastly, Earl of Southampton, and Lord Privy Seal.
He died in an Expedition against Scotland, without Issue Male, and so this Honour was dormant till
Thomas Wriothesley, or Wrythe, who had been before created Baron of Tichfield in this County by King Henry VIII. Reg. 35. Lord Chancellor of England, and one of the Knights of the Garter; and being made one of that King's Executors, and Council to the Prince Edward, his Son, was three Days before the Coronation of King Edward VI. made Earl of Southampton. He died at Southampton House (then called Lincoln place) in Holborn, July 30, 1550. And
Henry his only Son and Heir succeeded him in his Honour and Estate. He went with Robert, Earl of Essex, to Cadiz, 40 Eliz. was general of the Horse in Ireland, when that Earl was Deputy there, and after appeared with him in the Insurrection in London, which cost Essex his Head; but this Earl escaped, and being kept in Prison till King James came to the Crown, obtained his Liberty, and was restored to his Honour by Act of Parliament: He afterward got into that Prince's Favour, and was made a Knight of the Garter, Governor of the Isle of Wight and Castle of Caresbrooke, and then renewed his Patent for the Title and Dignity of the Earl of Southampton, with the like Privileges that he formerly enjoyed. He died Nov. 10. 1624. and left
Thomas his Heir and Successor. He was a Person of great Prudence and sincere Affection to King Charles I. whom he faithfully served in all his Troubles, and after his Death firmly adhered to his Son King Charles II. at whose Restoration he was made a Knight of the Garter, and Lord High Treasurer of England. He died at Southampton House near Holborn, May 16, 1667. and was buried at Tichfield among his Ancestors. He left no Heirs male, but had several Daughters, one of which named Rachel, was married to the late unhappy Nobleman, the Lord Russel, beheaded in 1683, by whom she had one Son, whose Name keeps up the memory of her Family, being Wriothesley, as is that of her Grandson's, now Duke of Bedford. After his Death this Honour was vacant some Years, till King Charles II. raised this honorary Title to a Dukedom, and created his Natural Son
Charles Fitz Roy, by the Dutchess of Cleveland, Duke of Southampton, to him and his Heirs male for ever, and for want of such to his Brother George. He enjoys this Dignity with the Title of Earl of Cleveland, which descended to him by the Death of his Mother the late Dutchess of Cleveland, which being the oldest Honour, he is generally called the Duke of Cleveland. He hath two Sons, William, Earl of Chichester, and Charles Fitz Roy.
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