chapter XV
. mention was made of the _Percy Tomb_ in the chancel of Beverley Minster. The magnificent canopy of this was built in memory of Eleanor Fitz Alan, wife of Henry Percy of Alnwick, who died in 1328. Henry Percy, fourth Earl of Northumberland, lies buried in the _Percy Chapel_ at the extreme east end of the Minster, and the wife of another Henry Percy lies buried in Hessle Church. But of her burial there is no record but a simple brass inscribed:—
=Here vnder lieth Daim an percy wyff= =to sir Henry percy=....
[Illustration:
_Photo by_] [_C.D. Holmes_
The Percy Tomb, Beverley Minster.
]
Other proud nobles of our Riding were the WAKES and the CLIFFORDS. Hugh Wac married the daughter of Gilbert of Gaunt, the first Earl of Lincoln, and his son Baldwin assisted at the coronation of King Richard I. A descendant, the first Baron Wake, fought in the Scots wars of Edward I. Thomas, the third Baron, was granted by Edward III. leave to convert his manor-house at Cottingham into a castle. From him the Wakes of Somerset claim descent.
On the chancel floor of Londesborough church may be seen the brass of Margaret, Lady Clifford and Vescy, the wife of the Lord Clifford whom Shakspeare calls ‘bloody Clifford.’ This Lord Clifford fought on the Lancastrian side at the disastrous battle of Towton, and was one of the many nobles there slain. During twenty-four years after the battle Henry, Lord Clifford’s son, lived in disguise as a shepherd on the moors round Londesborough and on the hills of Cumberland, thus earning the name of ‘shepherd lord.’ But the battle of Bosworth Field restored the fortunes of the family, and the ‘shepherd lord’ then regained ‘the estates and honours of his ancestors.’
The descendants of Henry, Lord Clifford, became Earls of Cumberland, and the heiress to the Earldom married Richard Boyle, the first Earl of Burlington. Their great-grandson, the third Earl of Burlington, was famed for the rebuilding of Burlington House, London, and for the planting of the ‘Londesborough Clumps.’ This was between the years 1703 and 1753.
From the third Earl of Burlington the Londesborough estates passed in descent to the Dukes of Devonshire, one of whom pulled down its ancient Hall, and afterwards sold the estates to George Hudson, the ‘Railway King.’ By further purchase they devolved upon the present Earl of Londesborough.
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Older than the Cliffords are the CONSTABLES, of whom there are in the East Riding two distinct families. Robert Constable, the son of Ulbert, possessed the manor of Halsham in the reign of King Stephen; and from him is descended Major Chichester-Constable, Lord of the Seigniory of Holderness, and owner of Burton Constable Hall.
[Illustration: BURTON CONSTABLE HALL.]
In the year 1133 was living a certain William Fitz Nigel, Constable of Cheshire and Lord of Flamborough. From him descended Sir Marmaduke Constable of Flamborough, who, when seventy-one years of age, fought together with his four sons in the battle of Flodden. Sir Marmaduke lies buried in the church at Flamborough, where, on his tomb, is a brass inscription recording his exploits. Part of it is here given:—
=Here lieth Marmaduke Cunstable, of fflaynborght, knyght,= =Who made aduentore into ffrance, and for the right of the same= =Passed over with Kyng Edwarde the fouriht, yt noble Knyght;= =And also with noble King Herre, the seuinth of that name.= . . . . . . . . =But for all that, as ye se, he lieth under this stone.=
[Illustration:
BRASS OF SIR THOMAS DE ST. QUINTIN IN HARPHAM CHURCH. ABOUT A.D. 1420. ]
The Sir Robert Constable who took part in the Pilgrimage of Grace and was hanged in chains over the Beverley Gate at Hull was Sir Marmaduke Constable’s eldest son. With his execution the fifty-one manors that he held were forfeited to the King, but some of these were restored to his descendants by Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth. The last of the Constables of Flamborough took the side of the Parliamentarians in the Great Civil War, and signed the death-warrant of the King.
From the second son of Sir Marmaduke Constable descended the Constables of Everingham, to which house belongs the Duchess of Norfolk, daughter of the late Baron Herries. From Sir Marmaduke’s nephew descended the Constables of Wassand, whose representative to-day is Mr. Henry Strickland Constable of Wassand Hall.
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Another East Riding family whose ancestor ‘came over with the Conqueror’ is that of the ST. QUINTINS, whose name is derived from a town in the north of France. Sir Herbert de St. Quintin held the manors of Skipsea, Mappleton and Brandesburton in the reign of Henry I. On the floor of the chancel of Brandesburton church are the brasses of Sir John de St. Quintin, who died in 1397, and his wife Lora.
Several members of the family lie buried in Harpham Church, where are the altar tombs of Sir William de St. Quintin, who died in 1349, and his wife; the brasses of Sir Thomas de St. Quintin and his wife Agnes, dating from about 1420; and the brass of another Thomas de St. Quintin, who died in 1445.
Sir William St. Quintin was Member of Parliament for Hull in the reigns of William III., Anne, and George I.; and Mr. William Herbert St. Quintin, of Scampston Hall and Lowthorpe Lodge, is the present representative of the family.
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[Illustration: BURTON AGNES HALL.]
[Illustration:
EFFIGY OF A KNIGHT IN PLATE ARMOUR IN THE HILTON CHAPEL AT SWINE CHURCH. ABOUT A.D. 1350. ]
The ancient family of BOYNTONS took its name from the East Riding village of Boynton. By marriage with the heiress of the Sir Martin de la Mare mentioned at the close of