Historical and genealogical memoirs of the House of Hamilton

EARLS OF LEICESTER. 25
These Hamiltons were settled at this manor in Leicestershire for some introductory
NOTICFS OP
time previously to the extinction of the De Bellomonts in the male line. TH e family.
They carried the same arms as the Earls of Leicester, only with the differ- =====
ence of three cinquefoils for one, as a mark of cadency : The single cin-
quefoil ermine, on a field gules, carried by the Earls of Leicester, being
the original arms of the Mellent family, as we are told by Dugdale.
Mary's church, in Leicester. Of this house was Sir Gilbert de Hamilton, knight ;
who, in the reign of King Edward II, having slain one of the family of Thomas De-
spencer, fled into Scotland, and there marrying with Isabell, daughter of Thomas
Randolfe, Earl of Murray, planted himself, and was honourably entertained by Ro-
bert Bruce, King of Scotland ; of whose gift he held lands in Cadzowe in Chifedale,
whose issue were afterwards made barons of parliament ; of whom descended James,
Lord Hamilton, that married Mary, the daughter of James the Second, King of Scot-
laud ; who by her had issue James, Earl of Arran, created Duke of Castle-Herault
in Poictou in France, and Knight of the Order of St Michael, by Henry the Second,
the French king ; who had issue John, Marquis of Hamilton ; who had issue James,
Marquis of Hamilton, Earl of Arran, Baron of Evon and Aberbroth, created Earl of
Cambridge, and Baron of Ennerdale in Cumberland, by his Majesty, 1619, and Coun-
cillor of State for both the kingdoms of England and Scotland, who died 1624, leav-
ing issue James, Marquis of Hamilton, [who was beheaded in Old Palace Yard,
March 9, 1648."]
The MSS. of Mr Roper furnish the two following statements of proceedings in the
Court of Exchequer relative to this hamlet : —
1. " Petrus de Lincolnia petit versus Geroldum de Hamilton, unam caricutam
terras, cum pertinentiis, in Hamelton, ut jus suum, per breve de ingressu, &c. Ge-
raldus venit, et defendit jus suum, quando, &c. ; et dicit, quod non debet ei inde
respondere, quia dicit quod non tenet integre praedictam terram versus eum petitiam ;
eo quod quaedam Juliana, mater praedicti Geroldi, inde tenet tertiam partem in dote,
et quae non nominatur in brevi : Et Petrus non potest hoc dedicere : Ideo considera-
tum est, quod praedictus Geraldus eat sine die, et Petrus in maneria ; et perquirat
sibi aliud breve versus praedict. Julianam, si voluerit."*
2. " Henricus de Somervile, filius et haeres Joh'is de Somervile, fratris Alexandri,
monstrat D'no Regi, per petitionem suam Gallicam, quod Rad'us Burgeis, per fraudem
et covinam, ipsum exhaereditavit de manerio de Hamilton, in eo quod implacitavit
praedictos Alexandrum et Johannem, per breve de recto, in banco, et ibidem locavit
duos attornatos, unum pro se, et alium pro praedictis Alexandro et Joh'e ; et tantum
fecit quod attornatus praedictorum Alexandri et Joh'is fecit defaltam ; per quod judi-
cium redditum fuit quod dictus Rad'us recuperaret manerium praedictum versus ipsos,
in perpetuum tenendum sibi et haeredibus suis, prout patet, tarn per placitum hie,
* Placita 31. Hen. III. in receptu Scaccarii, Rot. 22, anno 1247.