By the Rev. J. Wilkinson. 299 
He also was employed in the French wars, and lost his life, 22nd 
June 1370, in the disastrous action in the roads of Rochelle, where 
the Earl of Pembroke for two whole days maintained an unequal 
contest with the superior number, force, and metal of the Spanish 
fleet, the valour of the English but serving to complete their loss. 
John, the grandson of John Tuchet and Joan Audley, was em- 
ployed in Owen Glendower’s rebellion, holding the castle of Brecon. 
He appears to have remained true to the Lancastrian principles of 
the family, and to have been on the Royal and winning side in the 
hard fought fight at Shrewsbury against the Percies. He also 
took part in the Parliamentary proceedings for the settlement of 
the Crown. Henry IV. did not, in the earlier part of his reign, 
moot this delicate question, but contented himself with receiving 
the oaths of the lords for himself and his eldest son, as heir ap- 
parent. But, after the Shrewsbury victory, which disclosed the 
treachery of some of his ancient friends, he ventured to introduce 
into Parliament an Act vesting the succession to the Crown in his 
four sons and their heirs, passing over his two daughters, purposely, 
in all probability, that he might not seem to countenance the 
rightful heir, the Earl of March, who claimed by the female line. 
But, by this settlement, the female, as well as male, heirs of his sons 
could inherit. To obviate this inconsistency, two years later an- 
other Act was passed, limiting the succession to the heirs male of 
his sons. Then another question arose. If females could not in- 
herit, on what ground did Henry claim the throne of France? His 
only right was through a female, Isabella, the wife of his great- 
dignity, was indivisible? It was in abeyance; not extinct, not dead, only 
dormant, in a state of suspended animation between the sisters and their des- 
cendants. But, if all the sisters but one were without issue, or if the descen- 
dants of all but one became extinct, and if that one had a son or a male descen- 
dant, the suspension terminated, that son or his male descendant was the 
resuscitated baron. Thus Margaret Audley died without issue. Her sister 
Joan had a son, whose son was the 11th Baron Audley. Thesame thing has 
twice happened in this barony, In 1777 George Thicknesse, the son of Eliza~ 
beth Thicknesse, who was the sister of John Talbot Tuchet, who was Baron 
Audley and Earl of Castlehaven, sueceeded to the barony; but not to the 
Earldom, the latter not being an ancient dignity in fee, and not capable of 
inheritance by the descendants of a female, 
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