404 HERA 
in the county of Warwick, baronet, and died January 14, 
1786. The earl of Bridgwater died March 19, 1701. 
Scroop, fourth earl of Bridgwater, was in the reign of 
queen Anne conftituted matter of the horfe to prince 
■ George of Denmark, and upon the accellion of George 1. 
appointed lord chamberlain to Caroline princefs of 
Wales. By that prince he was created marquis of 
Brackley and duke of Bridgwater. He married Rachel, 
daughter to Wriothettey, (econd duke of Bedford, and 
died January 11, 1745, leaving blue, Charles, born Ju¬ 
ly 27, 1715, and died young ; John, fecond duke of 
Bridgwater, who died unmarried ; Francis, third and 
laft duke of Bridgwater, wiro dying without iftue male, 
in 1803, the dukedom became extindl, and the earldom 
defcended to John-William, the prefent earl, (on of 
John, late bilhop of Durham.—The heir preemptive is 
Francis-Henry Egerton, in holy orders, prebendary of 
Durham, only brother to the earl. 
Creations. —Baron of Ellefmere, July 17, 1603; 
Vifcourit Brackley, November 7,-1616; and Earl of 
Bridgwater, May 17, 1617. 
Residences. —Park-houfe, in the .county of York; 
Afiiridge-park, in the county of Buckingham ; and 
Birch-hall, in the county ot Salop.—Town-hottfe, Grof- 
venor-fquare. 
Armorial Bearings .—See the annexed Engraving. 
Motto. — Sic donee. —“ Thus until.” 
COMPTON, EARL OF NORTHAMPTON. 
CHARLES COMPTON, Earl of NORTHAMP¬ 
TON, Lord Lieutenant and Cuftos Rotulorum of that 
county, and Recorder of the town of Northampton; 
born Marc h 21, 1760; fucceeded his father, the late 
earlj April 7, 1796 ; married, Auguft 18, 1787, Mary, 
eldeft daughter of Jofhua Smith, ot Earl Stoke-park-, in 
Wiltlhire, efq. by whom he has ittue, Spencer, born 
June 8, and died June 23, 1788; Spencer-Jolhua Al- 
wyne, lord Compton, and heir apparent, born Janu¬ 
ary 2, 1790 ; Smith, born December 7, and died Decem¬ 
ber 18, 1790; Frances-Elizabeth, born December 20, 
.1791. 
The family of Compton is defcended'from a Saxon 
chief named Turchill, who was of confiderable conle- 
quence in the reign of Edward the Confettor; and was 
earl of Warwick, the fifth in defeent from'the cele¬ 
brated Guy earl of Warwick, who fiounfhed in the 
clofe of the ninth century. Olbert, the fon of Turchill, 
aftumed the furname of Compton. William, his de- 
ifeendant, was a great favourite with Henry VIII. being 
the companion of that monarch in moll ot his tourna¬ 
ments and feats of chivalry. In the year 1513, he was 
conttituted lord high chancellor of Ireland tor life. He 
died June 30, 1528. Henry, his gundfon, was by queen 
Elizabeth created baron Compton of Compton, in the 
county of Warwick. William, fecond lord Compton, 
his fon, was by James I. created earl of Northampton, 
and died June 24, 1630. 
Spencer, fecond earl of Northampton, his fon, diftin. 
guilhed himfelf by many brilliant actions in the let vice 
of Charles I. Being fent to the relief of the town of 
Stafford, and having accomplilhed that objett, he with 
a thouTand men engaged more than two thouland ot the 
enemy in the battle of Hopton-heath, March 19, 1643. 
The enemy was defeated ; but, the royalifts being too 
eager in the purfuit, the eari of Northampton was fur- 
rounded. He refilled the quarter which was offered 
him, having given it as his opinion, “ that, it he out¬ 
lived thefe wars, he was certa.n never to have fo noble 
a death.” His five elder Ions alfo dittinguilhed them- 
felvesin the lame cattle, particularly lit Charles, hisle- 
cond fon, who lurprifed Beefton-caftle, in the county ot 
Clielter, with only fix men; and fir William, his.third 
fon, by the obtlinate liege he endured in the town of 
Banbury, and by the aflittance he afforded to die roy- 
alifts at the liege of Colchelter. He was indefatigable 
LDRY. 
in his endeavours to effeft the reftoration of Charles II. 
and was appointed immediately after that event matter 
general of the office of ordnance for life. He died Oc¬ 
tober 18, 1663. Henry, the youngeft fon, embracing 
the clerical profeflion, was firftmade bilhop of Oxford, 
and afterwards tranttated to the fee of London. He 
greatly dittinguilhed himfelf by the noble Hand he made - 
in favour of the proteftant religion, in opposition to the 
proceedings of James II. He was one of the two bilhops 
who Voted in tlie hottfe of peers for the vacancy of the 
throne, and forifupplying it with the prince and prin¬ 
cefs of Orange:; and died July 7, 1713. 
f ames, -third earl of Northampton, the eldeft fon, was 
not lefs confpicuous during the civil war than his bro¬ 
thers had been. He was wounded in the battle in which 
his father was killed ; and, April 12, in the fame year, 
gave a fignal defeat to the parliament forces at Middle- 
ton-Cheney, in the^ county of Northampton. He com¬ 
manded the horfe at the firft battle of Newbury, Sep¬ 
tember 20, 1643 ; and, in the following year he greatly 
contributed to the royal fuccefs at Cropredy-bridge. 
He railed the liege of Banbury, O&ober 15, 1744; and, 
in 1675, was conftituted conitable of the "lower of 
London. He died December 15, 1681, leaving iftue, 
1. George, lourtli earl of Northampton. 2. Spencer, 
eledted, in 1714, fpeaker of the houle of commons. He 
was appointed, in 1722, paymalter general of his rna- 
jelty’s forces; and was created, in 1727, baron Wilming¬ 
ton, of Wilmington, in the county of Suftex, and in 
1730, vifeount Pevenfey and earl of Wilmington. He 
was conftituted, M iy 8. in that year, lord keeper of the 
privy feal; and, December 31, lord prelident of the 
council. Upon the resignation of lir Robert Walpole, 
in February, 1742, he was appointed firft lord commif- 
fioner of the trealury ; and, dying in 1743, his titles be¬ 
came extindf. 
George, fourth earl of Northampton, refufing to enter 
into the mealures of James II was deprived of the of¬ 
fice of lord lieutenant of the county of Warwick, in 
December 1687. He was conftituted, in 1712, confla. 
hie of the Tower of London, which office he religned in 
1717, and died April 15, 1727. He had iftue, 1. James, 
fifth earl of Northampton, who married Elizabeth, 
grand-daughter of Robert, firft earl Ferrers, and in her 
own right baronefs de Ferrars of Chartley, Botirchier, 
Lovaine, and Ballet of Drayton; by which lady, who 
died March 13, 1741, he had iftue, 1. Charlotte, confort 
of George vifeount Townlhend, afterwards marquis 
Townlhend of Rainham, who died September 3, 1770. 
2. George, fixrli earl of Nonhampton, who died De¬ 
cember 6, 1758, having married Frances, daughter of 
the reverend Mr. Payne; which lady, lurvrving him, 
was married, lecondly, to Claudius Amyand, elquire. 
3. Charles, who was conftituted, January 16, 1741, his 
majefty’s envoy extraordinary to the court of Portugal, 
and married Mary, daughter and heirels of fir Berkeley 
Lucy, of Broxburn, in the county of Hertford, baronet; 
by which lady he had iftue, Charles, feventh ear! of 
Northampton, who was appointed, in 1761, his majefty’s 
ambafl'ador extraordinary to the republic of Venice, and 
married Anne, daughter of Charles Noel, fourth duke 
of Beaufort ; by which lady he had iftue, Elizabeth, 
born June 25, 1760, and married to Gecrge-Augultus- 
Henry Cavendilh, Ion of William, fourth duke of De- 
vonlhire. The eari died on his return from it is em'bafly. 
September 13, 1759, and was fucceeded by his brother, 
Spencer, eighth earl, born Augult 5, 1738; manied, 
firft, Jane daughter of Henry Luwlon, elq. and by her 
(wlio died November 26, 1767) had iftue, Charles,.the 
prefent earl, born March 21, 1760; and Frances, born 
September 10, 1758: the earl married, lecondly, May 16, 
1769, Mils Hougham ; and dying Ayril 7, 1796, was 
fucceeded by his only fon, Charles, the prelent and 
ninth earl. 
Creations, —Baron Compton, of Compton, in the 
county 
