WILLIAM LEGGE (c. 1609-167o), the eldest son of Edward Legge (d. 1616), vice-president of Munster, assisted Charles I. in his war against the Scots in 1638. He was also very useful to the king during the months which preceded the outbreak of the Civil War, although his attempt to seize Hull in Jan. 1642 failed. During the war Legge distinguished himself at Chalgrove and at the first battle of Newbury, and in 1645 he became governor of Oxford. Legge helped Charles to escape from Hampton Court in 1647, and was arrested in May 1648. He was released, but was again captured in 1649, and remained in prison until 1653. He then spent some years abroad, but in 1659 was in England inciting the royalists to rise. The old royalist died on Oct. 13, 167o.
Legge's eldest son, GEORGE, BARON DARTMOUTH (1647-1691), served as a volunteer in the navy during the Dutch war of 1665 1667. He was a member of the household of the duke of York, afterwards James II., was governor of Portsmouth and master general of the army. In 1678 he commanded as colonel the troop at Nieuport, and in 1682 he was created Baron Dartmouth. In 1683 as "admiral of a fleet" he sailed to Tangiers, dismantled the fortifications and brought back the English troops. Under James II. Dartmouth was master of the horse and governor of the Tower of London; and in 1688 when William of Orange was expected, James II. made him commander-in-chief of his fleet. Although himself loyal to James, the same cannot be said of many of his officers, and an engagement with the Dutch fleet was pur posely avoided. Dartmouth, however, refused to assist in getting James Edward, prince of Wales, out of the country, and even reproved the king for attempting this proceeding. He then left the fleet and took the oath of allegiance to William and Mary, but in July 1691 he was arrested for treason, and was charged with offering to hand over Portsmouth to France and to command a French fleet. Dartmouth protested his innocence. He died in the Tower of London on Oct. 25, 1691 before the question was inves tigated. (See Dartmouth Papers [Hist. Mss. Comm. 2nd Report ix. and spp. pp. 9-12, 1870-72].) Lord Dartmouth's only son, WILLIAM, 1ST EARL OF DARTMOUTH (167 2-17 50) , succeeded to his father's barony in 1691. He became secretary of state for the southern department and joint keeper of the signet for Scotland in 171 o. In 1 711 he was created viscount Lewisham and earl of Dartmouth; in 1713 he exchanged his offices for that of keeper of the privy seal, which he held until the end of 1714. After a long period of retirement from public life he died on Dec. 15, 1750.