PERCY, the name of a noble family who went to England with William the Conqueror, and whose head, WILLIAM DE PERCY, obtained 30 knights' fees in the N. of England. A descendant, also named WILLIAM, who lived in the early part of the 12th century, left behind him two daughters, the elder of whom died childless, and the younger, Agnes, mar ried Josceline of Lorain, brother-in-law of Henry I., who assumed the surname of his bride. His son, RICHARD DE PERCY, was one of the 25 barons who extorted Magna Charta from King John. His great-grandson, HENRY, LORD PERCY, was created Earl of Northumberland in 1337. He was marshal of England at the coronation of Richard II., against whom, however, he took up arms, and succeeded in placing the crown on the head of the Lancastrian aspirant, Henry IV. He took up arms against this king also, but his forces were beaten at Shrewsbury (1403), where his son, Henry Percy (Hotspur), fell; and again at Bramham Moor (Feb., 1408), where he himself fell. His titles were forfeited, but were revived in favor of his grand son HENRY, who was appointed lord high constable of England, and who fell fight ing in the Lancastrian cause at St. Al
bans (1453). For the same cause his son and successor shared the same fate at Towton (1461). The 4th earl was mur dered during a popular rising, caused by his enforcing a subsidy ordered by the avaricious Henry VII. The 6th and 7th earls fell by the hands of the executioner in the reigns of Edward VI. and Eliza beth respectively. The 8th died a violent death in the Tower, where he was con fined on a charge of taking part in a plot in favor of Mary of Scotland. ALGER NON, the 10th earl, took part in the civil war against Charles I., and afterward used all his influence to bring about the Restoration. JOSCELINE, the 11th earl, died without male issue; his only daugh ter married Charles, Duke of Somerset, and became the mother of ALGERNON, DUKE OF SOMERSET, who was created Earl of Northumberland, with remainder to his son-in-law, SIR HUGH SMITHSON, a Yorkshire baronet of good family. The latter succeeded to the earldom in 1750, assuming the name of Percy, and in 1766 received the ducal title. The present (2uke thus represents the female line of the ancient historical house.