ESSEX, EARLS OF. Warren DEVEREOX, first earl of Essex, the son of Sir Richard Devcreux sod Dorothy, daughter of George, earl of Huntingdon, was born in Cserrnarthenshire, at the castle of his grandfather, Walter Viscount Hereford, about the year 1540. 110 succeeded to the titles of Viscount Hereford and Lord Ferrets of Chartley in his nineteenth year, and was early married to Lattice, daughter of Sir Francis Knolls,. When the rebellion, headed by the earls of Northumberland and Westmorland, broke out in 1569, he raised a considerable body of troops, and, in conjunction with other forces, compelled the rebels to retreat into Scotland. The courage that be displayed during this warfare recommended him to Queen Elizabeth, who bed ever esteemed his loyalty and superior intelli gence: in gratitude for the service that he had rendered her, she conferred on him the order of the Garter, end created him Earl of Essex (1572). Ha now became so great a favourite with the queen, that Leicester and others about the court, jealous of his increasing influence, encouraged Essex to enter upon a scheme for subduing and colonising a district of the province of Ulster. Ile had for some time contemplated such an expedition, and having been ',emended to take the command, embarked from Liverpool in August 1573, in company with Lord Darcy, Lord Rich, and other persons of distinction. He contracted to furnish one-half of the expense of the undertaking, in consideration of which he was to have one-half of the colony as soon as it was established. Hie arms at the outset met with various success; but after a time his English friends deserted him, sod their loss, together with the enmity of many courtiers at home, soon multiplied difficulties round him. Ito was obliged to resume the government of Ulster, which be had previouely resigned; and ho was compelled to make peace with O'Neil when his pursuit of the rebels under that leader gave every prospect of success. Ho was required
to give up his command when he had nearly dispossessed the Scots, who had invaded the western islands in his territory, and with 'no other title than that of captain was made to servo at the head of a small body of 300 men. Feeling himself harassed and oppressed, he returned to England; but having received, with the title of Earl Marshal of Ireland, promises that he should have greater liberty of action allowed him If he would go back to that country, ho consented to return to his poet. The improvement of his situation however was so small that Ills spirit. were affected; the effects of grief were soon aisible in his constitution ; a dysentery attacked Lim, and, after a mooth'e pain and misery, he died at Dublin, on the 22nd of September 1576: his body was removed for interment to the parish church at Caermerthen. The sudden failure of his health gave rise to a sus picion of his basing been poisoned ; but no evidence whatever could be adduced to prove the fact The speedy marriage of the Countess of Essex to Leicester, who was suspected of being a party to the murder of her late husband, did not tend to throw discredit on the report. Essex left two eons and two daughters. Of tho sons we subjoin a further account Of the daughters, Penelope (the Stella of Sir Philip Sidney) first married Robert Lord Rich, afterwards Charles Blount, earl of Devonshire; and Dorothy married first Sir Thomas Perrot, and afterwards Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland.