Edward HERBERT


“HERBERT, EDWARD, Esquire, of Montgomery, was the fourth son of Sir Richard Herbert, of Montgomery, but his eldest son by his second wife Anne, daughter of David ap Evan ap Llewelyn Vaughan, of Trefeglwys. Lord Herbert, of Chirbury, in his autobiography, gives the following interesting account of him:—

“My grandfather was of a various life, beginning first at Court, where after he had spent most part of his means, he became a soldier, and made his fortune with his sword at the siege of St. Quintons in France, and other wars both in the north and in the rebellions hapning in the times of King Edward the 6xt and Queen Mary, with so good success, that he not only came off still with the better, but got so much money and wealth as enabled him to buy the greatest part of that livelyhood which is descended to me; ‘tho yet I hold some lands which his mother the Lady Ann Herbert purchased, as appears by the deeds made to her by that name which I can shew: and might have held more, which my grandfather sold under foot at an under value in his youth, and might have been recovered by my father, had my grandfather suffered him. My grandfather was noted to be a great enemy to the outlaws and thieves of his time, who robbed in great numbers in the mountains of Montgomeryshire, for the suppressing of whom he went both day and night to the places where they were, concerning which the many particulars have been told me, I shall mention one only. Some outlaws being lodged in an alehouse upon the hills of Llandinam, my grandfather and a few servants coming to apprehend them, the principal outlaw shot an arrow against my grandfather, which stuck in the pummel of his saddle, whereupon my grandfather coming up to him with his sword in hand, and taking him prisoner, he shewed him the said arrow, bidding him look what he had done, whereof the outlaw was no farther sensible than to say he was sorry that he left his better bow at home, which he conceived would have carryed his shot to his body, but the outlaw being brought to justice suffered for it. My grandfather’s power was so great in the countrey, that divers ancestors of the better families now in Montgomeryshire were his servants, and rais’d by him. He delighted also much in hospitality, as having a very long table twice covered every meal with the best meats that could be gotten, and a very great family. It was an ordinary saying in the countrey at that time, when they saw any fowl rise, ‘ Fly where thou wilt, thou wilt light at ‘Black-hall,’ which was a low building, but of great capacity, my grandfather erected in his age ; his father and himself in former times having lived in Montgomery Castle. Notwithstanding yet these expences at home, he brought up his children well, married his daughters to the better sort of persons near him, and bringing up his younger sons at the University; …… Nothwithstanding all which occasions of expence, my grandfather pxu’chased much lands without doing anything yet unjustly or hardly …… He died at the age of fourscore or thereabouts, and was buried in Montgomery Church without having any monument made for him.”

He served the office of Sheriff in 1557 and 1568, and he is also described as lord of Cherbury, one of the Justices of the Quorum, High Steward and Constable of Montgomery Castle, High Steward under the king of the hundreds of Halceter, Kerry, Cedewain, Arwystli and Cyfeiliog, and Custos Rotulorum. He is stated to have been “Captain-general over 500 men” at the great battle of St. Quinten already referred to, which took place on the 10th of August, 1557, and to have materially aided in the suppression of a formidable insurrection in Devonshire and Cornwall in 1549. He also represented the County of Montgomery in Parliament for about 20 years, namely from 1552 to 1572. He died in 1592. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Matthew Pryce, Esq., of Newtown, by whom he had four sous (three of whom became ancestors of peers) and seven daughters.”

Taken from: Montgomeryshire Worthies (1894) by Richard Williams

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