• General Notes

  of, Chiselhampton, Oxfordshire, England
  
  d. Black Assizes, Oxfordshire, England
  
  
  "Was killed at the Black Assizes by the stench of the prisoners"
  
  "The court was surprised with a pestilent savour, whether rising from the noisome smell of the prisoners, or from the damp of the ground, is uncertain; but all that were present, within forty-eight hours, died, except women and children, and the contagion went no further"
  
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  Sir Robert D'Oyly of Greenland House, co. Bucks, Knt. eldest son and heir, was born about 1542, and succeeding to the Bucks estates under his father's will, at the age of twenty-eight, was well calculated to enjoy them, and lived in good style at Greenland House during Elizabeth's reign; to whom he is said to have been "a great courtier," He sued out his livery May, 12th Eliz.[282] In 15th Eliz. 1573, he was appointed a Commissioner for inquiring into the riots, offences, and conspiracies, &c. against the Act for Uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, which had then lately occurred in Oxfordshire and many other counties,[283] In the following year the Heralds made their visitation of Oxfordshire, but he left the recording of the family pedigree to his uncle Robert D'Oyly of Merton: the Heralds, however, entered his arms "Or, two bends azure" (quarterly with Moore) in the visitation, designating it that of "Robert D'Oyly of Turvil."[284] In 1576 he was knighted by Queen Eliz.;[285] but he did not enjoy his dignity long; for, though his mother. had passed him the reversion of Chislehampton, he predeceased her, being killed by the pestilence at the Black Assizes at Oxford the following year, July 1577,[286] together with many of his relations and friends, (his uncle D'Oyly of Merton, then High Sheriff of Oxfordshire among the rest), and various persons of distinction.—Of this strange disease both Holinshed and Baker make mention; an account of it was published at the time, from which we find it was supposed to have arisen either from the dampness of the ground, or from the stench of the prisoners; that the sufferers bled till they died, and "strove so much with their sicknesse that the blood issued out at their vents, yet had they perfect memory, even till they gave up their breath." Upwards of five hundred persons died of it between the 6th July and l2th August, but none after that day, for the disease was not infectious, and, what is more extraordinary, no woman or child died of it. It arose during the trial of a prisoner, named Jenks, for sedition,286—Sir Robert D'Oyly died (æt. but 35) soon after his attack, and was buried in the D'Oylys' dormitory in Hambleden church, 29 July 1577- He had married Elizabeth, third dau. of Sir Nicholas Bacon, of Redgrave, co. Suffolk, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under Queen Elizabeth (by Jane his first wife, daughter of William Fernley, of West Creeting, co. Suffolk, Esq.) and sister to Sir Nicholas Bacon, Bart. and to Sir Nathaniel Bacon the painter, sister-in-law to Sir Francis Wyndham, Justice of the Common Pleas, and half sister to the illustrious Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam. The Bacons bore, "Gules, on a chief argent two mullets sable," but were more ennobled by their deserved distinction, during the sixteenth and seventeenth century, than by their exploits at Cressy or Agincourt; still they could boast a very good pedigree.[287] Leaving no surviving issue, Sir Robert D'Oyly willed all the property he could dispose of to Elizabeth his wife, on whom he had also settled the manors and mansions of Turville and Greenland House in jointure. His will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, the said Elizabeth being executrix;[288] and his inquis. post mort. made 20th Eliz.[289]—Elizabeth his wife survived him between forty and fifty years, and was twice more married. Her second husband was Sir Henry Neville, of Billingbeare, co. Berks, Knt., who had been Privy Councillor to Kings Henry VIII. and Edw. VI., and was brother of Edward Neville Lord Abergavenny, and descended, not only from the great house of Neville Earls of Westmoreland, but also from the body of King Edward III.[290] The arms of Neville were, "Gules, on a saltier argent, a rose of the field," She was his second wife, and had no issue by him, though he by his former lady, Elizabeth, daughter and sole heiress of Sir John Gresham of London, was father of Sir Henry Neville (progenitor of the Lords Braybrooke) and of Catharine, wife of Edmond D'Oyly, Esq. of Shottisham, co. Norfolk; (see that family). Sir Henry Neville had two chancery suits in her right; one against her brother-in-law Henry D'Oyly,[291] and another (joined by her brother-in-law John D'Oyly, Esq.) against the Perrott family, respecting Chislehampton;[292] and, dying January 1593, was interred in Laurence Waltham church, co. Berks.[293]—She then married, thirdly, the distinguished Sir William Periam, of Little Fulford, co. Devon, Knt.[294] Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer temp. James I.[295] who bore, "Gules, a chevron engrailed between three leopards' heads or." She was his second wife also, and bore him no issue; though he, by his former lady, left coheiresses at his death. Thus Dame Elizabeth D'Oyly having married three distinguished knights, and survived them all, once more betook her to her D'Oyly jointure, Greenland House, co. Bucks, and died at a fine old age in May 1621, and was buried at Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, in which church remains a Latin inscription to her memory, reciting her marriages and her various charities.[296] By her will it appears that Greenland House was richly furnished and of great extent. She made many charitable bequests; amongst others left a farm in Hambleden parish to Archbishop Laud, (then Dean of Gloucester,) in trust to be applied to some college in Oxford at his discretion; in consequence of which he founded a fellowship and two scholarships in Baliol College. Lady Periam also endowed the grammar school at Henley on Thames.[297] At her death the D'Oylys' estates, held by her, fell to the family of her brother in law John D'Oyly of Chislehampton; except only Turville manor, the reversion of which was not D'Oyly property at her death, though soon after repurchased by a younger branch of the family. Sir Robert D'Oyly had by her however an only child,
  I. Nicholas D'Oyly, (christened no doubt after his maternal grandfather), who was baptized at Hambleden 1 July, 1571, but died under six years of age, v.p.

Details of Robert's family with Elizabeth Bacon