Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-08

I'm the reign of Edward III, Sir Stephen de
Washington appears in tournament, bearing upon
his shield of blue device of a golden rose.
"In A. D. 1916 King David of Scotland invaded
Northumberland with his army while Edward the
Black Prince and his were away with his
armies in France To Queen Ph1ll1ppas call upon
her prelates to join her in the field Bishop Hat
field of Durham responded st. Cuthberts banner
unfurled and followed by a military train OF
forty-eight knights with three bannerets; sixty
four esquires and eight archers on horseback. AT
the battle of Nevis Cross, Durham King
David was defeated and taken prisoner. The
Queen flushed with victory, fastened with the
Bishop of Durham and his train across the sea
to Joint King Edward arriving just in time to be
present at the surrender of Calais, A d. 1886.
"The last feudal service of the family was render
ed by Sir William de washington of the Privy
Council during the Episcopate of George Fordham
when the whole palatinate called out to repulse
foray of Scots In the battle of Ouderman, which
followed, Sir William Douglass and Hotspur Percy
were taken prisoners.
"With the passing of this Sir William de wess-
ington the male line became extinct, after over
two hundred years service in the Privy Council
of the paatnate and the following of st. Cuth-
bert's banner the field. From that time they are
traced through the Cloisters.
"In A. D. 1416, John de washington was elected
prior of the Benedictine Convent, attached to the
Cathedral. The monks of this convent had been
licensed by Pope Gregory VII to perform the
Cathedral duties, and from William the Conqueror
came the order that the Priors of Durham should
enjoy all of the honors and liberties and dgnities
of Abbotts; should hold their lands and churches
in their hands, and have the Abbotts seated
the left side of the choir, thus taking precedence
all the Bishop.
For the three more centuries preceding the
installation of John de Washington, a conse-
quence of continual disputes about this office, the
priors had lost much of their prestige, and had
been outranked. John de washington determined
to claim and maintain his rights decreed by the
Conqueror, succeeded in establishing their validity
and seated himself firmly In the Abbot's chair.
This brought him much renown. During his
hirfU If or7rpo and dvin In
of sanctity A. D. 1446 he was buried like soldier
on the battlefield, near the altar of St Benedict.
"Such were the warlike and imposing scenes in
which the de Wessingtons took part by reason of
their feudal duties councillors, knights and
warriors of the palatinate, and their priestly du
ties Of church and coister. They form fitting
advance guard for their descendant, the first
President of the United States, who honored the
blood of his ancestors in every duty he called
upon to sustain on the battlefield, or as chief coun
selor of the nation IL the genesis of the republic
By the XIV century the main root of the de Wess
ingtons had divided into many shoots and
branches They had separated and settled in var
ious parts of England, having intermarried with
the most distinguished families among them the
de Ferrers and the Lawrences lineal descendants
OF Charemagne and Alfred the Great, the first
lawmaker, upon whose wise statutes all of
laws are based Late researches have shown both
Charlemagne and Alfred the Great to be lineal des
cendants of King David. He sprung Immediately
from Lawrence Washington, ESQ.,. of Gray's Inn,
at time mayor of Northampton; of John
Washington of Waston in Lancashire. He received
A. D. 1888, from Henry VIII, grant Of the Manor
Sulgrave, which remained in the family until 1920
A. D. One of the Sulgrave line Sir William Wash
ington, married sister of George Villers, Duke
of buckingham, the unfortunate favorite of
Charles thereby connecting this branch with the
Stuart dynasty to which they were loyal adherents
to the end One of them, Lieut. Col James Wash
ington lost his life In the siege of Pentefroct
Castle.
"sir Henry, son and heir of Sir William served
St0rmfnQ of