The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-26
nY IA MARauIsE DE FONTENoY.

BY Ia MiRaUIsE DE FONTENoY.
~ NERYBODY who is interested in
L. the preservation of old-tine fea-
lures OF English life will expe-
rience certain sensation of sad
ness on learning of the death of the
only remaining bull OF the famous
head OF the grand looking old beast,
the last of historic line, is now being
prepared by the Wards, the weil-known
taxidermists in Piccadiily, for preserV-
alton in the great National Museum OF
Natural History. at South Kensington
The bull belonged 10 the Duke OF Bed
ford. But the latter. although he had
in 1903 transferred the herd TO Woburn
Abbey. was moved by sense OF the
fitness OF thingsS to send back the
animal some months ago 10 Charley
to die in that park, where 1t had been
calved. and where It's ancestors had
roamed for so many centuries.
OF the origin of the celebrated Chart
ley herd OF wild cattle. which was
always OF cream color, with black
ears and lnuzzles, nothing very definite
is known. excepting that they We're
driven into Charley Park from the
the reign of Henry III, and contempo-
rary records dealing with the sojourn
of Mary, Queen of Scots. at Chartiey
Hall. which is in staffordshtpe. refer TO
as being of very ancient descent.
This herd of cattle may be said to
have been identified for many hundreds
of years with the fortunes of the
having been established at Neither
Ellington in the reign OF King Edward
the Confessor. and the Christian name
of Sewallus, borne by the Shirleys at
borne to-day by the Earl of Ferrers,
the head OF the house; for there has
been legend TO the effect that when
ever the hue of the herd was sullied
by the introduction of black or colored
the herd gave birth to calves that
We're black or colored. misfortunes
would overtake the Shirley family. The
first instance of the kind is recorded
to have taken place in 1922, when the
the ruin of the owner of Charley Hail
OF the day. The consignment of the
fourth Earl Ferrers to the gallows IN
May, 1860. for the cold FLOODED murder
of his steward, and his execution at
Tyburn by means of silken rope. was
likewise, according to the annals Of
the family. Immediately preceded by
the birth of black calf to the herd or
earl, finding that owing to interbreed,
ing. the herd was in a bad way, scored
at family tradition, and with the OBJ
ject of strengthening the breed, placed
liberately bred black calves from the
white cattle. The peasantry. OF the
district. some of whose families had
kept their holdings for hundreds OF
years, shook their heads ominously,
predicting fresh disasters for the mas
ter ofs Charley Hall. Their prognosti-
cations We're fulfilled. He was over
taken by financial troubles. which
forced him TO sell both his ancestral
home and the famous herd Of cattle:
which was purchased by the Duke OF
Bedford and transferred to his Woburn
Abbey estate,
The present Lord Fert'ers is child
less widower. and the next heir is wal.
ter Shirley, son of the late Bishop OF
Sodor and Man, who is Obliged to go
back to the first earl, from whose
fourth son. Lawrence he is descended,
In order to establish his relationship.
thanks to his wife, who Is daughter
and heiress Of the late Robert Moon.
He can boast of the sarAe descent as
the first President of the United States,
Elizabeth washington, only child and
heiress of Lawrence washington
Lawrence's elder brother, Robert Wash
ington, was lord Of the manor Of Sui
the first President Of the United States,
is lineally and in the male line de-
scended.
It is likewise worthy of note that a
connection of the fourth Earl Ferrers
who was hanged for murder. and q
namesake of the future Earl Ferrers
namely, Walter Shirley, was colonial
Governor OF Massachusetts and COM
| mander-in- chief OF the British forces
in America at the time of the com-
mencement of those troubles between
the American colonies and. the mother
country which eliminated In the Revo-
lutionary War and in the Declaration
OF Independence.
The Nerrers peerage came into the
Shirley family through the marriage
of Sir Horny Shirley, Of Charley Park
to Lady Dorothy DevereuX. younger
daughter of Queen Elizabeth'ss fayor-
ite Robert Devereux, Earl Of ESSEX oi,
who was likewise Lord FerrersI "
the death of Lord Essex his barony OF
Ferrers fell into. abeyan,Gee nee I, iron y
Whence IT. was, called by Charles CHARLES y y
Charley Park, grandson of the Lady
Dorothy Devereux above mentioned
subsequently King Charles aaVaarn an y,
worth Won L and Earl Ferrers,
| 1T is UNNECESSARY. to recall here the