The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-17
EDMUND c.. Perry is
EARL'S ONLY BROTHER

kindly In his manner. He bsars the
Royal Arms Of England. brised with
a bar sinister. For he 10 descended
from the hrst Duke Of Grafton, be-
lieved by Charles II. to be his son by
his favortte Barbara vtllisrs. who
after hourishinE successivsly a. the
wife Of Roger Palmer. Earl Of Castle
maine. and OF "Bsau", Fielding. died
As Duchess OF Cleveland. Countess OF
Southampton and Baroness Nonsvch.
True. 1t 10 claimed by eminent gene
aloSists and by students Of history
that research shows the real father
Of the fair Barbara's son Henry F1tz-
roy. drst Duke Of Grafton. to have
been Sir Charles Berkeley. one Of the
boon companions Of the Merle Mon
arch" But the Royal College Of Her
aids Of England. the Crown. and all
the standard "PeeraSes' admit the
pretensions OF the Duke Of Grafton to
be descended from Charles IL and SO
their royal ancestry may be described
as onicial. though open to question.
The principal home Of the Duke Of
Grafton, namely Euston Hall. In Suf-
folk. was badly damaged some years
ago by fire. which fortunately spared
the vandyke and other valuable paint.
ings. 1t has been in the possession Of
the family since the drst duke. who
figured Is Lord High Constable Of
England at the coronation Of his
uncle, James IL. and was afterwards
one of the chief commanders OF the
army that defeated the insurrection
OF his half-brother. the Inflated Duke
OF Monmouth. also . son Of Charles
H.. and who per1shed on the scaffold.
Later on this Duke Of Grafton de.
serted the cause OF King James for
that Of William Of Orange. and while
fighting for the latter was mortally
wounded In the storminS OF Cork.
From a historical point Of view. the
most famous OF the Dukee OF Grafton
was the third Duke. great grandfather
great a role as statesman throughout
the long reign Of George III. To him
many Of the most savage Of the public
letters OF the still mysterious "Junius'
were addressed. and during his day
Euston was the scene OF many an
important political gathering. in which
Fox. Pitt. Lord North. and Lord Rock
ingham participated. While he un-
doubleday laid himself open to many
Of the reproaches which were hurled
against him from every side. yet much
to his disapproval OF the policy Of
the Crown and Of the nation. with
regard to the American colonies, which
resulted in their secession. and In their
transformation into the United States.
He was the friend and patron OF the
poet Bloomfield. whose praise Of the
Duke in The Farmers Boy and in
other verses. may be set against tho
vitriolic denunciations OF Junius.
The present Duke, who has been
connected with the Royal Household
as -chief, ever since 1916.
and who can boast of having been
intimately associated. not only with
the present King, but also with Ed
ward VII. since their respective child
hoods. and who was a particular fav-
orite Of Queen Victoria, and of her
husband. the Prince Consort, has old
fashioned ideas about the observance
of Sunday, and on his estate exacts
that each tenant and his family should
attend some place Of worship with
regularity on Sunday and that mo
work shall be done on the land on
the Sabbath, or even any vegetables
taken from the ground after ten
O'Clock in the morning. under the
penalty Of the cancellation Of the
lease.
OF course the duke has been q good
deal criticized for this. especially In
the Liberal papers. But after all. it IS
IN keeping with the excellent prin-
pies which guide the conduct OF so
many of the great mobiles and terri
torial magnates in Europe. and which
causes them to look upon themselves
as responsible not only for the ma
terial. but likewise for the moral well
fare Of all the people on their estates.
Since Lord customs death last spring
his younger brother, until then known
as Colonel Lord Alfred Fttzroy. FOR
merly of the Coldstream Guards. and
man CT sixty-two, has become next
heir to the Dukedom of Grafton. and
to the estates. The second heir. Al
fred's own son. William Fttzroy. now
ahonS tventy-eisht years of age. is
known as viscount Ipswich.
copyright, 1912, by the Brentwood
Company