us of the man, as it must appear in future history. When the feminine apprehension of the magic of his name, or hatred to his ashes, that consigned them to such a grave, instead of bringing them to Europe, has subsided, and his virtues and vices are duly weighed, unwarped by modern prejudices, his name, connected with his gigantic exploits, will still more resemble the rock of St. Helena rising "majestic 'mid the solitude of time."

LORD BYRON.

THE nobleman who once bore the honours and the name of BYRON, requires not the equivocal aid of ancestry to distinguish him from the common tribe, either of patricians or of plebeians. Genius is a brilliant jewel, even in a coronet; and though much depends upon the setting, it generally enables its possessor to soar

Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate,

Beneath the good how far-yet far above the great!

The family of Byron were early seated at the lordship of Clayton, in Lancashire. Sir Richard Byron, who died in 1398, acquired possessions in Nottinghamshire, by marrying the heiress of Colewick. His descendant, Sir John Byron, of Colewick, took part with Henry, Earl of Richmond, at the battle of Bosworth; and died in 1488. His grandson, Sir John Byron, had a grant of the priory of Newstead, in Nottinghamshire, in 1540. His son, Sir John, had three sons and five daughters.

Sir Nicholas Byron, the eldest son, was an eminent loyalist, who having distinguished himself in the wars of the low countries, was appointed governor of Chester, in 1642. Lord Clarendon says, 'he was a soldier of very good command, who being a person of great affability and dexterity, as well as martial knowledge, gave great life to the designs of the well affected there; and, with the encouragement of some gentlemen of North Wales, in a short time raised such a power of horse and foot, as made often skirmishes with the enemy; sometimes with notable advantage; never with any signal loss.'

He had two sons, who both died without issue; and his younger brother, Sir John, became their male heir: this person was made a knight of the bath, at the coronation of James I. He had eleven sons, of whom the major part distinguished themselves for their loyalty and gallantry on the side of Charles I. Sir Thomas, a younger son, commanded the Prince of Wales's regiment at the battle of Hopton Heath; and Lord Clarendon calls him a gentleman of great courage, and very good conduct, who charged with good execution.' His elder brother,

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Sir John Byron, makes a conspicuous figure in the pages of that noble historian, for his activity, and the important commands entrusted to him. 'In truth,' says he, 'there was no gentleman in the kingdom of a better reputation among all sorts of men.'

On his appointment to the lieutenancy of the Tower of London, the opponents of the court remonstrated; and the king answered that he did not expect, having preferred a person of a known fortune and unquestionable reputation to that trust, he should have been pressed to remove him without any particular charge:' but afterwards, when Sir John himself desired to be freed from the agony and vexation of that place,' His Majesty consented to the alteration.

He was created Lord Byron, Oct. 24, 1643, with a collateral remainder to his brothers. After various honourable services, he was, on the decline of the king's affairs, appointed governor to the Duke of York; in which office he died in France, in 1652, without issue. His brother, Richard, became second Lord Byron : he was knighted by Charles I. and had a command at the battle of Edgehill. He was governor of Ap

pleby Castle, and also distinguished himself in the Government of Newark. He died 1679, aged seventy-four, and it is recorded on his tomb, in the church of Huncknal Torkard, that,' with the rest of his family, being seven brothers, he faithfully served King Charles I. in the civil wars,' and that they 'suffered much from their loyalty, and lost all their fortunes: yet it pleased God so to bless the honest endeavours of the said Richard, Lord Byron, that he re-purchased part of their ancient inheritance, which he left to his posterity, with a laudable memory for great piety and charity.'

His son William, third Lord Byron, died 1695, leaving his son William fourth peer, who died at Newstead abbey, 1737, leaving five sons, of whom John, the second, was the well known admiral; but William, the eldest, became fifth peer, and died, without surviving issue male, May 19,1791, on which the honour fell to his great nephew, George Gordon Byron, the late and sixth Lord Byron.

The mother of the late Lord was Miss Gordon, of Gight. She is said to have been the last of that branch of the family who are