ith the
Conqueror to England, obtained from the king thirty knight's fees in
the north of England. Agnes, daughter of the third baron, married
Josceline of Lovaine, who was descended from Charlemagne, on condition
that he should adopt either the arms, or the name of Percy. There are
some lines under a picture of hers, that describe his choice--

"Lord Percy's heir I was, whose lasting name
By me survives, unto his lasting fame
Brabant's Duke's son I wed, who for my sake
Retained his arms, and Percy's name did take."

In King John's reign, the head of the family was one of the chief
barons who demanded Magna Charta from him, and resisted the Pope when
he made demands that would have been derogatory to the spiritual
independence of the English Crown. The great grandson of this nobleman
was a distinguished commander under Edward III. He acted as Marshal of
England at the coronation of Richard II., and was created Earl of
Northumberland, though he afterwards took up arms against Richard, and
placed the crown upon the head of Henry of Lancaster. Not satisfied
with his government, he joined in rebellion with Hotspur. He fell at
Bramham Moor, and his titles were forfeited, but were restored in the
time of his grandson, who became Lord High Constable of England. He
was killed at the battle of St. Alban's. The fourth Earl was murdered
by the Northumberland populace, who were enraged with him, because he
levied a tax upon the people in aid of Henry VII. The funeral of this
nobleman cost about 15,000 pounds of our present money. The life of
Henry Algernon Percy, the sixth Earl, and his love for Anne Boleyn, are
matters of history. The Earl who headed the rebellion in Elizabeth's
time and who was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle, and afterwards
beheaded as a traitor at York, was the seventh. The eighth Earl was
not less unfortunate, for he was accused of being actively engaged in a
plot, on behalf of Mary, Queen of Scots, and taken to the tower, where
he died a violent death. The daughter of the eleventh Earl married the
Duke of Somerset, and became the mother of Algernon, who was created
Earl of Northumberland. Sir Hugh Smithson, his son-in-law, succeeded
to the Earldom, and became Duke of Northumberland, and the present
noble family represent the ancient Percys in the female line. The
fourth Duke was princely in his benefactions. He spent 40,000 pounds
in the improvement of cottages on his estate, and 40