ward, Earl and Marquis of Esmond, and Lord of
Castlewood, which lady married, 23 Eliz., Henry Poyns, gent.; the said
Henry being then a page in the household of her father. Francis, son and
heir of the above Henry and Dorothea, who took the maternal name which the
family hath borne subsequently, was made knight and baronet by King James
the First; and, being of a military disposition, remained long in Germany
with the Elector-Palatine, in whose service Sir Francis incurred both
expense and danger, lending large sums of money to that unfortunate
prince; and receiving many wounds in the battles against the Imperialists,
in which Sir Francis engaged.

On his return home Sir Francis was rewarded for his services and many
sacrifices, by his late Majesty James the First, who graciously conferred
upon this tried servant the post of Warden of the Butteries and Groom of
the King's Posset, which high and confidential office he filled in that
king's, and his unhappy successor's, reign.

His age, and many wounds and infirmities, obliged Sir Francis to perform
much of his duty by deputy; and his son, Sir George Esmond, knight and
banneret, first as his father's lieutenant, and afterwards as inheritor of
his father's title and dignity, performed this office during almost the
whole of the reign of King Charles the First, and his two sons who
succeeded him.

Sir George Esmond married rather beneath the rank that a person of his
name and honour might aspire to, the daughter of Thos. Topham, of the city
of London, alderman and goldsmith, who, taking the Parliamentary side in
the troubles then commencing, disappointed Sir George of the property
which he expected at the demise of his father-in-law, who devised his
money to his second daughter, Barbara, a spinster.

Sir George Esmond, on his part, was conspicuous for his attachment and
loyalty to the royal cause and person, and the king being at Oxford in
1642, Sir George, with the consent of his father, then very aged and
infirm, and residing at his house of Castlewood, melted the whole of the
family plate for his Majesty's service.

For this, and other sacrifices and merits, his Majesty, by patent under
the Privy Seal, dated Oxford, Jan., 1643, was pleased to advance Sir
Francis Esmond to the dignity of Viscount Castlewood, of Shandon, in
Ireland: and the viscount's estate being much impoverished by loans to the
king, which in those troublesome times his Majesty could not repay, a
gr