The Project Gutenberg EBook of Henrietta Temple, by Benjamin Disraeli

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Title: Henrietta Temple
A Love Story

Author: Benjamin Disraeli

Release Date: November 12, 2006 [EBook #19771]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HENRIETTA TEMPLE ***

Produced by David Widger

HENRIETTA TEMPLE

By Benjamin Disraeli

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TO THE COUNT ALFRED D'ORSAY

THESE VOLUMES ARE INSCRIBED

BY

HIS AFFECTIONATE FRIEND.

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HENRIETTA TEMPLE

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BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.

_Some Account of the Family of Armine, and
Especially of Sir Ferdinand and of Sir Ratcliffe._

THE family of Armine entered England with William the Norman. Ralph
d'Armyn was standard-bearer of the Conqueror, and shared prodigally in
the plunder, as appears by Doomsday Book. At the time of the general
survey the family of Ermyn, or Armyn, possessed numerous manors in
Nottinghamshire, and several in the shire of Lincoln. William D'Armyn,
lord of the honour of Armyn, was one of the subscribing Barons to the
Great Charter. His predecessor died in the Holy Land before Ascalon.
A succession of stout barons and valiant knights maintained the high
fortunes of the family; and in the course of the various struggles with
France they obtained possession of several fair castles in Guienne and
Gascony. In the Wars of the Roses the Armyns sided with the house of
Lancaster. Ferdinand Armyn, who shared the exile of Henry the Seventh,
was knighted on Bosworth Field, and soon after created Earl of
Tewkesbury. Faithful to the Church, the second Lord Tewkesbury became
involved in one of those numerous risings that harassed the last years
of Henry the Eighth. The rebellion was unsuccessful, Lord Tewkesbury was
beheaded, his blood attainted, and his numerous estates forfeited to the
Crown. A younger branch of the family, who had adopted Protestantism,
married the daughter