Thomas Browne of the City of London, who, inheriting the fortune of Sir Charles Duncombe assumed with her husband the name of Duncombe. Their descendant William Ernest Duncombe, Third Baron Feversham was created Viscount Helmsley of Helmsley and Earl of Feversham, 25 July 1868. From the town and manor of Elmeslac,* the family of de Helmeslac, de Hamelac, de Helmysley, de Helmesle, de Hemelseye, de Elmeslay, de Hemelsey, de Helmesley, Hemysley, Emesley, Hemeslay, Emsley, Helmsley, Hemslay and Hemsley derived their surname. About the close of the sixteenth century, however, the surname was usually spelt Hemsley, as shown by the wills filed and probated in the York Registry, and published by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Record Series. The first mention of the surname is in a grant from Robert de Stuteville iii, to Rievaulx Abbey, of the entire vill of Houston in 1181, wherein appears the name of Willelmo de Helmeslac, and also that of Bernardus de Helmeslac in 1291. (Chartulary of Rievaulx.) William de Hamelac (Helmsley) was Prior of Helaugh Priory, in northwest Yorkshire, two miles from Reeth, in 1218. (Dugdale's Monasticon Vol. 5.) Adam de Helmesle was Canon of Walton, Yorkshire, temp Edw. i. At an inquisition held in Yorkshire, 45 Henry iii, (1264), Walter de Hemelsey is mentioned, and at another inquisition held at York, in 1292, Robert de Helmysley is mentioned, and at an inquisition in 1302, the name of Henry de Hemelseye appears. In the Issue Rolls of the Exchequer, 32 Edw. iii, 17 Jan. 1359, is this entry, "To Miles de Stapelton, in money paid to him by the hands of William de Helmesley, for his wages in going as the King's Messenger to Normandy. By writ of Privy Seal, &c, £50." Robert de Helmsley was Abbot, in 1370-1381, of Byland Abbey, (Yorkshire Archaeological Society, vol. 17), founded in 1143, for Cistercian Monks, by Roger de Mowbray, a great * The original nomenclature of Helmsley, meaning "a forest glade distinguished by a large elm tree." Norman, who to the calm retirement of Byland, in his old age, did the warlike founder retreat, and after having fought the Holy Wars in Palestine took upon himself the monastic habit and here ended his days. The once beautiful Abbey is now in ruins. "And lo, these mouldering fragments to sustain, Her graceful network nature's hand hath hung; William de Helmesley was Member of Parliament from York, in 1392, and Lord Mayor of York, in 1395. John de Helmesley was Prior of Kirkham Priory, in 1398. It was situated in a meadow of great beauty on the river Derwent, and bounded by low wooded hills. John de Helmsley was Prior of Guisborough Priory, in 13981408, founded in 1129, for the Augustinians, by Robert de Brus, Lord of Skelton, eldest son of Robert de Brus, who came over with the Conqueror, and from whom was descended Robert Bruce, King of Scotland. Many of the Bruces, Nevilles, Latymers and D'Arcys are buried there. The Priory is said to have been "classical in its majesty and simplicity, a masterpiece of the highest type of Gothic design." In Testamenta Eboracensia, Surtees Society Publications, Vol. 45, is the following profession. "1425, 20 Sept. Commission "to Nicholas, Bishop of Dromore, to veil Cecily, widow of "John Helmesley of Gisburne, and her profession. I, Cecill, "sometyme ye wyfe off John Helmesley, of Giseburn in Clive"land, whose soule God assoyle, avowe to be chaste fro this "tyme forward, in the presence of you, holy fader, at this tyme 'suffragayn of the kirke off Yorke, be the commission and "auctorite given you of myne wurschipfull lorde's William the "dean and chapetre off York, the see of the erschebischopryke "beyng voyde; and I behete to lyfe stabely in this avowe "duryng my lyfe. And, in wittenes ther off, I with my owne "hand makes here this subscripcion.+" William Helmesley was Prior of Newburgh Priory, in 14591463, founded in 1145, by Roger de Mowbray for Augustine Canons. Rev. William Helmsley, Vicar of Marske, in his will dated 8 August 1460, directs that his body be buried in the high choir of Marske Church before the image of St. Germain. He bequeathed to the said choir his surplice for the honour of God, and twenty pence to the light of the Blessed Virgin, and twenty pence to the light of St. Germain, in Marske Church. These lights would be large wax candles burning perpetually before these images. Sir Richard Helmysley was Chaplain of Thrisk, Yorkshire, in 1471. Rev. William Helmeslay was Vicar of Patching, Sussex, in 1475. William Helmesley, D.D., a graduate of Oxford, was Abbot of Rievaulx Abbey, in 1513-1529 (Dugdale's Monasticon). It was the most beautiful of all the Cistercian Abbeys, situated on the river Rye, in a rich and well wooded valley, hidden in a deep glen, a lovely and sheltered haven and the most typical and perfect abbey of monastic England. Its Abbot was head of the order in England. Nowhere were there more splendid monasteries than in Yorkshire, many of them being situated in lonely mountain valleys away from the haunts of men. Several of their Abbots wore mitres, and sat in the House of Lords. In the York Register, published by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Record Series, there are many wills of this family under the different ways of spelling, from 1535 to 1600. In the Parish Register of Otley, Yorkshire, is recorded the baptism of William, son of Alexander Hemsley of Denton, Yorkshire, in 1614. And another William Hemesley was "buryed the 16th day of Aprill 1628, Parish of St. Michael le Belfrey, City of York." The first members of the Hemsley family to settle in the Province of Maryland, were William Hemsley, a chirurgeon, his wife Judith and his daughter Penelope Hemsley, in 1658. It is not known positively from what part of England they emigrated, but it is more than probable they were from Yorkshire, where the family surname originated and was variously spelt for many generations. Like a great number of the early settlers William Hemsley took up and had surveyed several large tracts of land. These lands were located in what was then Kent County, but now lying partly in the counties of Queen Anne's and Talbot, on the Wye and Chester Rivers and on the Eastern bay, bordering upon the blue waters of the Chesapeake, a very beautiful and picturesque part of the Eastern Shore. Among the prominent members of this family were: WILLIAM HEMSLEY, 1685. Sheriff of Kent County, 1663. Clerk of Talbot County, 1668-1673. WILLIAM HEMSLEY, 2nd, 1661-1699. Clerk of Indictments Kent County, 1696. Burgess for Talbot County, 1698. PHILEMON HEMSLEY, 1670-1719. Deputy Surveyor General 1695. Justice for Talbot County, 1702. Justice for Queen Anne's County, 1706, 1708. Burgess for Q. A. Co. 1708– 1711. VINCENT HEMSLEY, 1672-1729. High Sheriff of Talbot County, 1702-1703. WILLIAM HEMSLEY, 1703-1736. High Sheriff of Queen Anne's County, 1724. Justice, 1729. Burgess, 1728-1736. WILLIAM HEMSLEY, 1737-1812. Provincial Treasurer of the Eastern Shore, 1773. Colonel 20th Battalion Q. A. Co. Militia, 1777. Justice Q. A. Co., 1777. Member Continental Congress, 1782-1784. State Senator, 1779-1781, 1786-1790, 1800. THE RIDGELYS The return of the survey for Domesday Book, which was completed twenty years after the Conquest, shows at that time among the Terra Regis in Staffordshire was the manor of Rugelie, being a part of the confiscated estate of Algar, Earl of Mercia, who was the son of Leofric, Earl of Mercia and the celebrated Lady Godiva. In early ante-Roman days Staffordshire was famous for the presence and power of the Druids. According to Caesar's Commentaries, "The Druids attend to Divine Worship, perform public and private sacrifices, and expound matters of religion. They believe that men's souls do not perish, but transmigrate after death from one individual to another." "The sources of sacred things are hidden in night," says the Druid priest in Lights and Shadows of the Early Dawn, "our aged priests teach the sacred words in solemn chants to the priestly neophytes, and initiate them in the sacred rites. So we were taught; so shall we teach those that follow. We have but one image of the highest, if indeed, he is only an image! Our worship is directed to the Sun. Following his eternal course from east to west our sacred dances move. At his rising we rejoice. When in flowery May his beams once more begin to make the earth fruitful, we kindle in his honor the 'Fire of God,' and begin our year anew. When he has risen in midsummer to his highest seat in the heavens, and reigns in his fullest might, we kindle the sacred 'Fire of Peace,' in honor of his peaceful and consummated dominion." The Druid priests had an unbounded influence over their followers at all times and on every subject; they held with a powerful restraining hand the reins of a government oligarchical in its form and in directing all things, whether of a religious or secular character; they pretended to have the exclusive right and ability of educating the youth, and all by means |