William Douglas (born circ. 1637, died 28th March 1695), Viscount Drumlanrig, was the son of James Douglas, second Earl of Queensberry. In 1671 Lord Drumlanrig succeeded to his father's honours, and in 1681 he received a step in the Peerage, being created first Marquis of Queensberry. In 1684 he was created Duke of Queensberry. His Grace was Justice-General of Scotland in 1680 and a Lord of Session, and from 1682 to 1686 he was High Governor of Edinburgh Castle.
DUDLEY, ROBERT, EARL OF LEICESTER
Crest.—A bear arg., muzzled and chained or, grimpant on a staff raguly arg. A crescent for difference. Dudley.
Initials.—R. D. (Robert Dudley).
[Trissino. La Italia Liberata. Venezia, 1547.]
Robert Dudley (born 24th June 1532, died 4th September 1588) was a son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. In 1549 he married Amy Robsart, who was killed at Cumnor Place in Berks in 1560. It was supposed this was done in order to allow of a marriage between Dudley and Queen Elizabeth.
Lord Robert Dudley was a great favourite both of Edward VI., to whom he had been a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber and Master of the Buckhounds, and of Queen Elizabeth. He was for a time Member of Parliament for Norfolk. With his father, the Duke of Northumberland, Lord Robert conspired to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne of England, and for this he was sentenced to death in 1553, but shortly afterwards he was pardoned and restored in blood. Under Elizabeth Dudley received many honours. He was made Master of the Horse, Lord Steward of the Household, and Knight of the Garter in 1559, and in 1564 Earl of Leicester. In 1564 he was elected Chancellor of Oxford University, and in 1575 he entertained the Queen at his beautiful home at Kenilworth. Leicester was Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire and of other counties, and his possessions were very great. He married a second time in 1573, but left no heir.
The emblem of the ragged staff, or "Sable a staff raguly in bend arg.," was used as a coat-of-arms by the ancient Earls of Warwick, and it shows, as well as a bear, in the representations of the town of Warwick held in the hands of figures in the "Rows Roll," written and illuminated by John Rows of Warwick in the fifteenth century. The bear seems to have been assumed as a cognizance by Earl Arthgallus, and may either have been taken from the Warwick bear or as an allusion to his name "Arth," in British meaning "Bear." The successive Earls of Warwick used the bear and the ragged staff as a badge, and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, whose father, among other honours, was nineteenth Earl of Warwick, used it as a crest. Lord Leicester used a chained bear as his dexter supporter, and the ragged staff shows on one of his many quarterings.