This family was originally from Cavendish Overhall, near Clare, in Suffolk, and is descended from Sir John Cavendish, who in the reign of Edward III. was Chief Justice of the King's Bench. It was John, a younger son of the Judge, who killed Wat Tyler, and from him the family are descended. But it was Sir William Cavendish, younger brother of George Cavendish, who had been Gentleman Usher to Wolsey, who may be called the real founder of the Cavendishes, by the great share of abbey lands which he obtained at the Dissolution of Monasteries, "and afterwards," adds Brydges, "by the abilities, rapacity, and good fortune of Elizabeth, his widow," the celebrated Countess of Shrewsbury. The Cavendishes first settled in Derbyshire by the marriage of this Sir William with "Bess of Hardwick," in 1544.
See Topographer, iii. 306; Brydges's Collins, i. 302; Collins's Noble Families.
Arms.—Sable, three buck's heads cabossed argent, attired or. Monsr. Andrew Cavendysh of this family bore, Sable, three crosses botonnée fitchée or, 2 and 1. (Roll Ric. II.)
Present Representative, William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, and 2nd Earl of Burlington.
Harpur of Calke, Baronet 1626 (called Crewe).
This family was originally of Chesterton in Warwickshire, where it is traced as early as the reigns of Henry I. and II.
In right of Elianor, daughter and heir to William Grober, descended from Richard de Rushall, of Rushall, in Staffordshire, the Harpurs were afterwards seated at that place, but had no connection with Derbyshire till the reign of Elizabeth. Calke was purchased by Henry Harpur, Esq. in 1621.
See Dugdale's Warwickshire, 2nd ed, vol. i. 478; Shaw's History of Staffordshire, ii. 69; Wotton's Baronetage, ii. 1; Lysons, lxiii.
Arms.—Argent, a lion rampant within a border engrailed sable. This was the coat of Rushall; the arms of Harpur were a plain cross.