Henry, Duke of Norfolk, K.G.
Appointed 16th March, 1689.
Lord Henry Howard, son of Henry, Earl of Norwich, afterwards Duke of Norfolk, was summoned to parliament in 1678, by the title of Lord Mowbray: and on the death of Prince Rupert, in 1682, his lordship was nominated governor and constable of Windsor Castle, and warden of the forest of Windsor; also lord lieutenant of Berkshire and Surrey. On the decease of his father, in 1684, he succeeded to the dignity of Duke of Norfolk, and of Earl Marshal of England; and in May, 1685, he was elected a Knight of the most noble order of the Garter. On the breaking out of the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth, the Duke of Norfolk took great interest in raising a regiment of foot for the service of King James II., now the twelfth regiment of foot, of which he was appointed colonel. His Grace did not approve of the measures of the court, and evinced a strong attachment to the protestant religion. One day (says Bishop Burnet) the King gave the Duke of Norfolk the sword of state to carry with him to the Popish chapel, which he carried as far as the door and then stopped, not being willing to enter the chapel. The King said, "My Lord, your father would have gone farther;" to which the Duke answered,—"Your Majesty's father was the better man, and he would not have gone so far." His Grace resigned his regiment, and joined in the invitation to the Prince of Orange. When the Prince landed, the Duke of Norfolk was in London, and was one of the Peers who petitioned the King for a free parliament. He afterwards proceeded to his seat in Norfolk, declared for the Prince of Orange, and brought that and some of the neighbouring counties into the Prince's interest. On the elevation of the Prince of Orange to the throne, his Graced was sworn a member of the privy council; and afterwards used his interest and influence in raising a corps of infantry, now the TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT, of which he was appointed colonel in March, 1689; but he resigned his commission in the same year. He died on the 2nd of April 1701.
Sir Henry Bellasis, Kt.
Appointed 28th September, 1689.
Sir Henry Bellasis was educated in strict principles of loyalty and attachment to monarchical government, and when a youth he suffered in the royal cause during the usurpation of Cromwell. Soon after the restoration he was nominated captain of an independent company in garrison at Hull, of which fortress the Lord Bellasis (or Belasyse) was appointed governor; but he resigned, in 1673, in consequence of the Test Act, he being a Roman Catholic. In the summer of 1674, Sir Henry Bellasis raised a company of musketeers and pikemen for the service of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and was engaged at the siege of Grave in the autumn of that year. He also served at the siege of Maestricht in 1676; at the battle of Mont-Cassel in 1677; and in the following spring he succeeded Colonel Ashley in the command of a regiment which is now the sixth foot. At the battle of St. Denis, in 1678, he evinced signal valour and ability, vying in feats of gallantry with his commanders the Prince of Orange and the celebrated Earl of Ossory, and was wounded. During the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth, in 1685, he accompanied his regiment to England; and in 1687 circumstances occurred which occasioned him to withdraw from the Dutch service; but he preserved his attachment to the Protestant interest and to the Prince of Orange. In 1689 he succeeded the Duke of Norfolk in the colonelcy of the TWENTY-SECOND regiment, with which corps he served in Ireland under the veteran Duke Schomberg. He served as brigadier-general under King William in 1690; was at the battle of the Boyne; and at the siege of Limerick, where he again distinguished himself. In 1691 he acquired new honours at the siege of Athlone; he also displayed bravery and judgment at the battle of Aghrim; and on the reduction of Galway he was appointed governor of that fortress, and took possession of the town on the 26th of July, with his own and two other regiments of foot. The rank of major-general was conferred on this distinguished officer in April, 1692, and he commanded a brigade under King William in Flanders, in the autumn of that year. He acquired additional reputation at the battle of Landen, in 1693; also in the command of a brigade under King William during the following campaign; and in October, 1694, his Majesty rewarded him with the rank of lieut.-general. His meritorious conduct procured him the favour and confidence of his Sovereign, by whom he was employed on important services. He commanded the camp on the Bruges canal, in May, 1695; and a division of the covering army was placed under his orders during the siege of Namur. At the close of the campaign he was appointed president of the general court-martial which tried the officers who surrendered Dixmude and Deinse to the enemy, and sentenced Major-General Ellemberg to be shot. He continued to serve in the Netherlands until the peace of Ryswick. In 1701 he obtained the colonelcy of the Queen Dowager's regiment (now second foot) in exchange with Colonel Selwyn. In 1702 he was second in command of the British troops in the expedition to Cadiz; and having been charged with participating in the plunder of Port St. Mary, he was tried by a court-martial and dismissed the service. His reputation was thus unfortunately tarnished; but his crime does not appear to have been considered of a heinous nature, as he was subsequently elected a member of parliament for the city of Durham; was appointed by Queen Anne, in 1711, one of the commissioners to inquire into several particulars respecting the accounts of the army in Spain; and in June, 1713, he was appointed governor of Berwick. He died on the 14th of December, 1717.
William Selwyn.
Appointed 28th June, 1701.