A Memoir of Sir Edmund Andros, Knt.

William Whitmore

William Henry Whitmore

A Memoir of Sir Edmund Andros, Knt., / Governor of New England, New York and Virginia, &c., &c

SIR EDMUND ANDROS

CONCERNING the ancestry of Sir Edmund Andros, the sole printed authority is the memoir (#litres_trial_promo) in the History of Guernsey by Jonathan Duncan, (London, 1841,) which occupies about three pages in that book. This sketch has been copied by Dr. E.B. O'Callaghan in his "Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York," (ii. 740), and also in a note in Woolley's Journal (Gowan's Bibliotheca Americana). It seems that Andros placed on record at Heralds' College a very elaborate pedigree of his family, September 18th, 1686, a few days before he sailed to assume the government of New England. Although this document was used probably by Duncan, it is now printed for the first time in full, from a transcript made by Joseph L. Chester, Esq., of London.

The family of Andros, or Andrews as it is more frequently spelt, was of great antiquity in Northamptonshire, being long settled at Winwick in that county. One branch, which was raised in 1641 to the dignity of Baronet, was resident at Denton in the same county; and from the similarity of the arms, it is evident that Sir Edmund claimed the same paternity. The pedigree recorded at Heralds' College is as follows.

[Heralds' College, Book 2 D, XIV. fol. 175b]

Andros.—Gules, a saltire or surmounted by another vert, on a chief argent 3 mullets sable. [No crest.]

Sausmarez.—Argent, on a chevron gules between 3 leopards' faces sable as many castles triple towered or. Crest: a falcon affrontant proper, beaked and membered or, [not wings expanded as in the armory.] Supporters: Dexter, a unicorn, tail cowarded, argent; Sinister, a greyhound argent collared gules garnished or.

["This is a true Account of the Marriages and Issues of my family, and of the Armes we have constantly borne since our coming into Guernsey, as also of the Arms Crest and Supporters of Sausmarez whose heir General we married. Witnes my hand this 18th of September, 1686.

"E. Andros."]

At the same time Sir Edmund recorded his coat-of-arms as described in the following document at Heralds' College, Grants of Arms, Book 1, 26. fol. 98.

"Whereas Sr Edmund Andros, Knight, Lord of ye Seignorie of Sausmarez in the Island of Guernsey, hath made application to me, Henry, Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshall of England &c. that his Arms may be Registered in the College of Arms in such manner as he may lawfully bear them, with respect to his Descent from the antient Family of Sausmarez in ye said Isle, there being no entries in the College of Arms of the Descents or Arms of the Families in that Isle: And whereas it hath been made out unto me that his Great Grandfather's Father, John Andros als. Andrews, an English Gentleman, borne in Northamptonshire, coming into the Isle of Guernsey as Lieutt. to Sr Peter Mewtis, Knight, the Governour, did there marry, Ao. 1543, with Judith de Sausmarez, only daughter of Thomas Sausmarez, son and heir of Thomas Sausmarez, Lords of the Seignorie of Sausmarez in the said Isle, which Judith did afterwards become heir to her brother George de Sausmarez, Lord of the said Seignorie: And that John Andros, Esqr., son and heir of the said John and Judith, had the sd. Seignorie with its appurtenances and all Rights and Privileges thereto belonging, adjudged to him by the Royal Commrs. of the said Isle, Ao. 1607, against the heirs male of the said Family of Sausmarez, who then sued for the same, as finding it to be held of the King by a certain Relief and certain Services, all which were inseparable from the said Seignorie: And whereas it hath been made [to] appear unto me by an Antient Seal of one Nicollas de Sausmarez, which seems to be between 2 and 300 years old, and by other Authorities, that the said Family of Sausmarez have constantly borne and used the Arms herein impressed, I the said Earl Marshall, cons