Shakespeare's writing often alludes to the art of falconry:
"If I do prove her haggard,
Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune."
(Othello 3.3.259-62)
An adult hawk taken from the wild to be trained for falconry was considered 'haggard' -wild and difficult to subdue even with the restraining leather laces, or 'jesses,' on its legs. Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune."
(Othello 3.3.259-62)
"Forth comming from her darksome mew."
(Faerie Queene, Book I. Canto v.20)
The hawks of English royals were kept at the 'mews' of Charing Cross from the time of Richard II and, despite the fact that Henry VIII turned the mews into stables, the falconry term stuck. 
LEWIS LATHAM, falconer to King Charles I, was the father of my 10th great grandmother, Frances Latham Dungan Clarke Vaughn. (Her immigrant story is shared in Part 2.)
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| Portrait of Lewis Latham |
He was trained in the noble art of falconry and became under-falconer to Charles, the Prince of Wales. When the prince ascended the throne as King Charles I, he retained his falconers and, in 1627, promoted Lewis to King's Sergeant-Falconer.
Lewis' brother Simon was also a falconer whose book on the subject of falconry "Lathams Falconry, or the Falconers Lure and Cure in two books," gained authority in the field with at least three editions (1615,1633, and 1652.)
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| detail from Simon Latham's book on falconry |
Lewis Latham married Elizabeth* in 1608 and undoubtedly provided well for a family that included his first-born, Frances, two sons, Henry and John, and four other daughters, Ann, Catharine, Elizabeth, and Ellen -all of whom are mentioned in his will dated 6 May 1653, two years before his death. [probated in 1655, London]
According to one Latham family researcher, his widow (*Winifred Downes Latham, possibly 2nd wife) applied for past unpaid salary due her late husband that resulted in an inquiry indicating Latham's original royal courtier fees prior to 1640 were:
King's Falconer - £40 per annum
Sergeant of the Hawks - £65 per annum
Although his widow's efforts were initially unsuccessful, she was eventually awarded about £40 per annum until 1664, presumed to be the year of her death.
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| Records suggest that Latham may have been a royal falconer at the time of the 'high and mightie prince Henrie, Prince of Wales, older brother to Charles who assumed his brother's title upon Henrie's death in 1612 |
William Dungan and Frances Latham Dungan are my 10th great grandparents. What a great story and amazing to be descendent of brave pioneers and forward thinking people.
ReplyDeleteGreetings! They are my 9th great grandparents!
DeleteI came across your blog searching for the painting of Lewis Latham. Amazingly, I saw an auction site that said it sold for $110 in 2019! His daughter Frances Latham Dungan was also my 10th GGM. I enjoyed reading your blog about Lewis and Frances. Her son Rev. Thomas Dungan is my ancestor. That Dungan name came all the way down to my grandmother, who was also named Frances Dungan! I did notice a source that said William Dungan was actually her second husband. The book was A.M. Shotwell's Ancestors pg. 48 and said Lord Weston was her first husband. I have not found other evidence to support that yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments, Charlene! It is great to know that the portrait of Lewis Latham, falconer to the king, is still in someone's possession. Like you, I found that Lord Weston's name was connected but I'm confident that it was an error that had been continued throughout many related trees. (Weston married a different Frances) Here's what I noted on my ancestry tree 11 years ago:
ReplyDeleteFrances not wife of Lord Weston: http://genforum.genealogy.com/dungan/messages/762.html
In reviewing primary sources, I have noticed a discrepancy that has crept into our family files. Frances LATHAM DUNGAN CLARK was never married to Lord Richard WESTON, 1st Earl of Portland. Richard WESTON was an ancestor of JEREMY CLARKE on his mother's side (uncle) and was married to a Frances, but not our Frances. He is correctly listed in JUSTICE and his entry is verifiable through numerous British peerage records (on-line and in print)as the Earl of Portland. In addition, there are at least two biographies and paintings of him (he was rather famous as Lord Treasurer for Charles I and James).
Most incorrect entries in DUNGAN and CLARK/E geneology state something like: Frances m1.abt 1627 to Lord Weston or Lord Richard Weston, Earl of Portland, and that he died within a year of marriage. This is incorrect. His correct info is:
Richard Weston b.1577, d.1635 became 1st Earl of Portland April 13, 1628, titled by Charles I and served as Lord Treasurer. He m1. Wiburga CATESBY and had issue; m2. Frances WALGRAVE who survived him after death and had issue. The title and majority of estate passed to his son Jeremy b.1605, d.1663 and down successive generations through the 4th Earl, when title becomes extinct."
Love this! Frances and William are my 10th Great Grands by way of Rev Thomas Dungan - William - Thomas - Hannah Dungan Yerkes - Elias Yerkes - Hannah Yerkes Morrison - John Morrison - William T Morrison - Joseph S Morrison I - Joseph S Morrison II - Joseph S Morrison III. Thanks for sharing all this!
ReplyDelete