1500,
Born in 1497, and succeeded his grandfather at the age of three. During
his minority, Henry the Seventh, 1502, granted the wardship to Edward,
Lord Dudley.
The family estate then consisted of the manors of Birmingham, Over
Warton, Nether Warton, Mock Tew, Little Tew, and Shutford in the county
of Oxford, Hoggeston in Bucks, and Billesley in the county of Worcester.
Edward afterwards married Elizabeth, widow of William Ludford, of
Annesley, by whom he had one daughter, who married a person of the name
of Atkinson.
But after the peaceable possession of a valuable estate, for thirty
seven years; the time was now arrived, when the mounds of justice must
be broken down by the weight of power, a whole deluge of destruction
enter, and overwhelm an ancient and illustrious family, in the person of
an innocent man. The world would view the diabolical transaction with
amazement, none daring to lend assistance to the unfortunate; not
considering, that property should ever be under the protection of law;
and, what was Edward's case to-day, might be that of any other man
to-morrow. But the oppressor kept fair with the crown, and the crown
held a rod of iron over the people.--Suffer me to tell the mournful tale
from Dugdale's Antiquities of Warwickshire.
1537,
John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, a man of great wealth, unbounded
ambition, and one of the basest characters of the age, was possessor of
Dudley-castle, and the fine estate belonging to it:--He wished to add
Birmingham to his vast domain. Edward Birmingham therefore was privately
founded, respecting the disposal of his manor; but as money was not
wanted, and as the place had been the honor and the residence of his
family for many centuries, it was out of the reach of purchase.
Northumberland was so charmed with its beauty, he was determined to
possess it; and perhaps the manner in which he accomplished his design,
cannot be paralleled in the annals of infamy.
He procured two or three rascals of his own temper, and rather of mean
appearance, to avoid suspicion, to take up their quarters for a night or
two in Birmingham, and gain secret intelligence when Edward Birmingham
should ride out, and what road: This done, one of the rascals was to
keep before the others, but all took care that Edward should easily
overtake them. Upon his arrival at the first class, the villains joined
him, entered into chat, and all moved soberly together 'till they
reached the first man; when, on a sudden, the strangers with Edward drew
their pistols and robbed their brother villain, who no doubt lost a
considerable sum after a decent resistance. Edward was easily known,
apprehended, and committed as one of the robbers; the others were not
to be found.
Edward immediately saw himself on the verge of destruction. He could
only _alledge_, but not _prove_ his innocence: All the proof the case
could admit of, was against him.
Northumberland (then only Lord L'Isle) hitherto had succeeded to his
wish; nor was Edward long in suspence--Private hints were given him,
that the only way to save his life, was to make Northumberland his
friend; and this probably might be done, by resigning to him his manor
of Birmingham; with which the unfortunate Edward reluctantly complied.
Northumberland thinking a common conveyance insufficient, caused Edward
to yield his estate into the hands of the King, and had interest enough
in that age of injustice to procure a ratification from a weak
Parliament, by which means he endeavoured to throw the odium off his own
character, and fix it upon theirs, and also, procure to himself a
safer title.