James Touchet 3rd Earl Castelhaven [45398] ²⁵

  General Notes:

http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/TOUCHET.htm#James%20TOUCHET%20(3º%20E.%20Castelhaven)

10º B. Audley of Heleigh. Eldest son and heir of Mervyn, lord Audley, second Earl of Castlehaven <http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/MervynTouchet(2ECastleheaven).htm>, by his first wife, Elizabeth Barnham. His father, a man of the most profligate life, who married for his second wife Lady Anne, daughter of Ferdinando Stanley, fifth Earl of Derby <http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/FerdinandoStanley(5EDerby).htm>, and widow of Grey Brydges, fifth baron Chandos <http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/GreyBrydges(5BChandos).htm>, was executed for unatural offences, after a trial by his peers, on 14 may 1631. When a mere boy of thirteen or fourteen, James, Earl of Castlehaven, was married to Elizabeth Brydges (daughter of his father's second wife, Anne, by her first husband, Grey Brydges, fifth baron Chandos of Sudeley <http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/GreyBrydges(5BChandos).htm>). When scarcely twelve years of age, the girl have been forced by her stepfather into criminal intercourse with her mother's paramour, Henry Skipworth or Skipwith. She died in 1679, and was buried on 16 Mar at St. Martin's-in-the-fields. Utterly neglected as to his education, and discusted at the scene of bestiality he was compelled to witness, but preserving his natural sense of decency intact, 'he appealed for protection from the Earl, his natural father, to the father of his country, the king's majesty', and was instrumental in bringing his father to justice. His conduct, though a severe strain on his filial duty, was regarded with aproval, and on 3 Jun 1633 he was created Baron Audley of Heleigh, with remainder 'to his heirs for ever', and with the place and precedency of George, his grandfather; but in the meanwhile most of his father's estates in England had passed into the possession of Lord Cottington and others. In so far as the creation was virtually a restoration to an ancient dignity it lay outside the power of the crown alone to make it, but necessary confirmation was obtained by act of parliament in 1678. As for the Irish peerage, it was held to be protected by the statute 'de donis', preserving all entailed honours against forfeiture for felony.

James married Elizabeth Brydges Countess Castleheaven [45397] [MRIN: 551610629], daughter of Grey Brydges 5th Lord Chandos [20627] and Anne Stanley Baroness Chandos of Sudeley/ Countess Castleheaven [20626]. (Elizabeth Brydges Countess Castleheaven [45397] died in 1679 and was buried on 16 Mar 1678/79 in St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, Londin, England.)