| Description | Sir William Brereton died seised of several lands in Ireland: his son Sir Thomas died without issue. Sir Thomas's sister Susanna had married Mr Lenthall and his sister Frances married Edward, Lord Ward. By his second wife, Sir William had two daughters, one of whom (Cecilia) married Edward Brabazon, later Earl of Meath. After the death of Sir Thomas, the Earl and Countess of Meath claimed title and got possession of the estate. Afterwards, the possession was taken by Edward, Lord Ward, William Ward his son and by John Levett and Mary his wife (heirs of Susanna Lenthall): the Earl and Countess of Meath petitioned against this in April 1686, but were dismissed. In 1695, the Earl and Countess appealed to the Lords in Ireland who reversed the dismission and were reinstated. In 1699, Edward Ward Esq., an minor (son of William Ward) by Frances Ward his mother and John and Mary Levett appealled to the Lords in England who declared the proceedings of the Lords in Ireland void and reinstated them to the estate.
However, in 1703, the Lords in Ireland ordered possession to be returned to the Earl and Countess of Meath. Edward, Lord Dudley died in 1704 leaving an infant son, also Edward. In 1720, Edward, Lord Dudley (by Lady Diana Fielding) petitioned the Lords in England to be returned possession but the case was stayed as Lord Dudley was still a minor. Then, the ministry offered to give Lord Dudley a pension in lieu of the property, which he refused [see DE/4/2/3/14]. By 1731, Lord Dudley and John and Mary Levett had died without issue. In 1735, Lord Dudley's heir, his uncle William (now Lord Dudley and Ward) petitioned the Lords' Committee for priviledges to be put in possession of the lands [see DE/4/2/3/17]. The Committee were of the opinion that the order by the House of Lords in Ireland in 1703 was void [see DE/4/2/3/15 and DE/4/2/3/17]. |