Percy

The name of an ancient and noble English family, descended from William de Percy, who, in the reign of William the Conqueror, po e ed several manors in the counties of Lincoln and York. He was probably a Norman. In the reign of Edward I. a Henry de Percy acquired Alnwick and other estates in North umber land. Another Henry de Percy, in the reign of Edward III., married Mary Plantage net, a great-granddaughter of King Henry III., and had two sons, Henry, earl of North umber land, and Thomas, earl of Worcester. Henry Percy, surnamed Hotspur, a son of Henry last named, rebelled against Henry IV., and was killed at the battle of Shrews bury (1408). A son of Hotspur was restored to the earldom, fought for the house of Lancaster, and fell at Saint Albans, in 1455, leaving several sons, who were killed in the war of the Roses. In the reign of Elizabeth, a Percy, earl of North umber land, was executed for rebellion (1572).