WILLIAM LE BLUNT (BLOUNT)

Rodolph, third Count of Guisnes in Picardy, had three sons, by his wife, Rosetta, daughter of the COUNT DE ST. POL, all of whom accompanied the NORMAN in his expedition against England, in 1066, and contributing to the triumph of their chief, shared amply in the spoils of conquest. One of the brothers returned to his native country; the other two adopted that which they had so gallantly helped to win, and abided there; of these, SIR WILLIAM LE BLOUNT, the younger, was a general of foot, at Hastings, and was rewarded by grants of seven lordships in Lincolnshire; his son was seated at Saxlingham, in Norfolk, and the great-granddaugbter of that gentleman, sole heiress of her line, MARIA LE BLOUNT, marrying in the next century, Sir Stephen le Blount, the descendant and representative of her great-great-great-uncle, SIR ROBERT LE BLOUNT, united the families of the two brothers. Sir Walter Blount, a descendant of this marriage, was much celebrated for his martial prowess in the warlike times of Edward III., Richard II., and Henry IV., and is immortalized by the muse of Shakespeare for his devotion, even unto death, to King Henry, Of the stock of Blount there were many flourishing branches: the Lords Blount of Belton, the Lords Mountjoy, the Blounts of Sodington, the Blounts of Orleton, the Blounts of Maple Durham, &c.

--(This name appears on the Battle Abbey roll)