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Mar, John Erskine, 2d (or 7th) earl of

(Encyclopedia)Mar, John Erskine, 2d (or 7th) earl of, 1558–1634, Scottish nobleman; son of the 1st (or 6th) earl. In 1578 he was persuaded by James Douglas, 4th earl of Morton, to assert his claims to Stirling Ca...

Gothic romance

(Encyclopedia)Gothic romance, type of novel that flourished in the late 18th and early 19th cent. in England. Gothic romances were mysteries, often involving the supernatural and heavily tinged with horror, and the...

Hamilton, James Douglas, 4th duke of

(Encyclopedia)Hamilton, James Douglas, 4th duke of, 1658–1712, Scottish nobleman. He served at the courts of Charles II and James II and remained, after his grudging acceptance of William III, a sympathizer with ...

Winchilsea, Anne Finch, countess of

(Encyclopedia)Winchilsea, Anne Finch, countess of wĭnˈchəlsē [key], 1661–1720, English poet. In 1684 she married Heneage Finch, who became (1712) 4th earl of Winchilsea. Though her friendships extended to the...

Danby, Thomas Osborne, earl of

(Encyclopedia)Danby, Thomas Osborne, earl of, 1631–1712, English statesman. Under the patronage of the 2d duke of Buckingham, he was appointed treasurer of the navy (1668), a privy councilor (1672), and lord trea...

Cromwell, Thomas, earl of Essex

(Encyclopedia)Cromwell, Thomas, earl of Essex, 1485?–1540, English statesman. While a young man he lived abroad as a soldier, accountant, and merchant, and on his return (c.1512) to England he engaged in the wool...

Home, 14th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Home, 14th earl of: see Douglas-Home, Alexander Frederick, Baron Home of the Hirsel. ...

Halifax, Charles Montagu, earl of

(Encyclopedia)Halifax, Charles Montagu, earl of hălˈəfăks [key], 1661–1715, English statesman. He and Matthew Prior were coauthors of a parody of John Dryden's The Hind and the Panther, entitled The Town and ...

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