Sir Robert Poyntz (1589-1665).
[740]Sir Robert Pointz of Iron-acton in com. Gloc., knight of the Bath, is the same family with Clifford (as may be seen by the pedegree), Clifford being called de Pons till he was lord of Clifford Castle in com. Hereff. adjoyning to Breconshire.
In Henry III they maried with a daughter and heire of Acton, by whom they had the mannor aforesayd and perhaps other lands.
<Sir Robert was of> Linc. Coll.[741] Vide the rest in tom.[742] iii.
[743]When I was sick of the smallpox at Trinity College[744], Mr. Saul, who was an old servant of his, told me I thinke that he was of Lincoln (or, perhaps, that he lay there in the warres).
[745]Sir Robert Poynts, knight of the Bath; his seate was Iron Acton, in com. Gloc., which came to that family by match of daughter and heire, tempore Hen. III. Mr. Player, Mr. Anthony Ettrick's son-in-lawe, who bought this estate, June, 1684, haz all the old evidences, and can farther enforme me.
But this family and Clifford are the very same, as may be seen by the pedegre of Clifford, who was de Pons till he gott Clifford-castle, in com. Hereff. juxta com. Brecon.
This family have had a great estate, and were men of note at Court.
Sir Robert, son of Sir John, Poyntz of whom I now write, and with whom I had some small acquaintance, was a loyall, sober, and a learned person. His study, law; chiefly towards the Civill Lawe. Since[746] the king's restauration he published in print, a pamphlet, about the bignesse of a good play-booke, entitled, The Right of Kings (or to that purpose[747]; but to my best remembrance, that is the very title).
As I remember he told me when I was of Trin. Coll. Oxon, 1643, that he was of Lincoln college. He maried first, Gresill, one of the daughters and co-heires of ... Gibbons, of ... Kent, by whom he had only two daughters.
After her decease he had a naturall sonne by Cicely Smyth, who had been his lady's chamber-mayd, whose name was John, as I remember, who maried ... daughter of ... Cesar, in com. Hertf. He dyed without issue about 4 or 5 years since (1684), or lesse. So there is an end of this ancient family.
Memorandum:—Newark (now the seate of Sir Gabriel Lowe) was built by Sir Robert's grandfather to keep his whores in. Sir Robert dyed at ... anno Domini 16— and buryed....