The name of Richard Lee is next mentioned as one of the followers of the Earl of Surrey in his expedition across the Scottish border in 1542.  Two of the family about this period were “Knights Companions of the Garter,” and their banners, with the Lee arms above, were suspended in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.  The coat-of-arms was a shield “band sinister battled and embattled,” the crest a closed visor surmounted by a squirrel holding a nut.  The motto, which may be thought characteristic of one of General Lee’s traits as a soldier, was, “Non incautus futuri”

Such are the brief notices given of the family in England.  They seem to have been persons of high character, and often of distinction.  When Richard Lee came to Virginia, and founded the family anew there, as Launcelot, the first Lee, had founded it in England, he brought over in his veins some of the best and most valiant blood of the great Norman race.

This Richard Lee, the princeps of the family in Virginia, was, it seems, like the rest of his kindred, strongly Cavalier in his sentiments; indeed, the Lees seem always to have been Cavalier.  The reader will recall the stately old representative of the family in Scott’s “Woodstock”—­Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley—­who is seen stalking proudly through the great apartments of the palace, in his laced doublet, slashed boots, and velvet cloak, scowling darkly at the Puritan intruders.  Sir Henry was not a fanciful person, but a real individual; and the political views attributed to him were those of the Lee family, who remained faithful to the royal cause in all its hours of adversity.

It will be seen that Richard Lee, the first of the Virginia Lees, was an ardent monarchist.  He came over during the reign of Charles I., but returned to England, bequeathing all his lands to his servants; he subsequently came back to Virginia, however, and lived and died there.  In his will he styles himself “Richard Lee, of Strafford Langton, in the County of Essex, Esquire.”  It is not certainly known whether he sought refuge in Virginia after the failure of the king’s cause, or was tempted to emigrate with a view to better his fortunes in the New World.  Either may have been the impelling motive.  Great numbers of Cavaliers “came over” after the overthrow of Charles at Naseby; but a large emigration had already taken place, and took place afterward, induced by the salubrity of the country, the ease of living, and the cheapness and fertility of the lands on the great rivers, where families impoverished or of failing fortunes in England might “make new settlements” and build on a new foundation.  This would amply account for the removal of Richard Lee to Virginia, and for the ambition he seems to have been inspired with, to build and improve, without attributing to him any apprehension of probable punishment for his political course.  Very many families had the first-named motives, and commenced to build great manor-houses, which were never finished, or were too costly for any one of their descendants to possess.  The abolition of primogeniture, despite the opposition of Pendleton and others, overthrew all this; and the Lees, like other families, now possess few of the broad acres which their ancestors acquired.