Herbert, William, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (1580 -1630)

William Herbert was the eldest son of Henry, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, and his third wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Sydney K.G., and sister of Robert Sydney, Earl of Leicester and Sir Philip Sydney. Styled Lord Herbert 1580 1601, William Herbert was one of the `incomparable pair of bretheren' to whom the first folio of Shakespeare's works was dedicated, and perhaps also the `Mr W. H.' of his Sonnets. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1603, He married, 4 November 1604, Mary, eldest daughter and coheir of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. They had no children. He served as Lord Chamberlain of the Household to James I, and from 1617 to 1630 was Chancellor of the University of Oxford. In 1629 he purchased and donated to the University the Barocci library of 250 Greek manuscripts. He retained some that were subsequently purchased and presented by Oliver Cromwell. He was succeeded by his brother, Philip, 1st Earl of Montgomery. There were Pembroke sales at Sotheby's 25 June 1914 and 15 March 1920.