Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley, KT (18 February 1715 – 9 January 1755) was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley, and the former Lady Louisa Lennox. He was made an ensign in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards in November 1734, and succeeded his father on 17 August 1736 as 4th Earl of Berkeley, 12th Baron Berkeley and 4th Viscount Dursley. In 1737, he was created Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and Constable of St. Briavel's Castle, offices which he held until his death, and was made lieutenant-colonel of
Berkeley Castle before returning him to Berkeley Castle in September. Some commentators have claimed that Edward's escape was actually successful, and that someone else was later murdered in his place. Historical sources record that Edward was murdered there on 21 September 1327. Raphael Holinshed's "Chronicles" (1587 edition), drawing on earlier sources, describes Edward's murder in detail:they [the murderers] came suddenlie one night into the chamber where he laie in bed fast asléepe, and with heauie featherbeds or a table (as some [sources] write) being cast vpon him, they kept him down and withall put into his fundament [i.e., his anus] an horne,