Edward Wray (1589 - 21 March 1658) was an English courtier and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

in 1625.

Early life

Wray was the third son of

Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Glentworth Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Glentworth, Lincolnshire (c. 1555 – 13 August 1617) was an English Member of Parliament. He represented the constituency of Grimsby from 1584 to 1585, Lincolnshire in 1601 and Grimsby again from 1604 to Novemb ...

and was baptised at Louth, Lincolnshire on 9 November 1589. Early in life he became acquainted with George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, who became a firm friend, and with whom he was a great favourite. In 1617, Villiers used his influence with

James I of England James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland as James I from the Union of the Crowns, union of the Scottish and Eng ...

to obtain for Wray the appointment of a

Groom of the Bedchamber Groom of the Chamber was a position in the Household of the monarch in early modern England. Other ''Ancien Régime'' royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles. In France, the Duchy of Burgundy, and in Eng ...

and Wray was in a fair way of becoming a great courtier.W R Williams ''The Parliamentary History of the County of Oxford''
/ref>

Contentious marriage

Wray was deeply attached for some time to

Elizabeth Norris Elizabeth Norris, 3rd Baroness Norreys of Rycote, ''suo jure'' (c. 1603 – November 1645) was an English noblewoman. She was the wife of Edward Wray, Groom of the Bedchamber to King James I of England, with whom she eloped in 1622, and incurr ...

Rycote Rycote is a hamlet southwest of Thame in Oxfordshire. The Oxfordshire Way long-distance path passes through. Saint Michael's chapel Richard and Sybil Quartermayne, lord and lady of the manor of Rycote, founded Saint Michael's chapel as a cha ...

, only daughter and heir of Francis Norris, 1st Earl of Berkshire. On 13 January 1621 Chamberlain wrote to his friend Carleton, "Lord Norris is to be Earl of Thame, on marrying and assuring his land to Edward Wray of the Bedchamber." Norris was made Earl of Berkshire but committed suicide two years afterwards leaving his only daughter one of the richest heiresses at Court. A formidable rival in the person of Christopher Villiers, brother of the Duke of Buckingham, appeared as a suitor for the lady's hand. Buckingham used his influence over the King to back his brother's suit and it is likely that the heiress would have been forced into the marriage, had not the lovers made a run-away match, in defiance of the King's displeasure. "The lady was very cunning and resolute, more in order to be rid of the one than from love of the other," wrote Chamberlain to Carleton on 30 March 1622. Thomas Eocke, in a letter to Carleton on the same date gave more particulars of this little romance. " The Earl of Berkshire's daughter, who was kept at the Earl of Montgomery's, got out of the house early, walked three miles on foot, and was then met and taken to Aldermary Church, where she married Mr Wray, of the Bedchamber ; they thence went to the Earl of Oxford's house in Fleet Street, he being in the plot. Lord Montgomery sent to fetch her away, but Oxford would not give her up. His commission is taken from him, and Wray is put out of the Bedchamber." Lord Oxford was on unfriendly terras with Buckingham, and seems to have borne the brunt of his displeasure. Wray was imprisoned for several months, for on 15 February 1623 John Woodford wrote Sir Francis Nethersole that " Wray is set at liberty". The elopement was allegedly the inspiration for

Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...

''Fantazies''.

Kathy Lynn Emerson Kathy Lynn Emerson is an American writer of historical and mystery novels and non-fiction. She also uses the pseudonyms Kaitlyn Dunnett and Kate Emerson. Emerson writes historical mysteries as Kathy Lynn Emerson, historical fiction set in royal ...

, ''A Who's Who of Tudor Women''

Political career

In 1625 Wray was elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

. If he expected a knighthood, Secretary Conway wrote him on 30 December 1625 stating that as there were already more Knights than were necessary, the King was resolved not to make any at his Coronation. Wray lived thenceforth in retirement at Fritwell, Oxfordshire He died at the age of 68 and was buried at Witham on 29 March 1658. He was described as "A man of great charity and piety".

Family

By his wife, Lady Elizabeth Norris, he left one daughter, Bridget, who married

Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey, Order of the Garter, KG, Privy Council of England, PC (1608 – 25 July 1666) was an English soldier, courtier, and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons between 1624 and 162 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wray, Edward English MPs 1625 Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 1589 births Court of James VI and I