John la Zouche, 7th Baron Zouche, 8th Baron St Maur (1459–1526) was a
Yorkist
The House of York was a cadet branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. Three of its members became kings of England in the late 15th century. The House of York descended in the male line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, t ...
nobleman and politician. He was noted for his loyalty to
Richard III
Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
, under whose command he fought at the
Battle of Bosworth
The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 Augu ...
, where Richard was killed. Under the victorious
Tudor dynasty
The House of Tudor was a royal house of largely Welsh and English origin that held the English throne from 1485 to 1603. They descended from the Tudors of Penmynydd and Catherine of France. Tudor monarchs ruled the Kingdom of England and it ...
he suffered
attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura was the metaphorical "stain" or "corruption of blood" which arose from being condemned for a serious capital crime (felony or treason). It entailed losing not only one's life, property and hereditar ...
and forfeiture of his property, but he was eventually restored to royal favour, due partly to a marriage connection to the new King's mother.
Background
John la Zouche was the son of William la Zouche, 6th
Baron Zouche
Baron Zouche is a title which has been created three times, all in the Peerage of England.
Genealogy
The la Zouche family descended from Alan la Zouche (d. 1190), lord of the manor of North Molton in North Devon, England, originally called ...
and his first wife, Katherine Lenthall, daughter of Sir Rowland Lenthall,
Sheriff of Herefordshire
This is a list of Sheriffs and, since 1998, High Sheriffs of Herefordshire
The position of Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in each county, but over the centurie ...
and his wife Lucy Grey, daughter of the 4th
Baron Grey of Codnor
The title of Baron Grey of Codnor is a title in the peerage of England.
This barony was called out of abeyance in 1989, after 493 years, in favour of the Cornwall-Legh family of East Hall, High Legh, Cheshire. The Lords Grey of Codnor are seni ...
. His father had inherited the barony of St Maur through his mother Alice St Maur, first wife of William la Zouche, 5th Baron Zouche (c. 1402 – 1462), and daughter of Sir Richard St. Maur (died 6 January 1409) by Mary Pever, the daughter of Thomas Pever (died 22 September 1429).
After the death of Alice St Maur, the 5th Baron married Elizabeth St. John, whose half-sister was
Margaret Beaufort
Lady Margaret Beaufort (usually pronounced: or ; 31 May 1441/43 – 29 June 1509) was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late fifteenth century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch.
A descendant of ...
, mother of the future
Henry VII, a connection which later proved to be of great value to his grandson.
Zouche's mother seems to have died soon after his birth; his father died when he was nine. His stepmother, Katherine Plumpton, remarried, to Sir
Gilbert Debenham
Sir Gilbert Debenham (junior) (1432–1500) was an English knight, politician and soldier who served briefly as Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Although, like his father before him, he had a notorious reputation for lawlessness, he flourished in th ...
, a
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
landowner who acquired considerable influence at the Court of
Edward IV
Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
. Other family connections strengthened the tie to the
House of York
The House of York was a cadet branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. Three of its members became kings of England in the late 15th century. The House of York descended in the male line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, ...
: Elizabeth, Lady Zouche, after the 5th Baron's death, remarried
John Scrope, 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton
John Scrope, 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton, KG (22 July 1437 – 17 August 1498) was an English Yorkist nobleman.
Early life
Born at Bolton Castle, Yorkshire, the eldest son of Henry Scrope, 4th Baron Scrope of Bolton, and Elizabeth Scrope, he inh ...
, who was to be a strong supporter of Richard III. John's sister Margaret married Sir
William Catesby
William Catesby (1450 – 25 August 1485) was one of Richard III of England's principal councillors. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Speaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign.
The son of Sir William Catesby o ...
, who was to be one of the mainstays of Richard's government.
His career under Richard III
During Richard's brief reign Zouche became a leading political figure. His family's influence in
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by
two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...
was useful to the King, who otherwise relied mainly on the
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
nobility for his political support. Zouche in turn sought to expand his influence in
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, and also in
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
shire, where his wife's family, the Dynhams, were major landholders and had gained considerable political power under Edward IV.
Zouche's political career was destroyed at the Battle of Bosworth. Being staunchly loyal to Richard, he fought for him in the battle, and was captured by the victorious
Tudor army either during it or shortly afterwards. Unlike his brother-in-law Sir William Catesby, who was considered to be such a danger to the new regime that he was executed summarily, Zouche's life was spared.
Attainder
He was
attainted
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura was the metaphorical "stain" or "corruption of blood" which arose from being condemned for a serious capital crime (felony or treason). It entailed losing not only one's life, property and hereditary ...
by Henry VII's first
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
(November–December 1485), and suffered the forfeiture of all his lands. He was pardoned in July 1486 and given a small
annuity
In investment, an annuity is a series of payments made at equal intervals.Kellison, Stephen G. (1970). ''The Theory of Interest''. Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, Inc. p. 45 Examples of annuities are regular deposits to a savings account, mo ...
, but the attainder was not reversed even in part until 1489, and even then he was permitted only to inherit the property his grandfather had received through his second marriage. It has been suggested that Henry's treatment of him was exceptionally severe, perhaps reflecting his position of power under Richard III. On the other hand, Henry VII strove throughout his reign to discipline the nobility by imposing on them severe financial penalties, often on the flimsiest of pretexts, to such an extent that in the last years of his reign the nobility have been described as living in a perpetual atmosphere of "watchfulness, fear and suspicion".
Zouche attempted to gain favour with the King by serving in the French campaign of 1492, but without success. His financial situation continued to suffer: his position was considered insufficient to allow him to maintain the status of a nobleman and he suffered the humiliation of being styled a mere
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
.
Restoration of titles and dignities
He was eventually restored to all his titles and dignities in 1495. He owed a good deal of thanks for this to the prominent courtier Sir
Reginald Bray
Sir Reginald Bray (c. 1440 – 5 August 1503) was an English administrator and statesman. He was the Chancellor of the Duchy and County Palatine of Lancaster under Henry VII, briefly Treasurer of the Exchequer, and one of the most influent ...
, for whose support he had to pay a heavy price, selling him several manors at an undervalue. A more surprising ally was Margaret Beaufort, the King's mother, who throughout her life showed a warm affection for all of her extended family, and especially the St. Johns of
Lydiard Tregoze
Lydiard Tregoze is a small village and civil parish on the western edge of Swindon in the county of Wiltshire, in the south-west of England. It has in the past been spelt as Liddiard Tregooze and in many other ways.
The parish includes the small ...
; so that even Lord Zouche, who was merely the grandson of her sister's husband by a previous marriage, benefited from her generosity. She probably used her influence to have the attainder reversed; she certainly obtained a pension for Lady Zouche, and had some of the Zouche children brought up in her own household.
![MargaretBeaufort2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/MargaretBeaufort2.jpg)
By 1500 Zouche was in fairly good standing at Court: he was part of the entourage which accompanied the King to meet
Archduke Philip of Austria
Philip the Handsome, es, Felipe, french: Philippe, nl, Filips (22 July 1478 – 25 September 1506), also called the Fair, was ruler of the Burgundian Netherlands and titular Duke of Burgundy from 1482 to 1506, as well as the first Habsburg Ki ...
at
Calais
Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...
, and the following year he was one of the nobles who greeted
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until their annulment on 23 May 1533. She was previously ...
on her arrival at
Amesbury
Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...
. His later years were uneventful; he died at
Castle Cary
Castle Cary () is a market town and civil parish in south Somerset, England, north west of Wincanton and south of Shepton Mallet, at the foot of Lodge Hill and on the River Cary, a tributary of the Parrett.
History
The word Cary derives fr ...
in March 1526.
Marriage and children
He married Joan Dinham, a daughter of Sir
John Dinham (1406–1458) of
Hartland and of
Nutwell
Nutwell in the parish of Woodbury on the south coast of Devon is a historic manor and the site of a Georgian neo-classical Grade II* listed mansion house known as Nutwell Court. The house is situated on the east bank of the estuary of the Ri ...
both in Devon, by his wife Joan Arches, sister and heiress of John Arches and daughter of Sir
Richard Arches
Sir Richard Arches (died 1417), of Eythrope, in the parish of Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, was MP for Buckinghamshire in 1402. He was knighted before 1401.Woodger, HoP biog of Sir Richard Arches
Origins
He was probably the son of Richard Arche ...
(died 1417), MP for
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
in 1402, of
Eythrope
Eythrope (previously Ethorp) is a hamlet and country house in the parish of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located to the south east of the main village of Waddesdon. It was bought in the 1870s by a branch of the Rothschild fa ...
and Cranwell (both in the parish of
Waddesdon
Waddesdon is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, west-north-west of Aylesbury on the A41 road. The village also includes the hamlets of Eythrope and Wormstone, Waddesdon was an agricultural settlement with milling, silk weaving and lace maki ...
) and Little Kimble, Buckinghamshire. She was one of the four surviving sisters and co-heiresses of her brother
John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham
John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham, KG (c. 1433–1501) of Nutwell in the parish of Woodbury and of Hartland, both in Devon, was an English peer and politician. He served as Lord High Treasurer of England and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He was ...
(1433–1501),
KG. By his wife he had at least six children, including:
*
John Zouche, 8th Baron Zouche (died 1551), eldest son and heir.
*William Zouche of
Bulwick
Bulwick is a village and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 152 people, including Blatherwycke and increasing to 171 at the 2011 census. It is about six miles north-east of C ...
, Northamptonshire, who married Jane Bradborne, and had at least one daughter, Frances Zouche, who married William Saunders: they were ancestors of the
Dukes of Buckingham
*Jane Zouche, who married Sir
Edward Hungerford (died 1522). She was appointed to wait on
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until their annulment on 23 May 1533. She was previously ...
in October 1501. She was the mother of
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury (1503 – 28 July 1540), was created Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury in 1536.
Biography
Walter Hungerford was born in 1503 at Heytesbury, Wiltshire, the only child of Sir Edward Hungerfor ...
(1503–1540).
*Katherine Zouche, who married firstly John Carew (d.1528) of
Haccombe
Haccombe is a hamlet, former parish and historic manor in Devon, situated 2 1/2 miles east of Newton Abbot, in the south of the county. It is possibly the smallest parish in England, and was said in 1810 to be remarkable for containing only two ...
in Devon, and secondly Sir Robert Brandon, an uncle of
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, (22 August 1545) was an English military leader and courtier. Through his third wife, Mary Tudor, he was brother-in-law to King Henry VIII.
Biography
Charles Brandon was the second ...
.
[ Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.144, pedigree of Carew]
*Margaret Zouche.
*Cecily Zouche.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Zouche, John la Zouche, 7th Baron
1459 births
1526 deaths
15th-century English nobility
16th-century English nobility
Barons Zouche
People from Northamptonshire
People of the Wars of the Roses