John Wentworth (1564–1613), of Gosfield Hall, Essex, was an English politician.
Early life
![Gosfield Hall - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Gosfield_Hall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_405649.jpg)
He was the only son of Sir John Wentworth of
Little Horkesley and
Gosfield Hall
Gosfield Hall is a country house in Gosfield, near Braintree in Essex, England. It is a Grade I listed building.
The house was built in 1545 by Sir John Wentworth, a member of Cardinal Wolsey’s household, and hosted royal visits by Queen Eliz ...
, Essex, and the former Elizabeth Heydon (d. ) (a daughter of Sir
Christopher Heydon
Sir Christopher Heydon (14 August 1561 – 1 January 1623) was an English soldier, Member of Parliament, and writer on astrology. He quarrelled with his family over its estates in Norfolk.
Background
Born in Surrey, Heydon was the eldest son ...
and his first wife Anne Drury). His only sister, also named Elizabeth Wentworth (d. 1627), married firstly
Christopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron Howth, which ended in a
legal separation in about 1605, before she married
Sir Robert Newcomen, 1st Baronet.
In 1581, his father inherited Gosfield Hall, Essex from his relative Ann, Lady Maltravers.
Career
He succeeded to his father's estates in 1588 before being appointed
High Sheriff of Essex
The High Sheriff of Essex was an ancient sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the ...
in 1592, and serving until 1593. He was a
Member
Member may refer to:
* Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon
* Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set
* In object-oriented programming, a member of a class
** Field (computer science), entries in ...
of the
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...
for
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
in 1597 and for
Wootton Bassett
Royal Wootton Bassett , formerly Wootton Bassett, is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 11,043 in 2001, increasing to 11,385 in 2011. Situated in the north of the county, it lies to the west of the major ...
, presumably due to the influence of his wife's uncle, the
Earl of Hertford
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
, in 1601. He leaves little trace on the records of Parliament, nor does he seem to have been active in county affairs. On the other hand, he built up the family estates into "a splendid inheritance", despite the very heavy debts run up by his father-in-law, who had left £23,000 in debts, which involved him in much trouble and litigation over his wife's inheritance. He was also noted for his charity to the poor.
Personal life
He had married Cicely Upton, the daughter of
Sir Edward Unton and Lady
Anne Seymour (daughter of
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (150022 January 1552) (also 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp), also known as Edward Semel, was the eldest surviving brother of Queen Jane Seymour (d. 1537), the third wife of King Henry VI ...
). She was also a sister of Sir
Henry Unton.
[Cokayne, George Edward, editor, ''The Complete Baronetage, 5 volumes (no date (c. 1900)''; reprint, ]Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...
, U.K.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1983), volume I, page 100. Together, they were the parents of at least one son and four daughters, including:
*
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet (9 August 1737 – 8 April 1820) was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia. He is buried in the crypt of St. ...
(–1631), who married Lady Catherine Finch, a daughter of
Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet
Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet JP ( – 18 December 1614) was an English politician, knight, sheriff, and MP.
Early life
Finch was second, but eldest surviving son, of Sir Thomas Finch of Eastwell, Kent, and the former Catherine Moyle. Among ...
and the former
Elizabeth Heneage, ''
suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
''
Countess of Winchilsea.
* William Wentworth (1588–1604), who died unmarried.
* Elizabeth Wentworth (b. ), who married Charles Garneys, son of Nicholas Garneys.
* Diana Wentworth (b. ), who married Lewis Bowes.
* Anne Wentworth (1591–1633), who married
Sir Edward Gostwick, 2nd Baronet, in 1608.
* Cicely Wentworth (1593–1642), who married
Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea
Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea (13 June 1578 – 4 November 1639) was an English peer and Member of Parliament.
Early life
Finch was the third, but second surviving, son of Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Heneage, 1st Countes ...
(brother to Lady Catherine Finch), in 1609.
He died in 1613 and was buried at Gosfield. He was succeeded in the family estates, that "splendid inheritance", by his eldest son
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet (9 August 1737 – 8 April 1820) was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia. He is buried in the crypt of St. ...
, who dissipated the wealth accumulated by his father. His widow remarried the soldier, diplomat and scholar
Sir Edward Hoby. She died in 1618.
Descendants
Through his daughter Cicely, he was a grandfather of four grandchildren, including
Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea
Sir Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea (1628 – 28 September 1689) of Eastwell, Kent, was the 3rd Earl of Winchilsea.
Early life
Finch was the only surviving son of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea and the former Cecille Wentworth of ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wentworth, John
1564 births
1613 deaths
High Sheriffs of Essex
English MPs 1597–1598
English MPs 1601