Sir Robert Southwell (1563–1598), of Woodrising,

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, was an English politician. Robert was the son of Sir Thomas Southwell and his second wife Mary, daughter of Sir Rice Mansel. Thomas's third wife was Nazaret or

Nazareth Newton Nazareth or Nazaret Newton (died 1583) was a courtier and lady-in-waiting. Nazareth Newton was the youngest daughter of Sir John Newton (d. 1568) of East Harptree, Somerset, and Barrs Court, Gloucestershire, and Margaret, daughter of Sir Anthony ...

. He was

High Sheriff of Norfolk The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually (in March) by the Crown. The High Sheriff of Norfolk was originally the principal law enforcement officer in Norfolk and presided at the assizes and other imp ...

for 1589–90 and Vice-Admiral of Norfolk from 1585 to 1598. 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 ...

(MP) 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

Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...

in 1597. Robert was an admiral in 1588 in the battle with the

Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...

, in command of the '' Elizabeth Jonas''. His portrait was included in the Armada Tapestries. In 1591 the Privy Council asked him, as Vice-Admiral, to adjudicate in the case of a Scottish ship belonging to an Edinburgh merchant Archibald Johnston wrecked on the coast of Norfolk. He died on 12 October 1598 at Woodrising, and was buried on 16 November at Woodrising church. The chief mourner was his cousin

Robert Mansell Sir Robert Mansell (1573–1656) was an admiral of the English Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament (MP), mostly for Welsh constituencies. His name was sometimes given as Sir Robert Mansfield and Sir Robert Maunsell. Early life Mansel was a ...

Family

On 27 April 1583 he married Elizabeth Howard, eldest daughter of

Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham, KG (1536 – 14 December 1624), known as Lord Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I. He was commander of the Eng ...

, and a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth. They had four sons and four daughters, including: * Robert Southwell, died 23 September 1586. * Thomas Southwell (1598-1643) was his heir. * Charles Southwell (2 February 1588 - 23 April 1588), buried at

Reigate Reigate ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town in Surrey, England, around south of central London. The settlement is recorded in Domesday Book in 1086 as ''Cherchefelle'' and first appears with its modern name in the 1190s. The earlie ...

where the Howard family lived at Reigate Priory. *

Elizabeth Southwell Lady Elizabeth Southwell ( née Cromwell), called Lady Cromwell (1674–1709) was an English noblewoman, the only daughter of Vere Essex Cromwell, 4th Earl of Ardglass and wife Catherine Hamilton. Title When her father died in 1687, she claimed ...

(1584-1631), maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth from 1 January 1600 in the place of Margaret Ratcliffe. She danced in the masque at the marriage of

Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester Henry may refer to: People * Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portuga ...

in June 1600. She was also maid of honour to

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional fo ...

, and third wife of Robert Dudley. She wrote an account of the death of Queen Elizabeth. She was buried in

San Pancrazio, Florence San Pancrazio is a church in Florence, Italy, in Piazza San Pancrazio, behind Palazzo Rucellai. With the exception of the Rucellai Chapel, it is deconsecrated and is home to the museum dedicated to the sculptor Marino Marini. The Rucellai Cha ...

where there was formerly a Latin inscription including her age, 37 years. Her portrait is drawn in an Italian armorial. * Frances Southwell, gentlewoman of the privy chamber to Anne of Denmark, married Sir Edward Rodney of

Rodney Stoke Rodney Stoke is a small village and civil parish, located at , 5 miles north-west of Wells, in the English county of Somerset. The village is on the A371 between Draycott and Westbury-sub-Mendip. The parish includes the larger village of Dray ...

(1590-1657), Somerset, at

Denmark House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace (" ...

in May 1614. The

Earl of Rutland 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 ...

gave a wedding present of a gilt bowl and cover worth £21. *

Katherine Southwell Katherine Southwell (died 1657) was an English courtier. She was a daughter of Sir Robert Southwell and Elizabeth Howard, and a granddaughter of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham. She was a gentlewoman in the household of Anne of Denmark, w ...

, gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber to Anne of Denmark, who married

Greville Verney, 7th Baron Willoughby de Broke Greville Verney, 7th Baron Willoughby de Broke and de jure 15th Baron Latimer (1586 – 12 May 1642) of Compton Verney in Warwickshire, England, served twice as a Member of Parliament for Warwick, in 1614 and 1621. Origins He was the son and hei ...

in 1618. Robert's half-sister, the daughter of Nazaret Newton,

, was a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth. She was a mistress of

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG, PC (; 10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a ...

and the mother of Walter Devereux. She married Sir Barentine Moleyns or Molyns of Clapcot.Alan Davidson, 'MOLYNS, Michael (c.1601-at least 1662), of Clapcot', ''The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629'', ed. Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, 2010.
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Southwell, Robert 1563 births 1598 deaths People from Breckland District English MPs 1597–1598 High Sheriffs of Norfolk Members of Parliament for Guildford

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...