{{Infobox noble, Baron , name = Henry Norris , title =

Baron Norreys The title Baron Norreys of Rycote was created in the Peerage of England by writ for Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys, Sir Henry Norris in 1572. The 2nd Baron Norreys was created Viscount Thame and Earl of Berkshire, both titles became extinct on hi ...

, image = Henry Norris 1st Baron Norris of Rycote.jpg , caption = Henry Norris, aged 60, 1585 , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession = , reign = , reign-type = , predecessor = , successor = , suc-type = , spouse = Margery Williams , issue = Sir John Norreys
Sir

William Norreys Sir William Norreys (c. 1441 – before 10 January 1507) was a famous Lancastrian soldier, and later an Esquire of the Body to King Edward IV. Probably born at Yattendon Castle, William was the eldest son of Sir John Norreys of Ockwells and ...

Sir Edward Norreys
Catherine Norreys
Sir Henry Norreys
Sir

Thomas Norreys Sir Thomas Norris (1556–1599) was an English soldier. He sat in the Irish House of Commons, and was made Lord President of Munster in Ireland. His last name is sometimes spelt Norreys. Family He was the fifth of the six sons of Henry Nor ...

Maximilian Norreys , issue-link = , issue-pipe = , full name = , styles = , titles = , noble family = , house-type = , father = Henry Norris , mother = Mary Fiennes, Lady Norris , birth_date = {{circa, 1525 , birth_place = , christening_date = , christening_place = , death_date = {{Death date and age, 1601, 06, 27, 1525, df=y , death_place =

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

, burial_date = 5 August 1601 , burial_place = Chapel of St Michael and All Angels, Rycote , resting_place_coordinates = {{Coord, 51.73802, -1.03517, type:landmark, display=inline , religion = , occupation = English politician and diplomat , memorials = , url = , module = Norris-arms

Henry Norris (or Norreys), 1st Baron Norreys ({{circa, 1525{{spaced ndash27 June 1601){{sfn, Fuidge, 1981 of

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

, who belonged to an old

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

family, many members of which had held positions at the English court.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911

Origins

He was the son of Sir Henry Norreys (d. 1536), who was

beheaded Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common c ...

for his supposed

adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...

with

Queen Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...

, and Mary Fiennes (1495–1531), daughter of

Thomas Fiennes, 8th Baron Dacre Thomas Fiennes, 8th Baron Dacre (1472 – 9 September 1534) was an English peer and soldier, the son of Sir John Fiennes. Career He was born in 1472, the son of Sir John Fiennes (born c.1447, son of Richard Fiennes, 7th Baron Dacre born 1415) ...

(1472–1534).{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981

Early career

{{Infobox UK legislation , short_title = Restitution of Sir Henry Norreys Act 1539 , type = Act , parliament = Parliament of England , long_title = An act for the restitution of Henry Norries. , year = 1539 , citation =

31 Hen. 8 31 Hen. 8 The first session of the 7th Parliament of King Henry VIII, which met at Westminster from 28 April 1539 until 28 June 1539. This session was also traditionally cited as 31 H. 8. No acts were passed during the second session. Publi ...

. c. ''22'' {{small, Pr. , introduced_commons = , introduced_lords = , territorial_extent = , royal_assent = 28 June 1539 , commencement = , expiry_date = , repeal_date = , amends = , replaces = , amendments = , repealing_legislation = , related_legislation = , status = , legislation_history = , theyworkforyou = , millbankhansard = , original_text = , revised_text = , use_new_UK-LEG = , UK-LEG_title = , collapsed = yes The early years of Henry's life are obscure. His mother had died in 1531, and his father was beheaded in 1536, leaving him and his younger sister Mary orphans. The children were brought up by their childless uncle, Sir John Norreys. Henry's patrimony was restored to him by a private act of Parliament, the {{visible anchor, Restitution of Sir Henry Norreys Act 1539 (

. c. ''22'' {{small, Pr.), and in December 1542 his uncle Sir John Norreys of

Yattendon Yattendon is a village and civil parish northeast of Newbury, Berkshire, Newbury in the county of Berkshire, England. The M4 motorway passes through the fields of the village which lie south and below the elevations of its nucleated village, c ...

, was licensed to settle his estates in reversion on Henry, who was his ward, and on

Margery __NOTOC__ Margery is a heavily buffered, lightly populated hamlet in the Reigate and Banstead district in the English county of Surrey. It sits on the North Downs, is bordered by the London Orbital Motorway, at a lower altitude, and its predomi ...

, the younger daughter of

John Williams, 1st Baron Williams of Thame John Williams, 1st Baron Williams of Thame (c. 1500 – 14 October 1559) was Master of the Jewels and Lord President of the Council of the Welsh Marches. He was summoned to parliament as Lord Williams of Thame on 17 February 1554. Life Will ...

, and their heirs. The couple must therefore have been betrothed by this date. Henry's prospects were bright. He was made a

knight of the shire Knight of the shire () was the formal title for a member of parliament (MP) representing a county constituency in the British House of Commons, from its origins in the medieval Parliament of England until the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 ...

for

in 1547.{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981 His wife, Margery, was the coheir of her wealthy father, who had become treasurer of the court of augmentations and who was continuing to acquire land in

. The deaths of Henry's uncle (1563) and father-in-law (1559) greatly increased Henry's already considerable wealth, bringing him properties in

, where he and his wife settled, and in

.{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 These included

Sydenham Sydenham may refer to: Places Australia * Sydenham, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney ** Sydenham railway station, Sydney * Sydenham, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne ** Sydenham railway line, the name of the Sunbury railway line, Melbourne un ...

and

Yattendon Castle Yattendon Castle was a fortified manor house located in the civil parish of Yattendon, in the Hundred (country subdivision), hundred of Faircross, in the England, English county of Berkshire. History The site upon which Yattendon castle stood ...

Royal friendship

In 1553, Henry was among the King's gentlemen who witnessed the device settling the crown upon

Lady Jane Grey Lady Jane Grey (1536/1537 – 12 February 1554), also known as Lady Jane Dudley after her marriage, and nicknamed as the "Nine Days Queen", was an English noblewoman who was proclaimed Queen of England and Ireland on 10 July 1553 and reigned ...

.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 After the succession crisis, Queen Mary did not hold this act against him, approving his appointment as the butler of

Poole Poole () is a coastal town and seaport on the south coast of England in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in Dorset, England. The town is east of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east ...

later in that same year. In 1554, he was assigned to guard Princess Elizabeth at

Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...

. Elizabeth believed his father had died for his loyalty to her mother, Queen Anne, and brought him and his wife into her trusted circle, where he would stay for the remainder of his life.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 In November 1565, on the occasion of the third marriage of Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, another member of Elizabeth's trusted circle, Henry participated in a tournament in the Queen's presence.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 Elizabeth visited the couple at their estate

, Oxfordshire, on numerous occasions; in September 1566 on her return from

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, during which she

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a 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. The concept of a knighthood ...

ed Henry;{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981 in 1568, 1570, 1572, and in September 1592, on another journey from

. Upon the death of their son, Sir

John Norreys John Norreys may refer to: *Sir John Norris (soldier) or Norreys (c. 1547–1597), the son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys, a lifelong friend of Queen Elizabeth *Sir John Norreys (Keeper of the Wardrobe) for Henry VI of England (c. 1400–1466) * ...

, who was a distinguished soldier in Elizabeth's armies, the queen sent a stately letter of condolence to "my own dear crow", as the Queen still affectionately called Margery.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124

Later career

In 1561, Norris was made

High Sheriff of Oxfordshire The High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'. The title of High Sheriff is therefore much older ...

and

. In the autumn of 1566, he was appointed Ambassador to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

by the queen. In March 1567,

Charles IX of France Charles IX (Charles Maximilien; 27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) was List of French monarchs, King of France from 1560 until his death in 1574. He ascended the French throne upon the death of his brother Francis II of France, Francis II in 1560, an ...

showed him a new lodging in a French palace. Norris observed a painting of the fortress town of Newhaven or

Ambleteuse Ambleteuse (; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Imbelteuse'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in northern France. History Ambleteuse began as a hamlet of a few huts in the middle of the dunes, f ...

, and a Latin inscription claiming the English had captured it by a trick. Norris complained and was told the King and his mother

Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici (, ; , ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian Republic of Florence, Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to Henry II of France, King Henry II. Sh ...

had not noticed this, and could not read Latin. The inscription was changed to read that the English had taken the town by force of arms. Elizabeth I wondered if he and his wife would be able to recruit a French tailor to serve her in England. William Cecil requested French books including architectural works by

Philibert de l'Orme Philibert de l'Orme () (3-9 June 1514 – 8 January 1570) was a French architect and writer, and one of the great masters of French Renaissance architecture. His surname is also written De l'Orme, de L'Orme, or Delorme. Biography Early care ...

.''Cabala Sive Scrinia'', pp. 152–153. Norris was recalled from France in August 1570 and replaced by Sir

Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her " spymaster". Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wa ...

. By way of recompense for his services abroad, he was summoned to the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

, as

of Rycote, on 8 May 1572.{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981 In October 1596, Henry was created

Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire. Since 1689, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Oxfordshire. Deputy lieutenants A deputy lieutenant of Oxfordshire is commissioned by the Lord Lieut ...

.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 He already held the same office for

.{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981

Marriage and issue

Henry married

(or Margaret), (1521 – December 1599), daughter of

, sometime between December 1542 and 26 August 1544. They were the parents of seven children. His six sons all distinguished themselves as soldiers.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 * Sir John Norreys (1547 – 3 July 1597) * Sir

(1548 – 27 December 1579

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

) * Sir Edward Norreys (c. 1550 – October 1603 Englefield), Governor of

Ostend Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...

in 1590. * Catherine Norreys (c. 1553 – ), married Sir

Anthony Paulet Sir Anthony Paulet (1562–1600) of Hinton St George, Somerset, was Governor of Jersey from 1588 until his death in 1600. Origins He was born at Hinton St George, Somerset the eldest son of Amyas Paulet, Sir Amias Paulet (1532–1588) by his wife ...

, Governor of the Isle of Jersey about 1583 in Rycote, Oxfordshire. * Sir Henry Norreys (1554–1599), fought in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

and then in

, where he died. * Sir

(1556–1599),

Lord President of Munster The post of Lord President of Munster was the most important office in the English government of the Irish province of Munster from its introduction in the Elizabethan era for a century, to 1672, a period including the Desmond Rebellions in Munste ...

died in Ireland * Maximilian Norreys (c. 1557 – September 1593), killed in

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

while serving under his brother, John. Edward was relieved of his post in Ostend by the Queen. She sent him home as all of his brothers had died as soldiers and Elizabeth wanted her friend Margery to have one of her sons by her. Margery died soon afterwards in 1599 and the Queen wrote off £2,000 of their debt.{{Cite ODNB , last=Doran , first=Susan , title=Norris orreys Henry, first Baron Norris (c. 1525–1601), courtier and diplomat , date=2004-09-23 , url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-20272 , access-date=2023-06-19 , language=en , doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/20272 , isbn=978-0-19-861412-8

Death and burial

Henry died on 27 June 1601,{{sfn, Fuidge, 1981 having outlived his wife and five of his children, and was temporarily buried, on 21 May, in the church at Englefield, where his son Edward was living.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124 Finally, on 5 August, he was re-interred at Rycote, in a vault beneath the chapel of St Michael and All Angels, in the grounds of Rycote House. His will was dated 24 September 1589.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124

Monument

Both he and his wife are commemorated by the

monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, historical ...

erected in honour of them and their six sons in St. Andrew's Chapel in

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911 Life-size

effigies An effigy is a sculptural representation, often life-size, of a specific person or a prototypical figure. The term is mostly used for the makeshift dummies used for symbolic punishment in political protests and for the figures burned in certain ...

of Lord and Lady Norreys lie beneath an elaborate canopy supported by marble

pillar A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

s and they are surrounded by kneeling figures of their children.{{sfn, Lee, 1895, pp=122–124

Notes

{{Reflist

References

* {{cite EB1911, wstitle=Norris, Henry Norris, Baron , volume=19, page=756 * {{cite book, last=Fuidge , first=N. M. , editor=Hasler, P. W. , chapter=Norris, Sir Henry I (c.1525-1601), of Rycote, Oxon. and Bray, Berks. , title=Members. The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1558–1603 , chapter-url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/norris-sir-henry-i-1525-1601 , year=1981 , publisher=Historyofparliamentonline.org , access-date=26 March 2014 Attribution: *{{DNB , last=Lee, first=Sidney , wstitle=Norris, Henry (1525?-1601), volume=41, pages=122–124

External links

{{Commons category
Sir Henry Norreys (1525–1601)
A biography
Henry Norris, Lord Norris
Family tree {{S-start {{s-off {{s-bef , before=John D'Oyley {{s-ttl , title=

High Sheriff of Berkshire and Oxfordshire This is a list of Sheriffs of Berkshire and Oxfordshire. One sheriff was appointed for both counties from 1248 until the end of 1566 (except for 1258–1259), after which separate sheriffs were appointed. See High Sheriff of Berkshire and High She ...

, years=1562–1563 {{s-aft , after= Richard Wenman {{s-break {{s-vac, unknown {{s-ttl , title=

Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. Since 1689, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Berkshire. Lord-Lieutenants of Berkshire *Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk 1545–22 August 1545 *Edw ...

and

, years=1586–1601 , with= Sir Francis Knollys 1586–1596 , with2= Sir William Knollys 1596–1601 {{s-aft , after= Sir William Knollys {{s-reg, en {{s-new, creation {{s-ttl , title=

, years=1572–1601 {{s-aft , after= Francis Norris {{S-end {{DEFAULTSORT:Norreys, Henry Norris, 1st Baron 1520s births 1601 deaths Ambassadors of England to France 1 16th-century English diplomats High sheriffs of Berkshire High sheriffs of Oxfordshire Lord-lieutenants of Berkshire Lord-lieutenants of Oxfordshire People from Thame People from Yattendon Members of the Parliament of England for Berkshire Henry, Baron 1st English MPs 1547–1552 English MPs 1571 16th-century English knights Knights Bachelor 16th-century English nobility