
Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Southampton (pronunciation uncertain: ''RYE-zlee'' (archaic),
''ROTT-slee'' (present-day)
[ and ''RYE-əths-lee'' have been suggested) (24 April 1545 – 4 October 1581), was an English peer.
]
Family
Henry Wriothesley, born 24 April 1545, was the only surviving son of Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton
Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton (21 December 1505 – 30 July 1550), was an English peer, secretary of state, Lord Chancellor and Lord High Admiral. A naturally skilled but unscrupulous and devious politician who changed with the ...
, and Jane Cheney (d. 15 September 1574), the daughter and heiress of William Cheney of Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
, by Emma Walwyn, daughter of Thomas Walwyn. At his christening on 24 April 1545 at St Andrew's, Holborn, he was honoured in having King Henry VIII and the King's brother-in-law, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, as godfathers, and the King's daughter, Princess Mary, as godmother. Henry Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel, was godfather at the bishoping or confirmation.
Wriothesley had two brothers who both died young, and five sisters:
* Elizabeth (buried 16 January 1555), who married Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe (or Ratclyffe), 3rd Earl of Sussex Knight of the Garter, KG (c. 15259 June 1583), was Lord Deputy of Ireland during the Tudor dynasty, Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.
...
, as his first wife;
* Mary (d. December 1561), who married firstly, Richard Lyster, grandson of Sir Richard Lyster
Sir Richard Lyster (c. 1480 – 14 March 1554) was an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
Origins and early career
Sir Frederick Madden in his "Remarks on the Monument of Sir Richard Lyster in St. Michael's Church Southampton ...
, and secondly, William Shelley of Michelgrove;
* Katherine, who was contracted to marry Sir Matthew Arundell, but instead married Sir Thomas Cornwallis;
* Anne, who was contracted to marry Sir Henry Wallop, but who died before the marriage could take place; and
* Mabel, who married Sir Walter Sandys.
Life and career
Minority
From 1547 until his father's death on 30 July 1550 he was styled Lord Wriothesley. At his father's death he inherited the earldom at the age of five, and became a royal ward. His custody and marriage were granted, on 14 December 1550, to Sir William Herbert.
According to Akrigg, it appears that Southampton's wardship was subsequently acquired by his mother, Jane, while Elzinga states that the wardship was eventually granted in 1560 to Sir William More of Loseley. Whatever the case, Southampton remained for some years with his mother, Jane Cheney, a devout Catholic. Southampton, brought up by her in that religion, remained Catholic throughout his lifetime. As Akrigg summed it up, 'the key to the unhappy life of the second Earl of Southampton is to be found in his fervent Catholicism'.
Marriage and lavish household
On 19 February 1566, at her father's house in London, Southampton (aged twenty) married the thirteen-year-old Mary Browne (d. 1607), daughter of Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, by Jane Radcliffe, the daughter of Robert Radcliffe, 1st Earl of Sussex
Robert Radcliffe, 10th Baron Fitzwalter, 1st Earl of Sussex, KG, KB, PC (c. 148327 November 1542), also spelt Radclyffe, Ratcliffe, Ratcliff, etc., was a prominent courtier and soldier during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII, who serve ...
. On 19 March 1566 he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...
. On reaching the age of majority in 1566 he sued his livery, and was granted licence to enter on his lands by letters patent
Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...
dated 7 February 1568. According to Elzinga, Southampton had six residences and landed income between £2000 and £3000 in the 1560s, and 'lived in a grand way, maintaining a large and lavish household'.
Suspicious Lambeth marsh meeting exposed
The strains between Southampton's religion and the Elizabethan regime first became apparent when in February 1569 Southampton's brother-in-law, the Earl of Sussex, wrote to Sir William Cecil urging that Southampton be 'rather charitably won than severely corrected'. That summer Queen Elizabeth was Southampton's guest at Titchfield Abbey, but in November both Southampton and his father-in-law, Viscount Montague, were implicated in the Northern Rebellion. In a letter dated 1 December 1569 the Spanish ambassador, Guerau de Spes, wrote to the Duke of Alba
Duke of Alba de Tormes (), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by García Álvarez de Toledo, wa ...
that both Montague and Southampton 'have sent to me for advice as to whether they should take up arms or go over to your Excellency'. According to Akrigg, Montague and Southampton set sail for Flanders
Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
, but were driven back by contrary winds.
Although they were ordered to come immediately to court to explain their actions, to all appearances things were smoothed over, and neither Southampton nor his father-in-law was punished for his involvement. However matters came to a head in May 1570 when Pope Pius V excommunicated the Queen, and English Catholics were required to choose between loyalty to religion and loyalty to the sovereign. Southampton sought counsel from John Lesley
John Lesley (or Leslie) (29 September 1527 – 31 May 1596) was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop and historian. His father was Gavin Lesley, rector of Kingussie, Badenoch.
Early career
He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, where he ...
, Bishop of Ross, at a secret meeting in the marshes of Lambeth
Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, which today also gives its name to the (much larger) London Borough of Lambeth. Lambeth itself was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey. It is situated 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Charin ...
, where they were intercepted by the watch, and in consequence, on 18 June 1570 the Privy Council ordered Southampton's arrest and confined him to the house of Henry Becher, Sheriff of London
Two Sheriffs of the City of London are elected annually by the members of the City livery companies. Today's Sheriffs have only ceremonial duties, but the historical officeholders held important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ...
. On 15 July he was placed in the custody of Sir William More at Loseley, where More was under instructions to induce Southampton to take part in Protestant devotions in the household. After doing so, Southampton was released in November 1570.
A year later, in September 1571, under questioning concerning the Ridolfi plot
The Ridolfi plot was a Catholic plot in 1571 to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots. The plot was hatched and planned by Roberto Ridolfi, an international banker who was able to travel between Bruss ...
, the Bishop of Ross incriminated Southampton by revealing the entire story of their meeting in Lambeth marsh. Southampton was arrested at the end of October and confined to the Tower
A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
for 18 months. He was finally released on 1 May 1573, and again placed in the custody of Sir William More at Loseley. On 14 July he was permitted to live with his father-in-law at Cowdray, although his liberty was still restricted.
Birth of son and estrangement of Mary
On 6 October 1573 Southampton wrote elatedly to Sir William More to announce the birth of his son, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton
Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, (pronunciation uncertain: "Rezley", "Rizely" (archaic), (present-day) and have been suggested; 6 October 1573 – 10 November 1624) was the only son of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Sou ...
. The next six years were a period of stability in Southampton's life, with the Queen granting him small offices and other signs of favour. His income was augmented at his mother's death in 1574, and he began construction of a mansion at Dogmersfield
Dogmersfield is a small village lying between the towns of Fleet and Hartley Wintney in Hampshire, England. The M3 motorway and railway stations at Fleet and Winchfield provide routes to London.
Places of interest include the village church, w ...
.
However his relationship with his wife, Mary, gradually deteriorated, and by about 1577 he forbade her ever to see again a certain Donsame, 'a common person'. When in 1580 it was reported to him that she had been seen at Dogmersfield with Donsame, he forever banished her his 'board and presence', forcing her to live at one of his Hampshire estates under close surveillance.
The Countess defended herself with spirit, denying adultery and accusing one of the Earl's servants, Thomas Dymock, of having been the cause of the contention between herself and her husband. Years later the Jesuit Robert Persons charged Charles Paget with having been responsible for the falling out between the Earl and his father-in-law over the Earl's treatment of his wife.
Further illicit contact and death
Matters took a further turn for the worse when the authorities were advised in August 1581 that the Jesuit Edmund Campion
Edmund Campion, SJ (25 January 15401 December 1581) was an English Jesuit priest and martyr. While conducting an underground ministry in officially Anglican England, Campion was arrested by priest hunters. Convicted of high treason, he was ...
had been in contact with the Earl through Thomas Dymock.
Southampton died 4 October 1581 at his house of Itchell, near Dogmersfield
Dogmersfield is a small village lying between the towns of Fleet and Hartley Wintney in Hampshire, England. The M3 motorway and railway stations at Fleet and Winchfield provide routes to London.
Places of interest include the village church, w ...
, Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
, and was buried at Titchfield on 30 November. He left an estate valued at £1097 6s per annum. In his will the Earl named both Thomas Dymock and Charles Paget as executors.
Both Dymock and Paget were alleged hostile to Countess Wriothesley who contested the will with some success, with support from Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester (24 June 1532 – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death. He was a suitor for the queen's hand for many years.
Dudley's youth was ove ...
; by 11 December 1581 the Countess and the executors reached a settlement under which Dymock retained the Earl's generous bequests to him, but relinquished administration of the Earl's estate to another executor, Edward Gage.
Marriage and issue
By Mary Browne Southampton had an only son, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton
Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, (pronunciation uncertain: "Rezley", "Rizely" (archaic), (present-day) and have been suggested; 6 October 1573 – 10 November 1624) was the only son of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Sou ...
, and two daughters, Jane, who died before 1573, and Mary ( – 1607), who married Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour
Thomas may refer to:
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.
After Southampton's death his widow, Mary, married firstly, on 2 May 1595, as his second wife, Sir Thomas Heneage (d. 17 October 1595), Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The officeholder is usually a senior government whip in the British House of Commons ranking third or fourth after the Chief Whip and ...
, and secondly, sometime between 5 November 1598 and 31 January 1599, Sir William Hervey, with whom she remained until her death in November 1607. Her will was proved in 14 November, in which she directed burial at Titchfield ''as near as may be unto the body of my honorable and dearlie beloved Lord and husband Henrie late Earle of Southampton''.[; ; .]
Footnotes
References
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External links
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Henry Wriothesley (1545–1581)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wriothesley, Henry 2nd Earl of Southampton
2
1545 births
1581 deaths
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Henry (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters
* Henry (surname)
* Henry, a stage name of François-Louis Henry (1786–1855), French baritone
Arts and entertainmen ...
Cheney family
16th-century English nobility
Prisoners in the Tower of London