Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton KG (157025 October 1627) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

nobleman, peer, politician, landowner, and MP from the

Spencer family The Spencer family is an aristocratic family in the United Kingdom. From the 16th century, its members have held numerous titles including the dukedom of Marlborough, the earldoms of Sunderland and Spencer, and the Churchill barony. Two prom ...

Life

He was born in

Althorp Althorp (popularly pronounced ) is a Grade I listed stately home and estate in the civil parish of Althorp, in West Northamptonshire, England of about . By road it is about northwest of the county town of Northampton and about northwest of ...

, Northamptonshire, the son of John Spencer and Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Catlyn. Spencer held the office of

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for

Brackley Brackley is a market town and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England, bordering Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, from Oxford and from Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the inter ...

from 1597 to 1598. He was the Commissioner for Musters for Northamptonshire in 1600 and

Sheriff of Northamptonshire This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the respon ...

for 1601–02. He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Garter in 1601.

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 from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...

and Prince Henry came to

on Sunday 25 June 1603 from Dingley. Spencer welcomed them with a performance ''

The Entertainment at Althorp ''The Entertainment at Althorp,'' or ''The Althorp Entertainment'', performed on 25 June 1603 is an early Jacobean era literary work, written by Ben Jonson. It is also known as ''A Particular Entertainment of the Queen and Prince'', or by the ...

'', written by

Ben Jonson Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...

.John Nichols, ''Progresses of James the first'', vol. 1 (London, 1828), p. 175. Robert Spencer was created 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (in the Peerage of England) on 21 July 1603. On 5 August 1607 he was nominated with Sir

Ralph Winwood Sir Ralph Winwood (c. 1563 – 27 October 1617) was an English diplomat and statesman to the Jacobean court. Early life Ralph Winwood was born the son of Richard Winwood at Aynhoe in Northamptonshire, and was educated at St John's College, O ...

joint representative of England at

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

in the negotiations for peace between

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and the United Netherlands.

Family

On 15 February 1587 he married Margaret Willoughby the daughter of Sir Francis Willoughby and Elizabeth Lyttelton. Robert had seven children by Margaret.

Children

# Mary Spencer (christened 24 August 1588 – 14 July 1658) married Richard Anderson # Elizabeth Spencer (christened 30 November 1589 – 19 November 1618) married

George Fane Colonel George Fane (c. 1616 – April 1663) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1663. He was Lord of the Manor of Hunningham. He fought in the Royalist army in the English Civil War. ...

# Sir John Spencer (6 December 1590 – 16 August 1610) #

William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (christened 4 January 1591 – 19 December 1636) was an English nobleman, politician, and peer from the Spencer family. Life Spencer was the son of Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Worml ...

(christened 4 January 1592 – 19 December 1636) married Lady Penelope Wriothesley # Sir Richard Spencer (christened 21 October 1593 – 1 November 1661) married Mary Sandys # Sir Edward Spencer (christened 2 March 1594 – 16 February 1655/1656) married Margaret Goldsmith # Margaret Spencer (14 August 1597 – 6 December 1613)

References

*
thepeerage
Accessed 24 November 2008
Family search
Retrieved 4 October 2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer Of Wormleighton, Robert Spencer, 1st Baron 1570 births 1627 deaths

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 ...

Barons in the Peerage of England Knights of the Garter High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire English MPs 1597–1598 17th-century English nobility 16th-century English nobility Peers of England created by James I