Humphrey Wingfield
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Wingfield was an English lawyer, Speaker of the House of Commons of England between 1533 and 1536.
, Suffolk
, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John FitzLewis of West Horndon
, Essex
; Sir Richard Wingfield (1469?-1525) and Sir Robert Wingfield were his brothers. Humphrey was educated at Gray's Inn
, where he was elected Lent Reader in 1517. He had been on the commission of the peace both for Essex and Suffolk since 1509 at least.
was a cousin of the Wingfields, Humphrey being one of his trustees. and probably through his influence Wingfield was introduced at court. In 1515 he was appointed chamberlain to Suffolk's wife Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and was apparently resident in her house. On 28 May 1517 he was nominated upon the royal commission for inquiring into illegal inclosures in Suffolk. He appears to have acted in 1518, together with his eldest brother, Sir John Wingfield, as a financial agent between the government and the Duke of Suffolk.
On 6 November 1520 he was chosen High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
, and on 14 November was appointed a commissioner of gaol delivery for Essex. In 1523 and 1524 he was a commissioner of subsidy for Suffolk and for the town of Ipswich
and also MP for Ipswich
. On 26 June 1525 he was appointed a commissioner of assize for Suffolk, On 5 Feb. 1526 he was a legal member of the king's council. He was in favour with the Thomas Wolsey, and he took an active part in the establishment of the 'cardinal's college' at Ipswich in September 1528. On 11 June 1529 he was nominated by Wolsey one of a commission of twenty-one lawyers presided over by John Taylor to hear cases in chancery
, and on the following 3 November he was returned to parliament for Great Yarmouth
.
In 1530 the fall of Wolsey brought with it the forfeiture of his college at Ipswich, and Wingfield was consulted as counsel, with a view to securing the exemption of the college from the penalties of Wolsey's praemunire
. On the other hand, he was nominated by the crown on 14 July 1530 a commissioner to inquire into Wolsey's possessions in Suffolk. In this capacity he, sitting with three other commissioners at Woodbridge
, Suffolk, returned a verdict on 19 September that the college and its lands were forfeited to the king. He was at the same time high steward of St. Mary Mettingham, another Suffolk college, and under-steward in Suffolk of the estates of St. Osyth, Essex.
On 9 February 1533 the commons presented Wingfield to the king as their speaker. According to Eustace Chapuys
, the king knighted him on this occasion. He is styled 'Sir' in a petition of this year, and frequently afterwards; but according to the list in Walter Metcalfe's Book of Knights he was not dubbed before 1537. During his speakership were passed the acts severing the church of England from the Roman obedience and affirming the royal supremacy; Wingfield supported Henry's policy.
Parliament was dissolved on 4 April 1536. On the outbreak of the Pilgrimage of Grace
in 1536 Wingfield was one of the Suffolk gentry upon whom the government relied for aid. He justified Thomas Cromwell's opinion of him by opposing the incitements of the friars and other disaffected ecclesiastics. He was nominated in 1536 a commissioner for the valuation of the lands and goods of religious houses in Norfolk and Suffolk. For these services he was rewarded by a grant in tail male, dated 29 June 1537, of the manors of Netherhall and Overhall in Dedham, Essex
, and all the lands in Dedham belonging to the suppressed nunnery of Campsie, Suffolk, also of the manor of Crepinghall in Stutton
, Suffolk, and all lands there belonging to the late priory of Colne Comitis (Earls Colne
) in Essex. According to a letter written by him to Cromwell soon after this grant he had then lost half his estate by his wife's death.'On 4 July 1538 he was nominated upon a special commission of oyer and terminer
for treasons in six of the eastern counties. He was also commissioned to survey the defensive points of the coast when in 1539 there were apprehensions of an invasion. He was among the knights appointed to receive Anne of Cleves
in January 1540. After the conviction of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
he received a grant of a lease of his lands in Lalford Says, Ardelegh, Colchester
, and Mile-End, in Essex and Suffolk. He was again returned to Parliament as the Member for Great Yarmouth in 1542.
Wingfield died on 23 October 1545.
Early life
He was the twelfth son of Sir John Wingfield of LetheringhamLetheringham
Letheringham is a sparsely populated civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal in Suffolk, England, on the Deben River.-Sights:St Mary is a tiny church, the remains of the tower and nave of a Priory church, and sits in a farmyard...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John FitzLewis of West Horndon
West Horndon
West Horndon is a village in the south of the Brentwood borough of Essex on the boundary with Thurrock and in the East of England. It is located 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
; Sir Richard Wingfield (1469?-1525) and Sir Robert Wingfield were his brothers. Humphrey was educated at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, where he was elected Lent Reader in 1517. He had been on the commission of the peace both for Essex and Suffolk since 1509 at least.
Career
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of SuffolkCharles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII. His father was the standard-bearer of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond and was slain by Richard III in person at...
was a cousin of the Wingfields, Humphrey being one of his trustees. and probably through his influence Wingfield was introduced at court. In 1515 he was appointed chamberlain to Suffolk's wife Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and was apparently resident in her house. On 28 May 1517 he was nominated upon the royal commission for inquiring into illegal inclosures in Suffolk. He appears to have acted in 1518, together with his eldest brother, Sir John Wingfield, as a financial agent between the government and the Duke of Suffolk.
On 6 November 1520 he was chosen High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Norfolk and Suffolk. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually by the Crown. He was originally the principal law enforcement officer in the county and presided at the Assizes and other important county meetings...
, and on 14 November was appointed a commissioner of gaol delivery for Essex. In 1523 and 1524 he was a commissioner of subsidy for Suffolk and for the town of Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
and also MP for Ipswich
Ipswich (UK Parliament constituency)
Ipswich is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. On 26 June 1525 he was appointed a commissioner of assize for Suffolk, On 5 Feb. 1526 he was a legal member of the king's council. He was in favour with the Thomas Wolsey, and he took an active part in the establishment of the 'cardinal's college' at Ipswich in September 1528. On 11 June 1529 he was nominated by Wolsey one of a commission of twenty-one lawyers presided over by John Taylor to hear cases in chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
, and on the following 3 November he was returned to parliament for Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
In 1530 the fall of Wolsey brought with it the forfeiture of his college at Ipswich, and Wingfield was consulted as counsel, with a view to securing the exemption of the college from the penalties of Wolsey's praemunire
Praemunire
In English history, Praemunire or Praemunire facias was a law that prohibited the assertion or maintenance of papal jurisdiction, imperial or foreign, or some other alien jurisdiction or claim of supremacy in England, against the supremacy of the Monarch...
. On the other hand, he was nominated by the crown on 14 July 1530 a commissioner to inquire into Wolsey's possessions in Suffolk. In this capacity he, sitting with three other commissioners at Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Woodbridge is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. It is in the East of England, not far from the coast. It lies along the River Deben, with a population of about 7,480. The town is served by Woodbridge railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line. Woodbridge is twinned with...
, Suffolk, returned a verdict on 19 September that the college and its lands were forfeited to the king. He was at the same time high steward of St. Mary Mettingham, another Suffolk college, and under-steward in Suffolk of the estates of St. Osyth, Essex.
On 9 February 1533 the commons presented Wingfield to the king as their speaker. According to Eustace Chapuys
Eustace Chapuys
Eustace Chapuys was a Savoyard diplomat who served as the Imperial ambassador to England from 1529 until 1545 and is best known for his extensive and detailed correspondence.-Life:...
, the king knighted him on this occasion. He is styled 'Sir' in a petition of this year, and frequently afterwards; but according to the list in Walter Metcalfe's Book of Knights he was not dubbed before 1537. During his speakership were passed the acts severing the church of England from the Roman obedience and affirming the royal supremacy; Wingfield supported Henry's policy.
Parliament was dissolved on 4 April 1536. On the outbreak of the Pilgrimage of Grace
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising in York, Yorkshire during 1536, in protest against Henry VIII's break with the Roman Catholic Church and the Dissolution of the Monasteries, as well as other specific political, social and economic grievances. It was done in action against Thomas Cromwell...
in 1536 Wingfield was one of the Suffolk gentry upon whom the government relied for aid. He justified Thomas Cromwell's opinion of him by opposing the incitements of the friars and other disaffected ecclesiastics. He was nominated in 1536 a commissioner for the valuation of the lands and goods of religious houses in Norfolk and Suffolk. For these services he was rewarded by a grant in tail male, dated 29 June 1537, of the manors of Netherhall and Overhall in Dedham, Essex
Dedham, Essex
Dedham is a village within the borough of Colchester in northeast Essex, England, situated on the River Stour and on the border of Essex and Suffolk...
, and all the lands in Dedham belonging to the suppressed nunnery of Campsie, Suffolk, also of the manor of Crepinghall in Stutton
Stutton, Suffolk
Stutton is a small village and a civil parish which is located west of Ipswich in Suffolk, United Kingdom. Situated on the Shotley Peninsula, the village has two pubs, a primary school, a village hall and a hair salon, an 18th century period self-catering holiday cottage, bed and breakfast, and a...
, Suffolk, and all lands there belonging to the late priory of Colne Comitis (Earls Colne
Earls Colne
Earls Colne is a village in Essex, England named after the River Colne, on which it stands, and the Earls of Oxford who held the manor of Earls Colne from before 1086 to 1703.-Manor of Earls Colne:...
) in Essex. According to a letter written by him to Cromwell soon after this grant he had then lost half his estate by his wife's death.'On 4 July 1538 he was nominated upon a special commission of oyer and terminer
Oyer and terminer
In English law, Oyer and terminer was the Law French name, meaning "to hear and determine", for one of the commissions by which a judge of assize sat...
for treasons in six of the eastern counties. He was also commissioned to survey the defensive points of the coast when in 1539 there were apprehensions of an invasion. He was among the knights appointed to receive Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
in January 1540. After the conviction of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, KG, PC was the eldest son of William Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon and Catherine of York, and grandson of King Edward IV of England.He was an older brother of Margaret Courtenay...
he received a grant of a lease of his lands in Lalford Says, Ardelegh, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, and Mile-End, in Essex and Suffolk. He was again returned to Parliament as the Member for Great Yarmouth in 1542.
Wingfield died on 23 October 1545.