John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford
Encyclopedia
John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford (1465/1466 – 1536/1537) (sometimes "Huse") was Chief Butler of England
from 1521 until his death. He was a member of the House of Lords
, and a Chamberlain
to King Henry VIII
's daughter, Mary I of England
.
, Lincolnshire
, England, son of William Hussey
, an English judge and Chief Justice of the King’s Bench
. His mother was the former Elizabeth Berkeley. Hussey's siblings included: Elizabeth, who married Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent
, and Mary Hussey, who married William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
.
In 1497, at the Battle of Blackheath, Hussey was knight
ed. Six years later, he was made "Knight of the Body", bodyguard to
King Henry, followed by an appointment as "Master of Lyfield Forest
", Rutland
, in 1505, and, on 16 August 1513, he was made a Knight banneret
.
for Lincolnshire. He received a Writs of Summons on 1 December 1529 to the House of Lords
as 'Johannes Hussey de sleford, chivaler'. In June 1530, Hussey was named Lincolnshire Castle
's Commissioner for Gaol Delivery, and later that same year, Hussey sold some of his large holdings (the Somerset
shire manors of Batheaston
, Bathampton
, Bathford
, Twerton
; the Wiltshire
manors of Compton Bassett
, Comerwell, and North Wraxall
.
On the 10th September 1533, Lord Hussey attended the christening of princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth 1), daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and carried the canopy over the 3-day old child with George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
, Lord Thomas Howard
, and William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham
.
Hussey was Chamberlain to King Henry's daughter, Mary, while Hussey's second wife, Lady Anne, was one of Mary's attendants. Though King Henry forbade anyone from calling his daughter, Mary, by the title of Princess, Lady Anne did do so, after which she lost her attendant position around June 1534 and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
in August. Asking for the King's pardon, she was released before the end of the year.
In addition to his responsibilities at Court and Parliament, Hussey was steward to John Longland
, the conservative Bishop of Lincoln
, and King Henry's confessor.
was one of the worst uprisings of King Henry's reign. It occurred during the early English Reformation period when King Henry was feuding with Pope Clement VII
to annul the king's marriage with Catherine of Aragon
.
Though Hussey denied participating in the Pilgrimage of Grace, he was accused of conspiring to change laws and depose the king, and that he abetted those who made war on the king in October 1536. The charges may have been levied in part because of Hussey's Catholic
sympathies, and because Hussey and his wife, having served 'Princess' Mary, were partisans on her behalf. Hussey was indicted and tried for treason, and found guilty by the House of Lords. He was beheaded in Lincoln
in 1536, while his cousin, Thomas Darcy
, was executed on Tower Hill
.
Hussey's statement ("confession") survives.
, and they had three sons:
Around 1509, he married Lady Anne Grey (c. 1490, Denbigh
– from 1 March 1544/1545 to 11 February 1545/1546), daughter of George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent
by second wife Lady Catherine Herbert. They had seven children:
After his execution, Hussey's home in Sleaford, as well as his other estates were confiscated by the crown. His children were restored to Parliament in 1563 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth
, but Hussey's title was forfeited, and the estates were not returned.
Chief Butler of England
The Chief Butler of England is an office of Grand Sergeanty associated with the feudal Manor of Kenninghall in Norfolk. The office requires service to be provided to the Monarch at the Coronation, in this case the service of Pincera Regis, or Chief Butler at the Coronation banquet.The manor of...
from 1521 until his death. He was a member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, and a Chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
to King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's daughter, Mary I of England
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
.
Early years
Hussey was born in SleafordSleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England, son of William Hussey
William Hussey (judge)
Sir William Hussey , SL was an English judge who served as Chief Justice of the King’s Bench....
, an English judge and Chief Justice of the King’s Bench
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
. His mother was the former Elizabeth Berkeley. Hussey's siblings included: Elizabeth, who married Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent
Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent
Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent was an English peer.-Family:He was a son of George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent and his first wife Anne Woodville. His maternal grandparents were Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxembourg....
, and Mary Hussey, who married William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was an English baron and the largest landowner in Lincolnshire. He was the son of Sir Christopher Willoughby William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (1482–1526) was an English baron and the largest landowner in Lincolnshire. He was...
.
In 1497, at the Battle of Blackheath, Hussey was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed. Six years later, he was made "Knight of the Body", bodyguard to
King Henry, followed by an appointment as "Master of Lyfield Forest
Leighfield
Leighfield is a civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. There is no settlement centre in the parish, only a few isolated properties. In the 2001 census it had a population of 10, which was the fourth smallest of Rutland's parish populations...
", Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, in 1505, and, on 16 August 1513, he was made a Knight banneret
Knight banneret
A knight banneret, sometimes known simply as banneret, was a Medieval knight who led a company of troops during time of war under his own banner and were eligible to bear supporters in English heraldry.The military rank of a knight banneret was...
.
Career
On 6 July 1523, Hussey was made a member of Parliament. Three years later, 5 February 1526, he was appointed a judge, and on 3 November 1529, Hussey was summoned to Parliament as Knight of the ShireKnights of the Shire
From the creation of the Parliament of England in mediaeval times until 1826 each county of England and Wales sent two Knights of the Shire as members of Parliament to represent the interests of the county, when the number of knights from Yorkshire was increased to four...
for Lincolnshire. He received a Writs of Summons on 1 December 1529 to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as 'Johannes Hussey de sleford, chivaler'. In June 1530, Hussey was named Lincolnshire Castle
Tattershall Castle (Lincolnshire)
Tattershall Castle is a castle in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England, north east of Sleaford, and in the care of the National Trust.-History:...
's Commissioner for Gaol Delivery, and later that same year, Hussey sold some of his large holdings (the Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
shire manors of Batheaston
Batheaston
Batheaston is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England , on the north bank of the River Avon. The parish has a population of 2,625...
, Bathampton
Bathampton
Bathampton is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England on the south bank of the River Avon. The parish has a population of 1,504.The Kennet and Avon Canal passes through the village and a toll bridge links Bathampton to Batheaston on the north bank of the canal.-History:Bathampton Camp is...
, Bathford
Bathford
Bathford is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England. The parish, which includes Warleigh has a population of 1,753, and extends over .-History:...
, Twerton
Twerton
Twerton is a suburb of the city of Bath, Somerset, England, situated to the west of the city, and home to the city's football club, Bath City....
; the Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
manors of Compton Bassett
Compton Bassett
Compton Bassett is a village in Wiltshire between Calne and Cherhill with a population of approximately 250. It is a largely rural village with several farms, a church, a pub and a shop.-Midge Mather Incident:...
, Comerwell, and North Wraxall
North Wraxall
North Wraxall is a small village and a civil parish in Wiltshire, England.-Location:The village is located west of Chippenham, on the A420 road going to Bristol.The neighbouring villages are...
.
On the 10th September 1533, Lord Hussey attended the christening of princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth 1), daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and carried the canopy over the 3-day old child with George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford was an English courtier and nobleman, and the brother of queen consort Anne Boleyn...
, Lord Thomas Howard
Lord Thomas Howard
Lord Thomas Howard , courtier, was a younger son of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk by his second marriage to Agnes Tilney. He is chiefly known for his affair with Lady Margaret Douglas , the daughter of Henry VIII's sister, Margaret Tudor, for which he was imprisoned in the Tower, where he died...
, and William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham
William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham
William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham , was the eldest son of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk by his second wife, Agnes Tilney...
.
Hussey was Chamberlain to King Henry's daughter, Mary, while Hussey's second wife, Lady Anne, was one of Mary's attendants. Though King Henry forbade anyone from calling his daughter, Mary, by the title of Princess, Lady Anne did do so, after which she lost her attendant position around June 1534 and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
in August. Asking for the King's pardon, she was released before the end of the year.
In addition to his responsibilities at Court and Parliament, Hussey was steward to John Longland
John Longland
John Longland was the English Dean of Salisbury from 1514 to 1521 and bishop of Lincoln from 1521 to his death in 1547.He was King Henry VIII's confessor and was said to have been one of those who first persuaded the King that he should annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon.During the English...
, the conservative Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
, and King Henry's confessor.
Downfall
The Pilgrimage of GracePilgrimage 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...
was one of the worst uprisings of King Henry's reign. It occurred during the early English Reformation period when King Henry was feuding with Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII
Clement VII , born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, was a cardinal from 1513 to 1523 and was Pope from 1523 to 1534.-Early life:...
to annul the king's marriage with Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
.
Though Hussey denied participating in the Pilgrimage of Grace, he was accused of conspiring to change laws and depose the king, and that he abetted those who made war on the king in October 1536. The charges may have been levied in part because of Hussey's Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
sympathies, and because Hussey and his wife, having served 'Princess' Mary, were partisans on her behalf. Hussey was indicted and tried for treason, and found guilty by the House of Lords. He was beheaded in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
in 1536, while his cousin, Thomas Darcy
Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy
Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy , was an English statesman and rebel leader, who was executed for his part in an English rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace.-Origins:...
, was executed on Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, just outside the limits of the City of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Formerly it was part of the Tower Liberty under the direct administrative control of Tower...
.
Hussey's statement ("confession") survives.
Family
Hussey first married Margaret Blount in 1490 at MangotsfieldMangotsfield
Mangotsfield is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, situated north of the Bristol suburb of Kingswood, bounded to the north by the M4 motorway and to the east by the Emersons Green housing estate....
, and they had three sons:
- Sir William Hussey, Knt.KnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
(c. 1492) - Thomas Hussey (c. 1495)
- Gilbert Hussey (c. 1497)
Around 1509, he married Lady Anne Grey (c. 1490, Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
– from 1 March 1544/1545 to 11 February 1545/1546), daughter of George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent
George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent
George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent was the son of Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent and Lady Katherine Percy. He was the Second Earl of Kent from 1490 to 1505....
by second wife Lady Catherine Herbert. They had seven children:
- Sir Giles Hussey, Knt.KnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, born in 1505, married to Jane Pigot, and had issue (descendants include President Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
(twice), Actor James DeanJames DeanJames Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
and Entrepreneurs J. A. FolgerJ. A. FolgerJames Athearn Folger was the founder of the Folgers Coffee Company.-Early years:Folger was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the son of Samuel Brown Folger and Nancy Hill. His father was a master blacksmith who had invested in a try works and bought two ships. They had nine children of which...
and Peter FolgerPeter FolgerPeter Folger was an American coffee heir, socialite, and member of the prominent United States Folger family. He was also the long time Chairman of the board and President at the Folgers Coffee Company. He is the grandson of founder J. A...
) - Joan Hussey, wife of Sir Roger Forster.
- Elizabeth Hussey, second wife of Sir Robert ThrockmortonRobert ThrockmortonSir Robert Throckmorton of Coughton Court, MP, KG was a distinguished English Tudor courtier.-Overview:...
of CoughtonCoughton CourtCoughton Court is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
, WarwickshireWarwickshireWarwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
(d. 1586), and had four daughters and two sons - Bridget Hussey (c. 1526 - 13 January 1600/1601, bur. WatfordWatfordWatford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, HertfordshireHertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, willWill (law)A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
dated 2 June 1600) probated 12 January 1600/1601), wife of Sir Richard Morrison of Cashiobury, HertfordshireHertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
(d. StrasbourgStrasbourgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, 17 March 1556), Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of RutlandHenry Manners, 2nd Earl of RutlandHenry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland, 14th Baron de Ros of Helmsley, KG was the son of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland. He also held the title of 14th Baron de Ros of Hamlake, a title to which he acceded in 1543....
before 1563, without issue, and second wife of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of BedfordFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of BedfordFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG was an English nobleman, soldier and politician and godfather to Sir. Francis Drake.-Early life:...
on 25 June 1566, without issue; her daughter by first husband Jane Sibella Morrison (d. July 1615, last will dated 6 March 1614/1615 probated 14 July 1615), naturalized as an English subject in 1575/1576, married c. 1571 Edward Russell, Baron Russell (d. bef. June 1572 without issue and intestate and his estate was administered on 30 June 1572, bur. CheniesCheniesChenies is a village in the very eastern part of south Buckinghamshire, England, near the border with Hertfordshire. It is situated to the east of Chesham and the Chalfonts. Chenies is also a civil parish within Chiltern district....
, BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
), son of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of BedfordFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of BedfordFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG was an English nobleman, soldier and politician and godfather to Sir. Francis Drake.-Early life:...
and Margaret St John, and after 1572 Sir Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de WiltonArthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de WiltonArthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton was a baron in the Peerage of England, remembered mainly for his memoir of his father, and for participating in the last defence of Calais.-Life:...
, and had issue - Anne Hussey
- Dorothy Hussey
- Mary Hussey
- William Hussey
After his execution, Hussey's home in Sleaford, as well as his other estates were confiscated by the crown. His children were restored to Parliament in 1563 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, but Hussey's title was forfeited, and the estates were not returned.
Honors
- 6 December 1533, John Fewterer, Confessor-General of Syon AbbeySyon AbbeySyon Monastery , was a monastery of the Bridgettine Order founded in 1415 which stood until its demolition in the 16th c. on the left bank of the River Thames within the parish of Isleworth, in the county of Middlesex on or near the site of the present Georgian mansion of Syon House...
, dedicated his book, The myrrour or glasse of Christes passion, to "the Honorable 'Lord Husey', from Syon".