Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh
Encyclopedia
Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh or Borough (c. 1488 – 28 February 1550), 1st Baron Borough of Gainsborough, also de jure 5th Baron Strabolgi and 7th Baron Cobham of Sterborough, was an English
peer
. He was knighted on Flodden Field in 1513 where he was one of the King's Spears (bodyguard of Henry VIII
). He was a Member of Parliament in 1529 and Lord Chamberlain to Anne Boleyn
. He was also one of the twenty-six Peers summoned to the trial of Anne Boleyn
in May 1536.
6th Baroness Cobham, daughter of Sir Thomas Cobham
, de jure 5th Baron Cobham
of Sterborough and Lady Anne Stafford, daughter of the 1st Duke of Buckingham
.
His father, Edward, succeeded as 2nd Baron of Gainsborough on 18 March 1495/96, but was never summoned to Parliament and the barony created for his grandfather in 1487 is considered to have become extinct on his death in 1496. After his father was found a lunatic however, in December 1529, Sir Thomas Burgh, was summoned to the House of Lords
as Lord Burgh, of Gainsborough in the County of Lincoln. He was already to have succeeded as de jure fifth Baron Strabolgi
by his father and Baron Cobham
which he inherited from his mother, although he was never summoned to Parliament in this title or confirmed in it. He was knighted in 1513 and served as High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
in 1518 and 1524.
Sir Thomas' home was Gainsborough Old Hall
. Burgh was an over-bearing father given to violent rages. He ruled with an iron hand requiring absolute obedience. Some time after 1529, Sir Thomas had a daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Owen, thrown out of the household and her children with his younger son Thomas declared bastards. Sir Thomas' children lived in fear of their own father.
Sir Thomas was opinionated on matters of religion. Burgh was passionate about the new reformed religion
which was being introduced to England. Burgh had an ambitious reform-minded chaplain with whom he discussed his opinions in the matter of religion with. When his chaplain went to London to find a new patron in Thomas Cromwell
, Burgh wrote asking that he be returned immediately.
In May 1533, at the celebrations for the coronation of Anne Boleyn
, Borough was severely rebuked for 'ripping Queen Catherine of Aragon
's [coat of] arms off her barge and for seizing the barge.' Having been appointed Boleyn's Lord chamberlain, he maintained a high profile and rode in her barge as she was received at the Tower
on her coronation day. Appearing in the procession he wore a surcoat and mantle of white cloth of tissue and ermine as he held the middle of Anne Boleyn's coronation train.
It had been thought until recently that Thomas's father Edward Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh had married Catherine Parr
in 1529, but the 2nd Baron died in August 1528. Through the recent research of documents and the will of Catherine's mother by biographers Susan James, Linda Porter
, David Starkey
, and Alison Weir
; all confirm that she married the 2nd Baron's grandson, who shared his first name. Sir Edward Borough
was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Borough. In the will of Maud Parr
, dated May 1529, she mentioned Sir Thomas, father of Edward, saying I am indebted to Sir Thomas Borough, knight, for the marriage of my daughter. At the time of his son's marriage, Thomas, was thirty-five which would have made Edward around Catherine's age. Sir Edward was in his twenties and may have been in poor health. He served as a feoffee
for Thomas Kiddell and as a justice of the peace. According to Susan James and Linda Porter, Sir Edward Borough died in the spring of 1533, never fulfilling the title of Lord Borough. Other sources state before April 1533.
Lord Burgh died in February 1550 and was succeeded in the barony by his third son William Burgh, 2nd Lord Burgh. Sir Thomas's second wife, Alice, died in 1559.
Issue by Agnes Tyrwhitt:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
. He was knighted on Flodden Field in 1513 where he was one of the King's Spears (bodyguard of 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...
). He was a Member of Parliament in 1529 and Lord Chamberlain to Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
. He was also one of the twenty-six Peers summoned to the trial of Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
in May 1536.
Life
Thomas Burgh or "Borough" was born circa 1488 in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, the eldest son of Edward Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh (c.1463-1528) and Anne Cobham, suo jureSuo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
6th Baroness Cobham, daughter of Sir Thomas Cobham
Thomas Cobham, 5th Baron Cobham
Sir Thomas Cobham of Sterborough Castle, and from 1460 de jure 5th Baron Cobham, was an English nobleman.-Life:Sir Thomas was the second son of Reginald de Cobham, 3rd Baron Cobham de jure and first wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper...
, de jure 5th Baron Cobham
Baron Cobham
The title Baron Cobham has been created numerous times in the Peerage of England; often multiple creations have been extant simultaneously, especially in the fourteenth century. The earliest creation was in 1313 for Henry de Cobham, from Cobham in the county of Kent...
of Sterborough and Lady Anne Stafford, daughter of the 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
.
His father, Edward, succeeded as 2nd Baron of Gainsborough on 18 March 1495/96, but was never summoned to Parliament and the barony created for his grandfather in 1487 is considered to have become extinct on his death in 1496. After his father was found a lunatic however, in December 1529, Sir Thomas Burgh, was summoned 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 Lord Burgh, of Gainsborough in the County of Lincoln. He was already to have succeeded as de jure fifth Baron Strabolgi
Baron Strabolgi
The title Baron Strabolgi in the Peerage of England was drawn out of abeyance in 1916; whether it ever existed before then is open to serious dispute. Complete Peerage declines to list it, on the grounds that it did not exist before the twentieth century; their coverage ends with the death of Queen...
by his father and Baron Cobham
Baron Cobham
The title Baron Cobham has been created numerous times in the Peerage of England; often multiple creations have been extant simultaneously, especially in the fourteenth century. The earliest creation was in 1313 for Henry de Cobham, from Cobham in the county of Kent...
which he inherited from his mother, although he was never summoned to Parliament in this title or confirmed in it. He was knighted in 1513 and served as High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Lincolnshire.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 responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
in 1518 and 1524.
Sir Thomas' home was Gainsborough Old Hall
Gainsborough Old Hall
Gainsborough Old Hall in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire is over five hundred years old and one of the best preserved medieval manor houses in England....
. Burgh was an over-bearing father given to violent rages. He ruled with an iron hand requiring absolute obedience. Some time after 1529, Sir Thomas had a daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Owen, thrown out of the household and her children with his younger son Thomas declared bastards. Sir Thomas' children lived in fear of their own father.
Sir Thomas was opinionated on matters of religion. Burgh was passionate about the new reformed religion
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
which was being introduced to England. Burgh had an ambitious reform-minded chaplain with whom he discussed his opinions in the matter of religion with. When his chaplain went to London to find a new patron in Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
, Burgh wrote asking that he be returned immediately.
In May 1533, at the celebrations for the coronation of Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
, Borough was severely rebuked for 'ripping Queen 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...
's [coat of] arms off her barge and for seizing the barge.' Having been appointed Boleyn's Lord chamberlain, he maintained a high profile and rode in her barge as she was received at the Tower
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...
on her coronation day. Appearing in the procession he wore a surcoat and mantle of white cloth of tissue and ermine as he held the middle of Anne Boleyn's coronation train.
It had been thought until recently that Thomas's father Edward Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh had married Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
in 1529, but the 2nd Baron died in August 1528. Through the recent research of documents and the will of Catherine's mother by biographers Susan James, Linda Porter
Linda Porter (historian)
Linda Porter was born in Exeter, Devon in 1947. Her family have long-standing connections to the West Country, but moved to the London area when she was a small child. She was educated at Walthamstow Hall School in Sevenoaks and at the University of York, from which she has a doctorate in History...
, David Starkey
David Starkey
David Starkey, CBE, FSA is a British constitutional historian, and a radio and television presenter.He was born the only child of Quaker parents, and attended Kendal Grammar School before entering Cambridge through a scholarship. There he specialised in Tudor history, writing a thesis on King...
, and Alison Weir
Alison Weir
Alison Weir is a British writer of history books, and latterly historical novels, mostly in the form of biographies about British royalty.-Personal life:...
; all confirm that she married the 2nd Baron's grandson, who shared his first name. Sir Edward Borough
Sir Edward Burgh
Sir Edward Burgh was the eldest son and heir to Sir Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh and his wife Agnes Tyrwhit. He is known for being the first husband of Catherine Parr, later Queen consort to King Henry VIII...
was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Borough. In the will of Maud Parr
Maud Green, Lady Parr
Maud Green was best known as the mother of Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII of England. She was a close friend and lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon...
, dated May 1529, she mentioned Sir Thomas, father of Edward, saying I am indebted to Sir Thomas Borough, knight, for the marriage of my daughter. At the time of his son's marriage, Thomas, was thirty-five which would have made Edward around Catherine's age. Sir Edward was in his twenties and may have been in poor health. He served as a feoffee
Feoffee
A Feoffee is a trustee who holds a fief , that is to say an estate in land, for the use of a beneficial owner. The term is more fully stated as a feoffee to uses of the beneficial owner. The use of such trustees developed towards the end of the era of feudalism in the middle ages and became...
for Thomas Kiddell and as a justice of the peace. According to Susan James and Linda Porter, Sir Edward Borough died in the spring of 1533, never fulfilling the title of Lord Borough. Other sources state before April 1533.
Marriage and issue
He married twice; firstly in 1496, Agnes Tyrwhitt, the daughter of Sir William Tyrwhitt, by whom he had issue. He married secondly Alice London by whom he had no issue.Lord Burgh died in February 1550 and was succeeded in the barony by his third son William Burgh, 2nd Lord Burgh. Sir Thomas's second wife, Alice, died in 1559.
Issue by Agnes Tyrwhitt:
- Sir Edward BurghSir Edward BurghSir Edward Burgh was the eldest son and heir to Sir Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh and his wife Agnes Tyrwhit. He is known for being the first husband of Catherine Parr, later Queen consort to King Henry VIII...
(c. 1508-before April 1533), eldest son and heir to Lord Borough, married Catherine ParrCatherine ParrCatherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, no issue. - Sir Thomas Burgh (d. 1542), who married Elizabeth Owen, and had issue. Elizabeth was thrown out by her father-in-law and their children were declared bastardBastardBastard may refer to:* A child whose birth lacks legal legitimacy—that is, one born to a woman and a man who are not legally married* Bastard , illegitimacy in English law* Bastard , a blackletter typeface...
s by his father, Lord Borough. The barony was thus passed to his younger brother, Sir William Burgh. - William Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh, de jure 6th Baron Strabolgi, (c. 1521-10 September 1584), married Lady Katherine Clinton, daughter of Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of LincolnEdward Clinton, 1st Earl of LincolnEdward Fiennes, 1st Earl of Lincoln, KG, also known as Edward Clinton was an English nobleman and Lord High Admiral.-Background:...
and Elizabeth BlountElizabeth BlountElizabeth Blount , who was better known by her nickname of "Bessie", was a mistress of Henry VIII of England.-Early life:She was the daughter of Sir John Blount and Catherine Pershall, of Kinlet, Bridgnorth, Shropshire...
, former mistress of King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of EnglandHenry 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...
. They were parents to Thomas Burgh, 3rd Baron Burgh. - Henry Burgh (c. 1531-22 April 1557), from which the Burgh's of Stow descend.
- Anne Burgh (c.1500-1582), married John Bussy of Hougham, Esq. who died in 1541. She married secondly, before 1550, Sir Anthony Neville, Knt.
- Margaret Burgh (d. 1552), married Robert Topcliffe of Somerby, Esq. (d. 1544).
- Agnes Burgh, married John Bassett of Fledborough, Esq.
- Eleanor Burgh, married firstly Sir William Musgrave, Knt; secondly Edmund Croft, Esq. of Suffolk.
- Dorothy Burgh, became a nun.
- Elizabeth Burgh, became a nun.
- John Burgh (living in 1550).
- Richard Burgh (living in 1550).