William Catesby
Encyclopedia
William Catesby, esq. was one of Richard III of England
's principal councillors. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
and Speaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign.
He was the son of Sir William Catesby of Ashby St Ledgers
, Northamptonshire (died 1470) and Philippa, daughter and heiress of Sir William Bishopston. He was trained for the law in the Inner Temple.
As an aspiring lawyer Catesby initially progressed in the service of William, 1st Lord Hastings. He married Margaret, daughter of William La Zouche, 6th Baron Zouche of Harringworth.
He was a member of the Council that ruled during the reign of Edward V
. After Richard was enthroned, Catesby was one of King Richard's closest advisors. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
, and as Speaker of the English House of Commons during the Parliament of 1484, in which he sat as knight of the shire for Northamptonshire
. He also received a substantial grant of land from the king, enough to make him richer than most knights.
In July 1484, William Collingbourne
, a Tudor
agent, tacked up a lampooning poem to St. Paul's Cathedral, which mentions Catesby among the three aides to King Richard, whose emblem was a white boar:
(The dog here refers to a Lovell family heraldic
symbol.) The poem was interpolated into Laurence Olivier
's film Richard III
, a screen adaptation of William Shakespeare
's play. Collingbourne was subsequently hanged, drawn and quartered for this and other treasonable activities.
William Catesby was one of the two councillors (the other was Richard Ratcliffe
) who are reputed to have told the king that marrying Elizabeth of York
would cause rebellions in the north.
Catesby fought alongside Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field
and was captured. Alone of those of importance he was executed three days later at Leicester. The suggestion that he might have made a deal with the Stanleys before the battle comes from his will when he asked them "to pray for my soul as ye have not for my body, as I trusted in you." After his death his estates were largely confiscated by Henry VII.
He was succeeded by George, the eldest of his three sons, to whom the family seat of Ashby St Legers was later restored. Robert Catesby
, leader of the Gunpowder Plot
, was a descendant.
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
's principal councillors. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
and Speaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign.
He was the son of Sir William Catesby of Ashby St Ledgers
Ashby St Ledgers
Ashby St Ledgers is a village in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire, England, although the postal address is Rugby in Warwickshire. The Manor House is famous for being the location for the planning of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605. The building is now part of the Crown estate.-Location:The...
, Northamptonshire (died 1470) and Philippa, daughter and heiress of Sir William Bishopston. He was trained for the law in the Inner Temple.
As an aspiring lawyer Catesby initially progressed in the service of William, 1st Lord Hastings. He married Margaret, daughter of William La Zouche, 6th Baron Zouche of Harringworth.
He was a member of the Council that ruled during the reign of Edward V
Edward V of England
Edward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
. After Richard was enthroned, Catesby was one of King Richard's closest advisors. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, and as Speaker of the English House of Commons during the Parliament of 1484, in which he sat as knight of the shire for Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
The county constituency of Northamptonshire, in the East Midlands of England was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832 and was represented in...
. He also received a substantial grant of land from the king, enough to make him richer than most knights.
In July 1484, William Collingbourne
William Collingbourne
William Collingbourne was an English landowner and administrator. He was an opponent of King Richard III - corresponding with his enemies and penning a famous lampoon - and was eventually executed for treason.-Family background and marriage:...
, a Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
agent, tacked up a lampooning poem to St. Paul's Cathedral, which mentions Catesby among the three aides to King Richard, whose emblem was a white boar:
(The dog here refers to a Lovell family heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
symbol.) The poem was interpolated into Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
's film Richard III
Richard III (1955 film)
Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare's historical play of the same name, also incorporating elements from his Henry VI, Part 3. It was directed and produced by Sir Laurence Olivier, who also played the lead role. The cast includes many noted Shakespearean actors,...
, a screen adaptation of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's play. Collingbourne was subsequently hanged, drawn and quartered for this and other treasonable activities.
William Catesby was one of the two councillors (the other was Richard Ratcliffe
Richard Ratcliffe
Sir Richard Ratcliffe was a close confidant of Richard III of England. He came from a gentry family in the Lake District, and became a companion of Richard when the latter was still Duke of Gloucester. He was one of Richard's trustees in the lordship of Richmond, and was named steward of Barnard...
) who are reputed to have told the king that marrying Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York was Queen consort of England as spouse of King Henry VII from 1486 until 1503, and mother of King Henry VIII of England....
would cause rebellions in the north.
Catesby fought alongside Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
and was captured. Alone of those of importance he was executed three days later at Leicester. The suggestion that he might have made a deal with the Stanleys before the battle comes from his will when he asked them "to pray for my soul as ye have not for my body, as I trusted in you." After his death his estates were largely confiscated by Henry VII.
He was succeeded by George, the eldest of his three sons, to whom the family seat of Ashby St Legers was later restored. Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby , was the leader of a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605....
, leader of the Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
, was a descendant.