Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland
Encyclopedia
Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland (18 August 1542 – 16 November 1601) was an English nobleman and one of the leaders of the Rising of the North
in 1569.
He was the son of Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland
and Lady Anne Manners, second daughter of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland
.
In 1563, he married Jane Howard, daughter of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
, and sister of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
.
A Catholic
, Westmoreland opposed Queen Elizabeth I
's Protestant policies and, in November 1569, Westmorland joined Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland
in the Northern Rebellion
against the Queen. The rebels captured Durham
and held a Catholic mass
. Forces loyal to the queen
mustered and crushed the rebellion which failed in its attempt to rescue Mary, Queen of Scots from prison.
The two Earls escaped to Scotland
. Westmorland found protection and concealment for a long time at Fernyhurst Castle
, Lord Kerr's house in Roxburghshire
, but meanwhile the Earl's cousin Robert Constable, was hired by Sir Ralph Sadler to endeavor to track the unfortunate nobleman, and, under the guise of friendship, to betray him. Constable's correspondence appears among the Sadler State papers — an infamous memorial of treachery and baseness.
After Northumberland had been captured and turned over to Elizabeth in 1572, Westmorland feared a similar betrayal and left for Flanders
, where he suffered the extremity of poverty. He would never see his wife, Jane Howard
(died 1593) and their four daughters again. His vast inheritance was confiscated; Brancepeth
, the stronghold of the Nevilles in war, and Raby
, their festive Hall in peace, had passed into strangers' hands.
A spy-report sent from Paris to London in August 1585 states that Charles Neville, the fugitive earl of Westmoreland, might, as part of a concerted Catholic invasion of England, land in Cumberland
or Lancashire
, bringing with him the son or sons of Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland
. Historians are obliged to wonder which son(s) the report means, as sources indicate that all sons were in England at the time of their father's mysterious death (possibly murder, possibly suicide) in 1585.
In 1588, Westmoreland commanded a force of 700 English fugitives in the seaports of Flanders, who with the army of 103 companies of foot and 4000 horse, making together 30,000 men under the Duke of Parma; and besides 12,000 men brought by the Duke of Guise to the coast of Normandy, intended for an attack on the West of England, under cover and protection of the Spanish Armada
.
Westmorland fled, to live in exile on the Continent
; he was attainted
by Parliament
in 1571 (Act 13 Eliz. I c. 16
). He survived on a small pension from the King of Spain, dying penniless and largely forgotten on 16 November 1601.
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...
in 1569.
He was the son of Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland
Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland
Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland was an English peer, member of the House of Lords and Knight of the Garter.He inherited the earldom from Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland and was succeeded by his son Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland...
and Lady Anne Manners, second daughter of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland
Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland
Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, 13th Baron de Ros of Helmsley was created an earl by King Henry VIII of England in 1525.-Family background:...
.
In 1563, he married Jane Howard, daughter of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
Henry Howard, KG, , known as The Earl of Surrey although he never was a peer, was an English aristocrat, and one of the founders of English Renaissance poetry.-Life:...
, and sister of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman.Norfolk was the son of the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. He was taught as a child by John Foxe, the Protestant martyrologist, who remained a lifelong recipient of Norfolk's patronage...
.
A 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"...
, Westmoreland opposed Queen Elizabeth I
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...
's Protestant policies and, in November 1569, Westmorland joined Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland
Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland
Blessed Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, 1st Baron Percy, KG , led the Rising of the North and was executed for treason. He was later beatified by the Catholic Church.-Early life:...
in the Northern Rebellion
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...
against the Queen. The rebels captured Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
and held a Catholic mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
. Forces loyal to the queen
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...
mustered and crushed the rebellion which failed in its attempt to rescue Mary, Queen of Scots from prison.
The two Earls escaped to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Westmorland found protection and concealment for a long time at Fernyhurst Castle
Ferniehirst Castle
Ferniehirst Castle is an L-shaped construction on the east bank of the Jed Water, about a mile and a half south of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, and in the former county of Berwickshire...
, Lord Kerr's house in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
, but meanwhile the Earl's cousin Robert Constable, was hired by Sir Ralph Sadler to endeavor to track the unfortunate nobleman, and, under the guise of friendship, to betray him. Constable's correspondence appears among the Sadler State papers — an infamous memorial of treachery and baseness.
After Northumberland had been captured and turned over to Elizabeth in 1572, Westmorland feared a similar betrayal and left for Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, where he suffered the extremity of poverty. He would never see his wife, Jane Howard
Jane Howard
Jane Neville , Countess of Westmorland , daughter of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey and Frances de Vere....
(died 1593) and their four daughters again. His vast inheritance was confiscated; Brancepeth
Brancepeth Castle
Brancepeth Castle is a castle in the village of Brancepeth in County Durham, England, some 5 miles south-west of the city of Durham . It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
, the stronghold of the Nevilles in war, and Raby
Raby Castle
Raby Castle is situated near Staindrop in County Durham and is one of the largest inhabited castles in England. The Grade I listed building has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged, late medieval shell. It is the home and seat of John Vane, 11th Baron...
, their festive Hall in peace, had passed into strangers' hands.
A spy-report sent from Paris to London in August 1585 states that Charles Neville, the fugitive earl of Westmoreland, might, as part of a concerted Catholic invasion of England, land in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
or Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, bringing with him the son or sons of Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland, 2nd Baron Percy was an English aristocrat and conspirator.-Life:He was born at Newburn Manor about 1532, was second of the two sons of Sir Thomas Percy, who was executed in 1537 as a chief actor in the Pilgrimage of Grace, and Eleanor Harbottle...
. Historians are obliged to wonder which son(s) the report means, as sources indicate that all sons were in England at the time of their father's mysterious death (possibly murder, possibly suicide) in 1585.
In 1588, Westmoreland commanded a force of 700 English fugitives in the seaports of Flanders, who with the army of 103 companies of foot and 4000 horse, making together 30,000 men under the Duke of Parma; and besides 12,000 men brought by the Duke of Guise to the coast of Normandy, intended for an attack on the West of England, under cover and protection of the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
Westmorland fled, to live in exile on the Continent
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; he was attainted
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
by Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
in 1571 (Act 13 Eliz. I c. 16
Attainders of Earl of Westmorland and others Act 1571
Attainders of Earl of Westmorland and others Act 1571 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England which confirmed the attainder against Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland and 57 others for their part in the Rising of the North, a plot against Queen Elizabeth I.It was repealed by...
). He survived on a small pension from the King of Spain, dying penniless and largely forgotten on 16 November 1601.
Ancestry
| Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland | Father: Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland |
Paternal Grandfather: Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Ralph Neville, Baron Neville Baron Neville de Raby Baron Neville de Raby, also referred to as Baron Raby, was an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was first created around 1295 for Ralph Neville. The fourth baron was created Earl of Westmorland in 1397, and the two titles remained merged until the sixth earl was attainted in 1571... |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Elizabeth (Edith) Sandys |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Catherine Stafford, Countess of Westmorland |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV.-Early life:Stafford was born at Brecknock Castle in Wales... |
||
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham , also known as Alianore, was a daughter of Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland by his wife Lady Maud Herbert, herself a daughter of the first Earl of Pembroke. She married Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, who was beheaded in 1521 on false charges of... |
|||
| Mother: Anne Manners |
Maternal Grandfather: Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, 13th Baron de Ros of Helmsley was created an earl by King Henry VIII of England in 1525.-Family background:... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: George Manners, 12th Baron de Ros George Manners, 12th Baron de Ros Sir George Manners, 12th Baron de Ros of Helmsley was an English nobleman of the reign of King Henry VII of England.... |
|
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Anne St. Leger, Baroness de Ros |
|||
| Maternal Grandmother: Eleanor Paston, Countess of Rutland |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Sir William Paston Paston Letters The Paston Letters are a collection of letters and papers from England, consisting of the correspondence of members of the gentry Paston family, and others connected with them, between the years 1422 and 1509, and also including some state papers and other important documents.- History of the... |
||
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Bridget Heydon |