Edward Horsey
Encyclopedia
Sir Edward Horsey was a conspirator against Queen Mary
, then a soldier, ambassador and courtier under Queen Elizabeth
. He was the eldest son of Jasper Horsey of Exton Devon and his wife Joan, who also had three other sons - Francis, George (later Sir George Horsey) and John. Nothing is known of his early life or education but he may have fought as a soldier of fortune on the continent and been part of an embassy to France in 1551.
of a revolt against Mary and her consort Philip II of Spain
in July 1555, and met with other malcontents in London shortly afterwards, becoming involved with the Throckmorton plot
. He went into exile in France in March 1556 and was part of the Dudley conspiracy to overthrow the monarchy, with his brother Francis. The conspirators met Henry II of France
who promised them assistance but the plot was discovered and came to nothing. Horsey was made an outlaw. In France, Edward Horsey married an unknown French woman and met Robert Dudley, who later became Earl of Leicester. After Elizabeth's accession he had to remain in France but reported French "Sea Matters" to the English court. By summer 1562 he was Cecil's agent in Dieppe.
in the summer of 1565. He supervised the refurbishment of the island's defences against the expected Spanish invasion, including the repair of Carisbroke castle and West Cowes fort.
As Admiral of Hampshire, Horsey was responsible for reporting hostile naval activity and pirates. In December 1568 he seized several Spanish vessels with a treasure valued at £31,000. The next year he commanded a troop against the rebels in the Northern Uprising. Until 1571, when it was forbidden by the Privy Council, he gave assistance to the Sea Beggars in the Channel.In August 1571 he outfitted a ship for Martin Frobisher
. In the autumn of 1576 he was authorised by the Privy Council to capture French pirates in the English Channel
.
In 1577 and afterwards Horsey was involved in a project to make gunpowder with Cornelius Stephenson. He became involved in plans to repel an expected Spanish invasion of Ireland.
in 1568 and to France in 1573. He negotiated on behalf of English merchants and pleaded for the Protestant subjects of the king of Spain. Then in 1576 he was sent to Don John of Austria to defuse the situation with the rebellious Spanish Netherlands. Don John and the states agreed terms and Horsey was rewarded in December 1577 with a knighthood.
and gave the bride, Lady Douglas Sheffield, away in her secret marriage to him in 1573. He undertook other tasks for Leicester and became a respected member of the Royal Court. He supplied a ship for Hawkins' venture in the West Indies and was listed as a venturer "who promised but paid nothing" for Frobisher's attempted voyage to Cathay.
Horsey had been appointed a Justice of the Peace
for Hampshire and Wight in 1569, which post he held until he died. He was a Member of Parliament
in 1571 for Southampton
(of which he had been made a burgess the year before) and then in 1572 for the county of Hampshire. On 22 May 1572 he was named on committees concerning firearms and 8 March one on Justices of the Forest. As Captain of the Isle of Wight he was appointed to committees dealing with ports and wines. He was appointed Keeper of Carisbroke park and Steward of Crworn Lands on the island as well as Commissioner for Piracy from 1565.
By 1580 Edward Horsey was living at Great Haseley manor near Arreton on the Isle of Wight with Cowsebel Mille, who he would have married except that he had a wife in France. He enjoyed hunting and is said to have introduced hares into the island. In November 1580 he entertained the Portuguese Ambassador though many members of his household were "down with the disease". He seems to have contracted the plague shortly afterwards but recovered. By this time he had appointed a lieutenant to suppress piracy, whose negligence had led to an increase in their activity.
Sir Edward became ill again the following year and died in February 1583. His lands in Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire passed to his brother George. He was buried in March in Carisbroke church. His tomb still exists, being of alabaster and marble
with a canopy having the family crest.
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...
, then a soldier, ambassador and courtier under 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...
. He was the eldest son of Jasper Horsey of Exton Devon and his wife Joan, who also had three other sons - Francis, George (later Sir George Horsey) and John. Nothing is known of his early life or education but he may have fought as a soldier of fortune on the continent and been part of an embassy to France in 1551.
Conspirator
Edward Horsey was reported for spreading a rumour in DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
of a revolt against Mary and her consort Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
in July 1555, and met with other malcontents in London shortly afterwards, becoming involved with the Throckmorton plot
Throckmorton Plot
The Throckmorton Plot was an attempt by English Roman Catholics in 1583 to murder Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with her second cousin Mary, Queen of Scots...
. He went into exile in France in March 1556 and was part of the Dudley conspiracy to overthrow the monarchy, with his brother Francis. The conspirators met Henry II of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
who promised them assistance but the plot was discovered and came to nothing. Horsey was made an outlaw. In France, Edward Horsey married an unknown French woman and met Robert Dudley, who later became Earl of Leicester. After Elizabeth's accession he had to remain in France but reported French "Sea Matters" to the English court. By summer 1562 he was Cecil's agent in Dieppe.
Soldier
In July 1562 Edward Horsey returned to England to report on the strife in France. Although still technically an outlaw, he was rewarded by a license to import French wines into England. He was ordered back to France to help organise the defense of Dieppe and Rouen. He led a band of soldiers into battle near Harfleur. When the Huguenots surrendered Dieppe Horsey served as a treaty hostage but was eventually released. He was then formally pardoned for his part in the conspiracy against Philip and Mary, and named Captain of the Isle of WightIsle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
in the summer of 1565. He supervised the refurbishment of the island's defences against the expected Spanish invasion, including the repair of Carisbroke castle and West Cowes fort.
As Admiral of Hampshire, Horsey was responsible for reporting hostile naval activity and pirates. In December 1568 he seized several Spanish vessels with a treasure valued at £31,000. The next year he commanded a troop against the rebels in the Northern Uprising. Until 1571, when it was forbidden by the Privy Council, he gave assistance to the Sea Beggars in the Channel.In August 1571 he outfitted a ship for Martin Frobisher
Martin Frobisher
Sir Martin Frobisher was an English seaman who made three voyages to the New World to look for the Northwest Passage...
. In the autumn of 1576 he was authorised by the Privy Council to capture French pirates in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
In 1577 and afterwards Horsey was involved in a project to make gunpowder with Cornelius Stephenson. He became involved in plans to repel an expected Spanish invasion of Ireland.
Ambassador
Edward Horsey led embassies to FlandersFlanders
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...
in 1568 and to France in 1573. He negotiated on behalf of English merchants and pleaded for the Protestant subjects of the king of Spain. Then in 1576 he was sent to Don John of Austria to defuse the situation with the rebellious Spanish Netherlands. Don John and the states agreed terms and Horsey was rewarded in December 1577 with a knighthood.
Courtier
Edward was a long time friend of the Earl of LeicesterEarl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
and gave the bride, Lady Douglas Sheffield, away in her secret marriage to him in 1573. He undertook other tasks for Leicester and became a respected member of the Royal Court. He supplied a ship for Hawkins' venture in the West Indies and was listed as a venturer "who promised but paid nothing" for Frobisher's attempted voyage to Cathay.
Horsey had been appointed a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Hampshire and Wight in 1569, which post he held until he died. He was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in 1571 for Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
(of which he had been made a burgess the year before) and then in 1572 for the county of Hampshire. On 22 May 1572 he was named on committees concerning firearms and 8 March one on Justices of the Forest. As Captain of the Isle of Wight he was appointed to committees dealing with ports and wines. He was appointed Keeper of Carisbroke park and Steward of Crworn Lands on the island as well as Commissioner for Piracy from 1565.
By 1580 Edward Horsey was living at Great Haseley manor near Arreton on the Isle of Wight with Cowsebel Mille, who he would have married except that he had a wife in France. He enjoyed hunting and is said to have introduced hares into the island. In November 1580 he entertained the Portuguese Ambassador though many members of his household were "down with the disease". He seems to have contracted the plague shortly afterwards but recovered. By this time he had appointed a lieutenant to suppress piracy, whose negligence had led to an increase in their activity.
Sir Edward became ill again the following year and died in February 1583. His lands in Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire passed to his brother George. He was buried in March in Carisbroke church. His tomb still exists, being of alabaster and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
with a canopy having the family crest.