John Sutton, 3rd Baron Dudley
Encyclopedia
John Sutton, 3rd Baron Dudley (1494–1553), commonly known as Lord Quondam, was the eldest son and heir of Sir Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley
and his wife Lady Cicely (Willoughby) Sutton, a descendant of Edward III of England.
He was born about 1494, at Dudley Castle
, Worcestershire
.
He was betrothed to Lady Cecily Grey (a daughter of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
, by Cecily, his wife, suo jure Baroness Harington and Baroness Bonville) by 30 October 1501, whom he subsequently married.
He was knighted 13 October 1513.
He succeeded his father as Baron Dudley
in 1532 and immediately began to sell his patrimony. He was never summoned to Parliament.
He acquired the nickname, "Lord Quondam" ("Lord Has-been" or "Lord Formerly"), when he allowed his estate, including the castle of Dudley, to fall into the possession of his cousin, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. The Duke resided at Dudley Castle and added new and magnificent structures to the old fortress. After Northumberland's execution, Dudley Castle
was forfeited to the crown, and in 1555 was restored to Lord Quondam's eldest son, Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley
.
'Lord Quondam' had several brothers: Thomas, William, Arthur, Geoffery and George. Lord Dudley decided upon a city residence at Tothill Street in Westminster
. He died in Middlesex
and was buried 18 September 1553 in St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, London
; his wife was buried there on 28 April 1554.
Dugdale wrote, “It is reported by credible tradition of this John Lord Dudley, that being a man of weak understanding, whereby he had exposed himself to some wants, and so became entangled in the usurer’s bonds, John Dudley, then Viscount Lisle and Earl of Warwick (afterwards Duke of Northumberland), thirsting after Dudley Castle, the chief seat of the family, made those money merchants his instruments to work him out of it, which by some mortgage being at length effected, this poor lord became exposed to the charity of his friends for a subsistence, and spending the remainder of his life in visits amongst them, was commonly called the Lord Quondam.”
His children included Edward
, Captain Henry
(Knt.), George, Margaret, Thomas, Dorothy, Elizabeth, and Robert.
It is often stated that a grandson of Captain Henry Dudley was that Thomas Dudley
who sailed on the Arbella in 1630 to become governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
several times. However suggestions of a connection to this family (Sutton) are not proven. Thomas Dudley used the seal of the Sutton family on his will.
Indeed, one theory explaining the difficulty of proving Governor Dudley's descent from Lord Quondam is reluctance during his lifetime to acknowledge any connection to that pauper and national laughing-stock.
Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley
Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley was an English nobleman, the son of Edmund de Sutton, Knight of Dudley Castle and Gatescombe, and Joyce de Tiptoft, daughter of Sir John de Tibetot and Joyce de Cherleton...
and his wife Lady Cicely (Willoughby) Sutton, a descendant of Edward III of England.
He was born about 1494, at Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Dudley Zoo is located in its grounds. The location, Castle Hill, is an outcrop of Wenlock Group limestone that was extensively quarried during the Industrial Revolution, and which now along with Wren's Nest Hill is a...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.
He was betrothed to Lady Cecily Grey (a daughter of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
Thomas Grey, 7th Baron Ferrers of Groby, 1st Earl of Huntingdon and 1st Marquess of Dorset, KG , was an English nobleman, courtier and a man of mediocre abilities pushed into prominence by his mother Elizabeth Woodville's second marriage to the king, Edward IV.-Family:Thomas was born about 1455,...
, by Cecily, his wife, suo jure Baroness Harington and Baroness Bonville) by 30 October 1501, whom he subsequently married.
He was knighted 13 October 1513.
He succeeded his father as Baron Dudley
Baron Dudley
Baron Dudley is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in circa 1440 for John Sutton, a soldier who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. According to Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage he was actually summoned to Parliament as "Johanni de Sutton de Duddeley militi", whereby he is held to...
in 1532 and immediately began to sell his patrimony. He was never summoned to Parliament.
He acquired the nickname, "Lord Quondam" ("Lord Has-been" or "Lord Formerly"), when he allowed his estate, including the castle of Dudley, to fall into the possession of his cousin, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. The Duke resided at Dudley Castle and added new and magnificent structures to the old fortress. After Northumberland's execution, Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Dudley Zoo is located in its grounds. The location, Castle Hill, is an outcrop of Wenlock Group limestone that was extensively quarried during the Industrial Revolution, and which now along with Wren's Nest Hill is a...
was forfeited to the crown, and in 1555 was restored to Lord Quondam's eldest son, Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley
Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley
Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley was an English nobleman and soldier. Contemporary sources also refer to him as Sir Edward Dudley.-Life:...
.
'Lord Quondam' had several brothers: Thomas, William, Arthur, Geoffery and George. Lord Dudley decided upon a city residence at Tothill Street in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
. He died in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
and was buried 18 September 1553 in St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; his wife was buried there on 28 April 1554.
Dugdale wrote, “It is reported by credible tradition of this John Lord Dudley, that being a man of weak understanding, whereby he had exposed himself to some wants, and so became entangled in the usurer’s bonds, John Dudley, then Viscount Lisle and Earl of Warwick (afterwards Duke of Northumberland), thirsting after Dudley Castle, the chief seat of the family, made those money merchants his instruments to work him out of it, which by some mortgage being at length effected, this poor lord became exposed to the charity of his friends for a subsistence, and spending the remainder of his life in visits amongst them, was commonly called the Lord Quondam.”
His children included Edward
Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley
Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley was an English nobleman and soldier. Contemporary sources also refer to him as Sir Edward Dudley.-Life:...
, Captain Henry
Henry Sutton Dudley
Henry Sutton Dudley, also known as Henry Dudley, was an English soldier, sailor, diplomat, and conspirator of the Tudor period....
(Knt.), George, Margaret, Thomas, Dorothy, Elizabeth, and Robert.
It is often stated that a grandson of Captain Henry Dudley was that Thomas Dudley
Thomas Dudley
Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home...
who sailed on the Arbella in 1630 to become governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
several times. However suggestions of a connection to this family (Sutton) are not proven. Thomas Dudley used the seal of the Sutton family on his will.
Indeed, one theory explaining the difficulty of proving Governor Dudley's descent from Lord Quondam is reluctance during his lifetime to acknowledge any connection to that pauper and national laughing-stock.