John Townshend (1564-1603)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Townshend of Raynham Hall
in Norfolk
, was an English soldier and Member of Parliament
, killed in a duel.
Townshend was the son of Sir Roger Townshend, and inherited considerable estates in Norfolk
from him, coming to be recognised as one of the leading members of the county gentry. Educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, he was a member of the Parliaments of 1593, 1597–1598 and 1601, representing Castle Rising
, Norfolk
and Orford
respectively. He served in the English Army in the Netherlands
under Sir Francis Vere
in 1592, and in 1596 took part in the Earl of Essex's
expedition against Cadiz
, being knighted as a result.
Tempers rose high in Norfolk at the time of Essex's Rebellion, and Townshend adhered strongly to the faction led by Sir Edward Coke
and opposed to Essex. His feud with Sir Christopher Heydon
, one of Essex's supporters, ended in 1600 with Heydon challenging Townshend to a duel, but before they could fight both men were summoned before the Privy Council
, and were only released when Coke offered to go bail for Townshend's good behaviour. But in 1603, Townshend fought a duel on horseback on Hounslow
Heath against Sir Matthew Browne. Browne was killed on the spot, while Townshend was mortally wounded and died the following day.
He married Anne Bacon, daughter and co-heir of Sir Nathaniel Bacon
, through whom the Townshends inherited the former Bacon estate of Stiffkey
. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Roger
, who was created a baronet in 1617 and who was the ancestor of the Marquesses Townshend
.
Raynham Hall
Raynham Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. For 300 years it has been the seat of the Townshend family. The hall gave its name to the area, known as The Raynhams, and is reported to be haunted, providing the scene for possibly the most famous ghost photo of all time, the famous Brown Lady...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, was an English soldier and 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,...
, killed in a duel.
Townshend was the son of Sir Roger Townshend, and inherited considerable estates in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
from him, coming to be recognised as one of the leading members of the county gentry. Educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, he was a member of the Parliaments of 1593, 1597–1598 and 1601, representing Castle Rising
Castle Rising (UK Parliament constituency)
Castle Rising was a parliamentary borough in Norfolk, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1558 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
, Norfolk
Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
Norfolk was a County 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. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
and Orford
Orford (UK Parliament constituency)
Orford was a constituency of the House of Commons. Consisting of the town of Orford in Suffolk, it elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote version of the first past the post system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1832.-History:...
respectively. He served in the English Army in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
under Sir Francis Vere
Francis Vere
Sir Francis Vere was an English soldier, famous for his career in Dutch service.He was the son of Geoffrey Vere of Crepping Hall, Essex, and nephew of John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford.-Military career:...
in 1592, and in 1596 took part in the Earl of Essex's
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
expedition against Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, being knighted as a result.
Tempers rose high in Norfolk at the time of Essex's Rebellion, and Townshend adhered strongly to the faction led by Sir Edward Coke
Edward Coke
Sir Edward Coke SL PC was an English barrister, judge and politician considered to be the greatest jurist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Born into a middle class family, Coke was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge before leaving to study at the Inner Temple, where he was called to the...
and opposed to Essex. His feud with Sir Christopher Heydon
Christopher Heydon
Sir Christopher Heydon was an English soldier, Member of Parliament, and writer on astrology.-Background:Born in Surrey, Heydon was the eldest son of Sir William Heydon of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir William Woodhouse of Hickling, Norfolk...
, one of Essex's supporters, ended in 1600 with Heydon challenging Townshend to a duel, but before they could fight both men were summoned before the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, and were only released when Coke offered to go bail for Townshend's good behaviour. But in 1603, Townshend fought a duel on horseback on Hounslow
Hounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
Heath against Sir Matthew Browne. Browne was killed on the spot, while Townshend was mortally wounded and died the following day.
He married Anne Bacon, daughter and co-heir of Sir Nathaniel Bacon
Nathaniel Bacon (died 1622)
Sir Nathaniel Bacon , of Stiffkey in Norfolk, was an English lawyer and Member of Parliament .-Life:Nathaniel Bacon was the second son of Sir Nicholas Bacon and half-brother of Sir Francis Bacon. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, he was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1562, and became an "ancient"...
, through whom the Townshends inherited the former Bacon estate of Stiffkey
Stiffkey
Stiffkey is a village and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the A149 coast road, some east of Wells-next-the-Sea, west of Blakeney, and north-west of the city of Norwich....
. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Roger
Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet
Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet , was an English Member of Parliament.Townshend was the son of Sir John Townshend. In 1617 he was created a Baronet, of Rainham in the County of Norfolk. He later sat as Member of Parliament for Orford from 1621 to 1622 and for Norfolk from 1628 to 1629...
, who was created a baronet in 1617 and who was the ancestor of the Marquesses Townshend
Marquess Townshend
Marquess Townshend is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. This family descends from Roger Townshend, who in 1617 was created a Baronet, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk, in the Baronetage of England. He later represented Orford and...
.