Nicholas Faunt
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Faunt was an English clerk of the signet, agent of the Crown, and politician.
. A person of the same names, who was mayor of Canterbury and M.P. for the city in 1460, played a prominent part in Warwick the Kingmaker's rebellion of 1471, actively supported the Bastard of Fauconberg
in his raid on London, and was beheaded at Canterbury by Edward IV
's orders in May 1471. The clerk to the signet matriculated as a pensioner at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
, in June 1572, and was admitted a scholar of Corpus Christi College
in the same university in 1573. In the interval he visited Paris, witnessed the St. Bartholomew massacre, and was one of the first to bring the news to England. About 1580 he became secretary to Sir Francis Walsingham, and was engaged in carrying despatches to English agents abroad and sending home ‘intelligence.’ In August 1580, while in Paris, he met Anthony Bacon
, who became a close friend.
Early in 1581 he spent three and a half months in Germany, and was at Pisa
, Padua
, and Geneva
later in the same year. He came from Paris in March 1582 and returned in February 1587–8. On 23 November 1585 he became M.P. for Boroughbridge
.
Faunt was very friendly with both Anthony and Francis Bacon
, and, as an earnest puritan, was implicitly trusted by their mother, Lady Anne Bacon
, who often wrote to her sons imploring them to benefit by Faunt's advice. He met Anthony on his return from the continent early in 1592, and conducted him to his brother Francis's lodgings in Gray's Inn
.
In 1603 Faunt was clerk of the signet, an office which he was still holding on 20 September 1607. In March 1605–6 there was talk of his succeeding Ralph Winwood
as ambassador at the Hague. In 1594 Faunt obtained a grant of crown lands in Yorkshire
; in 1607 the reversion to Fulbrook Park, Warwickshire
, and in the same year a promise from Sir Robert Cecil to obtain some land belonging to the archdiocese of York. He married (before 1585) the daughter of a London merchant.
, Tanner MS. 80, f. 91.
Life
Faunt was a native of NorfolkNorfolk
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...
. A person of the same names, who was mayor of Canterbury and M.P. for the city in 1460, played a prominent part in Warwick the Kingmaker's rebellion of 1471, actively supported the Bastard of Fauconberg
Bastard of Fauconberg
Thomas Neville or Thomas, Viscount Fauconberg was a Lancastrian leader in the Wars of the Roses.The illegitimate son of Sir William Neville of Fauconberg, Earl of Kent, Thomas Neville was more often referred to as The Bastard of Fauconberg , Lord Fauconberg or just Thomas the Bastard...
in his raid on London, and was beheaded at Canterbury by Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
's orders in May 1471. The clerk to the signet matriculated as a pensioner at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
, in June 1572, and was admitted a scholar of Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
in the same university in 1573. In the interval he visited Paris, witnessed the St. Bartholomew massacre, and was one of the first to bring the news to England. About 1580 he became secretary to Sir Francis Walsingham, and was engaged in carrying despatches to English agents abroad and sending home ‘intelligence.’ In August 1580, while in Paris, he met Anthony Bacon
Anthony Bacon (1558–1601)
Anthony Bacon was a member of the powerful English Bacon family who was also a spy during the Elizabethan era.-Early years, 1558-1580:...
, who became a close friend.
Early in 1581 he spent three and a half months in Germany, and was at Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, and Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
later in the same year. He came from Paris in March 1582 and returned in February 1587–8. On 23 November 1585 he became M.P. for Boroughbridge
Boroughbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Boroughbridge was a parliamentary borough in Yorkshire from 1553 until 1832, when it was abolished under the Great Reform Act. Throughout its existence it was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons....
.
Faunt was very friendly with both Anthony and Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
, and, as an earnest puritan, was implicitly trusted by their mother, Lady Anne Bacon
Anne Bacon
Anne Bacon was an English gentlewoman and scholar. She made a lasting contribution to English religious literature with her translation from Latin of John Jewel's Apologie of the Anglican Church...
, who often wrote to her sons imploring them to benefit by Faunt's advice. He met Anthony on his return from the continent early in 1592, and conducted him to his brother Francis's lodgings in Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
.
In 1603 Faunt was clerk of the signet, an office which he was still holding on 20 September 1607. In March 1605–6 there was talk of his succeeding Ralph Winwood
Ralph Winwood
Sir Ralph Winwood was an English diplomat and politician.-Life:He was born at Aynhoe in Northamptonshire and educated at St John's College, Oxford....
as ambassador at the Hague. In 1594 Faunt obtained a grant of crown lands in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
; in 1607 the reversion to Fulbrook Park, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, and in the same year a promise from Sir Robert Cecil to obtain some land belonging to the archdiocese of York. He married (before 1585) the daughter of a London merchant.
Works
His letters, sent home while on the continent, show him to have been an assiduous collector of information and a loyal public servant. He wrote ‘A Discourse touching the Office of Principal Secretary of State,’ 1592 (unprinted), in Bodleian LibraryBodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, Tanner MS. 80, f. 91.