Richard Cecil (courtier)
Encyclopedia
Richard Cecil was a resident and Master
of Burghley
(Burleigh) in the parish of Stamford Baron, Northamptonshire
. His father David Cecil, of Welsh
ancestry, rose in favour under King Henry VIII of England
, becoming High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
in 1532 and 1533, and died in 1541.
Richard too was a courtier
. In 1517 he was a royal page; in 1520 he was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
; he rose to be Groom of the Robes
and constable of Warwick Castle
. He was High Sheriff of Rutland
in 1539, and was one of those who received no inconsiderable share of the plunder of the monasteries. He married Jane Heckington, daughter and heiress of William Heckington of Bourne
, Lincolnshire. He had one son, William Cecil, Lord Burghley (1520–1598), and three daughters.
He sent his son William to the grammar schools of Stamford
and Grantham, and in 1535 William entered St. John's College, Cambridge. Academically a success, William ran foul of his father, when his heart was lost to Mary Cheke, daughter of a local widow, with only a fortune of 40 pounds to recommend her. William was immediately removed before he could take his degree, and was entered as a student at Gray's Inn
in 1541. If the motive was to prevent a marriage, it failed. Two months after he came up to London
, William married Mary, probably secretly. Thomas, the future Earl of Exeter and only fruit of this union was born at Cambridge on 5 May 1542, therefore presumably at his grandmother's house. The marriage was so distateful to Richard, that he is said to have altered his will, or at any rate, to have intended to do so. But the young wife did not live long, dying on 22 February 1544.
When Richard died 19 May 1552, he left an ample estate behind him in the counties of Rutland
, Northamptonshire and elsewhere. He died at his house in Cannon Row and was buried at St Margaret's, Westminster
.
Jane was a widow for 35 years dying 10 March 1587. Richard and Jane have a joint monument in St Martin's Church, Stamford
.
Of his daughters, Anne (also called Agnes) married Thomas White
of Tuxford
, Notts.; Margaret married Roger Cave and secondly Ambrose Smith; and Elizabeth married Robert Wingfield and secondly Hugh Allington.
Master
Master or Masters are terms denoting some kind of rank or status, and may refer to:-Ranks and titles:* Master craftsman in the Medieval guilds* Master , a title...
of Burghley
Burghley
Burghley may refer to:*William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , chief minister of queen Elizabeth I of England*Burghley House, a sixteenth century country house in Lincolnshire, built for the above...
(Burleigh) in the parish of Stamford Baron, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. His father David Cecil, of Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
ancestry, rose in favour under King Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, becoming High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
in 1532 and 1533, and died in 1541.
Richard too was a courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
. In 1517 he was a royal page; in 1520 he was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
; he rose to be Groom of the Robes
Groom of the Robes
Groom of the Robes is an obsolete office in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of England, later Great Britain, ultimately the United Kingdom. It is equivalent to a Lady-in-Waiting for Queens Regnant.-List of Grooms of the Robes:...
and constable of Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a bend on the River Avon. The castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century,...
. He was High Sheriff of Rutland
High Sheriff of Rutland
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Rutland. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown: there has been a Sheriff of Rutland since 1129...
in 1539, and was one of those who received no inconsiderable share of the plunder of the monasteries. He married Jane Heckington, daughter and heiress of William Heckington of Bourne
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...
, Lincolnshire. He had one son, William Cecil, Lord Burghley (1520–1598), and three daughters.
He sent his son William to the grammar schools of Stamford
Stamford School
Stamford School is an English independent school situated in the market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. It has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference since 1920.-History:...
and Grantham, and in 1535 William entered St. John's College, Cambridge. Academically a success, William ran foul of his father, when his heart was lost to Mary Cheke, daughter of a local widow, with only a fortune of 40 pounds to recommend her. William was immediately removed before he could take his degree, and was entered as a student at 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 1541. If the motive was to prevent a marriage, it failed. Two months after he came up to 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...
, William married Mary, probably secretly. Thomas, the future Earl of Exeter and only fruit of this union was born at Cambridge on 5 May 1542, therefore presumably at his grandmother's house. The marriage was so distateful to Richard, that he is said to have altered his will, or at any rate, to have intended to do so. But the young wife did not live long, dying on 22 February 1544.
When Richard died 19 May 1552, he left an ample estate behind him in the counties of Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, Northamptonshire and elsewhere. He died at his house in Cannon Row and was buried at St Margaret's, Westminster
St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
.
Jane was a widow for 35 years dying 10 March 1587. Richard and Jane have a joint monument in St Martin's Church, Stamford
St Martin's Church, Stamford
St Martin's Church, Stamford is a parish church in the Church of England located in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. The area of the town, south of the River Welland, was in Northamptonshire until 1889 and is called Stamford Baron or St Martin's.-History:...
.
Of his daughters, Anne (also called Agnes) married Thomas White
Thomas White of Tuxford (d. 1580)
Thomas White was an English state official who came to prominence during the Dudley Conspiracy of 1555 against Mary I of England.-Life:...
of Tuxford
Tuxford
-Geography:Tuxford is a village and a civil parish on the southern edge of the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England. It may also be considered a small town as it was historically a market town. Nearby larger towns are Retford and Newark-on-Trent. From Harvest Cottage, near the ECML, the...
, Notts.; Margaret married Roger Cave and secondly Ambrose Smith; and Elizabeth married Robert Wingfield and secondly Hugh Allington.
Resources
- DNBDictionary of National BiographyThe Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, "William Cecil, Lord Burghley" - His entry at tudorplace.com.ar
- His entry at thepeerage.com
Further reading
- The Cecil Family, by George Ravenscroft Dennis