William Cooke (of Highnam)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Cooke was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1597 and 1614.
Cooke was the son of William Cooke of Westminster, also a Member of Parliament and younger son of Sir Anthony Cooke
of Gidea
Hall (Essex
). His mother, Frances Grey, was first-cousin to Lady Jane Grey
and granddaughter to Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset
and Anthony Browne, Viscount Montagu
. His father had the post of Clerk of liveries in the court of wards and arranged for the post to be passed on to his son. Cooke was educated at Shrewsbury School
in 1583. He became Clerk of Liveries on the death of his father in 1589, though he was only 17. He was admitted at Grey's Inn in 1592. In 1593, he went abroad, with a two-years’ licence to travel after his mother's unsuccessful attempt to arrange a marriage for him while he was a minor. By 1596 he was Justice of the Peace
for Hertfordshire.
Cooke's father's eldest sister, Mildred, had married Lord Burghley and Cooke received patronage from both Lord Burghley
and his own first cousin, Sir Robert Cecil
. Cecil's influence may have secured him seats in Parliament. In 1597, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Helston
. By January 1599, he was purveyor to the stable and had sufficient property to offer himself, with six men and horses, for the Queen’s service. In 1601 he was elected MP for Westminster
. He was knighted at Theobalds on 7 May 1603. In 1604, he was elected MP for Wigan
. He enhanced his estates by purchasing further land in and around Gloucester, and also owned Ribbesford manor and other property in Worcestershire. In the reign of James I he was keeper of the lodge and herbage of Hartwell park, Northamptonshire. By 1605, he was JP for Gloucestershire. He was steward of the manor of Bury St. Edmunds by 1614. In 1614 he was elected MP for Gloucestershire
.
Cooke died at the age 45 and the clerkship of the liveries, which had become‘quasi-hereditary’, stayed in his family.
Cooke married Joyce Lucy, only child of Thomas Lucy (1551–1605) of Charlecote
Warwickshire and Dorothea Arnold and through her acquired Highnam
Court in Gloucestershire
. Dorothea Arnold was the only child of Ronald Arnold of Highnam
Court Gloucestershire and with Dorothea's death soon after Joyce's birth, Joyce had become her grandfather Arnold's sole heir.
Joyce and William Cooke had at least three sons and five daughters. Their youngest daughter, Anne, married Sir Peter Ball
and produced William Ball, astronomer
, founder and treasurer of the Royal Society and Peter Ball, physician
, both Fellows of the Royal Society.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1597 and 1614.
Cooke was the son of William Cooke of Westminster, also a Member of Parliament and younger son of Sir Anthony Cooke
Anthony Cooke
Sir Anthony Cooke was an eminent English humanist, scholar and tutor to Edward VI, England's first ruler to be raised as a Protestant.-Background:...
of Gidea
Gidea Hall
Gidea Hall was a manor house, located in Gidea Park, the historic parish and Royal liberty of Havering-atte-Bower, whose former area today forms the north eastern extremity of Greater London, England....
Hall (Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
). His mother, Frances Grey, was first-cousin to Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed...
and granddaughter to Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset
Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset
Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, KG, KB was an English peer, courtier, soldier and landowner, the grandfather of Lady Jane Grey, briefly Queen of England.-Early life:...
and Anthony Browne, Viscount Montagu
Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu
Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu KG PC was an English peer during the Tudor period.He was the eldest son of Sir Anthony Browne...
. His father had the post of Clerk of liveries in the court of wards and arranged for the post to be passed on to his son. Cooke was educated at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
in 1583. He became Clerk of Liveries on the death of his father in 1589, though he was only 17. He was admitted at Grey's Inn in 1592. In 1593, he went abroad, with a two-years’ licence to travel after his mother's unsuccessful attempt to arrange a marriage for him while he was a minor. By 1596 he was 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 Hertfordshire.
Cooke's father's eldest sister, Mildred, had married Lord Burghley and Cooke received patronage from both Lord Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
and his own first cousin, Sir Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
. Cecil's influence may have secured him seats in Parliament. In 1597, he was elected 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,...
for Helston
Helston (UK Parliament constituency)
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
. By January 1599, he was purveyor to the stable and had sufficient property to offer himself, with six men and horses, for the Queen’s service. In 1601 he was elected MP for Westminster
Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)
Westminster was a parliamentary constituency in the Parliament of England to 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain 1707-1800 and the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. It returned two members to 1885 and one thereafter....
. He was knighted at Theobalds on 7 May 1603. In 1604, he was elected MP for Wigan
Wigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
. He enhanced his estates by purchasing further land in and around Gloucester, and also owned Ribbesford manor and other property in Worcestershire. In the reign of James I he was keeper of the lodge and herbage of Hartwell park, Northamptonshire. By 1605, he was JP for Gloucestershire. He was steward of the manor of Bury St. Edmunds by 1614. In 1614 he was elected MP for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
The constituency of Gloucestershire was a UK Parliamentary constituency. After it was abolished under the 1832 Electoral Reform Act, two new constituencies, West Gloucestershire and East Gloucestershire, were created....
.
Cooke died at the age 45 and the clerkship of the liveries, which had become‘quasi-hereditary’, stayed in his family.
Cooke married Joyce Lucy, only child of Thomas Lucy (1551–1605) of Charlecote
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park is a grand 16th century country house, surrounded by its own deer park, on the banks of the River Avon in Wellesbourne, about east of Stratford-upon-Avon and south of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It has been administered by the National Trust since 1946 and is open to the public...
Warwickshire and Dorothea Arnold and through her acquired Highnam
Highnam
Highnam is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of the city of Gloucester. It is three miles northwest of the city on the A40, on its way to Ross, west of Alney Island and Over Bridge. The parish includes the villages of Lassington and Over...
Court in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. Dorothea Arnold was the only child of Ronald Arnold of Highnam
Highnam
Highnam is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of the city of Gloucester. It is three miles northwest of the city on the A40, on its way to Ross, west of Alney Island and Over Bridge. The parish includes the villages of Lassington and Over...
Court Gloucestershire and with Dorothea's death soon after Joyce's birth, Joyce had become her grandfather Arnold's sole heir.
Joyce and William Cooke had at least three sons and five daughters. Their youngest daughter, Anne, married Sir Peter Ball
Peter Ball (MP)
Sir Peter Ball was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1626 and 1640. He was attorney general to Queen Henrietta Maria....
and produced William Ball, astronomer
William Ball (astronomer)
William Ball was an English astronomer. He was one of the founding Fellows of the Royal Society. He was appointed the Society's first treasurer on 28 November 1660, and served until 1663....
, founder and treasurer of the Royal Society and Peter Ball, physician
Peter Ball (physician)
Peter Ball or Balle, M.D. , was an English physician.Ball was the third son of Sir Peter Ball of Mamhead Devon and his wife Anne Cooke, daughter of William Cooke. In 1652 he was admitted to the Middle Temple, London and called to the bar in 1657...
, both Fellows of the Royal Society.