Biography of William Catesby 1450-1485
Paternal Family Tree: Catesby
William Catesby lampooned in the poem by William Collingbourne: The Catte, the Ratte and Lovell our dogge rulyth all Englande under a hogge.
William Catesby and Margaret Zouche were married.
Around 1435 [his father] William Catesby (age 27) and [his mother] Philippa Bishopston were married at Bishopston.
Around 1446 [his father] William Catesby (age 38) and Joan Barre were married.
In 1450 William Catesby was born to William Catesby (age 42) and Philippa Bishopston.
In 1470 [his father] William Catesby (age 62) died at Ashby St Ledgers, Northamptonshire.
In 1473 [his son] George Catesby was born to William Catesby (age 23) and Margaret Zouche (age 14) at Ashby St Ledgers, Northamptonshire.
Calendars. 30 Jun 1483 William Catesby (age 33) was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. King Richard III of England (age 30). Westminster Palace [Map] Grant for life to William Catesby (age 33), esquire, of the office of Baron of the Exchequer, receiving the accustomed fees at the Exchequer or the receipt of the Exchequer, with all rights, profits and commodities. By p.s.
On 24 Jan 1484 William Catesby (age 34) was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 22 Aug 1485 King Richard III of England (age 32) was killed during the Battle of Bosworth. His second cousin once removed Henry Tudor (age 28) succeeded VII King England. Earl Richmond forfeit.
Those supporting Henry Tudor included:
John Blount 3rd Baron Mountjoy (age 35).
John Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne (age 43).
Richard Guildford (age 35).
Walter Hungerford (age 21).
Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby (age 50).
Edward Woodville Lord Scales (age 29).
Edward Courtenay 1st Earl Devon (age 26).
Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth (age 36).
Jasper Tudor 1st Duke Bedford (age 53).
William Beaumont 2nd Viscount Beaumont (age 47).
Giles Daubeney 1st Baron Daubeney (age 34).
William Stanley (age 50).
Roger Kynaston of Myddle and Hordley (age 52).
Henry Marney 1st Baron Marney (age 38).
William Brandon (age 29) was killed.
James Harrington (age 55) was killed.
John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk (age 60) was killed and attainted. He was buried firstly at Thetford Priory, Norfolk [Map] and therafter at Church of St Michael the Archangel, Framlingham [Map]. Duke Norfolk, Baron Mowbray, Baron Segrave forfeit.
John Sacheverell (age 85) was killed.
Philibert Chandee 1st Earl Bath
William Norreys (age 44), Gilbert Talbot (age 33), John de Vere 13th Earl of Oxford (age 42) and John Savage (age 41) commanded,.
Robert Poyntz (age 35) was knighted.
Those who fought for Richard III included:
John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby (age 47).
John Conyers (age 74).
Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland (age 17).
William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley (age 59).
Richard Fitzhugh 6th Baron Fitzhugh (age 28).
John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton (age 48).
Thomas Scrope 6th Baron Scrope Masham (age 26).
Henry Grey 4th or 7th Baron Grey of Codnor (age 50).
Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent (age 68).
Ralph Neville 3rd Earl of Westmoreland (age 29).
John de la Pole 1st Earl Lincoln (age 23).
Humphrey Stafford (age 59).
George Talbot 4th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 17).
Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 42) was wounded, captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London [Map] for three years. He was attainted; Earl Surrey forfeit.
Francis Lovell 1st Viscount Lovell (age 29) fought and escaped.
John Zouche 7th Baron Zouche Harringworth (age 26) was captured.
John Babington (age 62), William Alington (age 65), Robert Mortimer (age 43), Robert Brackenbury, Richard Ratclyffe (age 55) and Richard Bagot (age 73) were killed
Walter Devereux Baron Ferrers of Chartley (age 53) was killed.
William Catesby (age 35) was executed at Leicester, Leicestershire [Map] after the battle.
George Stanley 9th Baron Strange Knockin 5th Baron Mohun Dunster (age 25) held as a hostage by Richard III before the Battle of Bosworth.
Henry Percy 4th Earl of Northumberland (age 36) betrayed King Richard III of England (age 32) by not committing his forces at the Battle of Bosworth.
John Iwardby (age 35) was killed.
[his son] George Catesby and Elizabeth Empson were married.
The History of King Richard the Third by Thomas More. Wherewith he took such displeasure and thought, that the same night, he said unto a secret page of his: "Ah, whom shall a man trust? Those that I have brought up myself, those that I had thought would most surely serve me, even those fail me and at my commandment will do nothing for me."
"Sir," said his page, "there lies one outside in your bedchambers who, I dare well say, to do your Grace pleasure, the thing were right hard that he would refuse," meaning by this Sir James Tyrell, who was a man of right goodly personage and for nature's gifts, worthy to have served a much better prince, if he had well served God and by grace obtained as much truth and good will as he had strength and wit.
The man had a high heart and sore longed upward, not rising yet so fast as he had hoped, being hindered and kept under by the means of Sir Richard Radcliff and Sir William Catesby, who, longing for no more partners of the Prince's favor, and namely, none for him, whose pride they knew would bear no peer, kept him by secret plans out of all secret trust. Which thing this page well had marked and known. Because this occasion offered very special friendship with the King, the page took this time to put him forward and, by such a way, do him such good that all the enemies he had, except the devil, could never have done him so much harm.
For upon this page's words King Richard arose (for this communication had he sitting on the stool, an appropriate court for such a council) and came out into the bedchambers, where he found in bed Sir James and Sir Thomas Tyrell, of person alike and brethren of blood, but nothing of kin in qualities. Then said the King merrily to them: "What, sirs, be you in bed so soon?" and calling up Sir James, revealed to him secretly his mind in this mischievous matter, in which he found him nothing unfriendly.
Wherefore on the morrow, he sent him to Brakenbury with a letter, by which he was commanded to deliver Sir James all the keys of the Tower for one night, to the end he might there accomplish the King's pleasure in such thing as he had given him commandment. After which letter was delivered and the keys received, Sir James appointed the next night to destroy them, devising before and preparing the means.
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Catesby
GrandFather: John Catesby
Father: William Catesby
GrandFather: William Bishopston
Mother: Philippa Bishopston
