Biography of Francis Walsingham 1532-1590

Paternal Family Tree: Walsingham

Maternal Family Tree: Mary Troutbeck 1488-1507

1575 Jul 1575 Rathlin Island Massacre

1587 Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

Around 1512 [his father] William Walsingham and [his mother] Joyce Denny (age 5) were married at Howe, Norfolk.

Around 1532 Francis Walsingham was born to William Walsingham and Joyce Denny (age 25) at Foots Cray, Chislehurst.

In or before 1537 [his step-father] John Carey (age 45) and [his mother] Joyce Denny (age 30) were married at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

In 1548 Francis Walsingham (age 16) was educated at King's College, Cambridge University [Map].

Around 1550 Alexander Carleill (age 22) and [his future wife] Anne Barne (age 17) were married.

In 1559 Francis Walsingham (age 27) was elected MP Bossiney.

In Jan 1562 Francis Walsingham (age 30) and Anne Barne (age 29) were married.

In 1563 Francis Walsingham (age 31) was elected MP Lyme Regis.

On 28 Jul 1564 [his wife] Anne Barne (age 31) died.

In 1566 Francis Walsingham (age 34) and Ursula St Barbe (age 34) were married.

In 1567 [his daughter] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex was born to Francis Walsingham (age 35) and [his wife] Ursula St Barbe (age 35).

Jul 1575 Rathlin Island Massacre

After 26 Jul 1575 Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex (age 33) wrote to Francis Walsingham (age 43) that Sorley Boy MacDonnell watched the massacre from the mainland helplessly and was "like to run mad from sorrow".

In 1583 [his son-in-law] Philip Sidney (age 28) and [his daughter] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 16) were married.

Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

Calendar of State Papers of Spain Volume 4 1587 1603. 28 Feb 1587. Paris [Map]. Bernardino De Mendoza (age 47) to the King (age 59). Note. Assumed to be the Spanish King Philip II.

The English ambassador sent the confidant (i.e., Charles Arundel (age 54)) to me this morning to say that as it was so important that your Majesty should be informed instantly of the news he had received last night from England, that he sent to tell me of it, and openly to confess me his anxiety to serve your Majesty. He offered himself entirely through me, in the assurance that your Majesty would not order him to do anything against the interest of his mistress the Queen (age 53), who however, he could plainly see, had not long to live now that she had allowed the execution of the Queen of Scotland (age 44). It happened in this way. The Lord Treasurer (age 66) being absent through illness, the earl of Leicester (age 54), Lord Hunsdon (age 60), Lord Admiral Howard (age 51) and Walsingham (age 55), had represented to the Queen that the Parliament would resolutely refuse to vote any money to maintain the war in Holland, or to fit out a naval force to help Don Antonio, unless she executed the Queen of Scotland. Under this pressure she consented to sign a warrant, as they called it, that the Parliament might see, but which was not to be executed, unless it were proved that the Queen of Scotland conspired again against her life. As Secretary Walsingham was ill this warrant was taken to the Queen for her signature by Davison (age 46), and after she had signed it she ordered him not to give it to anyone unless she gave him personally her authority to do so. Davison, who is a terrible heretic and an enemy of the Queen of Scotland, like the rest of the above-mentioned, delivered the warrant to them. They took a London executioner and sent him with the warrant to the justice of the county where the Queen of Scotland was. The moment the justice received it, on the 8th [NOTE. Appears to be a typo; original says 18th], he entered the Queen of Scotland's chamber with Paulet (age 54) and Lord Grey (age 46), who had charge of her, and there they had her head cut off with a hatchet in the presence of the four persons only. The Queen orders her ambassador to inform this King of it, and assure him, as she will more fully by a special envoy, that the deed was done against her will, and although she had signed the warrant she had no intention of having it carried out. She cannot avoid blaming herself for having trusted anyone but herself in such a matter. The ambassador is begging earnestly for an audience and is keeping the matter secret until he tells the King. In order that no time may be lost in informing your Majesty, I send this special courier in the name of merchants, by way of Bordeaux, whence he will go post to Irun; and as God has so willed that these accursed people, for His ends, should fall into "reprobrium sensum," and against all reason commit such an act as this, it is evidently His design to deliver those two kingdoms into your Majesty's hands. I thanked the ambassador in general terms for his offer, saying that I would give an account thereof to your Majesty. As I have formerly said, it will be most advisable to accept it, and pledge him to give us notice of any machinations here and in England against us. He reports that the fitting out of ships continues but in no greater number than he previously advised, although the rumour is current here that there would be 60 English, besides the Hollanders, but that the crews, etc. were not raised and no time fixed for the departure. The ambassador says he will have full information on the point when a gentleman of his has arrived whom he had sent to England to gain intelligence, as Cecil only writes now to say that the execution of the Queen of Scotland has been against his will, as he, the ambassador knew; and that the King, her son, was in great danger of suffering a similar fate. The execution was known in London on the 20th when the executioner returned, and great bonfires had been lit for joy all over the countryside. They did not even give her time to commend her soul to God. .

In 1590 [his son-in-law] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 24) and [his daughter] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 23) were married. She by marriage Countess Essex. He the son of Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 46).

On 06 Apr 1590 Francis Walsingham (age 58) died.

On 08 Jun 1602 [his former wife] Ursula St Barbe (age 70) died at her home in Barn Elms. She was buried the following night in St Paul's Cathedral [Map].

Royal Ancestors of Francis Walsingham 1532-1590

Kings Wessex: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 14 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 19 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 15 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 12 Grand Son of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 16 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King France

Royal Descendants of Francis Walsingham 1532-1590

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Diana Spencer Princess Wales

Ancestors of Francis Walsingham 1532-1590

GrandFather: James Walsingham

Father: William Walsingham

Great x 1 Grandfather: Walter Writtle

GrandMother: Eleanor Writtle

Francis Walsingham 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Geoffrey Denny

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Denny

Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Denny

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Denny

GrandFather: Edmund Denny

Mother: Joyce Denny 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Troutbeck

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Troutbeck

Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Troutbeck 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Stanley 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Stanley 1st Baron Stanley 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Harrington

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Stanley Baroness Grey Codnor 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Goushill

Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Goushill Baroness Stanley 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

GrandMother: Mary Troutbeck 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England