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Biography of Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 1532-1585

Paternal Family Tree: Reginar aka Percy

Maternal Family Tree: Margaret Markham

1572 Rising of the North

1601 Essex Rebellion

In or before 1528 [his father] Thomas Percy (age 23) and [his mother] Eleanor Harbottle (age 23) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland and [his grandmother] Katherine Spencer Countess Northumberland (age 50). They were third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

In 1532 Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland was born to Thomas Percy (age 28) and Eleanor Harbottle (age 28).

After 02 Jun 1537 Richard Holland of Denton in Lancashire and [his mother] Eleanor Harbottle (age 33) were married. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 11 May 1560 Thomas Wendy (age 60) died. He was buried at All Saints Church, Haslingfield [Map].

In his will he left his [his brother] Thomas Percy (age 32), nephew of his former employer, in his will a silver ewer and basin "in remembrance of such benefits which I have received at the hands of my very good lord and late master the late [his uncle] earl of Northumberland his uncle".

He left Anne Preston Baroness Geneville Beaudasert and Parr Kendal his lands at Coton and Whitwell, Cambridgeshire 'as a poor token of the good will which I have ever borne to her ladyship and in remembrance that in that place she had her first acquaintance with my lord her husband (age 54)'.

He also remembered Judge Anthony Browne (age 51), Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 28), Humphrey Radclyffe (age 51) and Richard Weston (age 33).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 14 May 1560. The xiiij day of May the Quen('s) (age 26) grace removyd from Westmynster by water unto Grenwyche [Map], and as her grace was gohyng by water not so farre as ..., cam by water to her grace master Henry Perse (age 28) owt of F[rance,] with serten tydynges.

In Jan 1562 Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 30) and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess of Northumberland. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 27 Apr 1564 [his son] Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 32) and [his wife] Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 19) at Tynemouth Castle, Northumberland [Map].

In or before 1566 Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter (age 23) and [his sister-in-law] Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter (age 17) were married.

Rising of the North

On 22 Aug 1572 [his brother] Thomas Percy 7th Earl of Northumberland (age 44) was beheaded at The Pavement in York. He was buried at St Crux Church, York. His brother Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 40) succeeded 8th Earl of Northumberland, 11th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 19th Baron Percy of Topcliffe, 2nd Baron Percy of Alnwick, 10th Baron Poynings.

On 22 Apr 1577 [his father-in-law] John Neville 4th Baron Latimer of Snape (age 57) died. He was buried at St Michaels Church, Well. Baron Latimer of Snape abeyant between daughters [his wife] Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 32), [his sister-in-law] Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter (age 29), [his sister-in-law] Lucy Neville (age 28) and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Neville (age 27).

On 04 Sep 1580 [his son] George Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 48) and [his wife] Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 35).

In 1583 [his daughter] Eleanor Percy Baroness Herbert was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 51) and [his wife] Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 38).

In Sep 1583 Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 51) and brothers Charles Paget (age 37) and Thomas Paget 3rd Baron Paget Beaudasert (age 39) met at Petworth House to discuss.

In Dec 1584 Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 52) was imprisoned in the Tower of London [Map] for a third time.

On 21 Jun 1585 Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 53) committed suicide at Tower of London [Map]. He was found dead in his bed in his cell, having been shot through the heart. A jury was at once summoned, and returned a verdict of suicide. He was buried in St Peter ad Vincula Church, Tower of London [Map]. His son [his son] Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland (age 21) succeeded 9th Earl of Northumberland, 12th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 20th Baron Percy of Topcliffe, 3rd Baron Percy of Alnwick, 11th Baron Poynings. [his future daughter-in-law] Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland (age 21) by marriage Countess of Northumberland.

In 1588 Francis Fitton and [his former wife] Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 43) were married. She the widow of Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland.

On 28 Oct 1596 [his former wife] Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland (age 51) died.

Essex Rebellion

Brief Lives: Charles Danvers 1568 1601. [711]Sir Charles Danvers (age 33) was beheaded on Tower-hill [Map] with Robert, earle of Essex (age 35), February the 6th, 1600[712]. I find in the register of the Tower chapell [Map] only the sepulture of Robert, earl of Essex, that yeare; wherfore I am induced to beleeve that his body was carryed to Dantesey[CX] in Wilts to lye with his ancestors. Vide Stowe's Chronicle, where is a full account of his and the earle's deportment at their death on the scaffold.

With all their faylings, Wilts cannot shew two such[713] brothers.

His familiar acquaintance were...[714], earl of Oxon (age 50); Sir Francis (age 40) and Sir Horace Vere (age 36); Sir Walter Ralegh (age 47), etc.-the heroes of those times.

Quaere my lady viscountesse Purbec and also the lord Norris for an account of the behaviour and advice of Sir Charles Danvers in the businesse of the earl of Essex, which advice had the earle followed he had saved his life.

[715]Of Sir Charles Danvers, from my lady viscountesse Purbec:-Sir Charles Danvers advised the earle of Essex, either to treat with the queen-hostages..., whom Sir Ferdinando Gorges (age 36) did let goe; or to make his way through the gate at Essex house, and then to hast away to Highgate, and so to Northumberland (the earl of Northumberland maried his [his former sister-in-law] mother's (age 51) [his former wife] sister), and from thence to the king of Scots, and there they might make their peace; if not, the queen was old and could not live long. But the earle followed not his advice, and so they both lost their heads on Tower-hill.

Note.

[711]. MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 25v.

[712]. i.e. 1600/1.

[713]. Dupl. with 'shew the like two brothers,' scil. as Sir Charles Danvers and his brother Henry, earl of Danby.

[714]. Edward Vere, seventeenth earl of Oxford.

[CX]In MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 46, Aubrey writes, in reference to burials at Dantesey, 'quaere, if Sir Charles Danvers that was beheaded?-He was buryed in the Tower chapell.' Aubrey's description of the burial-place of the Danvers family (MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 46), with the inscriptions, is printed in J. E. Jackson's Aubrey's Wiltshire Collections, pp. 223-225; the pedigree of Danvers is there given at p. 216.

Before 09 Dec 1641 Anthony Van Dyck (age 42). Portrait of Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Oct 1665. Up about seven o'clock; and, after drinking, and I observing Mr. Povy's (age 51) being mightily mortifyed in his eating and drinking, and coaches and horses, he desiring to sell his best, and every thing else, his furniture of his house, he walked with me to Syon [Map]1, and there I took water, in our way he discoursing of the wantonnesse of the Court, and how it minds nothing else, and I saying that that would leave the King (age 35) shortly if he did not leave it, he told me "No", for the King do spend most of his time in feeling and kissing them naked... But this lechery will never leave him.

Note 1. Sion House [Map], granted by Edward VI to his uncle, the Duke of Somerset. After his execution, 1552, it was forfeited, and given to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. The duke being beheaded in 1553, it reverted to the Crown, and was granted in 1604 to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. It still belongs to the Duke of Northumberland.

Evelyn's Diary. 13 Jul 1683. The fatal news coming to Hicks's Hall upon the article of my Lord Russell's (age 43) trial, was said to have had no little influence on the Jury and all the Bench to his prejudice. Others said that he had himself on some occasions hinted that in case he should be in danger of having his life taken from him by any public misfortune, those who thirsted for his estate should miss of their aim; and that he should speak favorably of that Earl of Northumberland, and some others, who made away with themselves; but these are discourses so unlike his sober and prudent conversation that I have no inclination to credit them. What might instigate him to this devilish act, I am not able to conjecture. My Lord Clarendon, his brother-in-law, who was with him but the day before, assured me he was then very cheerful, and declared it to be the effect of his innocence and loyalty; and most believe that his Majesty (age 53) had no severe intentions against him, though he was altogether inexorable as to Lord Russell and some of the rest. For my part, I believe the crafty and ambitious Earl of Shaftesbury had brought them into some dislike of the present carriage of matters at Court, not with any design of destroying the monarchy (which Shaftesbury had in confidence and for unanswerable reasons told me he would support to his last breath, as having seen and felt the misery of being under mechanic tyranny), but perhaps of setting up some other whom he might govern, and frame to his own platonic fancy, without much regard to the religion established under the hierarchy, for which he had no esteem; but when he perceived those whom he had engaged to rise, fail of his expectations, and the day past, reproaching his accomplices that a second day for an exploit of this nature was never successful, he gave them the slip, and got into Holland, where the fox died, three months before these unhappy Lords and others were discovered or suspected. Every one deplored Essex (age 51) and Russell, especially the last, as being thought to have been drawn in on pretense only of endeavoring to rescue the King from his present councilors, and secure religion from Popery, and the nation from arbitrary government, now so much apprehended; while the rest of those who were fled, especially Ferguson and his gang, had doubtless some bloody design to get up a Commonwealth, and turn all things topsy-turvy. Of the same tragical principles is Sydney.

[his son] Alan Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his son] Thomas Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his son] William Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his daughter] Anne Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his son] Joscelyne Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his son] Richard Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his daughter] Lucy Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

[his son] Charles Percy was born to Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland and Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland.

Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 1532-1585 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Richard Beauchamp 13th Earl Warwick 1382-1439

Royal Ancestors of Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 1532-1585

Kings Wessex: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 12 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 18 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 13 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 5 Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 14 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 11 Grand Son of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 7 Grand Son of Philip IV King France

Royal Descendants of Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 1532-1585

Brigadier-General Charles FitzClarence

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Diana Spencer Princess Wales

Ancestors of Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 1532-1585

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry "Hotspur" Percy 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mortimer Baroness Camoys Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Neville Countess Northumberland Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Percy 4th Earl of Northumberland 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Poynings 4th Baron Poynings 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Poynings 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Grey Baroness Poynings 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Poynings Countess Northumberland 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Berkeley 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Berkeley Countess Arundel 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bettershorne

GrandFather: Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke

Great x 4 Grandfather: Dafydd Gam Brecon

Great x 3 Grandmother: Gwladys ferch Dafydd Gam "Star of Abergavenny" Brecon

Great x 1 Grandmother: Maud Herbert Countess Northumberland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 7 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Crophull 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Devereux 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Merbury

Father: Thomas Percy 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Spencer of Spencer Combe

GrandMother: Katherine Spencer Countess Northumberland 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster

Great x 2 Grandfather: Edmund Beaufort 1st or 2nd Duke of Somerset Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Beaufort Countess Ormonde 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Beauchamp 12th Earl Warwick 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Beauchamp 13th Earl Warwick 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Ferrers Countess Warwick 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Beauchamp Duchess Somerset 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Berkeley 10th and 5th Baron Berkeley, Baron Lisle 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Warwick 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Lisle Baroness Berkeley 3rd Baroness Lisle 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Bertram Harbottle

Great x 1 Grandfather: Ralph Harbottle 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Lumley 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Lumley 1st Baron Lumley 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Felicia Wodecok

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Lumley 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: James Harrington

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Harrington Baroness Knightley

GrandFather: Guiscard Harbottle 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry "Hotspur" Percy 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mortimer Baroness Camoys Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Percy 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Neville Countess Northumberland Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Percy 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Acton

Mother: Eleanor Harbottle 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Willoughby 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Willoughby 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Annesley

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Willoughby 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Baldwin Freville

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Freville

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Willoughby 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Griffith

GrandMother: Jane Willoughby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Markham

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Markham