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Biography of Thomas Tresham 1500-1559

Paternal Family Tree: Tresham

Before 1500 Thomas Tresham was born to John Tresham (age 37) and Isabel Harrington (age 20).

In or before 1500 [his father] John Tresham (age 38) and [his mother] Isabel Harrington (age 20) were married.

Around 1510 Robert Knollys (age 29) and [his future wife] Lettice Peniston (age 25) were married.

In or before 1520 Thomas Tresham (age 20) and Mary Parr (age 19) were married. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

Around 1520 [his son] John Tresham was born to Thomas Tresham (age 20) and [his wife] Mary Parr (age 20).

In 1521 [his father] John Tresham (age 59) died. His son Thomas Tresham (age 21) inherited Rushton Hall who commissioned further building work.

After 1521 Robert Lee (age 38) and [his future wife] Lettice Peniston (age 36) were married.

In 1524 Thomas Tresham (age 24) was knighted.

In 1537 Thomas Tresham (age 37) served on an inquiry into the Lincolnshire rebellion.

In or before 1543 [his son] John Tresham (age 23) and [his daughter-in-law] Eleanor Catesby (age 21) were married.

Kett's Rebellion

In Jul 1549 Kett's Rebellion was a revolt in Norwich, Norfolk [Map] in response to the enclosure of land. The revolt was suppressed by Thomas Tresham (age 49) who received £272, 19.6 for his services.

On 18 Jul 1553 Thomas Tresham (age 53) proclaimed as queen Queen Mary I of England and Ireland (age 37) and accompanied her to London at Northampton [Map].

Chronicle of Queen Jane and Two Years of Queen Mary 1553. 19 Jul 1553. By a lettre, writtene in London, it appeareth that "the 19 of July, my lady Maryes grace was in the afternoone proclaymed queene of England heare in Londone, my lord of Northumberland, the lord admirall,c the marques of Northampton, the lord of Huntington, my lord Grey, my lord of Westmerlande, and divers others, beinge at Cambridge, proceeding in battaile towards hir grace, who lyethe at a castle in Norfolk.d Great was the triumphe hear at London; for my tyme I never sawe the lyke, and by the reporte of others the like was never seene. The nomber of cappes that weare throwne upe at the proclamation weare not to be tould. The earle of Pembroke threwe awaye his cape full of angelletes. I sawe myselfe money was throwne out at windowes for joy. The bonefires weare without nomber, and what with showtynge and crienge of the people, and ringinge of the belles, theare could no one heare almoste what another sayd, besides banketyngs and synging in the streete for joye. Theare was presente at the proclamation the earle of Pembroke, the earle of Shrewsbury, the earle of Arundell, my lord warden, my lord niayere, sir John Mason, sir John Cheeke, and divers other to the nomber of...; and, after the proclamation made in Cheapside, they all went to Poules to evensonge. The duke of Suffolk being at the Towerea at the makinge of the proclamation, and as some saye did not knowe of it, but so soone as he herd of it, he came himselfe out of the Towere, and comaunded his men to leave their wepones behinde them, sayenge that hee him selfe was but one man, and him- selfe proclaymed my lady Maryes grace queene on the Towere hille, and so came into London, levinge the leiftenaunt in the Towere.

"Greate stire was in Northamptonshire about proclayminge of hir. Yesterday at Northampton sir Thomas Treshame (age 53) proclaymed hir with the ayd and helpe of the towne, beinge borne amongeste them, whether he would or not; ser Nicholas Throgmorton (age 38) beinge presente, withstandinge him to his powere, was drivene for safetye of his lyfe to take a howse, and so beinge borne amongeste divers gentlemen escaped with much adoe; the inhabitants would have killed him veri fayne.

"Sir Robarte Tirwite mustered yesterdaye in Northamptonshire to goe to my lord of Northumberland as many men as he could gette. Sir Thomas Tresham, receving like letters to muster for my lord of Northumberlande, would not goe. Sir John Williams hathe 6 or 7000 men thear, as Richard Silliard saythe, and thear is with him sir Edmonde Peckham, the sherive of Oxfordshire, the sherive of Northamptonshire, and divers others.

Sir John Gates and my lord Garret, who went downe with the garde to my lady Mary, as is crediblie reported, are both slayne,a1 and the moste parte of the garde gone to my lady Mary."

Note c. Edward lord Clinton.

Note d. Framlingham.

Note a. The party of the Council which made the Proclamation had left the Tower on the plea of giving audience to the French ambassador at Baynard's Castle. The earl of Arundel is represented as having been the chief instigator of this revolution, and a long address which he made to the assembled lords on the occasion is given in his Life by one of his chaplains, printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1833, vol. CHI. ii. 119.

a1. This report was untrue.

Chronicle of Queen Jane and Two Years of Queen Mary 1553. 24 Jul 1553. "Sethence the 24. of July, 6 of youre mend on horsbacke like souldieres, in coats of red and white, at youre cost and charges, have waited on sir Thomas Tresham (age 53) and sir Nicholas Throgmorton (age 38), to guarde the queen to London."

Note d. The name of the person to whom the letter is addressed is not preserved.

On 14 Aug 1553 Thomas Tresham (age 53) was appointed MP Lancaster.

On 17 Feb 1554 Thomas Tresham (age 54) was appointed MP Northamptonshire.

On 03 Oct 1554 Thomas Tresham (age 54) was appointed MP Northamptonshire.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Mar 1556. The v day of Marche was the obseques of the bysshope of Peterborowth in Lynkolne shyre, [and] bered with a goodly hersse and armes and pensells; and with ij whyt branchys and viij dosen of stayffes, and with an harold of armes and v baners and a C. in blake gownes and cotes, and a gret meyne of pore men in gownes, and the morow masse, and after a grett dener der.

Note. P. 101. Funeral of bishop Chambers. "Anno 1555, the vij. daye of February, being fryday, died the reverend father in God Joh'n Chambre, late bishopp of Peterborough, betwene x and xj in the nyght, comitat. Northampt. in good and perfauct memory, levyng for his executors, Sir Thomas Tresham (age 56) knight, of Northamtonshire, Mr. Gryffyn the queenes attourney.

Mourners

Sir Thomas Tresham knyght, chief mourner

Sir William Fitzwilliam (age 29)

Thomas Cotton (age 74) esquier

Robert Wyngkfelde

John Fitzwilliam

Richard Wakerley

George Tresham

Banner berers

Thomas Hussey the baner of his armes

Joh'n Mountsteving the baner of the Trynytie

Joh'n Nauncycles the baner of our Lady

Robart Malorye the baner of St. Peter

Joh'n Mallorye the baner of St. John

The saide bishopp was buryed in the mynster in a chapell in the high quyer on the ryghte hande on thursdaye the vjth of Marche, according to the estate of a bisshoppe." (MS. I. 3, in Coll. Arm. fol. 100b.)

On 02 Apr 1557 Thomas Tresham (age 57) was appointed Grand Prior of England in the Order of Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem.

Before 10 Jul 1557 Thomas Tresham (age 57) and Lettice Peniston (age 72) were married.

Before 10 Jul 1557 [his wife] Mary Parr (age 57) died.

Before 10 Jul 1557 [his wife] Lettice Peniston (age 72) died.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30 Nov 1557. The sam day the Quen('s) (age 41) grace and my lord cardenell (age 57) cam from Sant James unto Whytt-halle, and ther they hard masse; and after masse done, and ther wher all the byshopes and the juges and sergantes of the lawe, and ther wer creatyd ser Thomas Tressam (age 57) lord of sant John's of England, and iiij knyghtes of the Rodes made; and the sam tyme my lord abbot whent a prossessyon in ys myter, and all the monkes and clarkes syngyng Salve festa dies; and rond abowt the abbay, and my lord abbott (age 42) sange the masse.

On 08 Mar 1559 Thomas Tresham (age 59) died. His grandson [his grandson] Thomas Tresham (age 16) inherited Rushton Hall who enclosed the park, and constructed the surviving Triangular Lodge (1594-7) and the Hawkfield Tower (1593-8) which does not survive. He also made alterations to the house, and began the construction of Lyvedon New Bield with its extensive formal gardens, around 15km east-north-east of Rushton.

On 16 Mar 1559 Thomas Tresham (deceased) was buried at All Saints Church, Rushton.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 16 Mar 1559. The xvj day of Marche was bered in Northamt[onshire] ser Thomas Tressam (deceased), lord of sant Jones, with iiij baner rolles and a grett baner of armes, and a standard, elmett, targett and sword, and cott armur; and a viij dosen of [scocheons], and a iiij dosen of torchys and iiij dosen penselles, and [ij] whyt branchys, and mony morners in blake, and ij haroldes of armes, master Clarenshux and master Somersett.

Note. P. 192. Funeral of sir Thomas Tresham. The heralds' account of this is preserved in the College of Arms, I. 9, f. 158. His monument at Rushton Allhallows, Northamptonshire, is described in Bridges's History of that county, vol. ii. p. 72. It bears his effigy "in a gown, with his hands erected." See some anecdotes of sir Thomas Tresham and his thumb ring in Fuller's Church History.

[his son] George Tresham was born to Thomas Tresham and Mary Parr.

[his son] William Tresham was born to Thomas Tresham and Mary Parr.

Royal Ancestors of Thomas Tresham 1500-1559

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

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 16 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

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

Kings Powys: Great x 16 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Kings England: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

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

Kings Franks: Great x 22 Grand Son of Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King Franks

Kings France: Great x 15 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King France

Royal Descendants of Thomas Tresham 1500-1559

Queen Consort Camilla Shand

Diana Spencer Princess Wales

Ancestors of Thomas Tresham 1500-1559

Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Tresham of Sywell

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Tresham

GrandFather: Thomas Tresham

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Vaux

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Vaux

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Vaux

Great x 1 Grandmother: Isabel Vaux

Father: John Tresham 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Zouche 2nd Baron Zouche Harringworth 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Zouche 3rd Baron Zouche Harringworth 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Ros Baroness Zouche Harringworth 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Zouche 4th Baron Zouche Harringworth 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Green

Great x 3 Grandmother: Agnes Greene Baroness Zouche Harringworth

Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Drayton

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Zouche 5th Baron Zouche Harringworth 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

GrandMother: Margaret Zouche 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard St Maur

Great x 1 Grandmother: Alice St Maur Baroness Zouche Harringworth

Thomas Tresham 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Harrington of Hornby

Great x 3 Grandfather: James Harrington

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel English

Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Harrington

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Harrington

GrandFather: James Harrington of Wolfege

Mother: Isabel Harrington