Biography of William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham 1527-1597
Paternal Family Tree: Brooke Baron Cobham
Maternal Family Tree: Jane Norbury 1464-1564
In 1517 [his father] George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham (age 20) and [his mother] Anne Braye Baroness Cobham (age 15) were married. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 01 Nov 1527 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham was born to George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham (age 30) and Anne Braye Baroness Cobham (age 26).
On 04 Jun 1535 George Neville 5th and 3rd Baron Bergavenny (age 66) made his will. It was proved on 04 Jul 1536. In summary:
To be buried at Birling, Kent
Executors to pay his debts and have wardship of Thomas Fenys (Fiennes) Lord Dacre (age 20), John Semptleiger esq (married to his daughter [his future sister-in-law] Katherine Nevill (age 15)), John Chayny (age 22), son and heir of Thomas Chayny (age 50), kt, and William Broke (age 7), esq, son and heir of [his father] George Broke (age 38), kt, Lord Cobham.
1,000 marks towards marriage of youngest daughter [his future sister-in-law] Ursula (age 7).
Executors to levy (1) 1,000 marks to indemnify testator's friends and servants standing bound to the king for the wardship and marriage of Thomas [Fiennes] Lord Dacre, (2) £900 to discharge bonds made on marriage between William Broke and [his future wife] Dorothy Nevill (age 10).
Executors: Henry Poole (age 43), kt, Lord Montagu, George Neville's brothers Thomas (age 60) and Edward (age 64) Nevill, kts, Thomas Willoughbye (age 49), kt, serjeant-at-law, and John Baker esq, recorder of London; to hold all property in Kent, Sussex, Surrey and London to uses declared in his will.
Annuity of £20 to George Nevill, son of Sir Edward Nevill.
Financial provision for his daughters in case of non-marriage or second marriages.
In default of male issue of testator's brother Sir Thomas Nevill, his daughter, George Neville's niece Margaret Nevill (age 15), to hold for life the manors of Mereworth and West Peckham in Kent and 'the olde hay', with advowsons of Mereworth and Maplecombe, Kent and lands and tenements called Plaine Hamons; if she marries Gregory Cromewell [probably Gregory Cromwell 1st Baron Cromwell Oakham (age 15), who she didn't marry], gent, he is to have use of these properties for life, with remainder to George Neville and his heirs
George Neville's debts to Lord Mountague to be paid; £60 to be paid to use of his servant James Barham; grant for lives to his present (and 4th) wife [his aunt] Mary Broke otherwise Mary Cobham and her unborn child by George Neville of the manors of Whalesbeech, Beverington Randeviles [Rodmell Beverington] and Grymers, Sussex.
Continues.
Around 1536 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 8) educated at King's School.
Around 1540 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 12) educated at Queen's College, Cambridge University [Map].
Around 1542 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 14) visited at Padua.
In 1545 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 17) and Dorothy Neville Baroness Cobham (age 20) were married. He had been a ward of her father George Neville 5th and 3rd Baron Bergavenny. They were half second cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
Around 1548 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 20) served in at France.
In 1549 [his son] Francis Brooke was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 21) and [his wife] Dorothy Neville Baroness Cobham (age 24).
After 1553 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 25) separated [his wife] Dorothy Neville Baroness Cobham (age 28).
Calendar of State Papers of Spain Volume 12 19 Feb 1554. 19 Feb 1554. Simon Renard to Prince Philip.
My Lord: Since I last wrote to your Highness French plots have been discovered to show that Courtenay and the Lady Elizabeth, by means of intermediaries called Peter Carew, Wyatt (age 33), Crofts (age 36) and my Lord Thomas (Grey), conspired to throw the Queen of England into the Tower and put her to death, in order to seize the crown for themselves. The King of France had promised help in troops and money, and had already distributed some 10,000 to 12,000 crowns to private individuals. In the meantime 200 or 300 gentlemen, all of them heretics, were meeting together: the Duke of Suffolk (age 37) and his two brothers [Note. Thomas Grey and John Grey (age 30)], [his father] Cobham (age 57) and his three sons [Note. William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 26), [his brother] George Brooke (age 21), [his brother] Thomas Brooke (age 21)], Pelham, Pickering, Carew and many more, and agreed to put their plans into execution in the spring. However, as God means to protect this good lady, the conspirators were forced to take up arms sooner than they had intended because Courtenay did not keep the secret and letters from the French ambassador, seized and enclosed herewith, were deciphered and revealed part of the plot. Moreover, Courtenay had a servant of his in France, and six weeks ago he and one Valbic (Welby?) were intriguing for the conspirators. To start with, Peter Carew made a violent effort to rouse the people on account of your Highness's marriage with the Queen, but as the people refused to rise, he had to fly to France, where trustworthy accounts tell he had a nocturnal conversation with the King-a sign of their malignity. His adherents were taken prisoners at Coventry (Compierre) where a similar attempt was made; and on the first day of Lent the rebels were defeated as your Highness will see by the copies of letters I wrote from time to time to the Emperor.
On 29 Sep 1558 [his father] George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham (age 61) died. His son William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 30) succeeded 10th Baron Cobham. [his wife] Dorothy Neville Baroness Cobham (age 33) by marriage Baroness Cobham.
On 17 Nov 1558 Queen Mary I of England and Ireland (age 42) died at St James's Palace [Map]. Her half sister Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 25) succeeded I Queen England. William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 31) was deputed with informing Philip "The Prudent" II King Spain (age 31).
Thomas Wendy (age 58) attended the Queen as physician; the third monarch's death he attended.
In 1559 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 31) entertained Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 25) at Cobham Hall, Kent [Map].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 17 Jul 1559. The xvij day of July the Quen('s) (age 25) grace removyd from Grenwyche [Map] of her prograsse unto Darford [Map] in Kent; so the next day removyd unto Cobham [Map], my lord Cobham('s) (age 31) plasse, and ther her grace had grett chere.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 08 Sep 1559. The viij day of September at after-none [was] the obseque of Henry the Frenche kyng, the herse garnyshed with grett skochyons of armes bosted [Note. Possibly embossed] with grett crownes, and all under ther fett [feet] with blake, and a grett palle of cloth of gold, and ys helmett and mantyll of cloth of gold and cott armur, targett and sworde, and crest, and angyd [hanged] all the quer [choir] with blake and armes, and my lord tresorer (age 76) the cheyff [mourner], and next my lord chamburlen, my lord of Burgany, my lord of Hunsdon (age 33), and my lord Cobam (age 31), my lord Dacurs of the Sowth, and my lord Pallett, ser Recherd Sakefeld (age 52), and ser Edward Warner (age 48), and mony mo morners all in blake; and contenent songe durge, and a xiiij [14] haroldes of armes in ther cott armur afor the lordes, and after to the bysshope('s) palles to drynke.
On 22 Sep 1559 [his wife] Dorothy Neville Baroness Cobham (age 34) died.
Before 25 Sep 1559 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 31) was appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports.
On or before 25 Sep 1559 [his daughter] Frances Brooke was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 31) and [his former wife] Dorothy Neville Baroness Cobham (deceased).
Henry Machyn's Diary. 25 Sep 1559. The xxv day of September ded my yonge [his former wife] lade Cobham (deceased) in Kent, the wyff of lord Cobham (age 31), and the [lord] warden of the Synke Porttes in Kentt.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 04 Oct 1559. The iiij day of October whent to here from Cobbam hall my yonge [his former wife] lade Cobbam (deceased), the wyff of my lord Cobbam (age 31), latte mad lord Warden of the v portes, with prestes and clarkes syngyng, and ij haroldes of armes, master Clarenshux (age 49) and Ruges-Dragon, with lx baners of armes of hys and hers petegree; one was a grett baner of ys harmes and hers; and mony morners in blake a C [100], and a lx [60] women in rosett cassokes of brod cloth, be-syd men in mantyll frys-gownes, and the women had nuw raylles; and ther was a goodly hers [hearse] with-owtt wax, and garnyshed with grett baners and velvett, and xx [20] dosen penselles, and vij dosen skochyons of armes; and the chyrche and the plasse hangyd with blake and armes, and a bony .. the velvett a goodly bordur mad and gyldyd, and with ther armes; and so the dene of Rochastur and all the colege both prest and clarke dyd syng, and the qweresters; and Torner the precher dyd pryche; and after all done, they whent to the plasse to dener, for ther was a gret dener, and ther was a ij M. pepull that had ij d. apesse, and after dener pore pepull had boyth mett and drynke; all thys done in Kent.
Note. P. 213. Funeral of lady Cobham. Dorothy, daughter of George lord Bergavenny, by Mary, daughter of Edward duke of Buckingham. This funeral is recorded in the College of Arms, I. 9, f. 161b, and I. 13, f. 14.
On 25 Feb 1560 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 32) and Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 21) were married at Whitehall Palace [Map]. She by marriage Baroness Cobham. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 01 Jan 1563 [his daughter] Elizabeth Brooke was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 35) and [his wife] Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 24).
On 02 Jun 1563 [his daughter] Margaret Brooke was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 35) and [his wife] Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 24).
On 22 Nov 1564 [his son] Henry Brooke 11th Baron Cobham was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 37) and [his wife] Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 25).
On 11 Dec 1565 [his son] William Brooke was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 38) and [his wife] Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 26).
On 17 Apr 1568 [his son] George Brooke was born to William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 40) and [his wife] Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 29).
On 07 Sep 1571 Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk (age 35) was imprisoned at Tower of London [Map] for his involvement in the Ridolphi Plot.
Around Sep 1571 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 43) was implicated in the Ridolphi Plot and imprisoned at home for months.
In 1578 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 50) joined the Mission to the Low Countries.
Around 1580 [his son-in-law] John Stourton 9th Baron Stourton (age 27) and [his daughter] Frances Brooke (age 20) were married. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 14 Apr 1585 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 57) was appointed 367th Knight of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 51).
Before 12 Feb 1586 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 58) was appointed Privy Council.
In 1589 [his son-in-law] Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 25) and [his daughter] Elizabeth Brooke (age 25) were married.
Before 1592 John Poyntz (age 31) and [his wife] Frances Newton Baroness Cobham (age 52) were married. The difference in their ages was 21 years; she, unusually, being older than him.
In Aug 1596 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 68) was appointed Lord Chamberlain.
On 06 Mar 1597 William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 69) died. His son [his son] Henry Brooke 11th Baron Cobham (age 32) succeeded 11th Baron Cobham.
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
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Brooke Baron Cobham
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Brooke 6th Baron Cobham 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Reginald Braybrooke
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Braybrooke 5th Baroness Cobham 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Pole 4th Baroness Cobham 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Brooke 7th Baron Cobham 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Tuchet 4th Baron Audley, 1st Baron Tuchet 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Tuchet 5th Baron Audley, 2nd Baron Tuchet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stafford Baroness Audley Heighley 
10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Tuchet Baroness Cobham 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ros 6th Baron Ros Helmsley 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Ros Baroness Audley Heighley 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Fitzalan Baroness Ros of Helmsley 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
GrandFather: Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Neville 1st Baron Bergavenny Great Grand Son 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 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland 
Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Neville Baroness Cobham 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Howard 
3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Howard 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Tendring
Great x 2 Grandmother: Katherine Howard Baroness Bergavenny 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk 
2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Mowbray Baroness Grey Ruthyn 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
Father: George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Heydon
GrandMother: Dorothy Heydon Baroness Cobham 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Boleyn 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Geoffrey Boleyn
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Jane Bracton
Great x 2 Grandfather: Geoffrey Boleyn
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Bracton
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Bracton
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Boleyn 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Hoo
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Hoo 1st Baron Hoo and Hastings 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Felton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Ann Hoo 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Wychingham of Norfolk 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Wychingham 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Bray of Eaton Bray
GrandFather: Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye
Mother: Anne Braye Baroness Cobham 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard Halwell of Halwell in Devon
GrandMother: Jane Halwell Baroness Bray 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Norbury 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Norbury 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Boteler 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John IV Norbury 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Jane Norbury 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England