Paternal Family Tree: Cheney
1511 Birth and Death of Prince Henry
1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold
1528 Sweating Sickness Outbreak
Thomas Cheney was appointed Privy Council.
Around 1485 Thomas Cheney was born to William Cheney [aged 41] and Margaret aka Agnes Young.
On 8th May 1487 [his father] William Cheney [aged 43] died.
In February 1511 Henry VIII [aged 19] celebrated the birth of his son by holding a magnificent tournament at Westminster [Map]. The challengers included Henry VIII who fought as Cuere Loyall, Henry Courtenay 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 15] as Bon Vouloir, Edward Neville [aged 40] as Joyeulx Penser, Thomas Knyvet [aged 26] as Valiant Desyr and Thomas Tyrrell.
On Day 1 of the tournament the Answerers included: William Parr 1st Baron Parr of Horton [aged 28], Henry Grey 4th Earl Kent [aged 16], Thomas Cheney [aged 26], Richard Blount and Robert Morton.
On Day 2 of the tournament the Answerers included: Richard Tempest of Bracewell [aged 31], Thomas Lucy, Henry Guildford [aged 22], Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk [aged 27], Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde [aged 34], Richard Grey, Leonard Grey 1st Viscount Grane [aged 32], Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk [aged 38], Edmund Howard [aged 33] and Henry Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire [aged 32].
Before 1513 Thomas Cheney [aged 27] and Frideswide Frowyk were married.
Around 1513 [his son] John Cheney was born to Thomas Cheney [aged 28] and [his wife] Frideswide Frowyk at Shurland House, Kent. He married before 16th December 1558 Margaret Neville, daughter of George Neville 5th and 3rd Baron Abergavenny and Mary Stafford Baroness Bergavenny.
In 1515 Thomas Cheney [aged 30] was appointed High Sheriff of Kent.
In June 1520 Henry VIII [aged 28] hosted Field of the Cloth of Gold at Balinghem [Map].
Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset [aged 42] carried the Sword of State.
Bishop John Stokesley [aged 45] attended as Henry VIII's chaplain.
Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye [aged 36], Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth [aged 42], Anthony Poyntz [aged 40], William Coffin [aged 25], William "Great" Courtenay [aged 43], Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex [aged 37], William Paston [aged 41], William Denys [aged 50], Richard Cecil [aged 25], William Parr 1st Baron Parr of Horton [aged 37], Ralph Neville 4th Earl of Westmoreland [aged 22], John Mordaunt 1st Baron Mordaunt [aged 40], Henry Guildford [aged 31], Marmaduke Constable [aged 40], William Compton [aged 38], William Blount 4th Baron Mountjoy [aged 42], Thomas Cheney [aged 35], Henry Willoughby [aged 69], John Rodney [aged 59], John Marney 2nd Baron Marney [aged 36], William Sidney [aged 38], John de Vere 14th Earl of Oxford [aged 20], John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford [aged 49], Edmund Walsingham [aged 40], William Skeffington [aged 55] and Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West [aged 63] attended.
William Carey [aged 20] jousted.
William Sandys 1st Baron Sandys of the Vyne [aged 50] organised.
Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford [aged 15] attended.
Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham [aged 50], Robert Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby 10th Baron Latimer [aged 48], Anthony Wingfield [aged 33], William Scott [aged 61], Thomas Wriothesley [aged 32], Bishop Thomas Ruthall [aged 48], Margaret Dymoke aka Mistress Coffin [aged 20] and Edward Chamberlayne [aged 36] were present.
Chronicle of Edward Hall [1496-1548]. 4th June 1522. Thursday, they that jousted the other day, appointed themselves to tourney, and as the King was arming him, there came to him one George Luffkin and showed him, that there was one come from his Ambassador in France, the King called for the messenger, and delivered his letters, which the King read, and said to Sir William Compton [aged 40], tell the Emperor that I have news, if it pleases him to come hither. Sir William Compton went and told this to the Emperor, which without delay came to the King, which showed him the letters from Sir Thomas Cheney [aged 37] his Ambassador, wherein was contented the definitive answer made as well to Sir Thomas Cheney, as to Clarenseaux King of Arms of England, by the French Kinge, to the King's requests for you shall understand, that the King of England by his Ambassador, had often times demanded, both his tribute and his lawful debt, and also restitution to be made to his subjects grieved, and farther also the league was broken, by making war on the Emperor, so that now by the league the King of England should be enemy, to him that first brake, and did take part with the other, yet he had so much compassion, on shedding of Christen blood, that he would not enter war, but shew himself a mediator and an entreator between them. And upon this Sir Thomas Cheney had often moved the French King, and also moved him to take peace with the Emperor for two years, so that some mediation of peace might be entreated, in the meane season, to all this the French King answered we have well considered your master's desire, to the which we nothing agree, nor hold us content with his request. Sir said the Ambassador, the King my master shall be advertised of your answer by me, wherefore I beseech your grace of safe-conduct, to return into England. Then said the King, there is an officer of arms come hither out of England, let him come and he shall be heard, and have an answer, to which thing Sir Thomas Cheney answered not, but with reverence departed, and so on the twenty-first day of May, the said officer called Clarenceux King of Armes, came to the French King's chamber at Lyon, which was accompanied with many noble men and gentlemen, and then Clarenceux put on his coat of arms, and desired license to speak, and liberty according to the law of arms, which was to him granted: then he declared that where the French King was bound by league tripartite, to keep peace with the Emperor, and with the King of England, and whosoever first brake, the other two to be enemies to him, to the which league the French King was sworn, which league he apparently had broken, by making war on the Emperor, by Sir Robert de la Marche, and by himself in person. Wherefore the King by that league must be his enemy, and take part against him.
Also, he declared, that the French King kept away the King's rents, and debts, due to him. Also, that he detained the dower of the French Queen. Also, that contrary to his promise, he had sent the Duke of Albany into Scotland. Also, that contrary to justice he had imprisoned merchants, having his safe-conduct, where they should have gone in safety seeing there was no war proclaimed, between him and the King his master. All these articles with many more, the King my master is ready to prove. Nay said the French King, I began not the war, nor sent Robert La Marche to make war, but commanded him to the contrary, and or I made war in proper person, his war was open, and he had our town of Tournay strongly besieged, and as touching the Duke of Albany, it hath cost me forty thousand Francs, to keep him out of Scotland, but I could not let him to go into his own country. This the French King excused his untruth. Sir I am farther charged to tell you, said Clarenceux that the King my sovereign lord, holds you for his mortal enemy this day forth, and al your adherents. Well said the French King, I looked for this a great while agone, for sith the Cardinal was at Bridges, I looked for no other, but you have done your message: then the French King rose and departed, and Clarenceux was conveyed to his lodging, and shortly after, Sir Thomas Cheyney and he, by safe-conduct, departed and came to Boulogne, and there Monsieur Fayet captain there, them both stayed until the Ambassador of France, which had lain in England, were clearly delivered out of Calais. The whole circumstance of the demands and defiance, and the French King's answer, was contained in the letter, which was brought to the King, which showed it to the Emperor (as you have hard) but while the King and the Emperor looked on the letter, a sodden noise rose amongst both their subjects, that it was a letter of defiance, sent to them both by the French King, which was nothing so. Thus, now was the war open of all parties, between England and France, and Spain. When the two princes had of this matter commoned their fill, the Emperor called for a horse, and the King himself was armed, and both the bends that should tourney, mounted on horseback, and the Emperor in rich apparel of tissue and richly trapped brought the King into the field, and took up his horse, that all men had great pleasure to behold him. The men of arms fell to tourney, and broke swords and were severed, and after came together again, and fought very valiantly, and when time was, the heralds cried the disarm, and as one as the King was unarmed the Emperor and he went to supper, and after supper, the King brought the Emperor into the hall where was a cupboard of twelve stages, all set with great mighty plate all of gold, at the upper end hung three clothes of estate, and the hall was full of great lights, set on gilt branches.
In 1526 Thomas Cheney [aged 41] was appointed Justice of the Peace Kent.
Around 1528 [his wife] Frideswide Frowyk died.
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1528. 26th June 1528. R. O. St. P. I. 301. 4422. Sir J. Russell [aged 43] To Wolsey.
Sends letters received by the King, from my lord of Ossory, concerning the taking of the Vice-deputy and the misrule in Ireland. The King thinks none so meet for the government as my lord of Ossory, or Master Butler, his son, and wishes Wolsey to dispatch them as soon as possible. Wolsey knows the son's activity. The father is an honorable man, wise and hardy, but stricken in age, and not so able to follow the wars. The King is much troubled with this disease of sweat. Tonight there have fallen sick my lord and Lady Marques, Sir Thos. Cheyney [aged 43], and Mrs. Croke. Norres and Wallop are recovered. Poynes [deceased] is dead. Today the King removes to Bishop's Hatfield, accompanied only by the Privy Chamber and Master Kyngeston. Last night he took Master Bryan into the Privy Chamber. Hartford, 26 June. Signed.
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1528. 28th June 1528. R. O. 4429. HENNEGE to WOLSEY.
The King removed this day from Hertford to Hatfield because of the sweat. My Lord Marquis [aged 32], his Henry Courtenay 1st Marquess Exeter and wife [aged 25], Mr. Chene [aged 43], the Queen's almoner, Mr. Toke, are fallen sick, and the Master of the Horse [aged 32] complains of his head. Nevertheless, the King is merry, and takes no conceit (?), but heartily recommends him to you, and prays you to [do] as he does. Yesterday the King sent Wolsey [as a] "preservative, manws cresty" (manus Christi), with divers other things.
Hol., p. 1. Sealed and add.
Around 1535 [his son-in-law] Thomas Kempe [aged 21] and [his daughter] Katherine Cheney were married.
In 1536 Thomas Cheney [aged 51] was appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports.
Letters and Papers. 13th May 1536. R. O. 865. J. Husee to Lord Lisle [aged 72].
Here is no good to be done, neither with the King nor with any of his Council, till matters now had in hand be fully achieved. Mr. Secretary had no leisure to despatch the letter for the Friar's delivery. It is useless suing to Mr. Treasurer till he have more leisure. It is believed this matter will be rid by the end of next week. Here are so many tales I cannot tell what to write. This day, some say, young Weston [aged 25] shall scape, and some that none shall die but the Queen [aged 35] and her brother [aged 33]; others, that Wyat [aged 15] and Mr. Payge are as like to suffer as the others. The saying now is that those who shall suffer shall die when the Queen and her brother go to execution; but I think they shall all suffer. If any escape, it will be young Weston, for whom importunate suit is made. It is rumoured that Harry Webbe has been taken in the West country, and put in hold for the same cause. By Wednesday [May 17] all will be known. Sir Thomas Cheyne [aged 51] is named Lord Warden, some say by Mr. Secretary's preferment. My Lord of Richmond [aged 16] is Chamberlain of Chester and N. Wales, and Mr. Harry Knyvet, Constable of Beaumaris. If Mr. Secretary keep promise your Lordship shall have something. Today Mr. Russell was in very sad communication with Mr. Whethill. I fear I have taken a wrong pig by the ear, but I shall know by his preferring of your affairs ere long. Mr. Brian is chief gentleman of the privy chamber, and shall keep the table. There is plain saying that the King will assign the groom of the stole from time to time at his pleasure. I trust you will remember Mr. Secretary with wine and letters, and also Mr. Hennage. The King comes not to Dover at this time. There shall be both burgesses and knights of the shire for Calais. Give credence to Goodall, and keep secret what he tells you. London, 13 May. Hol., p. 1. Add.
In 1539 Thomas Cheney [aged 54] was appointed 302nd Knight of the Garter by King Henry VIII of England and Ireland [aged 47].
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 24th May 1539 Thomas Cheney [aged 54] and Anne Broughton [aged 26] were married. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of John Broughton of Toddington, Bedfordshire and Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford [aged 60].
In 1540 Thomas Cheney [aged 55] was appointed Privy Council.
On 31st May 1540 [his son] Henry Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne was born to Thomas Cheney [aged 55] and [his wife] Anne Broughton [aged 27]. He married in or before 1572 Jane Wentworth Baroness Cheyne, daughter of Thomas Wentworth 1st Baron Wentworth and Margaret Fortescue Baroness Wentworth.
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1541. That afternoon [Chapus appears here to have the wrong day; other sources say 29th June 1541 i.e. St Peter's Day] two gentlemen were hung [the other being either John Mantell, John Frowds, George Roidon, Thomas Isleie, and two yeomen Richard Middleton and John Goldwell], one of whom had an income of over 12,000 ducats a year, and was the handsomest and best bred man in England, only 25 years old and married to a niece of the Duke of Norfolk [aged 68]. He was sentenced for having belonged to a set of eight rakish youths, one of whom had killed a poor old man in an unpremeditated fray. For the same cause lord Dacres [aged 26] also, son1 of the Duke of Norfolk's sister, and cousin of this Queen [aged 18], 23 years old and possessing a property of about 5,000 ducats a year, was hung from the most ignominious gibbet, and for greater shame dragged through the streets to the place of execution, to the great pity of many people, and even of his very judges, who wept when they sentenced him, and in a body asked his pardon of the King. But the thing which astonished people most was, that, the same day lord Dacres was hung, another young man [aged 28], son of the Treasurer of the Royal household [aged 56], who was one of those present at the old man's death, was freely pardoned, though he had been already tried for some like misdemeanour.
At the same time in the North, Sir John Neville [deceased] and about 60 more, among whom at least 25 were ecclesiastics, were executed for the conspiracy of which Chapuys wrote some time ago. Has just heard of the arrival of a Polish gentleman with eight or ten servants. Will endeavour to discover who he is and what he comes for. London, 2 July 1541. Original at Vienna.
Note 1. Thomas Fiennes 9th Baron Dacre Gilsland, Lord Dacre, was the grandson of Anne Bourchier Baroness Dacre of Gilsland who was the maternal half-sister of Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk; Anne and Thomas' mother was Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey.
Before 1548 [his brother-in-law] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 20] and Margaret St John Countess Bedford [aged 14] were married. He the son of John Russell 1st Earl Bedford [aged 62] and [his mother-in-law] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford [aged 68].
In or before 1549 [his daughter] Katherine Cheney died.
In 1551 Thomas Cheney [aged 66] was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Kent.
In 1551 Thomas Cheney [aged 66] was appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 16th May 1552. The xiiij, master treasurer Cheny [aged 67], lord warden of the cinque ports; his guydon a red cross, and half a rose in a sun-beam black; spers and pensells and alle companys.
In or before 1553 [his son-in-law] John Perrot [aged 24] and [his daughter] Anne Cheney were married.
In 1553 [his daughter] Anne Cheney died.
Chronicle of Queen Jane and Two Years of Queen Mary 1553. 13th July 1553. By this tyme newes was brought that sir John Williams was also proclamyng quene Mary [aged 37] in Oxfordeshire. From that tyme forwarde certayne of the counsayll, that is, the erle of Penbroke [aged 52] and the lorde warden [aged 68],b sought to go out of the Tower to consult in London, but could not as yet.
Note b. Thomas lord Cheney.
On 14th March 1555 John Russell 1st Earl Bedford [aged 70] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Francis [aged 28] succeeded 2nd Earl Bedford, 2nd Baron Russell of Cheneys. Margaret St John Countess Bedford [aged 22] by marriage Countess Bedford.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Before 16th December 1558 [his son] John Cheney [aged 45] and [his daughter-in-law] Margaret Neville [aged 36] were married. He had been a ward of her father George Neville 5th and 3rd Baron Abergavenny.
Before 16th December 1558 [his son] John Cheney [aged 45] died.
On 16th December 1558 Thomas Cheney [aged 73] died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. January 1559. The (blank) day of January was bered in the ylle of Shepay [Map] my lord warden of the v porttes, and master tresorer to the quen('s) howsse, and knyght of the garter, with standard and a grett baner of armes, and v baner-rolles of armes, and iiij baners of emages, and a iii haroldes of armes, and a herse of v prynsepelles of wax, v dosen of penselles and a x dosen of skochyons of armes, and iiij whyt branchys and a dosen of torchys, and 1. pore men had gownes, and a c. and a d' [a half] in blake gownes and cottes.
Note. P. 184. Funeral of sir Thomas Cheney, K.G. Sir Thomas Cheney had been henchman to king Henry VII. He was honoured with the garter, made treasurer of the household to three successive sovereigns, and died warden of the cinque ports, Dec. 8, 1558. His liberality was great, his hospitality unbounded. He kept thirty horses in his stables, and two hundred and five servants in livery, for all of whom he more or less provided at his death. "Well," says Holinshed, "was that nobleman's son that happened to be preferred into his service." See his eulogy in Holinshed, vol. ii. p. 1171, and see Wiffen's Memoirs of the House of Russell, i. 396. "Sir Thomas Cheney knight, lord warden of the v. portes, knight of the garter and tresorer of the quenes howshold, dysceased at the Tower of London on thursday the xvth of December in A° . j°. Elizabeth, 1558, and after conveyed to his howsse called Sherland in the isle of Shepey, and there buryed on tewsday the 3. of January next foloinge." (MS. Harl. 897, f. 17b.) His epitaph is in Weever's Funerall Monuments, p. 284, and in Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 290. His second wife and widow Anne, daughter and heir of [sir John] Broughton, died at Toddington, co. Bedf. May 18, 1562, and was buried in the parish church there on the 27th. (Ibid.)
On 3rd January 1559 Thomas Cheney was buried at St Katherine's Chapel, Swale Minster.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 16th May 1562. The xvj day of May died my [his former wife] lady Chenne [aged 49], latt wyff of ser Thomas Cheyne, the warden of v porttes, and ded at Todyngton.
On 16th May 1562 [his former wife] Anne Broughton [aged 49] died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. After 25th May 1562. [The .. day of May was the funeral of lady Cheyne [deceased], late wife of ser Thomas Cheyne councillor to] kyng Edward the vj and unto quen Mary and queen Elesabett [aged 28] tyll he ded, and she was beried at Toddington [Map] with mony mornars; master Garter [aged 52] and master Norrey [aged 64] [were] the haroldes, and (the) dene of Powlles [aged 45] dyd pryc[h the sermon,] for ther was grett chere, and a grett dole [as ever] in that contrey sene-iij mylles from Donstabull.
Note. P. 282. Funeral of lady Cheney. See the note on sir Thomas Cheney in p. 369. There is an effigy of the lady at Toddington; see the Topographer, 1846, vol. i. p. 156.
[his daughter] Katherine Cheney was born to Thomas Cheney and Frideswide Frowyk. She married 1535 Thomas Kempe and had issue.
[his father] William Cheney and Isabella Boleyn were married.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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[his daughter] Anne Cheney was born to Thomas Cheney and Frideswide Frowyk. She married in or before 1553 John Perrot and had issue.
[his daughter] Frances Cheney was born to Thomas Cheney and Frideswide Frowyk.
[his father] William Cheney and [his mother] Margaret aka Agnes Young were married.
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Cheney
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Cheney
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Shurland
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Cheney
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Cheney
Grandfather: John Cheney
father: William Cheney
mother: Margaret aka Agnes Young