DUDLEY, Sir Robert (1532/3-88), of Kenilworth, Warws.

Family and Education

b. 24 June 1532 or 1533, 5th s. of John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland, by Jane, da. and h. of Sir Edward Guildford of Halden and Hemsted, Kent. m. (1) 4 June 1550, Amy (d.1560), da. and h. of Sir John Robsart of Siderstern, Norf., s.p.; ?(2) 1571 or 1573, Douglas, da. of William, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham, wid. of John, 2nd Baron Sheffield, 1s.; (2 or 3) 21 Sept. 1578, Lettice, da. of Sir Francis Knollys of Rotherfield Greys, Oxon., wid. of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, 1s. d.v.p. Kntd. bef. June 1550; KG nom. 24 Apr. inst. 3 June 1559; cr. Baron of Denbigh 28 Sept. and Earl of Leicester 29 Sept. 1564.CP; Lit. Rems. Edw. VI (Roxburghe Club), ii. 275; G. Adlard, Amye Robsart, 16.

Offices Held

Jt. (with Sir John Robsart) steward and constable, Castle Rising 13 Dec. 1550; gent. privy chamber Aug. 1551; chief carver Sept. 1551; master of the buckhounds 11 Nov. 1552, of the horse Jan. 1559 – Dec. 1587; jt. ld. lt. Norf. 1552, 1553, ld. lt. Warws. 1559, Berks. ?1560, Worcs. 1569 – 70, Essex, Herts. and Mdx. 1585, Oxon., Leics., Rutland 1587; PC 23 Apr. 1559; lt. Windsor castle 24 Nov. 1559, constable 1561/2; j.p. Herefs., Warws., Worcs. 1561 and later of other counties; high recorder, Maldon 1565; custos rot. Denb. and Warws. c. 1573, Caern. and Merion. c. 1579, Anglesey and Flints. c. 1584; high steward, Camb. Univ. from 1563; chancellor, Oxf. Univ. from 31 Dec. 1564; chamberlain, Chester 1565; high steward, New Windsor 1563, Abingdon 1566, Reading by 1566, Wallingford 1569, Bristol 1570, King’s Lynn 1572, Great Yarmouth 1572, Norwich cathedral 1574, Andover 1574, St. Albans by 1584; lt. of garter 1572, 1584; ld. steward of Household 1584 – 88; c.j. in eyre, south of Trent 1585; gen. of English forces in Low Countries Nov. 1585; gov. United Provinces Feb. 1586 – Nov. 1587; commr. trial Mary Queen of Scots 1586; lt. and capt. gen. at Tilbury July 1588.Stowe 571, f. 52; PRO, Baskerville cal. Dudley pprs. bk. 4 I 224; CPR, 1549–51, p. 402; 1550–3, pp. 270; 1553 and App. Edw. VI, p. 49; 1558–60, p. 324.

Parlimentarian

DUDLEY, Sir Robert (1532/33-88).

Main residence: Kenilworth, Warws.

Notes

Where no specific source is given the reader is referred to the relevant constituency account. Use has been made of an account of Leicester’s patronage drafted by Sir John Neale.

Author

P.W.H.

Volume

Commons 1558-1603

Web Title

DUDLEY, Sir Robert (1532/3-88)

Will

Estates

Oxford 1644

Addresses

Religion

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