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Essex, Earl of (E, 1540 - 1540)

Creation: let.pat. 17 Apr 1540

Extinct: 29 Jun 1540

Family name: Cromwell

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Arms:

Azure on a Fess between three Lions rampant Or a Rose Gules between two Cornish Choughs proper

Crest:

On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Pelican Or guttée Azure vulning herself proper

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Thomas [Cromwell], 1st Baron Cromwell later 1st Earl of Essex, KG PC

only son and heir of Walter Cromwell alias Smyth, of Putney, co. Surrey, a blacksmith, fuller and cloth merchant, by his wife, Katherine ...... Thomas Cromwell had two sisters: the elder, Katherine, married Morgan Williams, a Welsh lawyer; the younger, Elizabeth, married a farmer, William Wellyfed.  Katherine and Morgan's son Richard was employed in his uncle's service and changed his name to Cromwell.  Despite his uncle's downfall, Richard Cromwell has a very successful career as High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, Constable of Berkeley Castle, Constable of Goodrich Castle, etc. Sir Richard's great-grandson was Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector.

born

c. 1485

mar.

c. 1513 Elizabeth Williams (b, 1489; widow of Thomas Williams, Yeoman of the Guard; d. 1528), dau. of Henry Wykes, of Putney, co. Surrey, Gentleman Usher to King Henry VII

children

1. Hon Gregory Cromwell, later 1st Baron Cromwell

1. Anne Cromwell (dvp. c. 1528)

2. Grace Cromwell (dvp. c. 1528)

died

28 Jul 1540

created

9 Jul 1536 Baron Cromwell. of Wimbledon in the County of Surrey

17 Apr 1540 Earl of Essex

note

Collector of the Revenues of the Archbishop of York 1514; a Commissioner for the suppression of small monasteries 1525; Member of Parliament for Taunton 1529-36; Privy Councillor 1531; Master of the Jewel House 1532; Clerk of the Hanaper 1532; Master of the Kings' Wards 1532 (sic?); Chancellor of the Exchequer 1533-40; Recorder of Bristol 1533-40; Principal Secretary to the King 1534-40; Master of the Rolls 1534-36; Visitor General of the Monasteries, Chancellor, High Steward and Visitor of the University of Cambridge 1535-40; Lord Privy Seal 1536-40; Prebend of Salisbury 1536; Vicar General and Vice Regent of the King in Spirituals 1536; knighted 1536; Knight of the Garter 1537; Dean of Wells 1537-40; Warden and Chief Justice in Eyre, North of Trent 1537-40; Governor of the Isle of Wight 1538-40; Lord Great Chamberlain 1540; following his fall from favour with the King, attainted 29 Jun 1540 and all his honours forfeited; condemned to death without trial and executed

 First written 6 Jul 2003

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