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Middlesex, Earl of (E, 1622 - 1674)

Creation: let.pat. 16 Sep 1622

Extinct: 26 Oct 1674

Family name: Cranfield

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Arms:

Argent on a Pale Azure three Fleurs-de-lis of the first

Crest:

Out of a Ducal Coronet an Antelope's Head all Or

Supporters:

On either side an Heraldic Antelope Or

Motto:

 Dificilia Quae Pulchra

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Lionel [Cranfield], 1st Baron Cranfield later 1st Earl of Middlesex, PC

2nd son of Thomas Cranfield, of London, mercer, by his wife Martha Randill, dau. of Vincent Randill, of London, mercer

bapt.

13 Mar 1574/5

mar. (1)

c. 1596 Elizabeth Shepherd (dspm. bef. 1619), dau. of Richard Shepherd, of London, grocer

children by first wife

1. Lady Martha Cranfield (bapt. 12 Jul 1601; dspms. 10 Apr 1677), mar. 16 Feb 1619/20 Henry [Carey], 2nd Earl of Monmouth, and had issue

2. Lady Elizabeth Cranfield (d. c. 1 Feb 1671/2), mar. (1) 13 Apr 1631 Edmund [Sheffield], 2nd Earl of Mulgrave, and (2) 28 Oct 1661 as his first wife John [Bennet], 1st Baron Ossulston, and had issue by her first husband

3. Lady Mary Cranfield (d. unm.)

mar. (2)

bef. 18 Jan 1619/20 Anne Brett (d. 3 Feb 1669/70), dau. of James Brett, of Hoby, co. Leicester, by his wife Anne Beaumont, dau. of Anthony Beaumont, of Glenfield, co. Leicester

children by second wife

1. Hon James Cranfield, later 2nd Earl of Middlesex

2. Hon Lionel Cranfield, later 3rd Earl of Middlesex

3. Hon Edward Cranfield (d. unm.)

4. Hon William Cranfield (d. young)

4. Lady Frances Cranfield (d. 20 Apr 1687), mar. (1) 1637 Richard [Sackville], 5th Earl of Dorset, and (2) 28 Jun 1679 as his second wife Rt Hon Henry Powle, of Williamstrip. co. Gloucester, Master of the Rolls, and had issue by her first husband

bur.

14 Aug 1645

created

9 Jul 1621 Baron Cranfield, of Cranfield in the County of Bedford

16 Sep 1622 Earl of Middlesex

suc. by

son by second wife

note

traded in the City of London as a mercer and as a merchant adventurer; Receiver of Customs for Dorset and Somerset 1605; knighted 1613; Lieutenant of Dover Castle 1613; Surveyor General of the Customs 1613-24; Member of Parliament for Hyde 1614 and for Arundel 1620-21; a Master of Requests 1616; Keeper of the Great Wardrobe 1618-22; Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries 1619-24; Chief Commissioner of the Navy 1619-24; Privy Councillor 1619/20; a Commissioner of the Treasury 1620; Lord High Treasurer of England 1621-24; in 1624 he was suspended from office on charges of mismanagement of his various offices, found guilty, fined, and imprisoned in the Tower of London for two weeks

James [Cranfield], 2nd Earl of Middlesex

born

10 Nov 1621

mar.

3 Mar 1645/6 Lady Anne Bourchier (b. c. 1628; mar. (2) Sir Christopher Wray, 3rd Br., of Trebich, co. Cornwall; bur. 9 Sep 1662), 3rd dau. and cohrss. of Edward [Bourchier], 4th Earl of Bath, by his first wife and second cousin Hon Dorothy St John, sister of Oliver [St John], 1st Earl of Bolingbroke, and dau. of Oliver [St John], 3rd Baron St John of Bletso

only child

1. Lady Elizabeth Cranfield (d. 3 Mar 1669/70), mar. 17 Nov 1664 as his first wife John [Egerton], 3rd Earl of Bridgewater, and had issue

died

s.p.m. 13 Sep 1651

suc. by

brother

note

Member of Parliament for Liverpool 1640; on the side of Parliament in the Civil War; Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire 1646; Keeper of Kingswood Forest 1647; Commissioner from the Lords to the King 1648; Joint Commissioner at the Conference of Newport 1648

Lionel [Cranfield], 3rd Earl of Middlesex

born

c. 1625

mar.

1 May 1655 (separated 13 Jun 1661) Lady Rachael Bourchier (bapt. 28 Jan 1612/3; widow of Henry [Bourchier], 5th Earl of Bath; d. 11 Nov 1680), 5th dau. of Francis [Fane], 1st Earl of Westmorland, by his wife Mary Mildmay, only surv. dau. and hrss. of Sir Anthony Mildmay, of Apethorpe, co. Northampton

died

s.p. 26 Oct 1674

note

a Gentleman of the Bedchamber 1673

On the death of the 3rd Earl of Middlesex both his titles became extinct. In 1675 his brother-in-law, Hon Charles Sackville, styled Lord Buckhurst, was created Baron Cranfield and Earl of Middlesex. Two years later he succeeded his father as 5th Earl of Dorset.

 First written 21 Mar 2003

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