Biography of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester 1563-1642

In 1557 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 27) and [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 12) were married.

Around 1563 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester was born to Edward Montagu (age 33) and Elizabeth Harrington (age 18) at Boughton, Northamptonshire.

Around 1573 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 10) educated at Christ's College, Cambridge University [Map].

On 01 Jun 1601 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 38) and Catherine Spencer (age 15) were married. The difference in their ages was 23 years.

In 1602 [his son] Edward Montagu 2nd Earl Manchester was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 39) and [his wife] Catherine Spencer (age 16).

In 1602 [his son] James Montagu was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 39) and [his wife] Catherine Spencer (age 16).

On 26 Jan 1602 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 72) died at Brigstock, Boughton.

Around 1603 [his son] Abbot Walter Montagu was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 40) and [his wife] Catherine Spencer (age 17).

On 17 Nov 1603 Walter Raleigh (age 49) was tried by Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 40) at Great Hall, Winchester Castle.

In 1607 [his daughter] Elizabeth Montagu Lady Sebright and Mansel was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 44) and [his wife] Catherine Spencer (age 21).

Around 1610 [his daughter] Lucy Montagu Baroness Coleraine was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 47) and [his wife] Catherine Spencer (age 24).

On 07 Dec 1612 [his wife] Catherine Spencer (age 26) died.

On 09 Nov 1613 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 50) and Anne Wincot (age 60) were married.

On 29 Nov 1614 [his wife] Anne Wincot (age 61) died.

In 1616 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 53) was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 2 252. 252. To Sir Dudley Carleton (age 43). [S. P. Dom., Jac. I, lxxxix, 21.] London, November 14, 1616.

My very goode Lord: Beeing last night at Master Secretaries (age 53) I understoode that Dieston was to be dispatcht this day towards you, who must not come empty though I wrote so lately. There supped divers of your goode frends, Sir Walter Raleigh (age 62), Sir Henry Savile, Sir Maurice Barklay, Sir ... Seymor, Sir Harry Nevill, Sir Robert Killegree with I know not how many Ladies and gentlewomen of that race and alliance. The absence of the court geves Master Secretarie leave and leysure to entertain his frends as Sir Henry Savile was there likewise the night before: the King went to Tiballs on Monday and so towards Roiston and Newmarket. The Quene continues at Somerset House till his return. The Lord Cooke (age 64) is now quite of the hookes, and order geven to send him a supersedeas from executing his place. The common speach is that fowre Ps have overthrown and put him down, that is Pride, Prohibitions, Premunire, and Prerogative. Sir Henry Montague is generally nominated to the place, by reason that the citie is written unto to choose Sir Harry Yelverton (age 50) for theyre Recorder which is terminus diminutinus [diminutive term] to his office of sollicitor, but yet must be accepted to serve turns. Yet perhaps yt may be that yf yt come to light in time that the late Recorder (age 53)¹ hath maried his maide¹ (as is bruited) and geven her such earnest as cannot be long concealed, yt may hinder his preferment.

Note 1. Henry Montagu, future Earl of Mancheser, married three times. His second wife [his former wife] Anne Wincot died in November 1614 so at the time of the letter he was a widower. He next married in 1620 to [his future wife] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 11).

On 19 May 1618 [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 73) died.

Letters of the Court of James I 1618. [13 Aug 1618]. The lord chief justice (age 55), and all his brethren, go down on Monday toward Bath, to the burial of the [his brother] Bishop of Winchester (deceased).

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 2 315. [30 Jan 1619] On Wensday divers were censured in the Star-chamber for building contrarie to the Kings proclamation; which was so far inforct that the Lord Cheife Justice (age 56) saide that yt was in effect, and had the nature of an act of parliament: they were fined at a yeares true valew, and to pull downe theyre houses, or els to build them anew according to order: now that these have led the daunce, all the rest that have built since the first proclamation must follow, or compound, which wold prove too great a matter to graunt my Lord of Arundell (who is saide to have the penaltie) though he have need of yt. The same day there was some entrance into the Lady of Excesters busines and order taken to abbreviat and cut of superfluous and impertinent matter and so make yt more fit for the Kings hearing, in which course there was some contesting twixt Sir Ed: Cooke, and the two Cheife Justices, [Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester and Henry Hobart 1st Baronet (age 59)] who are still observ’d to incline to the other side: the Lady of Excester went that day to the Star-chamber accompanied by the countesses of Arundell and Bedford, and a comitiva of I know not how many Ladies more to the number of almost thirty coaches, but whether she appeared in the court or no I cannot certainly learne. Secretarie Lake and his followers continue still confident, and some say the Lady Roos (age 19) was there likewise with her litle troupe: the speach goes that she is to marrie with the Lord John Pawlet (age 21) another grand-child of the earle of Excesters (age 76), and heire in apparance to the marquis of Winchester.

In 1620 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) was appointed Lord Treasurer.

In 1620 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) was created 1st Viscount Mandeville, 1st Baron Montagu of Kimbolton.

On 26 Apr 1620 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) and Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 15) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Mandeville. The difference in their ages was 42 years.

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 03 Oct 1621. Having therefore spent some little time during this month in mine own private study and arriving at London upon Wednesday the 3rd day of October, with my father and the rest of his family, I understood that Sir Henry Montague (age 58), Viscount Mandeville was, for some abuses in the place of Lord Treasurer, put out of the same, having not yet continued ten months in it, and was made Lord President of the Council.

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 09 Oct 1621. Michaelmas Term beginning upon Tuesday, the 9th day of October, John Williams (age 39), Doctor of Divinity, Dean of Westminster and Bishop of Lincoln, took his place in the Chancery, as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Viscount Mandeville (age 58), Lord President, administering the oath to him. Much talk there was of this divine's sudden rising, being a Welchman by birth, and, but a few years before, a poor subsizar in St. John's College in Cambridge of little regard or learniug. After he had taken his oath, he made a long, learned, and ho&est speech in the Chancery Court; but little practised it, as the sequel too plainly verified. I heard it confidently reported, that the old Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Ellesmere, prophesied of him, being then his household chaplain, that he would prove another Wolsey, which was as strangely verified many years after by his fall, as now by his rising.

On 28 Jul 1622 [his son] George Montagu was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 59) and [his wife] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 17).

On 06 Feb 1623 [his son] Edward Montagu 2nd Earl Manchester (age 21) and [his daughter-in-law] Susannah Hill were married. He the son of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 60) and [his former wife] Catherine Spencer.

On 01 Jul 1625 [his son] Edward Montagu 2nd Earl Manchester (age 23) and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Rich Viscountess Mandeville (age 21) were married. She the daughter of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick (age 38) and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick. He the son of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 62) and [his former wife] Catherine Spencer.

In 1626 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 63) was created 1st Earl Manchester. [his wife] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 21) by marriage Countess Manchester.

On 25 Aug 1627 [his son-in-law] Lewis Mansel 2nd Baronet (age 33) and [his daughter] Elizabeth Montagu Lady Sebright and Mansel (age 20) were married. She the daughter of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 64) and [his former wife] Catherine Spencer.

In 1632 [his son-in-law] Hugh Hare 1st Baron Coleraine (age 26) and [his daughter] Lucy Montagu Baroness Coleraine (age 22) were married. She by marriage Baroness Coleraine. She the daughter of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 69) and [his former wife] Catherine Spencer.

On 11 Nov 1635 [his son] James Montagu (age 33) and [his daughter-in-law] Mary Baynard (age 30) were married. He the son of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 72) and [his former wife] Catherine Spencer.

On 14 Dec 1637 [his son-in-law] George Brydges 6th Baron Chandos (age 17) and [his daughter] Susan Montagu Baroness Chandos were married. She by marriage Baroness Chandos of Sudeley. She the daughter of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 74) and [his wife] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 32). He the son of Grey Brydges 5th Baron Chandos and Anne Stanley Countess Castlehaven (age 57). He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 07 Nov 1642 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 79) died. His son [his son] Edward (age 40) succeeded 2nd Earl Manchester, 2nd Viscount Mandeville, 2nd Baron Montagu of Kimbolton.

After 07 Nov 1642. Monument at St Andrew's Church, Kimbolton [Map] to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (deceased)

Before 29 Dec 1653, the date she was buried, [his former wife] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 48) died.

Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason Volume 3. After he had received the said Commission he commanded an O Yes to be made, by one of the Serjeants at Arms, for a general silence : and then delivered the said Commission to sir Thomas Fenshaw, Clerk of the Crown, to be openly read. Which being done, Mr. Maxwell kneeled down and presented his lordship with a white staff verge of state, which he gave to one of the Serjeants at Arms, who held the same up by the cloth of state on the right hand thereof. And after the Commission was read, and the staff received as aforesaid, his grace commanded a solemn O Yes to be made ; and then gave leave to all the lords, tbe peers, and the judges, and to all privy counsellors there present, to be covered; and command was given, that none under that degree should keep on their hats upon pain of imprisonment. And then the peers were severally called by thieir names, and each of them answered particularly, viz. 1. Lord Weston , Lord High Treasurer of England; 2. Earl of Manchester, Lord Privy Seal; 3, Eari of Arundel and Surrey, Earl Marshal; 4. Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery Lord Chamberlain; 5. Earl of Kent; 6. Earl of Worcester; 7. Earl of Bedford; 8. Earl of Essex; 9. Earl of Dorset; 10. Earl of Salisbury ; 11. Earl of Leicester; 12. Earl of Warwick ; 18. Earl of Cariisle; 14. Earl of Holland; 15. Earl of Berks; 16. Earl of Denbigh;. 17. Viscount Wimbledon ; 18. Visc. Conway; 19. Visc. Dorchester; 20. Visc. Wentworth; 21. Lord Percy; 22. Lord Strange; 23. Lord Clifford; 24. Lord Petre; 25. Lord North ; 26. Lord Goring ; 27. Lord Howard.

[his daughter] Susan Montagu Baroness Chandos was born to Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester and Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester.