Biography of Henry Sidney 1529-1586

In 1517 [his father] William Sidney (age 35) and [his mother] Anne Pakenham (age 32) were married.

In 1529 Henry Sidney was born to William Sidney (age 47) and Anne Pakenham (age 44).

On 22 Oct 1544 [his mother] Anne Pakenham (age 59) died at Penshurst, Kent [Map].

Diary of Edward VI. 18 Apr 1550. Mr. Sidney⁴ and Mr. Nevel⁵ made gentlemen of the privey chamber. Commission given to the lord Chobham deputy of Cales [Map], sir William Petre (age 45) chef secretary, and sir Jhon Mason (age 47), French secretary, to see the French king take his oth, with certein instrucion; and that sir Jhon Mason shuld be embassadour ligier.

Commission to sir John (Maurice) Denis (age 42) and sir Wiliam Sharington (age 55) to receive the first paiment and deliver the quittannce.^1a

Note 4. Afterwards sir Henry Sidney (age 21), and K.G.

Note 5. Afterwards sir Henry Neville.

Note 1a. On the 17th of April the council had directed "letters to mr. Dennys treasurer of Callays, that he and mr. Sharyngton be joyned in commission for the CC m¹ French crowns to be received, of the goodness, purity, and weight as they be currant in France." On the 20th, "A letter to sir Morice Denys and sir William Sherrington knights, commissioners appointed for the receipt of the first payment now to be made by the Frenche, that if mons^r Gondie, master of the French king's finances, do come withall (as it is thought he doth) they shall give him in rewarde from the Kinges Majestie two thousand orownes, because he was the first motioner and procurer of this Peace. And in case it be not he, then to give the bringer of the said money such reward under the said summe of two thousand crownes as to their wisedomes shall seem convenient." (Council Book.)

In 1551 Henry Sidney (age 22) and Mary Dudley (age 21) were married. She the daughter of John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland (age 47) and Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland (age 42).

In 1553 [his brother-in-law] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 23) and Elizabeth Tailboys Countess Warwick (age 30) were married. She the daughter of Gilbert Tailboys 1st Baron Tailboys and Elizabeth "Bessie" Blount Baroness Clinton and Tailboys. He the son of [his father-in-law] John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland (age 49) and [his mother-in-law] Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland (age 44).

In Jan 1553 [his brother-in-law] John Dudley 2nd Earl Warwick (age 26) by writ of acceleration 2nd Earl Warwick through a summons to Parliament. Anne Seymour Countess of Warwick (age 15) by marriage Countess Warwick.

Chronicle of Queen Jane and Two Years of Queen Mary 1553. 23 Jul 1553. A lettere written in London mentiones that the lord admirall, and the lords Greye (age 44),^b Garret, Wormon,^c and the lord Fitzwarren, sir Henry Sidney (age 24), and sir James Croffts (age 35), with divers others, have already their pardon graunted them.

The duke of Northumberland is in custody of the garde as a prisoner in Cambridge, and my ladie his wyfe, the [his brother-in-law] lord Guilford (age 18), and the lady Jane (age 17), are in the Towere as prisoneres. My lord marques of Northampton, the earle of Huntingdon, sir Henry Gates, and divers other, cannot as yet gett their pardones."

Note b. William lord Grey of Wilton was the commander upon whose military talents the duke of Northumberland seems to have mainly relied: but lord Grey, who had been an adherent of the duke of Somerset, probably did not serve on this occasion very cordially. He seems to have left Northumberland when at Cambridge, and made his submission to Mary; who on her arrival at her manor of Newhall in Essex, on the 31st of July, dismissed him to his former charge of the castle of Guisnes, with a reinforcement of 350 footmen and 50 horsemen demi-lances: see her letters patent, printed in the Appendix to the Life of Lord Grey of Wilton, No. VI.

Note c. The earl of Ormond.

On 11 Feb 1554 [his father] William Sidney (age 72) died at Penshurst, Kent [Map]. He was buried at St John the Baptist Church, Penshurst.

On 21 Oct 1554 [his brother-in-law] John Dudley 2nd Earl Warwick (age 27) died at Penshurst Place, Kent [Map].

On 30 Nov 1554 [his son] Philip Sidney was born to Henry Sidney (age 25) and [his wife] Mary Dudley (age 24) at Penshurst Place, Kent [Map].

On 26 Dec 1554 [his brother-in-law] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 24) was created 1st Baron Lisle. Elizabeth Tailboys Countess Warwick (age 32) by marriage Countess Warwick.

In 1556 Edward Fitton (age 28) was knighted by Henry Sidney (age 27).

Around Aug 1559 Henry Sidney (age 30) was appointed President of the Council of the Marches in Wales.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 12 Jun 1560. The sam day at after-non toke hys horse toward Walles, [Wales] with a vij-skore horse, ser Henry Sydney (age 31) to be the lord presidentt ther of Walles, as my lord of Tame was; the quen (age 26) and the consell gayff yt hym to be governer ther....The .. day of .... browth women unto strangers.

In 1561 [his brother-in-law] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 31) was restored 3rd Earl Warwick. Elizabeth Tailboys Countess Warwick (age 38) by marriage Countess Warwick.

On 27 Oct 1561 [his daughter] Mary Sidney Countess Pembroke was born to Henry Sidney (age 32) and [his wife] Mary Dudley (age 31).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 23 May 1563. The xxiij day of May .... lord the duke of Northfoke (age 27) was .... vycont Montyguw (age 34) and my lord of Luthborow (age 42) .... and the yerle of Northumberland (age 35) and the [his brother-in-law] yerle of [Warwick] (age 33) stallyd knyghtes of the Garter; and ser Henry Sydney (age 34) was depute for the yerle of Warwyke, and he bare ys hode and ys coller of the garter a-pone ys arme.

On 19 Nov 1563 [his son] Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester was born to Henry Sidney (age 34) and [his wife] Mary Dudley (age 33).

In 1564 Henry Sidney (age 35) was appointed 350th Knight of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 30).

On 29 Sep 1564 [his brother-in-law] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 32) was created 1st Earl of Leicester.

Around 1565 [his daughter] Ambrosia Sidney was born to Henry Sidney (age 36) and [his wife] Mary Dudley (age 35). She was named after her uncle [his brother-in-law] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 35).

In 1565 Henry Sidney (age 36) was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.

On 11 Nov 1565 [his brother-in-law] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 35) and Anne Russell Countess Warwick (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess Warwick. She the daughter of Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford (age 38) and Margaret St John Countess Bedford. He the son of [his father-in-law] John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland and [his mother-in-law] Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland.

On 25 Mar 1569 [his son] Thomas Sidney was born to Henry Sidney (age 40) and [his wife] Mary Dudley (age 39).

In 1573 Pieter Bronckhorst. Portrait of Henry Sidney (age 44).

In 1573 Unknown Painter. Portrait of Henry Sidney (age 44) wearing his Garter Collar.

On 22 Feb 1574 [his daughter] Ambrosia Sidney (age 9) died at Ludlow Castle [Map] where her father Henry Sidney (age 45) was President of the Council of the Marches in Wales.

On 21 Apr 1577 [his son-in-law] Henry Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 39) and [his daughter] Mary Sidney Countess Pembroke (age 15) were married. She by marriage Countess Pembroke. The difference in their ages was 23 years. He the son of William Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke and Anne Parr Countess Pembroke.

On 23 Jul 1577 Thomas Wenman (age 29) died. He left significant debts to the Crown requiring some of his lands to be sold. Eaton, Berkshire was sold to John Danvers (age 37) for £7700. Richard Wenman 1st Viscount Wenman (age 4) was made a ward of his mother Jane West (age 19) and [his brother-in-law] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 45). Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester sold his interest to James Cressy who subsequently married Jane West.

On 21 Sep 1578 [his brother-in-law] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 46) and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 34) were married secretly much to the anguish of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 45) who developed a deep hatred of Lettice Knollys Countess Essex. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. Roger North 2nd Baron North (age 48) was present. He the son of [his father-in-law] John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland and [his mother-in-law] Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland.

1580. St Laurence's Church, Ludlow [Map]. Monument to [his daughter] Ambrosia Sidney. Her father's (age 51) arms top middle as follows: Sidney, Clunford, Barrington, Mercy, Mandeville Arms differenced with an escarbuncle, Chetwyn, Belhouse (the lions should be shown between three black cross-croslets), and Brandon Arms (the lion's crown should be per pale gules and Argent).

Bottom Left her father's arms impaled with 1 Dudley Arms 2 Unknown 3 Grey Arms 4 Talbot Arms 5 Beauchamp Arms 6 Neuborg Arms 7 Unknown 8 Unknown.

Bottom Right. As impaled Bottom Left; possibly some form of Duke of Northumberland.

The Sidney motto "quo fata vacant" ie "where destiny falls".

On the right are the arms of her uncle and godfather [his brother-in-law] Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick (age 50), from whom she derived her name.

On the left the arms of her mother, [his wife] Mary Sidney née Dudley (age 50)

Ambrosia Sidney: Around 1565 she was born to Henry Sidney and Mary Dudley. She was named after her uncle Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick. On 22 Feb 1574 Ambrosia Sidney died at Ludlow Castle was President of the Council of the Marches in Wales.

In 1583 [his son] Philip Sidney (age 28) and [his daughter-in-law] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 16) were married.

On 23 Sep 1584 [his son] Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 20) and [his daughter-in-law] Barbara Gamage Countess Leicester (age 21) were married. She her father's heir to his considerable fortune. He, the father, had died some twenty-five days before. The marriage took place apparently against the wishes of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 51).

On 05 May 1586 Henry Sidney (age 57) died.

On 09 Aug 1586 [his former wife] Mary Dudley (age 56) died.

Thomas Fitzwilliam and [his mother] Anne Pakenham were married. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

[his daughter] Mary Margaret Sidney was born to Henry Sidney and Mary Dudley.

[his daughter] Elizabeth Sidney was born to Henry Sidney and Mary Dudley.