Biography of Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex 1525-1583

Before 21 May 1524 [his father] Henry Radclyffe 2nd Earl of Sussex (age 17) and [his mother] Elizabeth Howard (age 18) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 81) and [his grandmother] Agnes Tilney Duchess Norfolk (age 47). He the son of [his grandfather] Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex (age 41) and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Stafford Countess Sussex (age 45). He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

Around 1525 Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex was born to Henry Radclyffe 2nd Earl of Sussex (age 18) and Elizabeth Howard (age 19).

On 18 Sep 1534 [his mother] Elizabeth Howard (age 28) died.

Before 21 Nov 1538 [his father] Henry Radclyffe 2nd Earl of Sussex (age 31) and [his step-mother] Anne Calthorpe 2nd Countess Sussex (age 17) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex (age 55) and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Stafford Countess Sussex. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

Before 1555 Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex (age 29) and Elizabeth Wriothesley (age 19) were married. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 1st Earl of Southampton and Jane Cheney Countess Southampton (age 45). He the son of Henry Radclyffe 2nd Earl of Sussex (age 47) and Elizabeth Howard.

In 1555 Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex (age 30) and Frances Sidney Countess Sussex (age 24) were married. He the son of Henry Radclyffe 2nd Earl of Sussex (age 48) and Elizabeth Howard.

Before 16 Jan 1555 [his wife] Elizabeth Wriothesley (age 20) died.

On 17 Feb 1557 [his father] Henry Radclyffe 2nd Earl of Sussex (age 50) died. He was buried at St Lawrence Pountney Church. His son Thomas (age 32) succeeded 3rd Earl of Sussex, 3rd Viscount Fitzwalter, 12th Baron Fitzwalter. [his wife] Frances Sidney Countess Sussex (age 26) by marriage Countess of Sussex.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 08 Jan 1558. The viij day of January was sett up at Wyndsore [Map] the yerle of Sussex (age 33) the depute of Yrland ys baner of armes, and ys elmett, crest, mantylle, and ys sword for ys stallasyon of the garter.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 21 Mar 1558. The sam day at after-none the yerle of Sussex (age 33) toke gorney [journey] in post toward Yrland.

Note. P. 169. Earl of Sussex took his journey toward Ireland. Where he had been for some time lord deputy.

On 26 Jun 1558 Donald McCarthy 1st Earl of Clancare was knighted by Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex (age 33) in Limerick.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 15 May 1559. The xv day of May dyd pryche at Powlles [cross] [Map] master Gryndalle (age 40), and ther was the quens consell, the duke of Norfoke (age 23), my lord keper of the seylle, and my lord of Arundell (age 47), my lord treysorer (age 76), my lord marques of Northamtun (age 47), my [his uncle] lord admerall (age 49), my lord of Sussex (age 34), my lord of Westmorland (age 34), my lord of Rutland (age 32), and mony mo lordes and knyghtes, my lord mare (age 50) and the althermen; and after sermon done they whent to my lord mayre to dener, and my lord Russell (age 32).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 28 Apr 1560. The sam day at after-none att the court was grett justes, my lord of Sussex (age 35) and my lord Robartt Dudley (age 27) and ij more a-gaynst the yerle of Northumberland (age 32) and my lord Ambrose Dudley (age 30) and my lord of Hunsdon (age 34) and master Cornewalles and (blank): and ther was mony stayffes broken; and ther stod in the standyng as juges my lord markes of Northamtun (age 48), my lord of Ruttland (age 33), and my lord of Penbroke (age 59), and my [his uncle] lord admerall (age 50) and the Frenche inbassadur, and master Garter (age 50) and master Norey (age 50) dyd wrytt wome [whom] dyd rune; and by chanse of the brykyng of a stayff a pesse fluw up wher the juges sitt and hyt my lord of Penbroke (blank) and ther rod the trumpeters and the haroldes of armes.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 01 Jul 1562. The furst day of July was the Marchand-tayllers' fest, and dynyd my lord mare (age 66), the yerle of Sussex (age 37), the yerle of Kyldare (age 37), ser (blank) Stanley, and ser Thomas Whytt, ser Thomas Offeley (age 62) and master Ro .., ser Wyllyam Huett, ser Marten Bowes (age 65), master Cowper, master Allen, master Gyl[bert,] master Chamburlayn altherman, master Champyon, master Avenon, master Malere, and master Baskerfeld, and the master and the iiij wardens and the clarkes and the bedyll of the Skynnars, and mony worshephull men, and mony lades and gentyllwomen, and they had agaynst the dynner iijxx and (blank) bukes [bucks] and iiij stages; and master Wylliam Allen (age 47) electyd shreyff for the quen, and master Whettelle the master, and master Raff Whytt hed warden and master Mar .. and master serjant Halle and master Browne wardens; and master Garter (age 52) and master Clarenshux (age 52) dynyd there.

Note. P. 287. The Skinners attend the Merchant-taylors' feast. In the 1st Rich. III. a dispute for precedency between the Skinners and Merchant-taylors was determined by agreement that either should take precedence in alternate years, and that the master and wardens of each should dine with the other company on their respective feasts of Corpus Christi and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. See the ordinance effecting this arrangement in Herbert's Twelve City Companies, vol. ii. p. 319; and see remarks by the present writer in Archæologia, vol. xxx. p. 500.

On 09 Jun 1583 Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex (age 58) died. His brother [his brother] Henry (age 51) succeeded 4th Earl of Sussex, 4th Viscount Fitzwalter, 13th Baron Fitzwalter. Honora Pound Viscountess Fitzwalter by marriage Countess of Sussex.

On 09 Mar 1589 [his former wife] Frances Sidney Countess Sussex (age 58) died. On 15 Apr 1589 she was buried in Chapel of St Paul, Westminster Abbey [Map].

John Evelyn's Diary. 10 Jul 1656. I returned homeward, passing again through Colchester, Essex [Map]; and, by the way, near the ancient town of Chelmsford, Essex [Map], saw New Hall, built in a park by Henry VII. and VIII., and given by Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Sussex, who sold it to the late great Duke of Buckingham, and since seized on by Oliver Cromwell (age 57) (pretended Protector). It is a fair old house, built with brick, low, being only of two stories, as the manner then was; the gate-house better; the court, large and pretty; the staircase, of extraordinary wideness, with a piece representing Sir Francis Drake's action in the year 1580, an excellent sea-piece; the galleries are trifling; the hall is noble; the garden a fair plot, and the whole seat well accommodated with water; but, above all, I admired the fair avenue planted with stately lime trees, in four rows, for near a mile in length. It has three descents, which is the only fault, and may be reformed. There is another fair walk of the same at the mall and wilderness, with a tennis-court, and pleasant terrace toward the park, which was well stored with deer and ponds.