Family and Education

b. 1536, 1st s. of Sir Thomas Dawney of Sessay and Cowick by Edith, da. of George, Lord Darcy of Ashton. m. (1) Elizabeth, da. of Sir Marmaduke Tunstall of Thurland Castle, Lancs.; (2) Elizabeth Busby of Hather, Lincs., 5s. 4da. Kntd. 1580.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Yorks. 1572-3, 1589-90; j.p. Yorks. (N. Riding) from c.1575; commr. musters by 1595.

Biography

Dawney was a country gentleman, who resided less than five miles from Thirsk, and was repeatedly returned to Parliament for the borough. He was named to committees concerning justices of the forest (3 Mar. 1576), fortifying the Scottish Border (25 Feb. 1581), the bill for Carlisle (27 Feb. 1581) and the bill against the Family of Love (27 Feb. 1581). As burgess for Thirsk, he was eligible to attend committees in 1593 concerning cloth (23 Mar.) and weirs (28 Mar.). He was one of the j.p.s who, in 1592, administered the oath of supremacy to other members of the commission; was involved in a priest hunt in February 1596 in the Carlton area of Yorkshire; and was one of those who ‘being absent from sickness or age, sent their heirs and officers’ to support the Stanhope side in the Yorkshire contested election of 1597. He died the following year and was succeeded by his son Thomas.

C142/109/57; VCH Yorks. N. Riding, i. 448; Foster, Yorks. Peds.; CSP Dom. 1591-4, 1. 130; 1595-7, p. 167; D’Ewes, 255, 301 507, 512; CJ, i. 112, 129, 130; APC, xxiii. 257; HMC Hatfield, vi. 62, 72; vii. 416.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: N.M.S.

Notes