Family and Education

b. by 1515, 2nd s. of Sir William Rous of Dennington by Alice, da. of Sir John Sulyard^† of Wetherden; bro. of Anthony. m. Mary, da. and coh. of one Paynell of Lincs., 1da. Kntd. bet. Dec. 1550 and Sept. 1552.

Offices Held

Servant of Thomas Cromwell; servant of 3rd Duke of Norfolk.

J.p. Suff. 1543-?53; vice-treasurer of Ireland c.1553-5.1

Biography

Most of Rous’s active career was over by the accession of Elizabeth. He was presumably the ‘Sir Edward Rousse of Dunwich’ who in September 1568 was granted letters of protection from arrest or seizure of his goods for a year: his low financial state may have accounted for his exclusion from the commission of the peace in Elizabeth’s reign. It also no doubt accounts for his claiming wages and travelling expenses in respect of his parliamentary service after having promised not to. In June 1569, described as ‘late of Dunwich’, he was pardoned for the outlawry pronounced against him for non-appearances in the court of common pleas to answer a debt of £26 8s.8d. When the pardon was enrolled Rous was in the Fleet prison. The date of Rous’s death has not been ascertained. He may have been still alive in 1572.2

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: N. M. Fuidge

Notes

• 1. Vis. Suff. ed. Metcalfe, 62, 174; HMC 7th Rep. 662; A. Suckling, Hist. Suff. ii. 366; CPR, 1547-8, p. 89; 1550-3, p. 428; 1553 and App. Edw. VI, p. 358; LP Hen. VIII, xviii(1), p. 133; xx(1), pp. 318, 322; APC, iv. 378.
• 2. CSP Dom. 1547-80, p. 318; C3/56/91; CPR, 1566-9, p. 413; Arundel Castle mss G1/7, f. 7v.