WALDEGRAVE, Sir William (c.1573-1613), of Smallbridge, Suff. and Wormingford, Essex.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

b. c.1573, 1st s. of William Waldegrave by his 1st w. m. (1) c. 1591, Judith, da. of Sir Robert Jermyn, 1da.; (2) Jennemache or Jemima, da. of (Sir) Nicholas Bacon, 3s. 3da. Kntd. 1595; suc. fa. Aug. 1613.

Offices Held

Biography

On Waldegrave’s first marriage, his father settled several manors in Suffolk on him and his wife, and they no doubt had to live on the profits of these. Like other heirs of long-lived fathers, Waldegrave went for some time to Ireland, where he was knighted by the lord deputy. Perhaps in some doubt about gaining the county seat in 1597, he asked the Ipswich corporation to return him, and it was

agreed that Sir William Waldegrave shall have the voices of this town for his election to be one of the burgesses of the Parliament ... according to his request by his letter.

In the event, Waldegrave was elected for the shire. He was named to the armour and weapons committee, 8 Nov. 1597, and as a knight of the shire he could also have sat on committees for enclosures (5 Nov.), the poor law (5, 22 Nov.), penal laws (8 Nov.), monopolies (10 Nov.), the subsidy (15 Nov.), the charter for Great Yarmouth (23 Nov.) and draining the fens (3 Dec.).

He succeeded to his estates at the end of August 1613 and died on 26 Nov., John Chamberlain commenting:

The younger Sir William Waldegrave likewise tarried not long after his father, who died not past three months since, and this within this fortnight.

His heir, William, was ten years old when he succeeded. A second son, Thomas, was MP for Sudbury 1661-77, and a third was hanged for murder in 1649.

Vis. Essex (Harl. Soc. xiii), 121-2; C142/335/10; Bacon, Ipswich Annals, 384, 389, 390, 391; D’Ewes, 552, 553, 555, 557, 561, 562, 567; Chamberlain Letters ed. McClure, i. 491; Morant, Essex, ii. 232; W. A. Copinger, Suff. Manors, i. 53 et passim; Add. 19154, ff. 51-2, 67-8.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Authors: N. M. Fuidge / John. P. Ferris

Notes