Biography of Edmund Walsingham 1480-1550

Paternal Family Tree: Walsingham

1513 Battle of Flodden

1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold

1521 Trial and Execution of the Duke of Buckingham

In or before 1480 [his father] James Walsingham (age 17) and [his mother] Eleanor Writtle (age 15) were married.

Around 1480 Edmund Walsingham was born to James Walsingham (age 17) and Eleanor Writtle (age 15).

Around 1512 [his daughter] Eleanor Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham (age 32) and [his future wife] Katherine Gouter (age 17).

Battle of Flodden

On 09 Sep 1513 at the Battle of Flodden was fought at the Branxton, Northumberland [Map]. the English army was commanded by Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 70), Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 40), Edmund Howard (age 35), Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland (age 45), Edward Stanley 1st Baron Monteagle (age 51) and Marmaduke Constable (age 56).

The English army included: Henry "Shepherd Lord" Clifford 10th Baron Clifford (age 59), William Conyers 1st Baron Conyers (age 44), Thomas Berkeley 5th Baron Berkeley (age 41) and Richard Neville 2nd Baron Latimer of Snape (age 45).

Randall Babington, John Bigod (age 38) and Thomas Fitzwilliam (age 39) were killed.

Marmaduke Constable (age 33), William Constable (age 38), George Darcy 1st Baron Darcy Aston (age 16), Edmund Walsingham (age 33), Thomas Burgh 7th Baron Cobham 5th Baron Strabolgi 1st Baron Burgh (age 25) and Walter Stonor (age 36) were knighted by Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 40).

Christopher Savage, Thomas Venables (age 44) and Brian Tunstall (age 33) were killed.

Bryan Stapleton of Wighill (age 55) was killed. (Some reports have him dying in 1518).

John Booth (age 78) was killed.

Father and son Ralph ellerker of risby in yorkshire and Ralph Ellerker were knighted by Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey (age 70).

The Scottish army suffered heavy casualties:

King James IV of Scotland (age 40) was killed. His body ws taken to London, then to Sheen Priory, Richmond; thereafter it dissappeared. His son King James V of Scotland (age 1) succeeded V King Scotland.

Alexander Stewart ArchBishop of St Andrews (age 20) was killed.

David Kennedy 1st Earl Cassilis (age 43) was killed. His son Gilbert Kennedy 2nd Earl Cassilis (age 18) succeeded 2nd Earl Cassilis. Isabel Campbell Countess Cassilis by marriage Countess Cassilis.

William Sinclair 2nd Earl Caithness (age 54) was killed. His son John Sinclair 3rd Earl Caithness succeeded 3rd Earl Caithness.

Matthew Stewart 2nd Earl Lennox was killed. His son John Stewart 3rd Earl Lennox (age 23) succeeded 3rd Earl Lennox.

William Hay 4th Earl Erroll was killed. His son William Hay 5th Earl Erroll (age 18) succeeded 5th Earl Erroll.

John Douglas 2nd Earl Morton was killed. His son James Douglas 3rd Earl Morton succeeded 3rd Earl Morton, 6th Lord Dalkeith.

Adam Hepburn 2nd Earl Bothwell was killed. His son Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell (age 1) succeeded 3rd Earl Bothwell.

Alexander Stewart 4th of Garlies (age 32) was killed. His son Alexander Stewart 5th of Garlies (age 6) succeeded 5th Lord Garlies.

Alexander Elphinstone 1st Lord Elphinstone was killed. His son Alexander Elphinstone 2nd Lord Elphinstone (age 3) succeeded 2nd Lord Elphinstone.

Thomas Hay, George Hepburn Bishop Isles (age 59), Adam Hepburn Master (age 56), Thomas "Younger of Cushnie" Lumsden

William Douglas 6th Lord Drumlanrig was killed. William "Younger" Douglas 7th Lord Drumlanrig succeeded 7th Lord Drumlanrig.

George Seton 5th Lord Seton was killed. His son George Seton 6th Lord Seton succeeded 6th Lord Seton.

John Hay 2nd Lord Hay of Yester was killed. His son John Hay 3rd Lord Hay (age 23) succeeded 3rd Lord Hay of Yester. Elizabeth Douglas Lady Hay by marriage Lord Hay of Yester.

Robert Keith Master of Marischal (age 30), Guiscard Harbottle (age 28), John Erskine, David Home (age 22), Andrew Stewart 1st Lord Avondale (age 43), Archibald Campbell 2nd Earl Argyll (age 64), Robert Douglas of Lochleven (age 89) were killed.

Henry Sinclair 3rd Lord Sinclair (age 48) was killed. His son William Sinclair 4th Lord Sinclair succeeded 4th Lord Sinclair.

James Stewart 1st Lord of Traquair (age 33) was killed. His son William Stewart 2nd Lord Traquair (age 7) succeeded 2nd Lord Traquair.

John Maxwell 4th Lord Maxwell (age 57) was killed. His son Robert Maxwell 5th Lord Maxwell (age 20) succeeded 5th Lord Maxwell.

William Murray (age 43), Colin Oliphant (age 26), William Ruthven (age 33), George Douglas (age 44) and William Douglas (age 42) were killed.

George Home 4th Lord Home and John Stewart 2nd Earl Atholl (age 38) fought.

Brothers David Lyon of Cossins, William Lyon and George Lyon were killed.

William Graham 1st Earl Montrose (age 49) was killed. His son William Graham 2nd Earl Montrose (age 21) succeeded 2nd Earl Montrose.

Robert Erskine 4th Lord Erskine 16th Earl Mar was killed. His son John Erskine 17th Earl Mar (age 26) de jure 17th Earl Mar, Lord Erskine.

Thomas Stewart 2nd Lord Innermeath (age 52) was killed. His son Richard Stewart 3rd Lord Innermeath succeeded 3rd Lord Innermeath.

Walter Lindsay of Arden and Walter Lindsay (age 33) were killed.

William Keith of Inverugie (age 43) was killed.

David Wemyss of Wemyss (age 40) was killed.

John Somerville 1st of Cambusnethan (age 55) was killed.

Robert Crichton 2nd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar (age 41) was killed. His son Robert Crichton 3rd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar (age 22) succeeded 3rd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar

Father and son William Rollo (age 59) and Robert Rollo 5th of Duncrub (age 34) were killed.

In or before 1515 [his future brother-in-law] John Jerningham (age 20) and Bridget Drury were married.

In or before 1516 Edward Grey and [his future wife] Anne Jerningham (age 11) were married. He the son of Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset and Cecily Bonville Marchioness Dorset (age 55). He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

Around 1517 [his daughter] Alice Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham (age 37) and [his future wife] Katherine Gouter (age 22).

After 1517 Henry Barley (age 30) and [his future wife] Anne Jerningham (age 13) were married.

Field of the Cloth of Gold

In Jun 1520 Henry VIII (age 28) hosted Field of the Cloth of Gold at Balinghem [Map].

Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset (age 42) carried the Sword of State.

Bishop John Stokesley (age 45) attended as Henry VIII's chaplain.

Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye (age 36), Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth (age 42), Anthony Poyntz (age 40), William Coffin (age 25), William "Great" Courtenay (age 43), Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex (age 37), William Paston (age 41), William Denys (age 50), Richard Cecil (age 25), William Parr 1st Baron Parr of Horton (age 37), Ralph Neville 4th Earl of Westmoreland (age 22), John Mordaunt 1st Baron Mordaunt (age 40), Henry Guildford (age 31), Marmaduke Constable (age 40), William Compton (age 38), William Blount 4th Baron Mountjoy (age 42), Thomas Cheney (age 35), Henry Willoughby (age 69), John Rodney (age 59), John Marney 2nd Baron Marney (age 36), William Sidney (age 38), John de Vere 14th Earl of Oxford (age 20), John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford (age 49), Edmund Walsingham (age 40), William Skeffington (age 55) and Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West (age 63) attended.

William Carey (age 20) jousted.

William Sandys 1st Baron Sandys Vyne (age 50) organised.

Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford (age 15) attended.

Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham (age 50), Robert Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby 10th Baron Latimer (age 48), Anthony Wingfield (age 33), William Scott (age 61), Thomas Wriothesley (age 32), Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 48), Margaret Dymoke (age 20) and Edward Chamberlayne (age 36) were present.

In 1521 Edmund Walsingham (age 41) was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London.

Trial and Execution of the Duke of Buckingham

In Apr 1521 Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham (age 43) was arrested and imprisoned at Tower of London [Map]. He was accused of listening to prophecies of the King's death and intending to kill the King. Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 48) presided at his trial. Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset (age 43) and Henry Guildford (age 32) acted as judges. Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham (age 51), Anthony Poyntz (age 41) and Edmund Walsingham (age 41) as jurors.

Before 1526 Edmund Walsingham (age 46) and Katherine Gouter (age 31) were married.

Around 1526 [his son] Thomas Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham (age 46) and [his wife] Katherine Gouter (age 31).

Around 1526 [his wife] Katherine Gouter (age 31) died.

After 12 Nov 1529 Robert Drury (age 75) and [his future wife] Anne Jerningham (age 25) were married. The difference in their ages was 50 years.

In 1536 [his future brother-in-law] Henry Jerningham of Cotesby Hall (age 24) and Frances Baynham were married. The marriage arranged by his stepfather William Kingston (age 60) who was her grandfather.

After 01 Mar 1536 Edmund Walsingham (age 56) and Anne Jerningham (age 32) were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years.

Wriothesley's Chronicle 1536. 15 May 1536. And first the Kinges commission was redd, and then the Constable of the Tower (age 60)e and the Lieutenant (age 56) brought forthe the Queene (age 35) to the barre, where was made a chaire for her to sitt downe in, and then her indictment was redd afore her,g whereunto she made so wise and discreet aunsweres to all thinges layde against her, excusinge herselfe with her wordes so clearlie, as thoughe she had never bene faultie to the same,a and at length putt her to the triall of the Peeres of the Realme, and then were 26 of the greatest peeres there present chosen to passe on her, the Duke of Suffolke beinge highest, and, after they had communed together, the yongest lorde of the saide inquest was called first to give verdict, who sayde guiltie, and so everie lorde and earle after their degrees sayde guiltie to the last and so condemned her. And then the Duke of Northfolke (age 63) gave this sentence on her, sayinge: Because thou haste offended our Sovereigne the Kinges grace, in committinge treason against his person, and here attaynted of the same,' the lawe of the realme is this, that thou haste deserved death, and thy judgment is this: That thow shalt be brent here within the Tower of London on the Greene [Map], els to have thy head smitten of as the Kinges pleasure shal be further knowne of the same; and so she was brought to warde agayne, and two ladies wayted on her, which came in with her at the first, and wayted still on her, whose names were the Ladie Kingstone (age 60) and the Ladie Boleyn (age 56), her aunte.

Note e. Sir William Kingston (age 60).

Note f. Sir Edmond Walsingham (age 56).

Note g. Her indictment, which comprised six sereral charges, is preserred in the Public Record Office, with the subsequent proceedings thereon.

Note a. Upon her examination she positively denied she had ever been false to the King; but, being told that Norris, Weston, Brereton, and Smeton had accused her, she said she ought not to conceal certain things which had passed between her and them. See Burnet, tom, i. pp. 191, 280, &c.

After 1540 [his mother] Eleanor Writtle (age 75) died.

On 10 Dec 1540 [his father] James Walsingham (age 78) died.

In 1545 Edmund Walsingham (age 65) was elected Knight of the Shire Surrey.

On 09 Feb 1546 [his brother-in-law] Edmund Jerningham died.

On 09 Feb 1550 Edmund Walsingham (age 70) died. He was buried at Scadbury Chapel, Church of St Nicholas, Chislehurst.

In 1559 [his former wife] Anne Jerningham (age 55) died.

Thomas Saunders and [his daughter] Alice Walsingham were married.

[his daughter] Mary Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham and Katherine Gouter.

[his son] Walter Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham and Katherine Gouter.

[his son] John Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham and Katherine Gouter.

[his son] George Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham and Katherine Gouter.

Robert Holdich and Margaret Jerningham were married.

[his daughter] Katherine Walsingham was born to Edmund Walsingham and Katherine Gouter.

Ancestors of Edmund Walsingham 1480-1550

Edmund Walsingham

GrandFather: Walter Writtle

Mother: Eleanor Writtle