Biography of Ralph Rowlett of London and St Albans 1513-1571
Before 1513 Ralph Rowlett of London and St Albans was born to Ralph Rowlett of London and St Albans.
Before 1544 Ralph Rowlett of London and St Albans (age 31) and Dorothy Bowles were married.
On 21 Dec 1546 William Cecil 1st Baron Burghley (age 26) and [his future sister-in-law] Mildred Cooke Baroness Burghley (age 20) were married.
In 1553 Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper (age 42) and [his future sister-in-law] Anne Cooke (age 26) were married.
Before 08 Dec 1557 [his wife] Dorothy Bowles died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 08 Dec 1557. The viij day of Desember was bered my lade Rowlett, the wyff of ser Raff Rowllett (age 44) knyght, in the parryche of santt Mare Stannyng, with ij haroldes of armes and iiij baners of emages and iiij dosen skochyons, and ij whyt branchys, and ij dosen torchys and iiij gylt candyll-stykes, and iiij gret tapurs; and mony morners, and the clothyng of the Gold-smythes; and ys servandes bare torchys in blake cotes.
Note. P. 160. Funeral of lady Rowlett. Dorothy, daughter of John Boles, of Wallington, co. Herts, and first wife of sir Ralph Rowlett, of whom see further in a subsequent note. There is a pedigree of Rowlett in Clutterbuck's Hertfordshire, vol. i. p. 217; but further information may be derived from that in the MS. Harl. 897, fol. 42.
On 27 Jun 1558 Ralph Rowlett of London and St Albans (age 45) and Margaret Cooke were married.
On 27 Jun 1558 Thomas Hoby (age 28) and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Cooke (age 31) were married.
On 03 Aug 1558 [his wife] Margaret Cooke died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 03 Aug 1558. [The iij day of August was buried the [his wife] lady Rowlett], wyff of ser Raffe Rowlett (age 45) knyght, in [saint] Mare Staynnynges, with ij goodly whyt branchys, (blank) stayff torchys, and iiij gylt candyllstykes, and iiij grett tapurs, with ij haroldes of armes, and iiij baners of saints; (blank) was cheyffe morner, and mony .... The cherche and the raylles hangyd with blake, and the street and the plasse hangyd with armes and blake, and ij song masses and a sermon, and after masse to the [place] to dener, for ther was a grett dener for vene[son, fresh] solmon, and fres sturgean, and with mony dysse (of) fy[sh.] ...
Note. Ibid. Funeral of lady Rowlett. Sir Ralph (age 45) buried two wives within seven months (see before, p. 362). The second was one of the daughters of sir [his father-in-law] Anthony Cooke (age 54), and the circumstances of the marriage are thus mentioned in the Diary of sir Thomas Hoby (age 28): "Monday June 27, 1558, a mariage was made and solemnised between me and Elizabeth Cooke (age 54), daughter of sir Anthony Cooke (age 54) knt. The same day was also her sister Margaret the queen's maid maried to sir Rauf Rowlet (age 45) knt. who (i. e. the lady) shortly after departed out of this lief." (Communicated by the Right Hon. Lord Braybrooke.) "Sir Raff Rowlett had maryed ij. wyves, and dyed withowt issue of ether at his howsse of St. Albons the xixth of Apryll 1571, and was beryed in the parish church of St. Albons by his father the xxixth of May next foloinge." His father, also sir Ralph, had been one of the masters of the mint to Henry VIII.
In or before 1559 [his former brother-in-law] Richard Cooke (age 29) and Anne Caunton (age 32) were married.
On 20 Apr 1571 Ralph Rowlett of London and St Albans (age 58) died.
John Russell and Elizabeth Cooke were married. The difference in their ages was 26 years; she, unusually, being older than him. He the son of Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford and Margaret St John Countess Bedford.
