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The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall describes the reigns of Kings Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III, providing a wealth of information about their lives and the events of the time. Ralph's work is detailed, comprehensive and objective. We have augmented Ralph's text with extracts from other contemporary chroniclers to enrich the reader's experience. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
Stemmata Shirleiana is in Victorian Books.
Annals of the Shirley family, Lords of Nether Etindon, in the County of Warwick, and of Shirley in the County of Derby. 1841.
Sir Robert Shirley’s (age 27) early death, which took place in the Tower of London, on the 6th of November, 1656, "not without suspicion of poison," is involved in some obscurity, he was then for the seventh time undergoing imprisonment for the sake of his religion and loyalty, and his death has been consequently, but it appears without sufficient proof, ascribed to poison.
His [Robert Shirley 4th Baronet] body was brought into Leicestershire, and having previously laid in state some days in the ancient Priory church of Bredon [Map], deposited there on the 22d of December, and finally in 1661 removed to the vault beneath the chancel of the church of Staunton Harold. At his funeral, we are told, a sermon was preached front Luke, VII verse 5: "He loved our country, and hath built us a synagogue." On the north side of the chapel of Staunton Harold is à very handsome mural monument, with this inscription:
Here nearby lies Robert Shirley, Baronet, son of Henry and grandson of George. He married Katherine, daughter of Humphrey Okeover of Okeover in the county of Stafford, Esquire, by whom he had sons Seymour, Sewall (who died in the cradle), and Robert, and daughters Katherine and Dorothea. For his steadfast loyalty to the King he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He died in the year 1656, in the … year of his age.
Hic juxta situs est Robertus Shirley, Baronettus, Henrici F. Georaii N. uxorem duxit Katharinam, filiam Humphridi Okeover de Okeover in Agro Staff. Armigeri, ex quâ filios suscepit Seymovrem, Sewalvm in cunis Defunctum, ac Robertym, filias Katharinam, et Dorotheam. Ob Summam erga Regem Fidelitatem in Arce Londiniensi incarceratus, obit MDCLVI. Ao Aitatis....
Note 1. Inscription on Robert Earl Ferrers’ monument at Eatington, and Dr. Thomas's ed, of Dugdale's Warwickshire, under Eatington.
The will of Sir Robert Shirley, proved at London, June 11, 1657, is as follows: "In the name of God, Amen, the nine and twentieth day of November, 1654, I, Sir Robert Shirley, of Staunton Haralt, in the county of Leicester, Baronett, humbly beseeching Almighty God, for the meritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ, to receive my soule into everlasting blisse, doe make this my last will and testament touching my temporall estate as followeth. I give and devise unto my deere sister, Mrs Leta Burke, wife of William Burke, esquire, to continew payable unto her untill shee or her husband come to the quiet possession and enjoyment of their estate in Ireland, the annual or yearly rent or somme of two hundred pounds.
Item, I give and devise to Mrs Catherine Sheldon, for her life, the annuall or yearly rent or summe of one hundred pounds; and to my servant Rowland Thomas for his life, the annuall or yearly summe of twentie pounds. And to my servant Nicholas Cocker for his life the annual or yearly rent or somme of tenne pounds: all wch sayd severall yearly rents my will is shall be paid half yearly, & c.
Item, I give to my sayd deer sister Mrs Leta Burke one ring of the value of one hundred pounds, wch I desire her to weare for my sake.
Item, I give to my brother in lawe Willm Bourke the best horse in my stable at the time of my decease, and to my loving friend Mr. John Morton the next best horse wch shall be in my stable at my decease, after my sayd brotherin lawe hath made his choyce.
Item, I give to my deere friend Coll. Vere Cromwell (age 31), the somme of two hundred pounds to be disposed of according to his discretion, and also blacks for mourning for himselfe and one man. Also I do give unto every of those gentlemen whose names I have made knowen to my sayd deere freind Colonell Cromwell blacks for mourning for themselves and one man a peece.
Item, I give to my couzin Leicester Burdett the somme of one hundred pounds to be disposed of as hee shall thinke fit.
Item, I give the sume of one thousand pounds to be disposed of unto such distressed persons as have lost their estates in the service of the late King Charles, in manner as my executors hereafter named shall thinke fitt. And in case the church that I am now building at Staunton Haralt, aforesaid, shall not be finished and perfected before my decease, then I doe give and bequeath so much money as my executors shall thinke convenient to finish and perfect the same, according to my intention. I do give to all the rest of my servants not herein before named one whole yeares wages over and above what shall be due unto them at the tyme of my decease. And I do give and it is my will that all my kindred wthin three descents, either by father or mother, on mine owne or wife's side, and all my servants, shall have blacks for mourning, according to their severall rankes and qualities, and at the discretion of my executors. And it is likewise my will that restitution be made for whatsoever rents or profitts I have received of any impropriations, tithes, or lands belonging, or wch did at any time belong to any churches, chappells, colleges, or any ecclesiasticall promotions whatsoever, ever sithence I had the possession of my estate. And I will and appoint that whatsoever the same shall amount unto, the same be given, distributed, and disposed amongst orthodoxall and distressed clergie men, at the discretion of my executors. All the rest and residue of my goods, chattells, and personall estate not herein before bequeathed, after my debts, legacies, and funerall expences discharged, I doe give, devise, and bequeath unto Dame Katharine my wife, Gilbert Sheldon, Doctor in Divinity, Jeffery Palmer, esq., and Anthonie Atkinson, gent. fiftie pounds a peece, whom I make and appoint executors of this my will, & c."
In witness whereof I have to each sheet of this my will conteyned in two sheets of paper subscribed my name, and have affixed my seale at armes, the day and yeare first above written.
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The following letter of condolence was written by King Charles the Second to the Lady Shirley about a year after her husband's decease; a facsimile from the original is engraved in Nichols's History of Leicestershire, who adds, "The underneath is written on a page of the book whereon the original is placed, 'A letter writ from King Charles ye 2d to ye Lady Shirley, upon the death of her husband, St Robert Shirley, who died in the Tower, after seven times being imprisoned there, and suspected to be poisoned by the Usurper Oliver Cromwell.'"
"Brusselles, 20 Oct. 1657.
"It hath been my particular care of you that I have this long deferred to lament with you the greate losse that you and I have sustained, least insteede of comforting, I might farther expose you to the will of those, who will be glad of any occasion to do you further preiudice; but I am promised that this shall be put safely into your hands, though it may be not so soone as I wish; and I am very willing you should know, wch I suppose you cannot doubte, that I beare a greate parte with you of your affliction, and whenever it shall be in my power to make it lighter, you shall see I retayne a very kinde memory of your frinde by the care I shall have of you and all his relations: and of this you may depende upon the worde of
your very affectionate Frinde
CHARLES R."