Biography of George Goring 1st Earl Norwich 1585-1663

The May 1648 Kentish Rebellion was, in effect, the commencement of the Second Civil War of 1648. The rebels, commanded by George Goring 1st Earl Norwich, raised forces across Kent. Deal Castle [Map], Walmer Castle [Map] and Sandown Castle surrendered. The rebels then besieged Dover Castle [Map]. Parliament dispatched troops commanded by Nathaniel Rich of Stondon to suppress the rebels.

Om 28th April 1585 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich was born to [his father] George Goring of Waltham Abbey and [his mother] Anne Denny [aged 18].

In 1600 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 14] matriculated Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University.

In 1602 [his father] George Goring of Waltham Abbey died.

Before 1608 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 22] and Mary Neville [aged 17] were married. They were sixth cousins.

In 1608 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 22] was knighted. He became a favourite at Court.

On 14th July 1608 [his son] Colonel George Goring was born to George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 23]. He married before 1657 Lettice Boyle, daughter of Richard Boyle 1st Earl Cork and Catherine Fenton Countess Cork.

Around 1615 [his son] Charles Goring 2nd Earl Norwich was born to George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 29]. He married after 1658 Alice Leman Countess Norwich.

In 1621 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 35] was elected MP Lewes.

In 1624 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 38] was elected MP Lewes.

In 1625 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 39] was elected MP Lewes.

In 1626 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 40] was elected MP Lewes.

In 1628 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 42] was created 1st Baron Goring at which time he ceased to be MP Lewes.

In 1628 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 42] was elected MP Lewes.

Before 4th May 1631 [his son-in-law] William Brereton 2nd Baron Brereton [aged 20] and Elizabeth Goring Baroness Brereton were married. She the daughter of George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 46] and Mary Neville [aged 41]. They were half fourth cousins.

In 1639 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 53] was appointed Privy Council.

John Evelyn's Diary. 5th December 1643. The Earl of Norwich [aged 58] came as Ambassador extraordinary: I went to meet him in a coach and six horses, at the palace of Monsieur de Bassompière, where I saw that gallant person, his gardens, terraces, and rare prospects. My lord was waited on by the master of the ceremonies, and a very great cavalcade of men of quality, to the Palais Cardinal, where on the 23d he had audience of the French king [aged 5], and the queen Regent his mother [aged 42], in the golden chamber of presence. From thence, I conducted him to his lodgings in Rue St. Denis, and so took my leave.

In November 1644 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 59] was created 1st Earl Norwich by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 14] for his support during the Civil War. The last Earl Norwich of the previous creation was his uncle Edward Denny 1st Earl Norwich brother of his mother Anne Denny [aged 77].

On 16th July 1648 [his wife] Mary Neville [aged 58] died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 12th July 1649. It was about three in the afternoon, I took oars for Gravesend, Kent [Map]., accompanied by my cousin, Stephens, and sister, Glanville, who there supped with me and returned; whence I took post immediately to Dover, Kent [Map], where I arrived by nine in the morning; and, about eleven that night, went on board a barque guarded by a pinnace of eight guns; this being the first time the Packet-boat had obtained a convoy, having several times before been pillaged. We had a good passage, though chased for some hours by a pirate, but he dared not attack our frigate, and we then chased him till he got under the protection of the castle at Calais. It was a small privateer belonging to the Prince of Wales. I carried over with me my servant, Richard Hoare, an incomparable writer of several hands, whom I afterward preferred in the Prerogative Office, at the return of his Majesty. Lady Catherine Scott, daughter of the Earl of Norwich [aged 64], followed us in a shallop, with Mr. Arthur Slingsby [aged 26], who left England incognito. At the entrance of the town, the Lieutenant Governor, being on his horse with the guards, let us pass courteously. I visited Sir Richard Lloyd, an English gentleman, and walked in the church, where the ornament about the high altar of black marble is very fine, and there is a good picture of the Assumption. The citadel seems to be impregnable, and the whole country about it to be laid under water by sluices for many miles.

Before 1657 Colonel George Goring [aged 48] and Lettice Boyle [aged 46] were married. She the daughter of Richard Boyle 1st Earl Cork and Catherine Fenton Countess Cork. He the son of George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 71].

Around July 1657 [his son] Colonel George Goring [aged 48] died in Madrid [Map].

After 1658 and before 7th January 1659 Charles Goring 2nd Earl Norwich [aged 43] and Alice Leman Countess Norwich were married. The earlier date based on the death of her first husband. He the son of George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 72].

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 3rd February 1661. So to Mr. Fox's [aged 33], unbid; where I had a good dinner and special company. Among other discourse, I observed one story, how my Lord of Northwich [aged 75], at a public audience before the King of France [aged 22], made the Duke of Anjou [aged 20] cry, by making ugly faces as he was stepping to the King, but undiscovered¹. And how Sir Phillip Warwick's' [aged 51] lady [aged 54] did wonder to have Mr. Darcy [aged 45] send for several dozen bottles of Rhenish wine to her house, not knowing that the wine was his.

Note 1. This story relates to circumstances which had occurred many years previously. George, Lord Goring, was sent by Charles I as Ambassador Extraordinary to France in 1644, to witness the oath of Louis XIV. to the observance of the treaties concluded with England by his father, Louis XIII, and his grandfather, Henry IV. Louis XIV. took this oath at Ruel, on July 3rd, 1644, when he was not yet six years of age, and when his brother Philippe, then called Duke of Anjou, was not four years old. Shortly after his return home, Lord Goring was created, in September, 1644, Earl of Norwich, the title by which he is here mentioned. Philippe, Duke of Anjou, who was frightened by the English nobleman's ugly faces, took the title of Duke of Orléans after the death of his uncle, Jean Baptiste Gaston, in 1660. He married his cousin, Henrietta of England. B.

On 6th January 1663 George Goring 1st Earl Norwich [aged 77] died. His son Charles [aged 48] succeeded 2nd Earl Norwich, 2nd Baron Goring. Alice Leman Countess Norwich by marriage Countess Norwich.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 19th September 1666. Thence to White Hall, with Sir W. Batten [aged 65] and Sir W. Pen [aged 45], to Wilkes's; and there did hear the many profane stories of Sir Henry Wood [aged 68] damning the parsons for so much spending the wine at the sacrament, cursing that ever they took the cup to themselves, and then another story that he valued not all the world's curses, for two pence he shall get at any time the prayers of some poor body that is worth a 1000 of all their curses; Lord Norwich drawing a tooth at a health. Another time, he and Pinchbacke and Dr. Goffe, now a religious man, Pinchbacke did begin a frolick to drink out of a glass with a toad in it that he had taken up going out to shit, he did it without harm. Goffe, who knew sacke would kill the toad, called for sacke; and when he saw it dead, says he, "I will have a quick toad, and will not drink from a dead toad".¹ By that means, no other being to be found, he escaped the health.

Note 1. "They swallow their own contradictions as easily as a hector can drink a frog in a glass of wine".-Benlivoglio and Urania, book v., p. 92, 3rd edit. B.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 10th April 1690. This morning many or most of the commanders in the Fleet came on board and dined here, so that some of them and I dined together in the Round-house, where we were very merry. Hither came the Vice-Admiral to us, and sat and talked and seemed a very good-natured man. At night as I was all alone in my cabin, in a melancholy fit playing on my viallin, my Lord and Sir R. Stayner came into the coach and supped there, and called me out to supper with them. After that up to the Lieutenant's cabin, where he and I and Sir Richard sat till 11 o'clock talking, and so to bed. This day my Lord Goring returned from France, and landed at Dover, Kent [Map].

[his daughter] Lucy Goring was born to George Goring 1st Earl Norwich and Mary Neville.

[his daughter] Catherine Goring was born to George Goring 1st Earl Norwich and Mary Neville. She married Edward Scott and had issue.

[his daughter] Elizabeth Goring Baroness Brereton was born to George Goring 1st Earl Norwich and Mary Neville. She married before 4th May 1631 her half fourth cousin William Brereton 2nd Baron Brereton and had issue.

Before 1585 [his father] George Goring of Waltham Abbey and [his mother] Anne Denny were married.

[his daughter] Diana Goring was born to George Goring 1st Earl Norwich and Mary Neville. She married before 1683 George Porter.