Biography of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester 1619-1698

Paternal Family Tree: Sidney

Maternal Family Tree: Emma de Dinan 1136-1208

Letters of Horace Walpole. 07 Aug 1572. This morning we have been to Penshurst [Map] - but, oh! how fallen!³⁴¹ The park seems to have never answered its character: at present it is forlorn; and instead of Sacharissa's³⁴² cipher carved on the beeches, I should sooner have expected to have found the milkwoman's score. Over the gate is an inscription, purporting the manor to have been a boon from Edward VI to Sir William Sydney. The apartments are the grandest I have seen in any of these old palaces, but furnished in tawdry modern taste. There are loads of portraits; but most of them seem christened by chance, like children at a foundling hospital. There is a portrait of Languet³⁴³, the friend of Sir Philip Sydney (age 17); and divers of himself and all his great kindred; particularly his [his aunt] sister-in-law, with a vast lute, and Sacharissa, charmingly handsome, But there are really four very great curiosities, I believe as old portraits as any extant in England: they are, Fitzallen, Archbishop of Canterbury, Humphry Stafford, the first Duke of Buckingham; T. Wentworth, and John Foxle; all four with the dates of their commissions as constables of Queenborough Castle, from whence I suppose they were brought. The last is actually receiving his investiture from Edward the Third, and Wentworth is in the dress of Richard the Third's time. They are really not very ill done.³⁴⁴ There are six more, only heads; and we have found since we came home that Penshurst belonged for a time to that Duke of Buckingham. There are some good tombs in the church, and a very Vandal one. called Sir Stephen of Penchester. When we had seen Penshurst, we borrowed saddles, and, bestriding the horses of our postchaise, set out for Hever [Map]³⁴⁵, to visit a tomb of Sir Thomas Bullen, Earl of Wiltshire, partly with a view to talk of it in Anna Bullen's walk at Strawberry Hill. But the measure of our woes was not full, we could not find our way and were forced to return; and again lost ourselves in coming from Penshurst, having been directed to what they call a better road than the execrable one we had gone.

Note 341. Evelyn, who visited Penshurst exactly a century before Walpole, gives the Following brief notice of the place:-"July 9, 1652. We went to see Penshurst, the Earl of Leicester's, famous once for its gardens and excellent fruit, and for the noble conversation which Was wont to meet there, celebrated by that illustrious person Sir Philip Sidney, who there composed divers of his pieces. It stands in a park, is finely watered, and was now full of company, on the marriage of my old fellow-collegiate, Mr. Robert Smith, who marries Lady Dorothy Sidney, widow of the Earl of Sunderland."-E.

Note 342. [his sister] Lady Dorothy Sidney, daughter of [his father] Philip, Earl of Leicester [Note. Mistake? She was sister of Philip Earl of Leicester]; of whom Waller was the unsuccessful suitor, and to whom he addressed those elegant effusions of poetical gallantry, in which she is celebrated under the name of Sacharissa. Walpole here alludes to the lines written at Penshurst-

"Go, boy, and carve this passion on the bark

Of yonder tree, which stands the sacred mark

Of noble Sydney's birth; when such benign,

Such more than mortal-making stars did shine,

That there they cannot but for ever prove

The monument and pledge of humble love;

His humble love, whose hope shall ne'er rise higher,

Than for a pardon that he dares admire."-E.

Note 343. Hubert Tanguet, who quitted the service of the Elector of Saxony on account of his religion, and attached himself to the Prince of Orange. He died in 1581.-E.

Note 344. In Harris's History of Kent, he gives from Philpot a list of the constables of Queenborough Castle, p. 376; the last but one of whom, Sir Edward Hobby, is said to have collected all their portraits, of which number most probably were these ten.

Note 345. Hever Castle was built in the reign of Edward III, by William de Hevre, and subsequently became the property of the Boleyn family. In this castle Henry VIII passed the time of his courtship to the unfortunate Anne Boleyn; whose father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, was Created Earl of wiltshire and Ormond, 1529 and 1538.-E.

Click to read complete text ...

In 1615 [his father] Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 19) and [his mother] Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 17) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland (age 50) and [his grandmother] Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland (age 51). He the son of [his grandfather] Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 51) and [his grandmother] Barbara Gamage Countess Leicester (age 52).

On 10 Jan 1619 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester was born to Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 23) and Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 21).

Short Parliament

In Apr 1640 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 21) was elected MP Yarmouth Isle of Wight during the Short Parliament.

Long Parliament

In Nov 1640 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 21) was elected MP Yarmouth Isle of Wight during the Long Parliament.

In 1645 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 25) and Catherine Cecil were married. She the daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 53) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury. He the son of Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 49) and Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 47).

Around 1645. Peter Lely (age 26). Portrait of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 25).

In 1649 [his son] Robert Sidney 4th Earl of Leicester was born to Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 29) and [his wife] Catherine Cecil.

In 1652 [his wife] Catherine Cecil died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 09 Jul 1652. We went to see Penshurst [Map], the Earl of Leicester's, famous once for its gardens and excellent fruit, and for the noble conversation which was wont to meet there, celebrated by that illustrious person, Sir Philip Sidney (age 33), who there composed divers of his pieces. It stands in a park, is finely watered, and was now full of company, on the marriage of my old fellow-collegiate, Mr. Robert Smith, who married my [his sister] Lady Dorothy Sidney (age 34), widow of the Earl of Sunderland.

Barebones Parliament

In 1653 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 33) was elected MP Kent during the Barebones Parliament.

John Evelyn's Diary. 05 Jan 1656. Came to visit me my Lord Lisle (age 36), son to the [his father] Earl of Leicester (age 60), with Sir Charles Ouseley, two of the Usurper's council; Mr. John Hervey, and John Denham (age 41), the poet.

On 20 Aug 1659 [his mother] Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 61) died.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27 Oct 1662. He told me what great faction there is at Court; and above all, what is whispered, that young Crofts (age 13) is lawful son to the King (age 32), the King being married to his mother¹. How true this is, God knows; but I believe the Duke of York (age 29) will not be fooled in this of three crowns.

Note 1. There has been much confusion as to the name and parentage of Charles's mistress. Lucy Walter was the daughter of William Walter of Roch Castle, co. Pembroke, and Mr. S. Steinman, in his "Althorp Memoirs" (privately printed, 1869), sets out her pedigree, which is a good one. Roch Castle was taken and burnt by the Parliamentary forces in 1644, and Lucy was in London in 1648, where she made the acquaintance of [his brother] Colonel Algernon Sidney (age 25). She then fell into the possession of his brother, Colonel Robert Sidney². In September of this same year she was taken up by Charles, Prince of Wales. Charles terminated his connection with her on October 30th, 1651, and she died in 1658, as appears by a document (administration entry in the Register of the Prerogative Court) met with by the late Colonel Chester. William Erskine, who had served Charles as cupbearer in his wanderings, and was appointed Master of the Charterhouse in December, 1677, had the care of Lucy Walter, and buried her in Paris. He declared that the King never had any intention of marrying her, and she did not deserve it. Thomas Ross, the tutor of her son, put the idea of this claim into his head, and asked Dr. Cosin to certify to a marriage. In consequence of this he was removed from his office, and Lord Crofts (age 37) took his place (Steinman's "Althorp Memoirs"). Lucy Walter took the name of Barlow during her wanderings.

Note 2. TT. Not clear who Colonel Robert Sidney is since Algernon Sidney didn't have a brother called Robert. Algernon's brothers were Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 43) and [his brother] Henry Sidney 1st Earl Romney (age 21).

In 1672 [his son] Robert Sidney 4th Earl of Leicester (age 23) and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Egerton Countess Leicester (age 18) were married. She the daughter of John Egerton 2nd Earl Bridgewater (age 48) and Elizabeth Cavendish Countess Bridgewater. He the son of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 52) and [his former wife] Catherine Cecil. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 02 Nov 1677 [his father] Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 81) died. His son Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 58) succeeded 3rd Earl of Leicester, 3rd Viscount Lisle.

John Evelyn's Diary. 27 Aug 1678. I took leave of the Duke (age 50), and dined at Mr. Henry Bruncker's (age 51), at the Abbey of Sheene [Map], formerly a monastery of Carthusians, there yet remaining one of their solitary cells with a cross. Within this ample inclosure are several pretty villas and fine gardens of the most excellent fruits, especially Sir William Temple's (lately Ambassador into Holland), and the [his son] Lord Lisle's (age 29), son to the Earl of Leicester (age 59), who has divers rare pictures, above all, that of Sir Brian Tuke's, by Holbein.

On 06 Mar 1698 Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 79) died. His son [his son] Robert Sidney 4th Earl of Leicester (age 49) succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Viscount Lisle. [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Egerton Countess Leicester (age 44) by marriage Countess of Leicester.

[his daughter] Dorothy Sidney was born to Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester and Catherine Cecil.

Ancestors of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester 1619-1698

Great x 4 Grandfather: William IV Sidney

Great x 3 Grandfather: Nicholas Sidney

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Sidney

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Brandon

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Brandon

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Sidney

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Pakenham

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Pakenham

Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Pakenham

GrandFather: Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Dudley 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Dudley 7 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bramshott

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Grey 1st Viscount Lisle 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Grey Viscountess Lisle 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Talbot Viscountess Lisle 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Dudley 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Guildford

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Guildford

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ann Pympe

Great x 2 Grandmother: Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor West 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mortimer Baroness De La Warr and West 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Father: Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Gamage

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Gamage of Coity Castle 10 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John St John 8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret St John 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Sybil of Lansgtone Manor

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Gamage of Coity Castle 11 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

GrandMother: Barbara Gamage Countess Leicester 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 4th Earl of Northumberland 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Herbert Countess Northumberland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Percy 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Spencer of Spencer Combe

Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Spencer Countess Northumberland 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Beaufort Countess Ormonde 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Harbottle 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Guiscard Harbottle 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Percy 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Harbottle 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Willoughby 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Willoughby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Markham

GrandFather: Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Neville 2nd Baron Latimer of Snape 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Latimer 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Stafford Baroness Latimer 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Neville 4th Baron Latimer of Snape 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: George de Vere 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy de Vere 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Stafford 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Somerset 1st Earl of Worcester 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Somerset 2nd Earl of Worcester 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Herbert 3rd Baroness Herbert Raglan 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Lucy Somerset Baroness Latimer Snape 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Browne 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Browne Countess of Worcester 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Lucy Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Mother: Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Devereux 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 1st Viscount Hereford 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Cecily Bourchier Baroness Ferrers Chartley 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Devereux 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Grey Baroness Ferrers Chartley 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Cecily Bonville Marchioness Dorset 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings Baron Botreaux, Hungerford and Moleyns 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: George Hastings 1st Earl Huntingdon 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Hungerford Baroness Hastings, 4th Baroness Hungerford, 5th Baroness Botreaux and 2nd Baroness Moleyns 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Dorothy Hastings 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Stafford Countess Huntingdon 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Woodville Duchess Buckingham Duchess Bedford 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

GrandMother: Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Knollys

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Knollys

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Troutbeck

Great x 2 Grandfather: Francis Knollys

Great x 3 Grandmother: Lettice Peniston

Great x 1 Grandmother: Lettice Knollys Countess Essex 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Carey 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Carey 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Spencer 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Catherine Carey 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Boleyn 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Howard Countess of Wiltshire and Ormonde 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Biography of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester 1619-1698

Royal Ancestors of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester 1619-1698

Ancestors of Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester 1619-1698