Sir Fancis Southwell, MP

Biography

Francis Southwell, MP was born circa 1510 in Windham Manor, Norfolk, England. His parents were Francis Southwell and Dorothy Tendring.

Francis married Alice Standish in 1547 in Norfolk, England.

Francis married Barbara Catlyn Spencer circa 1559.

At the time of his death he had children:

• Miles Southwell (b.1563?), who was 18 years of age at the time of his father’s death. He married Margaret Vavasour, sister of Sir Thomas Vavasour (1560-1620), and of Oxford’s mistress, Anne Vavasour.
• Francis
• Mary

He died in 1582.

Francis Southwell (died 1581) was auditor of the exchequer under Henry VIII and a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for St. Albans in 1558. He married Dorothy, daughter and co-heiress of William Tendring, and had four sons, the second of whom, Sir Robert Southwell, filled the high judicial office of master of the rolls. Southwell, of Windham Manor in Norfolk, was survived by his eldest son, Sir Richard Southwell.

SUMMARY: The document below is the Prerogative Court of Canterbury copy of the will, dated 6 October 1581 and proved 9 February 1582, of Francis Southwell (c.1510- 1581) of Hertingfordbury, Hertforshire, and Islington, Norfolk, whose eldest son and heir, Miles Southwell, married the sister of Oxford’s mistress, Anne Vavasour. http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-64_ff_59-61.pdf

The testator was the third son of Francis Southwell (d.1512), Auditor of the Exchequer, by his wife, Dorothy Tendring, daughter of William Tendring (d.1500) of Little Birch, Essex. See the History of Parliament entry for the testator at: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/so...