Dorothy Shirley (nee Giffard)

Dorothy, da. of Sir John Giffard. (Ib., and Vis. of 1583.) She was married secondly in 1535 to Francis Shirley. (Stommata Shirleiana p. 62.) The Visitation of Warwickshire, 1619 (Harl. Soc. edit., p. 45), erroneously calls her da. of 8 John Forde, Knt and states that she had issue by Congreve three daughters, viz., Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Underhill of Ettington; Ursula, wife of William Underbill of Hunnington; and Dorothy, wife of Robert Brokesby of co. Leicester.

Which FRANCIS was (t)Sheriff of the counties of Warwick and Leicester, in 4 Philip and Mary; and having lived(u) to an advanced age, famous for his charity and hospitality, died on July 27th, 1571 , and was buried in the church of Breedon on the Hill, in Leicestershire, where a monument was erected to the memory of him, and Dorothy his wife, who survived him but a short time; as appears by her last will and testament,(x) bearing date August 9th, 1571, and the probate thereof May 16th following. She was daughter of Sir John Gifford, of Chillington, in Staffordshire, Knt. and married to her first husband, John Congreve, Esq; but had issue by the said Francis Shirley, three sons ; John Shirley, Esq. hereafter mentioned; Edward, who died young; and Ralph : also three daughters ; Cassandra, married to Walter Powtrell, of West-Hallum, in com. Derb. Esq. ; Elizabeth, to Thomas Cotton, of Conington, in Huntingdonshire, Esq. father by her to the famous Sir Robert Cotton, Knt. and Bart, the great collector of the records now reposited in the British Museum; and Anne, to John Brook, of Madeley, in Shropshire, esq.

• page 93 of The Heraldic Visitations of Staffordshire Made by Sir Richard St. George ... By Sir Richard St. George

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Dorothy was the widow of John Congreve of Congreve when she married Francis Shirley. By birth she was the daughter of Sir John Giffard of Chillington, Staffordshire, and his first wife Joane Hoorde Sir John Giffard was the 12th generation of the Giffard family to live at Chillington since the estate was granted to the family in 1178. He was five times Sheriff of Staffordshire and attended Henry VIII at the Field of the Cloth of Gold. In 1539 he purchased the dissolved Monastery of Black Ladies at Breward, Staffordshire.