James Weston, MP

Family and Education b. c.1525, 4th s. of John Weston of Weeford by Cecily, da. of Ralph Neville and sis. of Ralph, 4th Earl of Westmorland; bro. of Robert. m. Margery, da. of Humphrey Lowe of Lichfield, 3s. 4da.

Offices Held Bailiff, Lichfield 1562-3; registrar and later chancellor, diocese of Coventry and Lichfield by 1562.

Biography Weston was a leading Lichfield figure, one of those to whom a warrant was to be addressed in June 1580 for raising musters in the city. Most of his life was spent in the city or in the diocese, whose bishops he served. He was described by Bishop Bentham in 1564 as a man ‘godly and zealous’. He made his will 2 May 1589, and it was proved three weeks later. With sorrowful heart for his transgressions he hoped ‘in perfect faith’ that ‘through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ’ he would have remission of his sins, commending his ‘soul into His merciful hands’. He ordered estates to be sold to pay his debts and legacies.

IMathews thesis; Erdeswick’s Surv. Staffs. 164-5; T Harwood, Church and City of Lichfield, 421; APC, xii. 45; HMC Hatfield, i. 309; PCC 48 Leicester; C142/226/169; Colls. Hist. Staffs. (Wm. Salt Arch. Soc. xiii), 270, 297.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603 Author: A. M. Mimardière Notes

Biography

James Weston, lawyer, was the son of John Weston of Lichfield and brother of Robert Weston (1515-1573) MP for Lichfield in 1558, appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland by Elizabeth I 1567, Alice Weston, and Edmund Weston BCL (d. 1570), Chancellor of Chichester Cathedral. He m. Margery Lowe, sister of Humphrey Lowe.[1]

Diocesan registrar in Coventry and Lichfield, before Robert travelled to Ireland. Murray notes it was likely James was play a similar role in the Irish church, but he instead stayed in England to supervise Robert Weston's many property interests in Lichfield, and turned instead to his nephew, John Ball.[2]

James Weston was a leading figure in Elizabethan Lichfield, becoming its bailiff in 1562 and bishop’s chancellor and MP for Lichfield in 1584.[3] James m. Margery, da. of Humphrey Lowe of Lichfield, 3s. 4da.[4]

Children:

Sir Simon Weston James, b. unk, Baron of the Exchequer[5] Alice m. Martin Heton d. 1611, Bishop of Ely[6] Richard d. 1580s fighting Spain in the Low countries.[5] Elizabeth m. Edward Mytton[7] Catherine m. Humphrey Wells[8] Margaret d. Nov 14 1609 m. Ralph Floyer, 1s. Richard Floyer [9] In his will, James mentions his sons Simon and James, and his dau. Alice. He names Alice, Simon and John Mytton, father-in-law of his daughter Elizabeth as executors. He mentions his son-in-law Humfrey Wells, husband of Catherine.[10][11] The Westons lived at a leased Master's house at St John's Hospital in Lichfield on St. John street.[12]

Sources

↑ Lichfield: Town government A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 14, Lichfield, 1990. pp. 73-87 ↑ Enforcing the English Reformation in Ireland, James Murray, p. 280 ↑ http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1558-1603/member/weston-james-1525-89 ↑ WESTON, James (c.1525-89), of Lichfield, Staffs. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981 ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sir Simon Weston ↑ Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of James I: 1611-1618 p. 38 ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=IxU-AQAAMAAJ&dq=Humfry%20Wells%20... ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=IxU-AQAAMAAJ&dq=Humfry%20Wells%20... ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=IxU-AQAAMAAJ&dq=Humfry%20Wells%20... ↑ See Chesters of Chicheley, pg. 93-96 ↑ Richard was dead at this point, he also mentions his "Brother Lowe", who I assume is his brother-in-law Michael; finally, it is unclear who his cousin Bardell is. ↑ wikipedia:Simon Weston (MP)