John Harrington, 1st Baron Harington of Exton

John Harington was the eldest son of Sir James Harington (c.1511–1592) of Exton Hall, Rutland, and his wife, Lucy Sidney (c.1520–c.1591), daughter of Sir William Sidney and his wife, Anne Pagenham.

His family was said to have held 'the most extensive estates in Rutland during the late sixteenth century'. John Harington was a godson of Queen Elizabeth I.

• Knighted in 1584.[
• Joined the Inner Temple in 1558,
• MP for Rutland in 1571.
• Commissioner of the peace for Kesteven from about 1559 to 1593,
• servant to Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester in the Netherlands 1585,
• keeper of Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire, for Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick (1588–90),
• Sheriff of Warwickshire (1582-3),
• knight of the shire (MP) for Warwickshire in 1586.
• MP for Rutland in 1593 and 1601
• Deputy Lieutenant of Rutland and Warwickshire during the 1590s.
• High Sheriff of Rutland in 1594,1598 and 1602.

He accompanied Mary, Queen of Scots, through Warwickshire on her way to Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire 1586, , Deputy Lieutenant of Rutland and Warwickshire during the 1590s.

Sir John Harington was created Baron Harington in July 1603 at the coronation of James I, the first Baron Harington of Exton, Rutland. He was made guardian of James' daughter, Elizabeth. The high cost of entertaining the Princess ruined him. As partial recompense Harington was granted a licence to mint the first copper farthings by the King. Princess Elizabeth married the Elector Palatine, Frederick V to become the "Winter Queen". Lord Harington accompanied her to Bohemia, but died on his way back in 1613. After his death, the Exton estate was sold to pay his creditors, being purchased by Sir Baptist Hicks.

His wife was Anne, daughter of Robert Keilway, Surveyor of the Court of Wards and Liveries. He was succeeded by his son John Harington, 2nd Baron Harington of Exton. Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford was his daughter.

Reference - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harington,_1st_Baron_Harington_of...

Biography History of Britain Online:

Biography It may have been at the Inner Temple that Harington first met his future father-in-law, who was treasurer there at the time of his admission. By the terms of the marriage settlement, Keilway was to pay Harington’s father £2,000 in return for the couple being given extensive property in Rutland, Leicestershire and Staffordshire. Anne Keilway was sole heiress to her father, and on his death in 1581 brought Harington possession of Combe Abbey. Before he succeeded his father, Harington probably spent the greater part of his time in Warwickshire, and in September 1586 he was chosen to escort Mary Queen of Scots through the county on her way from Staffordshire to Fotheringay. John Chamberlain, the letter-writer, reported him in 1602 as planning to ‘keep a royal Christmas’ at Exton, entertaining

the Earls of Rutland and Bedford, Sir John Grey and Sir Harry Carey with their ladies, the Earl of Pembroke, Sir Robert Sidney and many more gallants.2

Harington was an obvious choice to represent Rutland and Warwickshire in Parliament. He did not take an active part in the proceedings of the 1571 Parliament, but on 13 Mar. 1587 he was appointed to the committee dealing with the question of the Members sequestered in the Tower. He was returned to the 1586 Parliament as first knight for Warwickshire and was thus eligible to attend the subsidy committee (22 Feb. 1587). He played an active role in the negotiations concerning the subsidy bill in 1593, being named to the subsidy committee on 26 Feb. and later (3 Mar.) being one of those appointed to convey to the Lords the unwillingness of the House to confer with them over the subsidy bill at that time. Other activity in 1593 included committees on privileges and returns (26 Feb.), recusancy (28 Feb.), a legal matter (9 Mar.), rogues and vagabonds (12 Mar.) and a private bill (28 Mar.). He may have attended another legal bill committee on 9 Mar. as knight for Rutland. In 1601 he was named to committees concerning the reform of the penal code (2 Nov.)and clothworkers (18 Nov.), and he spoke (4 Nov.) on the subject of Andrew Noel’s election as knight of the shire for Rutland. He may also have attended committees concerning the order of parliamentary business (3 Nov.) and monopolies (23 Nov.) by virtue of his position as knight of the shire.3

On James I’s accession, Harington travelled to Yorkshire with his younger brother James to meet the King, later entertaining him to dinner at Burley, his second Rutland residence. In June 1603 the young Princess Elizabeth stayed at Combe Abbey, and shortly afterwards, at the coronation, Harington was raised to the peerage. The following October he was appointed guardian to the Princess. At the time of the Gunpowder Plot, when news reached him at Combe Abbey that the conspirators planned to abduct his charge and enthrone her after the explosion, he removed her to Coventry two hours before their arrival at his house. In February 1613 Harington preceded her in her wedding procession to Whitehall, receiving from the bridegroom plate worth £2,000. In April 1613, with the honorary title of ambassador, though at his own expense, he accompanied the Elector and his bride to Germany, dying at Worms on the way home, 23 Aug.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603 Author: J.E.M.