Sir Christopher Hatton, 1540 -1591, Lord Chancellor
Second son of William Hatton of Holdenby (d. 1547) by his second wife
Alice, daughter of Lawrence Saunders of Harrington. Educated. St. Mary Hall, Oxford; Inner Temple
1560. Unmarried. One illegitimate daughter. Succeeded brother Francis 1564. Knighted. 1577; KG
1588. Gent. pens. 1564; Gentleman of Privy Chamber and Captain of Guard 1572-87; Vice- Chamberlain
12 November 1577-87; Privy Councillor from 12 November 1577; receiver of first fruits and tenths
1578; Lord Chancellor 1587-1591. High steward, Cambridge University; Chancellor, Oxford University
1588. J.P. Northamptonshire from 1569; Lieutenant and Vice-Admiral Isle of Purbeck and Constable of
Corfe Castle from c.1571; Clerk of Council of Duchy of Lancaster May 1571-?January 1572; steward,
manor of Wellingborough 1572; receiver of Duchy of Lancaster lands in Northants from 1572; steward,
Higham Ferrers from 1572, of Daventry; keeper of Eltham Park, Kent and of Horne Park, Surrey ?1572;
J.P. Dorset, Kent, Leicestershire., Middlesex, Warwickshire from 1579, many other counties from
1584; Lord. Lieutenant of Northants from 12 September 1586; High Steward, Salisbury 1590.
Sir Christopher Hatton (1540 - November 20, 1591) was an English politician, the Lord Chancellor
of England and, according to speculation, the lover of Queen Elizabeth 1.
His father was William Hatton (d. 1546) of Holdenby,
Northamptonshire, and he was educated at St Mary Hall, Oxford. Known as a handsome and
accomplished man, especially distinguished for his elegant dancing, he soon attracted the
notice of Queen Elizabeth and became one of her gentlemen pensioners in 1564, and the
captain of her bodyguard in 1572. He received valuable estates and offices from the Queen,
and this prompted rumours that he was her lover, a charge which was definitely made by Mary,
Queen of Scots in 1584. Hatton had been made Vice-Chamberlain of the Royal Household and a
member of the Privy Council in 1578, and had been a member of parliament since 1571, first
representing the borough of Higham Ferrers and afterwards the county of Northamptonshire. In
1578 he was knighted, and became the Queen's spokesman in the House of Commons. He was an
active agent in the prosecutions of John Stubbs and William Parry, disputing John Jovey's
suggestion to execute the "seditious pair." He was also one of those appointed to arrange a
marriage between Elizabeth and Francis, Duke of Alen�on, in 1551.
As a lawyer, he was a member of the court which tried Anthony Babington in 1586; and was one
of the commissioners who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason. He urged Elizabeth
not to marry the French prince; but, according to one account, repeatedly assured Mary that
he would fetch her to London if the English queen died. Whether true or not, Hatton's
loyalty was unquestioned; and he brought about a memorable. |
 |
Above: Sir Christopher Hatton in a miniature by Nicholas
Hilliard,Victoria and Albert Museum
Source:
From the web site of Lara E. Eakins |
1601will_info1 sheet 2
incident seen in the House of Commons in December 1584, when four hundred kneeling members
repeated after him a prayer for Elizabeth's safety. Having been the constant recipient of
substantial marks of the queen's favour, he vigorously denounced Mary Stuart in parliament, and
advised William Davison to forward the warrant for her execution to Fotheringhay. In the same year
(1587) Hatton was made Lord Chancellor, an office he held to his death. Although he had no great
knowledge of the law, he appears to have acted with sound sense and good judgment in his new
position. He is said to have been a Roman Catholic in all but name, yet he treated religious
questions in a moderate and tolerant way. He died in London, and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
Although mention has been made of a secret marriage, Hatton appears to have remained single, and
his large and valuable estates descended to his nephew, Sir William Newport, who took the name of
Hatton. Sir Christopher was a Knight of the Garter and chancellor of the University of Oxford.
Elizabeth frequently gave her friend generous gifts. She called him her "mouton" and forced the
bishop of Ely to give him the freehold of Ely Place, Holborn, which became his residence, his name
being perpetuated in the neighbouring Hatton Garden. Hatton is reported to have been a very mean
man, but he patronized men of letters, and among his friends was Edmund Spenser. He wrote the fourth
act of a tragedy, Tancred and Gismund, and his death occasioned several panegyrics in both prose and
verse.
When Hatton became Lord Chancellor, at one time or another, he nominated a number of his friends
and servants, including Francis Flower, Richard Swale, Samuel Cox, Robert Colshill, Henry MacWilliam
and Bartholomew Tate, for office.
Whilst Thomas Crompton is not mentioned Hatton remains another source of patronage, particularly
since they were both of the Inner temple. It remains possible, evidenced by the guilt bowl passed to
his son Edward, that Thomas and Sir Christopher Hatton were associates. Perhaps Thomas Crompton was
the Lord Chancellors 'knowledge of the law'.
Source:
Wikipedia
Sir Henry Lindley
Henry Lindley (son of Lawrence Lindley of Leathley) was knighted on the battlefield at Ofally,
Ireland, 30th July 1599 at the rising of the camp immediately after the battle. Perhaps this was a
battle in Robert, Earl of Essex's Irish campaign, suggesting that Essex was a Lindley sponsor. This
connection may account for Thomas' friendship with Lindley.
His Arms - Sable on a chief Argent three eaglets displayed Sable.
Sir Henry Lindley is closely connected with Middleham Castle, which until 1604 the castle
remained in Royal ownership. In 1604 the castle was granted by James 1 to Sir Henry. In Sir Henry's
Will of 1609 (Borthwick Institute) he mentions "my castle at Middleham" and there is record of
occupation during the Lindley ownership. After Sir Henry's death his brother John Lindley of
Leathley took over the ownership.
Source:
Lindley ancestry
