Henry Neville (Gentleman of the Privy Chamber)

Sir Henry Neville (c.1520-1593) was Gentleman of the Privy chamber to King Edward VI

Family background

Sir Henry Neville's father was Sir Edward Neville (d. 1538), of Addington Park in Kent, who married Eleanor, daughter of Andrew Windsor, 1st Baron Windsor, and Elizabeth, sister of Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy.

His father was the younger brother of George Neville, 5th Baron Bergavenny and older brother to Sir Thomas Neville, Speaker. As Manning said, the Neville surname "stands proudly forth as a pedigree in itself, and is associated with all that is noble in blood, distinguished in chivalry, eminent in counsel, and celebrated in the historic annals of Britain."cite book | last = Manning | first = J A | title = The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons | publisher = Myers and Company | date = 1850 | location = London]

Career

However, it stands curious that Sir Henry Neville secured a post in the Privy chamber, in consideration that his father was an allegedly attached to the Courtenay conspiracy, and moreover, executed in 1539 on order of King Henry VIII, charged with "devising to maintain, promote, and advance one Reginald Pole, late Dean of Exeter, enemy of the King, beyond the sea, and to deprive the King". (Reginald Pole was a Catholic exile and a second cousin once removed of Neville).

In March 1542, Neville attended Charles de Marillac the French ambassador, however, he apparently was not destined to have a career in politics, for by 1546, he is found serving as a groom of the privy chamber. He was made Groom of the Privy chamber in 1546, Gentleman of the privy chamber in 1550, was knighted on 11 October 1551 and elected Knight of the shire for Berkshire five times, from 1553- 1584. Neville, was Henry VIII's godson and apparently was in good favour with the king, to the extent that he was included as one of the grooms who witnessed his will, of which he was afforded a legacy.

In 1551, he testifed at the trial of Stephen Gardiner, and revealed the strong detest Henry VII had for the bishop. Neville was closely aligned with John Dudley and Sir Henry Sidney, the former of whom promoted him to Gentleman of the Privy chamber during the reign of Edward VI. As with many Protestants, Neville left the country upon Mary I's accession, however returned under Elizabeth I, and continued his career holding various posts in Berkshire, where he lived at Billingbear House, until his death on 13 January 1593. Sir Henry Neville was buried in the parish church at Waltham St Lawrence in Berkshire.

Marriages and descendants

He married firstly, Winifred (d. in or before 1561), daughter of Hugh Loss of Whitchurch in Middlesex (no issue); secondly, 1561, Elizabeth (d. 1573), daughter of Sir John Gresham of Titsey in Surrey (issue four sons, including Sir Henry Neville (1562–1615) and Edward Neville (b. 1567), and two daughters); thirdly, May 1578, Elizabeth (Lady Neville) (d. 1621) the daughter of Sir Nicholas Bacon, 1st Baronet (c.1543-1624)cite book | last = Harley | first = John | title = 'My Ladye Nevell' Revealed | publisher = Oxford University Press | date = 2005 | location = Oxford] , and his wife, Anne Cooke, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke (no issue), and widow of Sir Richard Doyley of Greenland, at Hambleden in Buckinghamshire.

References

*Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/70825, accessed 18 July 2005]
**Michael Riordan, "Henry VIII, privy chamber of (act. 1509-1547)": doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70825
**"Sir John Welsbourne" (c.1498-1548): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70834
**"Walter Walsh" (d. 1538): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70833
**"Sir Richard Long" (c.1494-1546): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70830
**"Sir Maurice Berkeley" (c.1514-1581): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70828
**"Sir Thomas Paston" (c.1517-1550): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70832
**"Sir Henry Neville" (c.1520-1593): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70831
**"Sir William Fitzwilliam" (c.1506-1559): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/70829