Christopher Rokeby facts for kids
Christopher Rokeby (died 1584) was an English soldier and a secret agent. He was also known as Rokesby, Rooksby, or Rooksbie.
Christopher Rokeby came from a family who lived at Mortham Tower in Rokeby, County Durham. His father was Thomas Rokeby, and his mother was Jane. Christopher's younger brother, Ralph Rokeby, became a lawyer. Christopher Rokeby married Margaret Lascelles. Her brother, Christopher Lascelles, was a Roman Catholic who supported Mary, Queen of Scots' claim to the English throne.
Early Career
In November 1552, Edward VI, the King of England, chose Rokeby to be the Marshal of Berwick. This was an important military role in the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which was a key border town between England and Scotland.
Secret Mission to Scotland
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In 1566, a powerful English official named William Cecil sent Rokeby on a secret mission to Scotland. His goal was to get close to Mary, Queen of Scots, and her husband, Lord Darnley. Rokeby's main task was to find out who Mary's friends and supporters were in England.
Rokeby tried to get a job working for Lord Darnley. Mary's secretary, Claude Nau, wrote that Rokeby gave Mary a special locket with a picture of the crucifixion. On July 2, Rokeby met with an English diplomat in Edinburgh, Henry Killigrew. Killigrew had been sent to congratulate Mary on the birth of her son, James.
However, Sir Robert Melville, who was the Scottish ambassador in London, suspected that Rokeby was not who he seemed. He guessed that Rokeby was actually a spy for Cecil.
Rokeby's secret mission was discovered, and he was arrested on July 3. His friends, Thomas Wright and John Turner, were set free. But Rokeby was sent to prison at Spynie Palace and held there for 20 months.
After His Release
After he was set free, Rokeby wrote to William Cecil. He described his meetings with Mary, Queen of Scots, at Edinburgh Castle in May 1566. On his second day in Edinburgh, Mary, who was expecting a baby, invited him to the castle at night. She met him in a "little closet," which might have been the room where her son, James VI, was born. Mary asked him for news about the royal court in London. She then put him in the care of James Melville.
The next night, Rokeby was brought to the same small room again. Mary sat on a small chest, and Rokeby knelt beside her. She talked about her hopes of becoming Queen of England and mentioned her Catholic friends in the northern parts of England. She suggested that he should talk to her close friend, the Earl of Bothwell.
Later Life and Service
While Christopher Rokeby was still a prisoner, his father passed away. According to his younger brother, Anthony Rokeby, after Lord Darnley was killed, Christopher's captors pressured him to agree to a plan against Bothwell. In July 1567, when Mary was held at Lochleven, an English diplomat named Nicholas Throckmorton advised Anthony Rokeby to go to Stirling Castle. There, he could discuss the matter with William Maitland of Lethington and other Scottish lords.
Rokeby is also known for leading soldiers against rebels during the Rising of the North. This was a rebellion in England. Christopher Neville, a relative of one of the main rebel leaders, tried to attack and kill Rokeby at a horse race. However, Rokeby was protected by his family's followers, who shouted "A Rokeby, A Rokeby" to rally together.
A family history says that Queen Elizabeth I gave Christopher Rokeby a yearly payment of £100 for his work in Scotland. It also mentions that his servant, John Turner, almost faced serious trouble, though the exact reason is not known.
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