Edmund Rous facts for kids

Sir Edmund Rous (born by 1521 – died 1572 or later) was an important English gentleman. He owned land in Dunwich, Suffolk, served as a judge, and was a Member of Parliament (MP). He also held a high position as Vice-Treasurer of Ireland.

Family Background

The Rous family, including Sir Edmund, came from Dennington, a place in Suffolk. A writer named John Leland, who lived around the same time as Sir Edmund, noted that all the Rous families in Suffolk seemed to come from this Dennington branch. Many of the older Rous family members were buried in the church there.

Edmund was the second son of Sir William Rous of Dennington. His mother was Alice, daughter of Judge Sir John Sulyard. Edmund had an older brother named Anthony Rous, who was in charge of finances in Calais for a time. It's important not to confuse Sir Edmund with other family members who had similar names, as "Edmund" and "Anthony" were common in their family.

Life and Career

Early Years and Family Connections

Edmund's older brother, Anthony, was already married by 1523. Anthony worked for the powerful 3rd Duke of Norfolk and later took over as the head of the family after their father died around 1539. Edmund also had a younger brother, George, who worked for Thomas Cromwell, a key advisor to King Henry VIII.

Edmund himself was a servant of the Duke of Norfolk. For example, in 1537, the Duke complained that some of his horses, which belonged to Edmund, had been taken. Edmund married Mary Paynell, a woman from Lincolnshire, and they had a daughter named Margaret. Since Anthony had a son, Thomas, the main family line continued through Anthony's son, not through Edmund.

Becoming a Landowner

Sir Edmund was a justice of the peace for Suffolk from 1543 to 1547. This meant he helped keep law and order in the area. During the 1540s, he owned or rented many estates in Suffolk. These included lands that used to belong to monasteries, like those in Dunwich. He also owned manors such as Middleton with Fordley and Westleton.

In 1542, he bought Wetherden Hall in Hitcham, Suffolk. Later, in 1547, he bought more lands in Westleton and Middleton. He also rented the site of the former Sibton monastery. In 1550, he gained control of Okynghill Hall at Badingham.

Edmund was involved in a legal disagreement about the town of Dunwich. In 1550, he complained that two religious charities were still operating there. This led to their official documents being taken away.

Serving Under Queen Mary I

Sir Edmund was knighted around 1550. His service in Ireland began in 1553, possibly because he was loyal to Queen Mary when she became queen. By December 1553, he became the Vice-Treasurer of Ireland. This was a very important job, managing the Queen's money in Ireland.

Even though he was in Ireland, he returned to England for elections. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Great Bedwyn in April 1554. Later that year, he was appointed to a group that sold Crown lands in Ireland. He was also chosen to receive the money from these sales for the Queen. In November 1554, he became MP for Dunwich, and in 1555, for Dover.

He continued as Vice-Treasurer of Ireland until September 1555. During this time, he was given control of the lordship of Athlone and the care of Athlone Castle. He was also involved in a naval trip to the north of Ireland. This trip was supposedly for fishing, but it was actually a private mission against Scottish intruders.

Sir Edmund kept the Queen's favor. He was seen attending Queen Mary and was appointed as a submarshal. This was a role in the royal household, helping to keep order. However, despite his important roles, he faced increasing costs and debts. In 1557, he was awarded money for his rights in the manor of Okenhill. He then gave this money and other properties to Queen Mary to help pay off his debts to her.

Later Life and Challenges

In 1559, Sir Edmund served as MP for Dunwich for the last time. In the years that followed, he struggled with debt and legal cases. In 1561, it was found that he had valued some of his properties too highly when selling them to Queen Mary. Because of this, he had to sell more lands in Dunwich to Queen Elizabeth to settle his debts.

He faced several lawsuits for debt in 1563. His service in Ireland and the actions of one of his servants there also caused problems. He was involved in legal battles over lands in Westleton, Hinton, Dunwich, Middleton, and Darsham. After failing to appear in court for a debt, he was declared an outlaw. However, he received a pardon in June 1569 after turning himself in to the Fleet Prison.