John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford facts for kids

John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford (born around 1465 or 1466 – died June 29, 1537) was an important person in England during the time of King Henry VIII. He held a special job called Chief Butler of England from 1521 until he died.

John Hussey was also a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the English Parliament. He worked as a Chamberlain for King Henry VIII's daughter, Mary I of England. This meant he helped manage her household.

John Hussey's Early Life and Family

John Hussey was born in a town called Sleaford in Lincolnshire, England. His father was Sir William Hussey, a well-known English judge who became the Chief Justice of the King's Bench. His mother's name was Elizabeth Berkeley.

John had several brothers and sisters. One brother, Sir Robert Hussey, had a daughter named Elizabeth Hussey. She was known as 'Mistress Crane' and lived in East Molesey. Another sister, Elizabeth Hussey, married Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent. His sister Mary Hussey married William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby.

Becoming a Knight

In 1497, John Hussey became a Knight Bachelor after the Battle of Blackheath. This was a special honor given by the King. Six years later, he became a "Knight of the Body" for King Henry VII. This meant he was a personal bodyguard to the King.

In 1505, he was made "Master of Lyfield Forest" in Rutland. In 1509, he became the Comptroller of the Household, which meant he managed the King's household expenses. On August 16, 1513, after a battle in France called the Battle of the Spurs, King Henry VIII promoted John and his brother William to Knights Banneret. This was an even higher honor for knights.

John Hussey's Career and Roles

In 1493, John Hussey was chosen as the High Sheriff of Lincolnshire. This role meant he was the chief law enforcement officer in the county. By 1513, he was also the custos rotulorum for Lincolnshire, which meant he was in charge of keeping the county's records.

Meeting Kings and Joining Parliament

In June 1520, John Hussey traveled to France. He took part in a famous meeting called the Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a grand event where King Henry VIII of England met with Francis I, King of France.

On July 6, 1523, he was elected to Parliament. He became a knight of the shire for Lincolnshire, representing his county. Three years later, in 1526, he was appointed as a judge.

Becoming a Lord

King Henry VIII made John Hussey a Lord in 1529. He was given the title Lord Hussey, of Sleaford. On November 3, 1529, he was re-elected to Parliament. However, he soon received a special invitation, called a Writs of Summons, to join the House of Lords. This meant he became a hereditary peer, a Lord, and no longer served as an elected Member of Parliament.

In June 1530, Lord Hussey was named the Commissioner for Gaol Delivery for Lincolnshire Castle. This role involved making sure trials happened fairly for prisoners. Later that year, he sold some of his large land holdings in different parts of England.

King Henry VIII even stayed at Lord Hussey's estate in Sleaford. The King held court there the next morning before continuing his journey to meet the King of Scotland.

Working for Princess Mary

On September 10, 1533, Lord Hussey attended the christening of Elizabeth, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. He helped carry the canopy over the three-day-old baby.

Lord Hussey was a Chamberlain to King Henry's daughter, Mary. His second wife, Lady Anne, was also one of Mary's attendants. King Henry did not want anyone to call his daughter Mary a "Princess" anymore. However, Lady Anne continued to do so. Because of this, she lost her position as an attendant in 1534 and was put in the Tower of London. She asked for the King's forgiveness and was released later that year.

Besides his duties at Court and in Parliament, Lord Hussey also worked as a steward for John Longland. Longland was the Bishop of Lincoln and also King Henry's confessor, meaning he listened to the King's confessions.

Lord Hussey's Downfall

Hussey Tower: These are the ruins of Lord Hussey's old home, Hussey Tower. It was ordered to be destroyed by King Henry VIII.

Lord Hussey became involved in a major uprising in 1536 called the Pilgrimage of Grace. This was a rebellion against King Henry VIII's religious changes. Even though Lord Hussey said he did not take part in the rebellion, he was accused of working with others to change laws and remove the King from power. He was also accused of helping those who fought against the King in October 1536.

These accusations might have been made because Lord Hussey had Catholic beliefs. Also, he and his wife had supported Princess Mary, which went against the King's wishes. Lord Hussey was put on trial for treason, which is a very serious crime against the country. The House of Lords found him guilty. He was executed in Lincoln on June 29, 1537. His cousin, Thomas Darcy, was also executed.

John Hussey's Family Life

John Hussey married twice and had many children.

First Marriage

Around 1492, John Hussey first married Margaret Barr (whose maiden name was Blount). She was the widow of Sir John Barr. They were married in Keynsham, Gloucestershire. They had three sons:

• Sir William Hussey (born around 1493 – died 1556)
• Thomas Hussey (born around 1495)
• Gilbert Hussey (born around 1499)

Second Marriage

In 1509, John Hussey married Lady Anne Grey in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. Lady Anne was the daughter of George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent. Her grandmother was Lady Katherine Percy, who was a distant relative of King Edward III of England. John Hussey and Lady Anne Grey had many children, including:

• Sir Giles Hussey (born around 1495/1505) – He became a knight in France in 1522 and later married Jane Pigot.
• Elizabeth Hussey (born around 1497)
• Reginald Hussey (born around 1501)
• Thomas Hussey
• Joan Hussey, who married Sir Roger Forster.
• Elizabeth Hussey, who was the second wife of Sir Robert Throckmorton of Coughton. They had four daughters and two sons.
• Bridget Hussey (born around 1526 – died 1600 or 1601) – She married three times. Her last marriage was to Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford.
• Anne (or Agnes) Hussey, who married Sir Humphrey Browne, a judge.
• Dorothy Hussey, who married three times.
• Mary Hussey

After Lord Hussey was executed, his home in Sleaford and his other properties were taken by the King. In 1563, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, his children were recognized by Parliament. However, Lord Hussey's title was lost, and his estates were not given back to his family.

Claim to the Hussey Barony

Lord Hussey's brother, Sir Robert Hussey, and his son, Sir Charles Hussey, accepted the new Church of England. Both of them served as sheriff. However, the children and grandchildren of Lord Hussey, who had lost his title and lands, faced more difficulties. By 1633, some of Lord Hussey's descendants had left England to practice their non-conformist religion freely in New England.

Some of Lord Hussey's descendants stayed in England. One of them was Molineux Disney, who was a direct descendant of Sir William Hussey, Lord Hussey's son. On March 21, 1680, Molineux Disney asked King Charles II to recognize him as the rightful heir to the Hussey barony. He believed that as a direct descendant, he should be able to claim the title of Lord Hussey. However, there is no record that anything happened with his request, and it seems he withdrew his application.

Honors and Dedications

On December 6, 1533, a book called The myrrour or glasse of Christes passion was dedicated to "the Honorable 'Lord Husey'". The book was written by John Fewterer, who was a religious leader from Syon Abbey.