Nicholas Faunt facts for kids

Nicholas Faunt was an important English official who lived a long time ago, from about 1572 to 1608. He worked for the Queen or King as a clerk of the signet, which meant he handled important official documents. He was also an agent of the Crown, gathering information for the government, and a politician, serving in Parliament.

His Early Life and Travels

Nicholas Faunt was born in Norfolk, a county in England. He went to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, in 1572 and then to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1573.

While he was still a student, he visited Paris, France. He was there during a terrible event called the St. Bartholomew massacre. This was a time when many Protestants were killed. Nicholas Faunt was one of the first people to bring the sad news of this event back to England.

Working for the Government

Around 1580, Nicholas Faunt started working for Sir Francis Walsingham. Sir Francis was a very important person in Queen Elizabeth I's government, like a chief spy or intelligence officer. Faunt's job was to carry secret messages, called 'despatches,' to English agents in other countries. He also sent back 'intelligence,' which means important information, to England.

He traveled a lot for his work. In 1580, he met Anthony Bacon in Paris, and they became very good friends. He also visited Germany, Pisa, Padua, and Geneva in 1581.

A Politician and Friend

In 1585, Nicholas Faunt became a member of Parliament (M.P.) for a place called Boroughbridge. This meant he helped make laws for the country.

He was very close friends with both Anthony Bacon and his famous brother, Francis Bacon, who was a well-known writer and philosopher. Their mother, Lady Anne Bacon, trusted Faunt a lot because he was a strong Puritan (a type of Protestant). She often asked her sons to listen to his advice.

In 1603, Faunt was still working as a clerk of the signet, handling important government papers. There was even talk in 1605 that he might become an ambassador in the Hague, which is like a country's official representative in another country.

Nicholas Faunt also received grants of land from the Crown (the King or Queen). These included land in Yorkshire in 1594 and Fulbrook Park, Warwickshire, in 1607.

His Writings

Nicholas Faunt was good at collecting information. His letters, which he sent home from his travels, show that he was a very loyal public servant. He also wrote a paper in 1592 called 'A Discourse touching the Office of Principal Secretary of State.' A 'discourse' is like a detailed essay or discussion about a topic. This paper was about the job of a main government secretary.

His Family

Nicholas Faunt got married in 1584 or 1585 to the daughter of a merchant from London named Archer. Later, he married a second time to Abigail Kelke. Together, they had three sons and three daughters.