Peter Saltonstall facts for kids
Peter Saltonstall (1577-1651) was an English courtier and lawyer. A courtier is someone who attends a royal court as an advisor or companion to the king or queen.
He was the fourth son of Richard Saltonstall, who was once the Lord Mayor of London. His mother was Susanna Saltonstall, whose maiden name was Pointz. Peter inherited land in Barkway near Royston from his parents. The Saltonstall family originally came from the Halifax area in England.
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Early Life and Family Connections
Peter Saltonstall's mother, Susanna, was the aunt of a translator named Adrian Poyntz. Adrian dedicated some of his books to Susanna and Richard Saltonstall.
In 1602, a lawyer named John Manningham met Barbara Ruthven, a Scottish noblewoman. She was the sister of Earl Gowrie. Manningham noted that Peter Saltonstall came to visit her.
Peter Saltonstall's sister, Anne Saltonstall, married James Douglas. Another sister, Elizabeth Saltonstall, married Richard Wyche. Their son, Peter Wyche, later became an ambassador in Constantinople.
Adventures in Scotland
While Peter Saltonstall was still studying law, he visited Scotland in October 1601 with his friend, the poet Benjamin Rudyerd. They were friends from the Middle Temple, a place where lawyers are trained.
When they crossed the border at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Peter used the name "Courtney" and Benjamin used "Davis." A border official named John Carey heard that Peter was wearing simple clothes but had a very fancy suit hidden away.
The two friends were tricked and ended up being arrested and held by Sir Robert Ker at his house near Kelso. They wrote to the English diplomat in Edinburgh, George Nicholson, explaining that they were just innocent tourists. They had crossed the border without proper permission.
The border official, John Carey, was suspicious. He thought they might be Jesuits, who were members of a Catholic religious order, on a secret mission. However, Peter and Benjamin were eventually freed. They met King James VI in Edinburgh, who treated them kindly. Nicholson then sent them back to London to meet Sir Robert Cecil, an important advisor to the King.
It was rumored that Peter Saltonstall was in love with Benjamin Rudyerd's sister. Some believed that a rival for her affection had caused all the trouble for Peter in Scotland.
Life at Court
Peter Saltonstall was knighted in October 1605 at Windsor Castle. He became an equerry at court. An equerry is an officer who attends to members of the royal family, especially with horses. Peter's job involved escorting important visitors like diplomats and ambassadors.
In 1612, King James sent Peter Saltonstall to Turin to deliver a gift of ten special riding horses to the Duke of Savoy. Peter traveled with the ambassador Henry Wotton. On their journey, one of the horses hurt its hoof. Peter returned to London before the ambassador and delivered his messages, completing an important part of the mission.
In 1625, Peter Saltonstall was listed as one of King James's equerries, earning a fee of £20.
Marriage and Children
Peter Saltonstall married Christian Pettus (1586-1646) on May 10, 1607. They had several children:
- Susannah Saltonstall (died 1633), who married Robert Castell.
- Ann Saltonstall (1617-1647), who married Sir Edward Chester.
- Christian Saltonstall
- Bridget Saltonstall (1624-1639)
- Elizabeth Saltonstall (1623-1640)
The family's memorial stones, with poems written on them, can be found in Barkway church.
