William Wade (English politician) facts for kids
Sir William Wade (1546–1623) was an important English statesman and diplomat. He also held the significant position of Lieutenant of the Tower of London. This role meant he was in charge of the famous Tower of London.
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Early Life and Education
William Wade was the oldest son of Armagil Wade. His father was a traveler who explored North America in 1536. Later, Armagil became a clerk for the Privy Council in London and a member of Parliament. William's mother was Lady Alice Patten.
Both of William's parents passed away in 1568. William then inherited the family's property. In 1571, he began studying law at Gray's Inn. A few years later, he started traveling across Europe. He likely did this to prepare for a career in government service.
A Career in Diplomacy
In July 1576, William Wade was living in Paris. He often sent important political news to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, a powerful figure in England. Wade was described as Burghley's "servant." He even knew the famous French writer Jean Bodin, who might have shared some of the news he sent.
Wade continued his travels. In 1578–1579, he was in Italy, sending reports about its political situation. From Venice in April 1579, he sent Burghley fifty rare kinds of Italian seeds. He was in Florence in May and Strasbourg in February 1580. In April 1580, he worked on a sensitive mission in Paris for Sir Henry Cobham.
Important Missions Abroad
Wade held several important jobs in London. He also went on many diplomatic missions for England. In 1580, he went to Portugal. In 1581, he became secretary to Sir Francis Walsingham, another key government official. By 1583, he was one of the clerks of the Privy Council of England.
In April 1583, he traveled to Vienna. His task was to discuss trade disagreements between the Hanseatic League (a group of trading cities) and English merchants. In July, he joined Lord Willoughby on a trip to Denmark. They went to present the Order of the Garter award to King Frederick II. They also worked on a trade agreement.
Diplomatic Challenges
In January 1584, Wade was sent to Madrid, Spain. His job was to explain why the Spanish ambassador, Mendoza, had been expelled from England. He arrived in March, but King Philip II refused to meet him. The king ordered Wade to leave Spain, suggesting he was lucky to escape freely. Wade returned to England on April 12. After his return, England and Spain stopped all diplomatic relations.
That same month, Wade visited Mary, Queen of Scots. He tried to convince her to agree to terms with Queen Elizabeth. His account of this meeting is well-known. In February 1585, he was supposed to go to Scotland to meet King James VI, but his trip was canceled.
Dealing with Conspiracies
In March 1585, Wade went to Paris. He demanded that a conspirator named Thomas Morgan be handed over to England. The French king, Henry III, was open to the idea. However, powerful French groups like the Catholic League were strongly against it. They even planned to attack Wade to rescue Morgan.
Wade realized he couldn't get Morgan. So, he settled for a promise that Morgan would stay in a French prison. Despite this, the Duc d'Aumale attacked Wade near Amiens. Wade was severely beaten as a response to his request for Morgan's return. In August, Wade went with William Davison to the Netherlands. They worked to create an alliance with the States General of the Netherlands.
A year later, Wade played a big part in seizing Mary Stuart's papers. These papers showed her involvement in the Babington Plot. In August 1586, Wade went to Chartley Castle. While Mary was away on a hunting trip, he arrested her secretaries, Nau and Curle. He searched her private cabinet and found many important papers. He brought these papers back to London. He was paid thirty pounds for this important service.
In 1587, Wade was again in France. For the rest of Queen Elizabeth I's reign, he spent much of his time looking for Jesuits and uncovering plots against the queen's life.
Serving King James I
King James I, who knighted Wade in 1603, used him for similar tasks. That year, Wade worked to uncover the Bye Plot and the Main Plot. Wade was the Lieutenant of the Tower of London when the Gunpowder Plot was discovered. He was the one who questioned Guy Fawkes.
For some time, Wade was a member of the Parliament of England. He represented different areas, including Aldborough (1584), Thetford (1589), Preston (1601), and West Looe (1604).
Wade also sent observations about the lion cubs living in the Tower to the Earl of Salisbury. In September 1608, there was a plague in London. Wade noted that life at the Tower became difficult because of houses built near the gate. Since these houses were infected, he preferred to use the River Thames for travel instead of the land entrance.
Later Life and Legacy
William Wade retired from public life in 1613. This happened because Frances Howard, Countess of Essex, wanted him replaced. She wanted a less honest Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir Gervase Helwys, to help her plan to murder a prisoner named Thomas Overbury.
Wade had given Lady Arbella Stuart a key to her rooms in the Tower. This was used as an excuse to replace him with Helwys. Later, a writer named Lloyd praised Wade. He said that Wade's guidance led to Rider's Dictionary, his encouragement led to Hooker's Polity, and his care led to Gruter's Inscriptions.
A special stone tablet inside the church of St Mary the Virgin at Manuden in Essex remembers Wade (named Waad on the tablet). He lived at Battles Hall in the village during his retirement. Wade passed away on October 21, 1623, and is buried in the church. He was also a shareholder in the Virginia Company, which helped establish colonies in America. Some families in Virginia claim to be descendants of his father.
Images for kids
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Sir William Wadd late Lieutenant of the Tower, 18th-century engraving after an original portrait
