Individual Details
Griffith ap Henry
( - )
Dictionary of National Biography, Volume LXII, (1900) p. 162-3
Entry for Francis Windebank (1582-1646). Includes information re his father Thomas Windebank (d.1607) and grandfather.
WINDEBANK, SIR FRANCIS (1582-1646), secretary of state, born in 1582, was the only son of Sir Thomas Windebank and his wife Frances, younger daughter of Sir Edward Dymoke of Scrivelsby, Lincoln shire (METCALFE, Vinit. of Lincolnshire, p. 42 ; LODGE, ScrircMy, 1893, p. 71). His grandfather, Sir Richard Windebank, was serving at Calais in 1533 (Chrun. of Calais, p. 137 ; Letters and Papers, xv. 750), at Guisnes in 1541, and was knighted in 1544. He acquired lands at Hougham, Lincolnshire (ib. xv. 831 [18]), and in 1547 was one of the council at Boulogne ; he was deputy of Guisnes at the end of Edward's reign, and proclaimed Mary on 24 July 1553. He was in 1556 granted an annuity of a hundred marks for his 'age and long service,' but was still acting as deputy of Guisnes in 1560. His wife Margaret, daughter of Griffith ap Henry, was buried in St. Edmund's, Lombard Street, on 10 Dec. 1558 (STRYPE, Eccl. Mem. in. i. 22, ii. 174, Annals, i. 46 ; Cotton MS. Titus B. ii. f. 206 ; Cal. State Papers, For. 1547-53, p. 294; Acts P. C. 1554-1l, p. 383 ; Notes and Queries, 8th ser. i. 23, 150). His son Sir Thomas owed his fortunes largely to his Lincolnshire neighbour, Sir William Cecil, who secured his appointment to the fourth stall in Worcester Cathedral in 1559, and sent him as travelling companion to his son Thomas (afterwards Marquis of Exeter). Many of Windebank's letters, describing his vain efforts to keep his charge straight and teach him French, and their travels in France and Germany during 1561 and 1562, are extant in the Rocord Office. He also took every opportunity of sending his patron lemon trees, myrtle trees, and tracts on canon and and civil law (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547-1580, pp. 177-202). After his return he was made clerk of the signet, and occasionally acted as clerk of the privy council. He continued his friendly relations and correspondence with Burghley until the latter's death, and afterwards with Sir Robert Cecil (cf. Harl. MS. 6995, arts. 31, 39, 47, 49, letters wrongly ascribed to Sir Francis Windebank). He was knighted by James I on 23 July 1603, settled at Haines Hall, Berkshire. and died on 24 Oct. 1607. He left one son, Francis, and three daughters, of whom Mildred (d. 1630) married Robert Read of Linkenholt, Hampshire, and was mother of Thomas Read or Reade [q. v.] the royalist (Inf. post mortem, 6 James I, pt. ii. No. 200; Harl. MS. 1551, f. 57 i; Egerton Papers, pp. 134-5; BURGON, Gresham, i. 422 sqq. ; Court and Times of James I, i. 175; Cal. State Papers, 1547-1610, passim; Cal. Hatfield MSS. vols. i-vii. passim).
Entry for Francis Windebank (1582-1646). Includes information re his father Thomas Windebank (d.1607) and grandfather.
WINDEBANK, SIR FRANCIS (1582-1646), secretary of state, born in 1582, was the only son of Sir Thomas Windebank and his wife Frances, younger daughter of Sir Edward Dymoke of Scrivelsby, Lincoln shire (METCALFE, Vinit. of Lincolnshire, p. 42 ; LODGE, ScrircMy, 1893, p. 71). His grandfather, Sir Richard Windebank, was serving at Calais in 1533 (Chrun. of Calais, p. 137 ; Letters and Papers, xv. 750), at Guisnes in 1541, and was knighted in 1544. He acquired lands at Hougham, Lincolnshire (ib. xv. 831 [18]), and in 1547 was one of the council at Boulogne ; he was deputy of Guisnes at the end of Edward's reign, and proclaimed Mary on 24 July 1553. He was in 1556 granted an annuity of a hundred marks for his 'age and long service,' but was still acting as deputy of Guisnes in 1560. His wife Margaret, daughter of Griffith ap Henry, was buried in St. Edmund's, Lombard Street, on 10 Dec. 1558 (STRYPE, Eccl. Mem. in. i. 22, ii. 174, Annals, i. 46 ; Cotton MS. Titus B. ii. f. 206 ; Cal. State Papers, For. 1547-53, p. 294; Acts P. C. 1554-1l, p. 383 ; Notes and Queries, 8th ser. i. 23, 150). His son Sir Thomas owed his fortunes largely to his Lincolnshire neighbour, Sir William Cecil, who secured his appointment to the fourth stall in Worcester Cathedral in 1559, and sent him as travelling companion to his son Thomas (afterwards Marquis of Exeter). Many of Windebank's letters, describing his vain efforts to keep his charge straight and teach him French, and their travels in France and Germany during 1561 and 1562, are extant in the Rocord Office. He also took every opportunity of sending his patron lemon trees, myrtle trees, and tracts on canon and and civil law (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547-1580, pp. 177-202). After his return he was made clerk of the signet, and occasionally acted as clerk of the privy council. He continued his friendly relations and correspondence with Burghley until the latter's death, and afterwards with Sir Robert Cecil (cf. Harl. MS. 6995, arts. 31, 39, 47, 49, letters wrongly ascribed to Sir Francis Windebank). He was knighted by James I on 23 July 1603, settled at Haines Hall, Berkshire. and died on 24 Oct. 1607. He left one son, Francis, and three daughters, of whom Mildred (d. 1630) married Robert Read of Linkenholt, Hampshire, and was mother of Thomas Read or Reade [q. v.] the royalist (Inf. post mortem, 6 James I, pt. ii. No. 200; Harl. MS. 1551, f. 57 i; Egerton Papers, pp. 134-5; BURGON, Gresham, i. 422 sqq. ; Court and Times of James I, i. 175; Cal. State Papers, 1547-1610, passim; Cal. Hatfield MSS. vols. i-vii. passim).
Families
| Child | Margaret verch Griffith ( - 1558) |