Henry Wotton (poet)

Not to be confused with Sir Henry Wotton (1568–1639), English author, diplomat and politician.

Henry Wotton or Wooton was the son of John Wotton of North Tudenham and Margaret Brampton. He was the brother of John Wotton of Tudenham, Norfolk, whose first wife was Elizabeth Le Strange (d.1536 ^[1] ), the daughter of Robert le Strange and the sister of Sir Thomas Le Strange and whose second wife was Mary, daughter of George Neville, 5th Baron Bergavenny, and widow of Thomas Fiennes, lord Dacre of the South. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

In 1578 Henry Wotton published a translation he had made from the French a collection of stories from Italian romances, interspersed with verse, entitled A Courtlie Controversie of Cupids Cautels containing five Tragicall Historyes by three Gentlemen and two Gentlewomen, translated out of French by Hen. Wotton, London, 1578, 4to. It was dedicated to the translator's sister-in-law, the Lady Dacre of the South. Two copies, both imperfect, are known—one is in the Bodleian Library, and the other, formerly belonging successively to George Steevens and to Corser, is now in the British Museum. ^{[2] [3]}

Commemorative windows

A commemorative window celebrating the marriage of his parents, John Wotton and Margaret Brampton, can still be seen in St. Mary’s, the parish church of North Tuddenham, Norfolk. ^[5]

in a window on the south side, Wotton impaling Brampton, gules, a saltire, between four cross crosslets, fitche, argent ^[6]

St. Mary's church in North Tuddenham

Margaret's native Brampton also had glass work celebrating the marriage. ^[7] Henry Wotton's father John Wotton also put up a commemorative window for his parents at St. Mary's, Henry Wotton's paternal grandparents, William Wotton, Baron of the Exchequer, and Ann Southwell, the daughter of Richard Southwell of Woodrising. ^{[8] [9]}

In a window on the north side of the church, gules, a chevron, argent, between two crosslets, in chief, and an annulet in base, or, Wootton, impaling argent, three cinquefoils, gules, Southwell; the arms of William Wotton, Baron of the Exchequer, and his wife ^[6]

A third Wotton shield, impaling Gules a saltire argent (Neville), was in a south nave window of St. Mary's at least until the eighteenth century. This celebrated the marriage of Henry Wotton's brother John to Mary Neville, the Lady Dacre Henry Wotton dedicated his work to. ^[8] A fourth stained glass window the marriage of Wotton daughter to a man whose coat of arms was gules, a lion rampant, argent. ^[6] By his brother John's first wife Elizabeth Lestrange, Henry Wotton had a nephew named John Wotton (dead 20 January 1546 at Calais in the service of the King ^[10] ) who married Elizabeth Berdewell (1511 ^[11] – 20 February 1546 ^[10] ), and had a daughter, Anne. ^[10] Anne Wotton, Henry Wotton's grandniece, the great heiress, married successively Thomas Woodhouse of Hickling, Norfolk, son of Sir William Woodhouse, Henry Reppes of Mendham, Suffolk, the widower of Bess Holland, and Bassingbourne Gawdy. ^[10]

References

1. "Hundred of Giltcross: West-Herling | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. in 1536 his wife died; after which he married a daughter of Nevill Lord Abergavenny, widow of Lord D'Acres
2.  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : "Wotton, Henry". Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
3. "Hundred of Giltcross: West-Herling". An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 1. British History Online. 1805. Retrieved 2022-10-16. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
4. Rye, Walter; Hervey, William; Cooke, Clarenceux; Raven, John. The visitacion [i.e., visitation] of Norfolk, made and taken by William Hervey, Clarencieux King of Arms, anno 1563, enlarged with another visitacion [sic] made by Clarenceux Cook : with many other descents, and also the vissitation [sic] made. Family History Library.
5. "St Mary, North Tuddenham, Norfolk - www.norfolkstainedglass.co.uk" (PDF). All Nave Windows The majority of the glass in all the main lights can be dated to the late 19th century when it was installed by Ward & Hughes. The only exceptions are the medieval shields linked to the Wooton family who were Lords of the Manor, and their unions by marriage : 1. Central shield in the North Nave window 3 – shield of Brampton family 2. Central Shield in South Nave Window 1 - arms of the Wotton family 3. Central Shield in South Nave window 2 - arms of the Wotton and Southwell families In contrast the tracery glass can all be dated to the 15th century and was part of the collection purchased by Robert Barry.
6. "Mitford Hundred and Half: North Tudenham | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. The Church is a rectory, dedicated to St. Mary [...] In a window on the north side of the church, gules, a chevron, argent, between two crosslets, in chief, and an annulet in base, or, Wootton, impaling argent, three cinquefoils, gules, Southwell; the arms of William Wotton, Baron of the Exchequer, and his wife; and in a window on the south side, Wotton impaling Brampton, gules, a saltire, between four cross crosslets, fitche, argent. [...] In a window on the south side, gules, a lion a rampant, argent, impaling Wotton, and Wotton impaling Southwell
7. "Hundred of South Erpingham: Brampton | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. He also repaired all the arms and matches of the Bramptons in the hall windows, and church windows, many of which still remain, as Brampton, impaling Basingham, Colby, Walcote, Wulterton, Cock, Aylmer, Jermy, Brome, Cobb, Berneye, Daubeneye, &c. Reymes, Breton, Garnish, Wichingham, Wotton, Holdiche, Waldegrave, Sherborn, (fn. 14) Allen, &c. impaling Brampton, which shows that all these families married to the Bramptons.
8. "Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi: Norfolk: North Tuddenham, Parish Church of St Mary". www.cvma.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. The lower three shields were added in the sixteenth century. In the middle was Gules a chevron argent between 2 crosses potent in chief and an annulet in base or (Wotton); to the left was a shield with a broken dexter half impaling Wotton; and on the right was Wotton impaling Argent, 3 cinquefoils gules (Southwell). This latter shield commemorates the marriage of William Wotton, Baron of the Exchequer and lord of the manor of St Clere here in 1527, who married Anne, daughter of Richard Southwell of Woodrising. 5 Their son was John Wotton, presumably the person who gave this window. 6 The upper shield (Oldhall) is now in nVI 4b, that of Wotton alone in sIV 4b, and that of Wotton impaling Southwell in sV 4b. In the eighteenth century, another Wotton shield impaling Gules a saltire argent (Neville) was in a south nave window. 7 An unknown member of the Wotton family of North Tuddenham is recorded as having been the second husband of Mary Neville, daughter of George Neville, 3rd Baron of Abergavenny
9. "Mitford Hundred and Half: North Tudenham | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. William Wotton, Esq. in the 19th of Henry VIII. was lord, and one of the Barons of the Exchequer, created by patent, July 10, ao. 13th of Henry VIII. He married Ann, daughter of Richard Southwell, of Wood-Rising.
10. "Mitford Hundred and Half: North Tudenham | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. John Wotton, Esq. was his son, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Berdwell, Esq. of West Herling; and by an inquisition taken September 16, in the 38th of Henry VIII. on the death of the said Elizabeth, at North Tudenham, February 26 past, widow of John Wotton, Esq. who died at Calais, in the service of the King, January 20, in the said year, before his wife, the jury find that they left issue, Anne, Wotton, their daughter and sole heir, aged 10 years; she had 3 husbands; first, Sir Thomas Wodehouse of Waxham; 2d, Henry Repps, Esq. of Mendham; 3d, Bassingh. Gawdy. and by him only issue.
11. "Hundred of Giltcross: West-Herling | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-09. Robert Berdewell of West-Herling, Esq. died in the King's service beyond sea; his will was proved in 1512, in which he ordered to be buried at his father's head, in West-Herling church, if he died in England; (fn. 23) he ordered a priest to sing for him seven years in the chapel of our Lady on the south side of Herling church; he left Anne, daughter of Tho. Bacon of Hesset, his widow, who, in 1513, married Will. Rookwood, and after his death, to Rob. Keene of Thrandeston, whose widow she was in 1558, when she held Gasthorp and Tostock manors. They had only one daughter, viz. Elizabeth Berdewell, who was but one year old at her father's death, and her wardship fell to Sir Edward Howard, Knt. of whom Scarning, &c. was held, in right of Lady Morley, Sir Edward's wife, who, in 1512, sold it, immediately after her father's death, to Will. Wooton, his executor, and he sold it, with her marriage, to Sir Robert Southwell, Knt. who married her to John Wooton of North Tuddenham in Norfolk, who confirmed the exchange lately made of Salthouse and Kellyng manors, which were lately the Wychynghams and Berdewelles, for Drayton Hall in Scarning; he was son of John Wooton of Tuddenham, and Elizabeth his wife, sister of Sir Thomas, and daughter of Sir Robert L' Estrange; he kept his first court here in 1528