Philip Gawdy

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Philip Gawdy (13 July 1562 – 27 May 1617) was an English landowner and letter writer.[1][2] There are extensive archives of the Gawdy family.[3]

Philip Gawdy was the son of Bassingbourne Gawdy, senior, and Anne Wotton[4] (1536[4]–1587[5]). In 1588 his father married Margaret Syliard, widow of Thomas Darcy of Tolleshunt Darcy.[6] He was the younger brother of Bassingbourne Gawdy, junior, who married Anne Framlingham, of Crows Hall, Debenham, in 1586.[7]

At first Philip Gawdy studied law in London, and looked for opportunities at the royal court. He wrote to his parents with news including the appointment of Amias Paulet as a commissioner for peace in the Netherlands, and competition for the shrievalties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and news of the conflict in Ireland.[8]

In 1591 he joined the crew of the Revenge commanded by Sir Richard Grenville in a small fleet under Lord Thomas Howard. After encountering the Spanish at the Battle of Flores (1591), Gawdy was captured and imprisoned in Lisbon at São Jorge Castle. He was released after undertaking to pay £200 in an exchange of prisoners.[9]

Philip then mostly lived at West Harling.

In 1605 his nephew, Bassingbourne junior's son, Framlingham Gawdy, had an unsuitable affair or involvement with a Mistress Havers, according to the report of Elizabeth Kitson. Philip Gawdy took him to London, showing him the lions at the Tower of London, the royal tombs at Westminster Abbey, and the court, where his "cousins" Mary Gargrave and Elizabeth Southwell (1584–1631), the latter from nearby Woodrising, Norfolk, were maids of honour to Anne of Denmark.[10]

Gawdy married Bridget (d.1609), daughter of Bartholomew Strangman of Hadleigh, Essex.

Gawdy's letters are held by the British Library.

References[]

  1. ^ J. Rowe, 'Gawdy family (per. c. 1500–1723)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press 2004, updated version 2008), subscription required for internet access.
  2. ^ J.P. Ferris, 'Gawdy, Philip (1562-1617), of West Harling, Norf. and Whitehall; later of Chancery Lane, London', in A. Thrush and J.P. Ferris,The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629 (from Cambridge University Press 2010), History of Parliament Online.
  3. ^ W. Rye (ed.), Report on the Manuscripts of the Family of Gawdy, formerly of Norfolk, Historical Manuscripts Commission (Eyre and Spottiswoode, London 1885), Internet Archive.
  4. ^ a b 'Hundred of Giltcross, West-Herling', in F. Blomefield, ed. C. Parkin, An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk, Volume I (William Miller, London 1805), pp. 297-312, at pp. 305-06; 'St Cleere's Manor, North Tudenham', Volume X (William Miller, London 1809), pp. 263-64 (Google).
  5. ^ "Mrs Anne Gawdye ye wife of mr Bassingborne Gawdy se.[nior] was buried ix° Junij 1587". Parish Registers of West Harling, Norfolk, commencing 1538: Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, ref. PD 27/1 (Norfolk Record Office).
  6. ^ I.H. Jeayes (ed.), Letters of Philip Gawdy of West Harling, Norfolk, and of London to various members of his family, 1579-1616 (J.B. Nichols, London, 1906), pp. viii-ix (Internet Archive).
  7. ^ Letters of Philip Gawdy, p. x (Internet Archive).
  8. ^ Natalie Mears, Queenship and Political Discourse in the Elizabethan Realms, Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History (Cambridge University Press, 2005), p. 109.
  9. ^ Letters of Philip Gawdy, pp. xi-xiv (Internet Archive).
  10. ^ Letters of Philip Gawdy, p. xvi, p. 150, and pp. 158-162 (Internet Archive).
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