Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton
Henry Wriothesley entered the world on the 6th of October 1573 at Cowdray House in Sussex. He was the only son of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Southampton, and Mary Browne. His father died on the 4th of October 1581 when the boy was just eight years old. This event triggered a complex legal process known as wardship under the Court of Wards and Liveries. The Queen sold his wardship to Charles, Lord Howard of Effingham for £1,000. Howard then transferred custody to Lord Burghley through an agreement that left Howard holding the lands but gave Burghley control over the young earl's life and marriage prospects. By late 1581 or early 1582, the eight-year-old moved into Cecil House in the Strand. He remained there until late 1590 when he gained full independence.
His education began in October 1585 at St John's College, Cambridge. He matriculated on the 11th of December 1585 and graduated with a Master of Arts degree on the 6th of June 1589. Before leaving university, he joined Gray's Inn legal society on the 29th of February 1588. At age sixteen on the 6th of October 1589, Lord Burghley noted his age in a diary entry. Burghley later negotiated a marriage between Southampton and Elizabeth Vere, daughter of Anne Cecil and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. The match displeased the young nobleman. A letter from November 1594 revealed rumors that he refused Lady Vere and paid £5,000 as present payment to break the engagement.
William Shakespeare dedicated his narrative poem Venus and Adonis to Southampton in 1593. The following year, 1594, brought another dedication for The Rape of Lucrece. These dedications used extravagant language praising the earl's lordship. Nathan Drake first suggested in 1817 that Southampton was not just a dedicatee but also the Fair Youth of Shakespeare's Sonnets. The title page refers to Mr W.H. as the onlie begetter of these sonnets. Some scholars argue Henry Wriothesley initials reversed spell this name. Academic Park Honan argues there is no real likelihood that Southampton traduced him by drawing his portrait as the fickle Young Man of the sonnets.
Nicholas Rowe stated in Life of Shakespeare that Southampton once gave William Shakespeare £1,000 to go through with a purchase. Honan terms this claim a myth despite its popularity. No documents have been found concerning their relationship apart from the two long narrative poems. Other writers also sought his favor during the 1590s. Thomas Nashe completed The Unfortunate Traveller on the 27th of June 1593 and dedicated it to Southampton. Barnabe Barnes published Parthenophil and Parthenope in 1593 with a dedicatory sonnet. John Florio entered his Italian/English dictionary in the Stationers' Register on the 2nd of March 1596 though it did not publish until 1598.
Southampton became deeply involved in Essex's Rebellion of 1601. In February of that year he faced sentencing to death for his role. Robert Cecil urged Queen Elizabeth to show clemency and obtained commutation of the penalty to life imprisonment. Before the rebellion, he had induced players at the Globe Theatre to revive Richard II on the eve of the abortive uprising. After release from prison in 1603, he resumed connections with the stage.
His involvement began earlier when he accompanied Sir Robert Cecil on an embassy to Henri IV of France. He remained at the French court planning travel to Italy with Sir Charles Danvers and Sir Henry Danvers. They had escaped England in 1594 after murdering Henry Long. The Queen pardoned the Danvers brothers who returned to England on the 30th of August 1598. Southampton also returned secretly and married his pregnant mistress Elizabeth Vernon. By the 3rd of September the Queen learned of the marriage and imprisoned Elizabeth Vernon in the Fleet Prison. Southampton himself was lodged in the Fleet where he stayed for a month while Elizabeth gave birth to their daughter Penelope.
He took a considerable share in promoting colonial enterprises as an active member of the Virginia Company's governing council. Profits proved elusive but other goals were accomplished including enlarging British territory and relieving overpopulation. His name is thought by many to be the origin of Hampton Roads harbor naming. The company dissolved in 1624 though permanent colonies remained. Henry Timberlake died in Titchfield in 1625 and was buried in St Peter's parish church after being active in the East India Company.
In August 1598 Southampton married Elizabeth Vernon secretly to legitimize an already visible pregnancy. Queen Elizabeth imprisoned both newlyweds for marrying without royal permission. They had two sons and three daughters listed on his funeral certificate. Lady Penelope Wriothesley lived from the 18th of November 1598 until the 16th of July 1667. Lady Anne Wriothesley was born in 1600 and died in 1662. James Wriothesley Lord Wriothesley lived from the 1st of March 1605 until the 5th of November 1624. Thomas Wriothesley
became the fourth Earl of Southampton living from the 10th of March 1607 until the 16th of May 1667.
Southampton died on the 10th of November 1624 at Bergen-op-Zoom aged fifty-one. His eldest son James succumbed to an unspecified fever five days earlier while they fought in the Low Countries against Spanish troops. Both men died of the same cause. Their remains returned to England and were buried in the family chapel of Titchfield parish church. The tomb features four prominent obelisks and kneeling relief figures of the youthful third earl and his sister. He was succeeded by his second but only surviving son who became a prominent statesman under Charles II.
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Common questions
When and where was Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton born?
Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton entered the world on the 6th of October 1573 at Cowdray House in Sussex. He was the only son of Henry Wriothesley 2nd Earl of Southampton and Mary Browne.
Why did Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton face life imprisonment in 1601?
Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton faced sentencing to death for his role in Essex's Rebellion of 1601 before Robert Cecil obtained commutation of the penalty to life imprisonment. The Queen Elizabeth granted clemency after he induced players at the Globe Theatre to revive Richard II on the eve of the abortive uprising.
How is Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton connected to William Shakespeare Sonnets?
Nathan Drake first suggested in 1817 that Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton was not just a dedicatee but also the Fair Youth of Shakespeare's Sonnets. Some scholars argue Henry Wriothesley initials reversed spell Mr W.H. though Academic Park Honan argues there is no real likelihood that Southampton traduced him by drawing his portrait as the fickle Young Man of the sonnets.
Who were the children of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton with Elizabeth Vernon?
Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton and Elizabeth Vernon had two sons and three daughters listed on his funeral certificate including Lady Penelope Wriothesley who lived from the 18th of November 1598 until the 16th of July 1667. James Wriothesley Lord Wriothesley lived from the 1st of March 1605 until the 5th of November 1624 while Thomas Wriothesley became the fourth Earl of Southampton living from the 10th of March 1607 until the 16th of May 1667.
When did Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton die and where was he buried?
Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton died on the 10th of November 1624 at Bergen-op-Zoom aged fifty-one. His remains returned to England and were buried in the family chapel of Titchfield parish church alongside his eldest son James who succumbed to an unspecified fever five days earlier while they fought in the Low Countries against Spanish troops.