George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich
Encyclopedia
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich (28 April 1585 – 6 January 1663) was an English
soldier.
He was the son of George Goring of Hurstpierpoint
and Ovingdean
, Sussex
, and of Anne Denny, sister of Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich
. He matriculated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
in 1600, and may subsequently have spent some time in Flanders
. He was knighted in 1608 and became a favourite
at court
, benefitting largely from monopolies granted by King Charles I
. He was made Knight Marshal
in 1623, Baron Goring in 1628, and a privy councillor in 1639.
He was elected as Member of Parliament
for Lewes
in 1621, 1624, 1625, 1626 and 1628.
When the troubles between Charles and his Parliament
became acute, Goring devoted his fortune freely to the royal cause; and the king in November 1644 renewed for him the title of Earl of Norwich
which had become extinct at his uncle's death. He went with Queen Henrietta Maria to the Netherlands
in 1642 to raise money for the king, and in the autumn of the next year he was seeking arms and money from Cardinal Mazarin in Paris
. His proceedings were revealed to the parliament in January 1644 by an intercepted letter to Henrietta Maria. He was consequently impeached of high treason
, and prudently remained abroad until 1647, when he received a pass from the parliament under a pretext of seeking reconciliation.
Thus he was able to take a prominent part in the Second Civil War
of 1648. He commanded the Kent
ish levies, which Fairfax dispersed at Maidstone
and elsewhere, and was forced to surrender unconditionally at Colchester. He was condemned to exile
in November 1648 by a vote of the House of Commons
, but in the next month the vote was annulled.
Early in the next year a court formed under John Bradshaw
to try Norwich and four others. All five received a death sentence on 6 March 1649, but petitions for mercy were presented to parliament, and Norwich's life was spared by the Speaker's casting vote. Shortly after his liberation from prison in May 1649 he joined the exiled court of Charles II
, who employed him in fruitless negotiations with the duke of Lorraine
. He became captain of the king's guard
at the Restoration
, and in consideration of the fortune he had expended in the king's service a pension of 2000 pounds per year was granted him.
Norwich died at Brentford
on 6 January 1663. By his wife Mary Nevill (died 1648), daughter of the 8th Baron Bergavenny
, he had four daughters and two sons: George, Lord Goring
; and Charles
, who fought in the Civil War, succeeded his father in the earldom, and died without heirs in March 1671.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soldier.
He was the son of George Goring of Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint is a village in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. Together with Sayers Common it forms one of the Mid Sussex civil parishes, with an area of 2029.88 ha and a population of 6,264 persons....
and Ovingdean
Ovingdean
Ovingdean is a small formerly agricultural village which was absorbed into the borough of Brighton, East Sussex, UK, in 1928, and now forms part of the city of Brighton and Hove. It has expanded through the growth of residential streets on its eastern and southern sides, and now has a population of...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, and of Anne Denny, sister of Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich
Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich
Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich , known as The Lord Denny between 1604 and 1627, was an English courtier, Member of Parliament and peer.-Life:...
. He matriculated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
in 1600, and may subsequently have spent some time in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. He was knighted in 1608 and became a favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
at court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
, benefitting largely from monopolies granted by King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. He was made Knight Marshal
Knight Marshal
The Knight Marshal is a former office in the British Royal Household established by King Henry III in 1236. The position later became a Deputy to the Earl Marshal from the reign of Henry VIII until the office was abolished in 1846 ....
in 1623, Baron Goring in 1628, and a privy councillor in 1639.
He was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Lewes
Lewes (UK Parliament constituency)
Lewes is a constituency located in East Sussex and centred on the town of Lewes. It is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a safe Conservative seat until 1997, but the Liberal Democrats have gained a strong foothold.-Boundaries:The constituency is...
in 1621, 1624, 1625, 1626 and 1628.
When the troubles between Charles and his Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
became acute, Goring devoted his fortune freely to the royal cause; and the king in November 1644 renewed for him the title of Earl of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
which had become extinct at his uncle's death. He went with Queen Henrietta Maria to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1642 to raise money for the king, and in the autumn of the next year he was seeking arms and money from Cardinal Mazarin in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His proceedings were revealed to the parliament in January 1644 by an intercepted letter to Henrietta Maria. He was consequently impeached of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
, and prudently remained abroad until 1647, when he received a pass from the parliament under a pretext of seeking reconciliation.
Thus he was able to take a prominent part in the Second Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
of 1648. He commanded the Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
ish levies, which Fairfax dispersed at Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
and elsewhere, and was forced to surrender unconditionally at Colchester. He was condemned to exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in November 1648 by a vote of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, but in the next month the vote was annulled.
Early in the next year a court formed under John Bradshaw
John Bradshaw (judge)
John Bradshaw was an English judge. He is most notable for his role as President of the High Court of Justice for the trial of King Charles I and as the first Lord President of the Council of State of the English Commonwealth....
to try Norwich and four others. All five received a death sentence on 6 March 1649, but petitions for mercy were presented to parliament, and Norwich's life was spared by the Speaker's casting vote. Shortly after his liberation from prison in May 1649 he joined the exiled court of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, who employed him in fruitless negotiations with the duke of Lorraine
Nicholas II, Duke of Lorraine
Nicholas Francis , also known as Nicholas II, was briefly Duke of Lorraine and Duke of Bar for a few months in 1634, spanning the time between the abdication of his older brother and his own resignation...
. He became captain of the king's guard
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
The Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords...
at the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, and in consideration of the fortune he had expended in the king's service a pension of 2000 pounds per year was granted him.
Norwich died at Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
on 6 January 1663. By his wife Mary Nevill (died 1648), daughter of the 8th Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, 8th Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, de facto 8th Baron Bergavenny was an English Peer.The son of Edward Nevill, 7th Baron Bergavenny, he succeeded to the Barony upon the death of his father....
, he had four daughters and two sons: George, Lord Goring
George Goring, Lord Goring
George Goring, Lord Goring was an English Royalist soldier. He was known by the courtesy title Lord Goring as the eldest son of the 1st Earl of Norwich.- The Goring family :...
; and Charles
Charles Goring, 2nd Earl of Norwich
Charles Goring, 2nd Earl of Norwich was an English soldier and aristocrat.The second son of Sir George Goring. Like his father and brother, he fought for the King in the English Civil War, being colonel of a regiment of horse at the Battle of Langport in 1645. After the death of his elder brother,...
, who fought in the Civil War, succeeded his father in the earldom, and died without heirs in March 1671.