John Borough
Encyclopedia
Sir John Borough was the Garter Principal King of Arms
1633-43.
, by the daughter of Basil Gosall, of Nieuwkerk, Brabant
, and son of John Borough, of Sandwich, by his wife, daughter of Robert Denne, of Dennehill, Kent. He received a classical education, and afterwards studied law at Gray's Inn
. In 1622 he was at Venice
, and from that city he addressed several letters to Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, chiefly about the purchase of manuscripts, subscribing himself ‘Your faithful servant and poore kinsman’.
He was appointed in 1623 keeper of the records in the Tower of London
. In June of the same year, by the favour of the earl marshal, to whom he was secretary, he was sworn herald-extraordinary by the title of Mowbray, and on 23 December following he was created Norroy king of arms, at Arundel House
in the Strand
, in the place of Sir Richard St. George, who was created Clarenceux king of arms
. He was M.P. for Horsham
1624, 1625, and 1626. On 17 July 1624 he was knighted, and in 1634 made Garter principal king of arms in the place of Sir William Segar, who had died.
As keeper of the records, when King Charles I was discussing the propriety of summoning the great council of peers, Borough was called in with records respecting those assemblies. He attended his sovereign when he went to Scotland to be crowned in 1633. On 14 April 1636 he obtained a grant to entitle him to the fees and perquisites of his office of Garter while employed beyond the seas for the king's special service. As principal king of arms he followed the fortunes of his sovereign in the field during the First English Civil War
, and had several narrow escapes while in the royal camp. For instance, Edward Norgate, Windsor herald, writing from Berwick to his cousin Thomas Read, on 3 June 1639, says that the king's tent was shot through once, and Sir John Borough's twice.
Borough was a good note-taker, and drew up accounts of various conferences between the royalists and the parliamentarians. The notes of the interview between Charles and the covenanters in the earl marshal's tent near Berwick on 11 June 1639 were probably taken by him. When the great council met at York he was appointed its clerk, and in that capacity he took the full notes of its proceedings which constitute the only record we possess of what took place in that assembly. Again, when the sixteen commissioners went to Ripon
, Borough accompanied them as their clerk, and took notes of the treaty there. Finally when the treaty was adjourned to London, Borough resumed his attendance upon the commissioners, and carried on his notes until the treaty was concluded.
While in the service of the court at Oxford the university conferred upon him the degree of D.C.L. on 5 August 1643. He died about two months afterwards, on 21 October 1643, at Oxford, and was buried the next day at the upper end of the divinity chapel adjoining, on the north side, the choir of Christ Church Cathedral
.
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
1633-43.
Life
He was grandson of William Borough, of Sandwich, KentSandwich, Kent
Sandwich is a historic town and civil parish on the River Stour in the Non-metropolitan district of Dover, within the ceremonial county of Kent, south-east England. It has a population of 6,800....
, by the daughter of Basil Gosall, of Nieuwkerk, Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, and son of John Borough, of Sandwich, by his wife, daughter of Robert Denne, of Dennehill, Kent. He received a classical education, and afterwards studied law at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. In 1622 he was at Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, and from that city he addressed several letters to Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, chiefly about the purchase of manuscripts, subscribing himself ‘Your faithful servant and poore kinsman’.
He was appointed in 1623 keeper of the records in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. In June of the same year, by the favour of the earl marshal, to whom he was secretary, he was sworn herald-extraordinary by the title of Mowbray, and on 23 December following he was created Norroy king of arms, at Arundel House
Arundel House
Arundel House was a town-house or palace located between the Strand and the Thames, near St Clement Danes.It was originally the town house of the Bishops of Bath and Wells, during the Middle Ages. In 1539 it was given to William Fitzwilliam, Earl of Southampton...
in the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, in the place of Sir Richard St. George, who was created Clarenceux king of arms
Clarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of Arms is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. The office almost certainly existed in 1420, and there is a fair degree of...
. He was M.P. for Horsham
Horsham (UK Parliament constituency)
Horsham is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
1624, 1625, and 1626. On 17 July 1624 he was knighted, and in 1634 made Garter principal king of arms in the place of Sir William Segar, who had died.
As keeper of the records, when King Charles I was discussing the propriety of summoning the great council of peers, Borough was called in with records respecting those assemblies. He attended his sovereign when he went to Scotland to be crowned in 1633. On 14 April 1636 he obtained a grant to entitle him to the fees and perquisites of his office of Garter while employed beyond the seas for the king's special service. As principal king of arms he followed the fortunes of his sovereign in the field during the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
, and had several narrow escapes while in the royal camp. For instance, Edward Norgate, Windsor herald, writing from Berwick to his cousin Thomas Read, on 3 June 1639, says that the king's tent was shot through once, and Sir John Borough's twice.
Borough was a good note-taker, and drew up accounts of various conferences between the royalists and the parliamentarians. The notes of the interview between Charles and the covenanters in the earl marshal's tent near Berwick on 11 June 1639 were probably taken by him. When the great council met at York he was appointed its clerk, and in that capacity he took the full notes of its proceedings which constitute the only record we possess of what took place in that assembly. Again, when the sixteen commissioners went to Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, Borough accompanied them as their clerk, and took notes of the treaty there. Finally when the treaty was adjourned to London, Borough resumed his attendance upon the commissioners, and carried on his notes until the treaty was concluded.
While in the service of the court at Oxford the university conferred upon him the degree of D.C.L. on 5 August 1643. He died about two months afterwards, on 21 October 1643, at Oxford, and was buried the next day at the upper end of the divinity chapel adjoining, on the north side, the choir of Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also, uniquely, the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford.-History:...
.