Sir Alexander
RADCLIFFE of Ordsall, Knight
Born: 1573, Ordsall Hall, Lancashire, England
Christened: 26 Jan 1573,
Manchester Church, Lancashire, England
Died: 5 Aug 1599, Ireland
Father:
John RADCLIFFE of
Ordsall (Sir)
Mother: Anne ASSHAWE
Alexander Radcliffe, eldest son and heir of
Sir John, was born at Ordsall,
and baptized at Manchester on the 26 Jan 1573. He was sixteen years old
when his father died. He had already been introduced to the Court under the
patronage of his FitzWilliam cousins, and was one of the eager youths, 'bearing
their birthrights proudly on their backs', who accepted
Robert Devereux, Earl of
Essex, as their natural leader. Alexander took part in the famous exploit
against Cadiz in 1596, and was amongst those knighted by
Essex at the end of the
great adventure. He and his sister, Margaret, were amongst the most intimate
friends of Essex, as they also enjoyed the loving favour of
Queen Elizabeth.
In the
summer on 1598 the rebel Earl of Tyrone inflicted a disastrous defeat on the
English forces in Ireland, and
Essex persuaded
Queen Elizabeth and the Council to
grant him the command in Ireland and the task of subduing
Tyrone. Sir
Alexander's brother, Captain William Radcliffe, had fallen in the Battle of
Blackwater, and the young knight of Ordsall was eager to avenge his brother's
death and freely offered his service to his friend,
Essex, in the tremendous
task he had undertaken. On 22 Mar 1599 he made his will, and the following
day rode forth to Chester, there to join
Essex, who sailed from the Dee at the
head of the greatest expedition
Elizabeth had ever sent abroad, 16000 foot and
100 horse, levies voluntarily raised throughout the land at the call of national
honour and by the magic of the leader's name. Arrived in Ireland
Essex paid too
much heed to the persuasions of the Irish Council, anxious to secure the
preservation of their own estates, and instead of proceeding against
Tyrone in
Ulster led his army into Munster. Disease attacked his forces with disastrous
results, and he was compelled to return to Dublin with nothing noteworthy
accomplished in the months of his campaign, but with his army broken and weary
from their lenghty sojourn into the misty boglands. Severely wounded, and
ravaged with fever, Sir Alexander Radcliffe died 5 Aug 1599.The affections of
Sir Alexander had been claimed and held by his cousin,
Marie Radcliffe, daughter of his father's brother,
Richard of Newcroft. Marie
was the playmate of his childhood, and the confidante of his courtier days. He
nominated Marie and Thomas Gillibrand, his servant, as executors
of his will, and devised to them for 2000 years all is lands in Ashby and
Tavelby in Leicestershire and in Chesterfield, Newbold, Brampton, and
Spittlefield in Derbyshire. To his three sisters, Margaret,
Jane, and Anne, he gave annuities, and to each of his
brothers, Thomas and Edmund, he gave an annuity of thirty six
pounds, thirteen shillings and fourpence. The residue of his estates he left to
his brother, John, or in case the latter died before him, they were to go
to such other as should be heir at common law at his decease. He commended his
soul into the hands of Almighty God, and his body to Christian and decent
funeral where it should please Almighty God to dispose of the same, and to be
answerable and fitting to his state and degree. The will was sealed before the
eminent Salford notary, Humphrey Davenport.
His brothers Thomas, and Edmund, both of whom died in French Flanders in 1599 from
fever contracted whilst serving with the garrison forces there. He was
succeeded to Ordsall by the remainder brother,
Sir John.
For more information, see:
Ordsall Hall, a Tudor Manor House
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