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to Home PageSir Edward MONTAGUE of Boughton Castle, Knight
Born: ABT 1530, Boughton, Northants, England
Died: 26 Jan 1601/2
Father: Edward MONTAGUE (Sir Lord Chief Justice)
Mother: Ellen ROPER
Married: Elizabeth HARRINGTON 1557
Children:
1. Edward MONTAGUE (1° B. Montague of Boughton)
2. Henry MONTAGUE
4. Henry MONTAGUE (1° E. Manchester)
6. James MONTAGUE (Bishop of Winchester)
7. Sidney MONTAGUE of the Middle Temple (Sir Knight)
8. Thomas MONTAGUE
The details in this biography come from the History of Parliament, a biographical dictionary of Members of the House of Commons.
Born ABT 1530, first surv. son of Sir Edward Montague of Boughton by his third wife, Helen, dau. of John Roper. His sister Elizabeth married William Markham of Okley. Married 1557, Elizabeth, dau. of James Harington of Exton, Rutland, by whom he had eight sons, inc. James, Henry, Sidney and Edward; and four daughters. Suc. family 1556. Kntd. bet. 1568 and 1570. J.p. Northants, from c.1559, sheriff 1559-60, 1570-1, 1588-9, 1600-1, dep. lt. 1570; commr. to regulate ‘export’ of corn 1572, Peterborough cathedral lands 1574, religious ‘disorders’ Northampton 1579, recusancy 1590s.
Montague's father was a judge who speculated in monastic lands, acquiring in Northamptonshire alone ‘eleven manors, one castle (presumably Barnwell), one baronial residence’ and the patronage of eight livings. After receiving livery of his lands in Jun 1557 Montague himself, who represented his shire once only, in the ill-reported 1559 Parliament, added to his Northamptonshire estates by a grant of concealed lands in the county, and bought the manor of Trafford and woods near Brigstock. He also purchased Bedfordshire property at Newton, Overdean and Woodhall. He was rich enough to give two of his daughters marriage portions of £3,000. The bishops’ letters to the Council in 1564 described him as an ‘earnest furtherer’ of religion; locally he was known as ‘the friend of Kettering’, and many of his contemporaries remarked on his piety and justice, his wisdom and service to the county. In Aug 1570, when the Earl of Sussex sent him his patent as deputy lieutenant, he added a note that he bestowed it ‘with as good a will as I would upon any man in England’.
His brother-in-law William Markham of Okley appointed Sir Edward Montague and John Harington, overseers of his will and guardians of his daughter Anne, who would not be free to marry without their consent; to Montague he bequeathed his best armour.
Montague was one of those who attended the funeral of Mary, Queen of Scots on 1 Aug 1587. He died on 26 Jan 1602.
Sources:
C. Wise, Montagus of Boughton, 17-18; CPR, 1555-7, p. 321
Cam. Misc. ix(3), p. 35
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