Edward STANLEY

(3rd E. Derby)

Married 1: Catherine HOWARD (C. Derby) 1529

Married 2: Dorothy HOWARD (C. Derby) 21 Feb 1530

Children:

1. Henry STANLEY (4° E. Derby)

2. Maria STANLEY (B. Stafford)

3. Thomas STANLEY (Sir)

4. Jane STANLEY (B. Sutton of Dudley)

5. Anne STANLEY (B. Stourton of Stourton)

6. Catherine STANLEY

7. Elizabeth STANLEY (B. Morley)

8. Margaret STANLEY

9. Edward STANLEY (Sir) (d. 1609)

Married 3: Margaret BARLOW (C. Derby) (d. 19 Jan 1558 - bur. 24 Feb 1558, Ormskirk) (dau. of Ellis Barlow and Anne Redish) 1547, Lathom, Lancashire, England

Married 4: Mary COTTON (C. Derby / C. Kent) (d. 16 Nov 1580) (dau. of Sir George Cotton and Mary Onley) (m.2 Henry Grey, 6° E. Kent) BEF 1 Jan 1561/2

Edward was about thirteen years old when he succeeded to his father's title and estates, and the King took responsibility for his upbringing until he came of age, his affairs were managed by commissioners, of whom Cardinal Wolsey was one, the governor and other civil authorities in Man being continued in office until he attained his majority.

In 1528, he attended the Cardinal on an embassy to France; and, in 1530, he was one of the peers who subscribed the declaration to Pope Clement VII. That, if he refused to confirm the divorce of Queen Catalina, his supremacy in England would be endangered.

In 1530, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk found himself in trouble over what he must have considered a mere formality, the requirement for the King's assent to all marriages within the peerage. Norfolk arranged for his eldest daughter, Catherine, to wed Edward Stanley, whose family had long held considerable influence in the north of the realm. Henry choose to view the arrangement as an abduction of the twenty year old Derby, who was still legally a minor. On 21 Feb 1530, Norfolk was forced to sue for pardon and post a bond with the King, but was still allowed to carry the marriage to conclusion. Catherine Howard was at least twenty two years old when a few weeks later, on 16 Mar 1530, died suddenly of the plague. Anxious not to loose this alliance the Duke arranged for his half-sister, Dorothy to become Derby's second wife. Norfolk considered the Derby marriage to be so important that he 'had no had a sister to offer he would have proposed his oher daughter...' who has been promised to the King bastard son, the Duke of Richmond.

In 1532, he issued a commission to inquire into the exactions which the people of Man alleged were practised by the clergy under the guise of mortuaries or corpse-presents. In the same year he was present with Henry VIII at his interview with Francois I at Boulogne, and, in 1533, he was made a Knight of the Bath.

He took a prominent part in suppressing the northern rebellion in 1536 and 1537. In 1542, he accompanied the Duke of Norfolk, on his raid into Scotland.

On the accession of Edward VI in 1547, he received the Garter; and, in 1550, he was one of the peers who were parties to the articles of peace with the Scottish and French. In Jun 1551, it was reported that he had been commanded to renounce his title to the Isle of Man and that he had refused, being prepared to resist by force. It is not known what truth there is in this, but, if any action was intended to have been taken against him, it was probably on account of his strong opposition to all religious changes.

For the same reason, he would have been in high favour on the accession of Queen Mary. He was then appointed Lord High Steward of England and a member of the Privy Council. He was a commissioner for the trial of Lady Jane Grey and others, and, during Mary's reign, he frequently took part in the proceedings against heretics.

He contrived to secure the favourable opinion of Queen Elizabeth, being one of those summoned to meet her on her entry into London. She retained him as a privy councillor and, in 1559, she appointed him chamberlain of Chester.

In 1561, he appointed five commissioners to examine into and establish regulations for preventing the "great Waste that hathe been made in the Castle, and in the Peele, in bread, fuell, candles, and other things", and to fix the fees of certain officers and the amount of fines and amercements due to the Lord of the Isle for infringement of the laws.

The Earl died 24 Oct 1572, at Lathom House, and was buried 4 Dec 1572. He was suceeded by his eldest son, Henry, as fourth Earl of Derby.

"With his death the glory of hospitality seemed to fall asleep"

William Camden.

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