William BLOUNT

(4th B. Mountjoy)

Born: ABT 1478, Barton Blount, Derbyshire, England

Died: 8 Nov 1534, Sutton on the Hill, Derbyshire, England

Buried: Barton Blount, Derbyshire, England

Notes: Knight of the Garter.

Father: John BLOUNT (3° B. Mountjoy)

Mother: Lora BERKELEY (B. Mountjoy / C. Ormonde)

Married 1: Elizabeth SAY (B. Mountjoy) 1497

Children:

1. Charles BLOUNT (5° B. Mountjoy)

2. Mary BLOUNT (C. Essex)

3. Gertrude BLOUNT (M. Exeter)

Married 2: Alice KEBLE (B. Mountjoy) (b. 1482 - d. 8 Jun 1521, Grey Friars, London, England) (dau. of Henry Keble, Lord Mayor of London, and Joan Bryce) (w. William Browne, Lord Mayor of London) BEF 15 Feb 1515

Children:

4. Catherine BLOUNT

5. Edward BLOUNT

Married 3: Ines De BENEGAS (B. Mountjoy)

Married 4: Dorothy GREY (B. Willoughby of Broke) BEF 29 Jul 1523

Children:

6. Mary BLOUNT

7. Dorothy BLOUNT

William Blount was born circa 1478 in Barton Blount, Derbyshire, the eldest son of John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy (c.1450-1485) and Lora Berkeley. He married four times; firstly to Elizabeth Say, secondly to Alice Keble, daughter of Henry Keble, Lord Mayor of London, thirdly to Ines de Benegas and fourthly to Dorothy Grey, widow of Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke. By his first wife he had 3 children, including his eldest son Charles, and Gertrude.

Famous as a scholar and patron of learning. He was a pupil of Erasmus, who called him inter nobiles doctissimus. His friends included Colet, More and Grocyn. He held a command in the force sent to suppress Perkin Warbeck's rebellion in 1497. In 1513 he was appointed governor of Tournai, and his letters to Wolsey and Henry VIII, describing his vigorous government of the town are preserved in the British Museum.

He was present with Henry VIII at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520, and at the meeting with Carlos V in 1522. He had been master of the mint since 1509, and chamberlain to Catalina of Aragon since 1512. It fell to him in this office to announce to the Queen about Henry's intention to divorce her; he also signed the letter to the Pope conveying the King's threat to repudiate the papal supremacy unless the divorce were granted.

Mountjoy, who was one of the wealthiest English nobles of his time, died in 1534. His son Charles, 5th Baron Mountjoy, was also a patron of learning.

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