Anthony Cooke KB (1504 - 1576)

Born May 1504 in Havering-atte-Bower, Essex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Anne (FitzWilliam) Cooke — married 1523 in Romford, Essex, England

Descendants

Died 12 Jun 1576 at age 72 in St Gregory by St Paul, City of London, England

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Biography

This profile is part of the Cook Name Study.

Anthony Cooke was born in May 1504 at Gidea Hall in Romford, Essex. ^{[1] [2]} He was the first son of John Cooke of Gidea Hall and Alice Saunders, daughter, of William Saunders of Banbury, Oxon. ^[3] Anthony’s father John died when he was eleven and he was raised by his uncle Richard Cooke, a diplomatic courier under Henry VIII, and his stepmother, Margaret Pennington. ^{[3] [4]}

He was privately tutored and in January of 1523/4, at the age of 17, he was admitted to the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, a training school for law. A year later, in 1524/5 he was admitted to the Essex chamber at the Inner Temple for life. He was a barrister belonging to one of the four prestigious Inns of Court. ^{[4] [5] [3] [6] [7]}

He married Anne Fitzwilliam, daughter of Sir William Fitzwilliam of Gains Park, ^[2] granddaughter of Sir John Hawes of London. They were married prior to his entering the Inner Temple. They had 4 sons Anthony, Richard, Edward, William and 5 daughters Mildred, wife of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Anne, wife of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Elizabeth, wife of Sir Thomas Hoby, and of John, Lord Russell, Margaret, wife of Sir Ralph Rowlett, and Katherine, wife of Sir Henry Killigrew.^{[8] [9] [10] [11]}

Sir Anthony tutored his children and is especially remembered for his dedication to educating his daughters. Only a very few women who were the daughters of intellectual and aristocratic families were educated. Sir Anthony was intent that his children and especially his daughters would receive lessons in Latin, Greek, and other Humanist subjects. He believed very strongly that educating his daughters was just as important as educating his sons. He felt that their education put them in a better position to marry well. His daughters were some of the most educated women of their time. ^{[12] [13] [14]} He was remembered for saying “There are three things before whom I can do no wrong, my Prince, my conscience, and my children.” ^{[15] [16]} In 1570, he settled on his second son William, the manor of Magdalen Laver, in the county of Essex. It was upon William's marrying Frances, daughter of Lord John Grey of Pirgo.^[17]

He was tutor to the son of Lord Seymour the 1st Earl of Hertfordshire. One day after watching Sir Anthony with one of his children, he said, “Some men govern families with more skill than others do Kingdoms”. Lord Seymour was Lord Protector of his nephew, King Edward VI after the death of King Henry VIII. In 1550, he entrusted Sir Anthony with Edward’s moral education and appointed him one of the King’s tutors. Sir Anthony was granted a life annuity of £100 for “training and good manners” to the King. ^{[18] [19]}

On 25 Jul 1553, during Lady Mary Tudor’s acts to restore herself to the line of succession, Sir Anthony was committed to the tower along with King Edward’s other tutors. It was believed that he was complicit in the plot to crown Lady Jane. His residence was searched after which he was exonerated and released. Shortly after Mary Tudor was crowned, he fled the continent and was well-received in university communities where the Reformation took hold in Strasbourg, France, and Italy. He traveled abroad with other learned men and humanists including the deceased King’s other tutors and his future son-in-law Thomas Hoby. He did not return to England until after the death of Queen Mary and after Queen Elizabeth I had been crowned. ^{[3] [5] [18] [20] [21] [22]}

His home at Gidea Hall was the scene of many intellectual gatherings, sanctioned by the Crown, and even charged with specific treatise commissions. William Cecil's presence there shaped two profound developments in Cooke's life. First, Cooke's brilliant daughter Mildred met and eventually married the man who was to become Lord Burghley, Elizabeth I's Secretary of State, and most influential and trusted advisor. Second, in his position of influence Burghley was able to rescue Cooke when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for his partisanship in the matter of Lady Jane Grey. Cooke's retirement was spent in Emeritus status, meaning he met the commissions that appealed to him and delegated the ones that did not, to the various scholars who surrounded him. ^{[3] [4] [10]}

He wrote his Will on 22 May 1576 and made a codicil on 9 Jun of the same year shortly before his death. He left bequests totaling about £1200 to his living children, grandchildren, servants, and others. His sons Richard and William were, left lands which brought in £1100 per annum. His daughters were, left books of Latin and Greek from his personal library. This attests to the wealth he had accumulated during his lifetime. His son-in-laws Sir Bacon and Lord Burghley were named the executors of his Will and received £200 each for acting in that capacity. ^{[23] [24]} Sir Anthony died on 12 Jun 1576 at age 70 in London. ^[25] He was buried on 21 Jun 1576 in St Edward the Confessor’s Church in Romford, Essex. ^{[4] [21] [26]}

Notes

• In 1752 the calendar in England changed from old style to new style. Previous to 1752 the new year began on March 25th in 1752 it was changed and began January 1st. Dates prior to 1752 occurring between January 1st and March 25th will be recorded as dual years to reflect the change. The same year, they stopped using the Julian Calendar in favor of the Gregorian Calendar.

• The church St Edward the Confessor where Sir Anthony was buried, and where his memorial is located was rebuilt in the same location as the original church. Sir Anthony’s tomb was removed from the old church prior to it being demolished and relocated to the new church upon its completion. ^{[27] [28]}

• There is a discrepancy in his date of death. The parish registry has it recorded as the 12th of Jun, while his memorial tomb has the 11th of Jun.

• His son Edward (Edmond in the 1564 visitation) died before him and there were few references about him. Edward died in 1566. ^[29]

• It is most probable that his son Anthony died at a young age. There were even fewer references about him and those only noted that he was the son of Sir Anthony.

• There are two grandchildren Marie and Anne Cooke listed in his Will without identifiable parentage. These are most likely not the children of his son Edward as there was not a wife or children identified in Edward's Will when he died in 1566.

Sources

1. ↑ Wikisource contributors. "Cooke, Anthony (DNB00)." Wikisource . Wikisource , 7 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Jul. 2020. Cooke, Anthony", Dictionary of National Biography (free to view)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Hasler, P W, editor. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603: Cocke, Sir Anthony (c.1505-76), of Gidea Hall, Essex and Abergenny Place, Warwick Lane, London. 1981. Accessed 15 Mar 2019.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} McIntosh, Marjorie Keniston. "Sir Anthony Cooke: Tudor Humanist, Educator, and Religious Reformer." Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 119, no. 3 (1975): 233-50. Accessed July 14, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/986673. (subscription required to view)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Donn L. Calkins, 2004. “Sir Anthony Cook, 1505/6-1576, Educator and Humanist”. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004. doi.org/10.193/ref:odnb/6155. Accessed 18 July 2020. (subscription required to view) (free access available online at some libraries)
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Charles Welch 1887. “Dictionary of National Biography”. MacMillan and Co. books.google.com. Dictionary of National Biography-Sir Anthony Cooke
6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. "Barrister." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 Sep. 2020. Web. 7 Sep. 2020. Barrister
7. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. "Inner Temple." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 1 Jun 2020. Web. 22 Jul 2020. Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
8. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. II, p. 219
9. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. II, p. 678.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} McIntosh, Marjorie K. “The Fall of a Tudor Gentle Family: The Cookes of Gidea Hall, Essex, 1579-1629.” Huntington Library Quarterly, vol. 41, no. 4, 1978, pp. 279–297. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3817073. Accessed 21 July 2020. (subscription required to view)
11. ↑ Metcalfe, Walter C. (Walter Charles). "The visitations of Essex", Part I, Pgs 39-40. Compiled by the Family History Library, digitazed by Family Search. archive.org. Accessed 22 July 2020. The visitations of Essex
12. ↑ Friedman, Alice T. “The Influence of Humanism on the Education of Girls and Boys in Tudor England.” History of Education Quarterly, vol. 25, no. 1/2, 1985, pp. 57–70. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/368891. Accessed 3 Sept. 2020. (subscription required to view)
13. ↑ Martyr, Peter, and Marvin W. Anderson. “Peter Martyr, Reformed Theologian (1542-1562): His Letters to Heinrich Bullinger and John Calvin.” The Sixteenth Century Journal, vol. 4, no. 1, 1973, pp. 41–64. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2539767. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020. (subscription required to view)
14. ↑ Hoffman, C. Fenno. “Catherine Parr as a Woman of Letters.” Huntington Library Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 4, 1960, pp. 349–367. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3816512. Accessed 22 Sept 2020. (subscription required to view)
15. ↑ Edward VI, King of England, 1537-1553; Nichols, John Gough, 1806-1873. 'Literary remains of King Edward the Sixth. Edited from his autograph manuscripts, with historical notes and a biographical memoir'. London, J. B. Nichols, and sons, 1857. archive.org Accessed 27 Oct 2020. Literary remains of King Edward the Sixth
16. ↑ Wiffen, J.H., 1833. “Historical Memoirs of the House of Russell: From the Time of the Norman Conquest”. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman. Vol. 1, pgs. 495-504 Books.google.com. Historical Memoirs of the House of Russell Accessed 3 Sep 2020.
17. ↑ "Magdalen Laver: Manor," in A History of the County of Essex: Volume 4, Ongar Hundred, ed. W R Powell (London: Victoria County History, 1956), 105-107. British History Online, accessed June 4, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol4/pp105-107.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} David Lloyd, “State-worthies: Or, The Statesmen and Favourites of England from the Reformation to the Revolution”. London (Printed for J. Robson, Bookseller to her Royal Highness the Princess Dowager of Wales). books.google.com. Accessed 22 Jul 2020.Observation on the Life of Sir Anthony Cooke
19. ↑ Anna Whitelock, and Diarmaid MacCulloch. “Princess Mary's Household and the Succession Crisis, July 1553.” The Historical Journal, vol. 50, no. 2, 2007, pp. 265–287. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4140130. Accessed 20 Jul 2020. (subscription required to view)
20. ↑ Marjorie Keniston McIntosh, “A Community Transformed: The Manor and Liberty of Havering-Atte-Bower 1500-1620”. Cambridge University Press, Pgs. 314-316. books.google.com. The Manor and Liberty of Havering-atte-Bower
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Lysons, Daniel. "Romford." The Environs of London: Volume 4, Counties of Herts, Essex, and Kent. London: T Cadell and W Davies, 1796. 183-203. British History Online. Web. 6 September 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-environs/vol4/pp183-203.
22. ↑ John Strype. "Ecclesiastical Memorials: Relating Chiefly to Religion and its Reformation under the Reigns of King Henry VIII. King Edward VI. and Queen Mary the First", Vol 4, Pg 23-26. London: Printed For Samuel Bagster, No. 81, STRAND, MDCCCXVI. babel.hathitrust.org. Accessed 1 Sep 2020. Ecclesiastical Memorials: Relating Chiefly to Religion and its Reformation under the Reigns of King Henry VIII. King Edward VI. and Queen Mary the First
23. ↑ Anthony Cooke, 1577. ‘Probate, Will of Sir Anthony Cooke of Giddea Hall in Havering, Essex’ The National Archives, Kew. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Accessed 29 Jun 2020. Catalogue Description
24. ↑ A copy of the Will of Sir Anthony Cooke is in the possession of contributor Laura.
25. ↑ Anthony Cooke, 1576. "Parish of St Gregory by St Paul, City of London, England". London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: P69/GRE/A/001/MS10231. Ancestry.co.uk. Accessed 26 Sep 2020. Death Registry Image (subscription required to view)
26. ↑ "Romford: Religious history." A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7. Ed. W R Powell. London: Victoria County History, 1978. 82-91. British History Online. Web. 7 September 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol7/pp82-91
27. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. (2020, August 5). Church of St Edward the Confessor, Romford. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:39, September 2, 2020, from St Edward the Confessor
28. ↑ Lysons, Daniel. "Romford." The Environs of London: Volume 4, Counties of Herts, Essex and Kent. London: T Cadell and W Davies, 1796. 183-203. British History Online. Web. 30 August 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-environs/vol4/pp183-203.
29. ↑ Will of Edward Cooke, Probate 21 December 1566. PROB 11/48/663. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk Record of the Will of Edward Cooke

See Also

• Sir Anthony Cooke Find A Grave: Memorial #204483584

• Visitation of Essex 1558 (Image)

• Visitation of Essex 1634 (image)

• Visitation of Lincolnshire 1562-4 (Image)

• Visitation of York 1563-4 (Image)

• Royal Ancestry by Douglas Richardson Vol. V. page 94

• Richardson, Douglas: Plantagenet Ancestry, 2nd edn. (2011), 3 vols, Volume 1, page 236, BELKNAP 15.

• Cooke, Sir Anthony (c.1505-76), of Gidea Hall, Essex and Abergenny Place, Warwick Lane, London. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981.

• Walter James Harrison, New Light on Francis Cooke, et al, Vol XXVII, No 4, Oct, 1925, p.145 (The Mayflower Descendant)

• Wikipedia contributors, "Anthony Cooke," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anthony_Cooke&oldid=1080952591 (accessed May 6, 2022).

• Sir Anthony Cooke. Our Royal, Titled, Noble, and Commoner Ancestors.