She was baptised at Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire on 5 March 1559/60.[3][4][5] The parish register names her Suzanna, but her father's will[6] and her marriage record[7] suggest she was known as Susan.
Susan married Roger Dudley on 8 June 1575 in Lidlington, Bedfordshire when she was about 15 years old.[3][4][7]
Mary Dudley[3][4] baptised at Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire 16 October 1580.[1][9]
It is possible they also had a younger son, Francis, baptised on 10 Jun 1583, see Research Notes below.
In 1585 Queen Elizabeth I signed the Treaty of Nonesuch with the Dutch rebels fighting against Spain. Elizabeth agreed to support the rebels with a force of 6400 soldiers and 1000 cavalry to be led by Sir Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. It is likely that Roger joined this force as a captain because he was subsequently killed in Europe,[6] possibly at the Siege of Zutphen in 1586.[3][4] We know he died before October 1588 because his wife, Susan was a legatee in her father's will dated 29 October 1588 and he referred to her as a widow.[1]
Susan's date of death is unknown, but according to Mather her children were still young when she died and he mentions their maternal great aunt, Anne Purefoy, being involved with their care.[6]
Research Notes
Possible Son, Francis
It is possible that Susan and Roger Dudley had another son called Francis. A Francis Dudley was baptised on 10 Jun 1583 in Hardwick, Northamptonshire, approximately ten miles from Yardley Hastings. Although no parents were mentioned, the child's sponsors, Francis Nicolls, his wife, Anne Nicolls and mother-in-law Mary Seymer, were closely related to Anne Purefoy who was involved in the care of Susan's other children, plus the dates and circumstances fit with him being a child of Susan and Roger.[10] Connections in the Nicolls, Purefoy and Dudley families were researched by John G Nicolls[11] however, at this stage further corroborating evidence confirming Francis as a son of Susan and Roger, such as a mention in the will of a family member, has not been found.
Previously-Shown Daughter Mary Dudley-497
The profile Mary Dudley currently (19 January 2024) conflates three different Marys:
a Mary (Dudley) Sutton, Countess of Home (1586-1644):
Mary (Dudley) Sutton, born 2 October 1586, was the eldest daughter of Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley (d. 1643) and his wife Theodosia Harington (d. 1649), youngest daughter of Sir James Harington. The title "Dudley" and surname "Sutton" were interchangeable[12]
a Mary (Dudley) Penn married to Francis Penn.
a Mary Dudley, child of Roger Dudley and Susan Thorne and baptised at Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire on 16 October 1580.[9]
Roger and Susan have previously been shown on WikiTree as the parents for this profile: they should not be reattached unless this profile is revised so that it refers only to the Mary who was their daughter.
Sources
↑ 1.01.11.21.3 Mary Kingsbury Talcott, The Maternal Ancestry of Governor Thomas Dudley in 'The New England Historical and Genealogical Register', Vol. 66 (October 1912) pages 340 - 341, NEHGR98 American Ancestors website subscription required.
↑ Camden, Williams. The Visitation of the County of Leicester in the year 1619 London 1817 page 33
↑ 3.03.13.23.33.4 Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011), vol. II, page 97, DUDLEY 17, Susan Thorne.
↑ 4.04.14.24.34.4 Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), Vol. V, p. 476, DUDLEY 20, Susan Thorne (Not available on line)
↑ Northamptonshire : Yardley Hastings : St Andrew : Register of unspecified type : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG: (viewed 31 Jan 2024) baptism Suzanna Dorne 05 Mar 1559/60
↑ 6.06.16.26.3 Mather, Cotton. The Life of Mr. Thomas Dudley, several times governor of the colony of Massachusetts, published by John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, 1870), Page 5
↑ 7.07.1England Marriages, 1538–1973, database, FamilySearch : 13 March 2020, Susan Thorne in entry for Roger Dudley, 1575.
↑ Northamptonshire : Yardley Hastings : St Andrew : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG: (viewed 19 Jan 2024) baptism Thomas Dudley 12 Oct 1576
↑ 9.09.1 Northamptonshire : Yardley Hastings : St Andrew : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG: (viewed 19 Jan 2024) baptism Mary Dudley 16 Oct 1580
↑ Hinman, Barry E., Francis Dudley, an Unknown Brother of Gov. Thomas Dudley, in 'New England Historical and Genealogical Register', Vol. 174, 2020, p. Page 301-2, NEHGR98 American Ancestors website subscription required.
↑ Nicols, John Gough The Families of Nicolls, Purefey, and Dudley in 'The Herald and Genealogist, Vol 3' Pages 308 - 315 Internet Archive
↑ Staffordshire Record Society Collections for a history of Staffordshire Vol 9 published Houghton and Hammond, Birmingham, England,1888 page 112
Acknowledgements
Magna Carta Project
This profile was developed for the Magna Carta Project by Alan Davis in January 2024 and reviewed for the Project by Michael Cayley on 24 January 2024.
I will be reviewing and editing this Profile under the Magna Carta Project. If anyone knows of additional information which should be included, please message me. Cheers, Alan