Richard (Williams) Cromwell (abt. 1510 - 1544)

Born about 1510 in Putney, Surrey, England

Ancestors

Husband of Frances (Murfyn) Cromwell — married before 8 Mar 1534 in London, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 20 Oct 1544 at about age 34 in London, England [uncertain]

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Biography

Richard was born about 1510, the son of Morgan Williams and his wife Katherine Cromwell^[1]. He was almost certainly born either at Putney, where his mother ran her father's ale-house, or in London, where his father worked as a lawyer and scrivener^[1]. It has been suggested that he was born in Wales^[2], but this is highly unlikely given that Morgan had moved to London to make his fortune and married a lady from near there.

In May 1516^[3], Richard's father died. It is not known whether his mother was still alive at this point. Either way it seems he ended up in the household his uncle, Thomas Cromwell, was establishing at Austin Friars in London. As part of this great household from such a young age, it is perhaps not surprising that Richard uses his uncle's surname as his own later in life.

Sometime in the late 1520s Thomas arranged for Richard to join the household of the Marquess of Dorset, the grandfather of Lady Jane Grey^[1]. This was typical of the time where the sons of one great house were sent to learn the ropes in another. When Thomas Cromwell writes his will in the summer of 1529, Richard was still in the Dorset household^[4].

In 1530, with the death of the Marquess and Thomas Cromwell's rise to prominence he returned to Austin Friars^[1]. He quickly became one of his uncle's most trusted agents and secretaries.

In March 1534 he was married to Frances Murfyn, one of three daughters who were the heiresses of Sir Thomas Murfyn, a former Lord Mayor of London^[1]. She was about fourteen at the time and it seems likely that the marriage was not consummated immediately as the first of their two sons, Henry and Francis, was not born until 1537^[1].

When the religious houses were assessed in 1535 & 36 for dissolution he was appointed one of the 'visitors', tasked by his uncle to make the rounds and take inventory^[1].

When the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion took place in 1536 to defend the monasteries Richard was active in its suppression and was knighted by Henry VIII^[2].

When the large scale dissolution began in 1538, Sir Richard did very well. On 8 March 1538, he paid just under £20 for the the grant of the nunnery of Hinchingbrooke in Huntingdonshire. The value must have been spectacularly underrated. He received the nunnery grounds and buildings themselves. In addition to this he acquired lands and premises in Hinchinbrooke, Huntingdon, Stewkley-Magna, Stewkley-Parva, Turkington, Houghton, Esington, Alconbury, Paxton-Magna, Paxton-Parva, Hail Weston, Waresley and Bawynhoo, all in Huntingdonshire; Eltisley, Bottisham and Boxworth in Cambridgeshire; Staplewe and Bewlow in Bedfordshire; Hamildon-Parva in Rutland; and Stoke Doyle and Oakley, in Northamptonshire^[2].

Further largesse followed and over the next two years he acquired (for various paltry sums) the Sawtry Abbey in Huntingdonshire, Swavesey Priory in Cambridgeshire, the Grey Friary of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk and, finally in March 1540, the immensely rich Ramsey Abbey in Huntingdonshire. This last cost Sir Richard almost £4,964, but had an annual income of nearly £2,000^[2]. The abbey was turned into a giant quarry and several Cambridge colleges were built from its stone. Richard was fabulously wealthy.

In 1539 he was made a gentleman of the privy chamber^[1] and in May of 1540, Sir Richard was one of the champions of the realm at one of the great jousts beloved by the King. He was granted an annuity of 100 marks and a diamond ring from the monarch^[2]. The month after his uncle was arrested and executed without trial.

King Henry regretted this immediately and the disaster in no way affected the surviving Cromwells' social standing. In 1541, Sir Richard was appointed High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire^[2]. In 1542, he was granted Huntingdon Priory and St Neot's Priory, both in Huntingdonshire and with a combined annual income of £490^[2]. He also became the MP for Huntingdonshire^[2].

When war broke out with France in 1542, Sir Richard went over with the English Army as a general of Infantry^[2]. His wife, Frances died while he was in France. Upon his return in 1544 he was appointed Constable of Berkeley Castle^[2].

Perhaps the campaign had affected his health, for he made his will on 20 Jun 1544 (proved on 24 Nov 1546)^[5]. Sir Richard died on 20 October 1544^[1], aged only 34 or 35. In his will he left his lands in England to Henry and those in Wales to Francis^[1]. He also left bequests to the wife, son and daughters of his brother, Walter.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Hofmann, T.M. (1982). "Cromwell, alias Williams, Richard (by 1512-44), of London; Stepney, Mdx. and Hinchingbroke, Hunts.". In Bindoff, S.T. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558,. Boydell and Brewer.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9} Memoirs of the protectorate-house of Cromwell: deduced from an early period, and continued down to the present time; by Mark Noble; Publ. 1784 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433075902258&view=1up&seq=34
3. ↑ Will of Morgan Williams, Scrivener of London; 15 May 1516; PROB 11/18/331 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D975077
4. ↑ Life and letters of Thomas Cromwell by Merriman, Roger Bigelow; Publication date: 1902; page 2 https://archive.org/stream/thomascromwell00merruoft#page/2/mode/2up
5. ↑ Will of Sir Richarde Williams otherwise called Richarde Cromwell, Gentleman of the King's Privy Chamber. 24 November 1546. PROB 11/31/335. National Archives. Space:Will_of_Sir_Richard_Williams_alias_Cromwell_1546

See also:

• Wikipedia: Richard_Williams_(alias_Cromwell)
• A Chronicle of England during the reigns of the Tudors ... By Charles Wriothesley. Camden Society New Series 1875, Vol XI, p117-118 [1]