FORSTER, Sir Humphrey (c.1551-1602), of Aldermaston, Berks.

Forster’s main estates lay in Berkshire, but he also had a number of manors and other lands in Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and elsewhere, including a long lease of much of the property of the attainted Sir Francis Englefield. His local status was sufficient for him to obtain a turn as knight of the shire in 1593; in 1597 he was returned for his local borough of Reading. He was named to committees in 1593 concerning the relief of the poor (12 Mar.) and a private bill (19 Mar.), and as knight for Berkshire he was appointed to the subsidy committee (26 Feb.) and a legal committee (9 Mar.). In 1597 he was named to a committee concerning the town of Wantage on to Nov., and as Member for Reading he was included on a committee about cloth (18 Nov.). The Queen visited him on her progresses of 1592 and 1601, knighting him on the former occasion.3C142/270/108; PRO Index 16774, ff. 295, 311, 312; VCH Berks. iii. 387-90; D’Ewes, 474, 496, 503, 555, 559; Chamberlain Letters ed. McClure, i. 131.

He died 26 Feb. 1602. His nuncupative will, made in the last hours of his life, left to his wife lands worth £300 a year; his younger sons were left annuities of £30 together with £20 of stock; to his daughters he left £900 and £800 as marriage portions. As executors he appointed his wife and his son William, who proved the will 27 Nov. 1605.4PCC 72 Hayes; C142/270/108.