BACON, Sir Francis (1561-1626), of Gray’s Inn, London and Gorhambury, nr. St. Albans, Herts.; later of York House, The Strand, Westminster

Family and Education

b. 22 Jan. 1561, 5th s. of Sir Nicholas Bacon† (d.1579) of Redgrave, Suff., ld. kpr. 1558-79, being 2nd s. with his 2nd w. Anne, da. of Sir Anthony Cooke† of Gidea Hall, Romford, Essex;Letters and Life of Francis Bacon ed. J. Spedding, i. 1; Vis. Suff. (Harl. Soc. n.s., ii), 157-60. bro. of Anthony† and half-bro. of Edward†, Nathaniel* and Nicholas†. educ. Trin. Camb. 1573-6, MA 1594; G. Inn 1576, called 1583; embassy, Paris 1576-9. Al. Cant.; GI Admiss.; PBG Inn, i. 55; L. Jardine and A. Stewart, Hostage to Fortune, 59-64. m. 10 May 1606, Alice (d. 29 June 1650), da. and coh. of Benedict Barnham†, alderman and Draper of St. Clement’s Lane, London, s.p.Carleton to Chamberlain ed. M. Lee, 84; Jardine and Stewart, 517. suc. bro. Anthony in Gorhambury estate 1601; Jardine and Stewart, 253. Kntd. 23 July 1603; Shaw, Knights of Eng. ii. 114. cr. Bar. Verulam 12 July 1618, Visct. St. Alban 27 Jan. 1621.CP. d. 9 Apr. 1626. C142/515/75. sig. Fr[ancis] Bacon.

Offices Held

Bencher, G. Inn 1586 – 1617, reader 1588, 1600, dean of the chapel 1589 – 90, ?dep. treas. 1594 – 95, treas. 1608–17;PBG Inn, i. 72, 77, 88–9, 101, 145, 184, 500. dep. chief steward, duchy of Lancaster (south pts.) 1594-at least 1608; R. Somerville, Hist. Duchy of Lancaster, 433. KC 1604;Law Officers and King’s Counsel ed. J. Sainty (Selden Soc. suppl. ser. vii), 85. member, High Commission, Canterbury prov. 1601–21; R.G. Usher, Rise and Fall of High Commission, 346. sol. gen. 1607–13; C66/1734. clerk, Star Chamber 1608–17;Egerton Pprs. ed. J.P. Collier (Cam. Soc. xii), 427–8. judge, Ct. of the Verge 1608–17;Letters and Life of Francis Bacon, iv. 44n. steward, King’s Langley, Herts. 1611–?17; Duchy of Lancaster Office-Holders ed. R. Somerville, 213. standing counsel, St. Albans, Herts. 1612, Camb. Univ. by 1614; A.E. Gibbs, Corp. Recs. of St. Albans, 60; Procs. Camb. Antiq. Soc. xvii. 209. recorder, St. Albans 1614; Gibbs, 62. att. gen. 1613–17; C66/1982. high steward, St. Albans 1616 – d., Cambridge, Cambs. 1617–d. T. Birch, Ct. and Times of Chas. I, i. 431; Gibbs, 63; C.H. Cooper, Annals of Cambridge, 115.

J.p. Essex and Mdx. 1593 – 1621, St. Albans liberty, Herts. by 1603–d.; Hatfield House, ms 278; C181/1, f. 59; 181/3, f. 174v. freeman, Ipswich, Suff. 1597; N. Bacon, Annalls of Ipswich, 391. commr. oyer and terminer, London and Mdx. by 1601 – 21, the Verge 1606 – 21, sewers, London 1606 – 21, Herts. 1607–?21 New River 1611, Essex 1613 – ?21, subsidy, London 1608, aid 1609, annoyances, Surr. 1611, Mdx. 1613, piracy, London 1614 – 15, Devon 1615. C181/1, ff. 11, 13v; 181/2, ff. 13v, 20, 50, 142, 149v, 185v, 199, 214, 220v, 242, 308, 317; 181/3, ff. 1, 20v, 21v, 26v, 175; SP14/31/1; 14/43/107.

Commr. Union 1604.CJ, i. 208a.

Cttee. Virg. Co. 1609;Recs. Virg. Co. ed. S.M. Kingsbury, iv. 369. member, Newfoundland Co. 1610, N.W. Passage Co. 1612; T.K. Rabb, Enterprise and Empire, 238. E. I. Co. 1618.CSP Col. E.I. 1617–20, p. 229.

Commr. enfranchisement of copyholds 1612, augmentation of revenue 1612; C181/2, f. 172; Chamberlain Letters ed. N.E. McClure, i. 377. commr. cloth exports 1614;HMC Downshire, iv. 338. PC 1616–25;APC, 1615–16, p. 579; Chamberlain Letters, ii. 609. chan., Prince Charles’s Household 1616–17; G. Haslam, ‘Jacobean Phoenix’, in Estates of Eng. Crown, 1558–1640 ed. R.W. Hoyle, 276. ld. kpr. 1617 – 18, ld. chan. 1618–21;Letters and Life of Francis Bacon, vi. 151–2, 287. commr. gold and silver thread patent 1618.

Parlimentarian

BACON, Sir Francis (1561-1626), of Gray’s Inn, London and Gorhambury, nr. St. Albans, Herts.; later of York House, The Strand, Westminster

Main residences: Gray's Inn, London; Gorhambury, nr. St. Albans, Herts.; York House, The Strand, Westminster.

Author

J.P.F.

S.H.

Volume

Commons 1604-1629

Web Title

BACON, Sir Francis (1561-1626)

Will

Estates

Oxford 1644

Addresses

Religion