Constituency Dates
Bletchingley [1597]
Surrey
Sussex 1601, 1604
New Shoreham 1614
Family and Education
b. 17 Sept. 1579, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Charles Howard I by his 1st w., and bro. of Sir William, Lord Howard of Effingham. educ. G. Inn 1598. m. (1) 19 May 1597, Charity (d.1618), da. of Robert White of Christchurch Hants, wid. of Richard Leeche of Fletching, Suss., s.p.; (2) 22 Apr. 1620, Mary, da. of Sir William Cockayne of Rushton, Northants., s.p. Kntd. 1603; styled. Lord Howard or Lord Effingham from 1615; suc. fa. as 2nd Earl of Nottingham 1624.
Offices Held

Gent. pens. 1598–1604/5; j.p. Surr. from 1601, ld. lt. from 1621; keeper, Windsor great park 1601 – 16, of Ditton park, Bucks. 1603; v.-adm. Suss. from 1626.

Address
Main residence: Effingham, Surr.
biography text

Howard was returned for the family borough of Bletchingley at the 1597 general election, and his elder brother William for the county. On William’s withdrawing, Charles was chosen at a by-election on 24 Oct. Thus he became a knight of the shire at the age of 18, even before he had attended an inn of court. As such he was eligible to attend committees on enclosures (5 Nov.), the poor law (5, 22 Nov.), armour and weapons (8 Nov.), penal laws (8 Nov.), monopolies (10 Nov.), the subsidy (15 Nov.), and the repair of highways in Surrey, Sussex and Kent (29 Jan. 1598). In 1601 he was elected for Sussex, thus becoming one of the few Elizabethan MPs to sit for two counties. He could have attended the main business committee (3 Nov.) and the monopolies committee (23 Nov.).

He continued to sit in Parliament during the Stuart period, but his estates were not sufficient to maintain the dignity of an earl and after succeeding his father he played little part in affairs of state. He died 8 Oct. 1642, having made his will the previous 24 Aug.1CP; Surr. Arch. Soc. ix. 413; E407/1/24; D’Ewes, 552, 553, 555, 557, 561, 589, 624, 649; PRO Index 4208, p. 244; PRO index patent rolls; C219/284; PCC 119 Campbell.

Author
P.W.H.
Volume
Commons 1558-1603
Notes
  • 1. CP; Surr. Arch. Soc. ix. 413; E407/1/24; D’Ewes, 552, 553, 555, 557, 561, 589, 624, 649; PRO Index 4208, p. 244; PRO index patent rolls; C219/284; PCC 119 Campbell.