Peerage Record – 10537

     Sir William Spencer was the son of Sir John Spencer and Isabel Grant.¹ He married Susan Knightley, daughter of Sir Richard Knightley and Jane Skenard.¹ He died on 22 June 1532.¹
     He was appointed Knight in 1529.¹ He lived at Althorp, Northamptonshire, England^G.² He held the office of High Sheriff of Northamptonshire from 1532 to 1533.¹

     Susan Knightley was the daughter of Sir Richard Knightley and Jane Skenard.^1,2 She married Sir William Spencer, son of Sir John Spencer and Isabel Grant.¹
     She was also known as Susan Knightly.

     Sir Richard Knightley was the son of Sir Richard Knightley and Eleanor Throgmorton.² He married Jane Skenard.² He died in 1534.²
     He lived at Fawsley, Northamptonshire, England^G.²

     Jane Spencer was the daughter of Sir William Spencer and Susan Knightley.¹ She married, secondly, Sir Simon Harcourt, son of Sir John Harcourt and Margaret Barentyne.² She married, firstly, Sir Richard Bruges.¹
     Her married name became Harcourt. Her married name became Bruges.¹

     Sir Richard Bruges married Jane Spencer, daughter of Sir William Spencer and Susan Knightley.¹
     He lived at Shefford, Berkshire, England.²

     Rowland Laugharne lived at St. Bride’s, London, England^G.¹

     Sir John Spencer was the son of William Spencer and Elizabeth Empson. He married Isabel Grant, daughter of Walter Grant, before 1506.¹ He died on 14 April 1522.¹
     On 3 September 1506 he acquired the Wormleighton estate in Warwickshire, as well as the Althorp estate in Northamptonshire.¹

     Isabel Grant was the daughter of Walter Grant.² She married Sir John Spencer, son of William Spencer and Elizabeth Empson, before 1506.¹

     Lady Dorothy Sydney was baptised on 5 October 1617.³ She was born at Scion House, England^G.³ She was the daughter of Robert Sydney, 2nd Earl of Leicester and Lady Dorothy Percy.¹ She married, firstly, Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland, son of William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton and Lady Penelope Wriothesley, on 20 July 1639 at Penhurst, Kent, England^G.¹ She married, secondly, Robert Smythe, son of Sir John Smythe and Isabel Rich, on 8 July 1652.³ She died on 5 February 1683/84 at age 66.⁴ She was buried on 25 February 1683/84 at Brington, Northamptonshire, England^G.³
     From 20 July 1639, her married name became Spencer. After her marriage, Lady Dorothy Sydney was styled as Countess of Sunderland on 8 June 1643. From 8 July 1652, her married name became Smythe.

     Robert Sydney, 2nd Earl of Leicester was born on 1 December 1595 at Barnard’s Castle, London, England^G.² He was the son of Robert Sydney, 1st Earl of Leicester and Barbara Gamage.² He married Lady Dorothy Percy, daughter of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland and Lady Dorothy Devereux, circa January 1615.² He died on 2 November 1677 at age 81.²
     He was also known as Robert Sidney.³ He was appointed Knight, Order of the Bath (K.B.) in 1610.² He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England^G.² He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Kent between 1620 and 1622.² He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Monmouthshire from 1624 to 1625.² He succeeded as the 2nd Viscount L’Isle [E., 1605] on 13 July 1626.² He succeeded as the 2nd Baron Sydney of Penshurst, co. Kent [E., 1603] on 13 July 1626.² He succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Leicester [E., 1618] on 13 July 1626.² He held the office of Ambassador to Holstein in 1632.² He partipicated in an ordinance between July 1632 and November 1632; Ambassador to Denmark.² He held the office of Ambassador to France between 1636 and 1641.² He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Wilton in 1637.² He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1639.² He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland between 1641 and 1643.² He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Kent in 1642.² He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1660.²