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Sir Edward Horsey (1525 – 21 March 1583) was a conspirator against Queen
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
, then a soldier, ambassador and courtier under Queen
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. He was the eldest son of Jasper Horsey of Exton Devon and his wife Joan, who also had three other sons – Francis,
George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...
and John. Nothing is known of his early life or education but he may have fought as a soldier of fortune on the continent and been part of an embassy to France in 1551.


Conspirator

Edward Horsey was reported for spreading a rumour in
Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
of a revolt against Mary and her consort
Philip II of Spain Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...
in July 1555, and met with other malcontents in London shortly afterwards, becoming involved with the
Throckmorton plot The 1583 Throckmorton Plot was one of a series of attempts by English Roman Catholics to depose Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots, then held under house arrest in England. The alleged objective was to facilitate a Sp ...
. He went into exile in France in March 1556 and was part of the
Dudley conspiracy Dudley ( , ) is a market town in the West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically part of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. In the 20 ...
to overthrow the monarchy, with his brother Francis. The conspirators met
Henry II of France Henry II (; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was List of French monarchs#House of Valois-Angoulême (1515–1589), King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I of France, Francis I and Claude of France, Claude, Du ...
who promised them assistance but the plot was discovered and came to nothing. Horsey was made an outlaw. In France, Edward Horsey married an unknown French woman and met Robert Dudley, who later became Earl of Leicester. After Elizabeth's accession he had to remain in France but reported French "Sea Matters" to the English court. By summer 1562 he was Cecil's agent in Dieppe.


Soldier

In July 1562 Edward Horsey returned to England to report on the strife in France. Although still technically an outlaw, he was rewarded by a licence to import French wines into England. He was ordered back to France to help organise the defense of Dieppe and Rouen. He led a band of soldiers into battle near Harfleur. When the
Huguenots The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
surrendered Dieppe Horsey served as a treaty hostage but was eventually released. He was then formally pardoned for his part in the conspiracy against Philip and Mary, and named Captain of the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...
in the summer of 1565. He supervised the refurbishment of the island's defences against the expected Spanish invasion, including the repair of Carisbroke castle and West Cowes fort. As Admiral of Hampshire, Horsey was responsible for reporting hostile naval activity and pirates. In December 1568 he seized several Spanish vessels with a treasure valued at £31,000. The next year he commanded a troop against the rebels in the Northern Uprising. Until 1571, when it was forbidden by the Privy Council, he gave assistance to the
Sea Beggars ''Geuzen'' (; ; ) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called ''Watergeuzen'' (; ; ). In the Eigh ...
in the Channel. In August 1571 he outfitted a ship for
Martin Frobisher Sir Martin Frobisher (; – 22 November 1594) was an English sailor and privateer who made three voyages to the New World looking for the North-west Passage. He probably sighted Resolution Island near Labrador in north-eastern Canada, before ...
. In the autumn of 1576 he was authorised by the Privy Council to capture French pirates in the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
. In 1577 and afterwards Horsey was involved in a project to make gunpowder with Cornelius Stephenson. He became involved in plans to repel an expected Spanish invasion of Ireland.


Ambassador

Edward Horsey led embassies to
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
in 1568 and to France in 1573. He negotiated on behalf of English merchants and pleaded for the Protestant subjects of the king of Spain. Then in 1576 he was sent to Don John of Austria to defuse the situation with the rebellious Spanish Netherlands. Don John and the states agreed terms and Horsey was rewarded in December 1577 with a knighthood.


Courtier

Edward was a long time friend of the
Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. History Earl ...
and gave the bride, Lady Douglas Sheffield, away in her secret marriage to him in 1573. He undertook other tasks for Leicester and became a respected member of the
Royal Court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word ''court'' may also be app ...
. He supplied a ship for Hawkins' venture in the
West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
and was listed as a venturer "who promised but paid nothing" for Frobisher's attempted voyage to Cathay. Horsey had been appointed a justice of the peace for Hampshire and Wight in 1569, which post he held until he died. He was a Member of Parliament in 1571 for
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
(of which he had been made a burgess the year before) and then in 1572 for the county of Hampshire. On 22 May 1572 he was named on committees concerning firearms and 8 March one on Justices of the Forest. As Captain of the Isle of Wight he was appointed to committees dealing with ports and wines. He was appointed Keeper of Carisbroke park and Steward of Crworn Lands on the island as well as Commissioner for Piracy from 1565. By 1580 Edward Horsey was living at Great Haseley manor near Arreton on the Isle of Wight with Cowsebel Mille, who he would have married except that he had a wife in France. He enjoyed hunting and is said to have introduced hares into the island. In November 1580 he entertained the Portuguese Ambassador though many members of his household were "down with the disease". He seems to have contracted the plague shortly afterwards but recovered. By this time he had appointed a lieutenant to suppress piracy, whose negligence had led to an increase in their activity. Sir Edward became ill again the following year and died in February 1583. His lands in Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire passed to his brother George. He was buried in March in Carisbroke church. His alabaster and
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...
monument with effigy survives in St Thomas's Church, Newport, with his arms displayed above.


References

* Dictionary of National Biography * Houses of Parliament, Commons (1558–1603) * Loades D M, ''Two Tudor Conspiracies'', 1965. * Acts of the Privy Council * Calendars of State Papers, Domestic * Calendar of Patent Rolls * Peck, D C, ''
Leicester's Commonwealth ''Leicester's Commonwealth'' (originally titled ') (1584) is a scurrilous book that circulated in Elizabethan England and attacked Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. The work was read as Roman Catholic propaganda aga ...
'' 1985. * Kendall A, ''Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester'' 1980. * The National Archives, Probate 6/3, fol 63r. * Victoria County History, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. {{DEFAULTSORT:Horsey, Edward 1583 deaths 1525 births 16th-century English soldiers 16th-century English knights English MPs 1571 English MPs 1572–1583 Ambassadors of England