Hercules Underhill
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Sir Hercules Underhill (1581–1658) was the son of William Underhill of
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
, owner of
New Place New Place was William Shakespeare's final place of residence in Stratford-upon-Avon. He died there in 1616. The whole building was demolished in 1702 by Sir John Clopton, who replaced it with a modern-style house, also called New Place. This i ...
in
Stratford-Upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon ( ), commonly known as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon (district), Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands region of Engl ...
. William Underhill sold New Place to
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
in 1597, and Hercules Underhill confirmed the sale in 1602.


Family

Hercules Underhill, born in 1581, was the second son of William Underhill (d.1597) and Mary Underhill (buried 10 November 1590), daughter of Thomas Underhill of
Ettington Ettington is a village and civil parish about south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,171. The present village is on the A422 main road linking Stratford and Banbury. ...
,
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
. He had five brothers and three sisters: *
Fulke Underhill Fulke Underhill (1578–1599) was the son of William Underhill II of Warwickshire, owner of New Place in Stratford-Upon-Avon. His father sold New Place to William Shakespeare in 1597, and his brother Hercules Underhill confirmed the sale in 16 ...
(baptized 28 January 1578, d. 21 March 1599). *Timothy Underhill (d.1658) of
Idlicote Idlicote is a small settlement and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire, about north-east of Shipston-on-Stour and south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon. Population details can be found under Honington. The best known feature is Idli ...
. *Ludowick (or Lewis) Underhill, citizen and haberdasher of London, living 1607. *William Underhill (baptized 6 March 1588, d. 1656) of
Ludlow Ludlow ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire (district), Shropshire, England. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the conf ...
, who married Hester Parker (1601–1641), daughter of Samuel Parker of Ludlow, mercer. *Simon Underhill of Idlicote, (baptized 16 November 1589, d.1664), who married Elizabeth Hall (1585–1638), widow of Walter Savage (d.1622) of Broadway, and daughter of Richard Hall of Idlicote. *Dorothy Underhill (baptized 18 May 1579). *Elizabeth Underhill (baptized 10 November 1585, buried 25 November 1585). *Valentine Underhill (baptized 17 February 1587), who married John Bolt. Hercules Underhill's paternal grandparents were William Underhill (d. 31 March 1570) and Ursula Congreve (d. 13 May 1561), youngest daughter of John Congreve, esquire, of Stretton,
Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...
; they had one son, William (1563-1597), and four daughters (Dorothy b.1551, Elizabeth b.1553, Anne 1557-1625, Margaret b.1559). After Ursula Congreve's death, William Underhill married Dorothy Hatton (1536-1569), widow of Richard Newport of Hunningham,
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
, and sister of
Sir Christopher Hatton Sir Christopher Hatton (12 December 1540 – 20 November 1591) was an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England. He was one of the judges who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason. Early ...
, by whom he had no issue.


Family history

Hercules Underhill's paternal grandfather, William Underhill (c.1523 – 31 March 1570), was an
Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...
lawyer and clerk of assizes at
Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...
, and a substantial property holder in
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
. Among his holdings was the manor of Idlicote, which he purchased from Lodovic Greville. He also held a 21-year lease on the manor of Newbold Revel from Thomas Throckmorton. In 1567 he purchased
New Place New Place was William Shakespeare's final place of residence in Stratford-upon-Avon. He died there in 1616. The whole building was demolished in 1702 by Sir John Clopton, who replaced it with a modern-style house, also called New Place. This i ...
in
Stratford upon Avon Stratford-upon-Avon ( ), commonly known as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-west o ...
from William Bott, agent of William Clopton, esquire. In addition to these properties he held the manors of Loxley and
Barton-on-the-Heath Barton-on-the-Heath is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 85. From the Census 2011 population details are included in the neighbourin ...
, 'together with other houses and lands in Stratford, Hollington, Hardwick, Meriden, Haselor, Drayton and Easinghall'. William Underhill died 31 March 1570, and was buried at Nether Ettington, where he and his first wife are commemorated by a marble monument. In his will he directed that his estates were not to be alienated by his heir save in circumstances of 'pressing need'. His three daughters were given marriage portions of five hundred pounds and a silver spoon apiece. His second daughter was given the wedding ring which had belonged to her stepmother, Dorothy Hatton, and his youngest daughter was given one of her mother Ursula Congreve's rings. William Underhill (d.1597), his only son and heir, was sixteen years of age at his father's death in 1570, and became a ward of the crown. His wardship was purchased in 1571 by his stepmother Dorothy's Hatton's brother,
Sir Christopher Hatton Sir Christopher Hatton (12 December 1540 – 20 November 1591) was an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England. He was one of the judges who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason. Early ...
. When he came of age in about 1575, William Underhill inherited his father's estates. Shortly thereafter he obtained licence to sell the manor of Loxley to Thomas Underhill, one of his cousins, and about that time married Mary Underhill (d.1590), another cousin. In 1579 he was imprisoned for recusancy, 'but being able to give an explanation to Burghley, was soon released'. In 1581, by reason of pressing financial circumstances, he was granted licence to alienate lands in Hollington and Meriden. In 1587 he was appointed
escheator Escheat () is a common law doctrine that transfers the real property of a person who has died without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in "limbo" without recognized ownership. It originally applied to ...
for Warwickshire and Leicestershire. In 1590 his wife, Mary, died. She was buried at Idlicote, and after her death he settled his estates in trust on his eldest son and heir, Fulke Underhill.


Real estate proceedings with Shakespeare

In Easter term 1597 William Underhill sold
New Place New Place was William Shakespeare's final place of residence in Stratford-upon-Avon. He died there in 1616. The whole building was demolished in 1702 by Sir John Clopton, who replaced it with a modern-style house, also called New Place. This i ...
to
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
for £60 by final concord dated 4 May (see Shakespeare Birthplace Trust MS, Item 1, Case 8). At the time of the sale the property consisted of one
messuage In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of real property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien. A typical conveyancing transaction has two major phases: the exchange of contracts ...
, two barns and two gardens with their appurtenances. In July 1597 he was poisoned at
Fillongley Fillongley, listed as Fillungeleye in 1135, is a village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire in England. The village is centred on the crossroads of the B4102 (which connects Solihull and Nuneaton) and the B4098 ...
near
Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...
, and on 6 July made a
nuncupative will An oral will (or nuncupative will) is a will that has been delivered orally (that is, in speech) to witnesses, as opposed to the usual form of wills, which is written and according to a proper format. A minority of U.S. states (approximately 20 ...
(spoken rather than written) naming as executors George Shirley and Thomas Shirley of
Staunton Harold Staunton Harold is a civil parish in North West Leicestershire about north of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The parish is on the county boundary with Derbyshire and about south of Derby. The 2011 Census (including Lount) recorded the parish's populatio ...
,
Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...
. He left all his lands to his eldest son, Fulke Underhill, £200 apiece to each of his younger sons, and £500 apiece to his daughters Dorothy and Valentine. He died on 7 July, and was buried with his wife at Idlicote. According to Charlotte Stopes, Fulke Underhill died without issue in May 1598, while still under age, leaving his brother Hercules as his heir, and was not at first suspected of having poisoned his father; however "either through his own confession or the evidence of others, his guilt afterwards became known", and in 1602 the Court of Exchequer appointed a commission to "obtain an account of the possessions of Fulke Underhill of Fillongley, county Warwick, felon, who had taken the life of his father, William Underhill, by poison". According to Schoenbaum, however, he was hanged at
Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...
in 1599 for poisoning his father, and attainted for
felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "''félonie''") to describe an offense that r ...
, whereby his estates escheated to the crown, which regranted them to Hercules Underhill when he came of age in 1602. In Michaelmas term 1602, Hercules Underhill confirmed the sale of New Place to
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
by final concord; in order to obtain clear title, Shakespeare paid a fee equal to one quarter of the yearly value of the property, "the peculiar circumstances of the case causing some doubt on the validity of the original purchase".'Final Concord Between William Shakespeare and Hercules Underhill', World Digital Library
Retrieved 20 December 2013.


Career

Underhill was knighted by
James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) * James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) * James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu * James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334†...
at
Compton Wynyates Compton Wynyates is a Tudor architecture, Tudor English country house, country house in Warwickshire, England, a Grade I listed building. The Tudor period house is constructed of red brick and built around a central courtyard. It is castellate ...
,
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
, on 6 September 1617, and was appointed
High Sheriff of Warwickshire This is a list of sheriffs and high sheriffs of the English county of Warwickshire. The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most ...
in 1625. During the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
he was a
Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...
, and having been accused of being a 'Popish recusant', was forced to compound his estates for the sum of £1177. He died at
Idlicote Idlicote is a small settlement and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire, about north-east of Shipston-on-Stour and south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon. Population details can be found under Honington. The best known feature is Idli ...
,
Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...
, in 1658. As he left no surviving issue, his heir was his nephew, William Underhill, who was later knighted and married Alice Lucy, daughter of Sir Thomas Lucy. The arms borne by Sir Hercules Underhill were
Argent In heraldry, argent () is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it. In engravings and line drawings, regions to b ...
a
chevron Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to: Science and technology * Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines * Chevron (anatomy), a bone * '' Eulithis testata'', a moth * Chevron (geology), a fold in rock la ...
between three
trefoil A trefoil () is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings, used in architecture, Pagan and Christian symbolism, among other areas. The term is also applied to other symbols with a threefold shape. A similar shape with f ...
s flipped,
vert Vert or Verts may refer to: * Vert (heraldry), the colour green in heraldry * Vert (music producer) (born 1972), pseudonym of Adam Butler, an English music producer * Vert (river), in southern France * Vert (sport), a competition in extreme versio ...
, three
bezant In the Middle Ages, the term bezant (, from Latin ) was used in Western Europe to describe several gold coins of the east, all derived ultimately from the Roman . The word itself comes from the Greek Byzantion, the ancient name of Constantinop ...
s.


Marriage

He married Bridget Carleton, sister of
Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester (10 March 1573 – 15 February 1632) was an English art collector, diplomat and Secretary of State. Early life He was the second son of Anthony Carleton of Brightwell Baldwin, Oxfordshire, and of Joyce ...
, and daughter of Anthony Carleton by his second wife, Joyce Goodwin. There are said to have been no surviving issue of the marriage.


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Will of William Underhill, gentleman, of Newbold Revel, Warwickshire, proved 10 April 1570, PROB 11/52/126, National Archives
Retrieved 20 December 2013
Will of William Underhill of Idlicote, Warwickshire, proved 9 August 1597, PROB 11/90/176, National Archives
Retrieved 20 December 2013
Will of Dorothy Underhill, proved 28 January 1570, PROB 11/52/36, National Archives
Retrieved 20 December 2013
Inquisition as to lands and goods of Fulke Underhill, attainted, E 178/7358, National Archives
Retrieved 20 December 2013
William Nichols v Hercules Underhill re messuage in Idlicote, Warwickshire, C 2/JasI/N2/36, National Archives
Retrieved 20 December 2013
Walter Clarke and Bartholomew Clarke v Hercules Underhill, Thomas Underhill and John Hathway re messuage and lands of late monastery of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, C 2/JasI/C9/22, National Archives
Retrieved 20 December 2013

Retrieved 20 December 2013 * ttps://books.google.com/books?id=_EEOAAAAYAAJ&q=hercules&pg=PA1 Birch, Thomas, ''The court and times of James the first, Volume 2'', p. 40 {{DEFAULTSORT:Underhill, Hercules 1581 births 1650 deaths High sheriffs of Warwickshire 17th-century English people Sheriffs of Warwickshire