Family and Education

b. c.1538,1 3rd s. of William Billingsley (d.1570) of London, Haberdasher and Elizabeth, da. of Thomas Harlowe, wid. of Sir Martin Bowes^†.2  educ. St. John’s, Camb. 1550; G. Inn 1591; appr. Haberdasher c.1553.3  m. (1) 1562, Elizabeth (d. 29 July 1577), da. and coh. of Henry Boorne of Yorks., at least 7s. (5 d.v.p.) 3da. (2 d.v.p.); (2) Bridget (d. Sept. 1588), da. and coh. of Sir Christopher Draper of St. Dunstan-in-the-East, London, Ironmonger and alderman, and wid. of Stephen Woodrofe of London, s.p.; (3) by 1591, Katherine (bur. 18 May 1598), da. of Sir John Killigrew I^† of Arwennack, Cornw. and wid. of Robert Trapps of London, 1s. d.v.p. 1da. d.v.p.; (4) by 1601, Elizabeth Monslow, wid. of Rowland Martin, ?s.p.; (5) ?aft. 1602, (with £200) Susan (d. 25 Apr. 1633), da. of Richard Tracy of Stanway, Glos., and wid. of Edward Barker^† of London (d.1602), register to Ct. of Delegates, s.p.  kntd. bet. 19 Jan. and 21 Feb. 1597.  d. 22 Nov. 1606.4  sig. Henry Billingsl(e)y.

Offices Held

Freeman, Haberdashers’ Co. 1560, asst. 1583, master 1584-5, 1590-1, 1595-6, 1605-6;5 ?member, Merchant Adventurers’ Co.

Collector of customs, strangers’ goods, London by 1572-at least 1579,6 Tunnage and Poundage 1589-at least 1598;7 auditor, London 1580-2, sheriff 1584-5, alderman, Tower ward 1585-92, Candlewick ward 1592-d., mayor 1596-7;8 gov. St. Thomas’ hosp. by 1580, Pres. 1594-d.;9 commr. sewers, R. Lea by 1587-at least 1589,10 Surr. and Kent 1603,11 London 1606,12 concealed goods of Spaniards, London and Mdx. 1590;13 escheator, London 1597,14 commr. oyer and terminer, Mdx. 1596-d.,15 London 1601-d.,16 subsidy, London 1598, 1603-at least 1604;17 asst. to piracy commrs., London 1601;18 commr. gaol delivery, London 1601-d.,19 charitable uses 1604,20 to administer Oath of Allegiance 1606.21

Commr. prize goods 1587, 1589, 1591, 1596, 1598,22 mariners’ pay 1588-90;23 recvr. of money for armour sold in the Tower, 1588;24 commr. Union 1604-d.25

Biography

No biography of Billingsley appeared in the 1558-1603 volumes of the History of Parliament. The details above are derived from the article published in the 1604-29 volumes in 2010.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Andrew Thrush

Notes

C54/1616; Cal. of Feet of Fines for London and Mdx. ii. 147.

• 1. C24/303/26.
• 2. Vis. Salop (Harl. Soc. xxix), 46; Vis. London (Harl. Soc. i), 69; C142/159/55.
• 3. Al. Cant.; GI Admiss.; Ath. Ox. i. 761.
• 4. Vis. Glos. (Harl. Soc. xxi), 165; Misc. Gen. et Her. i. 251-2; Ath. Cant. ii. 443; GL, ms 17832/1, ff. 2v, 3r-v, 6, 7, 14, 15, 76r-v, 86, 92; Recs. of Skinners of London, 257, 281-2; C142/225/97; PROB 11/93, ff. 192v-3.
• 5. M. Benbow, ‘Index of London Citizens involved in City Govt.’, 50; I. Archer, Haberdashers’ Co. 237-8.
• 6. Lansd. 14, f. 106; Benbow, 50; Archer, 237-8.
• 7. Lansd. 67, f. 202; E122/90/42; CSP Dom. 1598-1601, p. 56.
• 8. A.B. Beaven, Aldermen of London, ii. 42.
• 9. LMA, HI/ST/A1/4, ff.1v, 108v, 192v; Suppl. to Memoranda Rel. to Royal Hosps. ed. T.J. Nelson, 113; Archer, 141-2.
• 10. Lansd. 53, f. 168v; Lansd. 60, f. 90.
• 11. C181/1, f. 46.
• 12. Lansd. 168, f. 151.
• 13. T. Rymer, Foedera, vii. pt. 1, pp. 44-5.
• 14. Ibid. 188, 195.
• 15. Cooper, ii. 443; 4th DKR, 290; C181/1, f. 13v; 181/2, f. 3v.
• 16. C181/1, ff. 11; 181/2, f. 11v.
• 17. E115/146/53; E115/148/120; E115/277/130.
• 18. Rymer, vii. pt. 2, p. 15.
• 19. C181/1, f. 11v; 181/2, f. 5v.
• 20. C93/2/28.
• 21. CSP Dom. 1603-10, p. 330.
• 22. APC, 1589-90, p. 37; 1596-7, p. 109; 1597-8, p. 224; CSP Dom. 1591-4, p. 132.
• 23. APC, 1589-90, pp. 47-50, 153, 158, 184; 1590, pp. 215-16, 254.
• 24. CSP Dom. 1581-90, pp. 518, 539; APC, 1588, p. 220; 1588-9, pp. 242, 282.
• 25. CJ, i. 208a.