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PEMBERTON, Goddard (d.1616), of Hertingfordbury and St. Albans, Herts.
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Biography Detail
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Family and Education
18th child of Robert Pemberton of Pemberton, Lancs. and Rushden, Northants. by Margaret, da. of Richard Throckmorton of Higham Park, Northants. m. Susan, da. and coh. of Henry Macwilliam of Stambourne, Essex, wid. of Edward Saunders of Harrington, Northants., s.p. Kntd. 1603.
Offices Held
Sheriff, Herts. 1615-d.
Biography
It may have been his elder brother, Robert, gentleman usher to the Queen, who introduced Pemberton to court circles. Next, he made a fortunate marriage, and it was his wife’s brother-in-law, (Sir) John Stanhope, who had him returned to the 1601 Parliament both for Lewes (through Stanhope’s friend Lord Buckhurst) and Peterborough (where Stanhope was high steward of the cathedral). Pemberton chose Peterborough. On 14 and 24 Nov. 1601 it was reported to the House that Pemberton had been subpoenaed to appear in Chancery ‘at the suit of Sir Walter Ralegh and Carew Ralegh’ (the substance of the matter is not known) and he asked for privilege. The man who served the writ was described by the clerk as ‘a poor simple fellow’ but by Pemberton as ‘a very knave’, and Pemberton ‘would not entreat the favour of the House’ on his behalf, but rather wished to ‘let him have the justice of the House’. ‘Which speech’, noted the clerk, ‘was generally misliked as churlish’.
Pemberton, whose house at Hertingfordbury was granted to him by Sir John Stanhope’s brother Michael, died suddenly of an ague on 1 Aug. 1616. He left his estate to his nephew Lewis Pemberton, who was appointed sole executor of the will he had made 27 May 1614. Lady Stanhope received velvet for a gown, and small bequests were made to the poor of Hertingfordbury and elsewhere. The will was proved 2 Aug. 1616.
Bridges, Northants. i. 193; ii. 191, 192, 193; J. Cole, Higham Ferrers, 212; Vis. Northants. ed. Metcalfe, 41; D’Ewes, 622, 637, 651, 655-6; Townshend, Hist. Colls. 246, 257; Chamberlain Letters ed. McClure, ii. 20; Chauncy, Herts. ii. 324; St. Albans and Herts. Arch. Soc. n.s. i. 20-2; iv. 196-7; Le Neve’s Knights (Harl. Soc. viii), 301; PCC 86 Cope.
