ST. LOE (SEYNTLOWE), Sir John (c.1501-59), of Tormarton, Glos.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

? 1555

Family and Education

b. c.1501, 1st s. of Nicholas St. Loe of Chew, Som. by Eleanor, da. and coh. of Sir Thomas Arundell. m. Margaret, da. of Sir William Kingston, 2s., Sir William and Edward 1da. suc. fa. 1508. Kntd. bef. Nov. 1528.

Offices Held

Steward of Thornbury and constable of Thornbury castle, Glos. 4 Nov. 1528; chief steward of Portbury, Som. 1533; j.p. Som. from 1532, Glos. May 1547-54, 1558-9; sheriff, Glos. 1536-7, Som. and Dorset 1551-2.

Biography

St. Loe’s protestantism, marriage into the Kingston family, and opposition to a government bill in the Parliament of 1555 put him under a cloud during Mary Tudor’s reign. In May 1556 he was placed under house arrest, no reason being stated in the Privy Council letter, and his son Edward was imprisoned. He was elected for Gloucestershire to the first Parliament of the new reign, and his son and heir for Somerset, but St. Loe died during its course, on 20 Mar. No evidence of a by-election for Gloucestershire has been found. He requested burial ‘without pomp or pride’. Most of his lands went to William, the sole executor, to whom he bequeathed also his leases at Keynsham and half his plate and household goods, with an injunction to use certain sums due to him to pay for the wardship of Lord Mountjoy, whom he destined, unsuccessfully, as a husband for his daughter. To his wife he left gold, jewels and apparel, together with half his plate and household stuff and a life interest in property at Tormarton. Overseers included Sir William Herbert, later 1st Earl of Pembroke, and Sir Walter Denys. The will was dated August 1551 and proved 10 Apr. 1559. St. Loe was buried in the church of Great St. Helen, Bishopsgate. His wishes for a sober funeral were obeyed: though two heralds were present, there was ‘neither cross nor clerks, but a sermon, and after a psalm of David’.

Cal. IPM Hen. VII, i. 335; LP Hen. VIII, iv(2), p. 2168; xii(1), p. 549; xv. p. 466; xvi. p. 98; xvii, p. 565; xxi(1), p. 41; Stowe 571, f. 57; Cal. Carew Pprs. i. 79-81; Guildford Mus. Loseley 1331/2; APC, iv. 399; v. 270; PCC 4 Chaynay; E150/46/37; Collinson, Som. ii. 403, 441; Machyn Diary (Cam. Soc. xlii), 191.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Roger Virgoe

Notes

  • 1. Did not serve for the full duration of the Parliament.