William Catesby of Ashby St Ledgers (1440?-1485) was one of Richard III of England's principal councilors. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Speaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign.
Catesby was an aspiring lawyer who rose initially in the service of William, 1st Lord Hastings. He was a member of the Council that ruled during the reign of Edward V, serving as a spy for the Duke of Gloucester (soon to be Richard III). After Richard was enthroned, Catesby served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and as Speaker of the House of Commons during the Parliament of 1484. He also received a substantial grant of land from the king, enough to make him richer than most knights.[1]
Catesby married Margaret, daughter of William La Zouche, 6th Baron Zouche of Harringworth.
Catesby became one of the few to enjoy King Richard's full confidence and Collingbourne summed up his importance in 1484 with his famous lampoon:
| “ | the Catte, the Ratte and Lovell our dogge rulyth all Englande under a hogge |
” |
After the collapse of the Buckingham revolt and the death of Richard's wife Anne Neville, he and Ratcliffe (another of Richard's cronies and the 'Ratte' of the above rhyme) warned Richard against any idea of marrying his niece, Elizabeth.[2]
Catesby fought alongside Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was captured. Alone of those of importance he was executed three days later. The suggestion that he might have done a deal with the Stanleys before the battle comes from his will when he asked them "to pray for my soul as ye have not for my body, as I trusted in you."[3]
Robert Catesby, involved in the Gunpowder Plot was a relative.
Notes
References
- Gairdner, James (1887). "William Catesby (d. 1484)". Dictionary of National Biography 9: 284–285.
- Ross, Charles (1981). Richard III.
- Rowse, A.L. (1966). Bosworth Field & the Wars of the Roses. Wordsworth Military Library. ISBN 1-85326-691-4.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Hervey de Stanton |
Chancellor of the Exchequer of England |
Succeeded by John Bourchier |
| Preceded by John Wood |
Speaker of the House of Commons 1483–1484 |
Succeeded by Sir Thomas Lovell |
|
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