William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele

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William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (June 28, 1582–April 14, 1662), was born at the family home of Broughton Castle near Banbury, in Oxfordshire. He was the only son of Richard Fiennes, 7th Baron Saye and Sele. He was descended from James Fiennes, Lord Saye and Sele, who was lord chamberlain and lord treasurer under Henry VI and who was beheaded by the rebels under Jack Cade on July 4, 1450.

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[edit] Early life

Fiennes, like many of his family, was educated at New College, Oxford. He was a descendant and heir of the sister of William of Wykeham, the college's founder. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Temple of Stowe, in 1600. He succeeded to his father's barony in 1613, and in parliament opposed the policy of James I, undergoing a brief imprisonment for objecting to a benevolence in 1622. He showed great animus towards Lord Bacon. In 1624, owing probably to his temporary friendship with the Duke of Buckingham, he was advanced to the rank of a viscount, but notwithstanding this he remained during the early parliaments of Charles I a champion of the popular cause, and was in Clarendon's words the oracle of those who were called Puritans in the worst sense, and steered all their counsels and designs.

During the personal rule of Charles I, his energies found a new outlet in helping to colonize Providence Island, and in interesting himself in other and similar enterprises in America. Saybrook in Connecticut is named after Viscount Saye and Lord Brooke. He was a thorough aristocrat, and his ideas for the government of colonies in America included the establishment of an hereditary aristocracy. Many leading puritans (including John Pym) who were members of the Providence Island Company met with Fiennes at Broughton Castle to coordinate their opposition to the King. On several occasions Saye outwitted the advisers of Charles I by his strict compliance with legal forms earning him the nickname "old subtlety".

Although Saye resisted the levy of ship money, he accompanied Charles on his march against the Scots in 1639; but, with only one other peer, he refused to take the oath binding him to fight for the king "to the utmost of my power and hazard of my life". Then Charles I sought to win his favour by making him a privy councillor and master of the court of wards.

[edit] Civil war and after

When the Civil War broke out, however, Saye was on the committee of safety, was made lord lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Cheshire, and raised a regiment that occupied Oxford. He was a member of the committee of both kingdoms; was mainly responsible for passing the self-denying ordinance through the House of Lords; and in 1647 stood up for the army in its struggle with the parliament.

In 1648, both at the treaty of Newport and elsewhere, Saye was anxious that Charles should come to terms, and he retired into private life after the execution of the king, becoming a privy councilor again upon the restoration of Charles II. He died at Broughton Castle on April 14, 1662.

His eldest son James (c. 1603-1674) succeeded him as 2nd viscount; other sons were the parliamentarians Nathaniel Fiennes and John Fiennes. The viscounty of Saye and Sele became extinct in 1781, and the barony is now held by the descendants of John Twisleton (d. 1682) and his wife Elizabeth (d. 1674), a daughter of the 2nd viscount.

[edit] Ancestry

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Richard Fiennes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Edward Fiennes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Elizabeth Crofts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Richard Fiennes of Broughton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sir John d'Anvers of Culworth, Dantsey/Dauntsey and Waterstock
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Margaret Danvers
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Lady Anne Stradling
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sir Richard Fiennes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Thomas Fermour of Whitney
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Richard Fermour
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Emmote Hervey or Harvey
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ursula Fermor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 William Browne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Anne Browne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Margaret or Katherine Shaw
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 William Fiennes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sir John Kingsmill
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sir John Kingsmill of Sidmanton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joane or Jane Gifford
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sir William Kingsmill of Sidmanton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 John Goring of Burton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Constance or Elizabeth Goring
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Constance Dyke
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Constance Kingsmill
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sir Edward Raleigh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 George Raleigh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ann or Anne Chamberlaine
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bridget Raleigh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 maybe Sir Humphrey Coningsby
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joan or Jane Coningsby
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 maybe Alice Ferreby of Lincolnshire
 
 
 
 
 
 

[edit] References