Sir Drue Drury (c 1531 - 29 April 1617) was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1562 and 1584.
Contents |
Drury was the fifth but third surviving son of Sir Robert Drury of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire and his wife Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Edmund Brudenell. He matriculated from St Edmund's Hostel, Cambridge in Autumn 1544.[1]
In 1562, Drury was elected Member of Parliament for Camelford. He was High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1576.[1] During the reigns of Elizabeth and James I he was gentleman usher of the privy chamber. He seems to have kept in the good graces of the queen, except on one occasion [2]. In September 1579 he was knighted at Wanstead, Essex [3]. He was elected MP for Norfolk in 1584.[1] In November 1586 he was sent to Fotheringay to assist Sir Amias Paulet in the wardership of Mary Queen of Scots [4]. He was nominated lieutenant of the Tower in 1596.
Drury died at his seat at Riddlesworth, Norfolk, aged about eighty-six, though on his monument the age of ninety-nine is given [5].[1] His will of 7 July 1613 was proved in P.C.C. 31 May 1617 (registered 39, Weldon).
Camden described Drury as a sincere, honest man, and a puritan in his religion [6],
Drury married, firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Calthorpe, and widow of Sir William Woodhouse of Waxham, Norfolk. She brought him a moiety of Riddlesworth. In 1582 he married for his second wife Catherine Finch, daughter and heiress of William Finch of Linsted, Kent. Through her, he acquired the manor of Sewards in Linstead, and Perry Court at Preston, Kent. He had an only son, Drue Drury, who was created a baronet[7] and three daughters Elizabeth who married Sir Thomas Wingfield and then Henry Reynolds, Anne who married Sir Robert Boteler, and Frances. Drury was a younger brother of Sir William Drury.
Some correspondence between Drury and his second wife and Sir Julius Cæsar,which was written in 1588, 1596, and 1603–14, is held in the Lansdowne and Additional MSS. in the British Museum.
Drury is to be distinguished from a Drue Drury of Eccles and Rollesby, Norfolk, who married Anne, daughter and coheiress of Thomas, sixth baron Burgh of Gainsborough, and was knighted at Whitehall 23 July 1603, before the coronation of the king [8].
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Drury, Dru (1531?-1617)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Smith |
Member of Parliament for Camelford 1562 With: William Patridge |
Succeeded by Nicholas Prideaux Edward Williams |
| Preceded by |
Member of Parliament for Norfolk 1586 |
Succeeded by |