Sir Ralph Sadler, (also Sadleir, Sadlier) PC, Knight banneret (1507 – 30 March 1587) was an English statesman of the 16th century, and served as a Secretary of State for King Henry VIII.
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Sadler was possibly born in Hackney, Middlesex, the elder son of Henri Sadler. The second son, John Sadler, was the possibly the grandfather of Hamnet Sadler, the older friend and mentor after whom William Shakespeare named his only son, Hamnet, and may also have influenced the name of the Shakespearian play Hamlet. Roger Ascham compared Sadler's appearance in terms of complexion, countenance and beard to Duke Maurice, although the Duke was taller.[1] Sadler is also represented by his tomb effigy at Standon, and a portrait.[2] Sir Ralph's father was originally from Warwickshire, but later settled in Hackney. He was a minor official in the service of the Marquess of Dorset and Sir Edward Belknap.
At a young age, Ralph Sadler was likely taken into the household of Thomas Cromwell. Ralph's name appears in the list of administrators named for Catherine of Aragon's will.[3] Around 1536, he was made a gentleman of the King's privy chamber, became M.P. for Hindon, Wiltshire and was soon sent to Scotland to investigate complaints made by Margaret Tudor (the King's sister) against her third husband, Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven, and to improve Anglo-Scottish relations. He succeeded in both respects. On 1 April 1537, Ralph met James V of Scotland, newly married to Madeleine of Valois, at Rouen.[4]
The King was pleased with Sadler's work, and sent him again to Scotland, this time to discourage the King of Scotland, James V, from accepting Cardinal Beaton's proposed Franco-Scottish alliance. Sadler failed in that respect, but the King was nonetheless impressed with his work. In 1538 he was knighted and in 1539 elected knight of the shire (MP) for Middlesex. In 1540, he became one of the two Secretaries of State, made a privy councillor, and began more than 30 year of service representing Hertfordshire in Parliament. He later (1545) represented Preston.[5]
After the Battle of Solway Moss, Sadler was sent to Scotland again, this time to arrange a marriage between the infant Mary, Queen of Scots, and Edward, Prince of Wales; he was again successful, although the marriage was not concluded. On 10 August 1543 he wrote to Henry VIII describing a visit to Mary of Guise and the infant Queen at Stirling Castle;
"(Mary of Guise) is very glad that she is at Stirling, and much she praised there about the house, and told me, "That her daughter did grow apace; and soon," she said, "she would be a woman, if she took of her mother;" who indeed, is of the largest stature of women. And therefore she caused also the child to be brought to me, to the intent I might see her, assuring your majesty, that she is a right fair and goodly child, as any that I have seen for her age."[6]
By November Sadler moved from Edinburgh to Tantallon Castle, which belonged to the Earl of Angus and with his commission to Scotland revoked, the Earl's kinsmen conveyed Sadler to Berwick upon Tweed on 11 December 1543.[7] All of his work in solidifying Anglo-Scottish relations, was for naught because war broke out, after the Scots rejected the marriage treaty made at Greenwich in December 1543.
Sadler accompanied the Earl of Hertford on his campaign as treasurer of the army, then filled that position again in 1545. Sadler had been replaced by William Paget as Secretary of State, owing to his frequent absences on diplomatic missions, but was appointed Master of the Great Wardrobe in 1543. When Henry VIII died in 1547, he had already appointed Sadler onto the council of regency that would rule England during Edward VI's minority and left him £200 in his will.
Sadler again accompanied Lord Hertford, this time at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh as High Treasurer of the Army. In recognition of his services during the fighting, Sadler was made a knight banneret, a position "above a knight and next to a baron". Sadler was present when Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, was arrested, and he also accompanied the force that put down Robert Kett's Norfolk Rebellion. He was one of the signatories of Edward's will, but remained in semi-retirement during Queen Mary of England's reign.
During Elizabeth's reign Sadler was sent to Scotland 8 August 1559 to arrange an alliance with the Scottish Protestants, and forward the cause of the Lords of the Congregation and Duke of Chatelherault.[8] After the English became directly involved in the fighting at the Battle of Leith, he was one of the architects of the Treaty of Edinburgh. In 1568 he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and when Mary, Queen of Scots, fled to England, Sadler was unwillingly appointed to meet with the Scottish commissioners regarding that problem. He was sent to arrest the Duke of Norfolk during the Rising of the Northern Earls, and was unwillingly appointed gaoler of Mary, Queen of Scots. After the Babington Plot, Sadler was also on the council that sentenced Mary to death.
Sadler died in 1587 at Standon, Hertfordshire. He had bigamously married Ellen, the daughter of John Mitchell of Much Hadham, Hertfordshire and the widow of Matthew Barr. They had at least three sons, including Henry and Thomas, and four daughters.
Sadler is one of the few Renaissance statesmen for whom we have extant Parliamentary orations, including a speech on succession in 1563 and one on subsidy in 1566. Copies of these orations appear the three volume 1809 publication of his letters, which includes a biography by Walter Scott.
Sadler is one of the major characters in Hilary Mantel's novel Wolf Hall, which gives a fictional portrayal of his youth and early manhood living in the household of Thomas Cromwell. He is also a minor character in Philippa Gregory's book The Other Queen, with an account given of the time he spent as the Queen of Scots' gaoler.
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Thomas Parry |
Custos Rotulorum of Hertfordshire bef. 1562 – aft. 1579 |
Succeeded by Sir John Brograve |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Ambrose Cave |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1568–1577 |
Succeeded by Sir Francis Walsingham |