Biography of Christopher Blount 1565-1601

In 1591 [his step-son] Walter Devereux (age 21) died at the 1591 Siege of Rouen.

On 8th February 1601 Thomas Egerton 1st Viscount Brackley (age 61) and three others were held hostage by [his step-son] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 35) at Essex House. Thomas Egerton 1st Viscount Brackley attempted to rouse London but his support never materialised. When he returned to Essex House he found the hostages gone. Essex House was besieged by the Queen's men under Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham (age 65). Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton (age 27) surrendered. Charles Danvers (age 33) and Christopher Blount (age 36) took part. Roger Manners 5th Earl of Rutland (age 24) was implicated and was imprisoned for several months. He was fined £30000; a staggering amount three times more than any other conspirator.

On 25th February 1601 [his step-son] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 35) was beheaded at Tower Green, Tower of London [Map] as a consequence of his involvement in the Essex Rebellion. Earl Essex, Viscount Hereford, Baron Bourchier and Baron Ferrers of Chartley forfeit. He was the last person to be executed at the Tower of London. It isn't clear whether his other titles Viscount Hereford, Baron Ferrers of Chartley and Baron Bourchier were forfeit.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts. The 5th of March [1601], Sir Christopher Blunt (age 36), Sir Charles Davers (age 33), Sir John Davys (age 39), Sir Gelly Merick, and Henry Cuff (age 38) were all arraigned at Westminster and condemned, they confessing the plot as is afore set down, with many other circumstances to it, absolutely submitting themselves to her Majesty's mercy, which is like to appear in some of them.

On 18th March 1601 Charles Danvers (age 33) and Christopher Blount (age 36) was beheaded for their part in the Essex Rebellion.

Annales of England by John Stow. The 18 of March [1601], sir Charles Dawvers (age 33), and sir Christopher Blunt (age 36) knights, were upon a new Scaffold set up for that purpose, on the Tower hill, beheaded.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts. The 19th of February [1601] the [his former step-son] Earl [of Essex] was arraigned (together with Southampton) in Westminster Hall before 25 peers, the Lord Treasurer (age 66) [Buckhurst] sitting as Lord Steward. At the bar the Earl laboured to extenuate his ftiult, by denying that ever he meant any harm to her Majesty's person, and by pretending that he took arms principally to save himself from my Lord Cobham (age 37) and Sir Walter Ralegh (age 48), who (he gave out) should have murdered him in his house on Saturday night. He pretended also an intention he had to have removed me with some others from the Queen, as one who would sell the kingdom of England to the Infant of Spain, with such other hyperbolical inventions. But before he went out of the Hall, when he saw himself condemned, and found that Sir John Davys (age 40), Sir Ferdinando Gorges (age 37), Sir Charles Davers, and Sir Christopher Blunt had confessed all the conferences that were held at Drury House, by his directions, for the surprising of the Queen and the Tower, which argued a premeditated treason (which he laboured to have had it prove only a sudden putting himself into strength, and flying into the city for fear of being committed over night when the Lords sent for him, which upon my faith to you, to whom I will not lie, was only to have reproved him for his unlawful assemblies, and to have wislied him to leave the city and retire into the country), he then break out to divers gentlemen in these words, that his confederates wlio now had accused him had been principal inciters of him, and not he of them, even ever since August last, to work his access to the Queen with force.