Biography of Peregrine Bertie 1584-1639

On 25th December 1577 [his father] Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby [aged 22] and [his mother] Mary Vere Baroness Willoughby of Eresby were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] John de Vere 16th Earl of Oxford and [his grandmother] Margery Golding Countess of Oxford. He the son of Richard Bertie Baron Willoughby [aged 61] and Catherine Willoughby Duchess Suffolk [aged 58].

In 1584 Peregrine Bertie was born to Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby [aged 28] and Mary Vere Baroness Willoughby of Eresby.

On 25th June 1601 [his father] Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby [aged 45] died at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland [Map] where he was Governor. His son [his brother] Robert [aged 18] succeeded 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He was buried at St James' Church, Spilsby [Map].

On 15th February 1610 [his sister] Catherine Bertie [aged 15] died in childbirth. She was buried at St James' Church, Spilsby [Map].

Monument Elizabethan Period. Tall Sideboard Tomb with reclining hooded figure of Lady Katherine, daughter of Peregrine, with Chrisom Child in the crib at her feet. Above a standing figure of Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby in a niche, with strapwork embellishments, all supported on composite columns with a dentilated cornice. Possibly the work of Samuel Baldwin.

Catherine Bertie: Around 1595 she was born to Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby and Mary Vere Baroness Willoughby of Eresby. Sources are confused about her birth year stating she was born in 1610 and that she married in 1609. Date adjusted to around 1595 on the assumption she was married around twenty years of age. Her son died at six days old on 09 Feb 1610. Her father died in 1601. Sources also refer to her as Baroness Rockingham whereas she died some eleven years before her husband was created Baron Rockingham. In 1609 Lewis Watson 1st Baron Rockingham and she were married.

In 1605 [his brother] Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey [aged 22] and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Montagu Countess Lindsey were married. She by marriage Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 1.199. [2nd May 1610] The Lord Treasurer [aged 46] hath sent over his secretarie Kirkham to take order to furnish the Lord Cranbourne [aged 19] with all necessaries to follow the French king in this journy, and more of our court gallants talke of taking the same course yf the viage hold. Indeed yt were fitter they had some place abrode to vent theyre superfluous valour then to brabble so much as they do here at home: for in one weeke we had three or fowre great quarrells, the first twixt the earles of Southampton [aged 36] and Mongomerie [aged 25] that fell out at tennis, where the racketts flew about theyre cares, but the matter was taken up and compounded by the King without further bloudshed, but the matter was not so easilie ended twixt younge Egerton eldest¹ sonne to Sir John [aged 59], and one Morgan [aged 34] a lawiers sonne of goode state: the first beeing left dead in the feild, and the other sort hurt, and yet cannot be bailed nor dispensed withall but that he lies still by yt in Newgate. The Lord Norris [aged 30] likewise went into the feild with Peregrin Willoughby [aged 26] upon an old reckening, and hurt him daungerously in the shoulder.

Note 1. McClure has this as 'James' rather than 'John'. He was a younger son.

Around October 1613 Peregrine Bertie [aged 29] fought a duel with Francis Norreys 1st Earl Berkshire [aged 34]. The second time they had duelled - see Letters of John Chamberlain.

In 1614 Peregrine Bertie [aged 30] was appointed MP Lincolnshire.

In 1615 Peregrine Bertie [aged 31] and Francis Norreys 1st Earl Berkshire [aged 35] were involved in an affray in a churchyard in which Francis killed a man called Winwood, servant to Bertie's father, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, and he was convicted of manslaughter, but pardoned by the king.

Around 24th June 1624 [his mother] Mary Vere Baroness Willoughby of Eresby died.

On 22nd November 1626 [his brother] Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey [aged 43] was created 1st Earl Lindsey. [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Montagu Countess Lindsey by marriage Countess Lindsey.

Before 13th November 1639 Peregrine Bertie [aged 55] died. He 13th November 1639 Peregrine Bertie was buried at St Giles' in the Fields Church [Map].