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Henry Goodricke

Henry Goodricke

Male 1642 - 1705  (62 years)    Has more than 100 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name Henry Goodricke 
    Birth 24 Oct 1642  Ribston Hall Co, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 5 Mar 1705  Brentford Middlesex Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I268971  Geneagraphie
    Last Modified 9 Aug 2009 

    Father John Goodricke,   b. 20 Apr 1617, Ribston Hall Co, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1670 (Age 52 years) 
    Mother Katharine Norcliffe,   c. 31 Aug 1620, Castlegate, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Between 1643 and 1644 (Age ~ 22 years) 
    Marriage 7 Oct 1641  Trinity Church, Micklegate, York, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F108746  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mary Legge   d. 19 Mar 1715, Dartmouth, Devonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage 1668 
    Family ID F108751  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 11 Aug 2001 

  • Notes 
    • The Right Honourable Sir Henry Goodricke second Baronet, was only son of Sir John Goodricke, Bart. by his first wife Catherine Norcliffe. He was born 24th October 1642, and inherited in a high degree his father's feelings of loyalty to the Crown. He was treated with great attention at the Court of Charles II. being knighted by that Sovereign. Sir Henry was MP for Boroughbridge in 1678, and in all the Parliaments summoned from 1685 to 1702. A close friendship existed between him and Sir John Reresby (Governor of York), who speaks of him in terms almost of affection. He says: -" This Sir Henry Goodricke was a gentleman of fine parts naturally, and those improved by great reading and travel, one that being fixed at his excellent seat at Ribston, near Knaresborough, pleased himself there, and had no thoughts (no more than myself) to be in any public business that might call us out of the country, till these vacancies falling out tempted us to do so. King Charles II after his being known in Parliament sent him, as his ambassador into Spain, and we always continued so kind friends that we called ourselves brothers."
      Sir John Reresby, speaking of Lady Goodricke, says she was "the finest woman, one of them, in that age."
      On 21st November 1678, Sir Henry was unfortunately engaged in a duel with a brother officer. Sir John Reresby's account of this event, though wanting in detail, is, however, the only one that I can find, so here it is as written.
      "My brother, Sir Henry Goodricke, having then a regiment of foot in the army, one of his captains threw up his commission upon some disgust, and challenged his colonel. He accepted the challenge and came to seek me to be his second, but not finding me at home, he took Sir Thomas Mauleverer, who ran his adversary through the body; and Sir Henry wounded and disarmed his."
      This event must have taken place in or near London, as both Sir John Reresby and Sir Henry were up for the Session. A few days afterwards (28th November 1678) Sir Henry was appointed Ambassador to the Court of Spain in place of Sir William Godolphin, who had been recalled. His credentials, however, were not drawn out until 10th June following, and his letters of instructions bear date 2nd and 10th of June. The following are copies of the documents,
      Sir Henry Goodrick
      s Dispatch as Envoy Extraordinary, to Spain, 1679.
      "Instructions for Our Trusty and welbeloved Henry Goodricke, Kt & Baronet. Our Envoy Extraordinary to the Catholic King.
      Having received these Instructions & our Letters of Credence you shall Prepare with all convenient speed and Expedition to Madrid, where being arrived you shall notify your same to the Introductory of Ambassador, & acquainting him with the Quality vendor which you are sent by yours, to his Catholic Majesty, desire him to be assisting to you in all your formal parts of your admission to your Audience, as likewise to your Attendance upon his Highness Don Jvanie de Austria, and your secretary of state in whose district your business properly lies. As for your visits to any other of your ministers you will best direct your self upon your place, & by your occasions you shall oblige to resort to."

      a. "You shall 'at your first public Audience (having delivered your Credentials) assure The Catholic King in proper & fitting Terms of Our Affection & good will towards him, and yet as through the blessing of God your Friendship and good Correspondence between your two Crowns & Our respective people & Dominions hath been since Our happy restoration renewed & settled upon Foundations of Common interest more lasting than ever. We will not only on Our part most inviolably keep & observe with both been already agree, but be ready to cultivate your present Alliance. To further increase & strengthen our Friendship & love, Not doubting of your like good inclinations & dispositions in his Catholic Mail towards us. That having therefore thought fit to recall Our late Ambassador, Sir William Godolphin, We have forthwith dispatched you to be Our Minister in the Court for your better entertainment Our said mutual Friendship, and improving all occasions yet shall offer of strengthening & confirming of it. Ect, Ect, This very lengthy document goes on to out line trading treaties to be negotiate and asks for him to report a who s who in the Spanish court intelligence to include the standing of individuals and which ones curried favor or not the duties of an ambassador in fact, and concludes with:-
      "Given at Our Court at Whitehall this 2nd day of June ad 1679. C. R."
      "Additional Instructions for Our Trusty & Welbeloved Sir Henry Goodricke Kt Our Envoy Extraordinary. To the Catholic King.
      "Beside the former Instructions given you, We have thought fit to add these following. That you endeavor with your utmost addressee to Possess the Court of Our real desires & endeavors for the prosperity of the Crown, & particularly the Spanish Netherlands. In whose preservation we take our self equally concerned as in our own Territories. You shall put this in mind with which earnestness we press the French King to have consented to more advantageous conditions that it was at last concluded on; the way we saw you could not be obtained with great Charge we levied an Army & Your self being an Officer in it can let you know how considerable a part of it was transported over for the preservation of those Countries now they were upon their march after the Battle of Mans & how probably within a few days been in open action had not the news of the peace concluded betwixt your King & the States put a stop to all hostilities.
      That since his Catholic Majesty judged it in his interest to make the Peace; We have continually used Our Interest with the most Christian King for his observing the Articles of it, & there is nothing We lay more to heart than how to secure which is left of those Countries, And that We shall take the best measures We can in conjunction with those that are Our Joint friends how best to secure it,
      Given at Our Court at Whitehall this 10th day of June, 1679, In the 31st year of Our Reign. By his Majesty's Command H. C."
      A warrant to the Exchequer for Sir Henry's expenses had been issued in April 1679. The amount allowed him for ordinary entertainment was £5 per day, to be paid quarterly, and he was also to receive £500 for his "Equipage" tools of the trade for an ambassador of state to a Royal court, and such further allowances for Intelligent expenses, out of pocket monies claimed by presenting bills under his hand and allowed by one of his Majesty
      s principal secretaries of State shall appear to be due to him.

      Sir Henry proceeded to Madrid in due course, but the first record of him is in his letter dated Madrid, 5th December 1679. He writes:-
      " The Queen receives no addresses till after her public Entry, which is appointed on Thursday next, St Thomas's day. The preparations are magnificent, and question less, the solemnity will be very splendid. The Queen is admired by all, and behaves herself to admiration."
      On the 16th January, 1680, Sir Henry had an audience of the King and Queen, at which he presented the letters he had carried from the English Court, and the following letter written by him to Lord Clarendon, describing the ceremonial, is highly interesting.
      Letter from Sir Henry Goodricke to Lord Clarendon.
      "Madrid, February 8th, 1680. My Lord,
      Upon the first return of the Post, after my receipt of Her Majesty
      s letter, I gave Mr Secretary Coventry notice thereof, desiring him to acquaint your Lords that it came safe to my hands, hoping in a short time to show my obedience to Her Majesty
      s commands, the reception it had, and at the same time to present your Lord those acknowledgements the honour of your letter, enclosing the Queens, requires from me; which I now do, beseeching your Lord to represent to Her Majesty, and to accept from me, thus.
      January the 16th was appointed me for that service, when, after Audience from this King, I was conducted to Her Majesty who had been acquainted that with the King's, I had a letter to Her self from Her Majesty. She was observed to have ordered Her dress with great care, set forth with Her. Best sate of Jewels, being great Ruby s and Diamonds, She was in a rich, colored Brocade Gown of the Spanish fashion, born out almost to the Compose of a Cardinale, wide silk sleeves, hanging below her fingers, and a Fan in Her hand, with Her hair combed at length. Her Majesty, Stood upon a large Turkish carpet, in a great room, her back towards a corner of a Pillar parting two Windows, six maids of honour, two Lades of the Bedchamber and four Grandees attending.
      After my discourse of Congratulation from His Majesty! And upon the delivery of His Royal letter, I acquainted Her Majesty! With the high esteem the Queen my Sovereign had for Her, and the part Her Majesty! Took in my Royal Masters satisfaction so lately by me expressed, and to demonstrate it more clearly had ordered me in all humility to present that letter to Her Royal hands assuring Her of the Queens most real and affectionate wishes for Her felicity.
      Her Majesty received the letter with as great civility and kindness, as I ever observed, and immediately said She would prepare for the answer enclosed, commanding me to return Her Majesty
      s thanks and to inform Her when the post went, which I did not faile to do, but had not the letter till a whole day after its despatch, and it going but once a fortnight is the reason the letter may appear of an old date to Her Majesty.
      I have now, My Lord, to acknowledge the civility and kindness of your Lord expressions in the letter you honored me with, and can make no returne save by giving your Lord this assurance that I am with all true respects and perfect honour My Lord,
      Your Lords most obedient and most humble servant, H. Goodricke."

      Affairs do not appear to have progressed quite to Sir Henry's satisfaction, for within a month of writing the preceding letter he found himself compelled to address Lord Clarendon again, beseeching him to assign to him such allowances as were due to him, one thousand pounds of his own money having been expended on account of the State and "his utmost credit worn out." The following is a copy of this letter: - "Madrid, March 6th 1680. Right honourable.
      "I'm sure I can appeal to no judge so competent, nor to any person more concerned for His Majesty
      s honour or the reputation of a Gentleman, than yourself. I do therefore humbly beseech you to think me very unwilling to complain were not those considerations prevalent over my nature, and to rest assured that it will be absolutely impossible for me to subsist either as a servant to His Majesty
      s! Or even in a private retired condition unless those sums I have requested Mr Secretary to allow, be not through the favour and the Lords Commissioners paid in, for these reasons, First the obligation was upon me to bring over a Protestant family, which I did, though with great charge, from England.
      Secondly an extraordinary journey through Flanders and France to receive His Royal Highness's Commands at Brussels. Thirdly, my delay of audience here, till when no credits were allowed in this excessive dear place. Then great charges upon my Audience in fees, and fresh Equipage upon the congratulation of the marriage. And lastly the fall of moneys here which at least trebles the universal charge not only of maintaining a Family but in all other expenses.
      To all this, setting aside £500 advance money I know but of one quarters pay received from the King, so that £1,000 of my own and almost my utmost credit are worn out, my way of living being as moderate as I can contrive it.
      I do upon the whole humbly pray, that what is due to this service and allowed by Mr Secretary Coventry may through your favour be assigned me, that I may be in a capacity to follow His Majesty
      s affairs with that diligence, as the thoughts how to subsist may not interrupt me therein, and that I may have that real obligation to a person for whom I have ever had such respectful inclination as will ever be acknowledged by Right honourable Your most obedient and most faithful servant H. Goodricke."

      The differences between the Courts of France and Spain, which commenced about this time, are matters of history, but the ill feeling, which now sprang up at Madrid against the English Court, following upon Charles II, offers of mediation between the French and Spanish Kings, was vented in a conspicuous manner upon the English Ambassador. Sir Henry Goodricke was ordered to take down the Royal Arms from above his gate, which order not being complied with, he was seized and sent a prisoner to a convent out of the city. The letters and journal notes of Lord Preston, Envoy in Paris at this period, throw much light on what was happening to Sir Henry at Madrid, and I will therefore give copies and extracts from them in order of date, commencing, however, with a note from a letter to Sir Henry Goodricke from Don Pablo Spinola Doria, dated Madrid 25th June, 1682, who says that " His King having seen the papers which Goodricke wrote to him on the 10th instant on the King of England's offer to mediate between Spain and France, answers Goodricke that he is pleased with the King of England's good intentions for public peace."
      1682. December 30th. Extract from a letter from Lord Preston, in Paris to Mr Secretary Jenkins.
      "We are much surprised here at the proceedings against Sir Henry Goodricke at Madrid; perhaps Sir, Henry
      s restraint may have put him out of the way of giving you an account of the particulars of it. I shall therefore recount to you what we have of it here by letters of the 10th, current from Madrid. Some days before an order of Council was made by which Sir Henry was ordered to take down His Majesty
      s arms from above his gate, and to go out of the town, the Introducteur des Ambassadeurs was ordered to signify this to him, who, going to his house acquainted his secretary with it, and charged him to notify the order to Sir Henry, he answered that he, would not be charged with any such commission, and that he had best speak to himself and deliver the message. So that the order was not otherwise signified or at all observed. The Introducteur having advised the Duke de Medina Cell how the affair had passed, it was remitted to the council It was then proposed to send the Marquis de Los Billiards to him, but that advice was not followed, because by doing so they would acknowledge him to be a minister, after having declared that they would not own him as such. It was then resolved that, that very day the Sieur Portocarrero, Alcade Mayor, with several other Alcades, should go and take him in his house, and conduct him out of the city. That was executed upon the 10th, The Alcade Mayor, with several other of the Alcades, and a great number of Alguazils, seized him in his lodgings, and made him immediately go into one of their coaches, and with that train of Alguazils conducted him to a convent of the Hieronymites out of the Iowa. My Lady Goodricke was the same day conducted to the same place, with the difference that she was conveyed in the Dutch ambassadors coach, and two letters which I have seen say that she was not escorted by those Alguazils."
      1682. Letter from Lord Preston to Sir H. Goodricke, at Madrid. "I had not so long been wanting to write to you if I could have believed that my letter would have come safe to your hands. I was extremely glad to receive yours by Captain Nicholson, and was preparing to have answered it when the account of your late barbarous treatment arrived here. The entire world is amazed at it and can look upon it as no other than an open breach of the law of nations, of which the privileges and rights of ambassadors make a considerable part, and have always been esteemed sacred even amongst the most barbarous nations.
      I was apprehensive that after so great a violence they might not suffer you to write, or at least to convey to his Majesty our master an account of it. I have, therefore, some time since, written the exact narrative of their proceedings to Mr. Secretary Jenkins, which will not be much to their advantage. One thing ought to support you much in this affair, which is that by all my letters I find the King and the ministers not at all dissatisfied with your proceedings, and you may be assured that in this place, or wherever else I am, I will take care that justice shall be done you in representing your proceedings and carriage in it."

      "1683. Jan. 13th. Paris.
      We hear that Sir Henry Goodricke is still at the Convent to which they conducted him, but that the arms of his Majesty were still over the gate of his house, and that then they had not proceeded to the violence of pulling them down."

      "1683. Jan. 23rd, Paris.
      We hear from Madrid by letters of the 9th that Sir Henry Goodricke having complained that he was kept as a prisoner. The King had declared by a decree that he had his liberty to go where he pleased, provided that he did not come to Madrid. I find now that the Spanish ministers here are very sensible that the proceedings against Sir Henry Goodricke hath been ill-timed."

      "1683. Feb. 10th, Paris.
      Our letters from Spain. Of the state, of January, say that the King had refused to Sir H. Goodricke the liberty of returning to Madrid to take away his papers, and that that Court doth still persist in their resolutions of not accepting of his Majesty's arbitrage, but to that conjointly with the Empire and their other allies, and that they were extremely satisfied with the conduct of Don Pedro de Ronquillo in what related to that affair.

      "1683. January 27th. Madrid. Peter Levet to Lord Preston.
      Having the honour to be agent and secretary for the most part of these three years unto Sir Henry Goodricke, I presume this title, together with the inscription of the enclosed, will merit your lordships censure for giving you the trouble of forwarding the same. Sir Henry is at a league distance from this Court and is positively denied permission (as he requested) to come to his house for few days privately to put his papers and other affairs in some order towards his return; a rigidness much blamed by all people. He intends homewards by that Court, and to begin his way by the midst of the next month, through Catatonia, this being the pleasantest travelling; though not the shortest cut. This goeth by a French express lately come from Portugal. Here are letters come from hence on the 25th by express also from St. Sebastian; but we can learn nothing of their purport. From Tangier they advise of a most considerable defeat given to the Morocco Emperor by his nephew, with the slaughter of (they relate thus) 24,000 men, and that they expect great advantages from this accident. The country carried in lately thither above 50 heads of cattle."
      It appears from the extract which follows that Sir Henry fled from his place of confinement in some haste almost immediately after the above letter from Peter Levet had been written.

      "Sir Henry was a great favourer of the Revolution of 1688, and one of its chief promoters in the North. He with Lord Danby and the Duke of Devonshire had frequent meetings at Ribston Hall to concert the time, method, and means of bringing it about; and it was here that these gentlemen finally arranged their plans for the seizure of York for William, Prince of Orange, which took place 22nd November, 1688.This meeting is mentioned by Lord Danby in his letters, published in 1710, in the following words and he (speaking of the Duke of Devonshire) came to Sir Henry Goodricke's house in Yorkshire purposely to meet me there again, in order to concert the times and methods by which be should act at Nottingham (which was to be his post,) and me at York, ( which was to be mine;) and we agreed that I should first attempt to surprise York, because there was a small garrison with a governor there, whereas Nottingham was but an open town, and might give an alarm to York if it should appear in arms before I had made my attempt upon York; which was done accordingly.
      How these plans were carried out, and the part that Sir Henry took in them will be seen in the following extracts:- "It had been arranged that Danby should seize York, and that Devonshire should appear at Nottingham. At Nottingham no resistance was anticipated; but at York there was a small garrison under the command of Sir John Reresby. Danby acted with rare dexterity. A meeting of the gentry and freeholders of Yorkshire had been summoned for the twenty-second of November to address the King on the state , though many that disliked it went away, they began to sign; and when Mr. Wortley Montagu and Sir Henry had done, before a third man could sign, Mr. Tankard runs into the hall and cries that the papists were risen and had fired at the militia troops. At this all the gentlemen ran out, and those that were privy to the design got their horses, which were laid ready for them, as Sir Henry Goodricke, Mr. Wortley Montagu, Mr. Tankard."I conclude the account of this interesting event with another extract from Macaulay's History." At this moment Danby at the head of about a hundred horsemen rode up to the militia, and raised the cry, 'No Popery
      A free Parliament. The Protestant religion and The militia echoed the shout. The garrison was instantly surprised and disarmed. The governor was placed under arrest. The gates were closed. Sentinels were posted everywhere. The populace was suffered to pull down a Roman Catholic chapel; but no other harm appears to have been done. On the following morning the Guildhall was crowded with the first gentlemen of the shire, and with the principal magistrates of the city. The Lord Mayor was placed in the chair. Danby proposed a declaration setting forth the reasons, which had induced the friends of the Constitution and of the Protestant religion to rise in arms. This declaration was eagerly adopted, and received in a few hours the signatures of six peers, of five baronets, of six knights, and of many gentlemen of high consideration."
      Sir Henry's action in opposition to Sir John Reresby was not destructive of the friendship between them, as is abundantly shown in Sir John's memoirs, written by him. Sir Henry tried to win him over to his views, but unsuccessfully. Sir John Reresby writes, on 26th November 1688,
      "Sir Henry Goodricke would have persuaded me the same day to have signed the declaration, but I told him I could not do it. For though I should agree with the matter of it, yet since they were now in arms to assert it, the signing of the declaration and petition was no less, in my judgement, than joining in the force."
      Sir Henry lost no time in proceeding to Knaresborough, where he interrupted a meeting of Roman Catholic gentlemen in the Commission of the Peace, assembled in the Town Hall, and drawing his sword, informed them that the authority under which they were sitting was superseded, and proclaimed William the Third King. Sir Henry was appointed Treasurer in respect to the collection and disbursements of the taxes in Co. York for the Prince of Orange, and in April 1689 he was advanced to the post of Lieutenant General of the Ordnance in succession to the Earl of Shrewsbury. He was a Privy Councillor to William III. and to Queen Anne.Sir Henry Goodricke repaired very extensively, if he did not actually rebuild, a large portion of the mansion-house at Great Ribston, the saloon, which is very handsomely decorated in Italian style, and is said to have been completed in his time. The date 1674 is above the outside central door, which communicates with the terrace.
      Sir Henry died after a long illness at Brentford in Middlesex, 5th March 1704-5 and his remains were sent to Ribston to be buried with his ancestors. His will bears date three days previous to his death, and was proved in London 24th of the same month, by his widow Dame Mary Goodricke, sole executrix. The portrait of him is from a mezzotint in the British Museum. Dame Mary Goodricke, his widow, died 19th March, 1714-15 aged 68, and was buried in the Dartmouth family vault in Trinity Church in the Minories, London.



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