Francis Constable - Francis Constable's Father

Francis Constable's Father

When Francis's elder brother Robert III was apprenticed in 1607 to their maternal uncle Robert Barker, their father was described as "Robert Constable, late of North Pickenham in co. Norfolk, gentleman, deceased". The Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College, 1349-1897 provides some more information. Francis's father Robert II Constable was admitted to the College at Cambridge University at the age of 18 in March 1574. His father's younger brother Thomas was admitted at the age of 15 in February 1577. Francis Constable's grandfather was Robert I Constable, and he was a yeoman, a minor land owner and small prosperous farmer. This is further substantiated by records held in The National Archives that show that in 1575 Robert I Constable sold a messuage called Frostes in North Pickenham to George Constable (assumed to be a relative), and that he paid for both of his son's tuition and board at Cambridge. Both Robert II Constable and his younger brother Thomas went to school for 4 years before going to University: Robert II at Saxthorpe, Norfolkshire, and Thomas at both Norwich and Saxthorpe. Robert II Constable spent a year at Pembroke College at Cambridge before joining Gonville and Caius College. His tutor at Gonville and Caius College was his 23 year old cousin, Simon II Canham, the son of Simon I Canham (-1584) of Ashill, Norfolkshire (1½ miles from North Pickenham) and his wife Alice (-1603)Campling's East Anglian Pedigrees, who had been admitted to Gonville and Caius College a year before Robert II Constable after first spending four years at St John's College, Cambridge. Francis's father Robert II Constable received his Bachelor of Arts in 1577.

The Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College, 1349-1897 further tells us that Francis's father Robert II Constable was a lawyer and a barrister as he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in February 1582. It further tells us that the family would have suffered persecution as they were a "popish recusant family in 1588", refusing to attend services or take communion in the Church of England. There was a statute passed in 1593 determined penalties against "Popish Recusants" including fines, property confiscation, and imprisonment. Further the Popish Recusants Act of 1605 forbade Roman Catholics from practising the professions of law and medicine. This would explain why Francis and his brother Robert III Constable went into the printing trade of their maternal uncle rather than follow their father into law.

There is a record at the Norfolk Record Office for the will of a Thomas Constable of Ashill from the period 1536-1545. It is possible that this Thomas Constable is Francis's great or greatx2-grandfather, and the father or grand-father of Robert I Constable of North Pickenham. Many genealogies claim that Francis Constable is the great-grandson of Thomas Constable M.P. (c.1506-aft.1558) of Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire and his 1st wife Barbara Catherall of Great Grimsby, and the great-grandson of Sir Robert Constable (c.1478-1537) of Flamburgh (Flamborough), Yorkshire and his wife Jane Ingleby of Ripley, Yorkshire. This, however, cannot be substantiated. Eveb tough it is highly likely that Thomas Constable M.P. of Great Grimsby has a son named Robert after his father, there is evidence and no reason to believe that this son is Robert I Constable of North Pickenham, Francis's grandfather. There are many Constable families in England, and many Robert Constable's in that period.