Sir Thomas Penyston, 1st Baronet - Marriage To Martha Temple

Marriage To Martha Temple

At the time of his mother's death, Thomas was studying at Oxford University. In 1609, he entered the Inner Temple to study the common law. In 1611, shortly after moving to Chadwell, Sir Alexander was able to recover the manor of Leigh (in Iden in the county of Sussex) on behalf of his stepson. This manor had previously belonged to Thomas' grandfather. Sir Alexander also helped Thomas in his claim for land in Wales. This had been owned by Richard Powell and subsequently passed to Richard’s son John Powell who sold it to Thomas Penistone’s grandfather. The position was complicated by the fact that John Powell had been underage at the time of his father’s death. Legally, he should have been made a ward of the Crown, but this does not seem to have happened. Alexander obtained a warrant from Robert Cecil to deal “impartially” with the matter. The restoration of Thomas' property may have been part of a marriage settlement since in the same year, Thomas Penistone married Sir Alexander’s niece (Martha) and would have needed some property to contribute. Martha was the daughter of Sir Thomas Temple and was described as "a dainte fine lady”. In the same year, Thomas received a baronetcy - perhaps paid for by his father-in-law who received his own baronetcy at the same date. Hester, the daughter of Sir Thomas and Martha Penistone, was born the year after their marriage, but died shortly after.

Sir Thomas Penistone was among thirty gentlemen in the retinue of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset - “one of the seventeenth century’s most accomplished gamblers and wastrels”. The members of the Earl's retinue each received fifty pounds per year. Sir Thomas and Martha lived in Bruce Castle in Tottenham, leased from the Earl and they attended social functions hosted by the Earl. Around 1619, Martha became the Earl's mistress. Martha died of smallpox in January 1620 and she was buried in the Temple’s parish church at Stowe. Her father built a magnificent marble monument to her in Stowe church. This can still be seen in the “Penyston chapel” in Stowe church.