Robert Bell (Speaker of The House of Commons) - Descendants

Descendants

"Amongst the many great families with whom the Bells were connected by their various marriages, we may mention the Beaupre's, John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, Dorewood, Bedingfeld, Knyvett, Osbourne, Wiseman, Deering, Chester, Oxburgh, Oldfield, Peyton, and Hobart, all persons of great eminence and distinction."

1. His first son, Sir Edmond Bell (de Beaupre) bap. 7 April 1562, bur. 22 Dec 1607, MP for King's Lynn, & Aldeburgh 'invested heavily in privateering,' married 1., Anne the daughter of Peter Osbourne and Anne Hays 2. Muriell Knyvet the daughter of Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet High Sheriff of Norfolk (c. 1539–1618) and Merriell Parry, the daughter of Thomas Parry (Comptroller of the Household) and Anne Reade.

2. His second son Sir Robert Bell (de Beaupre) b. (c. 1563, d. 1539), was a 'Captain of a company in the low countries' MP, built ships for the navy, (c. 1600) married Elizabeth Inkpen.

3. His third son, Synulpholus Bell, Esq., b. March 1564, d. 1628, of Thorpe Manor, issue 8 sons, 3 dau., of Norfolk, married Jane (Anne) daughter of Christopher Calthrop and Jane Rookwood (daughter of Roger Rookwood).

4. His fourth son, Beaupre' Bell b. abt. 1570, d. 1638, was a literary scholar of Cambridge, admitted to Lincolns Inn, 1594, was made Governor of the Tower of London in 1599.

5. His fifth son, Phillip Bell b. 14 June 1574, d. after 1630, Fellow of Queens College, Cambridge (1593–7)

6. His daughter, Margaret Bell b. before 1561, d. 14 September 1591, married Nicholas L'Estrange of Norfolk; the son of Sir Hamon Le Strange (c.1534–1580) and Elizabeth Hastings; daughter of Sir Hugh Hastings of Elsing, 14th Lord Hastings (d. c.1540) and Catherine Le Strange (d. 2 February 1558).

7. His daughter, Dorothy b. 19 October 1572, d. 30 April 1640, married Henry Hobart, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas; who laboured together with Francis Bacon, to draft and procure the charters for the London and Plymouth Company.

8. His daughter, Frances b. (posthumous) 2 December 1577, d. 9 November 1657, married Sir Anthony Dering of Kent (1558–1636), JP, of Surrenden Dering in Pluckley, Kent; the parents of Sir Edward Dering, 1st baronet (1598–1644), who married Elizabeth (1602–1622), daughter of Sir Nicholas Tufton, 1st earl of Thanet.

Following the Elizabethan era, Sir Robert Bell's descendants set sail for America, and arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, before and after the Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock.