Sir Edward Waterhouse (1535–1591) was an English-born administrator in Ireland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was the first to hold the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland (from 1566 to 1567 and from 1568 to 1569), and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland from 1586 to 1589.A. Lyall, 'Waterhouse, Sir Edward (1535-1591), administrator', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP 2004).T. Clavin, 'Waterhouse (Waterhous), Sir Edward (1535–91)', Dictionary of Irish Biography (2009), read online (www.dib.ie). Clavin cites several modern historical studies in which Waterhouse is discussed. He represented and shared fully in the Protestant complexion of the English government in Ireland, and himself bore arms against the risings in Munster and elsewhere driven by the rivalries of the Butler and FitzGerald families and other factions. He contributed significantly to the successes of the English army in Ireland through his administration, and made important contributions to policy regarding the future of Ireland and its English plantations. A loyal servant of Sir Henry Sidney and friend of his son Sir Philip Sidney, he was on close and trusted terms with Sir Francis Walsingham as friend, agent and intelligencer, and with Walter Devereux, and managed the affairs of Robert Devereux in childhood after his father's death. In later years he worked closely with Sir John Perrot, and brought to near-completion his Treatise of Irelande as a template for that realm's reorganization and further plantation under English governance. His career may be traced through very numerous entries in the Calendar of State Papers for Ireland,H.C. Hamilton (ed.), Calendar of the State Papers relating to Ireland of the Reign(s) of Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, Vol. I: 1509-1573 (Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, London 1860), see Index, p. 613; Vol. II: 1574-1585 (Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, London 1874), see Index, p. 714 (HathiTrust); Vol. III: 1586-1588, July (Longman and Co., London 1877), see Index, p. 659 (Internet Archive); and Vol. IV: 1588-1592 (London 1885), see Index, p. 656 (HathiTrust). in the context of the Elizabethan military campaigns.D. Edwards (ed.), Campaign Journals of the Elizabethan Irish Wars, Irish Manuscripts Commission (2014).
Family details
Edward Waterhouse was the fourth-born, but third surviving, of six sons of John Waterhouse (died 1558), of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, Auditor to King Henry VIII, and his wife Margaret Turner (died 1558/59),Will of Margett Waterhouse, widow (PCC February 1558/9, Welles quire). daughter of Henry Turner of Blunt's Hall, Little Wratting, Suffolk.'Wratting: Manor of Little Wratting' and 'Manor of Blunt's Hall', in W.A. Copinger, The Manors of Suffolk, V: The Hundreds of Lothingland and Mutford, Plomesgate, and Risbridge (Taylor, Garnett, Evans, & Co., Ltd., Manchester 1909), p. 318 (Internet Archive). See also 'Manor of Thurlow Parva, pp. 296-99, at p. 297 (Internet Archive), citing: "Inquisition post mortem of Henry Turner (1536), 28 Henry VIII 50"; PRO Exchequer, E150/636/2 (Discovery Catalogue).J. Guillim, A Display of Heraldry, 6th edition (T.W., for R. and J. Bonwicke and R. Wilkin, and J. Walthoe and Thos. Ward, London 1724), Sect. IV, p. 324 (Google Books), gives some relevant details of the Turner family. John's brother Thomas Waterhouse (died 1557), "Gentleman-Priest" to King Henry, had been the rector of Ashridge Priory (the collegiate religious house of Boni Homines) elected 1529, and of Quainton in Buckinghamshire. After the Dissolution, the former Ashridge Priory became the residence of Princess Elizabeth until her arrest in 1554. Thomas the priest asked to be buried near his mother at St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead:Will of Thomas Waterhouse, Catholic Priest (P.C.C. 1557, Wrastley quire).See an abstract of his will in 'Memorable Persons. Thomas Waterhouse, priest', in T. Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England (J.G. W.L. and W.G. for Thomas Williams, London 1662), Hartford-shire, pp. 30-31 (Internet Archive). his brass is lost, but was figured by Sylvanus Morgan.S. Morgan, The Sphere of Gentry, Deduced from the Principles of Nature (William Leybourn, London 1661), Book 2, p. 70 (Internet Archive). This work in entirety has long been attributed to Edward Waterhouse (FRS): a discourse on the descent and arms of Waterhouse is found at pp. 67-69 (Internet Archive). John entertained King Henry at Hemel, who at his request incorporated the Vill under a Bailiff, granting its seal, weekly markets and annual fair, etc.A transcript of the Hemel Charter of 29 December, 31 Henry VIII, is given in R. Clutterbuck, The History and Antiquities of Hertfordshire, 3 vols (Nichols, Son, and Bentley, London 1815-1827), I, Appendix, p. 48.
The family home at that time was The Bury, the capital manorial seat, of Helmstedbury, a former monastic possession of Ashridge Priory's: a long lease having been granted in 1535 by Thomas Waterhouse, as rector, to his brother John and to his nephew Richard Combes, with right to occupy, a subsequent royal grant was made to Combes in 1540.'733. Grants in May 1540. 43. Ric. Combes of Hemyll Hampstead', in J. Gairdner and R.H. Brodie (eds), Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Vol. XV (HMSO 1896), p. 345 (British History Online). See readable original MS copy, 'Lot 227: Henry VIII Letters Patent, 12 May 1540', in Sale of "Photographs, Autographs and Historic Documents, 22 November 2023" (Dominic Winter), Item Catalogue, Lot 227 (dominicwinter.co.uk). Some footings can be seen in Gadebridge Park at Hemel Hempstead, between the Norman church and the brick mansion of 1790 now called "The Bury".'Hemel Hempstead', in J.E. Cussans, History of Hertfordshire, III: History of the Hundreds of Dacorum and Cashio (Chatto and Windus, London 1879-1881), pp. 149-75, at pp. 156-57 (Google Books). The stated association of John with the manor of Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire near Quainton (as shown in a Harleian pedigree),'Additional pedigrees. Waterhouse of Berkhamsted', in W.C. Metcalfe (ed.), The Visitations of Hertfordshire made by Robert Cooke, Clarencieux, in 1572, and Sir Richard St George, Clarencieux, in 1634, with Additional Pedigrees, Harleian Society XXII (London 1886), Appendix I (Pedigrees from Harley MS 6147), pp. 119-20 (Internet Archive). appertains correctly to his son John Waterhouse (died 1583),Will of John Waterhouse, of Whitchurch (PCC 1585, Rowe quire). Edward's eldest brother, who purchased that manor in 1581 from Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford,'Parishes: Whitchurch. Manors', in W. Page (ed.), A History of the County of Buckingham, Vol. 3 (V.C.H., London 1925), pp. 442-49 (British History Online). and settled it upon his son Thomas.TNA (UK), Chancery Inquisition post mortem of Thomas Waterhouse of Whitchurch, C 142/266/107 (1600); Will of Thomas Waterhouse, Gentleman of Whitchurch (PCC 1600, Wallop quire). Not to be confused with his uncle Thomas who has an inscription at Berkhamsted, also dated 1600.'Cotteslow Hundred: Whitchurch', with Pedigree of Waterhouse, in G. Lipscombe, The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham, 4 vols (J. & W. Robins, London 1847), III, at pp. 511-13 (Google Books).
According to Edward's grand-nephew (Fuller's informant), the King met Edward in his boyhood and foretold that "he would be the crown of them all, and a man of great honour and wisdom, fit for the service of princes".'Hartford-shire: Statesmen', in T. Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England (J.G., W.L. and W.G., London 1662), at pp. 21-22 (Internet Archive). He was educated at the University of Oxford, to which he was admitted at the age of twelve: there he shone in the arts of oratory and poetry, before his entry into the Court where he devoted himself to politics and statecraft.
Following his parents' deaths in 1558-1559, although it is clear from his mother's will that his father was buried at Watford, beside whom she wished to lie, their memorial was set up in St Peter's church, Berkhamsted. (Soon afterwards the old mediaeval mansion at The Bury was demolished and a new Bury House was built by the kindred Combe family, which stood until 1790.) A corner of Berkhamsted church became the family chapel: Edward's brothers Thomas (died 1600) (and his wife Mary née Kirkby), who lived in that town,'Great Berkhamstead', in J.E. Cussans, History of Hertfordshire, III: History of the Hundreds of Dacorum and Cashio (Chatto and Windus, London 1879-1881), pp. 48-85, at pp. 58-61 (Google Books).'Waterhouse', in J.J. Howard and J.L. Chester (eds), The Visitation of London Anno Domini 1633, 1634 and 1635, made by Sir Henry St George, Richmond Herald, 2 vols, Harleian Society XV, XVII (1880, 1883), II, p. 300 (Internet Archive). and John (of Whitchurch), and others of the Waterhouse family, were buried there.
Career Chief Secretary for Ireland
Spending several years in sworn service in the household of Princess Elizabeth,'The answer of Sir Edward Waterhouse' (etc.), April 1587, in H.C. Hamilton (ed.), Calendar of the State Papers relating to Ireland, Vol. III: 1586-1588 (Longmans and Co., London 1877), pp. 295-96, at p. 296 (Internet Archive). Edward Waterhouse became attached to the sphere of Sir Henry Sidney (1529-1586). In 1565 he accompanied Sidney to Ireland as private secretary on his first term as Lord Deputy of Ireland, 1565-1571, developing a loyal friendship with him'Observations on the Life of Sir Edward Waterhouse', in D. Lloyd, ed. C. Whitworth, State-Worthies: or, the Statesmen and Favourites of England from the Reformation to the Revolution, New edition, 2 vols (J. Robson, London 1766), I, pp. 422-25 (Internet Archive). Lloyd's text follows Fuller. and being employed in many confidential transactions. He was immediately appointed clerk of the Castle Chamber at Dublin (held from 1566 to 1569),'Fiants - Elizabeth: 806 (582). Clerk of castle chamber, 1 Feb. viii Eliz.', in Eleventh Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland (HMSO, Dublin 1879), Appendix, p. 118; '1423 (991).', p. 213 (HathiTrust). and was granted a lease of land in Monasterevin in County Kildare.'Fiants - Elizabeth: 1131 (6036). Surrender. 28 September, ix Eliz.', and '1252 (5570). Licence to alienate. 3 October, ix Eliz./31 January xj Eliz.', in Eleventh Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland (HMSO, Dublin 1879), Appendix, p. 169 and pp. 187-88 (HathiTrust). In 1570 he was instrumental in obtaining a charter for the town of Carrickfergus, of which he was made a freeman.'Fiants - Elizabeth: 1503. Charter of Knockfergus, 20 March xii Eliz.', in Eleventh Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland (HMSO, Dublin 1879), Appendix, pp. 226-27 (HathiTrust).
Service to Walter Devereux