Francis Aislabie or Aslaby or Aslackby (by 1515 – 1557), of South Dalton, Yorkshire, was an English soldier and politician.
Biography He was the first son of James Aislabie by Jane, daughter of Sir John Gower of Stittenham. He was married twice, by 1536 to Maud, daughter of Ralph Gray of Barton, and had with her 4 sons and 4 daughters.The Visitations of Yorkshire in the Years 1563 and 1564, p. 4. His second wife was Joan. He was the Forester of Galtres, Yorkshire, from November 1545 to his death. He was Justice of the Peace in Yorkshire (East Riding) in 1554.
He was a relative of Sir Ralph Ellerker and his name, as "Aislabie", was mentioned for the first time. He served under Ellerker as lieutenant of the light horse at Boulogne where, during December 1545, "where his bravery in the field earned him a commendation from the Earl of Surrey to the King."AISLABIE, Francis (by 1515-57), of South Dalton, Yorks Retrieved on 28 Mar 2018
Aislabie served in the war with Scotland known as the Rough Wooing. In June 1548 he attacked Dalkeith and burned villages in the Musselburgh area, and he fought off a French landing party at North Berwick.Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland, 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), pp. 118 no. 240, 120 no. 245, 177 no. 391 At the recommendation of Thomas Holcroft, he was the marshal of Haddington by September 1549. He was one of the commanders of a raiding party that approached Tantallon Castle and came under artillery fire. They subsequently and burned several villages.Calendar State Papers Spain, 9 (London, 1912), p. 293. He was made captain of the fort at Dunglass by December 1549 – 1550.Marcus Merriman, The Rough Wooings (Tuckwell, 2000), p. 318: Joseph Stevenson, Selections from unpublished manuscripts illustrating the reign of Mary Queen of Scotland (Glasgow, 1837), p. 45 Edward VI granted him the former cistercian priory of Hampole in 1552.William Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum, 5 (London, 1846), p. 487.
Aislabie was a Member of Parliament for Scarborough in 1555.
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