Francis Rolleston1,2,3
M, b. circa 1510, d. 3 August 1587
| Father | Thomas Rolleston b. c 1485, d. Dec 1529 |
| Mother | Agnes Turvile |
Francis was born circa 1510 in Rolleston, Staffordshire, England. Francis married Marie Vernon, daughter of Sir John Vernon. Francis and his son George felt that the captivity of Mary, Queen of Scots, was unjust. They made plans and attempted to carry out a return of Mary to her homeland, Scotland which eventually failed. They faced certain recriminations for their efforts, but eventually were again in good graces with the crown of England. Francis made his will on 20 July 1586. He describes himself as Ffranncis Rolleston of the Ley in Hirste, in the County of Derby, Esquire, directing his body to be buried where yt shall please allmightye God, as becometh a Christian man, the order whereof I refer to my wife and my executors, willing yf yt do please allmightye God, to lye in our ladies' quire in Ashower Church, yf I depte this life wth in 14 myles thereof, &c., &c. ec., 1587.4 Francis departed this life on Monday, 3 August 1587 in Lea in the parish of Ashover, Derbyshire, England. There are many references to a story that states that Francis was betrayed by his son, thrown into the Tower of London and Beheaded. There does not appear to be any actual evidence of these events and believed not to be true by at least some scolars of this period in history.5 He was buried at Derbyshire, England, in Ashover Church in the parish of Ashover. A large alabaster stone, bearing the portraiture of a man & his wife, and at their feet the following inscription: -- “Hic jacent corpora Francisci Rolleston armigeri et Marie uxoris ejus, filie Johis Vernon militis, qui paldictus Franciscus obit iii die Augusti Anno Dui 1587. Et predicta Maria obit . . . die . . .”The Francis Rolleston commemorated by this slab would be the son of Thomas Rolleston and AgnesTurvile, and grandson of James Rolleston, whose monument is in the chancel. His will was probated on 6 December 1587 at Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.
Family | Marie Vernon |
| Child |
Citations
- [S103] Clarence E. Pearsall, History of the Pearsall Family, Volume II: Chapter 25, Section 2, page 852.
- [S917] Rodolph Baron , Vicar of Greasley. Nottingham von Hube, Griseleia in Snotinghscire.
- [S918] Charles Cox, Noteson the Churches of Derbyshire, page 25 - Francis Rolleston - Another was a lare alabaster stone, berating the portraiture of a man and his wife, and at their feet the following inscription: -- “Hic jacent corpora Francisci Rolleston armigeri et Marie uxoris ejus, filie Johis Vernon militis, qui paldictus Franciscus obit iii die Augusti Anno Dui 1587. Et predicta Maria obit . . . die . . .”The Francis Rolleston commemorated by this slab would be the son of Thomas Rolleston and AgnesTurvile, and grandson of James Rolleston, whose monument is in the chancel. He married Maria, daughter of Sir Joihn Vernon, and they had issue “George Rolleston de la ley, pensioner to Queene Elizabeth.”.
- [S935] Vicar of Greasley Rodolph von Hube, Griseleia in Snotinghscire, An Illustrated History from the Earliest Times and from Reliable Sources of the Parish Church of, Found in the section Watnall, part 3 - no page numbers given.
- [S937] Joseph Tilley, Old Halls, Manors, and Families of Derbyshire, Volume 2: There is an incident of one of them both pathetic and tragic, of which the particulars cost considerable research, for they are not given in the Slate Trials, nor in those authorities where we should expect to find them. James Rolleston, who married Anne Babbington (time of Henry VII.), had a grandson, Francis, husband of Mary Vernon, of Harleston. This gentleman held that the captivity of Mary Queen of Scots was unjust, and devised a plan by which that unfortunate lady might have escaped, but he was betrayed by his own son, flung into the Tower, and beheaded.