John Roper, 1st Baron Teynham

John Roper (died 1618) was an English nobleman who was created the first Baron Teynham in 1616.

John Roper, 1st Baron of Teynham
Arms of the Barons Teynham
Died1618
Noble familyRoper
Spouse(s)
  • Elizabeth Parke
  • Elizabeth Dyon
Issue
  • Christopher Roper
  • Elizabeth Roper
  • Jane (or Mary) Roper
FatherChristopher Roper
MotherElizabeth Blore

Early life

John Roper was the eldest son of Christopher Roper, of Lynsted, Kent, and his wife Elizabeth Blore.[1] The Ropers (whose original surname had been Musard)[2] were an old Kentish family with strong Catholic connections. His uncle's wife, Margaret Roper, was the daughter of Sir Thomas More.[3]

Later life and peerage

John succeeded to his father's manor of Badmangore on the latter's death.[4] In 1599, he had a new manorial seat, Lynsted Lodge, built at Lynsted.[5] Upon the accession of James I, John was the first notable in the county to proclaim the new king, for which service he was knighted in 1616 (although according to other sources he may have already been knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1587[6]) and raised to the peerage as Lord Teynham on the same day.[4] His contribution of £10,000 to the new king's coffers may also have played a role in his elevation to the nobility.[7] According to Gardiner, however, Roper's ennoblement was not any sort of sign of gratitude from the king; rather, it was granted (after the payment of £10,000) as a way to induce Roper to relinquish an office he held in the King's Bench. King James hoped to grant the office to his grasping favorite, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, and viewed Roper as an obstacle to the plan.[8]

Marriage and family

He firstly married Elizabeth Parke, daughter of Richard Parke of Malmaine.[2] They had three children, including;

John Roper's first wife Elizabeth died in 1567, long before her husband became a peer; he married a second time to Elizabeth Dyon some time between 24 September 1583 (when her first husband died) and 4 April 1584. His second wife also predeceased him, dying prior to 22 September 1593; they had no children.[6]

Death

John Roper died in 1618, and was succeeded in his title by his son Christopher. He was buried in the south chancel of the church at Lynsted Lodge.[4]

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References
  1. History of Parliament: Christopher Roper
  2. "A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire" pg. 1092
  3. "The Lady is a Catholic: Lady Lovell's Reply to Sir Edward Hoby"
  4. Ireland, William Henry "England's Topographer: A New and Complete History of the County of Kent, Vol. 2" pg. 704
  5. "Historic England: Lynsted Park"
  6. "Lynsted with Kingsdown Society: The Roper Memorials"
  7. Childs, Jessie "God's Traitors: Terror and Faith in Elizabethan England"
  8. Gardiner, Samuel Rawson "History of England from the Accession of James I to the Outbreak of the Civil War, Vol. 3" pp. 31-34
  9. William A. Shaw, HMC 77 Report on the manuscripts of Lord de l'Isle & Dudley: Sidney Papers 1608-1611, vol. 4 (London, 1926), p. 192.
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