Robert Spencer 1st Baron Spencer ¹

  General Notes:

Sir Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer, of Wormleighton was the son of Sir John Spencer, Kt and Mary Catlin. On Feb. 15, 1587/88 he married Margaret Willoughby, daughter of Sir Francis Willoughby and Elizabeth Lyttelton in Brington, Northamptonshire, England. She died in childbrith. Children: Mary, Elizabeth, John, William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton, Richard, Edward, Margaret.

Sir Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Brackley from 1597 to 1598. He held the office of Commissioner for Musters, Northamptonshire on 19 December 1600. He held the office of Sheriff of Northamptonshire from 1601 to 1602. He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) before 7 October 1601.

On 25 June 1603 in Althorp, Brington, Northamptonshire, England, he entertained Queen Anne and Prince Henry for two days on their journey from Scotland into England, when The Satyr, a masque by Ben Jonson, was performed for their benefit. He was created 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton [England] on 21 July 1603 by King James I, "as he said, for the report of his being the greatest moneyed man in England." Between 8 October 1603 and 9 December 1603 he went on a special mission to Stuttgart to invest Frederick, Duke of Wurtemburg with the Garter on 6 Nov 1603. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn on 2 February 1606/7.

He was buried at St. Mary's Church in Brington, Northamptonshire, although his bowels were buried at Wormleighton.

It was Robert's custom to feed fifteen poor persons every Monday and help all who came to the gates of his mansions. He had been a lenient landlord and a kind master, providing amply for his servants in their old age. He was held in high estimation by his friends, many of them entrusted their whole estates and the education of their children to his care. He was reputed to possess more ready money than anyone else in England.

Robert married Margaret Willoughby on 15 Feb 1588 in Brington, Northamptonshire, England. (Margaret Willoughby was born in 1560 in England, died on 17 Aug 1597 in Great Brington, Daventry District, Northamptonshire, England and was buried in St Mary the Virgin with St John Churchyard, Great Brington, Daventry District, Northamptonshire, England.)