he was governor in 1461, and again in 1463, 1465, and 1466. His name occurs in the year-books from Hilary term 1465 onwards. On 24 July 1466 he was placed on the commission of the peace in Norfolk (Cal. Patent Rolls, Edw. IV, p. 568), and in April 1467 he was returned, probably through the influence of his mother's family, to parliament for Bramber, Sussex. His legal practice was evidently considerable, and on 9 Nov. 1469 he bought from Sir John Paston (1442–1479) [q. v.], for 66l. 13s. 4d., his manor of East Beckham, with all his lands in West Beckham, Bodham, Sheringham, Beeston Regis, Runton, Shipden, Felbrigg, Aylmerton, Sustead, and Gresham, all near Cromer in Norfolk (Paston Letters, ii. 391). He seems to have acted as legal adviser to the Paston family; in June 1470 he was counsel for John Paston who was tried on a charge of felony at the Norwich sessions for shooting two men. Sir John borrowed money of Townshend, and by 1477 owed him four hundred marks (ib. ii. 397–9, iii. 199, 255). On 15 Sept. 1472 Townshend was returned to parliament for Calne in Wiltshire. He was double reader at Lincoln's Inn in 1468, and again in 1474, and in October 1477 was made serjeant-at-law, becoming king's serjeant in 1483 (Rymer, xii. 186). Richard III appointed him justice of the common pleas about January 1484, and Henry VII not only retained him in this position, but knighted him on Whitsunday 1486. On 14 July following he was placed on the commission of oyer and terminer for London and its suburbs, and on 7 April 1487 was made commissioner of array for Norfolk. In 1489 he was appointed on the commissions for the peace in Sussex, Essex, and Hertfordshire, and on commissions for gaol delivery at Hertford, Colchester, and Guildford (Campbell, Materials, i. 428, ii. 135, 325, 477–83). According to Dugdale, the last fine acknowledged before him was at midsummer 1493. He died on 9 Nov. following, his will being dated 14 Aug. (Cal. Inquis. post mortem, 1898, vol. i. Nos. 1028, 1136, 1143; Blomefield, Norfolk, vii. 131). Foss erroneously states that Townshend continued sitting in court until Michaelmas 1500.
Townshend's first wife was Anne, daughter and heir of Sir William Brews or Braose, who brought him the manor of Stinton, Norfolk. By her, who died on 31 Oct. 1489, he had six sons and six daughters; the eldest son, Sir Roger (1477–1551), was thrice sheriff of Norfolk, which he also represented in parliament in 1529 and 1541–2. Dying without issue, on 30 Nov. 1551, he was succeeded by his great-nephew, Sir Roger (1543?–1590) [q. v.] The judge's second wife's name was Eleanor, who was his executrix, and died in 1500.
[Authorities cited; Dugdale's Orig. Jurid. and Chronica Ser.; Visitation of Norfolk (Harleian Soc.); Lincoln's Inn Records, i. 12; Rye's Norfolk Records; Collins's Peerage, vi. 36–9; Off. Return of Members of Parliament; Blomefield's Norfolk, passim; Foss's Lives of the Judges.]
TOWNSHEND, Sir ROGER (1543?–1590), courtier, of East Rainham, Norfolk, born about 1543, was son and heir of Richard Townshend, of Brampton, Norfolk, by Catherine, daughter and coheiress of Sir Humphrey Browne, justice of the common pleas [see under Townshend, Sir Roger, (d. 1493)]. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, but did not graduate. Both he and his wife held court offices under Elizabeth, and they and the queen exchanged presents on New Year's day of various years between 1576 and 1581. In the latter year Philip, earl of Arundel, made a deed of gift to Townshend and William Dyx of all his goods, jewels, and other property, in consideration of the payment of certain sums of money (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80 p. 469, 1581–90, p. 117). Besides his Norfolk property Townshend purchased from Thomas Sutton (1532–1611) [q. v.] an estate at Stoke Newington, Middlesex, and also acquired property in Essex. He served with the fleet against the Spanish armada, and on 26 July 1588 was knighted at sea by Lord Howard of Effingham. His portrait was to be seen on the margin of the tapestry in the House of Lords (destroyed by fire in 1834) depicting the defeat of the Armada [see Pine, John]. He died two years later, in June 1590, at Stoke Newington, and was buried on the 30th in the church of St. Giles, Cripplegate. He married, about 1564, Jane, youngest daughter of Sir Michael Stanhope [q. v.] of Shelford, Nottinghamshire, who in 1597 was remarried to Henry, lord Berkeley.
His eldest son, Sir John Townshend (1564–1603), sat in parliament from 1593 to 1601, served in the Low Countries under Sir Francis Vere in 1592, and four years later accompanied Essex in his expedition against Cadiz, and was knighted for his services. He was mortally wounded in 1603 in a duel on Hounslow Heath with Sir Matthew Browne, who was killed on the spot. Townshend died of his wounds on 2 Aug. His son, Sir Roger (1588–1637), who was created a baronet on 16 April 1617, was father of Horatio, first viscount Townshend [q. v.]
