Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Drury, Dru (1531?-1617)
DRURY, Sir DRU or DRUE (1531?–1617), courtier, the fifth but third surviving son of Sir Robert Drury, knt., of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Edmund Brudenell, was born probably in 1531 or 1532. He was a younger brother of Sir William Drury [q. v.] Throughout the reigns of Elizabeth and James I he was gentleman-usher of the privy chamber. He seems to have kept in the good graces of the queen, except on one occasion (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80, p. 170). In September 1579 he received the honour of knighthood at Wanstead, Essex (Metcalfe, A Book of Knights, p. 133). In November 1586 he was sent to Fotheringay to assist Sir Amias Paulet in the wardership of Mary Queen of Scots (Cal. State Papers, Scottish Ser., ii. 1015, 1018). He was nominated lieutenant of the Tower in 1595–6. Drury, whom Camden describes as a sincere, honest man, and a puritan in his religion (‘Annals of Elizabeth,’ in Kennett, Hist. of England, ii. 501), died at his seat, Riddlesworth, Norfolk, 29 April 1617, aged about eighty-six, though on his monument the age of ninety-nine is absurdly given (Le Neve, Monumenta Anglicana, i. 59). His will of 7 July 1613 was proved in P. C. C. 31 May 1617 (registered 39, Weldon). He married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Calthorpe, knt., who had been twice married, first to Sir Henry Parker, K.B., eldest son of Henry, lord Morley, and secondly, after 1550, to Sir William Woodhouse, knt., of Waxham, Norfolk; she brought him a moiety of Riddlesworth. In 1582 he married for his second wife Catherine, daughter and heiress of William Finch of Linsted, Kent, acquiring with her the manor of Sewards in that parish, and Perry Court at Preston in the same county. By this lady, who died 13 Sept. 1601, aged 45, and was buried at Linsted, he had an only son, Drue Drury (created a baronet 7 May 1627; died 23 April 1632), and three daughters: Elizabeth, wife of Sir Thomas Wingfield, knt., but afterwards wife of Henry Reynolds; Anne, wife of Sir Robert Boteler, knt.; and Frances. Some interesting letters from Drury and his second wife to Sir Julius Cæsar, written in 1588, 1596, and 1603–14, are to be found in the Lansdowne and Additional MSS. in the British Museum.
Drury is to be distinguished from a Drue Drury of Eccles and Rollesby, Norfolk, who married Anne, daughter and coheiress of Thomas, sixth baron Burgh of Gainsborough, and was knighted at Whitehall 23 July 1603, before the coronation of the king (Metcalfe, A Book of Knights, p. 147).
[Addit. MS. 19127, ff. 181, 183, 187; Letterbook of Sir Amias Paulet, ed. Morris; Blomefield's Norfolk (8vo), i. 278, 280, 281, 283; Hasted's Kent (fol.), ii. 681 y, 689, 810; Cullum's Hawsted and Hardwick, 2nd edit., p. 133; General Index to Strype's Works (8vo), i. 240; Chamberlain's Letters (Camd. Soc.), p. 40; Fuller's Worthies (1662), Norfolk, p. 272; Hist. of Norfolk (by J. Chambers), ii. 719–21; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. vii. 89, 137, viii. 324, 5th ser. viii. 349, 393, ix. 257, 6th ser. iv. 101.]