Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Peyton, Henry

1166055Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 45 — Peyton, Henry1896no contributor recorded

PEYTON, Sir HENRY (d. 1622?), adventurer, was son of Thomas Peyton of Bury St. Edmunds, custumer of Plymouth, by his wife Cecilia, daughter of John Bourchier, second earl of Bath. He served in the Low Countries at an early age; was knighted by the king at Royston in May 1606, and joined the household of Henry, prince of Wales. He subscribed 37l. 10s. towards the fund for colonising Virginia in 1607. In 1613 he was promised the post of governor of Brill in Holland (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1611–18, p. 212). In 1618 he was given the command, with Sir Henry Mainwaring, of a fleet enlisted in the service of the Venetian republic. He died ‘beyond seas’ after 1622. His will, dated 11 April 1618, was proved on 20 Feb. 1623–1624. He married at Long Ditton, Surrey, on 22 Sept. 1607, Mary, widow of Andrew (d. 1601), son of Sir Richard Rogers of Brianstone, Dorset; she was fourth daughter of Edward Seymour, first duke of Somerset, the protector, by his second wife. She was buried in Westminster Abbey on 18 Jan. 1619–20.

Another Henry Peyton, born on 4 Aug. 1604, was third son of Sir John Peyton of Doddington, and grandson of Sir John Peyton [q. v.] He was educated at Merchant Taylors' school, was a royalist, and, having forgotten his own password, was killed by his own soldiers at Banbury during the civil wars.

[Brown's Genesis of the United States; Chester's Westminster Abbey Registers.]