FitzWilliam was an alderman of the City of London who obtained a new charter for the Merchant Taylors’ Company in 1502, purchased Gaynes Park, Theydon Garnon, in 1508, covenanting to prosecute the manors out of the King’s hands and to acquit the King of the interest he had in them under an Act of 1503. FitzWilliam was a Northamptonshire man who entered the service of Cardinal Wolsey, to whom he became treasurer and chamberlain, remaining loyal to his master after his fall. On hearing that Wolsey, while in disgrace, had been hospitably received by Fitzwilliam, HenryVIII asked him how he dared entertain so great an enemy of the State. Fitzwilliam replied that
‘he had not contemptuously or wilfully done it, but only because he had been his master, and partly the means of his great fortunes.’
This reply so pleased the king that he observed that he himself had few such servants and promptly knighted him. Sir William was heriff of Northampton 1n 1524. By the following year he owned the manors of Gaynes Park and Hemnalls, in Theydon Garnon, Marshalls in North Welad Bassett, Madelles in Epping, and Arnolds and Hunts in Lambourne.
At his death in 1534, he bequeathed £500 to mend the highway between Coopersale and Chigwell, and £100 for ‘poor maids’ marriage’s. He also cancelled all debts due to him, and forgave his debtors, writing over their names Amor Dei Remitto – for the love of God I remit.
The second Sir William (d.1152) of Gaynes Park, son of the first figures little in Essex history. In 1543 he settled Gaynes Park, Hemnalls, Madells, together wth Marshalls in North Weald – considerable estates – on his eldest son, Willian and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir William Sidney of Penshurst, on their marriage.
The third Sir William FitzWilliam (1526-1599) became Lord Deputy of Ireland. In 1561 he was appointed Lord Justice in Ireland. In 1575 he returned to England and was appointed Governor of Fotheringhay Castle when Mary Queen of Scots was executed in 1587. In appreciation of his consideration for her at the end, Mary gave him a portrait of her son – the future James I of England. He settled ll his Essex estates on his wife for life in 1569, with the remainder to their second son John, and his heirs male.
Sir William incurred debts to the Queen Elizabeth amounting to some £3,964. He was pardoned £1000, but at the time of his death he had only paid off £1,185 of the balance. The debt was inherited by his eldest son, William, and this led to a dispute over the ownership of Gaynes Park.
By the settlement of 1596 (referred to above) John, not William inherited the estate at hi mother’s death in 1602. William challenged his brother’ title, even going so far as to mortgage the estate to the queen as a means of discharging the family debt. The dispute between the two brothers was brought before the Court of Exchequer, which gave a decision in favour of John.
There is a monument to Lady Fitzwilliam (d. 1602) in All Saints church, Theydon Garnon. By her will she endowed the almshouses for four widows still standing. John FitzWilliam died in 1612 without issue.