William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester (c. 1483/1485 – 10 March 1572), styled Lord St John between 1539 and 1550 and Earl of Wiltshire between 1550 and 1551, was an English Lord High Treasurer, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and statesman.
Contents
Family origins and early career in Hampshire
Paulet was the eldest son of Sir John Paulet (1460 – 5 January 1525) of Basing Castle in the parish of Old Basing, near Basingstoke in Hampshire, and of Nunney Castle in Somerset (inherited from the Delamere family in 1415), a cadet branch of Paulet of Hinton St George in Somerset. His mother Alice Paulet was his father's second cousin-once-removed the daughter of Sir William Paulet by his wife Elizabeth Denebaud. William had six siblings, including Sir George Paulet of Crondall Manor in Hampshire and Eleanor Paulet (born 1479), wife of William Giffard of Itchell Manor at Ewshot, also in Hampshire.
The family originated at the manor of Paulet (now Pawlett), near Bridgwater in Somerset. The senior branch of the Paulet/Powlet/Poulett family was seated at Hinton St George in Somerset, and had lived in that county since the early thirteenth century; the first Member of Parliament from that line represented Devon in 1385.
There is some disagreement over his date of birth, with different authorities quoting 1483 or 1485. A claim that he was ninety-seven at his death would place his birth in 1474 or 1475. There is also uncertainty about where he was born, but it may have been at Fisherton Delamere in Wiltshire, one of his father's manors.
His father, who had held a command against the Cornish rebels in 1497, was the head of the branch seated at Paulet and Road, close to Bridgwater, being the son of John Paulet and Elizabeth Roos. William's great-grandfather John Paulet acquired the Hampshire estates by his marriage with Constance Poynings, granddaughter and coheiress of Thomas Poynings, 5th Baron St John of Basing; his barony became abeyant upon his death in 1428/1429.
William Paulet was High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1512, 1519, 1523, and again in 1527. Knighted before the end of 1525, he was appointed Master of the King's Wards in November 1526 and appeared in the Privy Council in the same year.
Marriage and issue
He married Elizabeth (d. 25 December 1558), daughter of Sir William Capel, Lord Mayor of London and Margaret Arundell in 1503, and by her had four sons and four daughters:
John Paulet, 2nd Marquess of Winchester
Thomas
Chidiock Paulet (also spelled Chidiok, Chediok, Chidieok, or Chidiock), governor of Southampton under Mary and Elizabeth
Giles
Alice, married Richard Stawell, of Cotherston, Somerset
Margaret, married Sir William Berkeley
Margery, married Sir Richard Waller, of Oldstoke, Hampshire
Eleanor (died 26 September 1558), married Sir Richard Pecksall (died 1571) of Beaurepaire, Hampshire, hereditary Master of the Buckhounds.
Career as a national statesman
During his long career Paulet held numerous offices, which included:
High Sheriff of Hampshire 1511–12, 1518–19 and 1522–23
Joint Master of the King's Wards 1526–34 and sole Master of the King's Wards 1534–40
Member of Parliament for Hampshire 1529–36
Comptroller of the Household 1532–37
Keeper of Pamber Forest 1535/6
Treasurer of the Household 1537–38/9
Master of the King's Woods 1541
Master of the Court of Wards 1540–42
Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries 1542–54
Privy Counsellor 1542
Lord Chamberlain of the Household 1543–45
Lord Steward of the Household 1545-1549/50
Chief Justice in Eyre, South of Trent 1545–49/50
Lord President of the Council 1546–49
Joint Governor of King Edward VI
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal 1547
Keeper and Captain of St Andrew's Castle, Hamble 1547–71/2
Keeper of Alice Holt and Woolmer Forests 1548–71/2
Death
Paulet was still in office when he died on 10 March 1572, a very old man, at Basing House, which he held to rebuild and fortify. His tomb is on the south side of the chancel of Basing church.