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WITHERS, Lawrence (d.1574), of London.
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Biography Detail
Related Resources
Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
m., at least 2s., prob. 2da.
Offices Held
Alderman, London 1550-6; president of St. Bartholomew’s hospital 1556-7; merchant adventurer by 1564.
Biography
Withers was a member of the Salters Company, and was elected to the 1563 Parliament as one of the common council’s nominees. In the House he was a member of the succession committee in October 1566.
He was one of a syndicate of London merchants who at the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign lent the Queen £30,000 at 10% interest. In 1560, in partnership with Sir William Chester and others, he was granted reversions and rents of lands in a number of counties. This was presumably another credit transaction with the Crown, since the grantees surrendered their patent early in 1562. Withers owned the manor of Isle Brewers, Somerset, which he settled on his younger son, George. In default of George’s heirs the property was to descend to Alice, wife of William Lowes, and Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Davy, salter—presumably George’s sisters.
Withers died on 25 Feb. 1574. The heir was his elder son Fabian, aged over 30 when his father died.
Wards 7/15/32, 52; A. B. Beaven, Aldermen, i. 182, 246; ii. 33; N. Moore, Bartholomew’s Hospital, ii. 801; D’Ewes, 127; CPR, 1558-60, pp. 353-4, 431 seq.; 1560-3, p. 112; 1563-6, p. 178.
