Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle
Authur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was born in France at Calais, between 1461/75, the illegitimate son of king Edward IV Plantagenet, but died on March the 3rd 1541/2, at he Tower of London, where his is buried.
He was imprisoned in the Tower of London on suspicion of treason on the 19th of May, in 1540, for charges of plotting to betray Calais (then an English domain) to the French. When the verdict came in acquitting him, he is reported to have died of an heart attack. His widow, Honor, was buried at Logan, Cornwall 30 Apr 1566.
Arthur was to become 'completely overshadowed by a host of legitimate male relatives and only achieved prominence under the Tudors'. Some confusion remains concerning the exact relationship between King Edward's mistresses, Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and Elizabeth Wayte, in all probability separate women, concerning Authur and therefore his mothers name is uncertain. His godfather was Thomas Fitz-alan, 16th Earl of Arundel.
Authur Plantagenet was first married on the 12th of November in 1511, to Elizabeth Dudley, Baroness Lisle, daughter of Edward Grey, Viscount Lisle, by his wife, Elizabeth Talbot, daughter of John Talbot, Viscount Lisle. Elizabeth was the widow of Edmund Dudley, treasurer to Henry VII, but executed in 1509, by Henry VIII. Elizabeth de Lisle, a descendant of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, was the mother of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. By Elizabeth, Authur Plantagenet had three named daughters, being Bridget, Elizabeth and Frances Plantagenet.
Arthur married secondly, in 1529, to Honor Grenville, (b.1493-d.1566) the widow of Sir John Basset, and daughter of Sir Thomas Grenville, a daughter of Sir Thomas Grenville, by his first wife, Isabella Gilbert.
In 1514 Authur Plantagenet was captain of the Vice-Admiral's ship "Trinity Sovereign", rising to become Vice-Admiral of England. He attended his nephew the king Henry VIII at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. Arthur's peerage was a new title, created for him on the 25th of April in 1523 by Henry VIII. He was also to be selected Sheriff of Hampshire, Privy Councilor, Governor of Calais, and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. 'Lisle was named as deputy of Calais after the death of John Bouchier, Lord Berners on 16th March, 1533. Lisle was sworn into office on the 10th of June'.
In the 'Lisle Letters' principally of a private nature, dating from Lisle's appointment in Calais and written by Arthur Plantagenet it is revealled he was styled "cousin" by Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury. The Lisle Letters were collated in six volumes of about 3000 papers as a body of evidence in the trial that followed Lisle's accusation of treason. They culminate in his confinement in the Tower of London.
"Their main correspondent was John Husee, Lisle's agent and secretary, based in London, whose letters are full of valuable political detail".
