Roger Aston

Sir Roger Aston (died 23 May 1612) of Cranford, Middlesex, was an English courtier and favourite of James VI of Scotland.^[1][2]

Biography

Aston was a bastard son of Thomas Aston (died 1553).^[3]

Aston was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber (1587) to James VI of Scotland, (later James I of England) and Master of the Great Wardrobe to King James I in England. He held both positions until his death.^[2]

King James, by writ under the privy seal, in the 9th year of his reign (1611 or 1612), granted to Sir Roger's coat-armour, an augmentation out of the two national badges of England and Scotland: the rose or England, and the thistle of Scotland impaled, in a canton or, in regard of the marriage of Sir Roger with Mary (daughter of Andrew Stewart, Master of Ochiltree, who died during the life of his father Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree), in Scotland, descended from the blood royal.^[4]

Aston lies buried in St Dunstan's Church, Cranford, London in an ornate church monument.^{[5][lower-alpha 1]}

Family

Aston married firstly Mary Stewart (died 11 April 1606), daughter Andrew Stewart, Master of Ochiltree (see above), with whom he had four daughters:Wotton 1741, p. 108

• Margaret (23 December 1657), married Sir Gilbert Houghton, 2nd Baronet, of Houghton-Tower, in Lancashire.
• Mary, married Sir Samuel Peyton, of Knowlton, in Kent.
• Elizabeth, married Sir Robert Wingfield, of Upton, in Northamptonshire,
• Anne, married Sir Thomas Perient, of Colchester, in Essex.

Afterwards Aston married secondly Cordelia, daughter of Sir John Stanhope and sister to the Earl of Chesterfield. They had one son who died in infancy.Wotton 1741, p. 108

Notes

1. Written on the monument is the following inscription:

   Here lyeth buried the Body of S^r Roger Aston K^t. whose Soule exchanged the Earthly for the Heavenly Tabernacle the 23^d of May 1612. haveing long continued a diligent & trusty Servant to James King of Great Britain France & Ireland and for the painfull & faithfull Service he had done to his Grandfather his Father & Himselfe was by him ordained (and to his death so continued) one of the Gentlemen of his Majesties Bedchamber in Anno 1587. as may appear by his Majesties Letters Patents, appointed by S^r Roger Aston to be inclosed and kept in this his Monument; He was alsoe made Master of his Majesties Great Wardrobe in England at the house of which office he departed this Life. He descended from a younger Branch of the House of Aston an ancient Familey of Gentry in the County of Chester: And with the good likeing and Aprovement of the Kings Majesty (then King of Scotland) and of her Father he was married to Mary Stuart a Kinswoman to the Kings Majesty and Daughter to the Lord Ogletry an antient Baron of Scotland. She departed this Life the 11th. of April 1606. and here with him is buried & intombed by whom he had many Children Sons and Daughters whereof only four daughters were living at the time of his Decease. The eldest of them being Margret was in his Life time married to Sir Gilbert Houghton in the County of Lancaster Ban^tt. K^t. The second being Mary was also married in his Life time to Sir Samuel Peyton in the County of Kent Barr^tt. K^t. The third being Elizabeth since the death of her Father is married to Sir Robert Wingfield in the County of Northampton K^t. The youngest & fourth being Ann Aston is yet unmarried. After the death of Dame Mary Stuart Mother to these his Daughters He married Cordelia Stanhope his 2d Wife one of the Daughters of Sir John Stanhope in the County of Derby K^t. & had issue by her one Son only who died an Infant.^[6]

1. Wotton 1741, p. 107.
2. Betham 1801, p. 37.
3. Wotton 1741, p. 107 cites Leyceser's Cheshire p. 213
4. Betham 1801, pp. 37–38.
5. St Dunstan Cranford Park, Middlesex:Monuments & Brasses in St Dunstan's, Parish of St. Dunstan with Holy Angels, Cranford — photographs of the monument
6. Wotton 1741, pp. 107–108 cites Le Neve's Manuascript of the Baronets vol. I p.33

References

• Wotton, Thomas (1741), The English baronets, a genealogical and historical account of their families, Three Daggers and Queen's-Head, against St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet Street,: Thomas Wotton, pp. 107–108
• Betham, William (1801), The Baronetage of England: Or The History of the English Baronets, and Such Baronets of Scotland, as are of English Families; with Genealogical Tables, and Engravings of Their Coats of Arms, 1, Burrell and Bransby, p. 37–38