Background
Heneage was born at Copt Hall, Epping, Essex, the son of Robert Heneage and Lucy Buckton. In 1554 Heneage married Anne Poyntz, daughter of Sir Nicholas Poyntz and Joan Berkeley.
Heneage was born at Copt Hall, Epping, Essex, the son of Robert Heneage and Lucy Buckton. In 1554 Heneage married Anne Poyntz, daughter of Sir Nicholas Poyntz and Joan Berkeley.
Thomas Heneage was educated at Queens" College, Cambridge. He was then elected for Boston in 1563 but chose to sit for Lincolnshire.
Their only daughter Elizabeth married Sir Moyle Finch, Bt and was created Countess of Winchilsea. He was again returned for Lincolnshire in 1571 and 1572, and for Essex in 1584, 1586, 1589, and 1593. He became a courtier under Elizabeth I. He became a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber about 1565 at around that time, she flirted with him, making her favourite, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, jealous.
However, Heneage had so far been on good terms with Leicester and the Earl, in his 1587 will, called him "my good old friend".
In 1570 he rose to Treasurer of the Queen"s Privy Chamber, and was knighted in 1577. In 1586, Heneage was sent by the Queen to the Netherlands.
He was to convey to the States General her strong protest of the Earl of Leicester having accepted their offer of the title Governor-General. Heneage read out publicly Elizabeth"s letters of disapproval before the Dutch politicians, Leicester, their new Governor General, having to stand nearby.
He became Vice-Chamberlain of the Household and was sworn of the Privy Council of England in 1587, before being appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1590.
Heneage died on 17 October 1595 and was buried in the old Saint Paul"s Cathedral. His grave and monument were destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. A modern monument in the crypt of the rebuilt cathedral lists him as one of the important graves lost.
Robert was a member of Henry VIII"s Privy Chamber. Heneage was elected Member of Parliament for Stamford in 1553, before sitting for Arundel from 1559.