Arthur Gorges

Sir Arthur Gorges (c. 1569 – 10 October 1625) was an English sea captain, poet, translator and courtier from Somerset.

Sir William Gorges was knighted in Ireland in 1579, was Vice Admiral of the Fleet in 1580, and Constable of the Tower of London.

In 1597 he commanded the War-Spite, in which Walter Raleigh sailed as Vice Admiral under the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, on the Islands Voyage.

[6] His family possessed considerable property in Chelsea in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, where he built "Brickills", later named Stanley House.

Gorges contracted with the queen for the wardship, paying £1000, with a gift of a pearl bracelet with a clasp set diamonds and rubies which cost £500.

A brass plate, now fixed to the north wall, is engraved with the kneeling effigies of Sir Arthur Gorges and his six sons on one side of a small table, and his wife and five daughters on the other.

[6] His works include "Lucans Pharsalia" (with a preface in poetry by Walter Raleigh), and a translation into English of Francis Bacon's The Wisedome of the Ancients from the original Latin, published in 1619.