Francis Gawdy

[3][4] He may have studied at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, matriculating in 1545,[2] but this record might rather be attributable to Francis's half-brother, the Thomas Gawdy who died in 1588.

In 1563 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Coningsby,[7] of Wallington,[8] Esq., who was slain in the first of Edward VI at the battle of Muscleborough in Scotland.

Sir Henry Spelman wrote (of Shouldham "Abbey") that "Sir Francis Gaudy of the Justices of the King's Bench was owner of it, he married [Elizabeth] the Daughter and Heir of Christopher Cunningsby Lord of the Manour of Wallington, and having this Manour and other Lands in right of his Wife, induced her to acknowledge a Fine thereof, which done she became a distracted Woman, and continued so to the day of her Death, and was to him for many Years a perpetual affliction.

[22] Elizabeth died during her father's lifetime leaving no male issue, but an only daughter, Frances (1590–1623), who was brought up by Gawdy himself.

In February 1605, without her grandfather's approval, Frances was married to Robert Rich, who became Earl of Warwick in 1619,[10] and after this marriage Gawdy broke off relations between himself and his granddaughter.

In August 1605 Gawdy was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, a position he did not live to enjoy, dying of apoplexy on 15 December at Serjeant's Inn.

As the smell of the body became offensive he was eventually buried without ceremony at North Runcton church and only paving stones were used to cover the grave.

The parish register at North Runcton records that he was buried in the chancel by the local parson on 27 February (although the differing calendars would account for much of this apparent delay).