[1] He was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Cornwallis, Comptroller of the Household to Queen Mary, and his wife Anne Jerningham.
Despite a family connection to Thomas Cecil, Cornwallis made little enough progress at court, and twice withdrew without regard for the loss of royal favour.
[1] She was a lady in waiting to Anne of Denmark and as a wedding gift the queen gave her a jewel studded with diamonds made by George Heriot.
[5] Of the daughters: There are sources that give Thomas Cornwallis, Member of Parliament for Suffolk in 1625, as a son of Sir William by his first wife.
[13] The History of Parliament, on the other hand, gives his father as John Cornwallis of Earl Soham.