Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton

Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton was an important English aristocrat and courtier. He was suspect as a cryptoCatholic throughout his life, and went through periods of royal disfavour, in which his reputation suffered greatly. He was distinguished for learning, artistic culture and his public charities. He built Northumberland House in London and superintended the construction of the fine house of Audley End. He founded and planned several hospitals. Francis Bacon included three of his sayings in his Apophthegms, and chose him as the learnedest councillor in the kingdom to present to the king his Advancement of Learning. After his death, it was discovered that he had been involved in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury.

He was born at Shottesham, Norfolk, onFebruary 1540, the second son of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, the poet, and of his wife, the former Lady Frances de Vere, daughter of the 15th Earl of Oxford. He was the younger brother of the 4th Duke of Norfolk, and uncle of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel. On the death of his father in 1547 he and his brother and sisters were entrusted to the care of his aunt, Mary FitzRoy, Duchess of Richmond and Somerset, who employed John Foxe as their tutor. With Foxe Howard remained at Reigate, a manor belonging to the Duke of Norfolk, throughout Edward VIs reign. On Marys accession, the childrens grandfather, the Duke of Norfolk, was released from prison, and he dismissed Foxe.

Source: Wikipedia