William Stafford, Lord Chebsey - Marriages and Issue

Marriages and Issue

In 1534 Sir William Stafford secretly wed, as her second husband, Mary Boleyn (c.1499–1543), sister of King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Mary Boleyn is said to have been pregnant at the time of her marriage to Sir William Stafford; however if there were children of the marriage, nothing further is known of them.

Stafford married secondly, Dorothy Stafford (d. 22 September 1604), daughter of Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford, and Ursula Pole, by whom he had three sons and three daughters:

• Sir Edward Stafford (1552–1604) of Grafton, who married firstly, Roberta Chapman (d.1578), the daughter of Alexander Chapman of Rainthorpe Hall, Norfolk, by whom he had a son and two daughters, and secondly, on 29 November 1597, Douglas Sheffield (1547–1608), daughter of William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham, and sister of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham.

• William Stafford (1554–1612), conspirator, who about 1593 married Anne Gryme (d.1612), daughter of Thomas Gryme of Antingham, Norfolk, by whom he had a daughter, Dorothy Stafford, and a son, William Stafford (1593–1684).

• Sir John Stafford of Marlwood Park (January 1556 – 28 September 1624), Thornbury, Gloucestershire, who married Millicent Gresham (buried 24 December 1602), the daughter of Edmund Gresham (buried 31 August 1586) and Joan Hynde, by whom he had no issue.

• Elizabeth Stafford (1546–6 February 1599), who married firstly, Sir William Drury (1550–1590), by whom she had issue. She married secondly Sir John Scott.

• Ursula Stafford (b.1553), who married Richard Drake (d. 11 July 1603) of Esher, Surrey, equerry to Elizabeth I, third son of John Drake (d.1558), esquire, of Ashe in Musbury, Devonshire, and brother of Bernard Drake, by whom she had a son, Francis Drake (d.1633).

• Dorothy Stafford, who likely died in infancy.