William Godolphin (1567–1613)

For other people named William Godolphin, see William Godolphin (disambiguation).

Sir William Godolphin (1567−1613), of Godolphin in Cornwall, was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1604 to 1611.

Biography

Godolphin was the older son of Sir Francis Godolphin, also an MP and governor of the Scilly Isles. He matriculated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1585 and was admitted at Lincoln's Inn on 29 January 1587. He accompanied the Earl of Essex in his military expedition of 1599-1600 to Ireland, and was knighted on 13 July 1599 for his gallantry in an action at Arklow. He was subsequently put in command of a brigade of cavalry, and he was credited with playing an important part in victory at the Siege of Kinsale on 24 December 1601, when his troops broke through the enemy line and captured the Spanish commander.

Godolphin was Member of Parliament (MP) for Cornwall in the first parliament of James I from 1604 to 1611.

Family

Godolphin married Thomasin Sidney, and their children included:

• Sir Francis Godolphin, KB (1605–1667), his heir
• Sidney Godolphin (1610–1643), the poet
• William Godolphin, who first succeeded his father as Governor of Scilly
• Penelope Godolphin, who married Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge

Further reading

• Godolphin family tree

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Anthony Rous Jonathan Trelawny	Member of Parliament for Cornwall with Sir Anthony Rous 1604–1611	Succeeded by Sir Richard Carew John St Aubyn
Honorary titles
Preceded by Francis Godolphin	Governor of the Isles of Scilly 1568−1608	Succeeded by William Godolphin