Henry Berkeley 1566-1638?

Sir Henry BERKELEY 1566-1638?

Armorial stamp of Sir Henry Berkeley (British Armorial Bindings)

Biographical Note

Son of Maurice Berkeley, of Wymondham, Leicestershire; created a baronet in 1611. This identification is open to question, see below.

Books

A number of books survive with an armorial stamp, described in the Armorials Database as Berkeley quartered with Hamlyn (which fits the medieval lineage of the Berkeleys of Wymondham). Many of these books are upmarket, gilt-tooled bindings; there is a particularly handsome example illustrated in the Abbey sale at Sotheby's, 21-23 June 1965, lot 131/plate 13, where the ownership is attributed to the judge Sir Robert Berkeley (1584-1656). The date of death of Sir Henry, the baronet, is uncertain and is generally given as "ca.1630"; one of the books recorded in the Armorials Database (British Library C.69.bb.14) has an imprint of 1638, and an inscription "ex dono Henry Berkeley mil: et barronett: 7mo May: 1638". This does suggest the baronet of Wymondham, as the other Sir Henry Berkeley of this period (the MP, ca.1579-ca.1667) was not a baronet. The conclusion seems to be that these books certainly belonged to a Berkeley, but just which one remains open to question.

Sources

• British Armorial Bindings.
• Burke, J., A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies, London, 1844, 58-59.