Charles Cornwallis

Sir Charles Cornwallis ( – 21 December 1629) was an English courtier and diplomat.

Life He was the second son of Sir Thomas Cornwallis, controller of Queen Mary's household, who had been imprisoned by Elizabeth in 1570. He was probably born at his father's house of Brome Hall, Suffolk.

Nothing is known of Cornwallis till 11 July 1603, when he was knighted. In 1604 he was Member of Parliament for Norfolk. Early in 1605 he was sent as resident ambassador to Spain. He was active in attempting to protect English merchants from the Spanish Inquisition, and lobbied the home government for English commercial interests. He was recalled in September 1609, and his secretary, Francis Cottington, took his place at Madrid.

Cornwallis, who at one time lived at Beeston St Andrew, Norfolk, as well as in Suffolk, retired late in life to Harborne, Staffordshire, where he died on 21 December 1629. He was buried in London at St. Giles in the Fields. Dorothy (married 29 April 1620), daughter of Richard Vaughan, bishop of London, and widow of John Jegon, bishop of Norwich.

Sir William Cornwallis was Sir Charles's son by his first wife.