Sir Henry Capell

Henry Capell (born before 1537 – 1588), of Hadham Hall in the parish of Little Hadham in Hertfordshire and of Rayne in Essex, was an English politician.

Origins He was the eldest son of Sir Edward Capell (d.1577) of Aspenden Hall, Hertfordshire, by his wife Anne Pelham, a daughter of Sir William Pelham of Loughton in Essex. He was a great-grandson of Sir William Capel (c.1446-1515) of Capel Court in the parish of St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange in the City of London and of Hadham Hall, Lord Mayor of London.

Career Capell fought in the English army at the siege of Leith in 1560. He was a justice of the peace for Essex from 1575 and for Hertfordshire from 1577. He was appointed Sheriff of Essex for 1579–80 and Sheriff of Hertfordshire for 1585–86. He was a member of parliament for Hertfordshire in 1563. He died in 1588.

Marriages & issue He married twice: Firstly to Katherine Manners, a daughter of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, by whom he had 7 sons and 4 daughters, including: Arthur Capell, he was the grandfather of Arthur Capell and the ancestor of the Earls of Essex, he married Margaret Grey, daughter of John Grey Sir Gamaliel Capell (1561–1613), 4th son, of Rookwood Hall in the parish of Abbess Roding in Essex, a member of parliament for the county seat of Essex. Secondly he married Mary Browne, a daughter of Sir Anthony Browne (d.1548), MP, of Battle Abbey and Cowdray Park in Sussex, and widow of Lord John Grey of Pirgo in Essex.