Hungerford was nineteen years old at his father's death in 1522, and soon afterwards appears as squire of the body to
Henry VIII. In 1529, he was granted permission to alienate part of his large estates. On 20 August 1532,
John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, whose daughter, Elizabeth, was Hungerford's third wife, wrote to Sir
Thomas Cromwell stating that Hungerford wished to be introduced to him.[2] A little later, Hussey informed Cromwell that Hungerford desired to be
sheriff of Wiltshire, a desire which was gratified in 1533. Hungerford proved useful to Cromwell in Wiltshire,[3] and in June 1535 Cromwell made a memorandum that Hungerford ought to be rewarded for his well-doing.[4] On 8 June 1536, he was summoned to parliament as Lord Hungerford of Heytesbury.[1]
In 1540, he, together with his chaplain, a Wiltshire clergyman named William Bird,
Rector of
Fittleton and Vicar of
Bradford, who was suspected of sympathising with the
pilgrims of grace of the north of England, was attainted by act of parliament.[5] Hungerford was charged with employing Bird in his house as chaplain, knowing him to be a traitor; with ordering another chaplain, Hugh Wood, and one Dr. Maudlin to practise conjuring to determine the king's length of life, and his chances of victory over the northern rebels; and finally with committing offences forbidden by the
Buggery Act 1533. He was beheaded at Tower Hill on 28 July 1540, along with his patron, Cromwell. It has been stated that before his execution Hungerford "seemed so unquiet that many judged him rather in a frenzy than otherwise."[6]
Family
Hungerford married firstly Susan Danvers, daughter of Sir John Danvers of
Dauntsey, Wiltshire, and Anne Stradling, They had two children:[7][8]
Eleanor Hungerford, who married William Masters and
John Hungerford
Mary Hungerford, who married firstly Thomas Baker, esquire, and secondly Thomas Shaa.[7]
He married thirdly, in October 1532, Elizabeth Hussey (d. 23 January 1554), daughter of
John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, and his second wife, Anne Grey (d.1546), daughter of
George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent (d.1503), by his second wife, Katherine Herbert, daughter of
William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, by Anne Devereux.[14] Hungerford's treatment of his third wife was remarkable for its brutality. In an appeal for protection which she addressed to
Thomas Cromwell in about 1536,[15] she asserted that he kept her incarcerated at
Farleigh for three or four years, made some fruitless attempts to divorce her, and endeavoured on several occasions to poison her.[16] There were no children from the marriage.[17] After Hungerford's execution, she became the second wife of Sir
Robert Throckmorton (d.1581).[1]