Compton, Henry, 1st Baron Compton (1538 -1589)

Sir Henry Compton, of Compton Wynyates in Warwickshire, was the only son of Peter Compton, of Compton Wynyates, and Anne, daughter of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury. He was admitted to Gray's Inn 1 March 1563, was Member of Parliament for Old Sarum 1563 1567, was knighted by the Earl of Leicester at Arundel House 10 February 1567, and was summoned to Parliament, 8 May 1572, as Baron Compton of Compton. He married, firstly, Frances, daughter of Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon, and secondly, Anne, fifth daughter of Sir John Spencer, of Althorp in Northamptonshire, and widow of William Stanley, Lord Mounteagle. Camden described Lord Compton as “a person of fine wit and solid judgment”. His eldest son by his first wife, William Compton, was created Earl of Northampton in 1618. The lion passant gardant of the arms was granted as an augmentation of honour to his grandfather Sir William Compton, who was page to Henry VIII when the king was Duke of York, and remained his companion at arms throughout his life.