Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 16.djvu/61

 # ‘Sermons,’ 1867, 8vo (with memoir and two portraits).



DRURY, DRU or DRUE (1531?–1617), courtier, the fifth but third surviving son of Sir Robert Drury, knt., of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Edmund Brudenell, was born probably in 1531 or 1532. He was a younger brother of Sir William Drury [q. v.] Throughout the reigns of Elizabeth and James I he was gentleman-usher of the privy chamber. He seems to have kept in the good graces of the queen, except on one occasion (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80, p. 170). In September 1579 he received the honour of knighthood at Wanstead, Essex (, A Book of Knights, p. 133). In November 1586 he was sent to Fotheringay to assist Sir Amias Paulet in the wardership of Mary Queen of Scots (Cal. State Papers, Scottish Ser., ii. 1015, 1018). He was nominated lieutenant of the Tower in 1595–6. Drury, whom Camden describes as a sincere, honest man, and a puritan in his religion (‘Annals of Elizabeth,’ in, Hist. of England, ii. 501), died at his seat, Riddlesworth, Norfolk, 29 April 1617, aged about eighty-six, though on his monument the age of ninety-nine is absurdly given (, Monumenta Anglicana, i. 59). His will of 7 July 1613 was proved in P. C. C. 31 May 1617 (registered 39, Weldon). He married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Calthorpe, knt., who had been twice married, first to Sir Henry Parker, K.B., eldest son of Henry, lord Morley, and secondly, after 1550, to Sir William Woodhouse, knt., of Waxham, Norfolk; she brought him a moiety of Riddlesworth. In 1582 he married for his second wife Catherine, daughter and heiress of William Finch of Linsted, Kent, acquiring with her the manor of Sewards in that parish, and Perry Court at Preston in the same county. By this lady, who died 13 Sept. 1601, aged 45, and was buried at Linsted, he had an only son, Drue Drury (created a baronet 7 May 1627; died 23 April 1632), and three daughters: Elizabeth, wife of Sir Thomas Wingfield, knt., but afterwards wife of Henry Reynolds; Anne, wife of Sir Robert Boteler, knt.; and Frances. Some interesting letters from Drury and his second wife to Sir Julius Cæsar, written in 1588, 1596, and 1603–14, are to be found in the Lansdowne and Additional MSS. in the British Museum.

Drury is to be distinguished from a Drue Drury of Eccles and Rollesby, Norfolk, who married Anne, daughter and coheiress of Thomas, sixth baron Burgh of Gainsborough, and was knighted at Whitehall 23 July 1603, before the coronation of the king (, A Book of Knights, p. 147).



DRURY, DRU (1725–1803), naturalist, was born 4 Feb. 1725 in Wood Street, London. Drury claimed descent from Sir [q. v.] His father was a silversmith, and married four times. Mary Hesketh was the mother of Dru and of seven others, who all died young. The boy was carefully educated, and assisted his father in the business. When Dru was twenty-three his father resigned it to him, and he married, 7 June 1748, Esther Pedley, a daughter of his father's first wife by her former husband, and thus became possessed of several freehold houses in London and Essex, which brought him an annual income of between 250l. and 300l. In 1771 he purchased a silversmith's stock and shop at 32 Strand. Here he made nearly 2,000l. per annum for some years, but failed, as it seems from no fault of his own, in 1777. He behaved most honourably to his creditors, and by their assistance was able to recommence business in the next year. His wife died in 1787. He had by her seventeen children, of whom all except three, who survived him, died young. In 1789 he retired from trade and gave up the business to his son. From the time when he began life on his own account he had been an eager student of entomology, inserting advertisements in foreign papers which solicited specimens either by exchange or purchase. His cabinets soon became famous. Donovan speaks of his ‘noble and very magnificent collections.’ Smeathman (himself distinguished by his researches among the termites or white ants) was one of his most valued collectors. Thus he expended large sums in order to enrich his cabinets with new specimens. He now spent his time between Broxbourne,