John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath (1499 in Devon – 10 February 1560/61) was an Earl in the peerage of England. He also succeeded to the titles of 12th Baron FitzWarin, Baron Daubeney and 4th Count of Eu.

Origins

He was the son of John Bourchier, 1st Earl of Bath and Cecily Daubeney. He was the first cousin of Anne Stanhope, daughter of the 1st Earl of Bath's sister, Elizabeth Bourchier. Upon her marriage to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, she became the sister-in-law to Queen Jane Seymour and therefore the Aunt of King Edward VI. After the death of Henry VIII, his widow, Catherine Parr, married Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley. This made Anne the sister-in-law to two English queens.

Career

In 1519 he was appointed Sheriff of Somerset and Sheriff of Dorset and was knighted in 1523. On the death of King Edward VI (1547–1553), he was one of the first to declare Queen Mary his rightful heir. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor in 1533, and served as a Commissioner at the coronation of Queen Mary. Bourchier was also a commissioner at the trial of Lady Jane Grey. Other offices held by him included: Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset and Governor of Beaumaris Castle.

Landholdings

In 1539 he was granted by King Henry VIII the manors of Hackpen, Sheldon, Bolham and Saint Hill, having already inherited the feudal barony of Okehampton from his grandmother, Elizabeth Dynham.

Marriages

John Bourchier married three times:

Children and succession

His eldest son by his second marriage John Bourchier, Lord FitzWarin predeceased his father, having married (on 11 December 1548 at Hengrave ) his step-sister Frances Kytson, daughter of Sir Thomas Kytson of Hengrave Hall by Margaret Donnington. Their son William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Bath (1557–1623), therefore succeeded his grandfather in the earldom, aged under 1 year old. The title became extinct in 1654 on the death of the 5th Earl.

Death and burial

He died on 10 February 1560/61 and was buried on 10 March at Hengrave, Suffolk.