Ambrose Smith

Ambrose Smith or Smythe (died 1584) was a London mercer in Cheapside and silkman who supplied Elizabeth I

Smith was a son of John Smith (died 1545) of Withcote, near Oakham, in Leicestershire, and Dorothy Cave, a sister of Ambrose Cave. John Leland visited their "right goodly house" at Withcote in 1539, "one of the fairest houses in Leicestershire".^[1]

His older brother Roger Smith (died 1603) inherited the estate, but Ambrose bought it from him in 1575.^[2] Roger Smith married Frances Griffin, a daughter of Thomas Griffin of Dingley.^[3]

Ambrose Smith supplied velvet, satin, taffeta, and sarsenet to Queen Elizabeth.^[4]

He sold fabrics to Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and Amy Robsart, some for the use of their Spanish tailor.^[5] Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond owed him money in 1580. Ambrose Smith died in 1584.^[6]

Ambrose Smith married Jane Cooe or Coe, daughter of John Coe of Coxhall, or Coggeshall, Essex. Their children included:

• Henry Smith of Withcote, who married Anne, a daughter of Henry Skipwith. They were the parents of Henry Smith (regicide).
• Dorothy Smith, who married (1) Benedict Barnham,^[7] (2) John Pakington, (3) Robert Needham, 1st Viscount Kilmorey, (4) Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie. She was the mother of Alice Barnham who married Francis Bacon.^[8]
• Elizabeth Smith, who married Martin Calthorpe of Antingham, Norfolk (died 1615), son of the Lord Mayor of London, Martin Calthorp and Jane Heath.
• Francis Smith, who married Elizabeth Taylor, daughter of the haberdasher John Taylor
• Isabell Smith, after her father's death, in 1587, her husband wrote to Francis Walsingham for assistance.^[9]
• Margaret Smith, who married Thomas Wilkes
• Sir William Smith, who married Elizabeth Skinner, daughter of Thomas Skinner.^[10]

Ambrose's brother, Erasmus Smith of Husbands Bosworth, was the father of Henry Smith (1560-1591), and grandfather of the merchant Erasmus Smith (1611–1691).^[11]