John Leveson

Sir John Leveson (21 March 1555 – 14 November 1615) was an English politician. He was instrumental in putting down the Essex rebellion of 8 February 1601.

John Leveson, born 21 March 1555 at Whornes Place, Cuxton, Kent, was the eldest son of Thomas Leveson (1532–1576), second son of the London mercer Nicholas Leveson (d.1539) by Denise or Dionyse Bodley (d.1561), youngest daughter of Thomas Bodley (d.1493) and Joan Leche (d. March 1530). His mother was Ursula Gresham (1534–1574), one of the twelve children of Sir John Gresham, Lord Mayor of London.

Leveson had a younger brother, William Leveson (d.1621), one of two trustees used by William Kempe, Thomas Pope (d.1603), Augustine Phillips (d.1605), John Heminges (bap. 1566, d. 1630) and William Shakespeare (1564-1616) to allocate shareholdings in the Globe Theatre in 1599.

Leveson matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford, on 10 January 1576, and studied for a time at Gray's Inn.

According to Wisker, Leveson was an efficient estate manager and 'an excellent public servant'. He was a close associate in Kent of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, and eventually one of the executors of his will. He was also a captain in Peregrine Bertie, 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby's 1589 expedition to France. He was knighted in 1589, and helped raise volunteers for three of Sir John Norris's expeditions in 1589, 1596 and 1601. He was a cousin of Sir Richard Leveson, and with him was involved in the shipment of 2000 soldiers sent to Ireland in 1601.