Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley (17 September 1567 – 23 June 1643) was an English peer, politician and landowner who briefly sat in the House of Commons. Through his intemperate behaviour he won widespread notoriety, completed the financial ruin of his family, and was the last of his name to bear the title. Background and early life Sutton's father was Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley, a distinguished soldier who managed to regain the family estates after they were forfeit to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland as a result of debt. His mother was the 4th Baron's second wife, Jane Stanley, daughter of Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby. He had a younger brother, John, and an elder half-sister, Agnes, by his father's first wife. Edward Sutton is believed to have been born in September 1567 as he was baptised on 17 September 1567. In 1580, at the aged of 13, he was sent to Lincoln College, Oxford, and the following year, when only 14 years old, was married to Theodosia Harington of Exton, Rutland who was about 5 years older. Lord Dudley's players Sutton was the patron of a group of actors, known as Lord Dudley's players, and a performing bear. In 1595 he drew up a warrant for his company led by Francis Coffyn and Laurence Bradshaw to travel and perform. Sutton revoked this license and patronised a different group of actors, but some actors tried unsuccessfully to use the cancelled 1595 warrant in Chester in November 1602. Lord Dudley's players were in Newcastle in March 1600. In 1615 the leader of the company was called Dishley. Political career Edward Sutton was elected as one of the two knights of the shire for Staffordshire in 1584. Still only 17 years old, he was returned ahead in order of precedence of Edward Legh. It is not clear how this was achieved. Legh was made High Sheriff of Staffordshire on the day of the election and had to be given leave of absence by Parliament. Sutton made no recorded contributions in the Commons. He succeeded his father in 1586 and so was unable to stand for election that year. Despite his apparent anxiety to serve in the councils of his country, Sutton did not take his seat in the House of Lords until 1593. Sutton's most important political intervention came through the Staffordshire election scandal of 1597. Pursuing a property dispute