Selby was the son of Sir John Selby of Twizell. He was educated at
Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1573. In 1597, he was elected
Member of Parliament for
Northumberland. He was re-elected MP for Northumberland in 1601. He was knighted in 1603 and was
High Sheriff of Northumberland in the same year. He was Sheriff of Northumberland again in 1606. In 1611 he succeeded to
Ightham Mote and the estates in Kent of his uncle
Sir William Selby. He was gentleman porter of
Berwick upon Tweed in succession to his father. Selby married Dorothy Bonham (1572–1641). There is a tradition that Dorothy Selby helped reveal the
Gunpowder Plot, apparently via the medium of needlework as recorded and depicted on her tomb at Ightham. She is said to have died of blood-poisoning from the prick of a needle while working at embroidery. Selby first heard of the Gunpowder Plot on 10 November 1605, while riding from Carlisle to Newcastle. Selby died on 14 February 1637/8 at Ightham. The couple had no children: his estates in the north of England passed to William Selby, second son of Sir Ralph Selby. ==References==