Henry Henley was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons

House of Commons of England

The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...

  at various times between 1653 and 1681. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

.

Henley was the eldest surviving son of Henry Henley of Leigh and his wife Susan Bragge, daughter of William Bragge of Sadborow, Thorncombe, Devon. He became a colonel in the Parliamentary army in around 1643 and was a commissioner for sequestrations, assessment and levying of money for Somerset in 1643. In 1644 he was assessment commissioner for Somerset and Dorset and in 1646 became J.P.

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

 for Somerset until 1654. He was commissioner for rebuilding at Beaminster in 1647 and was JP for Devon from 1647 to 1657. He became High Sheriff of Dorset

High Sheriff of Dorset

The High Sheriff of Dorset is an ancient High Sheriff title which has been in existence for over one thousand years. The position was once a powerful position responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing law and order in Dorset. In modern times the sheriff has become a ceremonial role, presiding...

 in 1648.

In 1653, Henley was nominated Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for Somerset

Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)

Somerset was a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, which returned two Members of Parliament , known traditionally as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England until 1707, the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...

 in the Barebones Parliament

Barebones Parliament

Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector...

. He was commissioner for execution of ordinances for Somerset and Dorset and commissioner for scandalous ministers for Somerset in 1654 and also was elected MP for Dorset

Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)

Dorset was a county constituency covering Dorset in southern England, which elected two Members of Parliament , traditionally known as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England from 1290 until 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the House of...

 for the First Protectorate Parliament

First Protectorate Parliament

The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....

. In 1659 he was elected MP for Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis (UK Parliament constituency)

Lyme Regis was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1868, when the borough was abolished.-1295-1629:...

 in the Third Protectorate Parliament

Third Protectorate Parliament

The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...

.

Henley was commissioner for assessment for Dorset from January 1660 to 1680 and a JP for Dorset from March to -July 1660. He was commissioner for militia for Dorset in March 1660. In April 1660 he was elected MP for Bridport

Bridport (UK Parliament constituency)

Bridport was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1868, and then one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-History:...

 for the Convention Parliament. In 1661 he was elected MP for Lyme Regis for the Cavalier Parliament

Cavalier Parliament

The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...

where he sat until 1679. He was commissioner for assessment fro Somerset from 1664 to 1680. He was commissioner for recusants for Dorset in 1675. In 1679 he became a freeman of Lyme Regis. He was elected MP for Lyme Regis in two parliament in 1679 and again in 1681. In 1688 he became a JP for Somerset in February, a commissioner for inquiry into recusancy fines for Somerset in March and a JP for Dorset in June.

Henley died at the age of 83 and was buried at Winsham on 10 June 1696.

Henley married firstly Susan Moggridge, daughter of Thomas Moggridge, merchant, of Exeter on 28 September 1636. They had two sons. He married secondly to Bridget Bampfield, daughter of John Bampfield of Poltimore, Devon and had two daughters.