Jonathan Rashleigh
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Rashleigh was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1614 and 1675. He supported the Royalist cause during the Civil War
.
Rashleigh was the son of John Rashleigh
, MP for Fowey in 1588. Rashleigh was of Menabilly
in Cornwall
and was elected Member of Parliament
for Fowey
in 1614. He was re-elected MP for Fowey in 1621 and in 1625. In 1627, he served as High Sheriff of Cornwall
.
In April 1640, Rashleigh was re-elected MP for Fowey for the Short Parliament
and re-elected in November 1640 for the Long Parliament
. He supported the King in the Civil War and was disabled from sitting in parliament in 1644. He was bankrupted by penaties imposed on his estate and imprisoned in St Mawes castle
. His fortunes were repaired by the Restoration
. He was elected once more MP for Fowey to the Cavalier Parliament
in 1661 and sat until his death at the age of 83.
Rashleigh married Anne Basset (c. 1595-1636), daughter of Sir Robert Basset, by whom he had five children including his heir, John
, who served alongside him as MP for Fowey for many years. His daughter Alice married Sir Peter Courtney
.
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 1614 and 1675. He supported the Royalist cause during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Rashleigh was the son of John Rashleigh
John Rashleigh
John Rashleigh was an English merchant and Member of Parliament. The son of John Rashleigh, a merchant at Fowey in Cornwall, he built himself a mansion at nearby Menabilly. He was Member for Fowey in the parliaments of 1588 and 1597, and High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1608. He married Alice Bonython...
, MP for Fowey in 1588. Rashleigh was of Menabilly
Menabilly
Menabilly is an Elizabethan house on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, on the Rashleigh Estate, seat of the Rashleigh family. Menabilly is situated on the Gribben peninsula about west of Fowey...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and was elected 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 Fowey
Fowey (UK Parliament constituency)
Fowey was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1571 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
in 1614. He was re-elected MP for Fowey in 1621 and in 1625. In 1627, he served as High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list:Note: The right to choose High Sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall, rather than the Privy Council, chaired by the Sovereign, which chooses the Sheriffs of all other English counties, other than those in the Duchy of...
.
In April 1640, Rashleigh was re-elected MP for Fowey for the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
and re-elected in November 1640 for the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
. He supported the King in the Civil War and was disabled from sitting in parliament in 1644. He was bankrupted by penaties imposed on his estate and imprisoned in St Mawes castle
St Mawes Castle
St Mawes Castle and its larger sister castle, Pendennis, were built as part of a defensive chain of fortresses by Henry VIII to protect the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom...
. His fortunes were repaired by the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
. He was elected once more MP for Fowey to 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...
in 1661 and sat until his death at the age of 83.
Rashleigh married Anne Basset (c. 1595-1636), daughter of Sir Robert Basset, by whom he had five children including his heir, John
John Rashleigh (1619-1693)
John Rashleigh was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1679.Rashleigh was the son of Jonathan Rashleigh, of Menabilly, Cornwall who had been a long-serving member for his local borough of Fowey...
, who served alongside him as MP for Fowey for many years. His daughter Alice married Sir Peter Courtney
Peter Courtney (MP)
Sir Peter Courtney was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640 and in 1660. He fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War....
.