Peter Courtney (MP)
Encyclopedia
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
.
Courtney was the son of Edward Courtney of Ladock, Cornwall, and his wife Elizabeth Gorges daughter of Tristram Gorges of Butshead, St Budeaux, Devon. He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford
on 21 June 1633, aged 16 and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
in 1636. He settled at Trethurfe, Cornwall.
In April 1640, Courtney was elected Member of Parliament
for Mitchell
in a double return for the Short Parliament
. He was knighted at York on 28 June 1642 after a hazardous ride from Cornwall to tell the King that he had the good affection of the Cornish people
. During the Civil War he served under Sir Bevil Grenville
. He compounded for a fine of £346 in 1648. In 1650, he was a member of the Western Association and was ready to serve on any insurrection. He claimed he had lost £7,000 and been imprisoned seven or eight times during the Commonwealth.
Following the Restoration Courtney was granted the farm of Cornish tin customs which was then rescinded when it was found someone else had an earlier grant. In October 1660, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Tregony
in the Convention Parliament.
Courtney petitioned for a pension in 1665 in view of his losses in the Royalist cause, but nothing was done. His will was proved in 1670.
Courtney married firstly Alice Rashleigh, daughter of Jonathan Rashleigh
of Menabilly Cornwall, and had a son and four daughters. He married secondly Amy Courtney, daughter of Peter Courtney of Penkivel, Cornwall. He had a son William and a daughter Alice who married Humphrey 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...
in 1640 and in 1660. He fought for the Royalist 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...
.
Courtney was the son of Edward Courtney of Ladock, Cornwall, and his wife Elizabeth Gorges daughter of Tristram Gorges of Butshead, St Budeaux, Devon. He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
on 21 June 1633, aged 16 and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1636. He settled at Trethurfe, Cornwall.
In April 1640, Courtney 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 Mitchell
Mitchell (UK Parliament constituency)
Mitchell, or St Michael was a rotten borough consisting of the town of Mitchell, Cornwall. From the first Parliament of Edward VI, in 1547, it elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons.-History:The borough encompassed parts of two parishes, Newlyn East and St Enoder...
in a double return 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....
. He was knighted at York on 28 June 1642 after a hazardous ride from Cornwall to tell the King that he had the good affection of the Cornish people
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
. During the Civil War he served under Sir Bevil Grenville
Bevil Grenville
Sir Bevil Grenville was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England between 1621 and 1642. He was a Royalist soldier in the English Civil War and was killed in action at the Battle of Lansdowne.-Backgound:...
. He compounded for a fine of £346 in 1648. In 1650, he was a member of the Western Association and was ready to serve on any insurrection. He claimed he had lost £7,000 and been imprisoned seven or eight times during the Commonwealth.
Following the Restoration Courtney was granted the farm of Cornish tin customs which was then rescinded when it was found someone else had an earlier grant. In October 1660, he 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 Tregony
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
in the Convention Parliament.
Courtney petitioned for a pension in 1665 in view of his losses in the Royalist cause, but nothing was done. His will was proved in 1670.
Courtney married firstly Alice Rashleigh, daughter of Jonathan Rashleigh
Jonathan Rashleigh
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....
of Menabilly Cornwall, and had a son and four daughters. He married secondly Amy Courtney, daughter of Peter Courtney of Penkivel, Cornwall. He had a son William and a daughter Alice who married Humphrey Courtney.