Robert Scawen
Encyclopedia
Robert Scawen was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1640 and 1670. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
.
Scawen was the second son of Robert Scawen of Molinick, St. Germans, Cornwall and his wife Isabel Nicholl, daughter of Humphrey Nicoll of Penvose, St Tudy
, Cornwall. He was baptised on 16 May 1602. He became an attorney in London and was receiver-general for Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire from 1638 to 1649 on a life patent in succession to John Pym
. He became secretary to the Earl of Northumberland
in 1639 and learned the basics of military administration during the Bishops’ Wars.
In November 1640, Scawen was elected Member of Parliament
for Berwick upon Tweed for the Long Parliament
and survived Pride's Purge to retain his seat after 1648. Unlike his brother William Scawen
he supported to the Parliamentary cause in the Civil War in adherence to the Earl of Northumberland. He was commissioner for new model ordnance in Middlesex in 1645 and chairman of the army committee from 1645 to 1648. In 1647, he was commissioner for sewers for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, was commissioner for assessment for Westminster in 1648 and commissioner for assessment for Middlesex in 1648 and 1649. In 1648 he was also commissioner for militia for Northumberland. He was a J.P.
for Middlesex from 1649 to 1652. In 1658 he bought the manor of Horton, Buckinghamshire
.
In 1659, Scawen was elected MP for Grampound
in the Third Protectorate Parliament
. He was commissioner for management of revenue from 1659 to May 1660. In March 1660 he was commissioner for militia for Buckinghamshire and in May 1660 he resumed his post as Receiver-general for Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. He was commissioner for disbandment from September 1660 to 1661, and commissioner for excise appeals from October 1660 until his death.
On 3 March 1662, Scawen was elected MP for Cockermouth
in the Cavalier Parliament
and in 1663 became a member of the Society of Mineral and Battery Works. He was commissioner for assessment for Cornwall, Cumberland and Buckinghamshire from 1663 to 1669. In 1664 he became joint receiver of hearth tax for Cornwall until 1666. In 1665 he became commissioner for revenue wagons until 1667 and commissioner for assessment for Middlesex until 1669.
Scawen married Catherine Alsopp, daughter of Cavendish Alsopp, merchant, of London and had seven sons and two daughters. His sons William and Thomas were later MPs for Grampound.
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 1640 and 1670. 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...
.
Scawen was the second son of Robert Scawen of Molinick, St. Germans, Cornwall and his wife Isabel Nicholl, daughter of Humphrey Nicoll of Penvose, St Tudy
St Tudy
St Tudy is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated in the River Camel valley approximately five miles northeast of Wadebridge.-Parish church:...
, Cornwall. He was baptised on 16 May 1602. He became an attorney in London and was receiver-general for Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire from 1638 to 1649 on a life patent in succession to John Pym
John Pym
John Pym was an English parliamentarian, leader of the Long Parliament and a prominent critic of James I and then Charles I.- Early life and education :...
. He became secretary to the Earl of Northumberland
Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland
Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland, 4th Baron Percy, KG was an English military leader and a prominent supporter of constitutional monarchy.-Family background:...
in 1639 and learned the basics of military administration during the Bishops’ Wars.
In November 1640, Scawen 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 Berwick upon Tweed 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...
and survived Pride's Purge to retain his seat after 1648. Unlike his brother William Scawen
William Scawen
William Scawen was a one of the pioneers in the revival of the Cornish Language in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War....
he supported to the Parliamentary cause in the Civil War in adherence to the Earl of Northumberland. He was commissioner for new model ordnance in Middlesex in 1645 and chairman of the army committee from 1645 to 1648. In 1647, he was commissioner for sewers for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, was commissioner for assessment for Westminster in 1648 and commissioner for assessment for Middlesex in 1648 and 1649. In 1648 he was also commissioner for militia for Northumberland. He was a 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 Middlesex from 1649 to 1652. In 1658 he bought the manor of Horton, Buckinghamshire
Horton, Buckinghamshire
Horton is a hamlet in the parish of Ivinghoe, in Buckinghamshire, England.The name Horton is a common one in England, meaning "dirty or muddy farm"....
.
In 1659, Scawen was elected MP for Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
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...
. He was commissioner for management of revenue from 1659 to May 1660. In March 1660 he was commissioner for militia for Buckinghamshire and in May 1660 he resumed his post as Receiver-general for Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. He was commissioner for disbandment from September 1660 to 1661, and commissioner for excise appeals from October 1660 until his death.
On 3 March 1662, Scawen was elected MP for Cockermouth
Cockermouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Cockermouth was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England in 1295, and again from 1641, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough represented by two...
in 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...
and in 1663 became a member of the Society of Mineral and Battery Works. He was commissioner for assessment for Cornwall, Cumberland and Buckinghamshire from 1663 to 1669. In 1664 he became joint receiver of hearth tax for Cornwall until 1666. In 1665 he became commissioner for revenue wagons until 1667 and commissioner for assessment for Middlesex until 1669.
Scawen married Catherine Alsopp, daughter of Cavendish Alsopp, merchant, of London and had seven sons and two daughters. His sons William and Thomas were later MPs for Grampound.