Sir James Pickering
Encyclopedia
Sir James Pickering was Speaker of the House of Commons of England
in 1378 (which met in Gloucester
) and again from 1382 to 1383. The protestation which, as Speaker, he made for freedom of speech
, and declaring the loyalty of the Commons, was the first recorded in the rolls.
He was descended from the knightly Pickering family of Killington
, then in Westmorland, and was married to Elizabeth Greystoke. He owned land at Killington in Westmorland and Selby in Yorkshire and was knighted by 1361.
He was knight of the shire for Westmorland
in 1362, 1365, 1377–1379 and 1382 and Cumberland
in 1368. On 20 December 1368 he was commissioner of array in Westmorland, to choose twenty archers to serve under Sir William Windsor in Ireland. He served as MP for Yorkshire
in 1383, 1384, 1388 and 1390, Sheriff of Yorkshire
for 1389, 1393 and 1397 and MP for Yorkshire for the last time in Sep 1397.
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 1378 (which met in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
) and again from 1382 to 1383. The protestation which, as Speaker, he made for freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
, and declaring the loyalty of the Commons, was the first recorded in the rolls.
He was descended from the knightly Pickering family of Killington
Killington, Cumbria
Killington is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland District of the county of Cumbria, England. It has a population of 152. Killington gives its name to Killington Lake, after which Killington Lake services is named, although this is located in the neighbouring parish of New...
, then in Westmorland, and was married to Elizabeth Greystoke. He owned land at Killington in Westmorland and Selby in Yorkshire and was knighted by 1361.
He was knight of the shire for Westmorland
Westmorland (UK Parliament constituency)
Westmorland was a constituency covering the county of Westmorland in the North of England, which returned Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The constituency had two separate periods of existence....
in 1362, 1365, 1377–1379 and 1382 and Cumberland
Cumberland (UK Parliament constituency)
Cumberland is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a 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 1832. It was represented by two Knights of...
in 1368. On 20 December 1368 he was commissioner of array in Westmorland, to choose twenty archers to serve under Sir William Windsor in Ireland. He served as MP for Yorkshire
Yorkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Yorkshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1290, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
in 1383, 1384, 1388 and 1390, Sheriff of Yorkshire
High Sheriff of Yorkshire
The High Sheriff of Yorkshire was an ancient High Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years. A list of the sheriffs from the Norman conquest onwards can be found below...
for 1389, 1393 and 1397 and MP for Yorkshire for the last time in Sep 1397.