Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet (27 November 1586 – 31 December 1655) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1614 and 1648. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
.
, by his first wife, Lucy Montagu, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Montagu of Boughton. He spent the last three years of his minority in foreign travel. He was knighted at Whitehall on 7 June 1612. In 1614, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Grimsby. He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father on 13 August 1617. In 1625 he was elected MP for Lincolnshire
.
In 1627, Wray was High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
, and on 15 February 1627 was placed on the commission for raising the forced loan in the county. He declined to act under the commission, to contribute to the loan, or to give security for his appearance before the council, and suffered in consequence a term of imprisonment in the Gatehouse Prison
. In 1628 he was re-elected MP for Lincolnshire and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In March 1636 Wray defaulted in payment of shipmoney. In April 1640 he was re-elected MP for Lincolnshire in the Short parliament
, when he was prominent as a zealous Presbyterian. He was re-elected MP for Lincolnshire for the Long Parliament
in November 1640. He moved the "protestation" on 3 May 1641, subscribed £600 to the war fund on 9 April 1642, and took the covenant on 22 September 1643. He was a man of weight in the "eastern association" and in the propositions submitted to the king in July 1646 was nominated one of the conservators of the peace with Scotland. On their rejection he retired from political life and was excluded from parliament after Pride's Purge
in 1648.
Wray was one of the early patrons of Edward Rainbowe
. Wray was not a republican. He approved the executions of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
and William Laud
, but not of the king.
His heir, Sir John Wray, 3rd Baronet
, captain in the parliamentary army, and member for Lincolnshire in the parliament of 1654–5, died in 1664, having married, first, Elizabeth, widow of Sir Simonds D'Ewes; and, secondly, in 1661, Sarah, daughter of Sir John Evelyn of West Dean, Wiltshire. His sole surviving issue was a daughter by his second wife, Elizabeth, wife of Nicholas Saunderson, eldest son of George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton
. On her death without surviving issue the Glentworth estates passed by entail to her next heir male, Sir Cecil Wray, 11th Baronet.
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 1648. 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...
.
Life
Wray was the eldest surviving son of Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of GlentworthSir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Glentworth
Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Glentworth, Lincolnshire was an English politician. He represented the constituency of Grimsby from 1584 to 1585, Lincolnshire in 1601 and Grimsby again from 1604 to November 1611...
, by his first wife, Lucy Montagu, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Montagu of Boughton. He spent the last three years of his minority in foreign travel. He was knighted at Whitehall on 7 June 1612. In 1614, 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 Grimsby. He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father on 13 August 1617. In 1625 he was elected MP for Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Lincolnshire was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1290 until 1832.-History:...
.
In 1627, Wray was High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Lincolnshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
, and on 15 February 1627 was placed on the commission for raising the forced loan in the county. He declined to act under the commission, to contribute to the loan, or to give security for his appearance before the council, and suffered in consequence a term of imprisonment in the Gatehouse Prison
Gatehouse Prison
Gatehouse Prison was a prison in Westminster, built in 1370 as the gatehouse of Westminster Abbey and first used as a prison by the Abbot, a powerful churchman who held considerable power over the precincts and sanctuary...
. In 1628 he was re-elected MP for Lincolnshire and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In March 1636 Wray defaulted in payment of shipmoney. In April 1640 he was re-elected MP for Lincolnshire in 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....
, when he was prominent as a zealous Presbyterian. He was re-elected MP for Lincolnshire 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...
in November 1640. He moved the "protestation" on 3 May 1641, subscribed £600 to the war fund on 9 April 1642, and took the covenant on 22 September 1643. He was a man of weight in the "eastern association" and in the propositions submitted to the king in July 1646 was nominated one of the conservators of the peace with Scotland. On their rejection he retired from political life and was excluded from parliament after Pride's Purge
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
in 1648.
Wray was one of the early patrons of Edward Rainbowe
Edward Rainbowe
Edward Rainbowe or Rainbow was an English clergyman and a noted preacher.-Life:He was born on 20 April 1608 at Blyton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, where his father Thomas Rainbowe was vicar. His mother, Rebecca, daughter of David Allen, rector of the neighbouring parish of Ludborough, was educated in...
. Wray was not a republican. He approved the executions of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
and William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
, but not of the king.
Family
By his wife (married in September 1607) Grisilla, only daughter of Sir Hugh Bethell of Ellerton, Yorkshire, he had eight daughters and four sons:- Frances Wray (born December 1611), married on 13 January 1631 (N.S.) Capt. John HothamJohn Hotham the youngerSir John Hotham the younger was the eldest son of John Hotham and an English Member of Parliament during the civil war....
- William Wray (October 1613 – November 1613)
- Elizabeth Wray (August 1615 – February/March 1617 N.S.)
- Anne Wray (April 1617 – June/July 1621)
- Sir John Wray, 3rd BaronetSir John Wray, 3rd BaronetSir John Wray, 3rd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654.Wray was the son of Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet and his wife Grisella Bethell, daughter of Sir Hugh Bethell of Ellerton...
(1619–1664) - Sir Christopher Wray, 4th Baronet (1621–1664)
- Theophilus Wray (June/July 1624 – 21 November 1664)
- William Wray (b. July 1626)
- Theodosia Wray (b. January 1631 N.S.), married Sir Richard Barker in 1660
- Sir Bethell Wray, 5th Baronet (1633–1672)
- Grisilla Wray, married on 19 December 1654 Anthony Thorold (died 1670) and had issue
His heir, Sir John Wray, 3rd Baronet
Sir John Wray, 3rd Baronet
Sir John Wray, 3rd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654.Wray was the son of Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet and his wife Grisella Bethell, daughter of Sir Hugh Bethell of Ellerton...
, captain in the parliamentary army, and member for Lincolnshire in the parliament of 1654–5, died in 1664, having married, first, Elizabeth, widow of Sir Simonds D'Ewes; and, secondly, in 1661, Sarah, daughter of Sir John Evelyn of West Dean, Wiltshire. His sole surviving issue was a daughter by his second wife, Elizabeth, wife of Nicholas Saunderson, eldest son of George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton
George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton
George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1698....
. On her death without surviving issue the Glentworth estates passed by entail to her next heir male, Sir Cecil Wray, 11th Baronet.