William Collins (Worcester MP)
Encyclopedia
William Collins was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
from 1654 to 1659. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
.
Collins was probably the son of John Collins of King's Norton, who was fined £10 for not taking knighthood on 4 March 1631. In the Civil War, Collins became a captain in the Parliamentary army. On 11 May 1644, he was added to the Committee for Worcestershire by the House of Commons. He became a sub-commissioner of the Grand Excise for Worcestershire on 25 February 1650. On 7 October 1651 the Committee for Compounding made an order that he be a commissioner for Worcestershire after a request on 1 October by Nicholas Lechmere
that Capt Wm. Collins may be added to the Committee while Col. John James
was not attending. On 14 March 1654 he was made sole sub-commissioner for Worcestershire.
In 1654, Collins was elected Member of Parliament
for Worcester
in the First Protectorate Parliament
. He was an Assessment Commissioner for county and city of Worcester in 1656. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Worcester in the Second Protectorate Parliament
. He was re-elected MP for Worcester in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament
. He was Governor of Worcester on 9 July 1659 when the Council of State ordered him to assemble his troops in response to Sir George Booth's rising. On 4 January 1660 Capt. Collins wrote from Worcester College to the Army Commissioners "I have given order for the speedy drawing of my troop together for their march according to your directions, but their necessities for want of pay are very great, having been on hard duty for eight weeks, to preserve the peace of this country, which was much disturbed by highway robbers, being considerable parties, and supposed to be of the old enemy, they riding in the posture of soldiers ; for this time they have had no money but what I have borrowed, and lent them, besides three years arrears formerly due to them. I shall according to your orders, as soon as I possibly provide to march, give notice thereof to Col. Hacker
."
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...
from 1654 to 1659. 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...
.
Collins was probably the son of John Collins of King's Norton, who was fined £10 for not taking knighthood on 4 March 1631. In the Civil War, Collins became a captain in the Parliamentary army. On 11 May 1644, he was added to the Committee for Worcestershire by the House of Commons. He became a sub-commissioner of the Grand Excise for Worcestershire on 25 February 1650. On 7 October 1651 the Committee for Compounding made an order that he be a commissioner for Worcestershire after a request on 1 October by Nicholas Lechmere
Nicholas Lechmere
Sir Nicholas Lechmere , of Hanley Castle in Worcestershire, was an English Judge and Member of Parliament.A nephew of Sir Thomas Overbury, Lechmere was educated at Wadham College, Oxford, and called to the bar as a member of Middle Temple in 1641. On the outbreak of the Civil War, he sided with...
that Capt Wm. Collins may be added to the Committee while Col. John James
John James (Parliamentarian)
John James was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1653. He served in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War....
was not attending. On 14 March 1654 he was made sole sub-commissioner for Worcestershire.
In 1654, Collins 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 Worcester
Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)
Worcester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885 it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; from 1295 to 1885 it elected two MPs....
in the First Protectorate Parliament
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....
. He was an Assessment Commissioner for county and city of Worcester in 1656. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Worcester in the Second Protectorate Parliament
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
. He was re-elected MP for Worcester in 1659 for 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 Governor of Worcester on 9 July 1659 when the Council of State ordered him to assemble his troops in response to Sir George Booth's rising. On 4 January 1660 Capt. Collins wrote from Worcester College to the Army Commissioners "I have given order for the speedy drawing of my troop together for their march according to your directions, but their necessities for want of pay are very great, having been on hard duty for eight weeks, to preserve the peace of this country, which was much disturbed by highway robbers, being considerable parties, and supposed to be of the old enemy, they riding in the posture of soldiers ; for this time they have had no money but what I have borrowed, and lent them, besides three years arrears formerly due to them. I shall according to your orders, as soon as I possibly provide to march, give notice thereof to Col. Hacker
Francis Hacker
Colonel Francis Hacker was an English soldier who fought for Parliament during the English Civil War and one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England....
."