17th-century English parliamentarian
William Pierrepont
(c. 1607 – 17 July 1678) was an English politician who sat in the
House of Commons
at various times between 1640 and 1660. He supported the
Parliamentary
cause in the
English Civil War
.
Life
[
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Pierrepont was the second son of
Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull
and his wife
Gertrude Talbot
, daughter of Hon. Henry Talbot of Burton Abbey, Yorkshire.
[1]
He matriculated from
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
in 1624 and was admitted at
Lincoln's Inn
on 1 April 1627.
[2]
He was appointed
Sheriff of Shropshire
for 1638
[1]
In April 1640, Pierrepont was elected
Member of Parliament
for
Shropshire
in the
Short Parliament
. He was elected MP for
Great Wenlock
in the
Long Parliament
in November 1640. He threw his influence on the side of peace and took part for the parliament in the negotiations with
Charles I
at
Oxford
in 1643. Pierrepont was a member of the
committee of both kingdoms
, and represented the parliamentary party during the deliberations at
Uxbridge in 1645
; but from that time, according to
Clarendon
, he forsook his moderate attitude, and contracted more bitterness and sourness than formerly. This statement, however, is perhaps somewhat exaggerated, as Pierrepont favored the resumption of negotiations with the king in 1647, and in the following year his efforts on behalf of
peace at Newport
, where again he represented the parliamentarians, brought upon him some slight censure from Cromwell.
[3]
For his services at Newport he was thanked by Parliament; but he retired from active political life soon afterwards, as he disliked the purging of the
House of Commons
by
Colonel Pride
and the proceedings against the king. In spite of his moderate views Pierrepont enjoyed the personal friendship of Cromwell.
[3]
He was elected MP for
Nottinghamshire
in 1654 for the
First Protectorate Parliament
.
[1]
Although elected, he would not sit in the parliament of 1656, nor would he take the place offered to him in the
Protector's House of Lords
. When
Richard Cromwell
succeeded his father, Pierrepont was an unobtrusive but powerful influence in directing the policy of the government, and after a short period of retirement on Richard's fall he was chosen, early in 1660, a member of the council of state but refused to take his seat when secluded members were readmitted to the Restored Rump. He was elected MP for Nottinghamshire in the
Convention Parliament of 1660
, and probably was instrumental in saving the lives of some of the parliamentary leaders. At the general election of 1661 he was defeated, and, spending the remainder of his life in retirement, he died in 1678.
[3]
[1]
Family
[
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]
Pierrepont married Elizabeth, daughter of
Sir Thomas Harries, Bart.
, of
Tong
Castle,
Shropshire
, by whom he had five sons and five daughters:
- Robert Pierrepont (died 1666), eldest son, was the father of
Robert Pierrepont, 3rd Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull
,
William Pierrepont, 4th Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull
, and
Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
;
- Gervase Pierrepont
(1649?1715), third son, was created
Baron Pierrepont
in 1701, a title which became extinct on his death.
[3]
- Frances Pierrepont (b. 1 September 1630 in Thoresby, Nottinghamshire, d. 23 September 1695 in London), daughter, married
Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle
, in 1652.
- Grace Pierrepont, daughter, married
Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare
, on 9 July 1655.
- Gertrude Pierrepont, (b. 1641 - 1727), daughter, married
George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
, in 1672.
References
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