PRYSE, Pryse (1774-1849), of Gogerddan, Card. and Buscot Park, Berks.

Pryse was heir, through his mother, to an estate of 30,000 acres in upland Cardiganshire.R. D. Rees, ‘Parl. Rep. S. Wales, 1790-1830’ (Reading Univ. Ph.D. thesis, 1962), ii. 461; D. Jenkins, JNLW, viii. 81, 176, 353. His father wished him to stand for the county in 1796, but neither they nor he was interested. In 1801 his father reported, ‘Pitt had a seat to offer me for my son, and another for any friend. After a discussion of the subject with Pryse I abandon any thoughts of bringing him into Parliament.’ By 1812, however, Pryse’s attitude had changed: he proposed Herbert Evans for Cardigan Boroughs against the sitting Member, John Vaughan of Crosswood. Evans failed and Pryse was regarded as more likely to succeed in future. Then in January 1813 his wife was burnt to death after New Year festivities at Gogerddan and he became a recluse: his father feared for his reason.Berks. RO, Preston mss, Loveden to Sellwood, 1 Nov. 1801, 25 Apr. 1813. He subsequently married his wife’s maid, who had nursed him devotedly, and in 1816, when his heir was born, canvassed the county on the death of Thomas Johnes. He was proposed, 14 May, but stood down in favour of William Edward Powell of Nanteos, on the understanding that he should be awarded the boroughs seat in compensation. This he obtained unopposed in 1818.

In Parliament Pryse had nothing to say in debate, but voted frequently with opposition, beginning with the Windsor establishment bill, 22 Feb. 1819. He supported Tierney’s censure motion on 18 May, the repeal of the coal duties, 22 May, and voted against the foreign enlistment bill, 3, 10, 21 June, and the malt duty, 9 June. He did not appear in the minority lists in the ensuing session. He continued to be ‘a supporter of the Whig party’. He died 4 Jan. 1849.Gent. Mag. (1849), i. 544.