Family and Education
b. 1 Sept. 1587, Wilts. IPMs ed. G.S. and A.E. Fry (Brit. Rec. Soc. xxiii), 31. 2nd. s. of Edward Seymour (d.1612), styled Lord Beauchamp and Honora, da. of Sir Richard Rogers of Bryanston, Dorset; bro. of Sir Francis*. CP, vi. 597. educ. Trowbridge g.s. Wilts. c.1598-1604; The Gen. n.s. xvii. 103. Magdalen, Oxf. 1605, BA 1607, MA 1636, MD 1645; Al. Ox. M. Temple 1618. M. Temple Admiss. m. (1) 22 June 1610, Arbella (d. 25 Sept. 1615), da. of Charles Stuart, 1st earl of Lennox [S], s.p.; D. Durant, Arbella Stuart, 180, 207; CP, vi. 600-1. (2) 3 Mar. 1617, Frances (d.1674), da. of Robert Devereux, 2nd earl of Essex, 5s. (4 d.v.p.) 4da. (1 d.v.p.). S. Shaw, Hist. and Antiqs. of Staffs. ii. 11; Wilts. RO, 1332/55. cr. KB 3 Nov. 1616; mq. of Hertford 3 June 1641; KG 27 May 1660; Shaw, Knights of Eng. i. 34, 159; Wilts. RO, 1300/199. styled. Lord Beauchamp Aug. 1618; summ. to Lords in fa.’s barony 29 Jan. 1621; suc. grandfa. 6 Apr. 1621 as 2nd earl of Hertford; restored 13 Sept. 1660 as Bar. Seymour and 2nd duke of Somerset. d. 24 Oct. 1660. CP, xii. pt. 1, pp. 70-3; Nicholas, Procs. 1621, i. 26; Wilts. IPMs, 30-1.
Offices Held

Commr. subsidy, Som. 1621 – 22, Wilts. 1624, 1629; C212/22/20–1, 23; Add. 34566, f. 132. dep. lt. Wilts. 1624; SP14/178/21. gaol delivery, Southampton, Hants 1624 – 35, oyer and terminer, Western circ. 1626 – 42, 1660, Som. 1624, Mdx. 1641, 1660, C181/3, ff. 104v, 206v; 181/4, f. 202v; 181/5, ff. 183, 213, 220v; 181/7, ff. 2, 8. Wilts. 1643 – 44, Hants 1643–4; Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6 ed. W.H. Black, 86, 91, 152, 243. j.p. Berks., Dorset, Hants, Som., Wilts. 1626 – at least41, 20 July 1660 – d., Oxford, Oxon. 1644, custos rot. Wilts. 1626 – at least36, 20 July 1660 – d., Som. 1641, 20 July 1660–d.; C231/4, ff. 205v, 206v, 207; 231/5, p. 481; 231/7, p. 17; E163/18/12, f. 86; SP16/405; C66/2859; Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6, p. 159. commr. Forced Loan, Hants, Som., Wilts. 1626 – 27, Dorset 1627, T. Rymer, Foedera, viii. pt. 2, p. 145; C193/12/2, ff. 14, 49, 50v, 63v. swans, Western counties 1629, piracy, Southampton, Hants 1636; C181/4, f. 2; 181/5, f. 43v. ld.-lt. (jt.) Som. 1639 – 42, (sole) 10 July 1660 – d., Wilts. 10 July 1660–d.; Sainty, Lords Lieutenant, 31, 91. commr. oyer and terminer and gaol delivery, London 1641, C181/5, f. 213v. array, Bristol, Som., Wilts. 1642; Northants RO, FH133. safety (roy.) Oxon. 1643, defence (roy.) Oxford 1644, inquiry, Christchurch hospital, Oxford 1644. Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6, pp. 30, 220, 233.

Recorder, Lichfield, Staffs. ?1660. VCH Staffs. xiv. 81.

Commr. treaty of Ripon 1640, Rymer, ix. pt. 3, p. 35. treaty of Uxbridge (roy.) 1645, Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6, p. 253. treaty of Newport (roy.) 1648; Clarendon, iv. 393. PC 19 Feb. 1641-at least 1645; 31 May 1660–d.; PC2/53, pp. 101, 232; PC2/54, pt. 2, p. 4. gov. to Prince Charles, 1641–4; Rymer, ix. pt. 3, pp. 76–7; Clarendon, Hist. of the Rebellion ed. W.D. Macray, iii. 258. commr. relief of the king’s army and Northern counties 1641, safety of the kingdom 1641, enacting bills 1641, revenue inquiry 1641, raising and levying money for the defence of Eng. and Ire. 1642; SR, v. 78, 167; Rymer, ix. pt. 3, pp. 61–2, 82. member, Council of War (roy.) 1643–6; Harl. 6851, f. 104; Harl. 6852, f. 254. groom of the stool and gent. of bedchamber 1644 – at least48, 5 June 1660–d.; HMC 4th Rep. 308; LC3/1; Clarendon, iv. 393; Sainty and Bucholz, Royal Household, pt. 1, p. 120. member, Prince of Wales’s Council 1645;Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6, p. 252. lt.-gen. (roy.) Western counties 1642–4. Clarendon, ii. 227; Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6, pp. 27–9, 140.

Chan. Oxf. Univ. 1643–7, I. Roy and D. Reinhart, ‘Oxford and the Civil Wars’, Hist. of Univ. of Oxf. ed. N. Tyacke, iv. 708, 724. 6 June 1660–d. R.A. Beddard, ‘Restoration Oxford and the remaking of the protestant establishment’, Hist. Univ. of Oxf. ed. N. Tyacke, iv. 816.

Main residences: Amesbury House, Amesbury, Wilts.; Tottenham Court, Great Bedwyn, Wilts.; Essex House, London.
Author
Volume
Commons 1604-1629
Web Title

SEYMOUR, William, Lord Beauchamp (1587-1660)

Will
Estates
Oxford 1644
No
Addresses
Religion
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