FLEETWOOD, Henry (b.c.1565), of Bucks. and London.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

b. c.1565, yr. s. of Thomas Fleetwood of The Vache, Bucks. by his 2nd w.; bro. of George and half-bro. of William Fleetwood III. educ. G. Inn 1580, called 1586. m. Elizabeth, da. of Edward Fust of London.

Offices Held

Reader Staple Inn 1597; ancient G. Inn 1598, Lent reader 1608.

Biography

Fleetwood was twice returned for local boroughs in this period, at Aylesbury through his neighbours the Pakingtons, and at Chipping Wycombe through the good offices of the high steward, Henry, 5th Baron Windsor. It was during Elizabeth’s last Parliament that Fleetwood invoked the jurisdiction of the House of Commons over a scrivener Robert Holland, in whose shop an incident had taken place leading to an assault on Fleetwood and his servant by Holland and ‘his man’. Fleetwood had warned them that ‘they should both answer it in the Parliament House’, and on 27 Nov. 1601 Holland was brought before the Speaker. In the ensuing debate Francis Bacon recommended that the scrivener should be committed to the serjeant rather than sent to the Tower, and the House agreed, Holland and his servant being committed to the serjeant for five days and ordered to pay the serjeant’s and clerk’s fees.

Fleetwood was found guilty of corruption by his inn of court in 1608. The date of his death is unknown.

G. Lipscomb, Bucks. iii. 227; Townshend, Hist. Colls. 257, 259-61; D’Ewes, 656; CSP Dom. 1601-3, p. 124.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: G.M.C.

Notes