GWYNNE, John I, of 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

Offices Held

Biography

No connexion has been traced between this Member and others of his name who sat for Welsh constituencies in this period. In fact his origins are quite obscure, though at a guess he was related to the John Gwynne who married Alice Hudson in London in 1548. The man who must be supposed to be the MP was an Exchequer or Admiralty court official, possibly concerned with customs in Dorset, who gave his age as 40 when deposing in an Exchequer case relating to corruption in the Dorset customs in 1574.

On the indenture for the 1572 Wareham election, Gwynne’s name is inserted in the senior place, both names being entered in the same hand on a blank indenture. In previous Parliaments supporters of the 2nd Earl of Bedford had obtained the senior seat, and it may well be that Bedford had a hand in Gwynne’s return. The London connexion fits in neatly with Gwynne’s being appointed to a committee on 2 Mar. 1581 concerned with the merchant adventurers of London.

Mar. Lics. Bp. London 1520-1610 (Harl. Soc. xxv), 13; E134/16 Eliz./Hil. 4/Dorset; C219/28/45; CJ, i. 130.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: P. W. Hasler

Notes