RASHLEIGH, John (1619-93), of Coombe, Fowey, Cornw.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1661

Family and Education

bap. 21 Jan. 1619, o. surv. s. of Robert Rashleigh of Coombe by 1st w. Mary, da. of Thomas Trefusis of Landew. educ. Brasenose, Oxf. 1637; G. Inn 1639. m. 5 Dec. 1642, his cos. Elizabeth, da, of Jonathan Rashleigh I of Menabilly, Cornw., 5s. 2da. suc. fa. 1667.1

Offices Held

Commr. for assessment, Cornw. 1661-80, 1689, recusants 1675; portreeve, Fowey by 1675-85, Oct. 1688-d.

Biography

Rashleigh was descended from the elder but less distinguished branch of the family. His father sat for Fowey in 1628-9, but neither of them appears to have taken part in the Civil War. Rashleigh was returned for the borough on his father-in-law’s interest in 1661. An inactive Member of the Cavalier Parliament he was definitely appointed only to the committee of elections and privileges on 13 Nov. 1667 and 24 Feb. 1673. He was probably in opposition, being included by Sir Richard Wiseman in 1676 among the Cornish Members of whom he knew nothing, and marked ‘doubly worthy’ by Shaftesbury in the following year. As returning officer of the borough he was ineligible in the exclusion elections, and he officiated again in 1689 after the return of the old charter. He was buried at Fowey on 13 Mar. 1693, the last of the Coombe branch to sit in Parliament.2

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: Paula Watson / Basil Duke Henning

Notes

  • 1. Vivian, Vis. Cornw. 392; Cornw. RO, will and inventory of Robert Rashleigh.
  • 2. Paroch. Hist. Cornw. ii. 29; M. Coate, Cornw. in Gt. Civil War, 2.