Family and Education

bap. 4 Feb. 1649, o.s. of John Tynte. educ. Hart Hall, Oxf. 1666; M. Temple 1671. m. settlement 6 Feb. 1671, Grace (bur. 22 Mar. 1694), da. and coh. of Robert Fortescue of Buckland Filleigh, Devon, 4s. (2 d.v.p.) 3da. suc. fa. 1669, gdfa. Hugh Halswell of Halswell 1672; cr. Bt. 26 Jan. 1674.1

Offices Held

Dep. lt. Som. ?1672-81, 1689-91, commr. for assessment 1673-80, 1689-90, j.p. 1673-83, 1684-93, sheriff 1674-5, commr. for recusants 1675, col. of militia ft. by 1679-81.2

Biography

Tynte was involved in a double return at Bridgwater in the first general election of 1679. Shaftesbury classed him as ‘doubtful’, but it was with the support of the country party that he took his seat on the merits of the return. An inactive Member of the first Exclusion Parliament, he was appointed only to the committees to consider bills for the speedier conviction of recusants and security against Popery, and to inquire into abuses in the Post Office. He voted against exclusion, but was not recorded as speaking. He was re-elected to the second and third Exclusion Parliaments, but left no trace on their records. After the dissolution, however, he was deprived of his militia regiment, and described as one of ‘the greatest countenancers of the disaffected party’ in Somerset. But he was reelected for Bridgwater in 1685 against strong Tory opposition. In James II’s Parliament he was named only to the committees to prevent the export of wool and to encourage woollen manufactures.3

In 1687 Tynte gave negative answers to the questions concerning the repeal of the Test and Penal Laws, but the King’s electoral agents reported that he would receive the support of the dissenters at Bridgwater. It may be inferred that Tynte did not favour the Revolution, when seven of his horses were seized by the Dutch. He was not reappointed to the lieutenancy in 1691, and two years later lost his seat on the bench as a non-juror. He was buried at Goathurst on 7 Apr. 1702. His grandson sat for Bridgwater as a Tory from 1727 to 1730.4

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: Irene Cassidy / Basil Duke Henning

Notes

• 1. Collinson, Som. ii. 317; Som. Wills, vi. 95; The Gen. n.s. ii. 52, 97.
• 2. Q. Sess. Recs. (Som. Rec. Soc. xxxiv), p. xix; CSP Dom. 1679-80, p. 62; 1680-1, pp. 257, 290.
• 3. CJ, ix. 580-1; CSP Dom. 1680-1, p. 352.
• 4. CSP Dom. 1685, p. 54; Ellis Corresp. ii. 312; The Gen. n.s. ii. 97.