PREFATORY NOTICE. IN producing the Representative History of GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, it is proposed to connect with the electoral history of each county, Genealogical and Biographical particulars of those families whose names are enrolled on the list of its Parliamentary Representatives from 1 Edward VI. 1547, when the Journals of the House of Commons were first published, to the present time, a period of three hundred years. Hitherto, writers on the subject of our Representative History have confined themselves—either to giving an account of the rights of election of the several counties, cities, and boroughs of Great Britain—or to compiling dry, unsatisfactory, and in many cases, imperfect lists of the names only of members of parliament ; among the former may be classed the works of Carew, Cunningham, Luder, Oldfield and Mereweatheramong the latter, the compilations of Browne Willis, Whitworth, Beatson and Smith. To have united the merits of these two classes of works, would, in itself, have formed a valuable addition to our parliamentary records: here however it may be observed that while the admirable productions of Luder and Sergeant Mereweather, have rendered it almost impracticable to throw any new light on that portion of THE REPRESENTATIVE HISTORY of which their productions treat, numerous additions and corrections have been made in the lists of members. The well-known collections of Browne Willis now so rare and valuable as to be marked in the catalogue of books at six guineas— include chronological lists of the returns to parliament from 1545 to the Restoration in 1660; these were continued from that period to 1722, by Mr. Whitworth; commencing with the Scottish union Dr. Beatson's compilations include the period from 1708 to 1807; Mr. Smith's "Parliaments of England," comprehend the returns from 1 George, 1715, to 1845. From this statement it may be seen that as these works commence at different periods-no single one is perfect in itself-nor indeed are they so collectively. Mr. Whitworth's however is the most imperfect ; the only compiler who has connected the links between Willis and Beatson, he has satisfied himself with giving the mere returns at general elections, and has taken no notice whatever of the various writs issued on the occasions of deaths, acceptances of office, resignations of seats and elevations to the Peerage. With respect to the parliamentary history of Ireland, nothing, it is believed, has yet been written, nor any connected lists of its members published, with the exception of those of the three first parliaments after the union recorded in Beatson's work, and of the four reformed parliaments from 1834 to 1842, collected by Mr. Lewis. Independently then of the novel and important information to be introduced in this history, it will be seen that many improvements and additions have been made in the works of other writers on the subject. In styling the new feature in the REPRESENTATIVE HISTORY important, it is felt that that term may be allowed in its fullest sense, for while-by giving genealogical and biographical particulars of those families who have returned members to parliament a vast quantity of matter illustrative of personal history will be brought together; a still greater end will at the same time have been obtained, viz.: that of forming a complete POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY of the British empire, gleaned from the most authentic and impartial sources. No name, from that of the statesman whose talents may have ruled the destinies of England to the individual who has simply recorded his opinions in divisions of the House, will be found omitted or unaccompanied with personal particulars, where such are to be obtained. Nor will these particulars indeed be confined to the member himself; they will embrace a history of his family, and a notice of any person of eminence whose name may appear in his pedigree. THE REPRESENTATIVE HISTORY will further embody in itself a digest of the important transactions in each parliament (from 1 Edward VI. to 10 Victoria,) which will be introduced in the memoir given of the SPEAKER who may have presided over it. To this branch of the subject the annexed table will be found of great assistance. For instance, on referring to it, it may be seen that THOMAS SNAGG, who sat for Bedford, was SPEAKER of the House of Commons in the parliament of 1588, particulars of which parliament will be found at page 61, in that gentleman's memoir, Beil made a Ba ron of the Ex- 09 21 John Puckering 0 4.23 Ditto 23 Nov. 1585/11 Sept. 1586 29 Oct. 1586 23 Mar. 1587 0 4 Feb. 1588 29 Mar. 1588 0 1 25 Thomas Snagg 19 Nov. 1592 10 April, 1593 4 22 Edward Cooke 24 Oct. 1597 9 Feb. 1598, 2 3 16 Christ. Yelverton 7 Oct. 1601 29 Dec. 1601 0 2 22 John Crook James I... 19 Mar. 1603 9 Feb. 16.1 7 10 21 Sir E Phellips, Kt. 2 Sir R. Crewe, Kt. 9 T. Richardson 5 Sir T. Crewe, Kt. 26 Ditto Bedford, Bedfordsh Northamptonshire 5 April, 1614 7 June, 1614 0 2 30 Jan. 1620 8 Feb. 1621 1 6 19 Feb. 1623 24 Mar. 1625 2 1 Charles I.. 17 May, 1625 12 Aug. 1625 0 2 6 Feb. 1626 15 June, 1626 0 4 9 Sir H. Finch, Kt. 17 Mar. 1627 10 Mar. 1628 0 11 23 Sir John Finch 13 April, 1640 3 May, 1640 0 0 22 John Glanville 3 Nov. 1640 20 April, 1653 12 5 17 W. Lenthal 4 July, 1653 12 Dec. 1653 0 3 Sept. 1654 22 Jan. 1655 0 17 Sept. 1656 4 Feb. 1658 1 27 Jan. 1658 18 April, 1659 6 May. 1659/13 Oct. 165 Charles II 1 5 27 Francis Rous 4 17 Sir T. Widrington (resigned.) 057 Sir L. Long, v. Wells, Somerset. 26 Dec. 16 Mar. 1660 0 2 20 ("T. Bampfield, v. Exeter, Devonshire Long (died 16. The member who met in these three. Parliaments are the same as those returned in 1658. LIST OF PARLIAMENTS FROM 1 EDWARD VI., 1549, тo 10 VICTORIA, 1847. health) 6 Mar. 1679 12 July, 1679 0 4 6 SirE.Seymour, Bt. Hindon, Wilts. Wm. Gregory, v. Weobley, Hereford. ed by monarch.) 1 William Williams Chester, Cheshire 7 Ditto Ditto 7 10 Ditto Ditto SirT. Lyttelton, Bt Woodstock, Oxford. Anne 30 Dec. 1701 7 July, 1702 0 6 2 Ditto 8 July, 1708 21 Sept. 1710 2 2 13 Sir R. Onslow (af George II. Ditto Andover, Hants. Oxford University, 3 Sir T. Hanmer, Bt. Suffolk [Oxfordsh. 5 11 21 Hon. S. Compton Sussex afterwards Earl 10 May, 1722 5 Aug. 1727 5 2 26 Ditto 2 Nov. 1727 18 April, 1734 6 4 21 Arthur Onslow 13 June, 1734 28 April, 1741 6 10 15 Ditto 27 June, 1741 18 June, 1747 5 11 24 Ditto 13 Aug. 1747 8 April, 1754 6 7 26 Ditto 31 May, 1754 20 Mar. 1761 6 9 20 Ditto George III. 16 May, 1761 12 Mar. 1768 6 10 May, 1768 30 Sept. 1774 6 Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Grantham, Lincoln.] Ditto Guildford, Surrey |