Ignatius Jordain facts for kids
Ignatius Jordain (born 1561 – died 15 July 1640) was an English businessman and politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a part of the government, between 1621 and 1629.
Biography of Ignatius Jordain
Ignatius Jordain was born in Lyme Regis. His parents were William Jordain and Elizabeth Ryder. He was baptized on 17 August 1561.
When he was young, his friends sent him to Exeter to learn how to be a merchant, which is a person who buys and sells goods. In 1576, his boss sent him to Guernsey. There, he became a puritan, which was a group of people who wanted to make the church simpler and stricter.
Jordain became an important person in Exeter. In 1599, he was made the bailiff of Exeter, a high official in the city. He joined the city's main governing group in 1608. He managed the city's money as a receiver in 1610. In 1611, he became the Sheriff of Exeter, a chief law officer. Later, in 1617, he became the mayor of Exeter, the main leader of the city. He also worked as a J.P. (a local judge) for 24 years.
In 1621, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Exeter. This meant he represented Exeter in the government. In 1624, when many leaders left the city because of a serious illness called the plague, he served as deputy mayor. He was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for Exeter in 1625, 1626, and 1628. He stayed in this role until 1629. At that time, King Charles I decided to rule the country by himself for eleven years, without the help of Parliament.
Jordain was a very religious puritan. People said he read the Bible at least 20 times and a famous book called Acts and Monuments seven times. He tried to make laws to stop people from drinking too much alcohol. He was known for being very strict about places that sold alcohol in Exeter. In 1639, when an official announcement about problems in Scotland was read in Exeter Cathedral, he and two other men showed their protest by putting on their hats.
Ignatius Jordain did not care much about being rich. He was proud of his humble beginnings. He once said that he came to Exeter with only "a six-pence" in his pocket. He believed that if he had more money then, he would never have become mayor. He wasn't worried about threats of lawsuits that might leave him with very little money. He said it would only be a little less than what he had when he first arrived in the city.
Jordain died at the age of 79. He was buried on 18 June 1640.
Jordain's Family Life
Ignatius Jordain married Katherine Bodley on 24 June 1589. She was the daughter of John Bodley. Katherine passed away on 4 May 1593.
He then married Elizabeth Baskerville on 5 August 1593. She was the sister of Sir Simon Baskerville. Ignatius had three daughters with his first wife. He had fourteen children with his second wife. His cousin, John Jourdain, later became the president of the East India Company's Council in India.
