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List of MPs elected to the English parliament in November 1640 facts for kids

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This article is about the Members of Parliament (MPs) who were chosen in 1640 for a very important meeting called the Long Parliament. This Parliament started when King Charles I was still ruling and continued even into the time of the Commonwealth, a period when England was a republic without a king.

The Long Parliament was King Charles I's fifth and final Parliament. It began in Westminster on November 3, 1640. It kept meeting until April 20, 1653, when it was finally closed down. Five new areas, called constituencies, were added for this Parliament. These were Ashburton, Honiton, and Okehampton in Devon, plus Malton and Northallerton in Yorkshire.

This Parliament lasted a very long time, and it was a period of great change and fighting, known as the English Civil War. Because of this, many MPs came and went. At the start, some MPs were chosen for more than one area. This led to new elections or arguments about who should be the MP. Some of these arguments were never settled.

In the first year, many MPs left Parliament. Some were made Lords by King Charles I, who wanted to make the House of Lords stronger. Others were removed because they were involved in unfair business practices (called monopolists) or were trying to cause trouble. As the country fell into Civil War, the Parliament in Westminster split. Over 150 MPs decided to support the King and met in Oxford instead. Almost all of these MPs were later removed from their positions. Sadly, several MPs on both sides were killed in the fighting, in addition to those who died from natural causes. By about 1645, new MPs were being elected to replace those who had been removed or had died.

In December 1648, the army took control of Parliament. Many MPs were forced out during an event called Pride's Purge. This left a much smaller group of MPs, known as the Rump Parliament. Even some who were not officially removed chose not to take part in Parliament's work. Although the Parliament was officially closed in 1653, and other Parliaments were called, the Long Parliament was brought back together in 1659 before being finally dissolved.

This list shares details about the MPs who were first chosen in 1640 and shortly after. For information about the MPs who joined later, after 1645, you can look at List of MPs in the English parliament in 1645 and after. There is also a list of MPs not excluded from the English parliament in 1648.

Important Members of Parliament

Here are some of the key figures who were Members of Parliament during this time.

EdmundVerney
Sir Edmund Verney (Wycombe)
Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet, of Middle Claydon
Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Bt (Aylesbury)
SirThomasChicheley
Sir Thomas Chicheley (Cambridgeshire)
William brereton
Major General Sir William Brereton (Cheshire)
Godolphin-Sidney-9
Sidney Godolphin (Helston)
EdwardHyde1626
Edward Hyde (Saltash)
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol (Dorset)
1stLordColepeper
Lord Colepeper (Kent)
Orlando Bridgeman
Sir Orlando Bridgeman (Wigan)
LuciusViscountFalkland
Lucius Carey, Viscount Falkland (Newport IOW)
1stEarlOfBurlington
Viscount Dungarvon (Appleby)
Sir Edward Littleton 1st Baronet
Sir Edward Littleton, 1st Baronet (Staffordshire)
John Hampden - Project Gutenberg eText 19609
John Hampden (Buckinghamshire)
Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper
Oliver Cromwell (Cambridge)
FrancisRous
Francis Rous (Truro)
Sir John Maynard mw04344
Sir John Maynard (Totnes)
John Pym
John Pym (Tavistock)
Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles of Ifield
Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles of Ifield (Dorchester)
Sir Harbottle Grimston
Sir Harbottle Grimston (Colchester)
Sir Robert Harley
Sir Robert Harley (Herefordshire)
SirArthurHaselrig
Sir Arthur Haselrig (Leicestershire)
SirJohnGlynne
Sir John Glynne (Westminster)
Miles Corbett
Miles Corbett (Yarmouth)
WilliamLenthall
William Lenthall (Speaker)
NathanielFiennes
Nathaniel Fiennes (Banbury)
SirHenryVaneTheElder
Sir Henry Vane (Wilton)
Wenceslas Hollar - Sir Benjamin Rudyerd
Benjamin Rudyerd (Wilton)
Sir William Waller by Cornelius Johnson
William Waller (Andover)
Henry Vane the Younger
Henry Vane (Hull)
Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (Yorkshire)

List of Constituencies and Their MPs

This table shows some of the areas (constituencies) that elected MPs to the Long Parliament. It also lists the MPs chosen and what happened to them during this busy time.

Bedfordshire

Constituency Members Notes
Bedfordshire The Lord Wentworth
Sir Oliver Luke
Lord Wentworth became a Lord in November 1640. He was replaced by Roger Burgoyne.
Bedford Sir Beauchamp St John
Sir Samuel Luke

Berkshire

Constituency Members Notes
Berkshire John Fettiplace
Henry Marten
Fettiplace was removed in January 1644. Marten was removed in August 1643 but allowed back in January 1645.
Windsor Cornelius Holland
William Taylor
Taylor was expelled in May 1641 and replaced by Richard Winwood.

Buckinghamshire

Constituency Members Notes
Buckinghamshire John Hampden
Arthur Goodwin
Hampden was killed in June 1643. Goodwin died in August 1643.
Aylesbury Sir John Pakington, Bt
Ralph Verney
Pakington was removed in August 1642. Verney was removed in September 1645.

Cambridgeshire

Constituency Members Notes
Cambridgeshire Sir Dudley North Bt.
Thomas Chicheley
Chicheley was removed in September 1642.
Cambridge Oliver Cromwell
John Lowry
Oliver Cromwell later became a very powerful leader.

Cheshire

Constituency Members Notes
Cheshire Peter Venables
Sir William Brereton, Bt
Venables was removed in January 1644.

Cornwall

Constituency Members Notes
Cornwall Alexander Carew
Sir Bevil Grenville
Carew was removed in September 1643. Grenville was removed in September 1642.
Truro John Rolle
Francis Rous
Helston Francis Godolphin
Sidney Godolphin
Sidney Godolphin was killed in action in 1642. Francis Godolphin was removed in January 1644.
Saltash George Buller
Edward Hyde
Hyde was removed in August 1642. Buller died.

Devon

Constituency Members Notes
Devon Edward Seymour
Thomas Wise
Wise died. Seymour was removed in January 1644.
Totnes Oliver St John
John Maynard
Tavistock John Pym
Lord William Russell
Lord William Russell became a Lord in May 1641. He was replaced by Hon. John Russell, who was removed in January 1644. John Pym died in December 1643.
Ashburton Sir John Northcote
Sir Edmund Fowell

Dorset

Constituency Members Notes
Dorset Lord Digby
Richard Rogers
Lord Digby became a Lord in June 1641. Rogers was removed in September 1642.
Dorchester Denzil Holles
Denis Bond

Essex

Constituency Members Notes
Essex Lord Rich
Sir William Masham Bt
Lord Rich became a Lord in January 1641. He was replaced by Sir Martin Lumley, 1st Baronet.
Colchester Harbottle Grimston (junior)
Sir Thomas Barrington Bt
Barrington died in 1644.

Hampshire

Constituency Members Notes
Newport alias Medina Lucius Viscount Falkland
Henry Worsley
Viscount Falkland was removed in September 1642.
Andover Robert Wallop
Henry Vernon
Vernon was unseated and replaced by Sir William Waller.

Herefordshire

Constituency Members Notes
Herefordshire Sir Robert Harley
Fitzwilliam Coningsby
Coningsby was expelled in October 1641 for unfair business practices. He was replaced by Humphrey Coningsby, who was later removed.

Kent

Constituency Members Notes
Kent Sir Edward Dering
Sir John Colepepper
Dering was removed in February 1642 and died in 1644. Colepepper was removed in January 1644.

Lancashire

Constituency Members Notes
Wigan Orlando Bridgeman
Alexander Rigby
Bridgeman was removed in August 1642.

Leicestershire

Constituency Members Notes
Leicestershire Sir Arthur Hesilrige
Henry de Grey, Lord Ruthin
Lord Ruthin became the Earl of Kent in 1643.

Lincolnshire

Constituency Members Notes
Lincolnshire Sir John Wray
Sir Edward Ayscough

Middlesex

Constituency Members Notes
Middlesex Sir Gilbert Gerard
Sir John Franklyn
Francklyn died in 1647.
Westminster John Glynne
William Bell
City of London Sir Thomas Soame
Isaac Penington
Samuel Vassall
Matthew Cradock
Cradock died in 1641 and was replaced by John Venn.

Norfolk

Constituency Members Notes
Norfolk Sir John Potts
Sir Edmund Moundeford
Moundeford died and was replaced by Sir John Hobart, 2nd Baronet in 1641. Hobart died in 1647.
Yarmouth Miles Corbet
Edward Owner (Recorder)

Northamptonshire

Constituency Members Notes
Northamptonshire Sir Gilbert Pickering, Bt
John Dryden Bt.

Northumberland

Constituency Members Notes
Northumberland Sir William Widdrington
Henry Percy
Percy was expelled in December 1641. His replacement, Sir John Fenwick, was removed in January 1644. Widdrington was removed in August 1642.

Oxfordshire

Constituency Members Notes
Oxfordshire Thomas Viscount Wenman
Hon. James Fiennes
Banbury Nathaniel Fiennes

Staffordshire

Constituency Members Notes
Staffordshire Sir Edward Littleton
Hervey Bagot
Bagot was removed in November 1642. Littleton was removed in March 1644.

Suffolk

Constituency Members Notes
Suffolk Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston
Sir Philip Parker

Surrey

Constituency Members Notes
Surrey Sir Richard Onslow
Sir Ambrose Browne

Sussex

Constituency Members Notes
Sussex Sir Thomas Pelham Bt
Anthony Stapley

Warwickshire

Constituency Members Notes
Warwickshire Richard Shuckburgh
James Compton
Compton became a Lord in 1643. Shuckburgh was removed in October 1644.

Wiltshire

Constituency Members Notes
Wiltshire Sir James Thynne
Sir Henry Ludlow
Thynne was removed in 1642. Ludlow died in 1644.
Wilton Sir Henry Vane (the elder)
Sir Benjamin Rudyerd

Worcestershire

Constituency Members Notes
Worcestershire John Wilde
Humphrey Salwey

Yorkshire

Constituency Members Notes
Yorkshire Ferdinando, Lord Fairfax
Henry Belasyse
Belasyse was removed in September 1642. Fairfax died in 1648.
Kingston upon Hull Sir Henry Vane, junior
Sir John Lister
Lister died in 1640 and was replaced by Peregrine Pelham.

Cinque Ports

Hastings John Ashburnham
Thomas Eversfield
Both Ashburnham and Eversfield were removed in February 1644.

Wales

Anglesey John Bodvel Bodvel was removed in February 1644.
Cardiff William Herbert Herbert was killed at the Battle of Edgehill in October 1642. The area had no MP from 1642-1645.

See also

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