Eye

The powerful interest of the Cornwallises of Brome, which had lain dormant since the defeat of their candidates in the 1681 election, revived in 1690, when the Whig Thomas Davenant, a nominee of the 3rd Lord Cornwallis, was returned, albeit with a Tory colleague, Henry Poley. At the next election, Cornwallis was able to secure both seats, his eldest son, Hon. Charles, replacing Poley. This domination was to be maintained throughout the period. The Cornwallis influence was fortified by property purchases and, in 1697, by a crown grant of the manor of Eye and the issue of a new charter for the borough, in which Charles was named as recorder. On Davenant’s death in 1697 Cornwallis brought in (Sir) Joseph Jekyll, doubtless on the recommendation of the Junto peer, Lord Somers (Sir John*). In April 1698 it was reported by the Duchess of Lauderdale that her friend, Charles Killigrew (whose wife had inherited property ‘lying near the town of Eye’) intended to ‘try his fortune to serve burgess for the town’ at the next election. The Duchess hoped to obtain the support of Lord Huntingtower (Lionel Tollemache*), a Tory and former Member for Orford; but nothing came of Killigrew’s candidacy, either at the by-election in June caused by the succession of Charles Cornwallis as 4th Lord Cornwallis, or at the general election in July. Instead another Whig, Hon. Spencer Compton, obtained the seat without a contest on either occasion. Compton enjoyed a connexion with Sir Stephen Fox*, to whom the 4th Lord Cornwallis was greatly indebted, Fox having been responsible for his affairs since Cornwallis’ boyhood. Compton and Jekyll were renominated at each election from 1698 until 1710, although there had been rumours in 1705 that Cornwallis might oust one Member in favour of Charles Fox* (Sir Stephen’s son), who was facing difficulties at Salisbury and had therefore ‘spoke[n] to Lord Cornwallis to bring him in at Eye’. In the event, Fox’s re-election at Salisbury was ensured and he did not need an alternative seat. In 1710, however, a local Whig, Thomas Maynard, took Compton’s place, perhaps because of a political difference between Compton and Cornwallis, or perhaps because Maynard had a strong enough interest to persuade Cornwallis of the unwisdom of denying him. Jekyll himself refused to stand in 1713, ‘upon some honest scruples’, that is to say he objected to spending money on the voters. In his absence the second seat was given to a young Junto Whig, Edward Hopkins.2 J. H. Busby, ‘My Lord’s Borough: The Parlty. Hist. of Eye’, 4 (T/S ex inf. Mrs Judith Busby); CJ, xiv. 164; CSP Dom. 1697, p. 389; Add. 23251, f. 40; HMC 10th Rep. IV, 521–2; G. Holmes, Pol. in Age of Anne, 311; Murrell, 112; Hants RO, Jervoise mss, Mr Harris to Thomas Jervoise*, 30 Oct. 1713.