HAGGETT, Humphrey (1602-1634), of Arundel House, The Strand, Westminster and Arundel Castle, Suss.

Haggett’s father was of Sussex origin, but he moved to London, where he prospered as a surveyor. By 1608 he was working for the Crown in the four northern counties and he struck up a friendship with Sir Robert Cotton*.4 SP14/37/103; HMC Hatfield, xxi. 53; xxiv. 174; Cott. Julius C.III, f. 164. Haggett received an extensive education, donating a manuscript of Wycliffe’s translation of the Old Testament to his college in 1620, and subsequently entered the service of Thomas Howard, earl of Arundel on Cotton’s recommendation.5 M. Dove, First English Bible, 72. Among his duties was the collection of Arundel’s fees as earl marshal, for on 8 May 1624 Sir Francis Seymour* reported to the Commons a petition of Ralph Brooke who, as York Herald, was in dispute with Arundel, alleging that Haggett had broken into his lodgings, put out his servants, and sealed the doors.6 Cat. of Earl Marshal’s Pprs. at Arundel Castle ed. F.W. Steer (Harl. Soc. cxv), 42; CJ, i. 701a; A. Wagner, Heralds of Eng. 210-11, 235.

In 1625 Haggett was responsible for delivering Arundel’s letters of nomination for various Sussex boroughs to the earl’s officers in that county.7 Cal. N. Wales Letters ed. B.E. Howells (Univ. Wales, Bd. of Celtic Studs., Hist. and Law ser. xxiii), 218. Among these was one addressed to the corporation of Chichester, for which city Arundel was high steward. It was presumably made out in favour of Haggett himself, as he, doubtless hoping for parliamentary protection against Brooke, was subsequently returned. Brooke nevertheless petitioned the House of Lords on 1 July, but the peers’ privileges committee finding against him, he withdrew his allegations.8 Procs. 1625, pp. 81-2, 109-10. Haggett made no recorded contribution to the proceedings of the Commons.

Re-elected in 1626, Haggett left no trace on the records of the second Caroline Parliament. There is no evidence that he sought re-election. He had died intestate by November 1634, when his widow took out letters of administration. No other member of the family sat in the Commons.