Merchant Members
These lists are limited to known merchants and those whose primary source of income was probably commerce; they exclude Members who no longer traded or whose trading activities were not the major source of their income. Brief details of each man’s trade and constituency are provided, as are dates of admission where entry to the Commons occurred after Parliament began. Dates of death are given where a man expired while still a Member.
The Parliament of 1604-10
|
Askwith, Robert (draper) |
York |
|
Bagg, James I (tin merchant, inter alia) |
Plymouth |
|
Barfoot, Thomas (cloth exporter; d. May 1610) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Barwicke, William (master of local merchant guild) |
Carlisle |
|
Benson, Richard (ironmonger; d.1609) |
Ludlow |
|
Berkeley, Roland (clothier or weaver; entered House 1605) |
Worcester |
|
Billingsley, Sir Henry (haberdasher) |
London |
|
Bogans, John (d. Feb. 1606; mentioned in port books in early 1580s; moneylender) |
Helston |
|
Breres, Henry (draper) |
Coventry |
|
Brooke, Giles (importer/exporter) |
Liverpool |
|
Brooking, Christopher (silk and canvas importer/ cloth exporter) |
Totnes |
|
Bucking, Robert (d. Aug. 1604: exported cloth and pots; imported salt and wine) |
Bridgwater |
|
Burges, Thomas I (tin exporter) |
Truro |
|
Byng, George (brewer) |
Dover |
|
Carveth, Richard (vintner) |
Tregony |
|
Chapman, Henry (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Cole, Anthony (served apprenticeship; possibly a clothier; |
Hull d.1607) |
|
Coucher, John (clothier or weaver) |
Worcester |
|
Cownden, William (goldsmith; d. Jan. 1610) |
Southwark |
|
Cradock, George (wool merchant) |
Stafford |
|
Dighton, Christopher (d. Aug. 1604) |
Worcester |
|
Dottyn, Walter (importer/exporter) |
Totnes |
|
Ferrers, Edward (mercer; returned Apr. 1610) |
Tewkesbury |
|
Field, Joseph (exported lead and cloth; elected 1607) |
Hull |
|
Fisher, Richard (apothecary; elected Dec. 1609) |
Ludlow |
|
Godfrey, Richard I (fishmonger) |
Salisbury |
|
Gore, Richard (clothier) |
London |
|
Gourney, Thomas (merchant and brewer) |
Dartmouth |
|
Hamon, Thomas (d. July 1607) |
Rye |
|
Hawes, Thomas (brewer) |
Bedford |
|
Hassard, John (vintner?; d. Feb. 1610) |
Lyme Regis |
|
Heyricke, Sir William (goldsmith and financier; entered House 1605) |
Leicester |
|
Holland, Thomas (nature of activity unknown) |
Dartmouth |
|
Hurdman, Walter (mercer) |
Hereford |
|
Hurt, Richard (mercer and salt mill owner) |
Nottingham |
|
Jackson, Anker (mercer) |
Nottingham |
|
James, Richard (owned shop in Newport) |
Newport I.o.W. |
|
James, Thomas (traded with Spain; calfskin monopolist) |
Bristol |
|
Jeffrey, Sir John (general merchant?) |
Southampton |
|
Jenvey, Richard (draper; perhaps also an innkeeper) |
Portsmouth |
|
Lasher, James I (innkeeper; possibly also a merchant; entered 1605) |
Hastings |
|
Lowe, Sir Thomas (haberdasher; importer/exporter; entered House Dec. 1606) |
London |
|
Lyffe, Richard (d. Aug. 1605; fishmonger) |
Hastings |
|
Man, Edward (probable merchant) |
Poole |
|
Mayhew, William (brewer; entered House 1610) |
Southwark |
|
Mercer, Edward (linen-draper) |
Northampton |
|
Michell, Barnard (from June 1610; exporter foodstuffs) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Middleton, Robert (skinner) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Noyes, John (clothier) |
Calne |
|
Peake, Edward (d.1607) |
Sandwich |
|
Peter, Henry (imported salt and wine) |
Fowey |
|
Provis, Thomas (mercer; traded overseas; d.1609) |
Penryn |
|
Pettus, John (?tailor) |
Norwich |
|
Pitt, John (nature of activities unknown) |
Bridport |
|
Prowse, John (clothier) |
Exeter |
|
Rogerson, John (draper) |
Coventry |
|
Roberts, John (nature of activities unknown) |
Chippenham |
|
Sherston, William (clothier) |
Bath |
|
Sleigh, Edmund (wool merchant) |
Derby |
|
Smith, George (tin merchant) |
Exeter |
|
Smythe, Sir Thomas (leading member of various trading companies; sat from 31 Mar. 1604) |
Dunwich |
|
Spicer, John (tailor) |
Dorchester |
|
Stone, John (nature of activities unknown) |
Bodmin |
|
Swaddon, William (d.1606; clothier) |
Calne |
|
Swinarton, Sir John (wine importer) |
East Grinstead |
|
Trott, John (draper) |
St. Germans |
|
Wallis, Robert (coal and rye merchant) |
Cambridge |
|
Warden, John (possibly a brewer; entered House 1610) |
Hereford |
|
Wheeler, John (herring importer) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
White, Adam (jurat; possibly a merchant) |
Winchelsea |
|
White, Robert (owned a ship 1602) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Whitson, John (entered 1605; importer/exporter) |
Bristol |
The 1614 Parliament
|
Adams, Lawrence (cloth merchant) |
Totnes |
|
Askwith, Robert (draper) |
York |
|
Anderson, Sir Henry (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Banister, Henry (goldsmith) |
Preston |
|
Bateman, Robert (skinner) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Browne, John I (brewer) |
Gloucester |
|
Burges, Thomas II (importer/exporter; traded with France and Spain) |
Truro |
|
Burgis, Richard (importer/exporter, trading in wine, salt and cloth) |
Hull |
|
Cranfield, Sir Lionel (general merchant and financier) |
Hythe |
|
Chettle, Thomas (clothier) |
Worcester |
|
Clarke, Matthew (wine merchant and brewer) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Coxe, Edward (clothworker) |
Southwark |
|
Delbridge, John (overseas trader) |
Barnstaple |
|
Gauntlett, Roger (silk and woollen cloth) |
Salisbury |
|
Gourney, Thomas (merchant and brewer) |
Dartmouth |
|
Hardware, George (probable merchant as he was a leading townsman) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Holland, Thomas (nature of activity unknown) |
Dartmouth |
|
Hopkins, Sampson (draper) |
Coventry |
|
James, Thomas (traded with Spain; enjoyed calfskin monopoly) |
Bristol |
|
Jenison, William (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Lasher, James I (innkeeper; possibly also a merchant) |
Hastings |
|
Lowe, Sir Thomas (haberdasher; importer/exporter) |
London |
|
Machen, Thomas (mercer; and involved in wheat/malt trade) |
Gloucester |
|
Martin, Thomas (cloth exporter) |
Exeter |
|
Michell, Barnard (exporter foodstuffs) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Middleton, John (gunfounder) |
Horsham |
|
Middleton, Robert (skinner) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Pierse, John (shopkeeper and mercer) |
Bridgnorth |
|
Prowse, John (clothier) |
Exeter |
|
Rashleigh, Jonathan (gentry, but seems to have done some trading) |
Fowey |
|
Roy, John (importer/exporter; traded with northern France) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Sherwill, Thomas (clothier trading with France) |
Plymouth |
|
Smythe, Sir Thomas (leading member of various trading companies) |
Sandwich |
|
Snelling, Robert (Eastland merchant) |
Ipswich |
|
Staples, Robert (cordwainer) |
Nottingham |
|
Synge, Richard (tanner and gent) |
Bridgnorth |
|
Trott, John (draper) |
St. Germans |
|
Warden, John (possibly a brewer) |
Hereford |
|
Whitson, John (importer/exporter) |
Bristol |
|
Yearwood, Richard (grocer and brewer) |
Southwark |
The 1621 Parliament
|
Abbot, Maurice (draper; investor) |
Hull |
|
Anderson, Sir Henry (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Askwith, Robert (master of York Merchant Taylors, but family business probably run by mother and brother) |
York |
|
Bacon, Robert (steward of London glasshouse) |
St. Ives |
|
Bateman, Robert (skinner) |
London |
|
Brandling, Robert (coal merchant) |
Morpeth |
|
Bromfield, Robert (timber merchant) |
Southwark |
|
Browne, John I (brewer) |
Gloucester |
|
Catcher, Sir John (member of tin consortium) |
Truro |
|
Clarke, Matthew (wine merchant and brewer) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Cooper, Benjamin (probable merchant, being a leading townsman) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Cranfield, Sir Lionel (general merchant and financier; sat to July) |
Arundel |
|
Delbridge, John (grain importer; investor) |
Barnstaple |
|
Doddridge, Pentecost (cloth exporter) |
Barnstaple |
|
Ferrar, John (multiple trading interests) |
Tamworth |
|
Gauntlett, Roger (silk and woollen cloth) |
Salisbury |
|
Guy, John (traded overseas) |
Bristol |
|
Heyricke, Sir William (goldsmith and financier) |
Leicester |
|
Hicks, Sir Baptist (mercer and financier) |
Tavistock |
|
Hopkins, Sampson (draper) |
Coventry |
|
Jourdain, Ignatius (cloth exporter) |
Exeter |
|
Keightley, Thomas (skinner) |
Bere Alston |
|
Lasher, James II (ironworker) |
Hastings |
|
Lister, John (lead exporter) |
Hull |
|
Lowe, Sir Thomas (importer/exporter) |
London |
|
Mathew, Roger (merchant shipowner) |
Dartmouth |
|
Middleton, John (gunfounder) |
Horsham |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Mynne, George (various interests) |
Old Sarum |
|
Owner, Edward (shopowner and exporter) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Parkins, John (cloth exporter) |
Dorchester |
|
Peirce, Francis (possible merchant) |
Minehead |
|
Pitt, Matthew (traded with France and N. America) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Pope, Lewis (merchant) |
Taunton |
|
Prowse, John (clothier) |
Exeter |
|
Rashleigh, Jonathan (gentry, but seems to have done some trading) |
Fowey |
|
Ratcliffe, John (brewer) |
Chester |
|
Riddell, Sir Thomas (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Rodd, James (mercer) |
Hereford |
|
Rodd, Richard (cloth exporter) |
Totnes |
|
Robinson, Anthony (merchant) |
Gloucester |
|
Sewell, Henry (draper) |
Coventry |
|
Sherwill, Thomas (clothier) |
Plymouth |
|
Smalman, Francis I (merchant, moneylender and property developer) |
Leominster |
|
Smythe, Sir Thomas (leading member of various trading companies) |
Saltash |
|
Snelling, Robert (Eastland merchant) |
Ipswich |
|
Towerson, William I (skinner) |
London |
|
Wallis, John (merchant shipper) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Weaver, Richard (mercer) |
Hereford |
|
Whitson, John (importer/exporter) |
Bristol |
|
Yearwood, Richard (grocer and brewer) |
Southwark |
The 1624 Parliament
Roger Mathew (grocer), returned for Dartmouth, is excluded from the following list as, being elected in December 1624, he never sat in this Parliament.
|
Abbot, Maurice (draper; investor) |
Hull |
|
Anderson, Sir Henry (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Barker, John (shipowner/exporter) |
Bristol |
|
Bateman, Robert (skinner) |
London |
|
Bence, John (status as merchant unclear due to namesakes) |
Aldeburgh |
|
Bond, Martin (haberdasher) |
London |
|
Bromfield, Robert (timber merchant; sat from Mar.) |
Southwark |
|
Browne, John I (brewer) |
Gloucester |
|
Bushrod, Richard (haberdasher) |
Dorchester |
|
Cooper, Benjamin (probable merchant, being a leading townsman) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Daniel, Richard (perhaps now retired) |
Truro |
|
Delbridge, John (overseas trader) |
Barnstaple |
|
Doddridge, Pentecost (cloth exporter) |
Barnstaple |
|
Doughty, William (brewer) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Ferrar, Nicholas (Virginia settlement/tobacco trade) |
Lymington |
|
Gauntlett, Roger (silk and woollen cloth) |
Salisbury |
|
Giear, Thomas (traded with France) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Guy, John (multiple interests) |
Bristol |
|
Hardware, George (probable merchant as he was a leading townsman) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Harwell, Henry (mercer) |
Coventry |
|
Hicks, Sir Baptist (mercer and financier) |
Tewkesbury |
|
Ive, William (vintner) |
Leicester |
|
Lister, John (entered House mid March; lead exporter) |
Hull |
|
Marlott, William (merchant, but dealings unclear) |
New Shoreham |
|
Middleton, John (gunfounder) |
Horsham |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Myddelton, Sir Thomas I (grocer; importer/exporter) |
London |
|
Mynne, George (various interests) |
West Looe |
|
Pitt, Matthew (d. Apr.; traded with France and N. America) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Plumleigh, William (traded with Newfoundland, France and Spain) |
Dartmouth |
|
Prowse, John (clothier) |
Exeter |
|
Riddell, Sir Peter (coal merchant) |
Newcastle |
|
Robinson, Anthony (merchant) |
Gloucester |
|
Sherwill, Thomas (clothier) |
Plymouth |
|
Snelling, Robert (Eastland merchant) |
Ipswich |
|
Wallis, John (merchant shipper) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Weaver, Richard (mercer) |
Hereford |
|
Whiteway, William I (member of three trading companies) |
Dorchester |
|
Yearwood, Richard (grocer and brewer) |
Southwark |
The 1625 Parliament
|
Abbot, Maurice (draper; investor) |
Hull |
|
Anderson, Sir Henry (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Banister, Henry (goldsmith) |
Preston |
|
Barker, John (shipowner/exporter) |
Bristol |
|
Bateman, Robert (skinner) |
London |
|
Bond, Martin (haberdasher) |
London |
|
Browne, John I (brewer) |
Gloucester |
|
Burges, Thomas II (importer/exporter; traded with France and Spain) |
Truro |
|
Capell, Christopher (mercer) |
Gloucester |
|
Coteel, Thomas (known to have traded 1622) |
Penryn |
|
Coxe, William (clothworker) |
Southwark |
|
Crowe, Sackville (iron ordnance manufacturer and possibly also grain merchant) |
Hastings |
|
Delbridge, John (grain importer; investor) |
Barnstaple |
|
Doddridge, Pentecost (cloth exporter) |
Barnstaple |
|
Gollop, George (shipowner; importer/exporter) |
Southampton |
|
Gurlyn, Thomas (brewer and corn merchant) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Harwell, Henry (mercer) |
Coventry |
|
Hicks, Sir Baptist (mercer and financier) |
Tewkesbury |
|
Jourdain, Ignatius (cloth exporter) |
Exeter |
|
Lister, John (lead exporter) |
Hull |
|
Lowe, George (draper; cloth exporter) |
Calne |
|
Maplesden, Edward (probable brewer and innkeeper) |
Maidstone |
|
Marlott, William (merchant, but dealings unclear) |
New Shoreham |
|
Mathew, Roger (merchant shipowner) |
Dartmouth |
|
Michell, Barnard (exporter foodstuffs) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Middleton, John (gunfounder) |
Horsham |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Myddelton, Sir Thomas I (grocer; importer/exporter) |
London |
|
Owner, Edward (shopowner and exporter) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Rashleigh, Jonathan (gentry, but seems to have done some trading) |
Fowey |
|
Riddell, Sir Thomas (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Sherwill, Thomas (clothier) |
Plymouth |
|
Snelling, Robert (Eastland merchant) |
Ipswich |
|
Stanley, Thomas (brewer) |
Maidstone |
|
Weaver, Richard (mercer) |
Hereford |
|
Whiteway, William I (merchant) |
Dorchester |
|
Whitson, John (importer/exporter) |
Bristol |
|
Whiteway, William I (member of three trading companies) |
Dorchester |
|
Yearwood, Richard (grocer and brewer) |
Southwark |
The 1626 Parliament
|
Abbot, Maurice (draper and investor) |
London |
|
Anderson, Sir Henry (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Bateman, Robert (skinner) |
London |
|
Browne, John I (brewer) |
Gloucester |
|
Bushrod, Richard (haberdasher) |
Dorchester |
|
Capell, Christopher (mercer; returned by 13 May) |
Gloucester |
|
Coxe, William (clothworker) |
Southwark |
|
Crossing, Francis (clothier) |
Mitchell |
|
Delbridge, John (overseas trader) |
Barnstaple |
|
Doughty, John (traded in iron; shipowner) |
Bristol |
|
Gamull, William (wine importer) |
Chester |
|
Gollop, George (shipowner; importer/exporter) |
Southampton |
|
Gurlyn, Thomas (brewer and corn merchant) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Harwell, Henry (mercer) |
Coventry |
|
Haselock, John (apothecary) |
Worcester |
|
Hayne, John (clothier) |
Exeter |
|
Hicks, Sir Baptist (mercer and financier) |
Tewkesbury |
|
Holditch, Philip (described as merchant on election return) |
Totnes |
|
Johnson, Thomas (importer/exporter) |
Great Yarmouth |
|
Jourdain, Ignatius (cloth exporter) |
Exeter |
|
Lowe, George (draper; cloth exporter) |
Calne |
|
Lister, John (lead exporter) |
Hull |
|
Marlott, William (merchant, but dealings unclear) |
New Shoreham |
|
Mathew, Roger (merchant shipowner) |
Dartmouth |
|
Michell, Barnard (exporter foodstuffs) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Middleton, John (gunfounder) |
Horsham |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Myddelton, Sir Thomas I (importer/exporter) |
London |
|
Pringle, John (baker) |
Dover |
|
Riddell, Sir Peter (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Rolle, John (luxury goods importer) |
Callington |
|
Roper, Lancelot (from March 1626; overseas trade) |
Hull |
|
Sherwill, Thomas (clothier) |
Plymouth |
|
Snelling, Robert (Eastland merchant) |
Ipswich |
|
Walden, Isaac (draper) |
Coventry |
|
Weaver, Richard (mercer) |
Hereford |
|
Whiteway, William II (merchant; former factor; sat from 19 Apr.) |
Dorchester |
|
Whitson, John (importer/exporter) |
Bristol |
|
Yearwood, Richard (grocer and brewer) |
Southwark |
The Parliament of 1628-9
|
Bradshaw, Joseph (brewer) |
Westminster |
|
Browne, John I (brewer) |
Gloucester |
|
Bunce, James (linen-draper) |
London |
|
Clitherow, Christopher (ironmonger) |
London |
|
Coxe, William (clothworker) |
Southwark |
|
Crossing, Francis (clothier) |
Camelford |
|
Crowe, Sackville (iron ordnance manufacturer; possibly also a grain merchant) |
Bramber |
|
Daniel, Richard (draper; perhaps now retired) |
Truro |
|
Day, Edmund (dyer) |
Ipswich |
|
Delbridge, John (overseas trader) |
Barnstaple |
|
Doughty, John (traded in iron; shipowner) |
Bristol |
|
Doughty, William (brewer) |
King’s Lynn |
|
Evelyn, John (gunpowder manufacturer) |
Bletchingley |
|
Gleane, Sir Peter (wine and timber seller) |
Norwich |
|
Gollop, George (shipowner; importer/exporter) |
Southampton |
|
Haselock, John (apothecary) |
Worcester |
|
Hanbury, John (goldsmith) |
Gloucester |
|
Hicks, Sir Baptist (mercer and financier, ennobled May 1628) |
Tewkesbury |
|
Hill, John (ironmonger) |
Dorchester |
|
Hoyle, Thomas (clothier; entered House Apr. 1628) |
York |
|
Jennens, Owen (merchant) |
Portsmouth |
|
Jenner, Robert (goldsmith) |
Cricklade |
|
Jourdain, Ignatius (cloth exporter) |
Exeter |
|
Lister, John (lead exporter) |
Hull |
|
Lowe, George (cloth exporter) |
Calne |
|
Lynne, John (clothier) |
Exeter |
|
Major, John (cloth exporter) |
Southampton |
|
Marlott, William (merchant, but dealings unclear) |
New Shoreham |
|
Mathew, Roger (merchant shipowner) |
Dartmouth |
|
Middleton, John (gunfounder) |
Horsham |
|
Morice, Thomas (grocer) |
Westminster |
|
Moulson, Sir Thomas (cloth, silk and gold importer) |
London |
|
Myddelton, Hugh (goldsmith) |
Denbigh Boroughs |
|
Potter, Thomas (dyer; unseated 9 Apr.) |
Coventry |
|
Prestwood, Thomas (cloth importer, inter alia) |
Totnes |
|
Ratcliffe, John (brewer) |
Chester |
|
Rawdon, Marmaduke (wine merchant and shipowner) |
Aldeburgh |
|
Riddell, Sir Peter (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Riddell, Sir Thomas (coal merchant) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
|
Rolfe, William (vintner and scrivener) |
Heytesbury |
|
Rolle, John (luxury goods importer) |
Callington |
|
Sherwill, Thomas (clothier) |
Plymouth |
|
Tookie, Bartholomew (clothier) |
Salisbury |
|
Towerson, William I (shipowner and E.I. Co. merchant) |
Portsmouth |
|
Walden, Isaac (draper; unseated 9 Apr. 1628) |
Coventry |
|
Waller, Henry (draper) |
London |
|
Waltham, Henry (cloth and fish exporter) |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
|
Watkinson, James (member of Hull merchants’ company) |
Hull |
|
Yearwood, Richard (grocer and brewer) |
Southwark |