Commons 1558-1603

The Members for Lincolnshire in this period were a mixture of courtiers and country gentlemen. Sir William Cecil, just appointed secretary, was elected to the senior seat in the first two Parliaments of the reign, choosing, however, to represent Northamptonshire in 1563. He was replaced by another courtier, Thomas Heneage, who had lands in Lincolnshire, and Essex, and represented both counties in Parliament; he was again returned for Lincolnshire in 1571 and 1572. Cecil’s heir Sir Thomas was elected senior knight of the shire in 1584 and 1586.

Wigan is said to have received charters in 1560 and 1585, but details of these have been lost. Other evidence shows that a mayor, two bailiffs and a number of burgesses were elected annually for the town and borough, which also had five aldermen. During this period Wigan showed no independence in its choice of MPs. Elections were dominated by the Gerard family, the most important local landowners, the 3rd Earl of Derby and the duchy of Lancaster.

Leicestershire was an English county dominated to a degree unparalleled in this period by one family. Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon (1560-95) was lord lieutenant and his two brothers, Sir George Hastings and Francis Hastings I, his deputies. Nine out of the available 20 seats were taken by members of the Hastings family, which thrice (1584, 1586, 1597) monopolized the county representation. This supremacy was challenged only once, at the last election in this period, in the following circumstances.

Liverpool was governed during this period by a mayor, two bailiffs, 12 aldermen and a number of burgesses. Returns at parliamentary elections were made by the mayor and bailiffs, with the assent and consent of aldermen, burgesses and commoners. At the beginning of the reign Sir Ambrose Cave, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, apparently assumed that both seats at Liverpool were his for the taking.

Newton—‘a little poor market’ Leland called it—first sent Members to Parliament in 1559. No authority has been found for its enfranchisement, but its first Members were not challenged in the House. The 1559 return is to testify that we, the free men of the borough of Thomas Langton, knight, baron of Newton ...

Preston received a charter of confirmation in 1557 and was incorporated in 1566, its common council consisting of the mayor, two bailiffs, and 24 principal burgesses. From 1542 onwards, a meeting of the guild merchant was held at intervals of 20 years. Neighbouring noblemen and gentry customarily obtained admission to the guild as ‘foreign burgesses’ and, by 1602, outnumbered the local or ‘inburgesses’.

Clitheroe was a small borough run by two bailiffs who were also the returning officers. An insight into the way elections were conducted in this period is provided by a letter sent by the bailiffs to ‘the sergeant of our borough and corporation of Clitheroe’ 10 Oct. 1601:

Lancaster, the northern centre of duchy activity, was enfranchised under Henry VIII, but was not incorporated until 1604. A code of customs, drawn up and ratified in 1572, reveals that it was governed by a mayor, two bailiffs and 12 capital burgesses. Parliamentary election was made by the mayor, bailiffs, burgesses and commonalty. The dominant influence on the borough’s parliamentary returns was that of the duchy of Lancaster.

Rochester was an incorporated borough, elections were held in the guildhall and returns were made in the name of the mayor and citizens. The size of the electorate is unknown, but the franchise was not confined to members of the corporation. Indeed, at Rochester, unusually for the period, not one MP was mayor or held other borough office apart from the wardenship of Rochester Bridge.

The earls of Derby held the lord lieutenancy of Lancashire without a break from 1559 to 1594. The county election writ, instead of being sent direct to the sheriff, went via the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster. Thus both the earls of Derby and the chancellors of the duchy had the opportunity to influence Lancashire elections. In practice neither exerted much patronage, though consultation was expected. Without exception the Lancashire MPs were landed gentry resident in the county.