MEREDITH, Sir Roger, 5th Bt. (?1677-1739), of Leeds Abbey, Kent.

Meredith, whose family, of Welsh origin, had been seated at Leeds Abbey since the time of James I, was on 9 May 1709 ‘struck off the book from being fellow of [All Souls] for his not going into orders at the time appointed by the statutes’.1Hearne, Colls. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), ii. 197. On succeeding his brother, an idiot for 44 years,2Cal. Treas. Bks. xix. 177. at Leeds Abbey in 1723 he was reported not to ‘thrive with this estate, notwithstanding he is a worthy man’.3Hearne, viii. 259. After a contested election he was returned for the county with the support of the Administration, together with Sir Robert Furnese, with whom he went over to opposition shortly afterwards. He voted consistently against the Government except on the introduction of the excise bill, which he supported, though he later voted against it. Not standing in 1734, he died 3 Jan. 1739.