Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet
Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet (7 September 1628 - 1 August 1702)[1] was an English politician.
Courtenay was the son of Francis Courtenay of Powderham Castle and his wife Elizabeth Seymour, daughter of Sir Edward Seymour. He was created a baronet in 1644 but distained the title and never took out a patent. He was therefore not included in the list of baronets, although the king styled his as such in his commissions.[2]
On 2 April 1660, Courtenay became the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashburton, Devon.[1] However he dropped out of politics after the Restoration and appears was not returned in 1661. In 1677 Courtenay's health prevented him standing at Ashburton but he managed the campaign of the country party. The country party's candidate was unsuccessful but the government supporters admitted that in a clean election Courtenay's campaign had been very moderate. Notwithstanding that he had made a new freeholder and "drank him so freely" that he fell downstairs and broke his neck.[3] On 18 February 1679, Courtenay became the MP for the constituency of Devon[4] until 1685. His health prevented him standing in 1688.[3]
Courtenay died aged 73.
Courtenay married Margaret Waller, daughter of Sir William Waller, parliamentary general. Their son William was also MP for Devon.[2]
References
- ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
- ^ a b John Burke A General and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of the British Empire, Volume 1
- ^ a b Basil Duke Henning The House of Commons, 1660-1690, Volume 1
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)