Francis Lascelles

For other people with the same name, see Francis Lascelles (disambiguation).

Francis Lascelles[1](c. 1612–1667) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1645 and 1660. During the English Civil War he fought for the Parliamentarians. He sat as a Commissioner in the High Court of Justice for the trial of King Charles I but did not sign the death warrant.[2][3]

Lascelles was the eldest son of William Lascelles of Stank Hall, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire and his wife Elizabeth Wadeson, daughter of Robert Wadeson of Yafforth and was baptised on 23 August 1612. He was a student of Gray's Inn in 1629.[4] He was brother to Thomas Lascelles (one of several men of the same name; this one died c. 1658).

At the start of the Civil War Lascelles joined the Parliament army, and became a colonel. In 1645 he was elected to Member of Parliament for Thirsk, Yorkshire as a recruiter to the Long Parliament.[4]

In September 1648, Lascelles and Colonel Bethel were sent to Scarborough because three hundred Walloons had been sent there by the Prince of Wales. Lascelles and Bethel laid siege to the town and castle, which soon fell with their garrison taken prisoner.[2] During the late 1640s Lascelles, along with some of his relations, built up business interests in Ireland, which in his case centred on Belfast.[5]

Lascelles was one of a number of reliable middle-ranking offices from the New Model Army who were procured by the Grandees to join the Commission to try King Charles I. Lascelles sat in the Painted Chamber on 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 25 January, and in Westminster Hall the 20th and 22nd; but he did not attend on the day when sentence was passed, nor did he sign the King's death warrant.[2]

During the Interregnum Lascelles was nominated in 1653 to the Barebones Parliament for the Yorkshire constituency of North Riding. He was elected to the same constituency in 1654 for the First Protectorate Parliament and in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament.[4] In 1659, as it became evident that political fortune favoured a return of the Stuarts, Lascelles negotiated with General George Monck a re-inclusion to the Rump Parliament of those members of the Long Parliament excluded by Pride's Purge in 1648.[5] His reward at the English Restoration was to be returned as the member for Northallerton to the Convention Parliament.[2] Unlike most of the Regicides, he was not excluded from the general pardon under the Indemnity and Oblivion Act although he was ordered to pay one years rent on his Estate to Charles II and along with John Hutchinson forbidden to hold any public office.[6]

Lascelles died in 1667 and was buried at Kirby Sigston on 28 November 1667.[4]

Lascelles married in 1626, Frances St Quintin, daughter of Sir William St Quintin, 1st Baronet of Harpham. They had five sons and ten daughters. He was father of Daniel Lascelles (1655–1734).

References and notes

  1. ↑ Some sources spell his name Francis Lassels (Mark Noble (1798). The Lives of the English Regicides: And Other Commissioners of the Pretended, J. Stockdale. Page 375) others Francis Lassells (House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 12 June 1660 British History Online. accessed: 19 February 2008.)'
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mark Noble (1798). The Lives of the English Regicides: And Other Commissioners of the Pretended, J. Stockdale. Page 375
  3. ↑ John Jones (1859). The History and Antiquities of Harewood: In the County of York, with Topographical notices of its parishes and neighbourhoods, Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. page 291 "he was justice of peace and colonel in the army of the Parliament, and was elected representative in Parliament for the North Riding of Yorkshire, in the Parliaments summoned to meet 1653, 1654, and 1656. Baptized at Sigston, 23 Aug., 1612, buried there 28 Nov., 1667. He mar. Frances, second daughter of Sir William St. Quintin, of Harpham, Bart., and had issue:— DANIEL. William, baptized at Sigston, 5 Sep., 1634. Mary, baptized at Sigston, 7 Feb., 1635, ... In the list of Noblemen and Gentlemen who are named in the " Ordinances of Parliament" for raising money and forces under Lord Fairfax, and who subscribed the Solemn League and Covenant, or were otherwise employed in support of the Parliamentary cause, are the following names :— Francis Lascelles, M.P., Thomas Lascelles, M.P., Peregrine Lascelles. In 1653, after the Battle of Worcester, among the M.P.'s, Francis Lascelles is returned as one of the four sent from the North Riding. In Sep., 1656, he was returned again for the N. Riding."
  4. 1 2 3 4 History of Parliament Online - Lascelles, Francis
  5. 1 2 S. D. Smith (2006). Slavery, Family, and Gentry Capitalism in the British Atlantic: The World of Lascelles, 1648-1834, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-86338-4. page 55
  6. ↑ Statutes of the Realm: volume 5: 1628-80 (1819), pp. 226-234. URL: Charles II, 1660: An Act of Free and Generall Pardon Indempnity and Oblivion.', XL. Certain Persons made incapable of any Offices. Penalty on Francis Lassels of one Year's Rent., British History Online, Date accessed: 19 February 2008.

Further reading

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