TYNDALE, Francis (1544-1631), of Cambridge; later of Pinner, Mdx.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

b. 1544, yr. s. of Sir Thomas Tyndale of Hockwold, Norf. by his 2nd w. Amy, da. of Sir Henry Farmer of Barsham, Norf. educ. Caius, Camb. 1561. unm.

Offices Held

Biography

After spending four years in the Farmer household at East Barsham, Tyndale went up to Cambridge, where he remained for most of his long life. Of his elder brothers, William inherited the Hockwold estates; John, a bencher of Lincoln’s Inn, became a Chancery master; and Humphrey became dean of Ely and president of Queens’, Cambridge. In both capacities Humphrey used his influence to obtain Francis leases of estates. It is a little odd that so retiring a man as Francis Tyndale should have wished to attend Parliament. Perhaps there was some special reason, now lost to us, of importance to his family, to Queens’ College, or to Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon who was presumably responsible for bringing him in. Hunsdon was regularly returning Members for Morpeth at this time, and was recorder of Cambridge.

Tyndale became one of two auditors of Queens’ in 1611, and later removed to Pinner. He made his will in June 1626, leaving the college £40 to buy a basin and ewer, and £5 for its poor scholars. He died in 1631, aged, if the birth date is correct, 87. An inquisition post mortem shows that he had property in London, at Golding Lane and near Holborn bridge. The heir was his godson, Dean Tyndale, Francis’s elder brother John’s son.

Vis. Essex (Harl. Soc. xiii, xiv), 511; J. Venn, Biog. Hist. Gonville and Caius, i. passim; W. G. Searle, Queens’ College, 366; C142/517/26.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Authors: B.D. / P. W. Hasler

Notes