PRIDEAUX, Jonathan (c.1646-1710), of Theuborough, Sutcombe, Devon and Trecarne, St. Mabyn, Cornw.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

20 Oct. 1690

Family and Education

b. c.1646, 3rd but 2nd surv. s. of Sir Richard Prideaux of Theuborough by Mary, da. and coh. of Richard Barrett of Trecarne. m. Anne, da. of Sir Francis Clarke, Draper, of Little St. Helens, London, 1s. d.v.p. 8da. suc. bro. 1670.1

Offices Held

Commr. for assessment, Devon 1673-80, 1689-90, capt. of militia horse by 1680; stannator of Tywarnwheale 1686; j.p. Devon 1687-July 1688, Oct. 1688-?d., lt-col. of militia ft. by 1697-?d.2

Biography

Prideaux’s father lived chiefly on his wife’s Cornish property, sitting for Bodmin in the Short Parliament. A Royalist in the Civil War, he compounded for £426 in 1649, and at the Restoration became vice-warden of the stannaries and surveyor-general of the duchy of Cornwall. Prideaux’s own political career began with his election to the convocation of tinners in 1686, but two years later he gave the same negative answers as Sir Edward Seymour to the questions on the repeal of the Test Act and Penal Laws, and was removed from the commission of the peace. He was returned for Callington at the general election of 1689, probably on the interest of Samuel Rolle. Anthony Rowe, who confused him with a Whiggish cousin, John Prideaux of Prideaux Place, nevertheless listed him as voting to agree with the Lords that the throne was not vacant. But he is also said to have supported the disabling clause in the bill to restore corporations. He made no recorded speeches and was appointed to no committees in the Convention. He gave way to Francis Fulford at the general election of 1690, but regained his seat in the autumn on the death of John Coryton II. He was buried at Sutcombe on 7 Apr. 1710, aged 64, the last of the Theuborough branch of the Prideaux family to sit in Parliament.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: Paula Watson

Notes

  • 1. Vivian, Vis. Devon, 618-20; J. R. Woodhead, Rulers of London, 47.
  • 2. J. Tregoning, Laws of the Stannaries, 57; Eg. 1626, f. 11.
  • 3. J. Maclean, Trigg Minor, ii. 194, 204-5; Cal. Comm. Comp. 1996; M. Coate, Cornw. in Gt. Civil War, 120, 191; Lysons, Cornw. p. vii; Cal. Treas. Bks. i. 52.