Wilton was the seat of the Wessex kings until the ninth century, and thereafter the administrative centre of Wiltshire, although the rise of nearby Salisbury restricted its economic growth.4 Originally a borough by prescription, the town was governed by a merchant guild until 1350, when a charter appointed a mayor, recorder, town clerk, five aldermen, three capital burgesses, 11 common councilmen and other minor officials.5 Wilton first returned MPs to Parliament in 1275. The freemen held the franchise, while the mayor acted as returning officer.6 In 1544 the borough was acquired by the Herbert earls of Pembroke, who made it their main country seat and thereafter controlled the electoral patronage.

All the early Stuart Members owed their places to William Herbert, 3rd earl of Pembroke or his clients. Sir Robert Sidney was Pembroke’s brother-in-law, while Sir William Herbert was his cousin. Percy Herbert was the latter’s son, and Sir William Harington was the brother-in-law of Sir Richard Moryson*, a distant relation of Pembroke’s. Thomas Morgan had been the family steward since at least 1596. Hugh Sanford, formerly William’s tutor, served the earl as secretary and helped to negotiate his 1604 marriage to a daughter of the 7th earl of Shrewsbury (Gilbert Talbot†), as did Sir Thomas Edmondes. Sir Thomas Tracy was a client of Pembroke’s brother Philip Herbert*, later earl of Montgomery, and joined the East India Company on Pembroke’s recommendation. Montgomery may also have been responsible for recommending Sir Henry Neville III, as he later appointed him to the privy chamber. (Sir) Humphrey May*, a longstanding Pembroke associate, was probably behind the election of his brother-in-law John Poley. No specific connection with Pembroke can be established in respect of Sir John Evelyn, but as a Wiltshireman Evelyn was doubtless known to the earl, who nominated him after he failed to secure a place at nearby Salisbury.7