Edward Bagshaw

Who was Edward Bagshaw?

Edward Bagshaw the elder was an English author and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1644. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Bagshaw was the son of Edward Bagshaw, of the City of London. He matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford on 22 February 1605, aged 15 and was awarded BA on 7 July 1608. His tutor was Robert Bolton, a puritan writer, whose life was subsequently written by Bagshaw. He was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1615 and was Lent reader in 1640. As Reader, he delivered two discourses to the effect that 'a parliament may be held without bishops,' and that 'bishops may not meddle in civil affairs.' The lectures attracted the notice of William Laud, and Bagshaw was prohibited from continuing them.

These proceedings gained Bagshaw some popularity and in November 1640 he was elected Member of Parliament for Southwark in the Long Parliament. On the outbreak of the Civil War, he joined the King's party at Oxford and sat in the King's parliament there. As a result he was disabled from sitting in the Parliament at Westminster on 22 January 1644.