John Walshe, MP

Family and Education 1st s. of John Walshe by his 1st w. Joan, da. of John Broke, serjeant-at-law. educ. M. Temple. m., 1da.

Offices Held

Justice Carm., Pemb., Card.; member, council in the marches of Wales 1553.

Recorder, Bristol 1552-?71; j.p. Glos., Herefs., Salop, Som., Worcs. and Welsh counties 1554-9; bencher, M. Temple 1554-9, reader 1555, 1559; serjeant-at-law 1559; j.p. six northern counties 1562; j.c.p. 10 Feb. 1563; c.j. Lancaster 1563

Biography Apart from his one appearance as knight of the shire for Somerset, Walshe represented Bristol continuously from the last Parliament of Edward VI’s reign until 1563, when he became a judge. Bristol gave him a present of wine on his promotion. Next year he advised the bishop of Bath and Wells in the inquiry into the religion of justices of the peace and reported on the charges against Gabriel Pleydell and others of unlawful hunting in Selwood forest. Soon afterwards he received a Council letter ‘to take care in the good assessing of the subsidy’ in Somerset. Early in March 1566 he had an audience of the Queen concerning the reprieve of a certain Ralph Swynhoo. Other references show him examining a prisoner in the Tower by ‘some touch of the rack’, and dealing with abuses in church affairs at Carlisle. He made his will 3 Feb. 1572 and died 12 Feb. He was buried at Fivehead, Somerset. His will was proved in the following June.

His will mentioned his son-in-law Edward Seymour, grandson Edward Seymour [a minor], brother Cuthbert Walshe, sister Susan Walshe, half-brother Thomas Walshe and other relatives. His will does not mention his daughter so she presumably died before 1572. He did refer to the earlier death of his wife, but did not name her.

Vis. Som. (Harl. Soc. xi), 15; J. Collinson, Som. i. 41-2; J. Latimer, 16th Cent. Bristol, 56-7; CPR, 1550-3, p. 54; 1553-4 pp. 19-26; 1557-8, p. 457; 1558-60, p. 245; 1560-3, pp. 435-45, 469; A. B. Beaven, Bristol Lists, 403; Bristol recs. mayors’ audits, ex inf. Mary Williams, city archivist; Somerville, Duchy, i. 471; Cam. misc. ix(3), p. 63; APC, vii. 170, 319; Lansd. 8, f. 80; 9, f. 12; CSP Dom. Add. 1566-79, p. 62; C142/162/156; PCC 18 Daper.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603 Author: N. M. Fuidge Notes 1. Did not serve for the full duration of the Parliament