Sir Richard Pryse, MP, 2nd Baronet

Family and Education b. c.1630, 1st s. of Sir Richard Pryse, 1st Bt., of Gogerddan by 1st w. Hester, da. of Sir Hugh Myddelton, 1st Bt.†, of Basinghall Street, London. m. 1653, Elizabeth, da. of Bulstrode Whitelocke† of Fawley Court, Bucks., s.p. suc. fa. Oct. 1651.1

Offices Held

J.p. Card. 1652-?59, July 1660-d., sheriff 1656-7 commr. for assessment 1657, Jan. 1660-d., militia 1659 Mar. 1660, dep. lt. c. Aug. 1660-d., commr. for loyal and indigent officers 1662.2

Biography Pryse came from a family which had settled at Gogerddan in the early 16th century and from 1553 regularly represented the county. His father was a Parliamentarian in the Civil War, serving on the county committee, and as a recruiter to the Long Parliament until secluded at Pride’s Purge. Pryse himself was made a j.p. under the Commonwealth, but never seems to have taken the oaths. He is described in a contemporary pamphlet as

a young gentleman not of full age in the time that the discovery of principles was most dangerous; and it is conceived he hath not as yet any that he is too much obliged unto. He ran through several public offices under all the governments that hath been from 1652 to this time, but probably more by the direction of his father-in-law ... than his own desires. He is active and desirous of public offices. He was returned to the Convention on 11 July 1660, the original writ for the general election having miscarried. He made no recorded speeches and was named to only two committees, those to consider regulating fees and to prevent marital separation. In November 1660 he claimed the farm of fines of the courts in Cardiganshire, but his petition was denied. He did not seek re-election in 1661. He died before 16 April 1675 when his wife renounced letters of administration. His nephew, the fourth baronet, sat for the county in 1690.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690 Authors: M. W. Helms / Leonard Naylor / Geoffrey Jaggar Notes 1. DWB; Misc. Gen. et Her. ser. 3, ii. 274; Cal. Coleman Deeds, i. 28. 2. CSP Dom. 1655, p. 94; 1673-5, p. 116. 3. Nat. Lib. Wales Jnl. viii. 180; xi. 144; CJ, viii. 32; Cal. Treas. Bks. i. 89; NLW, St. David’s Admin. Act Bk.