Sampson Eure

Sir Sampson Eure was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1643. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Eure was the son of Sir Francis Eure of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire,and his first wife, Elizabeth. He was admitted at Gray's Inn on 10 August 1610 and called to the bar in 1617.

In 1621, Eure was elected Member of Parliament for Beaumaris. He was made Kings Attorney for Wales for life on 11 April 1622 and, together with Ralph Goodwin, was granted the office of Examiner in the Court of the Marches of Wales on 19 November 1625 . In 1638 he became a Bencher of his Inn and in 1640 was elevated to Serjeant-at-law and then King's Serjeant

In November 1640, Eure was elected MP for Leominster in the Long Parliament. and was knighted on 7 August 1641. When the Civil War was taking shape he made his way to join King Charles at Oxford and was created DCL (Doctor of Civil Law) there on 7 February 1643. He was also made Speaker of the King's Parliament in Oxford (as distinct from the de facto Parliament in Westminster). In consequence he was disabled from sitting in the House of Commons on 22 January 1644 and made to suffer, although not excessively, for his support of the King's cause.

Eure died at his home at Gatley Park, Herefordshire in 1659

Administrative history:

Gatley Park and the manor of Leinthall Starkes, part of the possessions of the Earl of March, became Crown land on the accession of Edward IV. Early in the reign of Elizabeth I, they were granted to William Horne, merchant of the staple. From Horne they passed to the Croft family, and were conveyed in 1633 to Sir Sampson Eure, serjeant at law, and at one time President of the Council in the Marches. Follownig the death of Sir Sampson's son John Eure, his widow sold Gatley Park and the manor of Leinthall Starkes to Philip Dunne in 1678.

Source:

• Alumni Oxonienses

Further reading:

• Notitia parliamentaria