Francis Bassett
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Bassett was a sheriff and vice-admiral of Cornwall and the recorder and M.P. of St. Ives.
He married in 1620 Ann, daughter of Sir Jonathan Trelawny
of Trelawne, and, during the Civil War in 1643 was busily engaged as a Royalist in the western part of Cornwall, raising money and drilling forces for the king. Letters of his to his wife ‘at her Tehidy’ are preserved, recording the Royalist victories of Stamford Hill near Stratton
, and of Braddock Down
near Lostwithiel, at the latter of which (or at any rate very shortly after the fight) he, with most of the Cornish gentry, was present, and was knighted on the field. He records in another letter to his wife that after the battle ‘the king, in the hearing of thousands, as soon as he saw me in the morning, cryed to mee “Deare Mr. Sheriffe, I leave Cornwall to you safe and sound”’.
He was High Sheriff of Cornwall
in 1642–1644; there is a complaint against him in the Star Chamber, 18 May 1625.
In 1640 he presented to the borough of St Ives a loving-cup bearing the following inscription:—
If any discord twixt my friends arise
Within the borough of belov'd St. Ives,
It is desirèd this my cup of love
To everie one a peace-maker may prove.
Then am I blest to have given a legacie,
So like my harte, unto posteritie.
Sir Francis died 19 September 1645. The full vengeance of Cromwell fell upon his son John, though the latter had never taken up arms; and, compelled to compound for his estates, he had to sell St Michael's Mount
in 1660 to a member of the St Aubyn family, in whose possession it has ever since remained. Sir Francis's second son, Francis, was a puritan, residing at Taunton
, and in 1661 was accused of a conspiracy against Charles II, of which charge, however, he was honourably acquitted on a letter which he was alleged to have written being proved a forgery.
His portrait, a fine example of Vandyck, is preserved at Tehidy. He appears to have been a sportsman, much addicted to hawking and cock-fighting.
He married in 1620 Ann, daughter of Sir Jonathan Trelawny
Jonathan Trelawny (1568-1604)
Sir Jonathan Trelawny , of Pool in Menheniot, Cornwall, was an English Member of Parliament. Trelawny was the posthumous younger son of John Trelawny of Pool ; his elder brother died in infancy and he inherited the estate...
of Trelawne, and, during the Civil War in 1643 was busily engaged as a Royalist in the western part of Cornwall, raising money and drilling forces for the king. Letters of his to his wife ‘at her Tehidy’ are preserved, recording the Royalist victories of Stamford Hill near Stratton
Stratton, Cornwall
Stratton is a small town situated near the coastal resort of Bude in north Cornwall, UK. It was also the name of one of ten ancient administrative shires of Cornwall - see "Hundreds of Cornwall"...
, and of Braddock Down
Battle of Braddock Down
The Battle of Braddock Down was a battle of the south-western campaign of the First English Civil War. It was fought on open ground in Cornwall, on 19 January 1643...
near Lostwithiel, at the latter of which (or at any rate very shortly after the fight) he, with most of the Cornish gentry, was present, and was knighted on the field. He records in another letter to his wife that after the battle ‘the king, in the hearing of thousands, as soon as he saw me in the morning, cryed to mee “Deare Mr. Sheriffe, I leave Cornwall to you safe and sound”’.
He was High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list:Note: The right to choose High Sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall, rather than the Privy Council, chaired by the Sovereign, which chooses the Sheriffs of all other English counties, other than those in the Duchy of...
in 1642–1644; there is a complaint against him in the Star Chamber, 18 May 1625.
In 1640 he presented to the borough of St Ives a loving-cup bearing the following inscription:—
If any discord twixt my friends arise
Within the borough of belov'd St. Ives,
It is desirèd this my cup of love
To everie one a peace-maker may prove.
Then am I blest to have given a legacie,
So like my harte, unto posteritie.
Sir Francis died 19 September 1645. The full vengeance of Cromwell fell upon his son John, though the latter had never taken up arms; and, compelled to compound for his estates, he had to sell St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount is a tidal island located off the Mount's Bay coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a civil parish and is united with the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water....
in 1660 to a member of the St Aubyn family, in whose possession it has ever since remained. Sir Francis's second son, Francis, was a puritan, residing at Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, and in 1661 was accused of a conspiracy against Charles II, of which charge, however, he was honourably acquitted on a letter which he was alleged to have written being proved a forgery.
His portrait, a fine example of Vandyck, is preserved at Tehidy. He appears to have been a sportsman, much addicted to hawking and cock-fighting.