Robert Cooke (Parliamentarian)
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Cooke was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
between 1640 and 1643. He served in the Parliamentarian army in the English Civil War
.
Cooke was the son of Sir William Cooke of Highnam and his wife Joyce Lucy daughter of Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Warwickshire. He graduated at Magdalen College, Oxford
on 20 January 1615 and entered Gray's Inn
on 21 May 1617. He was knighted on 21 July 1621. He was Lord of the Manor of Highnam and was one of the seven commissioners who surveyed the Forest of Dean
in 1639.
In April 1640, Cooke was elected Member of Parliament
for Gloucestershire
in the Short Parliament
. In November 1640 he stood at Tewkesbury
but there was a double return and he was not seated as MP in the Long Parliament
until August 1641. He held the seat until his death in 1643.
Cooke raised a regiment of foot for the parliamentary army by commission from Sir William Waller
and was made a colonel. He was Governor of Cirencester and then Governor of Tewkesbury in April 1643 when he left the town ungarrisoned.
Cooke married Dorothy Fleetwood, daughter of Miles Fleetwood
of Aldwincle, Northamptonshire. He married secondly Jane Herbert, widow of George Herbert and daughter of Charles Danvers of Baynton, Wiltshire. His son Edward
was later MP for Tewkesbury.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
between 1640 and 1643. He served in the Parliamentarian army in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Cooke was the son of Sir William Cooke of Highnam and his wife Joyce Lucy daughter of Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Warwickshire. He graduated at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
on 20 January 1615 and entered Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
on 21 May 1617. He was knighted on 21 July 1621. He was Lord of the Manor of Highnam and was one of the seven commissioners who surveyed the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
in 1639.
In April 1640, Cooke was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
The constituency of Gloucestershire was a UK Parliamentary constituency. After it was abolished under the 1832 Electoral Reform Act, two new constituencies, West Gloucestershire and East Gloucestershire, were created....
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. In November 1640 he stood at Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Tewkesbury is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
but there was a double return and he was not seated as MP in the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
until August 1641. He held the seat until his death in 1643.
Cooke raised a regiment of foot for the parliamentary army by commission from Sir William Waller
William Waller
Sir William Waller was an English soldier during the English Civil War. He received his education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and served in the Venetian army and in the Thirty Years' War...
and was made a colonel. He was Governor of Cirencester and then Governor of Tewkesbury in April 1643 when he left the town ungarrisoned.
Cooke married Dorothy Fleetwood, daughter of Miles Fleetwood
Miles Fleetwood
Sir Miles Fleetwood of Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire was receiver of the court of wards and politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1614 and 1641.Fleetwood was the son of Sir William Fleetwood Sir Miles Fleetwood of Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire ( died 8 March 1641) was receiver...
of Aldwincle, Northamptonshire. He married secondly Jane Herbert, widow of George Herbert and daughter of Charles Danvers of Baynton, Wiltshire. His son Edward
Edward Cooke (MP)
Edward Cooke was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659.Cooke was the son of Sir Robert Cooke. He was a colonel of horse in the Parliamentary army....
was later MP for Tewkesbury.