Sir Erasmus Dryden, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Erasmus Dryden, 1st Baronet (c. 1549 - 22 May 1632) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1624.
Erasmus Dryden was the son of John Dryden of Canons Ashby House
, Northamptonshire
. His mother, Elizabeth Cope, was the daughter and sole heiress of Sir John Cope, through whom the Drydens inherited Canons Ashby House
. Sir Erasmus Dryden was the grandfather of the poet John Dryden
(through his third son, Erasmus) and he was also the uncle of Elizabeth (Dryden) Swift, who was the grandmother of Jonathan Swift
. Dryden's sister-in-law, Katherine (Throckmorton) Dryden, was a first cousin of Lady Elizabeth (Throckmorton) Raleigh
.
He entered Magdalen College, Oxford
in 1571 aged 18. and was demy from 1571 to 1575 and fellow from 1575 to 1580, being awarded BA on 11 June, 1577. In 1577, he was student of the Middle Temple
. He was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
in 1599 and in 1618. He was created baronet
on 16 November 1619. In 1624, Dryden was elected Member of Parliament
for Banbury
in the Happy Parliament.
Sir Erasmus Dryden married Frances Wilkes, daughter of William Wilkes of Hadnel, Warwickshire
. His son John succeeded to the Baronetcy.
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...
in 1624.
Erasmus Dryden was the son of John Dryden of Canons Ashby House
Canons Ashby House
Canons Ashby House is an Elizabethan manor house located in Canons Ashby, Daventry, Northamptonshire, England. It has been owned by the National Trust since 1981, although "The Tower" is in the care of the Landmark Trust and available for holiday lets....
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. His mother, Elizabeth Cope, was the daughter and sole heiress of Sir John Cope, through whom the Drydens inherited Canons Ashby House
Canons Ashby House
Canons Ashby House is an Elizabethan manor house located in Canons Ashby, Daventry, Northamptonshire, England. It has been owned by the National Trust since 1981, although "The Tower" is in the care of the Landmark Trust and available for holiday lets....
. Sir Erasmus Dryden was the grandfather of the poet John Dryden
John Dryden
John Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
(through his third son, Erasmus) and he was also the uncle of Elizabeth (Dryden) Swift, who was the grandmother of Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
. Dryden's sister-in-law, Katherine (Throckmorton) Dryden, was a first cousin of Lady Elizabeth (Throckmorton) Raleigh
Elizabeth Raleigh
Elizabeth, Lady Raleigh , née Throckmorton, was Sir Walter Raleigh's wife, and a Lady of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Their secret marriage precipitated a long period of royal disfavour for Raleigh....
.
He entered 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...
in 1571 aged 18. and was demy from 1571 to 1575 and fellow from 1575 to 1580, being awarded BA on 11 June, 1577. In 1577, he was student of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
. He was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
in 1599 and in 1618. He was created baronet
Dryden Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Dryden, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of Great Britain...
on 16 November 1619. In 1624, Dryden 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 Banbury
Banbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Banbury is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a strongly Conservative seat.The constituency was created January 26, 1554 through the efforts of Henry Stafford and Thomas Denton...
in the Happy Parliament.
Sir Erasmus Dryden married Frances Wilkes, daughter of William Wilkes of Hadnel, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. His son John succeeded to the Baronetcy.