Clement Edmondes
Encyclopedia
Sir Clement Edmondes was an English
government official and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1609 and 1622.
, Shropshire
. His father was comptroller of Queen Elizabeth's Household. In 1585, he became a clerk or chorister at All Souls College, Oxford
. After graduation, he became a Fellow of All Souls in 1589. He was later was living in a park at Castle Hedingham, and may therefore have been in the service of the Earl of Oxford
or another of his family. In 1600, he published Observations, upon the Five First Bookes of Caesar's Commentaries
, followed the next year by a similar work on the Sixth and Seventh books. This was dedicated to his 'honourable friend' Sir Francis Vere
. He was present at the battle of Nieuwpoort
and referred in his works to the sieges of Ostend
(1601–4) and Grave, in Brabant
(1602).
of the City of London
, and succeeded as Remembrancer on the resignation of Dr Giles Fletcher
, with a salary of £100. In 1608, he was involved in the negotiations for a loan from the city to James I
. He was appointed a Clerk of the Privy Council
on 13 August 1609. When he resiged as Remembrancer, the City gave him 40 angels to buy a cloak.
In November 1609 Edmondes was elected Member of Parliament
for Carnarvon in a by-election. He was appointed Muster Master General in 1613. In 1615 he was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Netherlands
to investigate coordinating English
and Dutch East India trade
. He then wrote a wide-ranging account of the country (unpublished). He was knighted on 29 September 1617.
In 1618, Edmondes was dispatched to the fens to report on the conflicts over draining them. He spent time surveying the rivers and recommended that the Commissioners of Sewers should enforce their decrees and should begin by clearing the outfalls of the rivers River Nene
and River Welland
.
In 1621 Edmondes was elected Member of Parliament
for Oxford University
, but took little part in the debates. He was appointed a Secretary of State, but died (of apoplexy) before taking office. He was buried at Preston Deanery
, near Northampton
, where he had acquired the manor in 1620.
in 1598, She was an attendant upon Lady Stafford.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
government official and politician who sat in the House of Commons
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...
at various times between 1609 and 1622.
Background and education
Edmondes was son of Sir Thomas Edmondes of ShrawardineShrawardine
Shrawardine, locally pronounced Shraden, is a small village in the civil parish of Montford outside of Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire, England. There is a hamlet called Little Shrawardine away....
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. His father was comptroller of Queen Elizabeth's Household. In 1585, he became a clerk or chorister at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
. After graduation, he became a Fellow of All Souls in 1589. He was later was living in a park at Castle Hedingham, and may therefore have been in the service of the Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....
or another of his family. In 1600, he published Observations, upon the Five First Bookes of Caesar's Commentaries
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...
, followed the next year by a similar work on the Sixth and Seventh books. This was dedicated to his 'honourable friend' Sir Francis Vere
Francis Vere
Sir Francis Vere was an English soldier, famous for his career in Dutch service.He was the son of Geoffrey Vere of Crepping Hall, Essex, and nephew of John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford.-Military career:...
. He was present at the battle of Nieuwpoort
Battle of Nieuwpoort
The Battle of Nieuwpoort, between a Dutch army under Maurice of Nassau and Francis Vere and a Spanish army under Albert of Austria, took place on 2 July 1600 near the present-day Belgian city Nieuwpoort.-Campaign:...
and referred in his works to the sieges of Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
(1601–4) and Grave, in Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
(1602).
Career
In 1601, Edmondes obtained the post of Assistant RemembrancerRemembrancer
The Remembrancer was originally one of certain subordinate officers of the English Exchequer. The office itself is of great antiquity, the holder having been termed remembrancer, memorator, rememorator, registrar, keeper of the register, despatcher of business...
of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and succeeded as Remembrancer on the resignation of Dr Giles Fletcher
Giles Fletcher
Giles Fletcher was an English poet chiefly known for his long allegorical poem Christ's Victory and Triumph ....
, with a salary of £100. In 1608, he was involved in the negotiations for a loan from the city to James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. He was appointed a Clerk of the Privy Council
Clerk of the Privy Council (United Kingdom)
The Clerk of the Privy Council is a civil servant in the government of the United Kingdom. He or she is the most senior civil servant in the Privy Council Office....
on 13 August 1609. When he resiged as Remembrancer, the City gave him 40 angels to buy a cloak.
In November 1609 Edmondes 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 Carnarvon in a by-election. He was appointed Muster Master General in 1613. In 1615 he was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Netherlands
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
to investigate coordinating English
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and Dutch East India trade
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
. He then wrote a wide-ranging account of the country (unpublished). He was knighted on 29 September 1617.
In 1618, Edmondes was dispatched to the fens to report on the conflicts over draining them. He spent time surveying the rivers and recommended that the Commissioners of Sewers should enforce their decrees and should begin by clearing the outfalls of the rivers River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
and River Welland
River Welland
The River Welland is a river in the east of England, some long. It rises in the Hothorpe Hills, at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire, then flows generally northeast to Market Harborough, Stamford and Spalding, to reach The Wash near Fosdyke. For much of its length it forms the county boundary between...
.
In 1621 Edmondes 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 Oxford University
Oxford University (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxford University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Electoral System:...
, but took little part in the debates. He was appointed a Secretary of State, but died (of apoplexy) before taking office. He was buried at Preston Deanery
Preston Deanery
Preston Deanery is a hamlet in the civil parish of Hackleton in South Northamptonshire, England. It is south of Northampton town centre and by road to the M1 London to Yorkshire motorway junction 15...
, near Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, where he had acquired the manor in 1620.
Family
Edmondes married Mary Clerk, daughter of Robert Clerk of Grafton, NorthamptonshireGrafton Regis
Grafton Regis is a village and civil parish in the south of the English county of Northamptonshire. The village is east of the A508 road, on which it has a short frontage and two bus stops. It is ca. south of Northampton and north of Milton Keynes....
in 1598, She was an attendant upon Lady Stafford.