John Bence
Encyclopedia
John Bence was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1659 and 1688.
Bence was the eldest son of Alexander Bence
of Aldeburgh, Suffolk and London and his first wife Anne Aylett of Rendham, Suffolk. He was baptised on 3 October 1622. He was a merchant trading with Portugal, Brazil and the Levant. In 1659, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Aldeburgh
in the Third Protectorate Parliament
.
In 1662, Bence went into partnership with Sir Martin Noel
as farmer of additional customs duties on wine, tobacco, silk and linen. He succeeded to the property of his father in 1663. He invested £1,500 in the Royal Adventurers into Africa Company, and became secretary of the company by 1665. He was commissioner for assessment for London from 1664 to 1680. He became alderman of London in 1664 and paid £720 to be excused from the office in 1665. He was assistant of the Worshipful Company of Grocers
from 1664 to 1687. In 1665 he was appointed with his brother, Sir Alexander Bence of Dublin, as joint receiver of crown rents from all lands in Ireland returned to Roman Catholic proprietors or in which the Adventurers were concerned. He was warden of the Grocers Company from 1667 to 1668 and master of the Grocers Company from 1668 to 1669.
In 1669 Bence defeated Samuel Pepys
the official candidate in a by-election at Aldeburgh for the Cavalier Parliament
. He was assistant of the Royal African Company from1672 to 1673 and commissioner for assessment for Aldeburgh from 1673 to 1680. In 1675 he was commissioner for recusants for Suffolk and was assistant of the Royal African Company until 1677. He became Deputy Lieutenant
of London in 1676 until 1683 and became freeman of the East India Company in 1678. In October 1679 he was elected again as MP for Aldeburgh. He was assistant of the Royal African Company from 1680 to 1682. In 1681 he was re-elected MP for Aldeburgh. He was re-elected MP for Aldeburgh in 1685. In 1685 he was again assistant of the Royal African Company until 1687 but in 1687 was removed from the court of assistants of the Grocers’ Company.
Bence died at the age of 65.
Bence married firstly by 1653, Judith Andrews, daughter of Peter Andrews, merchant of London and had a son and daughter. He married secondly by licence issued on 10 December 1661, Joan Wood, widow of John Wood, merchant of London, and daughter of Sampson Cotton, merchant, of London. His cousin and executor John Bence was MP for Dunwich and Ipswich.
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 1659 and 1688.
Bence was the eldest son of Alexander Bence
Alexander Bence
Alexander Bence was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1640 to 1648 and in 1654...
of Aldeburgh, Suffolk and London and his first wife Anne Aylett of Rendham, Suffolk. He was baptised on 3 October 1622. He was a merchant trading with Portugal, Brazil and the Levant. In 1659, he 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 Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh (UK Parliament constituency)
Aldeburgh was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessor bodies.The town was enfranchised in 1571 as a borough constituency...
in the Third Protectorate Parliament
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...
.
In 1662, Bence went into partnership with Sir Martin Noel
Martin Noell
Sir Martin Noell was an eminent London merchant, engaged in an extensive colonial trade that included the slave trade. He thrived under the Commonwealth as a tax farmer, taking up farms...
as farmer of additional customs duties on wine, tobacco, silk and linen. He succeeded to the property of his father in 1663. He invested £1,500 in the Royal Adventurers into Africa Company, and became secretary of the company by 1665. He was commissioner for assessment for London from 1664 to 1680. He became alderman of London in 1664 and paid £720 to be excused from the office in 1665. He was assistant of the Worshipful Company of Grocers
Worshipful Company of Grocers
The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London. It is ranked second in the order of precedence of the Companies and, having been established in 1345, is one of the original Great Twelve City Livery Companies....
from 1664 to 1687. In 1665 he was appointed with his brother, Sir Alexander Bence of Dublin, as joint receiver of crown rents from all lands in Ireland returned to Roman Catholic proprietors or in which the Adventurers were concerned. He was warden of the Grocers Company from 1667 to 1668 and master of the Grocers Company from 1668 to 1669.
In 1669 Bence defeated Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
the official candidate in a by-election at Aldeburgh for the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
. He was assistant of the Royal African Company from1672 to 1673 and commissioner for assessment for Aldeburgh from 1673 to 1680. In 1675 he was commissioner for recusants for Suffolk and was assistant of the Royal African Company until 1677. He became Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of London in 1676 until 1683 and became freeman of the East India Company in 1678. In October 1679 he was elected again as MP for Aldeburgh. He was assistant of the Royal African Company from 1680 to 1682. In 1681 he was re-elected MP for Aldeburgh. He was re-elected MP for Aldeburgh in 1685. In 1685 he was again assistant of the Royal African Company until 1687 but in 1687 was removed from the court of assistants of the Grocers’ Company.
Bence died at the age of 65.
Bence married firstly by 1653, Judith Andrews, daughter of Peter Andrews, merchant of London and had a son and daughter. He married secondly by licence issued on 10 December 1661, Joan Wood, widow of John Wood, merchant of London, and daughter of Sampson Cotton, merchant, of London. His cousin and executor John Bence was MP for Dunwich and Ipswich.