Henry Belasyse (1604–1647)

For other people with the same name, see Henry Belasyse.

The Honourable Henry Belasyse, or Bellasis, May 1604 to May 1647, was an English politician from Yorkshire who sat in the House of Commons of England variously between 1625 and 1642.

Henry Belasyse JP
Family home at Newburgh Priory, extensively rebuilt in the early 18th century
Deputy Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
In office January 1642 – September 1642
Member of Parliament for Yorkshire 1628
In office November 1640 – September 1642 (excluded)
Member of Parliament for Thirsk 1625
In office February 1626 – June 1626
Personal details
Born	20 May 1604 Newburgh Priory, Yorkshire
Died	20 May 1647(1647-05-20) (aged 43) Newburgh Priory, Yorkshire
Resting place	St. Michael's Church, Coxwold
Nationality	English
Political party	Royalist
Spouse	Grace Barton (1622-his death)
Children	Thomas (1627-1701); Henry (?); Rowland (1632-1699); Charles (1643-1673); Grace (1635-1667); Frances (1636-after 1667); Arabella (1638-1687); Barbara (ca 1642-1708) [1]
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation	Landowner and politician

A reluctant Royalist during the First English Civil War, his eldest son Thomas married the daughter of Oliver Cromwell. He predeceased his father in May 1647.

Biography

Belasyse was the son of Thomas Belasyse, 1st Viscount Fauconberg and his wife Barbara Cholmeley.^[2] He matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1615, and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1619.^[3]

In 1625 Belasyse was elected Member of Parliament for Thirsk until 1626.^[4] In 1628 he was elected MP for Yorkshire and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament.^[5] In April 1640, he was re-elected for Yorkshire in the Short Parliament,^[6] and was elected for Yorkshire again in November 1640 for the Long Parliament.^[7] He supported the King and was disabled from sitting in parliament in 1642.

Belasyse died at the age of 43,^[8] predeceasing his father.^[9]

Family

Belasyse married Grace Barton, daughter of Sir Thomas Barton. They had the following children:^[9]

• Thomas, who inherited the title Viscount Fauconberg from his grandfather in 1652, was created Earl of Fauconberg, and was ambassador to the Princes of Italy.^[9]
• Henry, predeceased his father.^[9]
• Roland, who was made a Knight of the Bath.^[9]
• John, who died young.^[9]
• Grace, who married George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton.^[9][10]
• Frances, who married Sir Henry Jones of Oxford.^[9]
• Arabella, who married Sir William Frankland, 1st Baronet of Thirkley.^[9]
• Barbara, who married Sir Walter Strickland.^[9]

Notes

1. Cracroft's Peerage.
2. Gill 1852, p. 171.
3. "Bellasis, Henry (BLSS615H)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
4. Willis 1750, p. 216.
5. Willis 1750, p. 226.
6. Willis 1750, p. 238.
7. Willis 1750, p. 252.
8. Lundy 2010, p. 18368 § 183676.
9. Gill 1852, p. 172.
10. Burke & Burke 1838, p. 470.

References

• Burke, John; Burke, John Bernard (1838). A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies of England. London: Scott Webster and Geary.
• Cracroft's Peerage. "Thomas [Belasyse], 1st Baron Fauconberg later 1st Viscount Fauconberg". Cracroft's Peerage. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
• Gill, Thomas (1852). Vallis Eboracensis: comprising the history and antiquities of Easingwold. London: Simpkin and Marshal. p. 171–172.
• Healy, Simon (2010). BELASYSE, Henry (1604-1647), of Oulston, nr. Thirsk, Yorks. in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629. CUP. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
• Lundy, Darryl (10 January 2010). "Hon. Henry Belasyse". The Peerage. 18368.
• Willis, Browne (1750), Notitia Parliamentaria, Part II: A Series or Lists of the Representatives in the several Parliaments held from the Reformation 1541, to the Restoration 1660 ..., London, pp. 198–207

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Thomas Belasyse Sir William Sheffield	Member of Parliament for Thirsk 1625–1626 With: Henry Stanley 1625 William Cholmeley 1626	Succeeded by Christopher Wandesford William Frankland
Preceded by John Savile Sir William Constable, Bt	Member of Parliament for Yorkshire 1628–1629 With: Sir Thomas Wentworth 1628 Sir Henry Savile, Bt 1629	Parliament suspended until 1640
Vacant Parliament suspended since 1629	Member of Parliament for Yorkshire 1640–1642 With: Sir William Savile, 3rd Baronet Ferdinando, Lord Fairfax	Not represented in Rump Parliament