James Fiennes, 2nd Viscount Saye and Sele

James Fiennes, 2nd Viscount Saye and Sele (c. 1602 – 15 March 1674) was an English peer and MP at various times between 1625 and 1660, when he succeeded his father and entered the House of Lords.

James Fiennes, 2nd Viscount Saye and Sele
Broughton Castle, the family home
Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
In office March 1668 – March 1674
Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in the Convention Parliament
In office April 1660 – December 1660
Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire
In office 1626 through 1629 (Parliament suspended) – April 1640 to December 1648 Excluded by Pride's Purge
Member of Parliament for Banbury
In office June 1625 – August 1625
Personal details
Born	c. 1602 Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire
Died	15 March 1674(1674-03-15) (aged 72) Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire
Spouse	Frances Cecil (c. 1631–his death)
Children	Frances; Elizabeth (died 1674)
Alma mater	Queens' College, Cambridge; Lincoln's Inn
Occupation	Peer and politician

Personal details

James Fiennes was born c. 1602 at Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire, eldest son of William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (1582–1662), and his wife Elizabeth Temple (died 1648). His siblings included Nathaniel (1608–1669), Bridget, John (1612–1708), Constance and Elizabeth.

Sometime before 1631, Fiennes married Frances Cecil (died 1684), daughter of Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon. They had three sons, all of whom died as infants, plus two daughters, Frances and Elizabeth (died 1674).^[1] In the absence of a direct male heir, his nephew William (1639–1698), son of his younger brother Nathaniel, became the third Viscount Saye and Sele on his death in 1674.

Career

In 1625, Fiennes was elected Member of Parliament for Banbury. He was elected MP for Oxfordshire in 1626 and in 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. In April 1640 he was re-elected MP for Oxfordshire in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Oxfordshire in November 1640 for the Long Parliament and sat until 1648.^[2]

In 1660, Fiennes was elected Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in the Convention Parliament.^[2] He succeeded to the viscountcy on the death of his father in 1662. He was Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire from 1668 until his death.

References

1. Cracroft-Brennan 2013.
2. History of Parliament Online - Fiennes, Hon. James

Sources

• Cracroft-Brennan, Patrick, ed. (2013), "Saye and Sele, Baron (E, 1603)", Cracroft's Peerage, Heraldic Media, retrieved 15 November 2013^{[better source needed]}
• Dunkin, John (1844), The History and Antiquities of Dartford, with Topographical Notices of the Neighbourhood, John Russell Smith, pp. 296
• * Helms, Mark (1983). FIENNES, Hon. James (c.1602-74), of Broughton Castle, Oxon in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690. CUP. ISBN 978-1107002258.

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir William Cope, Bt	Member of Parliament for Banbury 1625	Succeeded by Calcot Chambre
Preceded by Edward Wray Sir Richard Wenman	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1626–1629 With: Sir Thomas Wenman 1626 Sir Francis Wenman 1628–1629	Parliament suspended until 1640
Vacant Parliament suspended since 1629	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1640–1648 With: The Viscount Wenman	Not represented in Rump Parliament
Vacant Not represented in Rump Parliament	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1660–1661 With: The Viscount Wenman	Succeeded by The Viscount Falkland Sir Anthony Cope
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Earl of Clarendon	Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire 1668–1674	Succeeded by The Lord Norreys
Peerage of England
Preceded by William Fiennes	Viscount Saye and Sele 1662–1674	Succeeded by William Fiennes
Preceded by William Fiennes	Baron Saye and Sele 1662–1674	Abeyant Terminated in favour of Thomas Twisleton