, second son of lord Say just mentioned, was born at Broughton in Oxfordshire
, second son of lord Say just
mentioned, was born at Broughton in Oxfordshire in
1608; and, like his father, after a proper education at
Winchester school, was admitted of New College in Oxford, and also made fellow in right of kinship to the
founder. After passing some years there, he travelled to
Geneva, and among the Cantons of Switzerland, where he
increased that disaffection to the church which he had
been too much taught in his infancy. From his travels he
returned through Scotland, at the time when the Rebellion was beginning; and, in 1640, was elected to sit in
parliament for Banbury, when it was quickly discovered,
that he was ready to join in all his father’s intemperate
measures. Afterwards he became colonel of horse under
the earl of Essex, and was made governor of Bristol, when
first taken for the use of the parliament; but, surrendering
it too easily to prince Rupert, in July 1643, he was tried
by a council of war, and sentenced to lose his head. The
onl) witnesses against him on this occasion were the celebrated Clement Walker, and Pry line. He had afterwards,
by the interest of his father, a pardon granted him for life,
but he could not continue any longer in the army; and
the shame of it affected him so much, that he went for
some time abroad, “retaining still,
” says Clarendon, “the
same full disaffection to the government of the church and
state, and only grieved that he had a less capacity left to
do hurt to either.
” When the Presbyterians were turned
out of parliament, he became an independent, took the
engagement, was intimate with Cromwell; and when
Cromwell declared himself Protector, was made one of his
privy-council, lord privy-seal in 1655, and a member of
his house of lords. Though he had sufficiently shewn
his aversion to monarchical government, yet when he
saw what Oliver aimed at, he became extremely fond
of it, and in 1660, he published a book with this title,
“Monarchy asserted to be the best, most ancient, and
legal form of government, in a conference held at Whitehall with Oliver Lord Protector, and Committee of Parliament, &c. in April 1657.
” He published also several
speeches and pamphlets, some of which were a defence of
his own conduct at Bristol. Walker informs us that he was
the author of a historical tract called “Anglia Rediviva,
”
published under the name of Sprigge. After the restoration, he retired to Newton Tony, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, where he had an estate that came to him by his
second wife; and here continued much neglected, and in.
great obscurity, until his death, Dec. 16, 1669. Clarendon has spoken of his abilities in very high terms. “Colonel Fiennes,
” says he, “besides the credit and reputation
of his father, had a very good stock of estimation in the
house of commons upon his own score for truly he had
very good parts of learning and nature, and was privy to,
and a great manager in, the most secret designs from the
beginning; and if he had not incumbered himself with
command in the army, to which men thought his nature
not so well disposed, he had sure been second to none in
those councils, after Mr. Hampden’s death.
”