Edward Bysshe

, or Bissaeus, as he writes himself, Son of Edw. Bysshe of Burstow in Surrey Esq. a Counsellor of Linc. Inn, was born at Smallfield in the Parish of Burstow, the capital tenement of which, he and six of his Ancestors, or more, were not only Lords of, but of divers other Lands in Horne near thereunto, and elsewhere in the said County; and some of them also owners of the Mannour of Bysshe or Bysshe Court, situated and being between Burstow and Smallfield. As for our author whom we are now to mention, he became a Communer of Trin. Coll. in 1633 aged 18 years, but before he took a degree he went to Lincolns Inn, studied the Common Law, and was made a Barrester. In 1640 he was chosen a Burgess for Blechenley in Surrey to serve in that Parliament that began at Westminster 3. Nov. the same year, and afterwards taking the Covenant, he was about 1643 made Garter King of Arms in the place of Sir John Borough who had followed his Majesty to Oxon. On the 20 of Oct. 1646 there were votes ((a))((a)) Bulst. Whitlock in his Memorials of English affairs, an. 1646. p. 229. b. passed in the House of Commons that he the said Bysshe should be Garter K. of Arms and Clarenceaux, and Will. R [•] ley should be Norroy or the Northern K. of Arms, and that a committee be appointed to regulate their fees: so that if Bysshe was ever invested in the said office of Clarenceaux (as several of the Coll. of Armes say he was) then did he succeed Arthur Squibb, who had obtained that office by the endeavours of his ((b))((b)) Mystery of the good old cause, printed at Lond. 1660, [〈…〉] p. 11. Son in Law Sir John Glynn a noted and leading member in that Parliament, upon the recess to his Majesty at Oxon of Sir Will. Le Neve. Howsoever it is, sure I am that in the greatest part of the interrupted times our a [•] thor Bysshe was both Garter and Clarenceaux, his genie being more adequat to Arms and Armory, in which he did excel, than to the municipal laws. In 1654 he was elected Burgess for Rigate in Surrey to serve in that Convention (called the Little Parliament) that met at Westm. 3. Sept. the same year, and in 1658 a Burgess for Gatton in the same County, for that Convention that met at the same place 27 Jan. in that year. After the Kings restauration he was forced to leave his Gartership, to make room for Sir Edw. Walker, who had that office conferr’d on him by his Majesty, on the death of Sir Hen. S. George, an. 1644. and with much ado obtaining the place of Clarenceaux, (Sir Will. Le Neve being then distracted) had the honour of Knighthood conferr’d upon him. In 1661 he was chosen Burgess for Blechenley to serve in that Parliament that began at Westm. 8. of May the same year: which continuing 17 years or more, he became a Pensioner (as ’tis ((c))((c)) Seasonable argument to perswade all the Grand. Juries in England to petition for a new Parliament, &c. printed 1677. p. 17. said) and received 100 l. every Session, and yet was very poor. In the rebellious times he was a great gainer by being a Parliament man, and thereupon became an encourager of learning and learned men, particularly that noted Critick John Gregory of Ch. Ch. He had a very choice Library of books, all richly bound with gilt dorses, but after the Kings restauration running much in debt, became at length necessitous, and not only took dishonest courses by issuing out divers Grants of Armes under hand, as Clarenceaux, to the undoing of the Heralds Office, meerly to supply his necessities, but also sold many of his books, which cost him much, for inconsiderable prizes. He had been one that understood Armes and Armory very well, but could never endure to take pains in Genealogies, and in his younger years was esteemed a worthy and virtuous Person, but in his latter not, being th [•] n much degenerated as to manners. His works of learning are these.

Notae in librum Nichola [•] Upton, de studio militari.

Notae in Johannis de Bado aureo libellum de Armis.

Notae in Henrici Spelmanni Aspidologiam.