William Pelham

, the eldest Son of Sir Will. Pelham of Brocklesby in Lincolnshire, Master of the Ordnance, by Elianor his Wife, Daughter of Hen. Nevill Earl of Westmorland, was born in London, (near, or in, the Tower,) became Fellow-Commoner of New coll, in the beginning of 1582. aged 14. continued a sedulous Student there, for at least two years, in a Chamber within one of the turrets of the College wall that encompasses the Garden. Afterwards he travelled and improved his learning in the Universities of Strasburg, Heidelburg, Wittenburg, and Lipswick in Germany, as also in Paris and Geneva, and returning to his native Country, setled again for a time in this University, till Mars distracted him from the studies of Minerva, as he himself used to say. But when that Planet was set, he retired to a Country lise at Brocklesby, where after he had received satiety of all worldly blessings, did, in his old age, incline his heart to more supernatural contemplations. Which being by him committed to writing, for the benefit of his Children, (of which he had plenty,) were published under this title,

Meditations upon the Gospel of S. John. Lond. 1625. in tw. and other things, as his Son Dr. Herbert Pelham, sometimes Fellow of Magd. coll. hath told me, but whether printed I know not.Clar. 1626. This Sir Will. Pelham, who was Knighted by K. Jam. 1. at Newmarket, 20. Nov. 1616. lived after the publication of that book, two, three, or more years, but when he died I cannot yet find. Among the Sons that he left behind him was Hen. Pelham one, sometimes a Student in this University, afterwards in one of the Inns of Court, and a Barrester. At length being chosen a Burgess for Grantham in Lincolnshire to serve in that unhappy Parliament which began at Westminster 3. Nov. 1640. sided with the Presbyterians, and was by that party elected Speaker of the House of Commons, when the Independent-party fled with Will. Lenthal their Speaker to the Head Quarter of the Army, then at Windsore, 30. Jul. 1647. In which office he continued but till the 6. of Aug. following, at what time the General of the Army (Fairfax) restored Lenthall to his Chair, but suffered Pelham to keep his Recordership of Lincoln City, which he had confer’d upon him by the Presbyterians upon the ejection of Sir Charles Dalison.