Henry Elsynge: Judicature in Parliament

Henry Elsynge (?1606-1656) was born at Battersea, the eldest son of Henry Elsynge. He was educated at Westminster under L. Osbaldiston, before entering Christ Church, Oxford, as a commoner in 1621 (B.A., 1625). Elysynge spent seven years in foreign travel, before he was appointed clerk of the House of Commons. He held this position until 1648, when he resigned in order to avoid involvement in the proceedings against Charles I. He retired to Houslow, Middlesex, where he died, and was buried in St Margaret's, Westminster.

The entry at front of the volume is to George Pryme, M.A. (1781-1868), the only son of Christopher Pryme of Hull. George attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1803. He was Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University, 1828-1863.

Henry Elsynge, 'Judicature in Parliament', 81 folios. On folio i v is 'E Libris MSS Geo. Pryme Hospit: Lincol: Westmon. AD 1806'.

Purchased 1924.

Please cite as Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, Henry Elsynge: Judicature in Parliament, MS Add.6577

The work was printed circa 1681 with an attribution to John Selden. For information on Elsynge's authorship see E.R. Foster in Parliamentary history, 9 (1990), 158. The work was circulated widely in manuscript form. For further details see J.H. Baker, A catalogue of English legal manuscripts in Cambridge University Library (The Boydell Press, Woodbridge, 1996), p. 599.