Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mainwaring, Philip

1445987Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 35 — Mainwaring, Philip1893Gordon Goodwin

MAINWARING, Sir PHILIP (1589–1661), secretary for Ireland, born in 1589, was fourth son of Sir Randle Mainwaring, knt., of Over Peover, Cheshire, by Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth in the same county (Ormerod, Cheshire, i. 372). In 1609 he became a student of Gray's Inn, and on 29 Aug. 1610 he matriculated from Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating B.A. on 8 Feb. 1612–13 (Foster, Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714, iii. 960). He sat as M.P. for Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, 1624–1626, for Derby 1628–9, and for Morpeth from April to May 1640. On 13 July 1634 he was knighted at Dublin Castle on becoming secretary to the lord-lieutenant of Ireland, the Earl of Strafford (Metcalfe, Book of Knights, p. 214; Strafford Papers, i. 54, 211, 263, ii. 360, 414). In 1650 he ventured to return to London, when he was forthwith committed to the prison of the upper bench as a delinquent, and was only released on 27 Oct. 1651, after giving a bond in 500l. with two sureties in 250l. each, the time of his appearance to be one year (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1649–50 p. 515, 1650 p. 203, 1651 p. 496). At the Restoration, being then very poor, he petitioned for the mastership of the Charterhouse as some return for his fifty-five years' service at court, but it was bestowed on Sir Ralph Sydenham, and he only obtained the reversion of the place in case of Sydenham's death (ib. 1659–60 p. 441, 1666–7 p. 239). In June 1661 he was elected M.P. for Newton, Lancashire. He died, unmarried, in London on 2 Aug. 1661. His nephew, Philip, was father of Sir Thomas Mainwaring [q.v.] . His portrait, with that of Lord Strafford, was engraved by Vertue, after Vandyck, and is prefixed to Lord Strafford's ‘Letters and Despatches,’ 1739; the original is in the possession of Sir Philip Tatton Mainwaring.

[Lists of Members of Parliament, Official Return, pt. i.]

G. G.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.190
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

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348 i 6-5 f.e. Mainwaring, Sir Philip: for Gowes-worth read Gaws-worth