Sir George More (28 November 1553 – 16 October 1632) was an English courtier and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

at various times between 1584 and 1625.

Early life

More was the son of Sir William More of

Loseley Park Loseley Park is a large Tudor manor house with later additions and modifications south-west of Guildford, Surrey, England, in Artington close to the hamlet of Littleton. The estate was acquired by the direct ancestors of the current owners, the ...

, Surrey and his second wife, Margaret Daniell, daughter of Ralph Daniell of

Swaffham Swaffham () is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,9 ...

, Norfolk. He was educated at the

Royal Grammar School, Guildford The Royal Grammar School, Guildford (originally 'The Free School'), also known as the RGS, is a selective independent day school for boys in Guildford, Surrey in England. The school dates its founding to the death of Robert Beckingham in 1509 w ...

and

Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (formally, Corpus Christi College in the University of Oxford; informally abbreviated as Corpus or CCC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1517, it is the 12th ...

. He left Oxford after failing his academic exercises, and was admitted to

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wal ...

in 1574. He was a

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

for Surrey and Sussex and Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey.

Career

In 1584, More was elected Member of Parliament for

Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...

and was re-elected MP for Guildford in 1586 and 1589. He was provost marshal for Surrey in 1589. In 1593, he was MP for Guildford again. He was

High Sheriff of Surrey The list of known High Sheriffs of Surrey extends back to 1066. At various times the High Sheriff of Surrey was also High Sheriff of Sussex (1229–1231, 1232–1240, 1242–1567, 1571–1635). 1066–1228 (High Sheriffs of Surrey only) 1229– ...

and

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

in 1596. In 1597, he was elected MP for

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

. He was knighted in February 1598. From 23 June 1601 to 1613, he was Chamberlain of the Receipt in the Exchequer. He was re-elected MP for Surrey in 1601. He was re-elected MP for Guildford in 1604 and for Surrey in 1614. From 1615 to 1617, he was

Lieutenant of the Tower of London The Lieutenant of the Tower of London serves directly under the Constable of the Tower. The office has been appointed at least since the 13th century. There were formerly many privileges, immunities and perquisites attached to the office. Like the ...

. He was elected MP for Surrey again in 1621. In 1624 he was elected MP for Guildford and was elected MP for Surrey again in 1625. Among his other roles, More was treasurer and receiver general to James I's son, Henry, Prince of Wales, and

Chancellor of the Order of the Garter The Chancellor of the Order of the Garter is an officer of the Order of the Garter. History of the office When the Order of the Garter was founded in 1348 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, by Edward III of England three officers were initiall ...

. He was subsidy and loan commissioner, muster commissioner, and commissioner for recusants and seminaries for Surrey. He was a

verderer Verderers are forestry officials in England who deal with common land in certain former royal hunting areas which are the property of the Crown. The office was developed in the Middle Ages to administer forest law on behalf of the King. Verderers ...

of Windsor Forest and constable of

Farnham Castle Farnham Castle is a 12th-century castle in Farnham, Surrey, England. It was formerly the residence of the Bishops of Winchester. History Built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, grandson of William the Conqueror, Farnham cast ...

. In April 1607 the

Earl of Dorset Earl of Dorset is a title that has been created at least four times in the Peerage of England. Some of its holders have at various times also held the rank of marquess and, from 1720, duke. A possible first creation is not well documented. About ...

wrote to More hoping he could influence the Countess of Cumberland to arrange the marriage of her daughter

Lady Anne Clifford Lady Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset, Pembroke and Montgomery, ''suo jure'' 14th Baroness de Clifford (30 January 1590 – 22 March 1676) was an English peeress. In 1605 she inherited her father's ancient barony by writ and became ''suo jure'' ...

to his grandson Richard Sackville.

Marriages and issue

More married firstly Anne Poynings (died 19 November 1590), daughter of Sir Adrian Poynings of Burnegate, Dorset, and Mary West, by whom he had four sons and five daughters: * Sir Robert More. *George More. *William More. He was a young companion of

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

, and wrote to his father for a horse to ride with the Prince to visit some paper mills. *John More. *Mary More, who married Sir Nicholas Throckmorton. *Margaret More, who married Sir Thomas Grimes. *Anne More, who married the poet

John Donne John Donne ( ; 22 January 1572 – 31 March 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who later became a clergy, cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St Paul's ...

, much against the wishes of her father, who had Donne imprisoned as a result, though they were later reconciled. *Elizabeth More, who married

Sir John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...

. *Frances More, who married

Sir John Oglander Sir John Oglander (12 May 1585 – 28 November 1655) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons from 1625 to 1629. He is now remembered as a diarist. Life Oglander was born at Nunwell House on the ...

. He married secondly Constance Michell, widow of Richard Knight, esquire, and daughter and co-heir of John Michell the younger of Stammerham (died 1555), near Horsham, West Sussex, by whom he had no issue.R.J.W. Swales and A.K.D. Hawkyard, 'Michell, John II (d.1555), of Stammerham, Suss.', in S.T. Bindoff (ed.), ''The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558'' (from Boydell and Brewer 1982)
History of Parliament Online

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:More, George 1553 births 1632 deaths People educated at Royal Grammar School, Guildford Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Oxford High Sheriffs of Surrey High Sheriffs of Sussex Knights Bachelor Lieutenants of the Tower of London English MPs 1584–1585 English MPs 1586–1587 English MPs 1589 English MPs 1593 English MPs 1597–1598 English MPs 1601 English MPs 1604–1611 English MPs 1614 English MPs 1621–1622 English MPs 1624–1625 English MPs 1625 Chancellors of the Order of the Garter