Richard Savage Nassau (1 June 1723 – 17 May 1780) was an English Member of Parliament who served from 1747 to 1780, with a 20-year gap between 1754 and 1774. He was born at

St Osyth's Priory St Osyth's Abbey (originally and still commonly known as St Osyth's Priory) was a house of Augustinian canons in the parish of St Osyth (then named Chich) in Essex, England in use from the 12th to 16th centuries. Founded by Richard de Belme ...

, the second son of

Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein, 3rd Earl of Rochford Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

, by his wife Bessy, an illegitimate daughter of Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers. He was first elected to Parliament at the

1747 general election Events January–March * January 31 – The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital. * February 11 – King George's War: A combined French and Indian force, commanded by Captain Nicolas Antoine II Coul ...

for Colchester along with Charles Gray. He supported the government of Henry Pelham and

the Duke of Newcastle Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, (21 July 169317 November 1768) was a British Whig statesman who served as the 4th and 6th Prime Minister of Great Britain, his official life extended ...

and did not seek re-election at the

next general election This is a list of the next general elections around the world in democratic polities. The general elections listed are for the government of each jurisdiction. These elections determine the Prime Minister and makeup of the legislature in a parli ...

in 1754. On 24 December 1751 he was married to Anne (died 9 March 1771), daughter of Edward Spencer of

Rendlesham Rendlesham is a village and civil parish near Woodbridge, Suffolk, United Kingdom. It was a royal centre of authority for the king of the East Angles, of the Wuffinga line; the proximity of the Sutton Hoo ship burial may indicate a connection ...

and widow of James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton. They had two sons and one daughter: * William Henry Nassau (28 June 1754 – 3 September 1830) *

George Richard Savage Nassau George Richard Savage Nassau (1756–1823) was an English country gentleman, known as a bibliophile, Life Born on 5 September 1756, he was the second son of the Hon. Richard Savage Nassau. His mother, Anne, was the only daughter and heiress of Edw ...

(5 September 1758 – 18 September 1823) * Lucy Nassau (3 November 1752 – before 1830). The elder son William Henry had been intended by his uncle and namesake

William Henry Nassau, 4th Earl of Rochford William Henry Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford, KG, PC (17 September 1717 O.S. – 29 September 1781) was a British courtier, diplomat and statesman of Anglo-Dutch descent. He occupied senior ambassadorial posts at Madrid and Paris, ...

to enter the House of Commons for

Maldon Maldon (, locally ) is a town and civil parish on the River Blackwater, Essex, Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon District and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. It is known for Maldon Sea ...

when he came of age in 1775. However, the seat became vacant earlier than expected following the death of

John Huske Lieutenant General John Huske (ca 1692 – 18 January 1761) was a British military officer whose active service began in 1707 during the War of the Spanish Succession and ended in 1748. During his early career, he was a close associate of the E ...

in October 1773. Richard Nassau refused to stand as he was still recovering from the death of his second wife on 18 October, so

Charles Rainsford General Charles Rainsford (3 February 1728 – 24 May 1809) was a British Army officer. Career He was the second son of alderman Francis Rainsford (died 1770) and his wife, Isabella and received his first education from a cleric friend of Franc ...

was returned instead. However, at the

general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

the following year, Nassau was reluctantly elected, with Lord North agreeing to pay the costs. He attended Parliament as seldom as possible and is never recorded as having spoken there. As well as sitting in Parliament, Nassau was a

Groom of the Bedchamber Groom of the Chamber was a position in the Household of the monarch in early modern England. Other ''Ancien Régime'' royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles. In France, the Duchy of Burgundy, and in Eng ...

from January to October 1760, and

Clerk of the Board of Green Cloth The Clerk of the Green Cloth was a position in the British Royal Household. The clerk acted as secretary of the Board of Green Cloth, and was therefore responsible for organising royal journeys and assisting in the administration of the Royal H ...

from 1771 to his death. His son never sat in the House of Commons, but succeeded as fifth and last

Earl of Rochford Earl of Rochford was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1695 and became extinct in 1830. History The title of Earl of Rochford was created in 1695 for William Nassau de Zuylestein, one of the most trusted companions of his kins ...

on 28 September 1781.

References

* Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke, ''The

History of Parliament The History of Parliament is a project to write a complete history of the United Kingdom Parliament and its predecessors, the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of England. The history will principally consist of a prosopography, in w ...

1754-1790'', volume 3, Secker and Warburg 1985, p. 193 (online at Google Books) * *
Cracroft's Peerage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nassau, Richard Savage 1723 births 1780 deaths British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1774–1780 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies Younger sons of earls Members of Parliament for Maldon