Sir Richard Norton, 1st Baronet (c. 1582 – June 1646) was an English politician who sat in the
House of Commons from 1621 to 1622. He supported the
Royalist cause in the
English Civil War.
In March 1608, Norton was set to join an embassy to Florence with the diplomat
Stephen Lesieur. He was challenged to a duel by Henry Clare (a follower of the
Earl of Montgomery) for wrongs done to his sister. Lesieur wrote to the
Earl of Salisbury to prevent a fight. Trouble was avoided and Norton joined the embassy.
[''HMC Salisbury Hatfield'', vol. 20 (London, 1968), pp. 110–1.]
Norton was the son of Sir Richard Norton, of
East Tisted, Hampshire and his wife Mabel Beecher, daughter of Henry Becher, Alderman of London. He matriculated at
Queen's College, Oxford on 14 October 1597, aged 15. In 1602, he entered
Middle Temple. He was knighted at Hampton Court on 10 January 1611. He was
High Sheriff of Hampshire from 1613 to 1614. In 1621, he was elected
Member of Parliament for
Petersfield. He was created
baronet on 18 May 1622.
[George E. Cokayne ''Complete Baronetage, Vol. 1'' (1900)]
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During the Civil War, Norton suffered in the royal cause. He was imprisoned in July 1644, and received a fine of £1,000 which was later reduced to £500.[
Norton died before 27 August 1645.][ He had married Amy Bilson, daughter of Thomas Bilson, ]Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
from 1597 to 1616. He was succeeded in the baronetcy successively by his sons Richard and John.[
]
References
1580s births
1646 deaths
Baronets in the Baronetage of England
Members of the Middle Temple
English MPs 1621–1622
High Sheriffs of Hampshire
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