William Foxwist (1610 – 1673?) was a

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judge and politician who sat in the

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at various times between 1647 and 1660.

Life

Foxwist was born in 1610 in Caernarvon, Wales, the son of Richard Foxwist of Carnarvon and his wife Ellen Thomas daughter of William Thomas of Aber. He

matriculated Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used now. ...

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship S ...

on 25 January 1628 aged 17. He became a barrister, joining Lincoln's Inn in 1636 and being called to the bar in 1645. 'Alumni Oxonienses, 1500-1714: Flooke-Fyrmin', Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714: Abannan-Kyte (1891), pp. 510-541. Date accessed: 3 May 2011
/ref> He was

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of St Albans in 1645. In 1646, Foxwist became judge of the admiralty for North Wales. W R Williams ''The Parliamentary History of the Principality of Wales''
/ref> In 1647 he was elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for Carnarvon History of Parliament Online - Foxwist, William
/ref> until he was excluded under

Pride's Purge Pride's Purge is the name commonly given to an event that took place on 6 December 1648, when soldiers prevented members of Parliament considered hostile to the New Model Army from entering the House of Commons of England. Despite defeat in the ...

in 1648. He became Bencher of his Inn in 1649. He was elected MP for

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

in 1654 for the

First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the Ho ...

. He became

puisne justice A puisne judge or puisne justice (; from french: puisné or ; , 'since, later' + , 'born', i.e. 'junior') is a dated term for an ordinary judge or a judge of lesser rank of a particular court. Use The term is used almost exclusively in common law ...

of the

Brecknock Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the count ...

circuit in 1655 and held the post until 1659. He was elected MP for Swansea in 1659. He became judge advocate of the Chester circuit in 1660 and in the same year was elected MP for St Albans in the Convention Parliament. He was regarded as a moderate Parliamentarian. Although the date of his death is unknown, his will was dated 1673 and was proved in the same year. Foxwist married Mary Pemberton, daughter of John Pemberton of St Albans.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Foxwist, William 1610 births 1670s deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Welsh barristers Members of Lincoln's Inn Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for constituencies in Wales English MPs 1640–1648 English MPs 1654–1655 English MPs 1659 English MPs 1660 Members of Parliament for Caernarfon 17th-century Welsh lawyers 17th-century Welsh judges