Richard Penkevell (died 1616) was an English adventurer who went in search of the Northwest Passage and became Member of parliament (MP) for Tregony.
He was the eldest son of Francis Penkevell (d. 1622), of Roserrow by Katherine (d.1621), daughter of Richard Roscarrock of Roscarrock in St Endellion. Penkevell's family had lived at St Michael Penkevil, near Truro, Cornwall since at least the time of Edward II of England, and had intermarried with many leading Cornish families. [1]
In 1607 along with others he was granted a licence by King James I for seven years to discover the passage to China, Cathay, the Moluccas and other regions of the East Indies by the North, North-east or North-west, incorporated as the "Colleagues of the fellowship for the discovery of the North West passage". Any lands discovered (not already found by Christians) would be theirs in perpetuity with the Crown sovereign supreme. [2] Furthermore, if the venture proved successful within seven years, the licence would be extended to 21 years with the Crown taking 20% of all gold, silver and other precious materials brought into England. However, nothing came of the project, possibly because it was too soon after the voyage of John Knight or because of opposition from the established City of London merchants. [3]
The Colleagues went on to promote Henry Hudson's last voyage in 1610, and in July 1612 he is mentioned with Peter, Benjamin, Nicholas and Digory Penkevell among members of a company for the discovery of the North West passage. [1]
His election as MP for Tregony was influenced by his connections with the Pomeroy family. After his death his estates passed to his son in 1622, but had been lost before the end of the century. [1]
Some time after 1590 he married Jane (d.1623), daughter of ?Hugh Pomeroy of Tregony. [1]
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Hugh Fortescue of Filleigh and Weare Giffard Hall in Devon and of Ebrington Manor in Gloucestershire, was a British landowner and Whig politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1689 and 1713.
John Arundell, Esquire, of Trerice in Cornwall, later given the epithet "Jack for the King", was a member of an ancient Cornish gentry family, who as a Royalist during the Civil War served King Charles I as Governor of Pendennis Castle, Falmouth. In 1646 he retained the castle in a heroic manner during a five-month-long siege by Fairfax, during which his forces were reduced by hunger to eating their horses, and finally achieved an honourable surrender
James Hall was an English explorer. In Denmark, he was known as Jacob Hald. Born in Hull, he piloted three of King Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland under John Cunningham (1605), Godske Lindenov (1606), and Carsten Richardson (1607). In his first voyage he charted the west coast of Greenland as far north as 68° 35' N. The discovery of silver resulted in larger expeditions being sent the following two years, both of which were expensive failures.
Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet of Berry Pomeroy Castle was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1688. He fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.
Sir Arthur Ingram was an English investor, landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1610 and 1642. The subject of an influential biography, he has been celebrated for his "financial skill and ruthless self-interest", and characterized as "a rapacious, plausible swindler who ruined many during a long and successful criminal career". Probably of London birth but of Yorkshire background, he was a very extensive landowner in Yorkshire. He acquired and rebuilt the former Lennox residence at Temple Newsam near Leeds, which became the principal seat of his family, including the Lords Ingram, Viscount Irvine and their descendants, for over 300 years.
Sir Roger Wilbraham was a prominent English lawyer who served as Solicitor-General for Ireland under Elizabeth I and was judged one of her few really competent Law Officers. He held a number of positions at court under James I, including Master of Requests and surveyor of the Court of Wards and Liveries. He bought an estate at Dorfold in the parish of Acton, near his birthplace of Nantwich in Cheshire, and he was active in charitable works locally, including founding two sets of almshouses for impoverished men. He also founded almshouses in Monken Hadley, Middlesex, where he is buried.
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The feudal barony of Berry Pomeroy was one of eight feudal baronies in Devonshire, England, which existed during the mediaeval era. It had its caput at the manor of Berry Pomeroy, 20 miles south of the City of Exeter and 2 miles east of the town of Totnes, where was situated Totnes Castle, the caput of the feudal barony of Totnes. The exact location of the 11th-century baron's residence is unclear; perhaps it was next to the parish church on the site of the former rectory known as Berry House, as it is now believed that the nearby ruined Berry Pomeroy Castle was not built until the 15th century.
Speccot is an historic estate in the parish of Merton in Devon, England. It was the seat of the de Speccot family, one of the oldest gentry families in Devon, which founded almshouses at Taddiport, near Great Torrington, Devon, in the 13th century. It is situated about one mile south-west of Potheridge, the seat of the Monck family from before 1287 to the late 17th century, who were thus close neighbours of the de Speccot family for many centuries. The present farmhouse known as "Speccot Barton" is Victorian and although no obvious traces of an earlier house survive, is marked "On Site of a Mansion" on the First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map of 1880-99. The estate is today operated as a family-run sheep farm with six holiday cottages to let. A smaller house known as "Little Speccot" is situated on the approach lane to Speccot Barton.