Henry Elsynge

The title page of the 1768 edition of Elsynge's The Manner of Holding Parliaments in England, edited by Thomas Tyrwhitt^[1]

Henry Elsynge (1598–1654) was an English administrator, who acted as clerk of the House of Commons, and wrote on parliamentary procedure.

Life

Elsynge was the eldest son of Henry Elsynge, and was born at Battersea. He was educated at Westminster School under L. Osbeldiston, and entered Christ Church, Oxford, as a commoner, 1621, proceeding B.A. 1625. After he spent seven years in foreign travel, Archbishop William Laud procured him the appointment of clerk of the House of Commons. His work was significant during the Long Parliament.

In 1648 he resigned his appointment to avoid taking part in the proceedings against Charles I, and retired to Hounslow in Middlesex, where he died. He was buried in St. Margaret's, Westminster.

Works

Elsynge was a scholarly man who numbered Bulstrode Whitelocke and John Selden among his friends. His works are:

• The Ancient Method and Manner of Holding of Parliaments in England (1660)^[2] (apparently derived from a manuscript in eight chapters, of similar scope, written by his father and published in 1626); the fourth edition was published in 1679,^[3] and a new and enlarged edition entitled The Manner of Holding Parliaments in England, edited by Thomas Tyrwhitt, in 1768).^[1]
• A Tract concerning Proceedings in Parliament.
• A Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom (1641),^[4] reprinted in Edward Husband's Remonstrances (1643)^[5] and in John Rushworth's Historical Collection (1721).^[6]
• The Method of Passing Bills in the Lords House, under Twelve Principal Heads, reprinted in Miscellanea Parliamentaria (1685).^[7]

References

1. Henry Elsynge (1768), Thomas Tyrwhitt, ed., The Manner of Holding Parliaments in England. By Henry Elsynge, Cler. Parl. Corrected and Enlarged from the Author's Original Manuscript, London: Printed by Richardson and Clark; for Tho[mas] Payne, at the Mews Gate, OCLC 508937999.
2. Henry Elsynge (1660), The Ancient Method and Manner of Holding of Parliaments in England. Being the Collections of Henry Elsynge, Esq, London: Printed by S[arah] G[riffin] for Daniel Pakeman, and are to be sold at the Rainbow in Fleetstreet, OCLC 12272789.
3. Henry Elsynge (1679), The Ancient Method and Manner of Holding Parliaments in England. By Henry Elsynge, Esq; Sometime Clerk of the Parliament (4th, enlarged ed.), London: Printed for Thomas Dring, at the Harrow, over against the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street, OCLC 77664586.
4. A Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom. Die Mercurii 15. Decemb. 1641. It is this Day Resolv'd upon the Question, by the House of Commons, that Order shall be now Given for the Printing of this Remonstrance, of the State of the Kingdom. Newly Corrected according to the Original Copy. With the Addition of the Humble Remonstrance, and Petition of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. H. Elsinge Cler. Parl. D. Com., London: Printed for Ioseph Hunscutt, 1641, OCLC 896881673.
5. An Exact Collection of all Remonstrances, Declarations, Votes, Orders, Ordinances, Proclamations, Petitions, Messages, Answers, and other Remarkable Passages: Betweene the Kings Most Excellent Majesty and his High Court of Parliament beginning at His Majesties Return from Scotland, being in December 1641, and Continued untill March the 21, 1643: Which were formerly Published either by the Kings Majesties Command or by Order from One or Both Houses of Parliament: With a Table wherein is Most Exactly Digested All the fore-mentioned Things According to their Severall Dates and Dependancies, London: Printed for Edward Husbands, T. Warren, R. Best, and are to be sold ..., 1643, p. 195, OCLC 65328456.
6. John Rushworth (1721–1722), Historical Collection of Private Passages of State, Weighty Matters in Law, Remarkable Proceedings in Five Parliaments: Beginning the Sixteenth Year of King James, Anno 1618 and Ending the Fifth Year of King Charles, Anno 1629, Digested in Order of Time iv, London: D. Browne ..., OCLC 220910694.
7. Miscellanea Parliamentaria: Containing I. Memorials of the Manner of Passing Bills, together with the Orders of the House. Collected by Observation, and out of the Journals, from the Time of King Edward the Sixth. By Hen. Scobel ... II. Precedents of Elections, Proceedings, Priveledges, and Punishments in Parliament ... by R.C. ... With so much of the Learned Sir Thomas Smith as Relates to this Subject. III. The Opinion of Most Learned Antiquaries Touching the Antiquity, Power, State, and Proceedings in Parliament. IV. The Method of Passing Bills in the Lords House, under Twelve Principal Heads, London: Printed for Mathew Gilliflower, at the Spread Eagle and Crown in Westminster-Hall, 1685, OCLC 903120890.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Elsynge, Henry". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.