Henry Compton

Who was Henry Compton?

Sir Henry Compton KB was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1601 and 1640.

Compton was the son of Henry Compton, 1st Baron Compton of Compton Wynyates, Warwickshire and his second wife Anne Spencer, daughter of Sir John Spencer of Althorp, Northamptonshire. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford on 8 June 1599. In 1601, he was elected Member of Parliament for East Grinstead. He was of Lincoln's Inn in 1602, and was knighted to the Order of the Bath in 1603. He was an associate of the bench in 1604. He

Compton was re-elected MP for East Grinstead in 1604, 1614 and 1621. He was a ranger of Ashdown Forest and a J.P. for Sussx. By 1624 he was Deputy Lieutenant. He was re-elected MP for East Grinstead in 1625, 1626 and 1628, sitting until 1629, when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. He was custos brevium, court of common pleas in about 1630.

In April 1640 Compton was re-elected MP for East Grinstead in the Short Parliament. He was subject to a fine in the aftermath of the English Civil War.

Compton lived at Brambletye, Sussex. He died in or before July 1649, because on that date the committee for compounding ordered that the balance of his fine should be paid by the heirs to his estate.