CLARK, Ferdinand (d.1622), of St. Bride's, London.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

1st s. of Richard Clark of Long Sutton, Som. by Alice, da. of William Hurde of Long Sutton. educ. ?L. Inn 1576; Thavie’s Inn.

Offices Held

Servant of the Earl of Leicester by 1585; with Leicester in the Netherlands (?‘auditor for the English’) 1586.

Biography

Clark was returned for Bere Alston just after his master’s death by Leicester’s friend Charles Blount, whose brother William, Lord Mountjoy, owned a half share of the borough. There is no trace of his taking part in any activity in the House of Commons, though his name occurs in the Lords journals in 1585 when he was imprisoned ‘after the hearing of the cause between the said Ferdinando and one John Lacy, citizen of London’, and Leicester claimed privilege on his behalf. In his will he described himself as ‘the unprofitable servant of God’ and made bequests to his cousin Hamon Clapton the elder, of Gray’s Inn, who had paid off a debt for him. He died v.p. in 1622.

Vis. Som. (Harl. Soc. xl), 23; D’Ewes, 323; E. M. Tenison, Eliz. Eng. vi. 46, 211; R. C. Strong and J. A. Van Dorsten, Leicester’s Triumph, 113; PCC 71 Savile.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: P. W. Hasler

Notes