Family and Education

bap. 21 Sept. 1655, 3rd but 1st surv. s. of Sir Thomas Cave, 1st Bt., of Stanford by 2nd w. Penelope, da. and coh. of Thomas Wenman, 2nd Visct. Wenman of Tuam [I]. educ. Christ’s, Camb. 1671. m. (1) lic. 24 Feb. 1676, Martha, da. and h. of John Browne of Eydon, Northants., clerk of Parliament 1638-49, May 1660-91, 4s. (2 d.v.p.) 2da.; (2) Mary, da. of Sir William Bromley of Baginton, Warws., 1s. 2 da. suc. fa. Nov. 1670.1

Offices Held

Commr. for assessment, Northants. 1677-80, Leics. and Northants. 1689-90; sheriff, Northants. 1679-80; j.p. Northants. 1680-7, 1689-d., Leics. by 1700-d.; dep. lt. Northants. 1685-7.2

Biography

Cave’s ancestors had resided at Stanford, on the borders of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, as tenants of Selby Abbey in the 15th century. They purchased the freehold on the dissolution of the monasteries; but they were not a regular parliamentary family, although a younger son, Sir Ambrose Cave, sat for Leicestershire and Warwickshire and became chancellor of the duchy under Elizabeth. Cave’s father was created a baronet on the eve of the Civil War; it was alleged that he had acted as commissioner of array and furnished the King with horses, arms and money, but, although the estate was under sequestration for a time, there are no records of compounding.3

Cave was given the baronetcy fee of his brother-in-law, Orlando Bridgeman, in 1673, and sued out a pardon for homicide in 1677; the circumstances are unknown. With Bridgeman’s help he and the local Tory Sir Thomas Norton defeated the Whig John Stratford at Coventry in 1685. He was moderately active in James II’s Parliament, being appointed to the committees for expiring laws, a naturalization bill, and the bill for the suppression of simony. He was removed from local office in 1687, and during the Revolution joined Princess Anne’s escort at Nottingham. He was re-elected to the Convention, and voted to agree with the Lords that the throne was not vacant. An inactive Member, he was named to the committee of elections and privileges, and to those to inquire into the authors and advisers of grievances, to prepare a bill for the abolition of hearth-tax, and to consider the toleration bill. In the second session he was appointed only to the committee to examine the state of the revenue. He is not known to have stood again. He died on 11 Oct. 1703, and was buried at Stanford. His son, the third baronet, sat for Leicestershire as a Tory from 1711 till his death in 1719.4

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: A. M. Mimardière

Notes

• 1. Vis. England and Wales Notes ed. Crisp, viii. 128-37.
• 2. Northants. RO, FH 2226.
• 3. Bridges, Northants. i. 579; Cal. Comm. Adv. Money, 1048-9; Cal. Comm. Comp. 98.
• 4. CSP Dom. 1673-5, p. 16; 1677-8, p. 175; 1685, p. 72; Bath mss, Thynne pprs. 28, f. 92; information from G. H. Jones.