Family and Education

bap. 1 May 1661, 2nd s. of Hon. Conyers Darcy, later 2nd Earl of Holdernesse, by 2nd w.; bro. of Hon. John Darcy. unm.1

Offices Held

Commr. for assessment, Yorks. (N. Riding) 1677-80, 1689-90, j.p. by 1690- d. 2

Cornet and major, Duke of York’s 3 Life Gds. 1680-5.

Commr. for prizes 1690-d.3

Biography

Darcy bought a commission in the guards for £2,000, and was returning for Newark in 1685 as a serving officer on the interest of the recorder Lord Lexinton, whose only child was married to his brother John. A moderately active Member of James II’s Parliament, he was appointed to the committee of elections and privileges and to those on the bills for exporting leather and licensing hackney coaches. He was obliged to surrender his commission during the recess, in return for a pension of £400, and presumably followed his brother into opposition in the second session. He lost his seat at the general election of 1689, but his brother’s unexpected death two days before had created a vacancy in the family borough of Richmond, for which he was returned at a by-election. His only committee in the Convention was for the relief of Huguenot refugees. A court Tory, he received £900 as royal bounty, most of which went to pay off his debts, and shortly after the dissolution he was made chief commissioner for prizes. He never stood again, and died in the summer of 1694.4

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: E. R. Edwards

Notes

• 1. Top. and Gen. iii. 335.
• 2. Add. 29674, f. 161.
• 3. Cal. Treas. Bks. ix. 377; x. 763.
• 4. CJ, x. 230; Secret Service Moneys (Cam. Soc. lii), 120; HMC Buccleuch, ii. 113; PCC 190 Box.