GOODWIN VS FORTESCUE - 1604
Buckinghamshire was a county that was geographically divided into 2 regions:
1. Chilterns – mountains/rather hilly, south-east
2. Vale – north
Most of the counties administrative functions had moved away from the formal capital, Buckingham (north-
west England), to the more centrally located and prosperous town of Aylesbury (where elections had been
traditionally held since the early 15th century).
22nd February 1604 –
Sir Francis Cheyney summoned the election in Brickhill (north-east).
Sir Francis Goodwin won 200-300 votes for the senior seat (to be MP), CLEARLY beating Sir John
Fortescue (no more than 60 supporters).
People thought that Fortescue would win senior and Goodwin be 2nd place (junior).
Goodwin himself tried to persuade them to reconsider but they refused.
Fortescue stood down and refused to be junior.
Sir William Fleetwood II was elected to be junior (in a later poll).
Fortescue = religious/political conservative Goodwin/Fleetwood = Puritans
2nd March 1604 –
Fortescue tells Cheyney that Goodwin is an outlaw as he owes a small debt in the London Court of
Hustings (oldest court in the City of London).
21st March 1604 –
Election process begun from scratch.
Due to short notice and absence of many of England’s elite (were at other events), Fortescue
returned unopposed.
22nd March –
Fleetwood demands that Goodwin should be a Member as he earnt his place.
23rd March –
HOC decide Goodwin should take up his seat. They didn’t think it was fair to disqualify him as an
outlaw since his offences happened before the Act of General Pardon (1601).
OVERALL:
P supported Goodwin, J1 supported Fortescue. J1 used his divine right as an excuse and said HE decides who
will be MP. P agrees that they have P priviledge. J1 backs down and Goodwin becomes MP.
Buckinghamshire was a county that was geographically divided into 2 regions:
1. Chilterns – mountains/rather hilly, south-east
2. Vale – north
Most of the counties administrative functions had moved away from the formal capital, Buckingham (north-
west England), to the more centrally located and prosperous town of Aylesbury (where elections had been
traditionally held since the early 15th century).
22nd February 1604 –
Sir Francis Cheyney summoned the election in Brickhill (north-east).
Sir Francis Goodwin won 200-300 votes for the senior seat (to be MP), CLEARLY beating Sir John
Fortescue (no more than 60 supporters).
People thought that Fortescue would win senior and Goodwin be 2nd place (junior).
Goodwin himself tried to persuade them to reconsider but they refused.
Fortescue stood down and refused to be junior.
Sir William Fleetwood II was elected to be junior (in a later poll).
Fortescue = religious/political conservative Goodwin/Fleetwood = Puritans
2nd March 1604 –
Fortescue tells Cheyney that Goodwin is an outlaw as he owes a small debt in the London Court of
Hustings (oldest court in the City of London).
21st March 1604 –
Election process begun from scratch.
Due to short notice and absence of many of England’s elite (were at other events), Fortescue
returned unopposed.
22nd March –
Fleetwood demands that Goodwin should be a Member as he earnt his place.
23rd March –
HOC decide Goodwin should take up his seat. They didn’t think it was fair to disqualify him as an
outlaw since his offences happened before the Act of General Pardon (1601).
OVERALL:
P supported Goodwin, J1 supported Fortescue. J1 used his divine right as an excuse and said HE decides who
will be MP. P agrees that they have P priviledge. J1 backs down and Goodwin becomes MP.
