WILLIAM FIENNES,

VISCOUNT SAY AND SELE,

[LINEALLY descended from William, lord Say, killed in the battle at Barnet (2 Edward IV.), was born at Broughton, near Banbury, in Oxfordshire, about 1582, was trained up in grammaticals, says Wood, in Wykeham's school; became a fellow-commoner of New college at fourteen years of age, where spending some time in logic and philosophy, he was called home for a season. Afterwards he went abroad, and being invested at his return with a considerable estate, gave and obtained a vast sum of money toward carrying on the war in the Palatinate, which procured him the favour of king James; till exciting some displeasure by the unconstrained mode of contribution allowed to certain friends, he was put under confinement, but liberated in a few weeks, and advanced from a baron to a viscount, July 7, 1624. By king Charles he was made master of the court of wards, being the last who held that office, which was abolished in 1646 by the parliament, that granted him 10,000, and a part of the earl of Worcester's estate, as a compensation for the loss of his place. He was one of the chiefs of the independent party, and consequently a republican; and was among the first who bore arms

* Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii. col. 272.