Thomas Colepeper

Sir Thomas Colepeper (1578 – January 1661) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. He is known also as a writer on usury. Life Colepeper was the third son of Francis Colepeper of Hollingbourne Manor, Kent, and the eldest by his second wife Joan Pordage (died 1597), daughter of John Pordage of Rodmersham, and widow of William Stede of Harrietsham. He matriculated at Hart Hall, Oxford on 15 October 1591 at the age of 13. His father died the same year, and left him his favourite house, Greenway Court. He entered Middle Temple in 1594. Career In 1614, Colepeper was elected Member of Parliament for Chippenham in the Addled Parliament. He was knighted on 23 September 1619. In 1628 he was elected MP for Tewkesbury and sat until 1629 when King Charles I decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.