Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lloyd, Richard (1606-1676)

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1442250Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 33 — Lloyd, Richard (1606-1676)1893Gordon Goodwin

LLOYD, Sir RICHARD (1606–1676), royalist, born in 1606, appears to have been the eldest son of Primus Lloyd of Marrington, Shropshire. According to Williams, his family originally owned extensive estates in Carnarvonshire, Merionethshire, and Denbighshire (Eminent Welshmen, ed. 1852, p. 286). He was himself seated at Ecclusham, near Wrexham, Denbighshire, and Dulasau, Carnarvonshire. He entered the Inner Temple in 1631 (Cooke, Inner Temple Students, 1547–1660, p. 266). In March 1635–6 he was entrusted by the king with a foreign mission (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1635–6, p. 293), and was rewarded in the following November with a grant of the reversion of the office of prothonotary and clerk of the crown in Denbighshire and Montgomeryshire (ib. 1636–7, p. 215). This post he surrendered in July 1661 (ib. 1661–2, p. 33). He attended Charles I into the north in 1639, and had afterwards to complain to the privy council of the bad quality of the arms supplied to him (ib. 1639–40, p. 395). By June 1642 he was attorney-general for North Wales, and actively engaged in raising troops for the king (ib. 1641–3, p. 336). On 27 Sept. Charles was entertained by Lloyd at Wrexham. Upon repeating his visit on 7 Oct. the king knighted him (Metcalfe, Book of Knights, p. 199). In 1645 Lloyd was made governor of Holt Castle, Denbighshire. An intercepted letter from him to Colonel Trevour concerning the peace concluded between the king and the Irish, and the assistance expected from them, was read in the House of Commons on 9 Sept., and roused much indignation (Commons' Journals, iv. 268). Owing to the smallness of his garrison he was obliged in December 1646 to treat with the parliament for the capitulation of the castle (ib. v. 24). He surrendered to Colonel Thomas Mytton on 13 Jan. 1646–7, having first stipulated that his wife and children should be allowed 300l. a year out of his estates, and that he himself should have liberty to go abroad with a like sum derived from his personal effects (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1645–7, pp. 338, 515). His conduct, however, in regard to the Irish rebels had so incensed the parliament that his name was included in the list of persons who, in the negotiations with the king of 1647, were to be excepted from pardon. In July 1660 he was appointed justice of Glamorganshire, Brecknockshire, and Radnorshire, with an annual fee of 50l. (ib. 1660–1, pp. 142, 214). The following year he was elected M.P. for Radnorshire, and exerted himself to procure the re-establishment of the court and council of the marches in Wales (ib. 1661–2, p. 36). He died on 5 May 1676, and was buried at Wrexham. A monument was erected to his memory at the east end of the south aisle of the church, without any inscription. His only son, Richard, predeceased him. As he died intestate the disposition of his property caused much litigation between his three daughters (Jane, wife of Lewis Owen, Lady Mary Conway, a widow, and Anne, wife of Edward Ravenscroft) and his grandson, Richard Lloyd (Administration Act Book, P. C. C. August 1676).

This Sir Richard Lloyd must be carefully distinguished from Sir Richard Lloyd (1634–1686) who is mentioned in the notice of his son Nathaniel Lloyd.

[Ormerod's Cheshire, general introduction, i. 35; Phillips's Civil War in Wales; Harl. MS. 2125, f. 313; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1663–4; Symonds's Diary (Camden Soc.)]

G. G.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.183
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

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431 ii 8-10 Lloyd, Sir Richard (1606-1676): for born in 1606 . . . Shropshire, read was called 'of Esclys' (History of Powys Fadog, iii. 82).