Scriven, Richard (1625-83), of Frodesley, Salop
MP for Bishop's Castle (1679 (Oct)
Baptised 7 June 1625, 3rd but only surviving son of Thomas Scriven of Frodesley by his 2nd wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Vincent Corbet of Moreton Corbet, widow of Robert Corbet of Stanwardine, Salop.
Married by 1654 Susan (died 1777) daughter of Robert Needham, 2nd Visct Kilmorey of Shavington, salop.
J.P. Salop July 1660-death, commr for sewers, Lincs.
Lt-Col of militia ft c. oct 1660-d.
Gent. of the privy chamber 1664-d.
Scriven was descended from Reginald de Scriven, a scrivener, who acquired Frodesley by marriage in the 14th century. One of his ancestors sat for Shrewsbury in 1407. Scriven's father was a commissioner of array in 1642, raised a regiment of foot for the King, and served as a royalist governor of Whitchurch, dying of wounds after an unsuccesful attack on Wem. Scriven himself was in arms for the king in the first Civil War, presumably serving under fis father. He was one of the local leaders of the Royalists in the second Civil War, and fought at Bangor in June 1648. in compounding for his estate, valued at £275 p.a., he stated that under a family settlement he could derive no benefit from it till 15 years after his mother's death, and he was fined £117 at one-sixth.
With Andrew Newport he was concerned in a royalist plot to seize Shrewbury and Ludlow in 1654. Roger Whitley listed him among the shropshire Cavaliers with the rank of lientenant-colonel, and it was reported that that the local rendezvous for the intended rising of 1659 was to be at his house.
In March 1660 Scriven was sent a commission from Charles II in Brussels to raise militia forces, both horse and foot in Shropshire. After the Restoration his services during the Civil Wars and those of his friend Sir Richard Ottley were rewarded with posts in the local excise and hearth-tax. But in July 1667 the latter commission was revoked, and they were ordered to pay £700 still due. In order to ease their financial difficulties, in 1669 they were granted all treasue trove found since June 1660 and a moiety of any that could find within the next year, as well as part of the estate of an outlaw in Cheshire. In July 1670 the process against them was stopped in view of their 'services and loyalty' to the king, and because riots in Shropshire had defeated their efforts to collect the arrears. After Ottley's death, £500 was remitted, but Scriven did not clear the account until August 1682. Meanwhile to ease his plight Scriven was given a pension of £200 p.a. on the excise, and in September 1677 received £100 in secret service money from Charles Bertie, though he seems to have had no political weight or ambition at this time. He was returned to the second Exclusion Parliament for Bishop's Castle, presumably as a court supporter, bt made no speeches and was appointed to no committees.
Scriven died on 26 jan 1683 and was buried at Condover, the last of his family. he was described on his monument as 'faithful to his sovereign, hospitable, peaceful, affable, an experienced and brave soldier and a true son of the Church of England'. His daughter and heir married Whitley's son.
Above taken from:
The House of Commons, 1660-1690, Volume 1 By Basil Duke Henning
available on
http://books.google.co.uk