Family and Education

b. c.1607, 1st s. of Sir Gerard Eyton of Lower Eyton by Elizabeth, da. and h. of Edward Bromfield of Bodulltin. educ. I. Temple 1626, called 1634. m. (1) 11 Feb. 1636, Eleanor, da. and coh. of Sir Peter Mutton^† of Llannerch, 3s. 4da.; (2) bef. 1656, Mary, da. of Sir Francis Bickley, 1st Bt., of Attleborough, Norf., wid. of William Hoo of Hoobury, St. Paul’s Walden, Herts., 1s. 2da. suc. fa. 1652; kntd. 13 Apr. 1675.1

Offices Held

Protonotary and clerk of crown, Denb. and Mont. 1637-46, May 1660-d.; j.p. Flints. 1641-4, Chester, Denb. and Flints. July 1660-d.; commr. for assessment, Flints. Sept. 1660-1, Denb. 1661-80, Chester and Flints. 1673-80, Caern. 1673-4; attorney-gen. Cheshire and Flints. Aug. 1660-71; second justice, N. Wales circuit 1670-6, c.j. 1676-d.; member, council in the marches of Wales 1672-d.2

Capt. (royalist) 1634-6.

Biography

Eyton’s ancestors had been established at the property from which they took their name in the 11th century, but their record of parliamentary service began only in 1614. Both Eyton and his father acted for the King from the beginning of the Civil War. They compounded on the Denbigh articles for £457, and Eyton went to France where he corresponded with Evelyn. But in 1656 Maj. Gen. James Berry recommended that Eyton’s estate should not be decimated because he had changed his interest several years before; he had married a godly gentlewoman and frequented the society of godly men. At the Restoration he petitioned successfully for the office of attorney-general for Cheshire and Flintshire, and was returned to the Convention for the Welsh county at an election long delayed by the death of the sheriff. He took no known part in its proceedings, but he was clearly a court supporter, becoming a Welsh judge ten years later. He was buried at Bangor on 21 Nov. 1681, the last of the family to sit in Parliament.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / A. M. Mimardière

Notes

• 1. J. Y. W. Lloyd, Hist. Powys Fadog, ii. 161-3; iii. 325; PCC 69 Cottle, 170 Penn.
• 2. W. R. Williams, Gt. Sessions in Wales, 80, 104-5.
• 3. Lloyd, ii. 152; Cal. Comm. Comp. 1236; Evelyn Diary, ii. 558; CSP Dom. 1655-6, p. 202; 1660-1, pp. 126, 208; Arch. Camb. (ser. 5), vii. 114.