Sir Nathaniel Rich (1585 – 1636) was an English merchant adventurer and politician who sat in theHouse of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629.^[1][2]

Nathaniel Rich was born to Jane Machell and Richard Rich ofLeez Priory, Essex. His father was an illegitimate son ofRichard Rich, 1st Baron Rich.^[3][4] In 1598 Nathaniel and his sister Margaret, laterDame Margaret Wroth, were with their mother at their father's deathbed at Leez, attended byWilliam Noyes, then 'minister of this place'.^[5] Nathaniel matriculated pensioner fromEmmanuel College, Cambridge and graduated B.A. in 1604/05.^[6] He had a legal training, and was admitted a member ofGray's Inn on 2 February 1609/10,^[7] as of Ash, Essex.

In 1614 he was electedMember of Parliament forTotnes.^[8] He was knighted at Hatton House on 8 November 1617.^[9] He was a board member of theSomers Isles Company, and in 1619 bought shares in theVirginia Company. In November 1620, he was listed as one of the shareholders of thePlymouth Council for New England, a group that would open up colonization ofNew England.^[1] In 1621 he was elected MP forEast Retford^[8] and sat on a royal commission in Ireland in 1622.^[10]

Rich became a prominent member of the Virginia Company, and when, in April 1623, there occurred the great split between two factions in the company, he took a leading part on the side of his cousin,Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick.^[11][12] In 1624 he was elected MP for East Retford and forHarwich and chose to sit for Harwich.^[8] He was specially attacked by the opposing faction of the Virginia Company when the dispute came before the House of Commons in May 1624, but he sat on the Virginia commission of July 1624.^[1]

Rich was re-elected MP for Harwich in 1626 and 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.^[8] In 1629, with the Earl of Warwick and others, he found the funds for the first voyage of discovery toProvidence Island, off the north-east ofYucatan. On 4 December 1630 they received the patent forming the governor and company of adventurers for theplantation of Providence and Henrietta. To thisProvidence Island Company Rich seems henceforth to have devoted his best efforts. Many matters of importance, especially regulations and affairs requiring legal handling, were left to him. When fresh funds were required he was always the first to respond. He appears to have pursued a forward policy, for in 1635 he advocated the admission of all the adventurers to the benefits of the trade of the main. A little later, on his motion, the first local council of Providence was appointed. On 7 May 1635 he was appointed deputy governor of the company, and held the post for about a year.^[1]

Rich died before 26 May 1636. It was rumoured toMathew Cradock that overdoses from anantimonial cup from Massachusetts hastened his end.^[13] In his will he named several of the Rich (Warwick) family. He also left money and lands in theBermudas to maintain schools there.^[14][15] He desired to be buried atStondon Massey,Essex, the manor of which he purchased in around 1610.^[16] He left the manor to his nephewNathaniel Rich, son of his brotherRobert Rich who had pre-deceased him.^[1]

• Rich family
• 1585 births
• 1636 deaths
• Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for Totnes
• English MPs 1614
• English MPs 1621–1622
• English MPs 1624–1625
• English MPs 1626
• English MPs 1628–1629
• 17th-century English merchants

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