​GRIMSTON, SIR HARBOTTLE (1603–1685), English politician, second son of Sir Harbottle Grimston, Bart. (d. 1648), was born ​at Bradfield Hall, near Manningtree, on the 27th of January1603. Educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he becamea barrister of Lincoln’s Inn, then recorder of Harwich andrecorder of Colchester. As member for Colchester, Grimstonsat in the Short Parliament of 1640, and he represented the sameborough during the Long Parliament, speedily becoming aleading member of the popular party. He attacked ArchbishopLaud with great vigour; was a member of the importantcommittees of the parliament, including the one appointedin consequence of the attempted seizure of the five members;and became deputy-lieutenant of Essex after the passing of themilitia ordinance in January 1642. He disliked taking up armsagainst the king, but remained nominally an adherent of theparliamentary party during the Civil War. In the words ofClarendon, he “continued rather than concurred with them.”Grimston does not appear to have taken the Solemn Leagueand Covenant, but after the conclusion of the first period of thewar he again became more active. He was president of thecommittee which investigated the escape of the king fromHampton Court in 1647, and was one of those who negotiatedwith Charles at Newport in 1648, when, according to Burnet,he fell upon his knees and urged the king to come to terms.From this time Grimston’s sympathies appear to have been withthe Royalists. Turned out of the House of Commons when theassembly was “purged” by colonel Pride, he was imprisoned;but was released after promising to do nothing detrimental tothe parliament or the army, and spent the next few years inretirement. Before this time, his elder brother having alreadydied, he had succeeded his father as 2nd baronet. In 1656Sir Harbottle was returned to Cromwell’s second parliamentas member for Essex; but he was not allowed to take his seat;and with 97 others who were similarly treated he issued aremonstrance to the public. He was among the secluded memberswho re-entered the Long Parliament in February 1660, was thena member of the council of state, and was chosen Speaker ofthe House of Commons in the Convention Parliament of 1660.As Speaker he visited Charles II. at Breda, and addressed himin very flattering terms on his return to London; but he refusedto accede to the king’s demand that he should dismiss Burnetfrom his position as chaplain to the Master of the Rolls, and inparliament he strongly denounced any relaxation of the lawsagainst papists. Grimston did not retain the office of Speakerafter the dissolution of the Convention Parliament, but he wasa member of the commission which tried the regicides, and inNovember 1660 he was appointed Master of the Rolls. Reportsays he paid Clarendon £8000 for the office, while Burnet declareshe obtained it “without any application of his own.” He diedon the 2nd of January 1685. His friend and chaplain, Burnet,speaks very highly of his piety and impartiality, while notomitting the undoubted fact that he was “much sharpenedagainst popery.” He translated the law reports of his father-in-law,the judge, Sir George Croke (1560–1642), which were writtenin Norman-French, and five editions of this work have appeared.Seven of his parliamentary speeches were published, and healso wroteStrena Christiana (London, 1644, and other editions).Grimston’s first wife, Croke’s daughter Mary, bore him six sonsand two daughters; and by his second wife, Anne, daughterand heiress of Sir Nathaniel Bacon, K.B., a grandson of SirNicholas Bacon, he had one daughter.

Of his sons one only, Samuel (1643–1700), survived his father,and when he died in October 1700 the baronetcy became extinct.Sir Harbottle’s eldest daughter, Mary, married Sir Capel Luckyn,Bart., and their grandson, William Luckyn, succeeded to theestates of his great-uncle, Sir Samuel Grimston, and took thename of Grimston in 1700. This William Luckyn Grimston(1683–1756) was created Baron Dunboyne and Viscount Grimstonin the peerage of Ireland in 1719. He was succeeded as 2ndviscount by his son James (1711–1773), whose son James Bucknall(1747–1808) was made an English peer as baron Verulam ofGorhambury in 1790. Then in 1815 his son James Walter (1775–1845),2nd baron Verulam, was created earl of Verulam, and thepresent peer is his direct descendant. Sir Harbottle Grimstonbought Sir Nicholas Bacon’s estate at Gorhambury, which isstill the residence of his descendants.