Edward Boscawen (MP)

Edward Boscawen (1628 - 28 October 1685) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1659 and 1685.

Boscawen was the son of Hugh Boscawen of Tregothnan, Cornwall and was baptised on 21 November 1628. He was apprenticed to a merchant with business in Turkey in 1648 and then to John Rolle, who strongly resisted the Tonnage and poundage taxation. Boscawen prospered and acquired Worthevale and Roscarrock in North Cornwall.^[1]

In 1659, Boscawen was elected Member of Parliament for Tregoney in the Third Protectorate Parliament.^[2] In 1660 Boscawen stood for parliament at Tregoney and at Truro and was returned for both seats. He chose to sit for Truro and was returned again in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament. He held the seat until his death in 1685.^[3] He was relatively inactive in parliament in comparison with his brother Hugh.^[1]

Boscawen was commissioner for militia in Cornwall in March 1660. In 1661 he became a member of the Corporation for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England. He was commissioner for assessment in Cornwall from 1661 to 1680. He was Justice of the Peace for Cornwall from 1667 to 1670. In 1670 he became a freeman of the Levant Company and in 1673 stannator, Tywarnwhaile. He was a commissioner for recusants in Cornwall in 1675 and commissioner for assessment in Westminster from 1677 to 1680.^[1]

Boscawen died at the age of 56 and was buried at St Mary Abbots, Kensington.

Boscawen married Jael Godolphin, daughter of Francis Godolphin of Godolphin Breage Cornwall on 5 January 1665 and had one son and two daughters. His son Hugh was later an MP and created Viscount Falmouth. His brothers Charles and Hugh were also both MPs in Cornwall.^[1]

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