William Cage (28 March 1666 – 21 January 1738)[1] was an English Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1702 to 1705 and in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1710 to 1715.
Cage was the son of William Cage, lawyer of Hollingbourne, Kent and his wife Cicely Culpeper, daughter of Sir Cheney Culpeper. His father and grandfather died in 1676 and 1677 and he succeeded to his grandfather's estate at Milgate. He was High Sheriff of Kent in 1694 but was dismissed from the justice's bench in December 1695 and arrested in February 1696 under suspicion of disloyalty. Nevertheless he became a Deputy Lieutenant and a colonel of the militia by 1701.[2]
At the 1701 election Cage stood for parliament at Rochester but was unsuccessful as a result of a smear campaign under the allegations of disloyalty. However he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Rochester in 1702 and sat until 1705 when following his defeat he was described as a "violent man". He was re-elected for Rochester again in 1710 in a Tory landslide and sat until 1715 when he declined to stand.[2]
Caged died after a long retirement from politics aged 71.
Cage married Catherine before 1690 and had three sons and four daughters.[2]
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis Barrell William Bokenham |
Member of Parliament for Rochester 1702–1705 With: Edward Knatchbull |
Succeeded by Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell Admiral Sir Stafford Fairborne |
| Preceded by Admiral Sir John Leake Admiral Sir Stafford Fairborne |
Member of Parliament for Rochester 1710–1715 With: Admiral Sir John Leake |
Succeeded by Sir Thomas Palmer, Bt Admiral Sir John Jennings |