Henry Trelawny

Brigadier-General Henry Trelawny (ca. 1658 – 8 January 1702) was a British Army officer of Cornish descent, the seventh and youngest son of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 2nd Baronet and Mary Seymour.

From 1678 to 1681, he was a lieutenant of foot in the Admiral's Regiment. He then obtained a captain's commission in the 2nd Tangier Regiment, commanded by his brother Charles. Made a freeman of Portsmouth in 1683 and East Looe in 1685, he was returned to Parliament in the latter year for West Looe as a Tory on the interest of his eldest brother, Bishop Trelawny. In 1687, he was appointed to the commission of the peace for Cornwall.

During the Glorious Revolution, Charles, with a number of officers and men, including Henry, went over to William of Orange. Both Charles and Henry were returned to the Convention Parliament for East Looe, sitting as Tories. Both served as commissioners for assessment in Cornwall and Devon from 1689 to 1690.^[1]

On 8 January 1690, Trelawny married Rebecca Hals (d. 1699), the daughter and coheiress of Matthew Hals of Eggbuckland, Devon.^[1] By Rebecca he had two sons and three daughters:^[2][3]

• Sir Harry Trelawny, 5th Baronet (1687–1762), an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Marlborough and Member of Parliament
• Mary Trelawny (bap. 1688 – bef. 1731), married Thomas Brereton
• Ann Trelawny (bap. 1689 – 1701)
• Elizabeth Trelawny (bap. 1692)
• Captain William Trelawny (bap. 1696), married Mary Bisset and had four sons:
  • Charles Trelawny, died without issue
  • Sir William Trelawny, 6th Baronet (c.1722–1772)
  • Lt-Gen. Harry Trelawny (1725–1800), married Mary Dormer and had issue
  • Thomas Trelawny (d. 1809), of Odiham

Both brothers were again returned for East Looe as Court Tories in 1690, and continued to sit for the borough through 1698.^[4] In early 1692, Charles resigned the colonelcy of The Queen Consort's Regiment of Foot (the former 2nd Tangier) in protest over King William's supposed partiality to foreign officers, and Henry replaced him as colonel.^[5] He left with the regiment to campaign in Flanders in March, and as a result, came to be regarded as a Court supporter in Parliament. Trelawny was again absent from Parliament in 1693 with his regiment in Flanders, where they saw fighting at the Battle of Landen. In November, Trelawny was appointed Vice-Admiral of South Cornwall in place of his elder brother, Bishop Trelawny. In this post, he was active in raising men for sea service over the next few years. While generally a Court supporter, he was thought likely to oppose the proposed council of trade in the 1696 session. He did sign the Association Oath and, unlike his brother, supported fixing guineas at 22s. During that year, he was a commissioner for receiving subscriptions to the abortive land bank project.^[4]

Trelawny took part in the 1696 and 1697 campaigns in Flanders, and was promoted to brigadier-general during the former. In the fall of 1698, he and Charles were again returned for East Looe, but Charles was also returned for Plymouth, where he was Governor and for which he preferred to sit. Their first cousin Sir Henry Seymour replaced Charles at East Looe in a by-election in January 1699. Henry opposed the bill for disbanding much of the standing army in 1699, although his regiment was not affected. He went on half-pay in March 1700.^[4]

In February 1701, he was returned with Charles for Plymouth, allowing Francis Godolphin to take the seat at East Looe. On 26 March 1701, he made a second marriage to Mary, the widow of Thomas Stawell and daughter of Richard Trevill; they had no children.^[4] By this time, he had been added to the commission of the peace for Devon.^[1] He opposed preparations for the English entry into the War of the Spanish Succession, but died on 8 January 1702. A large funeral was held for him at Plymouth.^[4]

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