Background
Mansell was the son of Arthur Mansell of Briton Ferry by his wife Jane Price daughter of William Price of Britton Ferry. He was the grandson of Sir Thomas Mansell, 1st Baronet, Member of Parliament. He had an income of £1,100 per annum and was patron of three livings in 1645. The Mansel family, the senior line of which was seated at Margam Abbey in Glamorgan (see Mansel Baronets and Baron Mansel), played a major role in the early settling of the Gower Peninsula.
Their canting arms were: Argent, a chevron between three maunches sable.
Career
He was a zealous Parliamentarian during the English Civil War. Mansell was made Commander-in-Chief of the Parliamentary forces in Glamorgan, under Lord Fairfax, on 17 November 1645. Also in 1645, he was High Sheriff of Glamorgan and was made one of the County Committee of Glamorgan.
He was added to the High Court of Justice on 25 June 1651.
Mansell was one of the six Members appointed by Cromwell and his officers to represent Wales in the Barebone"s Parliament from 4 July to 12 December 1653 On 27 June 1653, with Colonel James Phillips, he was assigned by the Council of State the official lodgings lately occupied by Sir Harry Vane. He was appointed a Militia Commissioner for South Wales on 14 March 1654 and a Justice of the Peace for Glamorgan in 1655.
He was an Assessment Commissioner for raising money there for the State in 1656, and a Commissioner under the Acting for ejecting insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters. He was made a Commissioner for providing for the safety of the Protector on 4 May 1658.
On 19 September 1659 Mansel wrote to Samuel Moyer, Chairman of the London Committee of Compounding "By the care of our small force in South Wales, it was so kept from insurrection that there will be little work for Sequestration Commissioners.
Yet some will be found, for divers delinquents now on hand have estates there and discoveries may be made, of some that went from these parts to the enemy in Chester." He was High Sheriff of Glamorgan again in 1677. He was elected Member of Parliament for Glamorgan in 1679 until January 1681. He was elected Member of Parliament for Cardiff again from 16 to 28 March 1681.
In 1689 he was elected Member of Parliament for Glamorgan again and sat until his death in 1699.
Mansell died at an advanced age and was buried at Briton Ferry.
Membership
Exclusion Bill Parliament. Habeas Corpus Parliament]
In 1660 Mansell was elected Member of Parliament for Cardiff in the Convention Parliament. Several other members of the Mansel family are buried in Westminster Abbey, for reason unknown.
