Sir John Bampfylde, 1st Baronet of Poltimore and North Molton and Tamerton Foliot, all in Devon, was an English lawyer and politician.
Background
Bampfylde was the third son of John Bampfield of Poltimore and North Molton in Devon, by his wife Elizabeth Drake, daughter of Thomas Drake (d1610) of Buckland Drake, a brother of the great Admiral Sir Francis Drake (1546-1596). Over the 17th century the family"s surname changed from Baumfield over Bamfield to Bampfylde.
Education
He matriculated at, Oxford on 30 October 1629, aged 19 and was a student of Middle Temple in 1630.
Career
In the Civil War Bampfylde firstly allied himself with the Royalists, for which he was created a baronet, of Poltimore, in the County of Devon by King Charles I on 14 July 1641. He later sided with the Parliamentarian side. He sat in the Long Parliament until 1648 when he was secluded under Pride"s Purge.
His ledger stone survives, set into the floor of the nave of Street Mary"s Church, Poltimore, inscribed as follows: "Here lyeth John Bampfylde Baronett who died Aprill 24 1650 in the 40 yeere of his age.
The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men ar taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come". Above are shown the arms of Bampfylde impaling Copleston (Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three lion"s faces azure).
Membership
In November 1640 Bampfylde was elected Member of Parliament for Penryn, Cornwall, in the Long Parliament.