Background
May was the fourth son of Richard May, Merchant Taylor of London.
May was the fourth son of Richard May, Merchant Taylor of London.
He matriculated from Street John"s College, Oxford on 25 October 1588, graduated Bachelor of Arts on 3 March 1592 and became student of the Middle Temple in 1592.
In February 1604, he was groom of the King"s privy chamber. In 1614 he was elected Member of Parliament for Westminster. He was elected Member of Parliament for Lancaster in 1621.
In 1624 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lancaster and also for Leicester and chose to sit for Leicester.
In 1625 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lancaster and Leicester again, but this time chose to sit for Lancaster. He was elected Member of Parliament for Leicester again in 1626 and 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
May died at his house at Street Martin-in-the-Fields at the age of about 57 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. May married twice.
Useless Parliament; Happy Parliament. Addled Parliament; 2nd Parliament of King Charles I]
May was elected Member of Parliament for Beeralston at a by-election in 1605.