Background
He was the son of John Spring (d1601) and grandson of Sir William Spring of Lavenham.
He was the son of John Spring (d1601) and grandson of Sir William Spring of Lavenham.
He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, graduating in 1603, followed by Middle Temple until 1606.
He served as High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1596 and was knighted by James I on 12 February 1611. He served his second term as High Sheriff in 1621. Whilst in London for the 1624 meeting of Parliament, Spring kept a diary of proceedings in the House of Commons, which is now a valuable record of the time.
He was elected to serve as the Member of Parliament for Bury Street Edmunds in 1625.
Spring was appointed to a bill committee concerning the neglect of preaching and catechizing, and sat on a committee of inquiry into electoral irregularities in Cornwall. He left no trace on the records of the Commons" brief 1629 session.
Spring was a Justice of the Peace in Suffolk between 1618 and his death, and held numerous other local offices such as Commissioner for Piracy (1627) and Commissioner for Trade (1625). During the 1630s, Spring used his large fortune to found two lectureships at the University of Cambridge.
However, they were opposed by the Laudian bishop and Vice-Chancellor of the university, Matthew Wren, who subsequently closed down both of them.
Sir William died in 1638 at Ridenhall, and was buried at Pakenham.
Useless Parliament; Happy Parliament]
He was first elected as Member of Parliament for Suffolk in 1623.