Background
Oldisworth was the son of Arnold Oldsworth and his wife Lucy Barty daughter of Francis Barty of Antwerp.
Oldisworth was the son of Arnold Oldsworth and his wife Lucy Barty daughter of Francis Barty of Antwerp.
Magdalen College.
He supported the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War. He was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and became secretary to the 3rd and 4th Earls of Pembroke. He entered parliament in the interest of the Earls.
He was re-elected Member of Parliament for Old Salisbury in 1625, 1626 and 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In April 1640, Oldisworth was elected Member of Parliament for Salisbury in the Short Parliament. In November 1640 he was returned as Member of Parliament for Salisbury and Plympton Erle and chose to sit for Salisbury.
He was appointed keeper of Windsor Great Park in 1650 and master of the prerogative office. He was satirised by royalist pamphleteers and praised by Herrick.
Oldisworth married Jane Thomas, widow of William Thomas and daughter of Sir John Stradling, 1st Baronet.
Short Parliament; Useless Parliament. Happy Parliament; 2nd Parliament of King Charles I]
In 1624 Oldisworth became Member of Parliament for Old Salisbury after Sir Arthur Ingram chose to sit for York instead.