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John White

1590 – 1645

Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645

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About John White

Lived 1590 – 1645 (aged 54). John White was a politician and lawyer.

John White (1590 – 29 January 1645) was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645. His work The first Century of Scandalous Malignant Priests earned him the nickname "Century White".

Life White was from a family of merchants from Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He was the second son of Henry and Jane (née Fletcher) White. He matriculated (together with his elder brother Griffith) at Jesus College, Oxford in 1607.

He entered the Middle Temple in 1610 and was called to the bar in 1626. He was High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire in 1626, like his father and grandfather before him.

In 1632 White represented Sir Matthew Brend when a bill of complaint was filed in the Court of Requests on behalf of Cuthbert Burbage and the representatives of the other original lessees of the Globe Theatre, seeking an extension of their lease.

In November 1640, White was elected Member of Parliament for Southwark in the Long Parliament. In 1643 he was appointed chairman of the Committee for Plundered Ministers.

White died in 1645 and was buried in the Temple Church. He had married three times: firstly Janet, the daughter of John ap Griffith Eynon of Jeffreston, Pembrokeshire; secondly Winifred daughter of Richard Blackwell of Bushey, Herts with whom he had nine children; thirdly Mary the eldest daughter of Thomas Style of Little Mussenden, Bucks.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
Jesus College
Positions held
Member of Parliament in the Parliament of England

People in John White's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John White's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John White?

Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645

When was John White born?

John White was born on 29 June 1590 in Rhoscrowther.

When did John White die?

John White died on 29 January 1645.

What was John White's occupation?

John White was a politician and lawyer.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John White

· Wikidata: Q6263796

· DBpedia: John White (Welsh lawyer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John White. https://biography.guide/john-white-politician-1590/

MLA: "John White." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-white-politician-1590/.

Chicago: "John White." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-white-politician-1590/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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