Nathaniel Rich

Sir Nathaniel Rich (1585–1636) was an English merchant adventurer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629.

Early life Nathaniel Rich was born to Jane Machell and Richard Rich of Leez Priory, Essex. His father was an illegitimate son of Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich. In 1598 Nathaniel and his sister Margaret, later Dame Margaret Wroth, were with their mother at their father's deathbed at Leez, attended by William Noyes, then 'minister of this place'. Nathaniel matriculated pensioner from Emmanuel College, Cambridge and graduated B.A. in 1604/05. He had a legal training, and was admitted a member of Gray's Inn on 2 February 1609/10, as of Ash, Essex.

Political career In 1614 he was elected Member of Parliament for Totnes. He was knighted at Hatton House on 8 November 1617. He was a board member of the Somers Isles Company, and in 1619 bought shares in the Virginia Company. In November 1620, he was listed as one of the shareholders of the Plymouth Council for New England, a group that would open up colonization of New England.

Rich became a prominent member of the Virginia Company, and when, in April 1623, there occurred the great split between two factions in the company, he took a leading part on the side of his cousin, Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick. In 1624 he was elected MP for East Retford and for Harwich and chose to sit for Harwich. In his will he named several of the Rich (Warwick) family. He also left money and lands in the Bermudas to maintain schools there. He desired to be buried at Stondon Massey, Essex, the manor of which he purchased in around 1610. He left the manor to his nephew Nathaniel Rich, son of his brother Robert Rich who had pre-deceased him.