Roger Twysden

Sir Roger Twysden, 2nd Baronet (21 August 1597 – 27 June 1672), of Roydon Hall near East Peckham in Kent, was an English historian and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1625 and 1640.

Life

Twysden was the son of Sir William Twysden, 1st Baronet and his wife Anne Finch, daughter of Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea. His father was a courtier and scholar who shared in some of the voyages against Spain in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was well known at the court of King James I, becoming one of the first baronets. His mother was a writer. Twysden was educated at St Paul's School and was admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge on 8 November 1614. He entered Gray's Inn on 2 February 1623. For some years, he remained on his estate at Roydon Hall, East Peckham, largely engaged in building and planting, but also in studying antiquities and the law of the constitution. He also had some interest in natural history.

In 1625, Twysden was elected Member of Parliament for Winchelsea. He was re-elected MP for Winchelsea in 1626. As the eldest son, he succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father on 8 January 1629. Twysden arranged for his mother's writings to be published.

Family Twysden married Isabella Saunders, diarist and his mother's lady-in-waiting. She died in March 1657. Their son, Sir William, 3rd Baronet (1635–1697), succeeded to the baronetcy on Twysden's death. He had a son named Sir William Twysden, 5th Baronet (1677–1751), who was the grandfather of Frances Twysden.