Walter Pye

Sir Walter Pye (1571 – 26 December 1635) of The Mynde, Herefordshire was an English barrister, courtier, administrator and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 and 1629.

Early life Pye was baptised on 1 October 1571 the eldest son of Bridget ( Kyrle) Pye and Roger Pye of The Mynde at Much Dewchurch in Herefordshire. His brother Robert Pye was also an MP and his maternal grandfather was Thomas Kyrle of Walford.

He was educated at St John's College, Oxford and became a barrister at Middle Temple.

Career He succeeded to his father's estates in 1591 and was elected MP for Scarborough in 1597. He was favoured by Buckingham and was made justice in Glamorgan, Breconshire and Radnorshire on 8 February 1617. In 1621 he became attorney-general of the Court of Wards. Also in 1621 he was elected Member of Parliament for Brecon. He was re-elected for Brecon in 1624 and in 1625. In 1626 he was elected MP for Brecon and for Herefordshire and chose to sit for Herefordshire. He was re-elected MP for Herefordshire in 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. He was knighted at Whitehall on 29 June 1630.

Personal life On 22 July 1602, Pye married Joan Rudshall (died 1625), daughter of William Rudshall of Rudshall, Gloucestershire. Together, they were the parents of seven sons and eight daughters, including: Anne Pye (1608–1689), who died unmarried. Sir Walter Pye (1610–1659), who married Elizabeth Sanders, daughter of John Sanders. Alice Pye (1612–1662), who married Sir Henry Lingen. Mary Pye (born 1618), who married Sir Thomas Tomkins in 1633. John Pye (1620–1701), who married Blanche Lingen, sister to Sir Henry Lingen.

Pye died on 26 December 1635, at the age of 64, and was buried at Much Dewchurch where there is an elaborate alabaster monument to his memory. His widow died .

Through his daughter Frances, he was a grandfather of Roger Vaughan (–1672), MP for Hereford, and Henry Cornewall (–1717), MP for Weobley.