William Lenthall was born
at Henley-on-Thames in 1591. Educated at Oxford
University and Lincoln's Inn, he worked as a lawyer before entering
the House of Commons in 1640.
Lenthall became Speaker
and in January 1642 when Charles
I entered Parliament
and demanded to know where
Arthur
Haselrig, John Pym, John
Hampden, Denzil Holles and William
Strode were
he famously replied: "May it please your Majesty, I have neither
eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as this House is
pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here; and humbly beg your
Majesty's pardon that I cannot give any other answer than this to
what your Majesty is pleased to demand of me".
On the outbreak of the
Civil War Lenthall supported the Parliamentary
army. He accepted Pride's Purge in
1648 and did not protest when Oliver Cromwell
closed down Parliament.
In 1660 Lenthall backed
General George
Monck and this saved him from imprisonment during the Restoration.
Lenthall even gave evidence against the Regicides
in October 1660.
William Lenthall retired
to his estates in Burford where he died in 1662.
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