William Drake 1606-1669

Sir William DRAKE, 1st bart 1606-1669

Biographical Note

Son of Francis Drake, of Esher, Surrey. Matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford 1624, but did not graduate; admitted at the Middle Temple 1626, Gray's Inn 1629. He travelled in Europe in the 1630s, 40s and 50s, and was made a baronet in 1641. MP for Amersham in 1641, and again in 1661-69; he inherited the estate of Shardeloes, Buckinghamshire from his grandfather, and expanded it with the manor of Amersham.

Books

Numerous manuscript notebooks and commonplace books of Drake's survive, in University College London and elsewhere, which detail the extent of his reading and private library. These have been analysed in detail by Kevin Sharpe (see below), who considers the very wide range of his reading. A small number of Drake's printed books have also been traced, although most of his library is now unlocated.

Characteristic Markings

A few of the books which have been traced are extensively annotated by Drake, with marginalia and textual underlining.

Sources

• History of Parliament.
• Sharpe, K. Reading revolutions, 2000.