Sir Francis Hastings (c. 1546–1610) was an English Puritan politician.
Hastings was a skilful parliamentarian, and excellent committee man, and schooled in the importance of religion in political discourse. A published author, highly intelligent, Hastings showed he was a dutiful, and obedient servant of the Crown. Opinionated, dogmatic and determined, Hastings could oppose as a matter of principle, but would never betray the monarch. Hastings was a prolific and hard-working MP requested for many offices, and never out of favour. Despite being from a noble family he thrived on the cut and thrust of Commons procedure; perspicacious, insightful he tried to achieve a balance of power.
Early life
He was the fifth and youngest son of the 2nd Earl of Huntingdon and Catherine, daughter of Henry, 1st Baron Montagu. His older brothers were Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon. Francis was educated Magdalen College, Oxford before being admitted to Grays Inn; he was called to the bar in 1574.
Career
While a man-at-the-bar he was appointed a Justice of the Peace in his father's county of Leicestershire, where he lived at Market Bosworth. Already set for a career in public life he was made High Sheriff of Leicestershire for 1571–72, shortly after his first election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicestershire (1571, 1584–1587 and 1597–98).
He exchanged his Market Bosworth property for his older brother's lands in Somerset and built North Cadbury Court in North Cadbury, Somerset in 1581. Five years later he exchanged seats with his brother and was elected for Somerset (1588–1593 and 1604–1611) and Bridgwater (1601). He also served as High Sheriff of Leicestershire a second time for 1581-82 and was knighted around 1589.
He had married in 1569 Lady Maud Vernon (née Longford), daughter of Sir Ralph Longford and widow of Sir George Vernon. When she died on 14 June 1596, he moved back to the Midlands. But realising his father dominance there he married again, and returned to the west country. Mary Watkins inherited property at Holwell, in the vale of Blackmore, on the borders with Devon. He served as MP for Bridgwater, but when Queen Elizabeth died, he had already proven his Protestant credentials. An avowed and committed Puritan, he nevertheless wrote a treatise against papistry Discourse of Predestination (1598) stamping his Calvinist intellectual qualities for the new King James to read. His idea about The Watch Word was meant to prove to His Majesty at the Hampton Court Conference that the Protestant was ever-vigilant about the threats to England's security. But he was astute enough to leave room for Catholics to remain loyal to the Crown.
Parliamentary activity
His critics thought his writings verged on heretical nonconformity trying to be "cunning" dividing the church of Protestants in the doctrine of faith. Hastings was conscious of the dangers of a House divided against itself. But being biblical puritan he was evangelical about the Scriptures, promoting it as "The word of Truth". Holiness was his own watchword on conduct in public life. Hastings saw the Commons as an apt place for religious debate, while maintaining the dignity of the 'Sovereign Magistrate'.
Although passed over for the post of Speaker, he was always a leading member of the Commons, receiving Sir Robert Wroth's petition of grievances, sitting as a judge at the Conference of 1604, using his own considerable personal powers to further the authority of the House. He organized the Commons own Officers, expanded its privilege, and protected other members from imprisonment for debt. Yet he was still a servant of the Crown. In 1604 he drafted a bill "against Puritans" which he tried to define to include Catholicism. This was not the legal definition so he sought the advice of Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor. Hastings was convinced that the procedure demanded the Conference be suspended while the "King of kings" gained entrance to the House.