he was admitted for his legal training at the inner temple in 1640. he was appointed high sheriff of devon for 1649–50. in 1654 he was elected member of parliament for devon in the first protectorate parliament and was re-elected mp for devon in 1656 for the second protectorate parliament and in 1659 for the third protectorate parliament. in january 1660 he was appointed a member of the rump parliament's final council of state but does not appear to have attended any meetings, likely due to the council enforcing an oath abjuring the stuart family and any single person or house of lords. he was elected mp for the family's pocket borough of callington in the convention parliament in 1660, but died in the same year.