Sir George Selby (c. 1557–1625) was an English politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

between 1601 and 1611. Selby was the son of William Selby and his wife Elizabeth Fenwick, daughter of Gerard Fenwick of Newcastle. He was a

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

(1594), an alderman (by 1600 to his death) and 4 times mayor of Newcastle (in 1600, 1606, 1611 and 1622). In 1601, he was elected Member of Parliament for

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

. On 6 May 1594 George Selby captured two fugitives from the Scottish court,

Jacob Kroger Jacob Kroger (died 1594), was a German goldsmith who worked for Anne of Denmark in Scotland and stole her jewels. Kroger was a citizen of the Principality of Lüneburg, ruled by Anne of Denmark's brother-in-law, Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-L� ...

, the German goldsmith serving

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...

and Guillaume Martyn, a French attendant in the stables of

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

who had looked after the king's camel. They had taken some jewelry belonging to the queen. A letter of John Carey gives some details. According to Carey the two men were "very weary of their service" because they had not been paid. They crossed the Tweed near Kelso and came to

Tweedmouth Tweedmouth is part of the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, England. It is located on the south bank of the River Tweed and is connected to Berwick town centre, on the north bank, by two road bridges and a railway bridge. Tweedmout ...

. The

Earl of Bothwell Earl of Bothwell was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. It was first created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488, and was forfeited in 1567. Subsequently, the earldom was recreated for the 4th Earl's nephew and heir of line, F ...

, who was a fugitive in the north of England, met them at Edward Delaval's house at

North Shields North Shields ( ) is a town in the borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. The population of North Shields at the 2021–2022 United Kingdom cens ...

and took all their possessions. Then George Selby and Thomas Power lieutenant of

Tynemouth Tynemouth () is a coastal town in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is located on the north side of the mouth of the River Tyne, England, River Tyne, hence its name. It is east-northeast of Newcastle up ...

arrested them, and took them to

Tynemouth Castle Tynemouth Priory and Castle is a historic site located on a promontory at the mouth of the Tyne at Tynemouth. The medieval Benedictine priory was protected by walls, towers, and a gatehouse. The heraldry of the metropolitan borough of North Tyn ...

, from where they were returned to Edinburgh and executed. Thomas Power described some of jewels in a letter to the

Earl of Northumberland The title of Earl of Northumberland has been created several times in the Peerage of England and of Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders are the House of Percy (''alias'' Perci), who were the most po ...

as goldsmith's work, neckchains, and bracelets of ragged pearl, including a black bone heart set in gold with a pendant pearl, two double pearl rings for a gown, and gold shells and aiglettes for the body of the queen's gowns. He was knighted at the coronation of James I on 23 July 1603. In 1604 he was re-elected MP for Newcastle. History of Parliament Online - George Selby
/ref> He was pricked

High Sheriff of Northumberland This is a list of the high sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland. The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries ...

for 1607C H Hunter Blair ''The Sheriffs of Northumberland'' Archaeologia Aeliana: Or, Miscellaneous Tracts Relating to Antiquities
/ref> and then appointed

High Sheriff of Durham This is a list of the high sheriffs of County Durham, England. In most counties the high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. In the Palatinate of Durham the officeholder was appointed by and was accountable to the Bishop of ...

for life by the Bishop of Durham. He was elected MP for

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

in 1614 but disqualified by Parliament, partly on the grounds of being a sheriff. King James came to Newcastle on 23 April 1617. He stayed with Selby. Selby's inventory detailed the furnishings of the "King's Chamber" which contained three bedsteads, and mirror called a "seeing glass", a Chiness cabinet, and other items. Selby died at the age of 69 and was buried at the church of St Nicholas. His monument, with an inscription which referred to his hospitality to the king, was removed in 1777.John Nichols, ''Progresses of James the First'', vol. 3 (London, 1828), pp. 280-1. Selby married Margaret Selby, daughter of Sir John Selby of Twizell, and sister of

William Selby (died 1612) William Selby (died 1612), was an English member of parliament and soldier at Berwick upon Tweed. Biography William Selby was a son of Sir John Selby of Branxton and Twizell and his wife Margaret. He was knighted on 10 June 1603. The Selby fa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Selby, George 1550s births 1625 deaths English MPs 1601 English MPs 1604–1611 English MPs 1614 High sheriffs of Northumberland High sheriffs of Durham Mayors of Newcastle upon Tyne 16th-century English people

George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...

Garrison of Berwick-upon-Tweed