In April 1640, Glynne was elected Member of Parliament for Westminster in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Westminster for the Long Parliament in November 1640. His first major parliamentary triumph was the summing-up of the case against the Earl of Strafford, and he enjoyed a successful career during the commonwealth, becoming a serjeant-at-law, judge of assize, and finally Lord Chief Justice of the Upper Bench, and was a member of the Committee of Both Kingdoms. However, his Presbyterianism put him out of favour of with the army, and he was expelled from Parliament in 1647 and imprisoned in the Tower for almost a year. He was counsel for the University of Cambridge from 1647 to 1660. He returned to Parliament for Caernarvonshire from 1654 to 1655 in the First Protectorate Parliament. In 1656 he was elected MP for both Carnarvonshire and Flintshire in the Second Protectorate Parliament and chose to sit for Flintshire. He was nominated and accepted a seat in Cromwell's Other House. In 1656 he was judge in a criminal case involving George Fox. After several allegations against Fox failed to stand up, he demanded Fox remove his hat, and on his refusal to do so, ordered him to pay a fine of 20 marks and committed him to prison until he did so. In the later years of the Protectorate, Glynne resigned his legal offices and turned to favour the Restoration. He was returned again for Caernarvonshire in the Convention Parliament, and was knighted on 16 November 1660, and shortly thereafter made Prime Serjeant.
Death and succession
Glynne died at his home in London on 15 November 1666, and was buried on 27 November at St Margaret's Church, Westminster, in his own vault under the altar. He left his estate of Hawarden in Flintshire to his son Sir William Glynne, 1st Baronet; his estates at Henley-by-Normandy and Pirbright in Surrey descended to his son John by his second marriage.
Family
Glynne married firstly Frances Squib, eldest daughter of Arthur Squib. Glynne purchased Henley Manor, Normandy, Surrey from Squib, whom he assisted through his influence to the positions of Clarenceux Herald and Teller of the Exchequer. They had the following children, 2 sons & 5 daughters:
Anne, wife of Sir John Evelyn, Bt., of Lee Place, Godstone, Surrey
Frances, wife of William Campion of Combwell, Goudhurst, Kent, eldest son of Sir William Campion of Danny Park, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, and Grace, eldest da. of Sir Thomas Parker of Ratton in Willingdon.
He married secondly Anne Manning, daughter. & co-heiress of John Manning of London & Cralle, Sussex, widow of Sir Thomas Lawley, Bt., of Cornwall. They had the following children:
John Glynne, of Henley Park, Surrey, who m. Dorothy, da. of Francis Tylney of Tylney Hall, Rotherwick, Hants. They had 2 daughters, Elizabeth, who died unmarried and Dorothy, who married Sir Richard Child, Bt., later 1st Earl Tylney. John was educated at Hart Hall, Oxon. where he matriculated on 16 November 1666, aged 16. He entered Lincoln's Inn. John purchased Pirbright Manor, Surrey, from Francis, Lord Montagu in 1677 and sold Henley Manor, Surrey, to Frederick Tylney on 20 October 1679.
Mary, wife of Sir Stephen Anderson of Eyeworth, Beds.