Sir Francis Knollys (c. 1552 – 1648) of Reading Abbey, Berkshire was an English privateer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1575 and 1648.
[3] In those early years he was involved in piracy with Sir Francis Drake, serving as a rear-admiral on privateering activities in the Caribbean, returning in 1586 with considerable booty.
[1] He soon after served with his brother-in-law, the Earl of Leicester, in the Netherlands campaign and was knighted by him at Flushing on 7 December 1587.
[3] Knollys died before May 1648 at the age of about 95, described by his colleagues as "the ancientest Parliament man in England".
He was one of the oldest ever members of parliament and has the record for the longest span of service as an MP, 73 years between first being elected and his death.