Briggs was the eldest son of Sir Humphrey Briggs, 3rd Baronet, of Haughton and Ernstrey Park, Shropshire, and his wife, Lady Barbara (né Wyndham, daughter of Sir Wadham Wyndham of Norrington, Wiltshire).
[1] He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford on 2 July 1687, aged 17 and was admitted at Lincoln's Inn in 1687.
He supported he Whig administration, and voted for the naturalization of the Palatines in 1709 and for the impeachment of Henry Sacheverell in 1710.
The 1710 British general election was dominated by the issue of the impeachment and Briggs and the other Whig Member for Bridgnorth, were narrowly defeated by two Tories in a fierce contest.
[3] Briggs did not stand at the 1715 general election, but was returned at a by-election at Much Wenlock on 13 July 1716.