English Parliamentarian. Born the son of Richard Eliot and Bridget Carswell at Cuddenbeak, St Germans, Cornwall. He was educated at Blundell's School, Tiverton, at Exeter College, Oxford, and studied law in London. He began his parliamentary career for St Germans in 1614. By May 1618 he was knighted, and in 1619 he won the appointment of Vice-Admiral of Devon. He was elected Member of Parliament for Newport in February 1624 and delivered his first speech, winning accolades as an orator and enemies among the government. In 1626 as member for St Germans, he made an open attack upon the Duke Buckingham and his administration. In May he was one of the members who carried Buckingham's impeachment to the House of Lords. The following day Eliot and his colleague Digges were committed to the Tower. The House of Commons refused to proceed with business as long as Eliot and Digges were held, when the pair was released, parliament was dissolved on June 15, and Eliot lost his post as vice-admiral. In 1629 Eliot's resolutions against illegal taxation were read to the House even after the king had ordered adjournment. Eliot and eight other members were imprisoned in the Tower. Eliot refused to answer charges against him, citing parliamentary privilege. In January 1630 he appeared at the King's Bench to answer a charge of conspiracy to resist the king's order, and refusing to acknowledge jurisdiction of the court. He was fined £2000 and ordered imprisoned at the king's pleasure. He became an author in confinement, writing such works as 'The Monarchie of Man, a political treatise;' 'De jure majestatis, a Political Treatise of Government;' and 'An Apology for Socrates, his own defense.' In the spring of 1632 he developed tuberculosis and in October he petitioned Charles for permission to go into the country. His parole would only be granted at the price of submission, however, and was refused. He died a month later. Eliot's son requested permission to move his father's body to Cornwall, but the king refused, ordering Eliot interred at "the church of that parish where he died." In 1668, the House of Lords reversed his conviction as an illegal judgment against the freedom and privilege of Parliament.