Charles Bertie (senior)
Encyclopedia
Captain Charles Bertie British diplomat, was the fifth son of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey
by his first wife, Martha Cokayne. He rose to serve as Secretary to the Treasury
under his brother-in-law, the Earl of Danby
, from 1673 until 1679, but did not wield significant political power thereafter. He did, however, twice enjoy the office of Treasurer of the Ordnance
before his death in 1711.
at Amersham
and then probably at Westminster School
. Admitted to the Middle Temple
on 25 October 1658, he did not, however, take up a career as a barrister
but went abroad in France
and Switzerland
for the next several years.
Determined upon a diplomatic career, Bertie served as attaché at Madrid
from 1664 to 1665 under Sir Richard Fanshawe, who wrote favorably of him to the King. He graduated M.A.
from Oxford University in 1665, and was incorporated at Cambridge University in 1667. He was subsequently commissioned both as a second lieutenant
in the Royal Navy
and as a captain
in the Coldstream Guards
in 1668.
Bertie traveled through Scandinavia
and possibly Prussia
and Poland
in 1670, and was named envoy-extraordinary to Denmark
in March 1671. He left the following month for Denmark, by way of Hamburg
, and returned home in February 1672 after the completion of his negotiations.
, was appointed Lord High Treasurer
, providing Bertie with a new route for advancement. He was appointed Secretary to the Treasury
and served as his brother-in-law's administrator there until 1679. He also purchased an estate at Uffington, Lincolnshire
in 1673, and in the following year married Mary (d. 13 January 1679), daughter of Peter Tryon and widow of Sir Samuel Jones, by whom he had two children:
Bertie was eager to secure additional treasury offices, and obtained a reversion to the office of Treasurer of the Ordnance
in 1675 and to the office of Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer
the following year. He also attempted to enter the House of Commons
at a by-election at Grimsby in April 1675, but was defeated. However, in February 1678, he was returned for Stamford
in another by-election.
Storm clouds had, however, begun to gather around his brother-in-law and patron, now Earl of Danby. As Lord High Treasurer, Danby, though personally anti-French, had been deeply involved in Charles II
's collection of a subsidy from Louis XIV
, in exchange for English neutrality. With the rupture of Anglo-French relations in 1678, Louis, through the agency of the disaffected Ralph Montagu
, attempted by releasing several of his letters to make Danby the scapegoat for the policy. Bertie opposed Danby's impeachment, but to no avail, and his support for Danby cost him his seat in January 1679. Bertie himself became embroiled in the controversy over the distribution of secret service
money, and in May, upon refusing to testify without the King's command, was placed in the custody of the Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons, where he remained until Parliament was dissolved in July.
in March 1681. Returning to England in June, he succeeded that August as Treasurer of the Ordnance
. With the accession of James II
, Bertie was again returned as Member of Parliament for Stamford. Around this time, he also built a new country house in Uffington, and was appointed to local posts in Boston
and Stamford
.
Bertie apparently kept the favour of James throughout his change of policy and the issue of the Declaration of Indulgence
, and was a court candidate for the abortive 1688 elections. However, he was in Yorkshire
with Danby when the latter was preparing to bring in William of Orange
. He went down to London
in October to allay James' fears, and was considered as a mediator between James and Danby. His connection with Danby allowed him to retain influence after the Glorious Revolution
and he continued to hold his seat in Parliament. He supported Danby's proposal to declare the throne vacant and settle it upon Mary
.
Although Danby, now Marquess of Carmarthen, had now returned to eminence, Bertie was unable to achieve significant political power, being passed over as Secretary to the Treasury
in 1691. He held a number of minor posts, including secretary to the Justice in Eyre
south of the Trent (then his half-brother James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon
) in 1693. While he signed the Association in 1696, he remained a reliable Tory
, opposing the attainder of Sir John Fenwick
that year.
With the final fall of Carmarthen, now Duke of Leeds, in 1699, Bertie lost his office as Treasurer of the Ordnance to Harry Mordaunt
, but regained it in 1702 with the accession of Anne
. His support for an Occasional Conformity Bill in 1704 was probably the cause of his dismissal in 1705. Bertie opposed the impeachment of Henry Sacheverell
in 1710. He had suffered from a "bad stomach" for much of that year, and died in March 1711, and was buried at Uffington. His son, Charles, replaced him as Member of Parliament for Stamford.
Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey
Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey, 15th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, KG, PC was the eldest son of Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey and his wife Elizabeth Montagu, daughter of Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton.-Early life:...
by his first wife, Martha Cokayne. He rose to serve as Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
under his brother-in-law, the Earl of Danby
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
, from 1673 until 1679, but did not wield significant political power thereafter. He did, however, twice enjoy the office of Treasurer of the Ordnance
Treasurer of the Ordnance
The Treasurer of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance in the United Kingdom, the office being created in 1670. The office was abolished in 1836 and its duties merged with that of several others to form the office of Paymaster-General.-Treasurers of the Ordnance:*25...
before his death in 1711.
Early life and travels abroad
Bertie was educated first at a school of Charles CrokeCharles Croke
-Life:He was the third son of Sir John Croke, and was admitted student of Christ Church, Oxford, on 5 January 1604. He proceeded B.A. , M.A., B.D. and D.D. . He was tutor of his college, and held the professorship of rhetoric at Gresham College, London, from 1613 to 1619...
at Amersham
Amersham
Amersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
and then probably at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. Admitted to the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
on 25 October 1658, he did not, however, take up a career as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
but went abroad in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
for the next several years.
Determined upon a diplomatic career, Bertie served as attaché at Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
from 1664 to 1665 under Sir Richard Fanshawe, who wrote favorably of him to the King. He graduated M.A.
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
from Oxford University in 1665, and was incorporated at Cambridge University in 1667. He was subsequently commissioned both as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and as a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
in 1668.
Bertie traveled through Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and possibly Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1670, and was named envoy-extraordinary to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in March 1671. He left the following month for Denmark, by way of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, and returned home in February 1672 after the completion of his negotiations.
Secretary of the Treasury
In 1673, Bertie's brother-in-law, the then Viscount LatimerThomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
, was appointed Lord High Treasurer
Lord High Treasurer
The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
, providing Bertie with a new route for advancement. He was appointed Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
and served as his brother-in-law's administrator there until 1679. He also purchased an estate at Uffington, Lincolnshire
Uffington, Lincolnshire
Uffington is a village in the valley of the River Welland, between Stamford and The Deepings, in the South Kesteven district of the English county of Lincolnshire.-Geography:...
in 1673, and in the following year married Mary (d. 13 January 1679), daughter of Peter Tryon and widow of Sir Samuel Jones, by whom he had two children:
- Charles BertieCharles Bertie (of Uffington)Charles Bertie was a British politician, the son of Charles Bertie and grandson of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey.In 1704, he married Mary Narbonne, by whom he had several children, including:...
(aft. 1674 – 1730) - Elizabeth Bertie (24 July 1675 – 20 December 1730), married on 8 June 1693 Charles Mildmay, 18th Baron FitzWalter
Bertie was eager to secure additional treasury offices, and obtained a reversion to the office of Treasurer of the Ordnance
Treasurer of the Ordnance
The Treasurer of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance in the United Kingdom, the office being created in 1670. The office was abolished in 1836 and its duties merged with that of several others to form the office of Paymaster-General.-Treasurers of the Ordnance:*25...
in 1675 and to the office of Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer
Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer
The Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer was an office in the English Exchequer.The office originated in early times as the clerk of the Lord High Treasurer at the Receipt of the Exchequer. He was responsible for filing and entering the Teller's Bills from the Tellers of the Exchequer,...
the following year. He also attempted to enter the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
at a by-election at Grimsby in April 1675, but was defeated. However, in February 1678, he was returned for Stamford
Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stamford was a constituency in the county of Lincolnshire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
in another by-election.
Storm clouds had, however, begun to gather around his brother-in-law and patron, now Earl of Danby. As Lord High Treasurer, Danby, though personally anti-French, had been deeply involved in Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
's collection of a subsidy from Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, in exchange for English neutrality. With the rupture of Anglo-French relations in 1678, Louis, through the agency of the disaffected Ralph Montagu
Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu
Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu was an English courtier and diplomat.-Life:He was the second son of Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton and Anne Winwood, daughter of the Secretary of State Ralph Winwood...
, attempted by releasing several of his letters to make Danby the scapegoat for the policy. Bertie opposed Danby's impeachment, but to no avail, and his support for Danby cost him his seat in January 1679. Bertie himself became embroiled in the controversy over the distribution of secret service
Secret service
A secret service describes a government agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For instance, a country may establish a secret service which has some...
money, and in May, upon refusing to testify without the King's command, was placed in the custody of the Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons, where he remained until Parliament was dissolved in July.
Later career
Appointed envoy-extraordinary to Germany in summer 1680, Bertie was thus out of the country when a new Parliament was convened in October. He traveled through many of the German states before being recalled after the dissolution of the Oxford ParliamentOxford Parliament (1681)
An English Parliament assembled in the city of Oxford for one week from 21 March 1681 until 28 March 1681 during the reign of Charles II of England.Succeeding the Exclusion Bill Parliament, this was the fifth and last parliament of the King's reign. Both Houses of Parliament met and the King...
in March 1681. Returning to England in June, he succeeded that August as Treasurer of the Ordnance
Treasurer of the Ordnance
The Treasurer of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance in the United Kingdom, the office being created in 1670. The office was abolished in 1836 and its duties merged with that of several others to form the office of Paymaster-General.-Treasurers of the Ordnance:*25...
. With the accession of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, Bertie was again returned as Member of Parliament for Stamford. Around this time, he also built a new country house in Uffington, and was appointed to local posts in Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
.
Bertie apparently kept the favour of James throughout his change of policy and the issue of the Declaration of Indulgence
Declaration of Indulgence
The Declaration of Indulgence was two proclamations made by James II of England and VII of Scotland in 1687. The Indulgence was first issued for Scotland on 12 February, and then for England on 4 April 1687...
, and was a court candidate for the abortive 1688 elections. However, he was in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
with Danby when the latter was preparing to bring in William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
. He went down to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in October to allay James' fears, and was considered as a mediator between James and Danby. His connection with Danby allowed him to retain influence after the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
and he continued to hold his seat in Parliament. He supported Danby's proposal to declare the throne vacant and settle it upon Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
.
Although Danby, now Marquess of Carmarthen, had now returned to eminence, Bertie was unable to achieve significant political power, being passed over as Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
in 1691. He held a number of minor posts, including secretary to the Justice in Eyre
Justice in Eyre
In English law, the Justices in Eyre were the highest magistrates in forest law, and presided over the court of justice-seat, a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers...
south of the Trent (then his half-brother James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon
James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon
James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon was an English nobleman.Bertie was the eldest son of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey by his second wife Bridget Bertie , 4th Baroness Norreys, suo jure Lady Norreys. He succeeded his mother as 5th Baron Norreys on the latter's death, c. 1657...
) in 1693. While he signed the Association in 1696, he remained a reliable Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
, opposing the attainder of Sir John Fenwick
John Fenwick
Sir John Fenwick, 3rd Baronet was an English Jacobite conspirator, who succeeded to the Baronetcy of Fenwick on the death of his father in 1676....
that year.
With the final fall of Carmarthen, now Duke of Leeds, in 1699, Bertie lost his office as Treasurer of the Ordnance to Harry Mordaunt
Harry Mordaunt
Lieutenant-General Harry Mordaunt was an English soldier.Mordaunt was a younger son of John Mordaunt, 1st Viscount Mordaunt and Elizabeth, the daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Carey, the second son of Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth...
, but regained it in 1702 with the accession of Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
. His support for an Occasional Conformity Bill in 1704 was probably the cause of his dismissal in 1705. Bertie opposed the impeachment of Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell was an English High Church clergyman and politician.-Early life:The son of Joshua Sacheverell, rector of St Peter's, Marlborough,...
in 1710. He had suffered from a "bad stomach" for much of that year, and died in March 1711, and was buried at Uffington. His son, Charles, replaced him as Member of Parliament for Stamford.