Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury and 3rd Earl of Elgin (1656 – 16 December 1741) was the son of Robert Bruce, 2nd Earl of Elgin and Lady Diana Grey. His maternal grandparents were Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
and Lady Anne Cecil, daughter of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter
. His Memoirs, not published until long after his death, are a valuable source of information on English history in the last quarter of the seventeenth century.
for Marlborough
between 1679 and 1681 and M.P. for Wiltshire
in 1685. He became a Gentleman of the Bedchamber in 1676. From 1685, when he inherited the earldom, to 1688, he was a Lord of the Bedchamber
, Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
and Huntingdonshire
(the latter in the absence of the Earl of Sandwich
) and was a Page of Honour
, at the coronation
of King James II
on 23 April 1685. He was devoted to Charles II
, who remarked on his deathbed " I see you love me dying as well as living" ; Bruce wrote later of Charles' death "Thus ended my happy days at a Court, and to this hour I bewail my loss." He also admired James II, though not blind to his faults as a ruler.
and Mary Capell and granddaughter of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
, on 31 August 1676. She died in 1697 in premature childbirth, brought on by a false report that her husband had been executed. They had three children:
He married, secondly, Charlotte d'Argenteau, comtesse d'Esneux
, in Brussels (St Jacques sur Coudenberg) on 27 April 1700. They had one daughter:
embarked for England. On 18 December 1688 he accompanied King James to Rochester when he fled London
. In May 1695, Lord Elgin was accused of having conspired to plan the restoration of King James II and in February 1696 he was imprisoned in the Tower of London
, but admitted to bail
a year later and allowed to leave England for Brussels
, where he died and was buried. Some historians have accused him of double-dealing in swearing allegiance to William III while plotting the restoration of James; others argue that his loyalty was to the monarchy, and that he supported whichever monarch seemed best fitted to rule at any given time. William III clearly did not regard him as a dangerous character, as shown by the fact that he was left in peace once he left England. It seems that from about 1710 it was made clear that he could return safely to England, but that he was by then happily settled in Brussels.
( while admitting he was good company ) and in 1689 told his cousin the Earl of Danby
that for treachery to James II he deserved to " be knocked on the head".
Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford
Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford , known as the Lord Grey of Groby from 1614 to 1628, was an English nobleman and military leader. He was the eldest son of Sir John Grey and Elizabeth Nevill...
and Lady Anne Cecil, daughter of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter
William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter
William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter PC KG , known as Lord Burghley from 1605 to 1623, was an English peer.-Life:...
. His Memoirs, not published until long after his death, are a valuable source of information on English history in the last quarter of the seventeenth century.
Early life
Lord Bruce, as he was styled from 1663 to 1685, was M.P.Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Marlborough
Marlborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Marlborough was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1868, and then one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.e-1295-1640:-1640-1868:...
between 1679 and 1681 and M.P. for Wiltshire
Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Wiltshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of England from 1290 to 1707, of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote...
in 1685. He became a Gentleman of the Bedchamber in 1676. From 1685, when he inherited the earldom, to 1688, he was a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
, Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire. Since 1711, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Bedfordshire.*William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton 1549–1551...
and Huntingdonshire
Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire. Huntingdonshire became part of Huntingdon and Peterborough in 1965; see Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough...
(the latter in the absence of the Earl of Sandwich
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Sandwich
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Sandwich was born in Hinchinbrooke, Huntingdonshire, England to Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich and Jemima Crew. He was styled Viscount Hinchingbrooke from 1660 until his accession in 1672...
) and was a Page of Honour
Page of Honour
While a page is a comparatively low-ranking servant, a Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page...
, at the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of King 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...
on 23 April 1685. He was devoted to 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...
, who remarked on his deathbed " I see you love me dying as well as living" ; Bruce wrote later of Charles' death "Thus ended my happy days at a Court, and to this hour I bewail my loss." He also admired James II, though not blind to his faults as a ruler.
Family
He married, firstly, Lady Elizabeth Seymour, daughter of Henry Seymour, Lord BeauchampHenry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp
Henry Seymour, Baron Beauchamp of Hache was an English nobleman, third son of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset.On 28 June 1648, he married Mary Capell; they had one son and one daughter. Like his father, he was a Cavalier...
and Mary Capell and granddaughter of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
Sir William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, KG was an English nobleman and Royalist commander in the English Civil War....
, on 31 August 1676. She died in 1697 in premature childbirth, brought on by a false report that her husband had been executed. They had three children:
- Robert Bruce, Lord Bruce (1679-1685)
- Charles Bruce, 4th Earl of ElginCharles Bruce, 4th Earl of ElginCharles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury and 4th Earl of Elgin , styled Viscount Bruce of Ampthill from 1685 to 1741, was the son of Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury and Lady Elizabeth Seymour...
(1682–1747) - Hon. Elizabeth Bruce (1689–1745), married George Brudenell, 3rd Earl of Cardigan and had issue.
He married, secondly, Charlotte d'Argenteau, comtesse d'Esneux
Charlotte d'Argenteau, comtesse d'Esneux
Charlotte d"Argenteau, comtesse d'Esneux was a Belgian noblewoman who married as his second wife the exiled Jacobite noble Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury.- Life :...
, in Brussels (St Jacques sur Coudenberg) on 27 April 1700. They had one daughter:
- Hon. Marie Thérèse Bruce (1704–1736), married Maximilian Emmanuel, Prince Maximillian von Horn of HornesPrince Maximillian von Horn of HornesMaximilian Emanuel, Prince of Hornes, Count of Baucignies and of Solre-le-Château, was born 31 August, 1695 in Brussels and died 12 January, 1763, in Saint-Martin/Brussel. He was awarded the Austrian Order of the Golden Fleece in 1749. His Principality was surrounded by the Bishopric of Liège...
and had issue.
Later life
He was one of only four peers who continued to support James II after the Prince of OrangeWilliam 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...
embarked for England. On 18 December 1688 he accompanied King James to Rochester when he fled 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 May 1695, Lord Elgin was accused of having conspired to plan the restoration of King James II and in February 1696 he was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, but admitted to bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
a year later and allowed to leave England for Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, where he died and was buried. Some historians have accused him of double-dealing in swearing allegiance to William III while plotting the restoration of James; others argue that his loyalty was to the monarchy, and that he supported whichever monarch seemed best fitted to rule at any given time. William III clearly did not regard him as a dangerous character, as shown by the fact that he was left in peace once he left England. It seems that from about 1710 it was made clear that he could return safely to England, but that he was by then happily settled in Brussels.
Character
Ailesbury seems to have been almost universally liked even by political opponents, having a reputation for honesty, decency and fair dealing. Charles II was clearly fond of him and confided in him to a rare degree; James II also liked him, and Louis XIV regarded him as almost the only English nobleman who was not motivated purely by self interest. Though he changed allegiance himself he had no patience with time-servers: he detested the Earl of SunderlandEarl of Sunderland
Earl of Sunderland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1627 in favour of Emanuel Scrope, 12th Baron Scrope of Bolton. The earldom became extinct on his death in 1630 while the barony became either extinct or dormant...
( while admitting he was good company ) and in 1689 told his cousin the Earl of Danby
Earl of Danby
Earl of Danby was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1626 in favour of the soldier Henry Danvers, 1st Baron Danvers. He had already been created Baron Danvers, of Dauntsey in the County of Wiltshire, in 1603, also in the Peerage of England. The...
that for treachery to James II he deserved to " be knocked on the head".