Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton
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Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton PC
(August 1648 – 12 April 1715) was an English nobleman and politician. He was the son of Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton
and his second wife, Jane Goodwin, only daughter of Colonel Arthur Goodwin
of Upper Winchendon
, Buckinghamshire
, and heiress to the extensive Goodwin estates in Buckinghamshire, including Winchendon, Wooburn, Waddeston, Weston, and other properties.
In his long political career he was a Member of Parliament
for seventeen years and spearheaded the Whig
opposition to King James II
's government, which later developed the two party political system under Queen Anne
. In 1689 he was sworn of the Privy Council
and made Comptroller of the Household
by King William III
, establishing the link between the royal position and government
for the first time.
He went out of office in 1702, after the accession of Anne (who disliked him), but in 1706, he was created Earl of Wharton and Viscount Winchendon in the Peerage of England
. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1708–1710.
Under George I of England, he returned to favor. In January 1715, he was created Marquess of Catherlough, Earl of Rathfarnham, and Baron Trim in the Peerage of Ireland
, and in February 1715 Marquess of Wharton and Marquess of Malmesbury in the Peerage of Great Britain
.
When he died in April 1715 he was buried in Upper Winchendon
, Buckinghamshire
. He is generally credited as author of the original lyrics of Lillibullero
, which "rhymed King James out of England".
Wharton married 16 September 1673 Anne, or Nan, Lee (d 29 October 1685 aged 26), younger daughter of Sir Henry Lee, 3rd Bt. (d. 1659), an elder half-brother of the famous libertine poet John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
; they had no issue together. Her sister Eleanora Lee married James Bertie, Lord Norreys
; their cousin was Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield
. Although her husband had infected her with syphilis, Anne Wharton left him her fortune. Her grandmother Anne St. John, Countess of Rochester tried to regain her fortune from the Whartons with little effect.
Privy Council of England
The Privy Council of England, also known as His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, was a body of advisers to the sovereign of the Kingdom of England...
(August 1648 – 12 April 1715) was an English nobleman and politician. He was the son of Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton
Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton
Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton was an English peer.A Parliamentarian during the English Civil War, he served in various offices including soldier, politician and diplomat. He was appointed as the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire by Parliament in July 1642...
and his second wife, Jane Goodwin, only daughter of Colonel Arthur Goodwin
Arthur Goodwin
Arthur Goodwin was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1643...
of Upper Winchendon
Upper Winchendon
Upper Winchendon is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Valedistrict in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about a mile south of Waddesdon, three and a half miles west of Aylesbury....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, and heiress to the extensive Goodwin estates in Buckinghamshire, including Winchendon, Wooburn, Waddeston, Weston, and other properties.
In his long political career he was a Member of Parliament
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 seventeen years and spearheaded the Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
opposition to 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...
's government, which later developed the two party political system under Queen 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...
. In 1689 he was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of England
The Privy Council of England, also known as His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, was a body of advisers to the sovereign of the Kingdom of England...
and made Comptroller of the Household
Comptroller of the Household
The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the English royal household, currently the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department, and often a cabinet member. He was an ex officio member of the Board of Green Cloth, until that body was abolished in the reform of the local...
by King William III
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...
, establishing the link between the royal position and government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
for the first time.
He went out of office in 1702, after the accession of Anne (who disliked him), but in 1706, he was created Earl of Wharton and Viscount Winchendon in the Peerage of England
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
1708–1710.
Under George I of England, he returned to favor. In January 1715, he was created Marquess of Catherlough, Earl of Rathfarnham, and Baron Trim in the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
, and in February 1715 Marquess of Wharton and Marquess of Malmesbury in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
.
When he died in April 1715 he was buried in Upper Winchendon
Upper Winchendon
Upper Winchendon is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Valedistrict in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about a mile south of Waddesdon, three and a half miles west of Aylesbury....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. He is generally credited as author of the original lyrics of Lillibullero
Lillibullero
Lillibullero is a march that sets the words of a satirical ballad generally said to be by Lord Thomas Wharton to music attributed to Henry Purcell. Although Purcell published Lillibullero in his compilation Music's Handmaid of 1689 as "a new Irish tune", it is probable that Purcell hijacked the...
, which "rhymed King James out of England".
Wharton married 16 September 1673 Anne, or Nan, Lee (d 29 October 1685 aged 26), younger daughter of Sir Henry Lee, 3rd Bt. (d. 1659), an elder half-brother of the famous libertine poet John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester , styled Viscount Wilmot between 1652 and 1658, was an English Libertine poet, a friend of King Charles II, and the writer of much satirical and bawdy poetry. He was the toast of the Restoration court and a patron of the arts...
; they had no issue together. Her sister Eleanora Lee married James Bertie, Lord Norreys
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...
; their cousin was Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield
Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield
Sir Edward Henry Lee, 5th Baronet, of Ditchley and of Quarendon, created 1st Earl of Lichfield was an English peer. He was a staunch tory and followed James II to Rochester, Kent after the king's escape from Whitehall in December 1688...
. Although her husband had infected her with syphilis, Anne Wharton left him her fortune. Her grandmother Anne St. John, Countess of Rochester tried to regain her fortune from the Whartons with little effect.