Henry Brouncker
Encyclopedia
Henry Brouncker, 3rd Viscount Brouncker ( – 4 January 1688) was a Restoration
-era courtier who was Cofferer of the Household
to Charles II
, and served as Gentleman of the Bedchamber
to James, Duke of York
.
Born around 1627, Brouncker was the second son of William Brouncker, 1st Viscount Brouncker and Winifred Leigh; and the brother of William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker
, who was President of the Royal Society
.
He graduated from Oxford in 1646 as a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). He was Member of Parliament
for New Romney
from 1665 to 21 April 1668; he was expelled when charges were brought against for allowing the Dutch to escape during Battle of Lowestoft
, ordering the sails of the British fleet to be slackened in the name of the Duke of York
.
John Evelyn
wrote "ever noted for hard coteveous vicious man, but for his wordly craft and skill in gaming few exceeded him." He was a famous chess player. He is mentioned in the famous "Memoirs" of Philibert, comte de Gramont
, in particular his preference for "Orange seller" girls.
On 29 August 1667 Samuel Pepys
called Brouncker: "a pestilent rogue, an atheist, that would have sold his king and country for 6d. almost".
He married (in 1661) Rebecca Rodway, widow of Thomas Jermyn, brother to the Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans
, and they had no children.
He was a was a Commissioner of Trade and Plantation in 1673, and he became Cofferer of the Household
to Charles II
on 9 December 1679 following the death of William Ashburnham
. He vacated the office on 6 February 1685 following the death of the king.
He died on 4 January 1688 at Sheen Abbey, Surrey
and was buried at Richmond Parish Church. His titles became extinct on his death.
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
-era courtier who was Cofferer of the Household
Cofferer of the Household
The Cofferer of the Household was formerly an office in the English and British Royal Household.The holder had special charge over other officers of the household and was an officer of state and a member of the Privy Council and the Board of Green Cloth....
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...
, and served as Gentleman of the Bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber
A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain.-Description and functions:...
to James, Duke of York
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...
.
Born around 1627, Brouncker was the second son of William Brouncker, 1st Viscount Brouncker and Winifred Leigh; and the brother of William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker
William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker
William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker, PRS was an English mathematician.Brouncker obtained a DM at the University of Oxford in 1647. He was one of the founders and the first President of the Royal Society. In 1662, he became Chancellor to Queen Catherine, then chief of the Saint Catherine's...
, who was President of the Royal Society
President of the Royal Society
The president of the Royal Society is the elected director of the Royal Society of London. After informal meetings at Gresham College, the Royal Society was founded officially on 15 July 1662 for the encouragement of ‘philosophical studies’, by a royal charter which nominated William Brouncker as...
.
He graduated from Oxford in 1646 as a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). He was 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 New Romney
New Romney (UK Parliament constituency)
New Romney was a parliamentary constituency in Kent, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1371 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
from 1665 to 21 April 1668; he was expelled when charges were brought against for allowing the Dutch to escape during Battle of Lowestoft
Battle of Lowestoft
The naval Battle of Lowestoft took place on 13 June 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size commanded by James Stuart, Duke of York forty...
, ordering the sails of the British fleet to be slackened in the name of the Duke of York
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...
.
John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
wrote "ever noted for hard coteveous vicious man, but for his wordly craft and skill in gaming few exceeded him." He was a famous chess player. He is mentioned in the famous "Memoirs" of Philibert, comte de Gramont
Philibert, comte de Gramont
Philibert, comte de Gramont was a French nobleman, known as the protagonist of the Mémoires written by Antoine Hamilton.-Biography:Came of a noble Gascon family, said to have been of Basque origin....
, in particular his preference for "Orange seller" girls.
On 29 August 1667 Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
called Brouncker: "a pestilent rogue, an atheist, that would have sold his king and country for 6d. almost".
He married (in 1661) Rebecca Rodway, widow of Thomas Jermyn, brother to the Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans
Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans
Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of Saint Albans KG was an English politician and courtier. He sat in the in the House of Commons at various times between 1625 and 1643 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Jermyn...
, and they had no children.
He was a was a Commissioner of Trade and Plantation in 1673, and he became Cofferer of the Household
Cofferer of the Household
The Cofferer of the Household was formerly an office in the English and British Royal Household.The holder had special charge over other officers of the household and was an officer of state and a member of the Privy Council and the Board of Green Cloth....
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...
on 9 December 1679 following the death of William Ashburnham
William Ashburnham (royalist)
-Biography:William Ashburnham was the younger brother of John Ashburnham.He was returned as MP for Ludgershall in both the parliaments held in 1640 but was expelled from the Long Parliament on 9 December 1641 for his part in the Army Plots of that year....
. He vacated the office on 6 February 1685 following the death of the king.
He died on 4 January 1688 at Sheen Abbey, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and was buried at Richmond Parish Church. His titles became extinct on his death.