Richard Sackville, 5th Earl of Dorset
Encyclopedia
Richard Sackville, 5th Earl of Dorset (16 September 1622 – 27 August 1677) was an English peer and politician.
He was born at Dorset House, the second of three children of Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset
. His elder sister Mary died in 1632; his younger brother Edward participated in the English Civil War
, and was captured and killed by Parliamentary forces in 1646.
Sackville sat in the House of Commons
, 1640-3, as Lord Buckhurst, representing East Grinstead
in Sussex
; he was involved in the political events leading to the English Civil War
, and was arrested by Parliament
in 1642 and fined £1500 in 1644. After that point, however, he played no active role in the conflict. He resumed a political career in 1660; he sat in the new parliament or convention that managed the Restoration
, and, among other posts, chaired the committee that was in charge of the reception of King Charles II
. The new King appointed Sackville lord lieutenant of Middlesex
in 1660. In the 1660s he was able to restore many of the possessions and privileges that his family had lost in the Interregnum
.
Sackville was an occasional poet; a poem in mourning of Ben Jonson
was included in the memorial volume Jonsonus Virbius (1638), published in the year after the poet laureate's death. John Aubrey
reprodued a report that Sackville translated Corneille
's Le Cid
. Sackville was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1665.
For four decades he was married to Lady Frances Cranfield, daughter of Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex
; they had seven sons and six daughters. His eldest son, Charles Sackville
, succeeded him as the 6th Earl of Dorset
.
He was born at Dorset House, the second of three children of Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset
Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset
Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset KG was the son of Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset and the brother and heir of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset.-Life:...
. His elder sister Mary died in 1632; his younger brother Edward participated in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and was captured and killed by Parliamentary forces in 1646.
Sackville sat in 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...
, 1640-3, as Lord Buckhurst, representing East Grinstead
East Grinstead (UK Parliament constituency)
East Grinstead was a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. It first existed as a Parliamentary borough from 1307, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons elected by the bloc vote system...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
; he was involved in the political events leading to the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and was arrested by Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
in 1642 and fined £1500 in 1644. After that point, however, he played no active role in the conflict. He resumed a political career in 1660; he sat in the new parliament or convention that managed the Restoration
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...
, and, among other posts, chaired the committee that was in charge of the reception of King 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...
. The new King appointed Sackville lord lieutenant of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
in 1660. In the 1660s he was able to restore many of the possessions and privileges that his family had lost in the Interregnum
English Interregnum
The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the Commonwealth of England after the English Civil War...
.
Sackville was an occasional poet; a poem in mourning of Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
was included in the memorial volume Jonsonus Virbius (1638), published in the year after the poet laureate's death. John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
reprodued a report that Sackville translated Corneille
Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
's Le Cid
Le Cid
Le Cid is a tragicomedy written by Pierre Corneille and published in 1636. It is based on the legend of El Cid.The play followed Corneille's first true tragedy, Médée, produced in 1635. An enormous popular success, Corneille's Le Cid was the subject of a heated polemic over the norms of dramatic...
. Sackville was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1665.
For four decades he was married to Lady Frances Cranfield, daughter of Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex
Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex
Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex was a successful merchant in London, England.-Life:He was the second son of Thomas Cranfield, a mercer at London, and his wife Martha Randill, the daughter and heiress of Vincent Randill of Sutton-at-Hone, Kent. He was apprenticed in to Richard Sheppard, a...
; they had seven sons and six daughters. His eldest son, Charles Sackville
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset and 1st Earl of Middlesex was an English poet and courtier.-Early Life:He was son of Richard Sackville, 5th Earl of Dorset...
, succeeded him as the 6th Earl of Dorset
Earl of Dorset
Earl of Dorset is a title that has been created at least four times in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1411 for Thomas Beaufort, who was later created Duke of Exeter. The peerages became extinct on his death....
.