William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth
Encyclopedia
William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth (1654 – 25 December 1732) was a British
peer
and politician.
Born in 1654, he was the son of Robert Paston, 1st Earl of Yarmouth
and his wife, Rebecca, née Clayton. In 1671, he married the widowed Charlotte Howard, née FitzRoy (1650–1684), the illegitimate daughter of Charles II
and Elizabeth Killigrew
. They had four surviving children:
Paston was elected Member of Parliament
for Norwich
from 1678. In 1679, his father was made an earl, and William adopted the style of Lord Paston. He continued to represent Norwich until he inherited his father's title in 1683. His wife having died in 1684, he married Elizabeth Wiseman (the widow of Sir Robert Wiseman and daughter of Dudley North, 4th Baron North
) the following month and converted to Roman Catholicism soon after. In February 1687, James II
appointed him Treasurer of the Household
. He reconverted to Anglicanism
in 1689, but refused to swear allegiance to William
and Mary
when they came to the throne that year, subsequently losing all his offices.
Suspected of Jacobite
activity, he was imprisoned twice, but took the oath in 1696 and was admitted to the House of Lords
. Yarmouth died heavily in debt on 25 December 1732 at Epsom
, Surrey
, aged seventy-eight. As his sons, his brothers and their male heirs had predeceased him, his titles became extinct.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and politician.
Born in 1654, he was the son of Robert Paston, 1st Earl of Yarmouth
Robert Paston, 1st Earl of Yarmouth
Robert Paston, 1st Earl of Yarmouth, FRS was an English politician, nobleman and scientist. The Paston family had a long history. His father William , was created a baronet in 1642, and on his death was succeeded in the title by Robert. Robert was subsequently created a Viscount and then became an...
and his wife, Rebecca, née Clayton. In 1671, he married the widowed Charlotte Howard, née FitzRoy (1650–1684), the illegitimate daughter of 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 Elizabeth Killigrew
Elizabeth Killigrew, Viscountess Shannon
Elizabeth Killigrew was an English peeress and courtier. One of the many mistresses of Charles II of England, she was also the sister of Thomas Killigrew and the wife of Francis Boyle, 1st Viscount Shannon...
. They had four surviving children:
- Charles Paston, Lord Paston (1673–1718)
- Lady Charlotte Paston (1675–1736), married Thomas Herne.
- Lady Rebecca Paston (1681–1726), married Sir John Holland, 2nd BaronetSir John Holland, 2nd BaronetSir John Holland, 2nd Baronet was a British politician.He was a Privy Counsellor, Comptroller of the Household and Member of Parliament for Norfolk from 17 Dec 1701 to 29 Jul 1710....
. - Hon. William Paston (1682–1711)
Paston was elected 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 Norwich
Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Norwich was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election...
from 1678. In 1679, his father was made an earl, and William adopted the style of Lord Paston. He continued to represent Norwich until he inherited his father's title in 1683. His wife having died in 1684, he married Elizabeth Wiseman (the widow of Sir Robert Wiseman and daughter of Dudley North, 4th Baron North
Dudley North, 4th Baron North
Dudley North, 4th Baron North K.B. was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1660.-Life:...
) the following month and converted to Roman Catholicism soon after. In February 1687, 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...
appointed him Treasurer of the Household
Treasurer of the Household
The position of Treasurer of the Household is theoretically held by a household official of the British monarch, under control of the Lord Steward's Department, but is, in fact, a political office held by one of the government's Deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons...
. He reconverted to Anglicanism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
in 1689, but refused to swear allegiance to William
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...
and 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...
when they came to the throne that year, subsequently losing all his offices.
Suspected of Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
activity, he was imprisoned twice, but took the oath in 1696 and was admitted to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. Yarmouth died heavily in debt on 25 December 1732 at Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
, 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...
, aged seventy-eight. As his sons, his brothers and their male heirs had predeceased him, his titles became extinct.
Sources
- John Miller, Paston, Robert, first earl of Yarmouth (1631–1683), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008, accessed 26 May 2008, accessed 26 May 2008
See also
- Paston, NorfolkPaston, NorfolkPaston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is north-east of North Walsham and south-east of Cromer. It is north-east of the city of Norwich. The village sits astride the coast road between Mundesley and Bacton. The nearest railway station is at North...
- OxneadOxneadOxnead is a lost settlement in Norfolk, England, roughly three miles south-east of Aylsham. It now consists mostly of St Michael’s Church and Oxnead Hall. It was the principal residence of the Paston family from 1597 until the death of William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth in 1732...