Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton

Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton PC JP (c. 1630[1] – 27 February 1699), was an English nobleman, the son of John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester, and his first wife, Jane Savage.[2]

Bolton Hall, North Yorkshire, as rebuilt after a fire in 1902

His Grace
The Duke of Bolton
PC JP
Custos Rotulorum of Hampshire
In office
1670–1676
MonarchCharles II
Preceded byThe Earl of Northumberland
Succeeded byThe Lord Annesley
Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire
In office
20 December 1667 – 1675
MonarchCharles II
Preceded byThe Earl of Southampton
Succeeded byThe Earl of Gainsborough
In office
4 April 1689 – 27 February 1699
MonarchsWilliam III and Mary II (until 1694)
Preceded byThe Duke of Berwick
Succeeded byThe 2nd Duke of Bolton
Member of Parliament
for Winchester
In office
1660–1660
Serving with John Hooke
Preceded byThomas Cole
Succeeded byLawrence Hyde
Member of Parliament
for Hampshire
In office
1661–1675
Serving with Sir John Norton
Preceded byRichard Norton
Succeeded bySir Francis Rolle
Personal details
Born
Charles Paulet

c. 1630
Died27 February 1699(1699-02-27) (aged 68–69)
Amport, Hampshire
Resting placeSt Mary's Church, Basing, Hampshire
51°16′17″N 1°02′48″W
NationalityEnglish
Spouses
Christian Frescheville
​
​
(m. 1652; died 1653)​
    Mary le Scrope
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1655; died 1680)​
    ChildrenJane Paulet
    Mary Paulet
    Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton
    William Paulet
    Parent(s)John Paulet, 5th Marquess of Winchester (father)
    Jane Savage (mother)

    Career

    Paulet succeeded his father as the sixth Marquess of Winchester in 1675. He was MP for Winchester in 1660 and then for Hampshire from 1661 to 5 March 1675.[1] Before his succession to the Marquessate he was styled Lord St John.[2]

    He held the following offices:[1]

    Having supported the claim of William and Mary to the English throne in 1688, he was restored to the Privy Council and to the office of Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, and was created Duke of Bolton on 9 April 1689.[2] He built Bolton Hall, North Yorkshire in 1678.[3]

    Character

    An eccentric man, hostile to Lord Halifax and afterwards to the Duke of Marlborough, he is said to have travelled during 1687 with four coaches and 100 horsemen, sleeping during the day and giving entertainments at night. His adherence in adult life to the Church of England has been described as a great blow to the Roman Catholic community: his father (with whom his relationship was never good) had openly professed the Catholic faith, and used his wealth and influence to protect the Catholics of Hampshire.[4]

    In 1666 he briefly went into hiding after becoming involved in a public fracas in Westminster Hall with Sir Andrew Henley, 1st Baronet. They fought in full view of the Court of Common Pleas, and were thus guilty of contempt coram rege. Both men in time received a royal pardon. Paulet, who admitted to striking the first blow, explained that he had been "in a passion" at the time. The precise cause of the quarrel is unknown. Samuel Pepys, who recorded the incident in the great Diary, remarked that it was a pity that Henley retaliated, for otherwise, the judges might have dealt with Paulet, of whom Pepys had a poor opinion, as he deserved.[5] Despite his faults, his charm and affability made him numerous friends.

    Marriage and issue

    Charles Paulet married twice:

    First marriage

    He married as his first wife, 28 February 1652, Christian (13 December 1633 – 22 May 1653), daughter of John Frescheville, 1st Baron Frescheville of Staveley, Derbyshire and Sarah Harrington, and by her had a son:[2]

    • Unknown Paulet, born May 1653, died May 1653

    Christian, Lady St. John, died on 22 May 1653 in childbirth and was buried with her infant at Staveley, Derbyshire.[2]

    Second marriage

    He married as his second wife, 12 February 1655, at St. Dionis Backchurch, London, Mary (died 1 November 1680), the illegitimate daughter of Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland, widow of Henry Carey, Lord Leppington, and by her had issue:[1][6][7]

    Mary, Lady Paulet died 1 Nov 1680, at Moulins, Allier, France, and was buried, 12 Nov 1680, at Wensley, Yorkshire.[8]

    Death

    Charles Paulet died suddenly at Amport on 27 February 1699, aged 68, and was buried on 23 March at Basing, Hampshire.[1][8]

    Footnotes
    1. Helms 1983.
    2. Cokayne II 1912, p. 210.
    3. "Bolton Hall, Preston-under-Scar". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
    4. Kenyon, J.P The Popish Plot Phoenix Press reissue 2000 p.34
    5. Diary of Samuel Pepys 29 November 1666
    6. Cokayne II 1912, pp. 210–211.
    7. "Charles Powlett, Duke of Bolton". Family Search: Community Trees. British Isles. Peerage, Baronetage, and Landed Gentry families with extended lineage. Histfam.familysearch.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
    8. Cokayne II 1912, p. 211.

    Sources
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.