Bullen Reymes facts for kids

Bullen Reymes (born December 28, 1613 – died December 18, 1672) was an important English gentleman, a diplomat, and a politician. He served in the English Parliament from 1660 until he passed away in 1672. During the English Civil War, he fought for the King's side, known as the Royalists.

Bullen Reymes' Early Life and Travels

Bullen Reymes was the oldest son of Bullen Reymes senior and Mary Petre. He received a private education and also studied at Merton College, Oxford and the Middle Temple, which is a place where lawyers are trained.

He loved to travel! From 1631 to 1632, he worked at the English embassy in Paris. He then spent time in Venice, Italy, from 1634 to 1635 and again from 1636 to 1637. While in Venice, he enjoyed playing the lute, a stringed instrument, and reading plays by William Shakespeare. He also visited Sicily and met a famous artist named Artemisia Gentileschi in Naples. His travels took him as far as Athens, Greece, where he saw the beautiful ancient ruins, including the Parthenon, before it was damaged later on.

By 1640, he was a captain in the army. From 1641 to 1646, he held a special position called Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, which meant he was a personal attendant to the King.

Fighting in the English Civil War

The English Civil War was a big conflict in England between those who supported King Charles I (the Royalists) and those who supported Parliament. Bullen Reymes strongly supported the King. From 1643 to 1646, he was a colonel in the Royalist army.

He played an active role in defending the city of Exeter during the war. In 1645, he was made a "freeman" of Exeter, which gave him special rights in the city. However, Exeter surrendered in 1646, and Bullen Reymes had to stop fighting. He was treated fairly by the new government and only had to pay a small fine of £100.

In 1650, he was put in prison at Taunton Castle. After the Battle of Worcester, a major battle in 1651, he helped some other Royalists escape the country. In 1652, he inherited his father's properties, which unfortunately had a lot of debt.

Bullen Reymes' Political Career

After the Civil War ended and the King was restored to power, Bullen Reymes became a politician. In June 1660, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. He served in the Convention Parliament. At the same time, he got his old job back as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber.

He continued to serve in Parliament, being re-elected in 1661 to the Cavalier Parliament. He was a very busy and active MP. In the same year, he became a freeman of Weymouth and was made Vice Admiral of Dorset, a position he held until his death.

Bullen Reymes took on many important roles. He helped manage money for the King and Parliament, and he was a commissioner for the sick and wounded soldiers in Hampshire and Dorset from 1664 to 1667. He also became a commissioner for Tangier, a city in North Africa that was then under English control. In 1665, he became a freeman of Portsmouth and helped manage prizes (captured goods) from naval battles.

He also became a successful merchant, selling sailcloth to the navy during the Second Dutch War. In 1668, he became the surveyor of the Great Wardrobe, which was in charge of supplying clothes and other items for the royal family. He did a great job and saved a lot of money! He was again a commissioner for the sick and wounded from 1671 until his death. In 1667, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very respected group of scientists.

Friends and Hobbies

Bullen Reymes was friends with two famous diarists, Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, who wrote detailed journals about their lives and times. He loved going to the theatre and was also a keen gardener. Samuel Pepys mentioned Bullen Reymes six times in his diary. For example, on January 24, 1668, Pepys wrote: "Sat by Colonell Reames, who understands and loves a play as well as I, and I love him for it." This shows how much they enjoyed plays together.

In 1672, Bullen Reymes became unwell and moved back to Dorset. After a long illness, he passed away in December at the age of 68. He was buried in Portesham church. He had several daughters and one son, also named Bullen, who survived him.

Bullen Reymes' Family Life

In 1640, Bullen Reymes married Elizabeth Gerard. They had three sons and two daughters. Elizabeth passed away in 1661. Bullen Reymes later married a second time to a woman named Anna, who outlived him.