Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl of Rochester KG PC
Portrait by Willem Wissing
Chief Minister of Great Britain First Lord of the Treasury
In office 1679–1684
Monarch	Charles II
Preceded by	The Earl of Essex
Succeeded by	The Lord Godolphin
Lord President of the Council
In office 24 August 1684 – 18 February 1685
Monarch	Charles II James II
Preceded by	The Earl of Radnor
Succeeded by	The Marquess of Halifax
In office 21 September 1710 – 13 June 1711
Monarch	Anne
Preceded by	Lord Somers
Succeeded by	The Duke of Buckingham and Normanby
Chief Minister of Great Britain Lord High Treasurer
In office 1685–1686
Monarch	James II
Preceded by	The Lord Godolphin as Lord High Treasurer Commission
Succeeded by	The Lord Belasyse as Lord High Treasurer Commission
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office 1700–1703
Monarch	William III Anne
Preceded by	Lords Justices
Succeeded by	The Duke of Ormonde
Personal details
Born	March 1642 England
Died	2 May 1711 London, England
Resting place	Westminster Abbey
Political party	Tory
Spouse	Lady Henrietta Boyle
Children	4, including Henry Hyde
Parents	Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon Frances Aylesbury

Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester (March 1642 – 2 May 1711) was an important English politician and writer. He first supported King James II. Later, he changed his mind and supported the Glorious Revolution in 1688. He held high positions under Queen Anne, who was his niece. However, they often disagreed, which limited his power.

Early Life and Education

Laurence Hyde was born in March 1642. He was the second son of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, a famous statesman. His mother was Frances Aylesbury. He was baptized on March 15, 1642, in St Margaret's, Westminster.

Starting a Career in Politics

In 1660, Laurence joined the Middle Temple, a place where lawyers are trained. However, he did not become a lawyer. After the king returned to power in England (the English Restoration), he became a member of Parliament. He represented Newport, Cornwall, and later the University of Oxford. He served in Parliament from 1660 to 1679.

In 1661, he was sent to France to meet Louis XIV of France. He also held a court job as the Master of the Robes from 1662 to 1675. This role involved managing the king's clothes and personal items.

Key Political Roles

After returning to England, Laurence Hyde joined Parliament again in 1679. He represented Wootton Bassett. In November 1679, he was made First Lord of the Treasury. For a few years, he was a main advisor to King Charles II. Hyde was against the Exclusion Bill. This bill would have stopped James, Duke of York, from becoming king.

Becoming the Earl of Rochester

On November 29, 1682, Laurence Hyde was given important titles. He became the Earl of Rochester, Viscount Hyde of Kenilworth, and Baron Wotton Basset. He was involved in a treaty in 1681 where the French King Louis XIV agreed to pay money to King Charles. At the same time, Hyde secretly asked William, Prince of Orange, to help protect Europe from France.

Changes in Government

Laurence Hyde had a political rival named Lord Halifax. Halifax asked for a review of Hyde's financial management. It was found that a large sum of money, £40,000, had been lost. Because of this, Hyde was removed from his position in August 1684. He was given a new job as Lord President of the Council. This job was more respected but paid less and was less powerful. Lord Halifax joked that he had seen people lose power, but Hyde was the first person he saw "kicked up stairs."

Serving King James II

Even though he was named Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Rochester did not take up this role. He was still Lord President of the Council when James II became king in February 1685. He was quickly appointed to the important job of Lord Treasurer. However, King James and Rochester, despite being related and friends, did not agree on everything.

Religious Differences with the King

King James wanted to have Catholic advisors. Rochester, however, was worried about the king's support for the Catholic faith. In 1686, King James tried to convince Rochester to become Catholic. Their meetings often turned into arguments about the authority of the Church and the worship of religious images.

Rochester met with Catholic religious leaders to show he was open-minded. But he refused to change his faith. The king then agreed to a formal debate between Catholic and Protestant leaders. Rochester chose two Anglican ministers, Simon Patrick and William Jane. The debate happened secretly on November 30 at Whitehall. Rochester defended the Anglican position strongly. At one point, he became angry and asked if he was expected to convert for such small reasons. He then calmed himself, knowing the risks, and asked for time to think. King James realized Rochester would not be convinced.

News of the debate spread, and some church leaders were worried Rochester might have doubted his faith. Rochester asked for another debate, and James agreed. Rochester also let important Catholics know he would do anything they asked (except convert) to keep his job. He told them he would be more helpful as a Protestant. However, on December 17, King James told Rochester that such a high position as Lord Treasurer could not be held by a strong Anglican under a Catholic king. James asked him to reconsider, but Rochester refused. On January 4, 1687, he was dismissed. He still received a good pension and some land.

Supporting Protestant Safeguards

In October 1687, King James asked local leaders to question officials about their support for repealing certain laws. These laws, like the Test Act and penal laws, protected the Protestant religion. As Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Rochester eagerly followed this. But local landowners told him they would not send anyone to Parliament who would vote away these protections for Protestants.

The Glorious Revolution

On November 5, 1688, William, Prince of Orange, landed in England. Rochester was a strong voice for calling a free Parliament and for starting talks with William. King James said he wanted a free Parliament but only after William left England. He claimed that with William present, a free Parliament was impossible. At a meeting of Lords, Rochester defended the idea of a Parliament. He said it was the only hope for the king and the country. He also said that talks should begin with William.

Rochester was against William and Mary becoming king and queen. He wanted a regent (someone to rule for the king) to be set up for the exiled James. But he soon accepted the new rulers. This might have been because he needed to take loyalty oaths to keep his pension. After this, he quickly regained royal favor and became a member of the Privy Council again. He advised Queen Mary on church matters and became a leader of the High Church party. Rochester tried to help settle a disagreement between Princess Anne and the King and Queen, but he had little success.

Later Life and Legacy

From December 1700 to February 1703, Laurence Hyde was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. However, he did not spend much time there. Many people thought he would be a main advisor to his niece, Queen Anne. But this did not happen. They had never been very close, and Anne did not like people trying to boss her around. Rochester often had a bad temper and would get into arguments. After several disagreements, the Queen removed him from office in early 1703.

In his later public life, he mostly supported the interests of the Church. In 1710, he was again made Lord President of the Council. In his final year, he was seen as a wise and calm statesman. He passed away on May 2, 1711. He was buried on May 10, 1711, at Westminster Abbey. His only son, Henry, inherited his titles. When Henry died in 1753 without children, all of Laurence Hyde's titles ended.

Family Life

In 1665, Laurence Hyde married Lady Henrietta Boyle. They had four children:

• Henry Hyde, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1672–1753)
• Anne (died 1685), who married James, Earl of Ossory.
• Mary (died 1709), who married Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Baron Conway.
• Henrietta (c.1677–1730), who married James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith.

Laurence was a loving father. His daughter Anne was his favorite. Her early death in 1685 was very hard for him. Anne and her younger sister Henrietta were known for being witty and charming.

When his father was accused of wrongdoing in 1667, Laurence and his older brother, Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon, defended him in Parliament. Their family was also connected to the royal family. Their sister, Anne, married the future King James II, becoming the Duchess of York.

In 1676, Laurence Hyde was sent as an ambassador to Poland. He then traveled to Vienna and later to Nijmwegen. There, he was one of England's representatives at a peace meeting.

Writing and Influence

Laurence Hyde was educated and had some of his father's writing talent. In his old age, he worked on preparing his father's book, The History of the Rebellion, for publication. He wrote an introduction for it, explaining his political beliefs. The book was dedicated to his niece, Queen Anne. The Queen, who had poor eyesight, was not very happy with it. She felt the introduction could be seen as a criticism of her own policies.

Historian Thomas Macaulay wrote about Rochester in his History of England. He said Rochester was very smart and experienced in politics. However, his quick temper often got in the way of his abilities. He could be proud when things went well and very upset when they didn't. He easily got angry and would say harsh things. He was a strong supporter of the Crown and the Church.

In John Dryden's famous poem, Absalom and Achitophel, Laurence Hyde is shown as "Hushai," a loyal friend.

Images for kids

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  Portrait of Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester