John Fortescue (Chancellor of the Exchequer)

Sir John Fortescue

Sir John Fortescue of balances (* 1531-1533; † 23. December 1607 ) was an English parliamentarian and owner of various high offices, including that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ). He was elected to the House of Commons eight times .

Origin and early years

John Fortescue was born as the eldest son of Sir Adrian Fortescue, who was executed in 1539 . His mother was Lady Anne Fortescue, previously married to Giles Greville, she married Sir Thomas Parry in 1540 after the death of her second husband . Fortescue received his school and university education in Oxford . By resolution of parliament in 1551, the ostracism ( Bill of Attainder ) pronounced against his father was lifted, a so-called restitution in blood , which allowed him to inherit his property in Oxfordshire . Fortescue was known for his skills in Latin and Greek and gave lessons in these subjects to the then Princess Elisabeth, who later became Queen Elisabeth I , from 1555. An important step in his further career was the appointment of his stepfather Thomas Parry as Comptroller of the Household after Elisabeth's accession to the throne. Probably through this contact as well as the fact that his grandmother was a great-aunt of Anne Boleyn , he received the office of Keeper of the Great Wardrobe in 1559 , which he held for 48 years until his death. Fortescue was married twice, once from 1556 to Cecily Ashfield and after her death with Alice Smythe . From the first marriage he had four sons and two daughters, from the second another daughter.

1560 to 1603

Fortescue was named Ranger of Wychwood Forest from 1560 . For his work as Keeper of the Great Wardrobe he received a house in London, which he used during his stays at court until the end of his life. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1572 for Wallingford . His appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer and simultaneous appointment to the Privy Council took place in 1589. He kept the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer until 1603, it was associated with high income, which Fortescue could still purchase several houses and land. Other properties were also given to him by the queen. Just building Salden House , near Mursley in Buckinghamshire , cost him the then substantial sum of £ 33,000, and it is reported that he employed around 60 to 70 people. Fortescue was involved in a minor affair: his opponent, Arthur Gray, 14th Baron Gray de Wilton , was seizing the right of access to Fortescue's holdings in balances in his capacity as Keeper of Whaddon Chase on the royal stag. The arguments culminated when Fortescue brought the matter up in the Privy Chamber . In response, Gray knocked him off his horse in Temple Bar , causing him to fall into royal disgrace for years. While Fortescue's activities in parliament were minimal, although he was a member of the lower house throughout his life, he served on various commissions. In September 1592 he was promoted to Knight Bachelor . Fortescue avoided, as much as possible, the long arguments between Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury . His position in Essex's attempted coup in February 1601 does not seem to be entirely clear, although he had a relative of his own arrested. In November 1601 he was also appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster , holding three important royal offices at the same time.

Late years

The situation changed for Fortescue with the death of the queen and the accession to the throne of the successor, King James I. The latter withdrew from him the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer, but confirmed him as Keeper of the Great Wardrobe and as Chancellor of Lancashire. Fortescue was still involved in the events of the Buckingham election in 1604 , in which he was initially defeated by Sir Francis Goodwin, but won in a second election. The first choice had been invalidated by a court, which the House of Commons did not accept. In the ensuing arguments with royal participation, a compromise was found that both Fortescue and Goodwin received seats in the House of Commons. Fortescue died without leaving a will on December 23, 1607. She was buried in Mursley Church , Oxfordshire. He was succeeded as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancashire by his half-brother, Sir Thomas Parry .

literature

• George Knottesford Fortescue: John Fortescue (1531? -1607) in Dictionary of National Biography , Volume 20, London 1885-1900, en: Wikisource
• PW Hasler: The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603 , Boydell & Brewer Inc, London 1981 online

Individual evidence

1. ^ William Arthur Shaw: The Knights of England. Volume 2, Sherratt and Hughes, London 1906, p. 89.