Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey PC FRS (8 November 1630 – 8 May 1701), styled Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1642 to 1666, was an English nobleman.

He was the son of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey and Martha Cokayne.[1] He travelled on the Continent, in France and Italy from 1647 to 1652, attending the University of Padua in 1651. In 1654, he married Mary Massingberd,[2] who died in the late 1650s, after bearing him one daughter:[1]

Before 1660, he married again to Elizabeth Wharton (d. 1669), daughter of Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton, by whom he had five children:[1]

He contested Boston in 1661 and was returned to the Cavalier Parliament, in which he sat until he succeeded his father as Earl of Lindsey and Lord Great Chamberlain in 1666.[2] In about 1670, he married a third time, to Lady Elizabeth Pope, daughter of Thomas Pope, 2nd Earl of Downe and widow of Sir Francis Lee, 4th Baronet. By her he had two children:[1][3]

Lindsey had inherited an electoral interest at Stamford, on which his brother Peregrine had been returned since 1665. In a 1677 by-election, Lindsey treated the voters lavishly and secured the election of his candidate against that of the 4th Earl of Exeter, heretofore the predominant interest in the borough. For a brief period, both Peregrine and their younger brother Charles Bertie sat for the borough, but the Exclusion crisis in 1679 temporarily destroyed Lindsey's influence and both were turned out. Lindsey's brothers regained both seats at the 1685 election, but in 1689, he compromised with the 5th Earl of Exeter and each chose one member, Lindsey's brother Charles holding the seat until 1711.[4] In 1694, he put in his younger son Philip at a by-election alongside Charles, but the Exeter interest put up a candidate again in 1698 and Philip did not stand.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Lee, Frederick George (1883). The History, Description and Antiquities of the Prebendal Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Thame, in the County and Diocese of Oxford. London: Mitchell and Hughes. pp. 447–450.
  2. ^ a b Watson, Paula (1983). "BERTIE, Robert I, Lord Willoughby de Eresby (1630-1701).". In Henning, B. D. (ed.). The House of Commons 1660-1690. The History of Parliament Trust.
  3. ^ Collins, Arthur (1741). The Peerage of England. London: W. Strahan, J. F and C. Rivington. p. 379.
  4. ^ Watson, Paula (1983). "Stamford". In Henning, B. D. (ed.). The House of Commons 1660-1690. The History of Parliament Trust.
  5. ^ Watson, Paula (2002). "Stamford". In Hayton, David; Cruickshanks, Eveline; Handley, Stuart (eds.). The House of Commons 1690-1715. The History of Parliament Trust.
Parliament of England Preceded bySir Anthony IrbyThomas Hatcher Member of Parliament for Boston 1661–1666 With: Sir Anthony Irby Succeeded bySir Anthony IrbySir Philip Harcourt Political offices Preceded byThe Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain 1666–1701 Succeeded byThe Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Honorary titles Preceded byThe Earl of Lindsey Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire 1666–1700 Succeeded byLord Willoughby de Eresby Peerage of England Preceded byMontagu Bertie Earl of Lindsey 1666–1701 Succeeded byRobert Bertie Baron Willoughby de Eresby(descended by acceleration) 1666–1690
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