John, Lord Berkeley
Sir John, Lord Berkeley (baptised February 1, 1606/7 - August 28, 1678), fifth and youngest son of Sir Maurice Berkeley, was born in 1607. He commanded the army against the Scots in 1638, and was knighted at Berwick in that year. He bore a conspicuous part in the civil wars that followed, supporting the royal cause; he became Governor of Exeter, and General of the King Charles I’s forces in Devon. He participated in the exile of the royal family, in 1652, and was placed at the head of the Duke of York’s establishment, having the management of all the Duke's receipts and expenditures. On May 19, 1658 he was raised to the Peerage, as Baron Berkeley of Statton, in the county of Somerset. On the restoration he became one of the Privy Council, and towards the close of 1669, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and administered the government for two years. In 1675 he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to Versailles, and died August 28th, 1678. Although holding so many distingnished offices some authorities assert that, at one time, he was ‘‘under a cloud,” in consequence of his being detected in selling of offices, and other corrupt practices. Pepys speaks of him as being esteemed “a fortunate, though a passionate, and but weak man as to policy,” and ‘‘the most hot, fiery man in discourse, without any cause,” he ever saw. The intimate relations existing between Berkeley and King Charles and the Duke of York, as shown in Pepys' illustrative diary, fully account for the granting to him an interest in New Jersey, as well as in Carolina, which he had previously received.
References
New Jersey Archives, First Series. Newark, NJ, 1880-1893., Volume 1, page 25.
Whitehead, William Adee, East Jersey under the proprietary governments. New York, New-Jersey historical society, 1846, page 103.
O'Callaghan, ed., Documents relating to the Colonial history of the State of New York, 1849 - 1851. Volume 2, page 599.
suffering for their crimes upon the same scaffold--the white-haired
and strength of early manhood, Alexander in the bloom of youth. They
failed him, he was afraid to give way in presence of the proud bold
fortitude of a Red Indian at the stake, and in like manner could by
malice, for having been so long kept out of his kingdom. 'It was his
himself to die in a state of Christian forgiveness; nor could any
eternal interests of right and justice.
Thus it was with the whole country; and when the four majestic-
own fair towers of Doune, and one by one bowed their heads on the
and wrath against the King, who could thus turn against his own
at present full peace with England, and set forth on her summons. He
Joan of Navarre, Alice of Salisbury having been summoned to return to
chaplain, gave each other back the rings, and therewith their troth
you, Sir, are beyond what tongue can tell. May He to Whom my first
that fair hand, said, 'The thanks, lady, are mine. Had you been one
light.html">light of the world, but to light me to seek that higher Light that
spirits of my countrymen! Lady, you will permit me to take to myself
to that true Light.'
Such was their parting, when the one went forth to her tasks of
and lordship on behalf of his sister and her husband, and then to
to hearts darkened by many an age of crime and ignorance.
Lived very happy ever after! Yes, we would fain always leave the
when we have linked them with real events, the sense of the veritable
possible in real life without endowing them with the common lot of
.
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