Edward Hyde (first earl of Clarendon) was an English statesman and historian. He was born in 1609 at Dinton, Wiltshire and died in 1674. After studying at Oxford and at the Middle Temple he married, in 1629, the daughter of Sir George Ayliffe, and, in 1632, Frances, daughter of Sir Thomas Aylesbury. He entered the Short Parliament in 1640 as member for Wootton-Basset, and was again returned to the Long Parliament in November, 1640 by the borough of Saltash, at first acting with the more moderate of the popular party, but gradually separating himself from the democratic movement until, by the autumn of 1641, he was recognized as the real leader of the king's party in the house.He supported the King's authority, but opposed violence and assisted in the impeachment of Stafford in 1641.
In 1642 he became the King's adviser with Colepepper and Falkland. Upon the outbreak of the English Civil War he joined the king at York, was knighted, made privy-councillor, and appointed chancellor of the exchequer. After vainly attempting to bring about a reconciliation between the contending parties he accompanied Prince Charles to Jersey, where he began his History of the Rebellion, and wrote answers in the king's name to the manifestoes of the parliament.
In September, 1649, he rejoined Charles at the Hague, and was sent by him on an embassy to Madrid. Soon after his return he resumed the business of the exiledcourt, first at Paris, and afterwards at the Hague, where, in 1657, Charles II appointed him lord-chancellor. After Oliver Cromwell's death he contributed more than any other man to promote the Restoration, when he was placed at the head of the English administration.
In 1660 he was elected Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and in 1661 was created BaronHyde, Viscount Cornbury, and Earl of Clarendon. The marriage of the Duke of York with his daughter, Anne Hyde, confirmed for a time his power, but in 1663 LordBristol made an unsuccessful attempt to impeach him, his influence with the king declined, and his station as primeminister made the nation regard him as answerable for the ill success of the war against Holland, the sale of Dunkirk, etc.
The king's displeasure deepened when his plan of repudiating his wife and marrying the beautiful Lady Stuart was defeated by Edward Hyde, who effected a marriage between this lady and the Duke of Richmond. The king deprived him of his offices, an impeachment for high treason was commenced against him, and he was compelled to seek refuge in Calais. He lived six years at Montpellier, Moulins, and Rouen, where he died in 1674. His remains were afterwards removed to Westminster Abbey.
During his second exile he completed his History of the Rebellion in autobiographical form, wrote a biographical Continuation in defence of his administration, and sought to vindicate Lord Ormonde by a History of the Rebellion in Ireland. Research Edward Hyde
Winthrop Mackworth Praed was an English poet. He was born in 1802 and died in 1839. He was educated at Eton where in 1820 he became one of the principal contributors to a magazine published there called The Etonian. from Eton he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained for two years in succession the chancellor's prize for an English poem. In 1829 he was called to the bar, and in 1830 and 1831 was returned for St Germans to parliament, where he took a prominent part in opposing the passing of the reform bill. He sat subsequently as member for Yarmouth, and afterwards Aylesbury. Research Winthrop Praed
Abbreviations
Research Aylesbury
