Sir Thomas Clifford (MP Totnes, Devon, Comptroller and Treasurer of the Household, Treasury Commissioner)

Wikipedia

Thomas Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh (1 August 1630 - 17 October 1673), English statesman and politician, was created the first Baron Clifford of Chudleigh on April 22, 1672 for his suggestion that the King supply himself with money by stopping, for one year, all payments out of the Exchequer.

He was born in Ugbrooke, the son of Hugh Clifford of Chudleigh, Devon, and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir George Chudleigh, Bt. He was baptised 4 August 1630 at Ugbrooke, and matriculated at Exeter College (Oxford), receiving his B.A. there in 1650.

[edit] Political and Public Life

He became a barrister of the Middle Temple and an MP for Totnes in 1660-1672. He distinguished himself in naval battles, and was knighted. He became Comptroller of the Household in 1666 and a member of the Privy Council. At the end of the Dutch war in 1669 he intrigued against the peace treaty, preferring the French interests. He was one of the five Counsellors who formed the Cabal, though he was probably the least important of them.

He was Lord High Treasurer from 28 November 1672 to June 1673, when, as a Roman Catholic, he found himself unable to comply with the Test Act and resigned.

He died by his own hand (perhaps "strangled with his cravatt upon the bed-tester") a few months after his retirement.

[edit] Family and children

• His father: Hugh Clifford of Chudleigh, Devon and Ugbrooke
• His mother: Mary, daughter of Sir George Chudleigh, 1st Bt Chudleigh of Ashton.
• His aunt: Sabrina Clifford, married Matthew Hals of Kenendon. Their daughter, Anne, married Rev John Tindal and was the mother of Dr Matthew Tindal, the eminent deist and author of Christianity as Old as the Creation.
• He married Elizabeth Martin, who died in 1709. She was the daughter of Richard (William) Martin of Lindridge, Devon.
• They had fifteen children, eight of which were daughters:

1. Elizabeth, born before 1655, died as infant.
2. Elizabeth, born 1655, died 1677, married in 1673 Henry Carew, 2nd Baronet Carew of Haccombe. They had no issue (?).
3. Mary, born 1658, died October 9 1715, married in 1673 Sir Simon Leach of Cadeleigh. They had no issue (?).
4. Amy, born 1661, died (?), married in October 1681 John Courtenay of Molland. They had no issue (?).
5. Anne, born 1662, died 1678.
6. Rhoda, born 1665, died 1689.
7. Isabel Clifford, born between 1665 and 1669, died as infant.
8. Catherine Clifford, born 1670, died 1708.

And their sons were:

1. Thomas, born before 1652, died as infant.
2. Thomas, born before 1652, died as infant.
3. Thomas, born on December 3 1652, died in 1671 in Florence, Italy.
4. George, born between 1653 and 1662, died as infant
5. Hugh, 2nd Baron Clifford of Chudleigh (1663-1730)
6. Simon, born 1666, died ?, acceeded in 1686.
7. Charles, born 1671, baptized on June 24 1671, died on July 4 1691, buried in Ugbrooke.

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Annotations

• N Michael Robinson on Thu 11 Oct 2007, 11:48pm

  Per L&M Companion:-

  1st. Baron Clifford (1630-73). One of the ablest and boldest politicians of his day a strong supporter of royal power and the Catholic interest and a violent enemy of the Dutch. M.P. for Totnes1660, 1661-72; a Privy Counselor from 1666; created baron 1672. The principal offices he held were those of Comptroller, then Treasurer of the Household 1666-72; Treasury Commissioner 1667-72 and Lord Treasurer 1672-3; he was also a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber 1660-73, a Fishery Commissioner from 1664, a sub-commissioner of the Sick and Wounded and a Commissioner for Prizes 1664-7. He served ion the fleet in the Second Dutch War and had a large part in precipitating the war of 1672-4. Pepys remarks more than once on his ability and his astonishing rise to power. He resigned after the Test Act in 1673, being received into the Catholic church at about that time. His death shortly after was said (probably wrongly) to have been suicide.

  also:-
  http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Thomas_Clifford,_1st_baron_Clifford_of_Chudleigh

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Clifford,_1st_Baron_Clifford_of_Chudleigh
  

References in the diary

1664

Oct: 11