Albertus Morton
Encyclopedia
Sir Albertus Morton was an English diplomat and Secretary of State
.
, Kent
, by Mary, daughter of Robert Honywood of Charing
in the same county. His grandmother, when left a widow, remarried Sir Thomas Wotton, and became the mother of Sir Henry Wotton, who always called himself Albertus Morton's uncle. He was educated at Eton College
, and was elected to King's College, Cambridge
, in 1603, apparently by royal influence, but he did not graduate there.
In July 1604 Wotton was appointed ambassador to Venice
, and his nephew accompanied him as secretary. In 1609 Morton returned to England, and August 1613 he was talked of as minister to Savoy
, but he met with a serious carriage accident in the same year, and he did not start until 12 May 1614. Before 22 December of the same year he was appointed clerk to the council
, and had set off on his return from Savoy to take up the duties of his office before 6 April 1615. In April 1616 he went to Heidelberg
as secretary to the Princess Elizabeth
, wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine
. He was knighted on 23 September 1617, and saw little enough of the electress: his brother, writing in October 1618, says that he had returned at that time and was ill, and under the care of an Italian doctor. He may have given up his clerkship while with the electress but on 6 April 1619 he had a formal grant of the office for life. He collected subscriptions for the elector in 1620, and in December of the same year he took over £30,000 to the Protestant princes of Germany. He returned before 12 March in the following year.
He resigned his place in 1623 in a fit of pique, on not being allowed to be present when the Spanish match
was discussed. It was rumoured in April 1624 that he was to succeed Sir Edward Herbert as ambassador to France, and later that he had refused the appointment, which, Dudley Carleton
wrote, was as strange as that it was offered to him. By this time under the patronage of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
, and before 26 July he was formally appointed to Paris. He was injured in November of the same year by a fall from his horse.
Early in 1625 Sir George Calvert gave up the secretaryship of state
for a substantial consideration, and Morton was sworn in at Newmarket in his place. He was elected Member of Parliament for the county of Kent and for the University of Cambridge (he had been seriously proposed for the provostship of King's College) in the parliament of 1625. Buckingham had written to the mayor of Rochester in his favour, and he chose to sit for Kent, but he died in November 1625, and was buried at Southampton
, where he had property. Wotton wrote an elegy upon him. Morton married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward Apsley, but left no issue. His widow died very soon after him, and Wotton wrote an epigram upon her death. Morton was succeeded as secretary by Sir John Coke.
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
.
Life
Born about 1584, he was youngest of the three sons of George Morton of Eshere in ChilhamChilham
Chilham is a parish in the English county of Kent. Visited by tourists worldwide, it is known for its beauty. Chilham has been a location for a number of films and television dramas...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, by Mary, daughter of Robert Honywood of Charing
Charing
Charing is a small village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, in south-east England. The parish population is 2,750 ; it includes the settlement of Charing Heath.It is situated at the foot of the North Downs...
in the same county. His grandmother, when left a widow, remarried Sir Thomas Wotton, and became the mother of Sir Henry Wotton, who always called himself Albertus Morton's uncle. He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and was elected to King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, in 1603, apparently by royal influence, but he did not graduate there.
In July 1604 Wotton was appointed ambassador to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, and his nephew accompanied him as secretary. In 1609 Morton returned to England, and August 1613 he was talked of as minister to Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, but he met with a serious carriage accident in the same year, and he did not start until 12 May 1614. Before 22 December of the same year he was appointed clerk to the council
Clerk of the Privy Council (United Kingdom)
The Clerk of the Privy Council is a civil servant in the government of the United Kingdom. He or she is the most senior civil servant in the Privy Council Office....
, and had set off on his return from Savoy to take up the duties of his office before 6 April 1615. In April 1616 he went to Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
as secretary to the Princess Elizabeth
Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elizabeth of Bohemia was the eldest daughter of King James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Anne of Denmark. As the wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, she was Electress Palatine and briefly Queen of Bohemia...
, wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
. He was knighted on 23 September 1617, and saw little enough of the electress: his brother, writing in October 1618, says that he had returned at that time and was ill, and under the care of an Italian doctor. He may have given up his clerkship while with the electress but on 6 April 1619 he had a formal grant of the office for life. He collected subscriptions for the elector in 1620, and in December of the same year he took over £30,000 to the Protestant princes of Germany. He returned before 12 March in the following year.
He resigned his place in 1623 in a fit of pique, on not being allowed to be present when the Spanish match
Spanish Match
The Spanish Match was a proposed marriage between Prince Charles, the son of King James I of England, and Infanta Maria Anna of Spain, the daughter of Philip III of Spain...
was discussed. It was rumoured in April 1624 that he was to succeed Sir Edward Herbert as ambassador to France, and later that he had refused the appointment, which, Dudley Carleton
Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester
Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester was an English art collector, diplomat and Secretary of State.-Early life:He was the second son of Antony Carleton of Brightwell Baldwin, Oxfordshire, and of Jocosa, daughter of John Goodwin of Winchendon, Buckinghamshire...
wrote, was as strange as that it was offered to him. By this time under the patronage of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
, and before 26 July he was formally appointed to Paris. He was injured in November of the same year by a fall from his horse.
Early in 1625 Sir George Calvert gave up the secretaryship of state
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
for a substantial consideration, and Morton was sworn in at Newmarket in his place. He was elected Member of Parliament for the county of Kent and for the University of Cambridge (he had been seriously proposed for the provostship of King's College) in the parliament of 1625. Buckingham had written to the mayor of Rochester in his favour, and he chose to sit for Kent, but he died in November 1625, and was buried at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, where he had property. Wotton wrote an elegy upon him. Morton married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward Apsley, but left no issue. His widow died very soon after him, and Wotton wrote an epigram upon her death. Morton was succeeded as secretary by Sir John Coke.