John Reresby
Encyclopedia
Sir John Reresby, 2nd Baronet (14 April 1634 – 12 May 1689) was a 17th-century English politician and diarist.
, Yorkshire
in 1634, the eldest son of Sir John Reresby. His mother, Frances, was daughter of Edmund Yarburgh of Snaith Hall, Yorkshire. Reresby, in his Travels and Memoirs, says that in 1652 he was admitted of Trinity College in Cambridge
, but, as the college refused to allow him the rank and privilege of a nobleman, he did not go into residence, and no entry of his admission exists. In 1646 he had succeeded to the Baronet
age upon the death of his father Sir John Reresby, 1st Baronet
, in 1654 Reresby went abroad, where he became a great friend of Henrietta Maria, the widow of Charles I
, whom he visited in France. The account he wrote of his travels during this period was published in his Memoirs, published forty years after his death; they are invaluable to historians as sidelights on the dramatic times through which he lived. After his return to England, Reresby married Frances, elder daughter of William Browne of York, barrister-at-law, on 9 March 1665. They had five sons and four daughters.
, Reresby returned to England with a letter of recommendation from the queen-mother, and was presented to the king at Whitehall
. He served the office of Sheriff
of Yorkshire in 1667. At a by-election in November 1673 he was returned to parliament for Aldborough
in Yorkshire, together with Robert Benson. He took his seat in the House of Commons on 14 April 1675, his forty-first birthday. In 1678, he spoke in favour of giving an aid to the king, and the following month obtained a commission for raising an independent company of foot, and was appointed governor of Bridlington
. In December following Reresby opposed Danby
's impeachment.
At the general election in February 1679 he was again returned for Aldborough, but was unseated on petition in the following May. In 1680 he drew up the Yorkshire petition of abhorrence, but took care to write it carefully so that no great exceptions could be taken at it. At the general election in February 1681 he was once more elected for Aldborough. In November following he was made a justice of the peace
for Middlesex and Westminster, and in that capacity superintended the proceedings against Thynne's murderers in February 1682.
's recommendation, Reresby was appointed governor of York
in April 1682. He assisted in the plot to obtain the forfeiture
of the city's charter. At the general election after the death of Charles II
, Reresby was elected for the city of York. Reresby took a prominent part in the House of Commons as a supporter of the court.
In November 1685 he voted in favour of obtaining the concurrence of the House of Lords with the address passed by the commons for the dismissal of the Roman Catholic officers and he refused to sign an address of thanks to the king for ‘his late indulgence for liberty of conscience’. Though he promised the king to stand for York at the next general election, Reresby had for some time past been growing lukewarm in the royal cause. On 22 November 1688, York Castle
was seized by Danby and his adherents, who declared for the Prince of Orange
in what would become known as the Glorious Revolution
. Reresby was taken prisoner, but his parole was subsequently accepted, and he was thereupon allowed to retire to Thrybergh. Early in the following year he went up to London, and was presented to William by his old friend Halifax. He died suddenly in 1689, aged 55, and was buried in St. Leonard's Church, Thrybergh, where a monument was erected to his memory.
. Tamworth, the second son, born in 1670. John, the third son, died in 1683; George in 1689. Leonard, the youngest son, born in 1679, succeeded his brother William as the fourth baronet, and died unmarried in 1748, when the baronetcy became extinct.
Early life
Reresby was born at ThryberghThrybergh
Thrybergh is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, from Rotherham. It had a population of 4,327 in 2001...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in 1634, the eldest son of Sir John Reresby. His mother, Frances, was daughter of Edmund Yarburgh of Snaith Hall, Yorkshire. Reresby, in his Travels and Memoirs, says that in 1652 he was admitted of Trinity College in Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, but, as the college refused to allow him the rank and privilege of a nobleman, he did not go into residence, and no entry of his admission exists. In 1646 he had succeeded to the Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
age upon the death of his father Sir John Reresby, 1st Baronet
Travels abroad
After the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, in 1654 Reresby went abroad, where he became a great friend of Henrietta Maria, the widow of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, whom he visited in France. The account he wrote of his travels during this period was published in his Memoirs, published forty years after his death; they are invaluable to historians as sidelights on the dramatic times through which he lived. After his return to England, Reresby married Frances, elder daughter of William Browne of York, barrister-at-law, on 9 March 1665. They had five sons and four daughters.
Election to Parliament
Soon after the RestorationEnglish Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, Reresby returned to England with a letter of recommendation from the queen-mother, and was presented to the king at Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
. He served the office of Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Yorkshire in 1667. At a by-election in November 1673 he was returned to parliament for Aldborough
Aldborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Aldborough was a parliamentary borough located in the West Riding of Yorkshire, abolished in the Great Reform Act of 1832. Aldborough returned two Members of Parliament from 1558 until 1832....
in Yorkshire, together with Robert Benson. He took his seat in the House of Commons on 14 April 1675, his forty-first birthday. In 1678, he spoke in favour of giving an aid to the king, and the following month obtained a commission for raising an independent company of foot, and was appointed governor of Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
. In December following Reresby opposed Danby
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
's impeachment.
At the general election in February 1679 he was again returned for Aldborough, but was unseated on petition in the following May. In 1680 he drew up the Yorkshire petition of abhorrence, but took care to write it carefully so that no great exceptions could be taken at it. At the general election in February 1681 he was once more elected for Aldborough. In November following he was made a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Middlesex and Westminster, and in that capacity superintended the proceedings against Thynne's murderers in February 1682.
The king's man in York
On HalifaxGeorge Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax PC was an English statesman, writer, and politician.-Family and early life, 1633–1667:...
's recommendation, Reresby was appointed governor of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
in April 1682. He assisted in the plot to obtain the forfeiture
Quo warranto
Quo warranto is a prerogative writ requiring the person to whom it is directed to show what authority they have for exercising some right or power they claim to hold.-History:...
of the city's charter. At the general election after the death of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, Reresby was elected for the city of York. Reresby took a prominent part in the House of Commons as a supporter of the court.
In November 1685 he voted in favour of obtaining the concurrence of the House of Lords with the address passed by the commons for the dismissal of the Roman Catholic officers and he refused to sign an address of thanks to the king for ‘his late indulgence for liberty of conscience’. Though he promised the king to stand for York at the next general election, Reresby had for some time past been growing lukewarm in the royal cause. On 22 November 1688, York Castle
York Castle
York Castle in the city of York, England, is a fortified complex comprising, over the last nine centuries, a sequence of castles, prisons, law courts and other buildings on the south side of the River Foss. The now-ruinous keep of the medieval Norman castle is sometimes referred to as Clifford's...
was seized by Danby and his adherents, who declared for the Prince of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in what would become known as the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
. Reresby was taken prisoner, but his parole was subsequently accepted, and he was thereupon allowed to retire to Thrybergh. Early in the following year he went up to London, and was presented to William by his old friend Halifax. He died suddenly in 1689, aged 55, and was buried in St. Leonard's Church, Thrybergh, where a monument was erected to his memory.
Descendants
Reresby's eldest son, William, born in 1668, succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father. After leading a life of extravagance, gambling away his fortune, he sold the family estate to John Savile of Methley in 1705, and died in the Fleet prisonFleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
. Tamworth, the second son, born in 1670. John, the third son, died in 1683; George in 1689. Leonard, the youngest son, born in 1679, succeeded his brother William as the fourth baronet, and died unmarried in 1748, when the baronetcy became extinct.