William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire

William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire (c. 1590 – 20 June 1628) was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1614 until 1626 when he succeeded to the peerage and sat in the House of Lords.

Cavendish was the second son of William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire, by his first wife Anne Keighley. He was educated by Thomas Hobbes, the philosopher, who lived at Chatsworth as his private tutor for many years. He was knighted at Whitehall in 1609. He was accompanied by Hobbes on the Grand Tour from about 1610, when he visited France and Italy before his coming of age. He was a leader of court society, and an intimate friend of James I, and Hobbes praised his learning in the dedication of his translation of Thucydides.

In 1614, Cavendish was elected Member of Parliament for Derbyshire. He became Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire in 1619. In 1621 he was re-elected MP for Derbyshire. In April 1622 he introduced to audiences with the king Schwarzenburg, ambassador from the Emperor Ferdinand, Valerssio from Venice, and d'Arsennes and Joachimi from the United Provinces. He was re-elected MP for Derbyshire in 1624 and 1625. In 1625 he was present at Charles I's marriage with Henrietta Maria. He was high bailiff of Tutbury in 1626 and was re-elected MP for Derbyshire in 1626, until the death of his father early in 1626 gave him a seat in the House of Lords. In the Lords, he resisted George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham's attempt to find a treasonable meaning on a speech of Sir Dudley Digges (13 May 1626).

Cavendish's spending strained his resources, and he procured a private act of parliament to enable him to sell some of the entailed estates in discharge of his debts in 1628. His London house was in Bishopsgate, on the site afterwards occupied by Devonshire Square.

Cavendish died at his London house, from over-indulgence it was said, at the age of about 35 and was buried in Allhallows Church, Derby.

Cavendish married Christian(a) Bruce, daughter of Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Kinloss,[1] on 10 April 1608. They had three children:

• Anne Cavendish (c. 1611–?), married Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick and had issue.
• William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire (1617–1684)
• Charles Cavendish (1620–1643)

References

• Pearson, John, The Serpent and the Stag, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1983.
• Attribution
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Cavendish, William (1591?–1628)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
• From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cavendish,_2nd_Earl_of_Devonshire
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• 'William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire1
• 'M, #10992, b. 1590, d. 20 June 1628
• Last Edited=9 Mar 2011
• 'William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire was born in 1590.1 He was the son of William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire and Anne Keighley.1 He married Hon. Christian Bruce, daughter of Edward Bruce, 1st Baron Bruce of Kinlosse and Magdalene Clerk, on 10 April 1608.1 He died on 20 June 1628.1
• ' He succeeded to the title of 2nd Earl of Devonshire [E., 1618] on 3 March 1625/26.1 He succeeded to the title of 2nd Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, co. Derby [E., 1605] on 3 March 1625/26.1 He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.3
• 'Children of William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire and Hon. Christian Bruce
  • 1.Lady Anne Cavendish+1 b. c 1611, d. 24 Aug 1638
  • 2.William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire+1 b. 10 Oct 1617, d. 23 Nov 1684
  • 3.Hon. Charles Cavendish1 b. 1620, d. 1643
• Citations
• 1.[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1127. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• From: http://thepeerage.com/p1100.htm#i10992
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• 'William CAVENDISH (2° E. Devonshire)
• 'Born: 1590
• 'Died: 20 Jun 1628, London, Bishopsgate Str.
• 'Buried: Derby, All Saints'
• Father: William CAVENDISH (1° E. Devonshire)
• Mother: Anne KEIGHLEY
• 'Married: Christian BRUCE (b. 28 Dec 1595 - d. 16 Jan 1675, Southampton Buildings) (dau. of Sir Edward Bruce, 1° B. Kinloss, and Magdalene Clerk) 10 Apr 1608, London
• Children:
  • 1. Anne CAVENDISH
  • 2. William CAVENDISH (3° E. Devonshire)
• From: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/CAVENDISH.htm#William CAVENDISH (2° E. Devonshire)
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