Biography of Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge 1599-1668

On 14th December 1599 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge was born to Maurice Berkeley [aged 23] and Elizabeth Killigrew [aged 20].

In 1613 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 13] educated at Eton College [Map].

On 3rd November 1615 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 15] was educated at Queen's College, Oxford University.

In 1617 [his father] Maurice Berkeley [aged 41] died.

In 1621 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 21] was elected MP Somerset.

In 1623 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 23] was knighted.

In 1624 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 24] was elected MP Bodmin.

In 1625 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 25] was elected MP Heytesbury.

In 1626 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 26] was elected MP Heytesbury.

On 18th April 1626 [his mother] Elizabeth Killigrew [aged 47] died.

Before 1628 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 28] and Penelope Godolphin Viscountess Fitzhardinge were married. They were second cousins.

In 1628 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 28] was elected MP Heytesbury.

Before 15th June 1628 [his son] Maurice Berkeley 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge was born to Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 28] and [his wife] Penelope Godolphin Viscountess Fitzhardinge. On 15th June 1628 Maurice Berkeley 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge was baptised. He married 1st January 1648 Anne Lee Viscountess Fitzhardinge, daughter of Henry Lee 1st Baronet.

On 11th January 1630 [his son] Charles Berkeley 1st Earl Falmouth was born to Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 30] and [his wife] Penelope Godolphin Viscountess Fitzhardinge. He married 1664 Mary Bagot Countess Falmouth and Dorset.

In 1639 [his son] William Berkeley was born to Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 39] and [his wife] Penelope Godolphin Viscountess Fitzhardinge.

On 1st January 1648 [his son] Maurice Berkeley 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 19] and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Lee Viscountess Fitzhardinge [aged 25] were married.

In 1650 [his son] John Berkeley 4th Viscount Fitzhardinge was born to Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 50] and [his wife] Penelope Godolphin Viscountess Fitzhardinge. He married Barbara Villiers Viscountess Fitzhardinge and had issue.

On 19th May 1658 [his brother] John Berkeley 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 56] was created 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton in Cornwall for having been governor to the King James II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 24] in their travels through the Low Countrries. [his future sister-in-law] Christiana Riccard Baroness Berkeley [aged 20] by marriage Baroness Berkeley of Stratton in Cornwall.

In 1664 [his son] Charles Berkeley 1st Earl Falmouth [aged 33] and [his daughter-in-law] Mary Bagot Countess Falmouth and Dorset [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Viscountess Fitzhardinge of Berehaven in Kerry.

Before 1665 [his brother] John Berkeley 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 62] and [his sister-in-law] Christiana Riccard Baroness Berkeley [aged 26] were married. The difference in their ages was 36 years.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st April 1668. Up, and at the office all the morning, at noon dined at home, and thence took Mrs. Turner [aged 45] out and carried her to the King's house, and saw "The Indian Emperour"; and after that done, took Knepp out, and to Kensington; and there walked in the garden, and then supped, and mighty merry, there being also in the house Sir Philip Howard [aged 37], and some company, and had a dear reckoning, but merry, and away, it being quite night, home, and dark, about 9 o'clock or more, and in my coming had the opportunity the first time in my life to be bold with Knepp.., and so left her at home, and so Mrs. Turner and I home to my letters and to bed. Here hear how Sir W. Pen's [aged 46] impeachment was read, and agreed to, in the House this day, and ordered to be engrossed; and he suspended the House¹ Harman [aged 43] set at liberty; and Brouncker [aged 41] put out of the House, and a writ for a new election, and an impeachment ordered to be brought in against him, he being fled!²

Note 1. From sitting as a member pending the impeachment.-B.

Note 2. Sir Charles Berkeley, jun [aged 68]. was chosen in his room. In the sea-fight off Southwold Bay on June 3rd, 1665, the English triumphed over the Dutch, but the very considerable victory was not followed up. During the night, while the Duke of York [aged 34] slept, Henry Brouncker, his groom of the bedchamber, ordered the lieutenant to shorten sail, by which means the progress of the whole fleet was retarded, the Duke of York's being the leading ship. The duke affirmed that he first heard of Brouncker's unjustifiable action in July, and yet he kept the culprit in his service for nearly two years after the offence had come to his knowledge. After Brouncker had been dismissed from the duke's service, the House of Commons ejected him. The whole matter is one of the unsolved difficulties of history. See Lister's "Life of Clarendon", ii., 334 335.

On 12th June 1668 Charles Berkeley 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge [aged 68] died. He was buried at Church of St Mary, Bruton [Map]. His son Maurice [aged 39] succeeded 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge of Berehaven in Kerry. Anne Lee Viscountess Fitzhardinge [aged 45] by marriage Viscountess Fitzhardinge of Berehaven in Kerry.

[his father] Maurice Berkeley and [his mother] Elizabeth Killigrew were married.