John Molesworth, 2nd Viscount Molesworth Richard Molesworth, 3rd Viscount Molesworth Hon. Robert Molesworth (I) Hon. William Molesworth Hon. Edward Molesworth Hon. Coote Molesworth (I) Hon. Robert Molesworth (II) Hon. Hamilton Walter Molesworth Hon. Coote Molesworth (II) Hon. Bysse Molesworth Hon. Robert Molesworth (III) Hon. Margaret Molesworth Hon. Mary Molesworth Hon. Letitia Molesworth (I) Hon. Charlotte Molesworth Hon. Letitia Molesworth (II)
Molesworth came from an old Northamptonshire family. He married Hon. Letitia Coote, daughter of Richard Coote, 1st Baron Coote, and Mary St. George. His father Robert (d. 1656) was a Cromwellian who made a fortune in Dublin, largely by provisioning Cromwell's army; Robert Molesworth the younger supported William of Orange and was made William's ambassador to Denmark. In 1695 he became a prominent member of the Privy Council of Ireland. The same year he stood for County Dublin in the Irish House of Commons, a seat he held until 1703. Subsequently, he represented Swords until 1715. In the following year, he was created Viscount Molesworth, of Swords, in the Peerage of Ireland.
Molesworth's An Account of Denmark, as it was in the Year 1692 (1694) was somewhat influential in the burgeoning field of political science in the period. He made a case for comparative political analysis, comparing the political situation of a country to the health of an individual; a disease, he reasoned, can only be diagnosed by comparing it to its instantiation in other people (Thompson, 495).
Robert Molesworth was born on 7 September 1656, four days after the death of his father;[1] his mother Judith Bysse later remarried Sir William Tichborne of Beaulieu. He was probably raised by his mother's family, the Bysses, at Brackenstown, near Swords, County Dublin.
In 1720, Molesworth and his grandson lost a significant investment in the South Sea Bubble. In Parliament, since his colleagues suggested there was no law under which to punish the perpetrators, he called for the Commons to "upon this occasion follow the example of the ancient Romans, who, having no law against parricide, because their legislators supposed no son could be so unnaturally wicked as to embrue his hands in his father's blood, made one to punish so heinous a crime as soon as it was committed; and adjudged the guilty wretch to be thrown alive, sewn up in a sack, into the Tiber". He concluded that he would see the same punishment applied to the directors of the South Sea Company, calling them the parricides of their country.[2]
Familyedit
With his wife Letitia, Molesworth had eleven sons and six daughters:[3][4]
John Molesworth, 2nd Viscount Molesworth of Swords (4 December 1679 – 17 or 18 February 1725/26). Ambassador at the Court of Tuscany and Sardinia in 1710 and 1720. He married Mary, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Middleton Esq. of Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, by whom he had a posthumous daughter Mary, who married Frederick Gore Esq., M.P.
Field Marshal Richard Molesworth, 3rd Viscount Molesworth of Swords (1680/1 – 12 October 1758). Aide-de-Camp to the Duke of Marlborough at the Battle of Ramilles, where he saved the Duke's life. He later became a General and rose to Fieldmarshal.
He married 1stly Jane Lucas and had three daughters:
Elizabeth (wife of James Stewart Esq. of Killymoon)
and Mary and Melosina, who died with their mother in the fire at their London house, 6 May 1763.
Hon. Robert Molesworth I (living in 1688)
Captain The Hon. William Molesworth (born 1688, died 6 March 1770), MP for Philipstown. His son Robert became 6th Viscount Molesworth. Married Anne, eldest daughter of Robert Adair Esq. of Holybrook, County Wicklow.
Major The Hon. Edward Molesworth (born c.1689, died 29 November 1768). Married firstly, in Sept 1718 Catherine Middleton, daughter of Thomas Middleton, with whom he had a son Robert. Edward married as his second wife Mary Renouard and had a son John (d.1791). John's son was the Rev. John Molesworth (d.1877), whose sons included Sir Guildford Lindsey Molesworth (d. 1925) and solicitor John Molesworth (d.1886), the grandfather of Margaret Patricia Molesworth (1904–1985) who is the grandmother of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Another son was the Rev. Rennell Molesworth (died 1906), grandfather of Lady Mogg née Margaret Molesworth (1914-2018).[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Hon. Coote Molesworth I (born c.1689)
Hon. Robert Molesworth II (born c.1692)
Hon. Walter Molesworth (born after 1692, between Robert II and Letitia II, died 1773). He left children.
Hon. Coote Molesworth II M.D. (born 1698, died 9 November 1782)
Hon. Robert Molesworth III (born c.1702, died aged c.10 of smallpox)
Hon. Juliana Molesworth (died unm 1759)
Hon. Margaret Molesworth (1677–1684)
Hon. Mary Molesworth (1682–1716), a celebrated beauty and poet. Married George Monk Esq. of Dublin.
Hon Letitia Molesworth I (living in 1688)
Hon. Charlotte Amelia Molesworth (born c.1691). Married Capt. William Tichborne, younger son of Henry Tichborne, 1st Baron Ferrard who was her cousin on the Bysse side
Hon Letitia Molesworth II (born 7 or 8 March 1697). Married Edward Bolton Esq. of Brazeel, County Dublin
Robert also appears to have had a natural son:
John Phillips of Swords, County Dublin. His son was Molesworth Phillips who sailed with Captain Cook.
Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth's direct descendant is Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, granddaughter of Margaret Patricia Molesworth (1904–1985)
Death and successionedit
The 1st Viscount died in Dublin on 22 May 1725 at the age of sixty-nine and was buried in Swords [citation needed]. His widow, Letitia, died "of a great cold" on St Patrick's Day 1729 and was buried privately in St. Audoen's Church Dublin. Their eldest son, John, succeeded as 2nd Viscount Molesworth in 1725. John, in turn, was succeeded by his younger brother Richard a year later in 1726.
Armsedit
Coat of arms of Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth
Crest
A Dexter Arm embowed in armour proper holding a Cross Crosslet Or
Escutcheon
Gules an Escutcheon Vair within an Orle of eight Cross Crosslets Or
Supporters
Dexter: a Pegasus Argent wings elevated Or; Sinister: a Pegasus wings elevated Gules semée of Cross Crosslets Or
Motto
Vincit Amor Patriae (The love of my country prevails)[12]
Referencesedit
^Hayton, D. W. (2008). "Molesworth, Robert, first Viscount Molesworth". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18901. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Boyer, Abel (1720). The Political State of Great Britain. Vol. 20. London. p. 552.
^William Molesworth, MA (Cantab), MLitt (Dub) (29 March 2013). "Children of the 1st Viscount Molesworth". from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Sir Bernard Burke. (1869). "A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire". 59 Pall Mall, London: Harrison.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^"Good Gentlewoman - Henrietta, Louisa and Elizabeth Molesworth". Wordpress.com - 2 September 2014. from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
^Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage - 2011. Debrett's Peerage Limited, 2011. 2011. ISBN9781870520737. from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2017. ....Cecilia Margaret (Lady Mogg) Church Close Cottage, Watlington, Oxon,.... b 1914; m 1939, Gen Sir Herbert John Mogg, .... Grandchildren of the late Rev. Rennell Francis Wynn Molesworth, son of the .....John (Molesworth).... Lawrence Teesdale... Margaret Patricia Newell... Sophie Helen....
^Mogg, Lady Margaret (7 February 2017). "Watlington was always home". wordpress.com. from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018. I learned to ride a horse age 8 or 9 years old.... went out horseriding together...we had (three) sons....
^"Edward and Sophie". Australian Women's Weekly NZ - 1 October 2016. 1 October 2016. from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018. The problem for those around the Queen's youngest child is that his ... They (the Queen and Sophie, Countess of Wessex) have a shared passion for horses and military history and, despite...
^"Sophie's Brush With Greatness". Manchester Evening - News 22 January 2013. from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018. Rochdale solicitor's firm Molesworth, Bright and Clegg. The firm was set up in 1840 by John Molesworth, one of the vicar's sons and Sophie's great-great grandfather.
^"The Solicitors' Journal and Reporter, Volume 14". Law Newspaper Company, 1870 -. 1870. p. 280. Retrieved 27 August 2018. Mr John Molesworth, solicitor ...has been elected one of the County Coroners for ....
^"Molesworth, Viscount (I, 1716)". Cracroft's Peerage. from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
Sourcesedit
on turtlebunbury.com
Thompson, Martyn P. "A Note on "Reason" and "History" in Late Seventeenth Century Political Thought." Political Theory, Vol. 4, No. 4. (1976), 491–504.
robert, molesworth, viscount, molesworth, robert, molesworth, redirects, here, other, uses, robert, molesworth, disambiguation, september, 1656, 1725, anglo, irish, politician, peer, writer, right, honourableviscount, molesworthpc, member, parliamentfor, count. Robert Molesworth redirects here For other uses see Robert Molesworth disambiguation Robert Molesworth 1st Viscount Molesworth PC Ire 7 September 1656 22 May 1725 was an Anglo Irish politician peer and writer The Right HonourableViscount MolesworthPC Ire Member of Parliamentfor County Dublinwith Edward DeaneIn office 1695 1703Preceded byJohn AllenChambre BrabazonSucceeded byJohn AllenJoseph DeaneMember of Parliamentfor Swordswith James Peppard 1703 1713 Plunket Plunket 1713 1715 In office 1703 1715Preceded byThomas AsheJohn ReadingSucceeded byRichard MolesworthPlunket PlunketMember of Parliamentfor Camelfordwith Ambrose Manaton 1695 1696 Sidney Wortley Montagu 1696 1698 In office 1695 1698Preceded byAmbrose ManatonHenry ManatonSucceeded byHenry ManatonDennys GlynnMember of Parliamentfor Lostwithielwith Russell RobartesIn office 1705 1706Preceded bySir John MolesworthRussell RobartesSucceeded byRussell RobartesJames KendallMember of Parliamentfor East Retfordwith Sir Hardolph WastneysIn office 1706 1707Preceded bySir Willoughby HickmanWilliam LevinzSucceeded byParliament of Great BritainMember of Parliamentfor East Retfordwith Sir Hardolph WastneysIn office 1707 1708Preceded byParliament of EnglandSucceeded byWilliam LevinzThomas WhiteMember of Parliamentfor Mitchellwith Nathaniel BlakistonIn office 1715 1722Preceded bySir Henry BelasyseJohn StathamSucceeded byCharles SelwynJohn HedgesPersonal detailsBorn 1656 09 07 7 September 1656Brackenstown Swords IrelandDied22 May 1725 1725 05 22 aged 68 Dublin IrelandSpouseHon Letitia CooteChildrenJohn Molesworth 2nd Viscount MolesworthRichard Molesworth 3rd Viscount MolesworthHon Robert Molesworth I Hon William MolesworthHon Edward Molesworth Hon Coote Molesworth I Hon Robert Molesworth II Hon Hamilton Walter MolesworthHon Coote Molesworth II Hon Bysse MolesworthHon Robert Molesworth III Hon Margaret MolesworthHon Mary MolesworthHon Letitia Molesworth I Hon Charlotte MolesworthHon Letitia Molesworth II Parent s Robert MolesworthJudith BysseAlma materTrinity College Dublin 1675 B A Molesworth came from an old Northamptonshire family He married Hon Letitia Coote daughter of Richard Coote 1st Baron Coote and Mary St George His father Robert d 1656 was a Cromwellian who made a fortune in Dublin largely by provisioning Cromwell s army Robert Molesworth the younger supported William of Orange and was made William s ambassador to Denmark In 1695 he became a prominent member of the Privy Council of Ireland The same year he stood for County Dublin in the Irish House of Commons a seat he held until 1703 Subsequently he represented Swords until 1715 In the following year he was created Viscount Molesworth of Swords in the Peerage of Ireland Molesworth s An Account of Denmark as it was in the Year 1692 1694 was somewhat influential in the burgeoning field of political science in the period He made a case for comparative political analysis comparing the political situation of a country to the health of an individual a disease he reasoned can only be diagnosed by comparing it to its instantiation in other people Thompson 495 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Family 3 Death and succession 4 Arms 5 References 6 SourcesLife and career editRobert Molesworth was born on 7 September 1656 four days after the death of his father 1 his mother Judith Bysse later remarried Sir William Tichborne of Beaulieu He was probably raised by his mother s family the Bysses at Brackenstown near Swords County Dublin In 1720 Molesworth and his grandson lost a significant investment in the South Sea Bubble In Parliament since his colleagues suggested there was no law under which to punish the perpetrators he called for the Commons to upon this occasion follow the example of the ancient Romans who having no law against parricide because their legislators supposed no son could be so unnaturally wicked as to embrue his hands in his father s blood made one to punish so heinous a crime as soon as it was committed and adjudged the guilty wretch to be thrown alive sewn up in a sack into the Tiber He concluded that he would see the same punishment applied to the directors of the South Sea Company calling them the parricides of their country 2 Family editWith his wife Letitia Molesworth had eleven sons and six daughters 3 4 nbsp Robert Molesworth s direct descendant Sir Guilford Lindsey Molesworth d 1925 John Molesworth 2nd Viscount Molesworth of Swords 4 December 1679 17 or 18 February 1725 26 Ambassador at the Court of Tuscany and Sardinia in 1710 and 1720 He married Mary daughter and co heir of Thomas Middleton Esq of Stansted Mountfitchet Essex by whom he had a posthumous daughter Mary who married Frederick Gore Esq M P Field Marshal Richard Molesworth 3rd Viscount Molesworth of Swords 1680 1 12 October 1758 Aide de Camp to the Duke of Marlborough at the Battle of Ramilles where he saved the Duke s life He later became a General and rose to Fieldmarshal He married 1stly Jane Lucas and had three daughters Mary wife of Robert Rochfort 1st Earl of Belvedere Letitia wife of Lt Colonel James Molesworth Amelia died unm 30 Jan 1758 Richard married 2ndly Mary daughter of Rev William Usher Archdeacon of Clonfert and had a son and six daughters Richard Nassau Molesworth 4th Viscount Henrietta wife of Rt Hon John Staples of Lissan House County Londonderry Their daughter Charlotte married William Lenox Conyngham of Springhill County Londonderry father of Sir William Fitzwilliam Lenox Conyngham Another daughter Frances married Richard Ponsonby Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Louisa wife of William Ponsonby 1st Baron Ponsonby then William Fitzwilliam 4th Earl Fitzwilliam Charlotte Elizabeth wife of James Stewart Esq of Killymoon and Mary and Melosina who died with their mother in the fire at their London house 6 May 1763 Hon Robert Molesworth I living in 1688 Captain The Hon William Molesworth born 1688 died 6 March 1770 MP for Philipstown His son Robert became 6th Viscount Molesworth Married Anne eldest daughter of Robert Adair Esq of Holybrook County Wicklow Major The Hon Edward Molesworth born c 1689 died 29 November 1768 Married firstly in Sept 1718 Catherine Middleton daughter of Thomas Middleton with whom he had a son Robert Edward married as his second wife Mary Renouard and had a son John d 1791 John s son was the Rev John Molesworth d 1877 whose sons included Sir Guildford Lindsey Molesworth d 1925 and solicitor John Molesworth d 1886 the grandfather of Margaret Patricia Molesworth 1904 1985 who is the grandmother of Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh Another son was the Rev Rennell Molesworth died 1906 grandfather of Lady Mogg nee Margaret Molesworth 1914 2018 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hon Coote Molesworth I born c 1689 Hon Robert Molesworth II born c 1692 Hon Walter Molesworth born after 1692 between Robert II and Letitia II died 1773 He left children Hon Coote Molesworth II M D born 1698 died 9 November 1782 Hon Bysse Molesworth born 1700 died 1779 Married 7 Dec 1731 Elizabeth Cole sister of John Cole 1st Baron Mountflorence and widow of Edward Archdall Esq of Castle Archdall County Fermanagh Hon Robert Molesworth III born c 1702 died aged c 10 of smallpox Hon Juliana Molesworth died unm 1759 Hon Margaret Molesworth 1677 1684 Hon Mary Molesworth 1682 1716 a celebrated beauty and poet Married George Monk Esq of Dublin Hon Letitia Molesworth I living in 1688 Hon Charlotte Amelia Molesworth born c 1691 Married Capt William Tichborne younger son of Henry Tichborne 1st Baron Ferrard who was her cousin on the Bysse side Hon Letitia Molesworth II born 7 or 8 March 1697 Married Edward Bolton Esq of Brazeel County Dublin Robert also appears to have had a natural son John Phillips of Swords County Dublin His son was Molesworth Phillips who sailed with Captain Cook nbsp Robert Molesworth 1st Viscount Molesworth s direct descendant is Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh granddaughter of Margaret Patricia Molesworth 1904 1985 Death and succession editThe 1st Viscount died in Dublin on 22 May 1725 at the age of sixty nine and was buried in Swords citation needed His widow Letitia died of a great cold on St Patrick s Day 1729 and was buried privately in St Audoen s Church Dublin Their eldest son John succeeded as 2nd Viscount Molesworth in 1725 John in turn was succeeded by his younger brother Richard a year later in 1726 Arms editCoat of arms of Robert Molesworth 1st Viscount Molesworth nbsp nbsp Crest A Dexter Arm embowed in armour proper holding a Cross Crosslet Or Escutcheon Gules an Escutcheon Vair within an Orle of eight Cross Crosslets Or Supporters Dexter a Pegasus Argent wings elevated Or Sinister a Pegasus wings elevated Gules semee of Cross Crosslets Or Motto Vincit Amor Patriae The love of my country prevails 12 References edit Hayton D W 2008 Molesworth Robert first Viscount Molesworth Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 18901 Subscription or UK public library membership required Boyer Abel 1720 The Political State of Great Britain Vol 20 London p 552 William Molesworth MA Cantab MLitt Dub 29 March 2013 Children of the 1st Viscount Molesworth Archived from the original on 11 August 2020 Retrieved 5 May 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Sir Bernard Burke 1869 A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire 59 Pall Mall London Harrison a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint location link Burke s Peerage Baronetage amp Knightage 107th edition volume 2 2003 pages 2721 2731 Good Gentlewoman Henrietta Louisa and Elizabeth Molesworth Wordpress com 2 September 2014 Archived from the original on 3 September 2017 Retrieved 3 September 2017 Debrett s Peerage and Baronetage 2011 Debrett s Peerage Limited 2011 2011 ISBN 9781870520737 Archived from the original on 27 February 2022 Retrieved 25 August 2017 Cecilia Margaret Lady Mogg Church Close Cottage Watlington Oxon b 1914 m 1939 Gen Sir Herbert John Mogg Grandchildren of the late Rev Rennell Francis Wynn Molesworth son of the John Molesworth Lawrence Teesdale Margaret Patricia Newell Sophie Helen Mogg Lady Margaret 7 February 2017 Watlington was always home wordpress com Archived from the original on 25 August 2018 Retrieved 27 August 2018 I learned to ride a horse age 8 or 9 years old went out horseriding together we had three sons Edward and Sophie Australian Women s Weekly NZ 1 October 2016 1 October 2016 Archived from the original on 26 August 2018 Retrieved 27 August 2018 The problem for those around the Queen s youngest child is that his They the Queen and Sophie Countess of Wessex have a shared passion for horses and military history and despite Sophie s Brush With Greatness Manchester Evening News 22 January 2013 Archived from the original on 26 August 2018 Retrieved 26 August 2018 Rochdale solicitor s firm Molesworth Bright and Clegg The firm was set up in 1840 by John Molesworth one of the vicar s sons and Sophie s great great grandfather The Solicitors Journal and Reporter Volume 14 Law Newspaper Company 1870 1870 p 280 Retrieved 27 August 2018 Mr John Molesworth solicitor has been elected one of the County Coroners for Molesworth Viscount I 1716 Cracroft s Peerage Archived from the original on 20 January 2022 Retrieved 20 January 2022 Sources edit29 Molesworth Street on turtlebunbury com Thompson Martyn P A Note on Reason and History in Late Seventeenth Century Political Thought Political Theory Vol 4 No 4 1976 491 504 Parliament of Ireland Preceded byJohn Allen Chambre Brabazon Member of Parliament for County Dublin1695 1703 With Edward Deane Succeeded byJohn Allen Joseph Deane Preceded byThomas Ashe John Reading Member of Parliament for Swords1703 1715 With James Peppard 1703 1713 Plunket Plunket 1713 1715 Succeeded byRichard Molesworth Plunket Plunket Parliament of England Preceded byAmbrose ManatonHenry Manaton Member of Parliament for Camelford1695 1698 With Ambrose Manaton 1695 1696Sidney Wortley Montagu 1696 1698 Succeeded byHenry ManatonDennys Glynn Preceded bySir John MolesworthRussell Robartes Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel1705 1706 With Russell Robartes Succeeded byRussell RobartesJames Kendall Preceded bySir Willoughby HickmanWilliam Levinz Member of Parliament for East Retford1706 1707 With Sir Hardolph Wastneys Succeeded byParliament of Great Britain Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byParliament of England Member of Parliament for East Retford1707 1708 With Sir Hardolph Wastneys Succeeded byWilliam LevinzThomas White Preceded bySir Henry BelasyseJohn Statham Member of Parliament for Mitchell1715 1722 With Nathaniel Blakiston Succeeded byCharles SelwynJohn Hedges Peerage of Ireland New creation Viscount Molesworth1716 1725 Succeeded byJohn Molesworth Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Molesworth 1st Viscount Molesworth amp oldid 1221110824, 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