Godolphin was third but eldest surviving son of Sir William Godolphin (1605–1663) of Spargor, Cornwall; the eldest son (by Judith Meredith) of John Godolphin (the younger brother of Sir William Godolphin (1567–1613)—and Ruth (died before 1658), daughter of Sir John Lambe of East Coulston, Wiltshire.[1][2]
Godolphin was baptised 2 February 1634,[3] and was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, gaining the degrees of Master of Arts in 1661 and Doctor of Civil Law in 1663. He became a follower of Lord Arlington,[1] and in 1665 he was elected in a by-election to Parliament as member for Camelford, however as he went to Spain early the next year he probably never took up his seat.[4]
After 1662 he was exchanging letters with the correspondent and widow Martha, Lady Giffard.[5] She had been a widow after her first marriage which only lasted for months. She was a Royalist involved with politics as she travelled with her brother living in Brussels in 1667 and later travelling with him to diplomatic meetings in Amsterdam and The Hague leading up to the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. The treaty was signed in 1668 and she and Godolphin lost interest in writing to each other.[5]
In 1667, he took part in the negotiations under Sandwich which resulted in a commercial treaty with Spain. He was knighted in 1668, and in 1669 was sent as Envoy Extraordinary to Madrid, becoming Ambassador in 1672.[1] However, in 1678 he came under suspicion of having been converted to Catholicism, and was recalled; but rather than return to England, he then openly declared his Catholicism, and retired to Spain for the remaining two decades of his life.[1] Shortly before he died, he made a declaration empowering his spiritual advisers, including the procurator-general of the Jesuits, to make his will after his death; an Act of Parliament was passed in 1697[6][7] to declare this and other posthumous wills invalid and to make his nephew Francis and niece Elizabeth heirs on condition that £1,520 was devoted to charity, a charitable act leading ultimately to the foundation of Godolphin and Latymer School, Hammersmith, London and Godolphin School, Salisbury.[8][9][10][11][12]
Samuel Pepys, who met him in 1668, called Godolphin "a very pretty and able person, a man of very fine parts".[1]
^ abMatthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/55435. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/55435. Retrieved 19 January 2023. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"1697 (9 Will. 3). c. 19 Confirming and establishing the administration of Sir William Godolphin's goods and chattels". legislation.gov.uk. Parliamentary Archives, Houses of Parliament, London. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
^"1697 (9 Will. 3). c. 19 Confirming and establishing the administration of Sir William Godolphin's goods and chattels". textcreationpartnership.org. London: Printed by Charles Bill and the executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceas'd, 1700, and Ann Arbor: Text Creation Partnership. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
^"Schools: Latymer and Godolphin Schools". British History Online. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
^"House of Lords Journal Volume 16: 1 April 1698 Pages 253-254". British History Online. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
^"House of Commons Journal Volume 12: 1 April 1698 Pages 188-189". British History Online. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
^Douglas, A; Ash, R (eds.). "Elizabeth Godolphin's Will". The Godolphin Book 1726 - 1926. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
Referencesedit
Cruickshanks, Eveline (1983). "GODOLPHIN, William (1635-96), of Spargor, St. Mabyn, Cornw.". In Henning, Basil Duke (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690. Secker & Warburg. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
Venning, Timothy (October 2008) [2004]. "Godolphin, Sir William (bap. 1635, d. 1696)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/10883. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
william, godolphin, diplomat, other, people, named, william, godolphin, william, godolphin, disambiguation, william, godolphin, february, 1635, july, 1696, english, diplomat, charles, member, parliament, william, godolphin, peter, lelybiography, editgodolphin,. For other people named William Godolphin see William Godolphin disambiguation Sir William Godolphin 2 February 1635 11 July 1696 was an English diplomat for Charles II and Member of Parliament William Godolphin by Peter LelyBiography editGodolphin was third but eldest surviving son of Sir William Godolphin 1605 1663 of Spargor Cornwall the eldest son by Judith Meredith of John Godolphin the younger brother of Sir William Godolphin 1567 1613 and Ruth died before 1658 daughter of Sir John Lambe of East Coulston Wiltshire 1 2 Godolphin was baptised 2 February 1634 3 and was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church Oxford gaining the degrees of Master of Arts in 1661 and Doctor of Civil Law in 1663 He became a follower of Lord Arlington 1 and in 1665 he was elected in a by election to Parliament as member for Camelford however as he went to Spain early the next year he probably never took up his seat 4 After 1662 he was exchanging letters with the correspondent and widow Martha Lady Giffard 5 She had been a widow after her first marriage which only lasted for months She was a Royalist involved with politics as she travelled with her brother living in Brussels in 1667 and later travelling with him to diplomatic meetings in Amsterdam and The Hague leading up to the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle The treaty was signed in 1668 and she and Godolphin lost interest in writing to each other 5 In 1667 he took part in the negotiations under Sandwich which resulted in a commercial treaty with Spain He was knighted in 1668 and in 1669 was sent as Envoy Extraordinary to Madrid becoming Ambassador in 1672 1 However in 1678 he came under suspicion of having been converted to Catholicism and was recalled but rather than return to England he then openly declared his Catholicism and retired to Spain for the remaining two decades of his life 1 Shortly before he died he made a declaration empowering his spiritual advisers including the procurator general of the Jesuits to make his will after his death an Act of Parliament was passed in 1697 6 7 to declare this and other posthumous wills invalid and to make his nephew Francis and niece Elizabeth heirs on condition that 1 520 was devoted to charity a charitable act leading ultimately to the foundation of Godolphin and Latymer School Hammersmith London and Godolphin School Salisbury 8 9 10 11 12 Samuel Pepys who met him in 1668 called Godolphin a very pretty and able person a man of very fine parts 1 Notes edit nbsp Cornwall portal a b c d e Leslie 1890 p 46 Venning 2008 Leslie 1890 p 46 cites Maclean Trigg Minor ii 522 Cruickshanks 1983 a b Matthew H C G Harrison B eds 23 September 2004 The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford Oxford University Press pp ref odnb 55435 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 55435 Retrieved 19 January 2023 Subscription or UK public library membership required 1697 9 Will 3 c 19 Confirming and establishing the administration of Sir William Godolphin s goods and chattels legislation gov uk Parliamentary Archives Houses of Parliament London Retrieved 15 September 2018 1697 9 Will 3 c 19 Confirming and establishing the administration of Sir William Godolphin s goods and chattels textcreationpartnership org London Printed by Charles Bill and the executrix of Thomas Newcomb deceas d 1700 and Ann Arbor Text Creation Partnership Retrieved 24 February 2024 Leslie 1890 pp 46 47 Schools Latymer and Godolphin Schools British History Online Institute of Historical Research Retrieved 15 September 2018 House of Lords Journal Volume 16 1 April 1698 Pages 253 254 British History Online Institute of Historical Research Retrieved 15 September 2018 House of Commons Journal Volume 12 1 April 1698 Pages 188 189 British History Online Institute of Historical Research Retrieved 15 September 2018 Douglas A Ash R eds Elizabeth Godolphin s Will The Godolphin Book 1726 1926 Retrieved 15 September 2018 References editCruickshanks Eveline 1983 GODOLPHIN William 1635 96 of Spargor St Mabyn Cornw In Henning Basil Duke ed The History of Parliament the House of Commons 1660 1690 Secker amp Warburg Retrieved 8 September 2012 Leslie Stephen 1890 Godolphin William In Stephen Leslie Lee Sidney eds Dictionary of National Biography Vol 22 London Smith Elder amp Co pp 46 47 Venning Timothy October 2008 2004 Godolphin Sir William bap 1635 d 1696 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 10883 Subscription or UK public library membership required Parliament of England Preceded byHon Thomas Coventry Charles Roscarrock Member of Parliament for Camelford1665 1679 With Hon Thomas Coventry Succeeded bySir James Smyth William Harbord nbsp nbsp This article about a 17th century Member of the Parliament of England up to 1707 is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Godolphin diplomat amp oldid 1210028298, wikipedia, 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