Jerome Weston, 2nd Earl of Portland (16 December 1605 – 17 March 1663) was an English diplomat and landowner who held the presidency of Munster, Kingdom of Ireland.

Life

He was the second, but the eldest surviving son, of the 1st Earl of Portland, by his second wife Frances Walgrave. He was born at Nayland in Suffolk, England.

Weston was elected to Parliament as member for Gatton on 11 March 1628, but there was a double return. Weston was one of four members returned for two seats, the other three being Sir Samuel Owfield, Sir Charles Howard and Sir Thomas Lake. Weston's election was declared void on 26 March, when Owfield and Howard were instead declared elected. Weston was instead returned for the vacant seat at Lewes, after the previous holder, Sir George Goring, was elevated to the peerage.

In 1632 and 1633, he undertook a diplomatic mission to the courts of France, Savoy, Florence and Venice.[1] He succeeded his father as Earl of Portland in 1635.

Supplementing Portland's estates, in 1663 Charles II granted Coulsdon manor in Surrey, which had no male heir, to "Jerome second Earl of Portland" in consideration of his surrender of the presidency of Munster to the Crown.[2]

Engraving of Frances Stuart, Countess of Portland by Wenceslas Hollar after Anthony van Dyck

Family

Lord Portland married Lady Frances Stuart (19 March 1617 − 13 March 1694), a daughter of the 3rd Duke of Lennox, on 10 June 1632. He was succeeded by their son Charles.

He was a first cousin of Jeremy Clarke, a Governor of Rhode Island in the American Colonies.

References

  1. ↑ Gary M. Bell, A handlist of British diplomatic representatives 1509-1688 (Royal Historical Society, Guides and handbooks, 16, 1990).
  2. ↑ H.E. Malden, ed. (1912). "Parishes: Coulsdon". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 20 October 2013.


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