The Clarendon ministry was forged out of the royalist camp of Charles II, who was returned to the throne (the English Restoration) in 1660. Two years previously, Lord Hyde (later Earl of Clarendon) had been appointed Lord Chancellor, and in 1660, he was joined by several other powerful statesmen, including the heir presumptive of the English throne, the Duke of York. After the Second Anglo-Dutch War, however, Charles lost confidence in his ministers, and in 1667, five statesmen took cooperative power in the Cabal ministry.
Lord Clarendon was impeached by the House of Commons and forced to flee; the Duke of Albemarle sold his position to George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham; and Sir George Carteret simply left his position, eventually being forced out of the House two years later.
Committee for Foreign Affairs The Privy Council Committee for Foreign Affairs served as the ministry; other significant statesmen not in the committee are listed in the next section. As the name of the ministry would suggest, Lord Clarendon (earlier Lord Hyde) was, in effect, the leader of the government.
OfficeNameTermNotesLord ChancellorEdward Hyde, 1st Baron Hyde1660–1667appointed 1658; created Earl of Clarendon in 1661Lord High TreasurerThomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton1660–1667died before government was dissolvedLord StewardJames Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde1660–1667also Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1662–1668)Master of the HorseGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle1660–1667also Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1660–1662)Southern SecretarySir Edward Nicholas1660–1662appointed 1654Sir Henry Bennet, Bt.1662–1667created Baron Arlington in 1664Northern SecretarySir William Morice1660–1667created a baronet in 1661Secretary to the AdmiraltySir William Coventry1665–1667
Ministers not in committee OfficeNameTermNotesLord Privy SealJohn Robartes, 1st Baron Robartes1661–1667Lord High AdmiralPrince James, Duke of York1660–1667Lord ChamberlainEdward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester1660–1667Secretary of State for ScotlandJohn Maitland, 2nd Earl of Lauderdale1660–1667Chancellor of the ExchequerAnthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley1661–1667Treasurer of the NavySir George Carteret, Bt.1660–1667also Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
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