Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford (c.
1527-
1585), was educated at King’s Hall, Cambridge. He accompanied his father to the French war in
1544, and from
1547 to
1552 was member of parliament for
Buckinghamshire, being probably the first heir to a peerage to sit in the
House of Commons. He assisted to quell the rising in
Devonshire in
1549, and after his father had been created Earl of Bedford in January
1550, was known as
Lord Russell, taking his seat in the
House of Lords under this title in
1552. Russell was in sympathy with the reformers, whose opinions he shared, and was in communication with Sir
Thomas Wyatt; and in consequence of his religious attitude was imprisoned during the earlier part of
Mary’s reign. Being released he went into exile; visited Italy; came into touch with foreign reformers; and fought at the Battle of St Quentin in
1557. Afterwards he seems to have enjoyed some measure of the royal favour, and was made lord-lieutenant of the counties of Devon,
Cornwall and
Dorset early in
1558. When
Elizabeth ascended the throne in November 1558 the Earl of Bedford, as Russell had been since
1555, became an active figure in public life. He was made a privy councillor, and was sent on diplomatic errands to
Charles IX of France and
Mary Queen of Scots. From February
1564 to October
1567 he was governor of
Berwick and warden of the east marches of Scotland, in which capacity he conducted various negotiations between Elizabeth and Mary. He appears to have been an efficient warden, but was irritated by the vacillating and tortuous conduct of the English queen. When the northern insurrection broke out in
1569, Bedford was sent into
Wales, and he sat in judgment upon the
Duke of Norfolk in
1572. In
1576 he was president of the council of Wales, and in
1581 was one of the commissioners deputed to arrange a marriage between Elizabeth and
François, Duke of Anjou. Bedford, who was made a
knight of the garter in
1564, was lord warden of the Stannaries from
1553 to
1580. He appears to have been a generous and popular man, and died in
London on
28 July 1585. He was buried at Chenies. His first wife was Margaret (d. 1562), daughter of Sir John St John, by whom he had four sons and three daughters. His three eldest sons predeceased their father. His second wife was Bridget (d. 1601), daughter of John, Lord Hussey. He was succeeded as 3rd earl by his grandson, Edward (
1572—
1627), only son of Francis, Lord Russell (c.
1550—
1585).