Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Noel, Baptist (1611-1682)
NOEL, BAPTIST, second Baron Noel of Ridlington, and third Viscount Campden and Baron Hicks of Ilmington (1611–1682), eldest son and heir of Edward Noel, second viscount Campden [q. v.], was baptised at Brooke, Rutland, on 13 Oct. 1611. On Christmas-day 1632 he was married to Lady Anne, second daughter of William Fielding, earl of Denbigh. With her the king gave a portion of some 3,000l., of which Noel shortly lost 2,500l. 'at tennis in one day, as I take it, to my Lord of Carnarvon, Lord Rich, and other gallants' (Court and Times of Charles I, ii. 219).
On 9 Nov. 1635 a warrant was issued to him for keeping his majesty's game within ten miles of Oakham, Rutland (Cal. State Papers, 1635, p. 470). He was elected knight of the shire to both the Short and Long parliaments; but, being a royalist, his association with the latter parliament was brief. He was made captain of a troop of horse and company of foot (1643) in the royal army. On 15 March in the same year he was made colonel of a regiment of horse, and on 24 July 1643 brigadier of foot and brigadier of horse (Doyle, Official Baronage, i. 308). On 22 March 1642-3 Grey suggested to the Earl of Manchester, speaker of the lords, the seizure of the rents of the young Viscount Campden, who had raised a brave troop of horse, and was at Beever Castle (Hist. MSS. Comm. 8th Rep. ii. 59). In June 1643 he plundered Sir William Armyn's house at Osgodby (ib. 7th Rep. p. la). On 19 July 1643 it was reported that ' Lord Camden intends to set before Peterborough, and hath a far greater force come into Stamford [which is] fortifying there ' (ib. 7th Rep. p. 555a). At the same time Campden House, Gloucestershire, which had been erected not long before by the first Viscount Campden at a cost of 30,000l., was burnt down (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1644-5, passim; Clarendon, Rebellion, ix. 32; Walker, Hist. Discourses, p. 126; Gardiner, Civil War, ii. 210). In 1645 Campden was a prisoner in London. In August 1646 he had been released on recognizances (see Lords' 1 Journals, vii. 460, 477; Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. p. 130); and in September he obtained a pass to visit Rutland.
On 14 June 1644 he was assessed by the committee for the advance of moneys for his 'twentieth' at 4,000l. On 19 May 1648, after a long negotiation, his assessment was discharged on payment of 100l., he being greatly indebted (Cal. of Committee for Advance of Money). The sequestration of his estates was ordered on 24 Aug. 1644 (Commons' Journals, vol. iii.) On 9 July 1646 his fine for delinquency was set at 19,558/. After sundry petitions (see Lords' Journals, viii. 457; Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. p. 130), this was on 22 Dec. 1646 reduced to 14,000l., and on 25 Oct. 1647 to 11,078l. 17s. On 1 Nov. 1647, after he had paid a moiety of this sum and had entered into possession of his estates, his fine was reduced to 9,000l. A long poem among the Earl of Westmorland's manuscripts is entitled 'A Pepper Corn, or small rent sente to my Lord Campden for ye loan of his house at Kensington, 9 Feb. 1651.' In 1651 Campden was again in trouble for some charge laid against him before the committee for examinations (State Papers, Dom.; Council Book, i. 88, p. 68, 5 Feb. 1651). On 8 March he was dismissed on entering into a bond of 10,000l. for himself, and in sureties of 5,000/. each, not to do anything to the prejudice of the Commonwealth and the government, and to appear before the council upon summons (ib.)
On the Restoration he was made captain of a troop of horse, lord-lieutenant of Rutland (9 Aug. 1660), and justice of the peace in 1661 (Doyle; Hist. MSS. Comm. 5th Rep. p. 403). He thenceforth devoted himself to local affairs.
Noel died at Exton on 29 Oct. 1682, and was buried on the north side of the church there. The noble monument to his memory is by Grinling Gibbons (Walpole, Anecd. of Painting, iii. 121). He was married four times. His first wife died on 24 March 1636, and was buried at Campden (register at Campden and monument at Exton). By her he had three children, all of whom died young. By his second wife, Anne, widow of Edward Bourchier, earl of Bath, and daughter of Sir Robert Lord of Liscombe in Bucks, he left no issue. His third wife, Hester, daughter and coheiress of Thomas Watton, lord Watton, was buried at Exton on 17 Dec. 1649, leaving, with four daughters, two sons – (1) Edward, first earl of Gainsborough, on whom his father settled 8,000l. a year when he married, in 1662, Elizabeth Wriothesley, daughter of the Earl of Southampton, lord-treasurer; (2) Henry Noel of North Luffenham. Campden's fourth wife, Elizabeth Bertie, daughter of Montague Bertie, earl of Lindsay, lord great chamberlain, survived her husband, and was buried at Exton on 16 Aug. 1683. By her he had nine children, among them Catharine, who married John, earl of Rutland; and Baptist Noel, ancestor to the later Earl of Gainsborough.
[For authorities see under Noel, Sir Andrew, and text. In Wright's Rutland there is a view of Exton House, and in Hall's Market Harborough there is a sketch of Brooke Hall.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.207
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 88 | ii | 8-7 f.e. | Noel, Baptist, 3rd Viscount Campden: for Thomas Watton, lord Watton, read Thomas Wotton, lord Wotton, |