ARLINGTON, HENRY BENNET, EARL OF (1618-85), English statesman, son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Middlesex, was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. During the civil war he fought for the King, and after the King's execution, joined the Royal Family abroad. At the Restoration he was made keeper of the privy purse (1661), secretary of State (1662), and one of the postmasters-general in 1667. He was raised to the peerage as Baron Arlington in 1663. On the fall of Clar endon (1667), against whom he had intrigued, he became a member of the Cabal ministry, but did not obtain the predomi nant influence which he had expected, and was extremely jealous of Buckingham. Arlington was in charge of foreign affairs, and sought to undo the triple alliance arranged by Sir William Temple at The Hague, between England, Rolland and Sweden, which led to the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle under which Louis XIV. agreed to make no more conquests on the northern frontier of France. In 1670 he and Clifford were the only two ministers to whom Charles confided the terms of the secret Treaty of Dover, con cluded with Louis XIV., and he was largely responsible for the deception practised on the council. For his services Charles gave him an earldom and the Garter.
But Arlington was guided by personal considerations only, and on the appointment of Clifford to the treasurership, which he had always desired, he changed sides, and, in order to please his new allies, disclosed the terms of the Treaty of Dover to the staunch Protestants, Ormonde and Shaftesbury. But he had lost the con fidence of all parties, and on Jan. 15 1674, was impeached by the House of Commons on charges of "popery," corruption and betrayal of his trust. Buckingham accused him of being the chief instigator of the pro-French and anti-Protestant policy, of re sponsibility for the Dutch war, and of embezzlement. The bill of impeachment was rejected, but Arlington resigned office and was appointed lord chamberlain. Although he continued to be employed in one capacity or another his influence was gone. He died on July 28 1685, and was buried at Euston, where he had bought a large estate and had carried out extensive building oper ations. His residence in London was Goring House, on the site of which was built the present Arlington street.
Arlington was a typical statesman of the Restoration, possess ing outwardly an attractive personality, and according to Sir W. Temple "the greatest skill of court and the best turns of art in particular conversation," but thoroughly unscrupulous and self seeking, without a spark of patriotism, faithless even to a bad cause, and regarding public office solely as a means of procuring pleasure and profit. His knowledge of foreign affairs and of for eign languages, gained during his residence abroad, was consider able, but long absence from England had also taught him a cosmopolitan indifference to constitutions and religions, and a careless disregard for English public opinion and the essential interests of the country. According to Clarendon, he "knew no more of the Constitution and laws of England than he did of China, nor had he in truth a care or tenderness for church or State, but believed France was the best pattern in the world." He married Isabella of Beerwaert, daughter of Louis of Nassau, by whom he had one daughter, Isabella, who married Henry, Duke of Grafton, the natural son of Charles II. and Lady Castlemaine.