MACCLESFIELD, CHARLES GERARD, 1ST EARL OF (c. 1618-1694), of an old Lancashire family, commanded a brigade at Edgehill, and, distinguishing himself at Newbury (1643) and Newark (1644) he was given chief command in Wales. His sever ity made him unpopular and he was removed the following year, but was retained in command of the king's guard during the march from Wales to Oxford, and thence to Hereford and Chester. In 1645 he was created Baron Gerard of Brandon, Suffolk, but soon after was dismissed for his protest against the supersession of Sir R. Willis. After Charles' capitulation at Oxford (1646) he went abroad, where he remained until the Restoration. In 166o he returned at the head of the Life Guards ; his estates were restored and he received a pension. Gerard was created earl of 'Maccles field and Viscount Brandon in 1679, but his relations with Mon mouth led to an order for his arrest in 1684. He escaped abroad, but returned with William III. in 1688 as commander of his body guard. He was made a privy councillor and president of the council of Welsh marches, 1689. He died on Jan. 7, His eldest son, CHARLES, 2nd earl of Macclesfield, (c. 1659– 1701), born in France, was naturalized in England. He was con cerned in the intrigues of Monmouth, and in 1685 was sentenced to death after the Rye House plot, but was pardoned. In 1698 Macclesfield was divorced from his wife Anna, daughter of Sir Richard Mason of Sutton, by act of parliament, the first occa sion on which a divorce was so granted without a previous decree of an ecclesiastical court. The countess was the mother of two
children, known by the name of Savage, whose reputed father was Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers (d. 1712). The poet Richard Savage (q.v.), claimed that he was the younger of these children.
In 1721 the title of earl of Macclesfield was revived in favour of THOMAS PARKER (c. 1666-1732), who became a barrister. In 1710 he took part in the proceedings against Sacheverell, and was appointed lord chief justice, and in 1718 he became lord chancellor. Corruption was alleged and in 1725 he was impeached, found guilty and heavily fined. He died in 1732.
Macclesfield's only son, GEORGE (c. 1697-1764), was celebrated as an astronomer and prominent in introducing the new style of dates (1752). He was president of the Royal Society and died on March 17, 1764.
See Lord Clarendon, History of the Rebellion, edit. by W. D. Macray ; E. B. G. Warburton, Memoirs of Prince Rupert and the Cavaliers (3 vols., 1849) ; State Papers of John Thurloe (7 vols., 1742) J. R. Phillips, Memoirs of the Civil War in Wales and the Marches, 5642-49 (2 vols., 1874) ; and the duke of Manchester, Court and Society from Elizabeth to Anne (2 vols., 1864) . For Lord Chancel lor Macclesfield, see Lord Campbell, Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal (1845-69).