PORTLAND, EARL OF, an English title held by the family of Weston from 1633 to 1688, and by the family of Bentinck from 1689 to 1716, when it was merged in that of duke of Portland. Sir Richard Weston (1577-1635), according to Clarendon "a gentleman of very ancient extraction by father and mother," was the son and heir of Sir Jerome Weston (c. 1550-1603) of Skreens, in Roxwell, Essex, his grandfather being Richard Weston (d. 1572), justice of the common pleas. He was lord high treasurer from 1628 until his death on March 13, 1635. He received the earldom in 1633. The title became extinct in 1688. In 1689 it was revived by William III., who bestowed it upon William Bentinck (see below).
Sir Richard Weston must be distinguished from a contemporary and namesake, SIR RICHARD WESTON (c. 1579-1652), baron of the exchequer. Another SIR RICHARD WESTON (c. 1466-1542) was a courtier and a diplomatist under Henry VIII. ; his son was
SIR FRANCIS WESTON (c. 1511-1536), who was beheaded for his alleged adultery with Anne Boleyn. This Sir Richard had a brother, SIR WILLIAM WESTON (d. 1540), who distinguished himself at the defence of Rhodes in 1522, and was afterwards prior of the Knights of St. John in England. A third SIR RICHARD WESTON (1591-1652), was mainly responsible for introducing locks on the Wey and thus making this river navigable.
Much of the earl of Portland's correspondence is in the Public Record Office, London. For his political career see S. R. Gardiner, History of England (1883-84), and L. von Ranke, Englische Geschichte (Eng. trans., Oxford, 1875).