 An admirer of the Countess of Chesterfield, his first cousin, he carried on a romance with her by turning her husband's suspicion on the Duke of York, the future King James II, only to discover that York was courting her as well.He was appointed groom of the bedchamber on 28 October 1664.He was elected to the House of Commons of the Parliament of Ireland for the Constituency of Strabane and sat as Member of Parliament (M.P.)