John Berkeley, Baron of Stratton

1607-1678

John, first Baron Berkeley of Stratton (1607 1678), was, like Craven, an almost fanatical follower of the Stuarts. During the Civil Wars, when Charles I's queen was expecting a child, her husband placed her at Exeter because it was under Berkeley's command. A skillful politician, he was president of the important Council for Foreign Plantations, making many decisions affecting British possessions in America.