Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon

The Right Honourable The Earl of Clarendon PC
1st Governor of New Jersey in British North America
In office 1701–1708
Monarch	Anne
Lieutenant	Col. Richard Ingoldesby Lieutenant-Governor
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	John, 4th Baron Lovelace
14th colonial Governor of New York
In office 1702–1708
Monarch	Anne
Preceded by	John Nanfan
Succeeded by	John, 4th Baron Lovelace
Personal details
Born	The Hon. Edward Hyde (1661-11-28)28 November 1661 England
Died	31 March 1723(1723-03-31) (aged 61) Chelsea, London, England
Resting place	Westminster Abbey
Political party	Tory
Spouse(s)	Katherine O'Brien, 8th Baroness Clifton
Children	Edward Bligh, 9th Baron Clifton, Catherine, Mary Flora, and Theodosia, 10th Baroness Clifton
Parent(s)	Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon Theodosia Capell
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford
Profession	Diplomat and governor in British North America
Signature

Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon (28 November 1661 – 31 March 1723), styled Viscount Cornbury between 1674 and 1709, was an English aristocrat and politician. Better known by his noble title Lord Cornbury, he was propelled into the forefront of English politics when he and part of his army defected from the Catholic King James II to support the newly arrived Protestant contender, William III of Orange. These actions were part of the beginning of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Cornbury's choice to support his cousin Anne instead of William after the rebellion cost him his military commission. However, Cornbury's support of King William's reign eventually earned him the governorship of the provinces of New York and New Jersey; he served between 1701 and 1708.

As a High Tory governor, his primary mission was to protect the colonies during the War of the Spanish Succession (known in the Americas as Queen Anne's War, or the 2nd French and Indian War; 1701–1714). His administration successfully prevented French incursions into the middle colonies. However, he became mired in the region's many factional conflicts and accrued powerful political enemies such as Lewis Morris, who would go on to become Governor of New Jersey in 1738.

By 1708, war-weariness led to a shift in the political tide in Great Britain. Governor Cornbury was recalled from the colonies but was soon after installed as a member of Queen Anne's privy council. Lord Cornbury's fortunes changed again when George I was crowned King of Great Britain on 1 August 1714. Out of favour, Lord Cornbury died in Chelsea, London on 31 March 1723.

Lord Cornbury's conduct as governor has been generally remembered as scandalous. He was accused by his political enemies of being a cross-dresser, a moral profligate, and wildly corrupt. Few contemporary accounts exist of his conduct; and modern writers disagree as to whether or not Cornbury was actually a cross-dresser, or if Cornbury was possibly transgender.^[1]