He built the square of Covent Garden, with the piazza and St Paul's Church, employing Inigo Jones as his architect.

In 1621 Russell was one of the thirty-three peers who petitioned James I on the prejudice caused to the English peerage by the lavish grant of Irish and Scottish titles of nobility.

In May he was sent down to Devon, ostensibly to assist in refitting the fleet returned from Rochelle, but according to report, on account of his opposition in the House of Lords.

Bedford was one of the three peers implicated in the circulation of Sir Robert Dudley's Proposition for His Majesty s Service (the others being William Seymour, Earl of Hertford, John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare and Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington),[3] was arrested on 5 November 1629, and was brought before the Star-chamber.

In the following September he was among those peers who urged Charles to call a parliament, to make peace with the Scots, and to dismiss his obnoxious ministers;[2]: 259  and was one of the English commissioners appointed to conclude the Treaty of Ripon.

He did not wish to alter the government of the church, was on good terms with Archbishop Laud, and, although convinced of the guilt of Strafford, was anxious to save his life.

He and the other undertakers were to receive 95,000 acres of land, of which 12,000 were to be set apart for the king, and the profits of 40,000 were to serve as a security for keeping up the drainage works.

He spent a large sum of money on this work, and received 43,000 acres (174 km2) of land; but the project involved him in great difficulties.