He was educated at a private school in London and entered St. John’s College, Cambridge in 1689.
[1] After serving in Flanders as an army volunteer in the 1693 campaign, Robartes was elected Member of Parliament for Bodmin at a by-election later that year, sitting until 1702.
From 1702 to 1708 he sat for Lostwithiel, returning to sit for Bodmin again from 1708 to 1713.
[2] He was appointed Teller of the Exchequer in 1710, succeeding his relative Francis Robartes, but lost the post in 1714 when he went to live in Paris and failed to return in good time.
Their eldest son, Henry, became the 3rd Earl of Radnor in 1723.