Sir Courtenay Pole, 2nd Baronet

During the Civil War, the family were divided in their loyalties: Sir John supported the Parliamentary cause, whereas both Courtenay and his elder brother William were Cavaliers.

Courtenay was at Exeter when the town surrendered to the Parliamentary forces in April 1646, and paid the usual fine imposed on those who fought for the losing side.

His father held a large estate in County Meath in Ireland, but in the confusion which followed the Irish Rebellion of 1641 his son was unable to recover it.

As a member of the Court party, he thought it better not to contest the 1679 General Election, since the public mood was bitterly hostile to the Government.

Ormonde proved unhelpful, possibly because of Pole's close ties by marriage with the unpopular Robert Shapcote, former Attorney General for Ireland, whose loyalty to the Crown was suspect: when Shapcote was arrested in 1663, on suspicion of being involved in the abortive attempt to seize Dublin Castle, Pole successfully pleaded for his release.