He matriculated at New College, Oxford on 9 February 1683, aged 18, and graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Law in 1690 then became a fellow.
However at the first general election of 1701 he allowed himself to be put forward for Oxford University by a group of younger dons.
He withdrew before the poll, but when a vacancy arrived shortly afterwards in March he was re-adopted and stood at the by-election.
At the 1702 English general election, he was selected to stand for Leicester and was returned as Member of Parliament in a contest.
He was returned unopposed for Leicester at the 1713 general election and in 1714 was appointed a Lord of the Admiralty, a post he held only for six months.