In March 1685, Bertie was returned as Member of Parliament for Oxford on the interest of his brother, now Lord Abingdon. All the candidates were Tories; one of the sitting members, Whigs, had died and the other retired from politics. Bertie topped the poll with 657 votes, the recorder of the borough, Sir George Pudsey received 611, while Sir Edward Norreys, who had represented the county and whose daughter Bertie would soon marry, polled only 53. Abingdon celebrated the event with a splendid celebration for the members of the corporation at his seat in Rycote, from which most returned "drunk and fell off their horses", according to Anthony Wood. He showed more activity in this Parliament, serving on the elections committee and the committee for taking accounts of the commissioners for disbanding the army.