John Comyns
Encyclopedia
Sir John Comyns SL
(c. 1667 – 1 November 1740), of Writtle
in Essex
, was an English judge and Member of Parliament
. He was educated at Felsted
.
Comyns was a member of Lincoln's Inn
, and was called to the bar in 1690. He entered Parliament in 1701 as member for Maldon
, and represented that borough for 17 of the next 26 years. On three separate occasions on which he was returned for Maldon his opponents petitioned against his election, alleging bribery or improper conduct by the bailiff (who was the returning officer
for the borough); but their only success was in 1715 when they also accused him of having refused to take the Qualification Oath, and his election in that case was declared void on those grounds.
He was made serjeant-at-law
in 1705, and was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer and knighted in 1726, a Justice of Common Pleas
in 1736 and Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1738.
His writings included a Digest of English Law, written in law-French but afterwards translated.
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
(c. 1667 – 1 November 1740), of Writtle
Writtle
The village of Writtle lies a mile west of Chelmsford, Essex, England, it has a traditional village green, complete with duck pond and a Norman church; and was once described as: 'one of the loveliest villages in England, with a ravishing variety of ancient cottages'...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, was an English judge and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He was educated at Felsted
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
.
Comyns was a member of Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, and was called to the bar in 1690. He entered Parliament in 1701 as member for Maldon
Maldon (UK Parliament constituency)
Maldon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, and represented that borough for 17 of the next 26 years. On three separate occasions on which he was returned for Maldon his opponents petitioned against his election, alleging bribery or improper conduct by the bailiff (who was the returning officer
Returning Officer
In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.-Australia:In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a State Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office...
for the borough); but their only success was in 1715 when they also accused him of having refused to take the Qualification Oath, and his election in that case was declared void on those grounds.
He was made serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
in 1705, and was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer and knighted in 1726, a Justice of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
in 1736 and Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1738.
His writings included a Digest of English Law, written in law-French but afterwards translated.