John Tremayne (1647–1694)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Tremayne SL
(1647–1694) was an English
lawyer and politician. He became a Serjeant-at-Law
and King's Serjeant in 1689, acting as counsel during a number of cases before the House of Lords
. He also represented Tregony
in Parliament between 1690 and 1694.
, Cornwall
, on 16 September 1647, the first son of Colonel Lewis Tremayne (1619–1685) and Mary (1625–1701), daughter and co-heiress of John Carew of Penwarne. In 1680 he married Frances (baptised 1655, died 1683), daughter of William Davie of Sandford, Devon
. They had one son, John, who died young in about 1692.
He succeeded his father to the Heligan estate
in 1685, where in 1692 he rebuilt the house using Heligan bricks in William and Mary
style.
His death is recorded by Narcissus Luttrell
on 20 February 1694, but the exact date is unknown. On 23 February, he was buried in the Temple Church
, London. The estate passed to his younger brother Charles (1650–1695), ancestor of Henry Hawkins Tremayne
(1741–1829), who initiated the creation of the gardens now known as the Lost Gardens of Heligan
.
, and was made a King's Serjeant, representing the Crown in court. His name frequently occurs in cases before the House of Lords
from 1689 to 1693; he was counsel for the Crown against Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston
and others for high treason in January 1691, was engaged for Sir John Germaine
in the action brought against him by Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk
for adultery with Mary, Duchess of Norfolk
, and he acted for the crown on the trial of Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun
for the murder of actor William Mountfort
in January 1693.
He was knighted on 31 October 1689, and in 1690 was returned as Member of Parliament
for the Cornish borough of Tregony
. In June 1692 he was a candidate for the Recorder of London, but was beaten at the poll.
Pleas of the Crown in Matters Criminal and Civil was published in 1723 after being "digested and revised" by John Rice of Furnival's Inn
. An English translation by Thomas Vickers was published in Dublin in 1793.
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...
(1647–1694) was an English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
lawyer and politician. He became a 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...
and King's Serjeant in 1689, acting as counsel during a number of cases before the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He also represented Tregony
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
in Parliament between 1690 and 1694.
Early and family life
Tremayne was baptised in MevagisseyMevagissey
Mevagissey is a village, fishing port and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately five miles south of St Austell....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, on 16 September 1647, the first son of Colonel Lewis Tremayne (1619–1685) and Mary (1625–1701), daughter and co-heiress of John Carew of Penwarne. In 1680 he married Frances (baptised 1655, died 1683), daughter of William Davie of Sandford, Devon
Sandford, Devon
Sandford is a village and civil parish in the District of Mid Devon within Devon, England.It has a community-owned shop and post office, two pubs and a school along with a church and minor football and cricket teams....
. They had one son, John, who died young in about 1692.
He succeeded his father to the Heligan estate
Heligan estate
The Heligan estate was the ancestral home of the Tremayne family, near Mevagissey in Cornwall. The family also held property at Sydenham near Marystow in Devon....
in 1685, where in 1692 he rebuilt the house using Heligan bricks in William and Mary
William and Mary
The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the coregency over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, of King William III & II and Queen Mary II...
style.
His death is recorded by Narcissus Luttrell
Narcissus Luttrell
Narcissus Luttrell was an English historian, diarist, and bibliographer, and briefly Member of Parliament for two different Cornish towns...
on 20 February 1694, but the exact date is unknown. On 23 February, he was buried in the Temple Church
Temple Church
The Temple Church is a late-12th-century church in London located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, built for and by the Knights Templar as their English headquarters. In modern times, two Inns of Court both use the church. It is famous for its effigy tombs and for being a round church...
, London. The estate passed to his younger brother Charles (1650–1695), ancestor of Henry Hawkins Tremayne
Henry Hawkins Tremayne
The Reverend Henry Hawkins Tremayne was a member of a landed family in the English county of Cornwall, and owner of the Heligan estate near Mevagissey, with significant interests in the Cornish tin mining industry...
(1741–1829), who initiated the creation of the gardens now known as the Lost Gardens of Heligan
Lost Gardens of Heligan
The Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey in Cornwall, are one of the most popular botanical gardens in the UK. The style of the gardens is typical of the nineteenth century Gardenesque style, with areas of different character and in different design styles.The gardens were created by members of...
.
Career
After studying law, he was called to the bar in 1673, after entering the Inner Temple in 1666 and transferring to the Middle Temple in 1669. In May 1689 he was called with others to be Serjeant-at-LawSerjeant-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...
, and was made a King's Serjeant, representing the Crown in court. His name frequently occurs in cases before the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
from 1689 to 1693; he was counsel for the Crown against Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston
Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston
Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston PC was an English politician and diplomat. He became a Jacobite conspirator, but his reputation in the Jacobite community suffered when he gave evidence against his co-conspirators in exchange for a pardon.-Origins and education:Graham was born at Netherby,...
and others for high treason in January 1691, was engaged for Sir John Germaine
Sir John Germain, 1st Baronet
Sir John Germain, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and politician.Of Dutch descent, Germain was thought to be an illegitimate half-brother of William III of England. He was created a Baronet, of Westminster, in the Baronetage of England on 25 March 1698...
in the action brought against him by Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk, KG, PC, Earl Marshal was a politician and soldier. He was the son of Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk and Lady Anne Somerset, daughter of Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester and Elizabeth Dormer.He married Mary Mordaunt, the only daughter and heiress of...
for adultery with Mary, Duchess of Norfolk
Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk
Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk and 7th Baroness Mordaunt was a British peeress.Born Lady Mary Mordaunt, she was the only child and heiress of Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough. On 8 August 1677, she married Henry Howard, Earl of Arundel, who later succeeded his father as Duke of Norfolk in...
, and he acted for the crown on the trial of Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun
Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun
Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun was an English politician best known for his frequent participation in duels and his reputation as a rake....
for the murder of actor William Mountfort
William Mountfort
William Mountfort , English actor and dramatic writer, was the son of a Staffordshire gentleman.His first stage appearance was with the Dorset Garden company about 1678, and by 1682 he was taking important parts, usually those of the fine gentleman. Mountfort wrote a number of plays, wholly or in...
in January 1693.
He was knighted on 31 October 1689, and in 1690 was returned as 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,...
for the Cornish borough of Tregony
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
. In June 1692 he was a candidate for the Recorder of London, but was beaten at the poll.
Pleas of the Crown in Matters Criminal and Civil was published in 1723 after being "digested and revised" by John Rice of Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn was an Inn of Chancery which formerly stood on the site of the present Holborn Bars building in Holborn, London, England.-History:...
. An English translation by Thomas Vickers was published in Dublin in 1793.