30:
482:, who dismissed him as "a profligate rogue without religion or morals, cunning enough but without abilities of any kind". His much-publicized affair with Sarah Earle, the wife of a diplomatic colleague, damaged his professional standing. Sarah appears to have been living with him at the time of his death, and he remembered her in his last
437:
John, on his return from
England, concluded a commercial treaty on 27 December 1703, opening Portugal to the English cloth trade in return for preferential rates of duty on the import of wine. How beneficial the Treaty was to either side, in the long run, has been debated. Possibly its most important
235:
in 1691, to his delight, as he looked forward to a "not too onerous position in an agreeable climate". No doubt also the salary was welcome, as he was paying substantial alimony to his estranged wife. The precise reason for his selection is unclear, but it may have been due to his family's prominence
489:
His speech on
Fenwick's attainder shows him to have been a gifted lawyer, but as a judge, he was not highly regarded in Ireland, although his admirers maintained that he made several necessary reforms to the legal system. Inevitably his reputation suffered from the comparison to his predecessor, the
497:
colleagues, opinion on his abilities varied: James Vernon thought highly of him, but Lord Somers clearly did not, and his friendship with
Sunderland did his reputation no good in the eyes of those (who were probably a majority of the political class) who regarded Sunderland himself as "the subtlest
327:, was heavily involved in these debates, and claimed that on the debates on the Limerick Treaty articles alone he had attended the House 22 times. He was however generally regarded as being singularly unsuccessful in managing Parliament. He clashed with the powerful
387:
He returned to
Portugal as the English envoy and then as full Ambassador, holding this office with some intervals from 1702 until his death. Until 1703 he was permitted to retain the Irish Chancellorship, although he never sat as a judge again, but in that year the
335:, and was severely criticised in England for his handling of the debates. He was required to spend more and more time in England, leading to complaints that he was an absentee Chancellor; Elrington Ball in his history of the Irish judiciary remarked that though he
287:, evidently thought little of Methuen, saying that he knew of "nothing that qualified him for such an office", Sunderland at that time effectively controlled Court patronage, and Methuen was duly appointed. Methuen's crucial support for the Government during the
412:. The Queen, whose long friendship with Sarah was rapidly wearing thin, partly due to Sarah's notoriously bad temper, replied wearily that "I always took it for granted that Mr. Methuen was to have the title Ambassador Extraordinary".
236:
in the business world, as the
English Crown anticipated that the two countries in due course would negotiate a commercial treaty. Tragedy struck the family in 1694 when John's younger son Henry was killed in a brawl with an English
374:
in 1698, left a valuable sketch of the Irish Courts. He described most of the Irish judges as being men of such high reputation that "no one complains of them"; but made a significant exception for
Methuen, who he remarked
204:, of whom three survived into adulthood. The marriage was unhappy, due to John's notorious infidelity, and ended in separation. As a condition of the separation, he was required to pay Mary substantial
430:, and then began lengthy negotiations for an offensive and defensive alliance. Paul in his father's absence ultimately concluded the Treaty on 16 May 1703, a step of great significance in the
165:
in
England, and his wife Grace Ashe, daughter of John Ashe, whose lucrative cloth business was inherited by his son-in-law. The family, whose name was also spelt Methwin or Methwyn, was of
134:
295:—in particular, his eloquent speech refuting the argument that two Crown witnesses were necessary to support a Bill of Attainder, as was unquestionably the case in a trial for
396:, insisted on his dismissal, saying bluntly that "he would not have him". In 1703 he received the title Ambassador Extraordinary, but not without some difficulty. Initially
842:
401:
311:. Methuen's political experience in England and Portugal could not have adequately prepared him for the bitter and faction-ridden world of Irish politics. The
832:
762:
276:
29:
200:, Wiltshire, daughter of Seacole Cheevers and Eleanor Roberts. Her father, like his, was a rich clothier. They had five children, including the diplomat
812:
807:
405:
264:
827:
348:
181:. His father's large fortune was divided between John, his six siblings and their mother; his brother William took over the family business.
837:
822:
397:
260:
220:
320:
393:
251:
which were to be of value later in negotiating the
Methuen Treaty, but was required to return to England on his appointment to the
724:
688:
315:
during his tenure as Lord
Chancellor dealt with issues of security, trade, whether to honour (even in part) the articles of the
817:
494:
458:; his health failed and he died at Lisbon, while still in office, on 2 July 1706. His body was embalmed and he was buried in
577:
431:
356:
292:
280:
779:
409:
272:
344:
216:
652:
The
Treaties of the War of the Spanish Succession: an Historical and Critical Dictionary Greenwood Press 1995 p.290
215:, a post he held for the rest of his life, despite numerous complaints about his inefficiency. He was elected to the
769:
389:
130:
343:
it. Methuen complained that his reputation had been ruined and contemplated resignation, due to his belief that
308:
686:
Barker, George Fisher Russell; Doyle, Thomas (reviser) (21 May 2009) . "Methuen, John (1650–1706), diplomat".
847:
360:
256:
201:
185:
138:
99:
675:
328:
312:
268:
714:
802:
797:
739:
324:
323:, all of which were the subject of intense controversy and heated debate. Methuen, as Speaker of the
248:
483:
316:
212:
39:
459:
193:
363:, who carried the challenge, was arrested, but the King quickly ordered Ingoldsby's release.
693:
174:
154:
57:
332:
284:
166:
479:
421:
252:
162:
142:
791:
259:
remained in Lisbon to act as deputy envoy. John had two powerful friends at Court in
713:
189:
705:
307:
In 1697 Methuen was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland and made a member of the
426:
In 1702 Methuen persuaded the Portuguese Government to break their alliance with
367:
170:
697:
719:
455:
223:
in 1690 and sat for that constituency, with one short break, until his death.
197:
110:
161:, the eldest son of Paul Methuen (died 1667), who was said to be the richest
439:
427:
288:
158:
475:
237:
232:
173:. On his death, John inherited the estate which his father had bought at
81:
466:
1672 – 1757) and his daughter Isabella (died 1711) are buried close by.
478:, Methuen was a controversial figure, who made many enemies, including
296:
205:
178:
578:"METHUEN, John (c.1649-1706), of Bradford and Bishops Cannings, Wilts"
404:, refused it to him, causing him to complain to the royal confidante
371:
241:
77:
442:
trade, and thus it was popularly known as "the Port-Wine Treaty".
279:, they recommended Methuen as Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Although
559:
557:
555:
545:
543:
541:
539:
537:
535:
533:
531:
126:
728:. Vol. 37. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 310–311.
710:
The first edition of this text is available at Wikisource:
451:
352:
347:
had lost confidence in him. He quarrelled with the hot-tempered
601:
Chichester, Henry Manners "Richard Ingoldsby (died 1712)"
129:
and Member of Parliament. He held office simultaneously as
263:, the Under-Secretary of State, and Vernon's great patron
169:
origin: Paul broke with family tradition by not entering
299:—was probably another reason for giving him preferment.
145:, the achievement for which John is chiefly remembered.
188:
but apparently did not take a degree. He entered the
36:
The Rt Hon John Methuen as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
196:in 1674. He married Mary Cheevers (or Chivers), of
106:
95:
87:
64:
51:
46:
20:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
511:
450:Methuen in later life increasingly suffered from
744:Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland 1641-1702
8:
692:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
275:closest political adviser. On the death of
749:
603:Dictionary of National Biography 1885-1900
490:brilliant and popular Sir Charles Porter.
247:John established good relations with King
28:
17:
843:Members of the Privy Council of Ireland
689:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
507:
712:Barker, George Fisher Russell (1894).
265:Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland
231:He was appointed the English envoy to
349:Thomas Fitzmaurice, 1st Earl of Kerry
137:. In the latter role, he and his son
125:(1650–1706) was an English diplomat,
7:
571:
569:
498:villain on the face of the earth".
833:Ambassadors of England to Portugal
760:In commission - Title last held by
474:Despite his undoubted skills as a
438:result was the development of the
339:office he could hardly be said to
14:
394:James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
102:, Henry Methuen, Isabella Methuen
725:Dictionary of National Biography
563:Barker & Doyle 2009, p. 311.
549:Barker & Doyle 2009, p. 310.
355:. The matter became public when
267:, who, though he was not then a
680:The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921
813:18th-century English diplomats
808:17th-century English diplomats
650:Frey, Linda and Frey, Martha
135:English ambassador to Portugal
1:
432:War of the Spanish Succession
828:Burials at Westminster Abbey
706:UK public library membership
582:History of Parliament Online
408:, who in turn complained to
838:Lord chancellors of Ireland
823:Members of the Inner Temple
217:House of Commons of England
864:
770:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
419:
390:Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
351:, who challenged him to a
303:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
131:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
776:
767:
757:
752:
736:. Yale University Press.
116:
27:
377:seems to be out of vogue
361:Lord Justices of Ireland
309:Privy Council of Ireland
732:Gregg, Edward (2001).
682:. London: John Murray.
676:Ball, Francis Elrington
186:St. Edmund Hall, Oxford
75:2 July 1706 (age 55–56)
698:10.1093/ref:odnb/18628
366:The Irish-born writer
818:People from Wiltshire
740:Kenyon, John Philipps
715:"Methuen, John"
269:Minister of the Crown
149:Early life and career
325:Irish House of Lords
60:, Wiltshire, England
359:, later one of the
753:Political offices
746:. Longmans Green.
484:will and testament
402:Secretary of State
383:Return to Portugal
317:Treaty of Limerick
277:Sir Charles Porter
213:Master in Chancery
211:In 1685 he became
40:Adrien Carpentiers
786:
785:
777:Succeeded by
704:(Subscription or
632:Ball 1926, p. 22.
623:Ball 1926, p. 16.
525:Ball 1926, p. 14.
460:Westminster Abbey
357:Richard Ingoldsby
227:Envoy to Portugal
194:called to the Bar
120:
119:
855:
758:Preceded by
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729:
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462:. His son Paul (
345:King William III
313:Irish Parliament
293:Sir John Fenwick
255:, while his son
202:Sir Paul Methuen
175:Bishops Cannings
155:Bradford-on-Avon
100:Sir Paul Methuen
74:
72:
58:Bradford-on-Avon
47:Personal details
32:
18:
863:
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780:Sir Richard Cox
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576:McGrath, Ivar.
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493:Even among his
472:
448:
424:
418:
406:Sarah Churchill
398:Lord Nottingham
385:
333:Bishop of Derry
305:
285:Lord Chancellor
271:, was probably
229:
153:He was born in
151:
141:negotiated the
76:
70:
68:
56:
42:
23:
12:
11:
5:
861:
859:
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848:Methuen family
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763:Charles Porter
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480:Jonathan Swift
471:
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447:
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422:Methuen Treaty
420:Main article:
417:
416:Methuen Treaty
414:
384:
381:
304:
301:
283:, the English
273:King William's
253:Board of Trade
228:
225:
219:as member for
163:cloth merchant
150:
147:
143:Methuen Treaty
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25:
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91:Mary Cheevers
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50:
45:
41:
37:
31:
26:
19:
16:
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743:
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687:
679:
662:Kenyon p.329
658:
651:
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637:
628:
619:
610:
605:Vol. 29 p.11
602:
597:
585:. Retrieved
581:
492:
488:
473:
463:
449:
436:
425:
386:
376:
365:
340:
336:
329:William King
306:
261:James Vernon
246:
230:
210:
190:Inner Temple
184:He attended
183:
152:
123:John Methuen
122:
121:
35:
22:John Methuen
15:
803:1706 deaths
798:1650 births
720:Lee, Sidney
641:Gregg p.175
370:, visiting
368:John Dunton
281:Lord Somers
171:holy orders
792:Categories
774:1697–1703
734:Queen Anne
708:required.)
670:References
587:9 December
470:Reputation
456:rheumatism
446:Last years
410:Queen Anne
321:Penal Laws
319:, and the
198:Quemerford
111:Politician
107:Occupation
71:1706-07-02
440:port wine
428:Louis XIV
289:attainder
159:Wiltshire
742:(1958).
678:(1926).
476:diplomat
249:Pedro II
238:merchant
233:Portugal
192:and was
167:Scottish
96:Children
82:Portugal
722:(ed.).
297:treason
221:Devizes
206:alimony
179:Devizes
177:, near
702:
400:, the
372:Dublin
341:occupy
242:Lisbon
88:Spouse
78:Lisbon
38:", by
718:. In
502:Notes
127:judge
589:2021
495:Whig
454:and
452:gout
353:duel
337:held
257:Paul
139:Paul
133:and
65:Died
55:1650
52:Born
694:doi
291:of
240:in
157:in
794::
580:.
568:^
554:^
530:^
510:^
486:.
464:c.
434:.
392:,
379:.
331:,
244:.
208:.
80:,
700:.
696::
591:.
73:)
69:(
34:"
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