John Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton
Encyclopedia
John Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton (1595 – 28 March 1641) was an English politician.
He was the eldest son of Sir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet, and was educated at Exeter College, Oxford
, graduating in 1608, and joining the Middle Temple
. In the Parliaments of 1624-5 and 1625, he sat as MP for the Cornish
borough of Grampound
; he was a follower of the Duke of Buckingham
, and it was probably through Buckingham's influence that he was appointed Vice-Warden of the Stannaries in 1620. During 1626 and 1627 he was a member of a number of several commissions in the South-West, including one which inquired into the conduct of Sir John Eliot
as Vice Admiral of Devon.
At the election for the Parliament of 1628, Buckingham and his agent in the South-West, Sir James Bagg, were anxious to prevent Eliot and another of the most effective opponents of the Crown, William Coryton
, from being elected Members for Cornwall
. They chose Mohun as one of their alternative candidates, but the campaign was unsuccessful. Further, the campaigning was so extreme by the standards of the time that a Commons committee was set up to investigate, and Mohun was summoned to appear at the Bar of the House. However, Bagg had been trying for months to persuade the King
to raise Mohun to the peerage, and his efforts now bore fruit (which not only demonstrated the King's endorsement of the efforts of his supporters in the election, but also put Mohun outside the immediate jurisdiction of the Commons as they could not arrest a member of the House of Lords). Mohun was created Baron Mohun of Okehampton on 15 April 1628.
Mohun's elevation to the peerage, however, could not entirely protect him from the efforts of his enemy, Sir John Eliot. Eliot succeeded in having a committee appointed to investigate Mohun's record as vice-warden of the Stannaries: the committee brought formal charges against him and a conference of the Lords and Commons convened to hear them. But the death of Eliot's wife intervened, and with its chief mover otherwise preoccupied the matter was allowed to drop.
But Mohun's disposition ensured further disputes. In 1633, he publicly quarrelled with another peer at the christening of the Duke of York
. In 1634 he fell out with his former ally Bagg, and charged him in the Star Chamber of cheating the King out of £20,000. The case rumbled on for some years before the King was able to suppress it and fine Mohun for "undue inquiries into his majesty's debts".
Mohun married Cordelia Aston, daughter of Sir John Stanhope
and widow of Sir Roger Aston. He succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death in 1639, and the two titles both passed to his second but oldest surviving son, Warwick
. (They remained merged until they both became extinct on the death of the 4th Baron on 15 November 1712.) Lord Mohun died in 1641.
He was the eldest son of Sir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet, and was educated at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, graduating in 1608, and joining the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
. In the Parliaments of 1624-5 and 1625, he sat as MP for the Cornish
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...
borough of Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
; he was a follower of the Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
, and it was probably through Buckingham's influence that he was appointed Vice-Warden of the Stannaries in 1620. During 1626 and 1627 he was a member of a number of several commissions in the South-West, including one which inquired into the conduct of Sir John Eliot
John Eliot (statesman)
Sir John Eliot was an English statesman who was serially imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he eventually died, by King Charles I for advocating the rights and privileges of Parliament.-Family and early life:...
as Vice Admiral of Devon.
At the election for the Parliament of 1628, Buckingham and his agent in the South-West, Sir James Bagg, were anxious to prevent Eliot and another of the most effective opponents of the Crown, William Coryton
William Coryton
William Coryton was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1641. He was expelled from parliament for falsyfying returns....
, from being elected Members for Cornwall
Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
Cornwall is a former county constituency covering the county of Cornwall, in the South West of England. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
. They chose Mohun as one of their alternative candidates, but the campaign was unsuccessful. Further, the campaigning was so extreme by the standards of the time that a Commons committee was set up to investigate, and Mohun was summoned to appear at the Bar of the House. However, Bagg had been trying for months to persuade the King
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
to raise Mohun to the peerage, and his efforts now bore fruit (which not only demonstrated the King's endorsement of the efforts of his supporters in the election, but also put Mohun outside the immediate jurisdiction of the Commons as they could not arrest a member of the House of Lords). Mohun was created Baron Mohun of Okehampton on 15 April 1628.
Mohun's elevation to the peerage, however, could not entirely protect him from the efforts of his enemy, Sir John Eliot. Eliot succeeded in having a committee appointed to investigate Mohun's record as vice-warden of the Stannaries: the committee brought formal charges against him and a conference of the Lords and Commons convened to hear them. But the death of Eliot's wife intervened, and with its chief mover otherwise preoccupied the matter was allowed to drop.
But Mohun's disposition ensured further disputes. In 1633, he publicly quarrelled with another peer at the christening of the Duke of York
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. In 1634 he fell out with his former ally Bagg, and charged him in the Star Chamber of cheating the King out of £20,000. The case rumbled on for some years before the King was able to suppress it and fine Mohun for "undue inquiries into his majesty's debts".
Mohun married Cordelia Aston, daughter of Sir John Stanhope
Sir John Stanhope
Sir John Stanhope was an English knight and landowner and father of the 1st Earl of Chesterfield.He was appointed Postmaster General to Queen Elizabeth on 20 June 1590....
and widow of Sir Roger Aston. He succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death in 1639, and the two titles both passed to his second but oldest surviving son, Warwick
Warwick Mohun, 2nd Baron Mohun of Okehampton
Warwick Mohun, 2nd Baron Mohun of Okehampton was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640 until he inherited his peerage and sat in the House of Lords....
. (They remained merged until they both became extinct on the death of the 4th Baron on 15 November 1712.) Lord Mohun died in 1641.