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SirJohn Trevor
Engraving of Sir John Trevor
Speaker of the House of Commons
In office 1689–1695
Monarchs	William III and Mary II
Preceded by	Henry Powle
Succeeded by	Paul Foley
In office 1685–1687
Monarch	James II
Preceded by	Sir William Williams
Succeeded by	Henry Powle
Personal details
Born	c. 1637
Died	20 May 1717
Nationality	British
Residence(s)	Brynkinalt, Denbighshire, Wales
Alma mater	Ruthin School
Occupation	Politician and lawyer

Sir John Trevor (c. 1637 – 20 May 1717) was a Welsh lawyer and politician. He was Speaker of the English House of Commons from 1685 to 1687 (the Loyal Parliament) and from 1689 to 1695. Trevor also served as Master of the Rolls from 1685 to 1689 and from 1693 to 1717. His second term as Speaker came to an end due to a bribery allegation; he was expelled from the House of Commons shortly thereafter.

Early life

John Trevor was born around 1637 or 1638, the exact date of his birth being unrecorded. His father, also called John Trevor, was the son of Sir Edward Trevor; his mother was Margaret Jeffreys, daughter of John Jeffreys and aunt of the celebrated judge. The family lived at Brynkinalt in the parish of Chirk in the Welsh county of Denbighshire.

Trevor was educated at Ruthin School, and he started his career as a clerk for his relative Arthur Trevor. From there he worked his way up with the help of the patronage of another relative George Jeffreys until he was appointed a king's counsel by Charles II.

Political and judicial appointments

In 1685 he was appointed to the high offices of Master of the Rolls and Speaker of the House of Commons by James II. Being a Tory and a partisan of James II, the accession of William III saw Trevor deprived of his office. In 1690, however, he once again returned to parliament as Speaker. From 1693, he also once again held the judicial office of Master of the Rolls. Between 1692 and 1695, he represented Newry in the Irish House of Commons.

As Speaker, he was memorable for being severely cross-eyed—the affliction was so confusing to members of the House that they were frequently uncertain as to which of them had "caught the Speaker's eye", and would try to speak out of turn.

Scandal

He was accused of taking bribes from the East India Company and the City of London, and was investigated by a committee chaired by the Commissioner of Accounts, Paul Foley MP. On 7 March 1695, he was found guilty of accepting a bribe of 1,000 guineas from the City of London Corporation to aid the passage of a bill through the house. This was judged to be a "high crime and misdemeanour". Trevor resigned from the Speakership on 14 March, and was expelled from the House of Commons on 16 March. He was not asked to refund the bribe and retained his judicial position until his death at the age of 79 or 80 on 20 May 1717.

Family

Trevor married Jane Mostyn, the daughter of Sir Roger Mostyn. They are known to have had four children: Edward, Arthur, John and Anne. Trevor's wife predeceased him, dying in August 1704.

Notes

1. ^ Jeaffreson, John Cordy (1867). A Book about Lawyers. G.W. Carleton. pp. 106–109.
2. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Trevor, Sir John s.v. Sir John Trevor (1637–1717)" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 257.
3. King, Anthony (19 May 2009). "MPs' expenses: even as a scapegoat, Michael Martin is a failure". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
4. ^ Parris, Matthew (22 October 2011). "Scandals in the House". Independent. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022.
5. "House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 12 March 1695". Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 11, 1963–1967. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. British History Online. 12 March 1695. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
6. "House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 14 March 1695".
7. "House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 16 March 1695". Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 11, 1963–1967. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. British History Online. 16 March 1695. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
8. "17th Century Speaker's downfall". BBC News. BBC. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
9. "Speaker Trevor, 1685-1687 & 1689-1695". Baz Manning. September 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
10. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 3, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 3937

References

v t e Masters of the Rolls
Taylor Cromwell Hales Southwell Beaumont Bowes Hare Cordell Gerard Ellesmere Kinloss Phelips Julius Caesar Digges Charles Caesar Colepeper Lenthall Grimston Churchill Trevor Jekyll Verney Fortescue Strange Clarke Sewell Kenyon Arden Grant Plumer Gifford Lyndhurst Leach Cottenham Langdale Romilly Jessel Brett Lindley Alverstone Smith Collins Cozens-Hardy Swinfen Eady Sterndale Hanworth Wright Greene Evershed Denning Donaldson Bingham Woolf Phillips Clarke Neuberger Dyson Etherton Vos

v t e Speakers of the House of Commons (list)
House of Commons of England	14th century de Shareshull De la Mare Hungerford De la Mare Pickering Guildesborough Waldegrave Pickering Bussy Cheney Doreward Savage Redford Savage 15th century Esturmy Tiptoft Chaucer Stourton Doreward Hungerford Chaucer Redman Beauchamp Flower Hunt Chaucer Baynard Flower Russell Walton Vernon Tyrell Alington I Tyrell Russell Hunt Bowes Tyrell Burley W. Tresham Burley W. Tresham Say Popham I W. Tresham Oldhall Thorpe Charlton Wenlock T. Tresham Green Strangeways Say Alington II Wood Catesby Lovell Mordaunt Fitzwilliam Empson Drury Englefield 16th century Dudley Englefield Sheffield Nevill More Audley Wingfield Rich Hare Moyle Baker Dyer Pollard Broke Higham Cordell Gargrave T. Williams Onslow Wray Bell Popham II Puckering Snagge Coke Yelverton 17th century Croke Phelips R. Crewe Richardson T. Crewe H. Finch J. Finch Glanville Lenthall Pelham Lenthall Rous (Barebones Parliament) Lenthall Widdrington (2nd Protectorate Parliament) Chute, Long & Bampfield (3rd Protectorate Parliament) Lenthall Grimston Turnour Charlton Seymour Sawyer Seymour Gregory W. Williams Trevor Powle Trevor Foley Littleton 18th century Harley Smith
House of Commons of Great Britain	18th century Smith R. Onslow Bromley Hanmer Compton A. Onslow Cust Norton Cornwall Grenville Addington
House of Commons of the United Kingdom	19th century Addington Mitford Abbot Manners-Sutton Abercromby Shaw-Lefevre Denison Brand Peel Gully 20th century Lowther Whitley FitzRoy Brown Morrison Hylton-Foster King Lloyd Thomas Weatherill Boothroyd Martin 21st century Martin Bercow Hoyle

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