John Glynne

third Son of Will. Glynne Esq. was born at Glyn-Llyvon in Caernarvanshire, (the antient seat of his Ancestors) bred in the Coll. school at Westminster, went full ripe in Grammar learning to Hart Hall in Mich. term 1621 aged 18 years, where continuing about 3 years, he retired to Lincolns Inn, became Barrister, a Counsellor of note and Bencher. Afterwards he was made Steward of Westminster, Recorder of London, and in 1640 was elected twice a Burgess for Westminster to serve in those two Parliaments called that year. In the last of which, commencing 3. of Nov. he was appointed one of those doughty Champions to bait the most noble and worthy Thomas Earl of Strafford, in order to bring him to the Block; which being done, he shewed himself a great enemy to the Bishops and their function, a zealous Covenantier, a busie man in the Assembly of Divines, (among whom he sometimes sate) and what not to promote his interest and gain wealth. So that being then well known to be an useful member for carrying on the blessed cause, he was made Clerk of the Petty bag in Sir Edw. Wardour’s place, (a known Royalist) esteemed to be then worth 1000 l. per an. and what other places he could not take because of his profession, he got them to be confer’d on his creatures ((a))((a)) See in the Mysterie of the good old Cause, &c. Lond. 1660. oct. p. 11. and kindred. In 1647 he with other Parliament men took a Pique against the Army and would needs have them disbanded: whereupon they impeached him and ten more of high treason on the 16 of June the same year, and forthwith by order of Parliament they were sent Prisoners to the Tower. In January following he was deprived of his Recorders place, but then wheeling about and flattering the Independents, he was made Serjeant at Law in Oct. 1648 and in July following Will. Steel Esq. was elected Recorder in his place, not, as ’tis supposed, without consideration given to Glynne. In the beginning of the year 1655 he was sent into the West (Hen. Rolls Ch. Justice refusing) to arraign that brave and valiant Gent. Col. John Penruddock and others his Associats, taken at South Moulton, (after the rising of the Cavaliers at Salisbury) by Article-breaking Unton Croke. For which good service, (as ’twas then called) and his complying principles to advance the Protectors interest, he was made L. Ch. Justice of the Upper Bench: To which office he was sworn 15 June 1655, by Fiennes and L’isle Commissioners of the Great Seal. The last of which did then make a learned speech, wherein he spoke much in commendation of the good government (as he term’d it) that they then lived under. About that time our Author Glynne was made one of Olivers other House, that is House of Lords, and so long as that Person lived he was much favoured by him. After the restauration of K. Ch. 2. he was made his eldest Serjeant at Law, by the corrupt dealing of the then L. Chancellor; and on the 16. of Novemb. 1660, he by the name of John Glynne of Henley Park in Surrey, &c. received the honour of Knighthood. Under his name are these things following extant.

Divers discourses in the managing of the evidence against Tho. E. of Strafford.—See Joh. Rushworth’s Trial of the said Earl.

Replication in the name of all the Commons of England to the general Answer of Tho. Earl of Strafford, &c. 13 July 1641. Lond. 1641. in 2 sh. and half in qu.

Several Speeches, as (1) Speech at the presenting the Sheriffs of London, in Octob. 1644. (2) Speech to the point of Jus divinum, and the Presbyterian Government. This was spoken for an whole hour together in Nov. 1644, upon the advice of the Ass. of Divines, that the Presbyterian Government was jure divino, &c.

Monarchy asserted to be the best, most ancient, and legal form of Government, in a conference had at Whitehall with Oliver Lord Protector, and a Committee of Parliament, in Apr. 1658, and made good by several arguments. Lond. 1660. oct. besides other things which I have not yet seen. He departed this mortal life in his house situated in Portugal Row in Linc. Inn Fields near London on the 15 of Nov. in sixteen hundred sixty and six,1666. and was buried with great solemnity (being accompanied to his grave by three Heralds of Arms) in his own Vault under the Altar in the chancel of the Church of S. Margaret within the City of Westminster, as I have been informed by his son Sir Will. Glynne of Bisseter alias Burncester in Oxfordshire Baronet, who dying 28 of Aug. 1690, was buried also in the same Vault. See more of Sir Jo. Glynne in Sir Will. Jones in the first Vol. under the year 1640. p. 544. I have seen a book intit. A true accompt given of the proceedings of the right honorable Lord Glyn, the Lord Ch. Justice of England, and the honorable Baron Rog. Hill, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, in their Summer Circuit in the Counties of Berks, Oxon, &c. Lond. 1658. qu. But the Reader must know that this being writ in drolling verse by one that called himself Joh. Lineall, the L. Glynne was so far from having any knowledge of it, or consenting to its writing, that there was great enquiry after the Author to have him punished for his Abuses of, and smart Reflections on, him.