Col. John Speccot, MP

bap. 19 Apr. 1665, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of John Speccot I. educ. Exeter, Oxf. 1680. m. 9 Apr. 1689, Lady Essex Robartes (d. 30 Apr. 1689), da. of John, 1st Earl of Radnor, s.p. suc. fa. 1678.1

Offices Held

J.p. Cornw. 1685-July 1688, Oct. 1688-96, 1700-d.; stannator of Foymore 1686; commr. for assessment, Cornw. 1689-90, Devon 1690; col. of militia, Cornw. by 1690-6, dep. lt. by 1701-d.2

Biography Speccot, unlike his father, was a strong Churchman. Returned for the family borough of Newport in 1685, still under age, he left no trace on the records of James II’s Parliament, but presumably supported the Government throughout, since he was added to the Cornish bench in December. But he came to oppose the King’s ecclesiastical policy, and was not recommended for retention in 1688. Re-elected in 1689, he voted to agree with the Lords that the throne was not vacant, according to Anthony Rowe, but he was named to no committees and made no recorded speeches. On his wedding day in April, he contracted smallpox and infected his bride, who died three weeks later. He continued to vote with the Tories under William III, refusing to sign the Association in 1696. He died of apoplexy in London on 16 June 1705, the last of the family, and was buried at Egloskerry.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690 Author: Gillian Hampson Notes 1. Vivian, Vis. Devon, 707; Boase and Courtney, Bibl. Cornub. 573, 676. 2. J. Tregoning, Laws of the Stannaries, 57. 3. Gilbert, Paroch. Hist. Cornw. i. 323; H. Horwitz, Parl. Policy and Pols. 338; Luttrell, v. 564

John Speccot, Esq. gave by his last will and testament a thousand pounds for the benefit of a mathematical school in the county of Cornwall, where all children were to be taught gratis ; the master to have the interest of the 1,000/.

From: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/member/sp...

bap. 19 Apr. 1665, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of John Speccot† by Honour, da. of John Eliot† of Port Eliot, Cornw. educ. Exeter, Oxf. 1680. m. 9 Apr. 1689, Lady Essex (d. 1689), da. of John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor, s.p. suc. fa. 1678

Offices Held Stannator Foymore 1686

Biography

Speccot’s support for the Tory line in the Convention led to a ringing endorsement from Bishop Trelawny in an attempt to bolster his interest for knight of the shire in the 1690 election. However, unable to mount a sustained campaign, Speccot fell back again on Newport, a borough near his seat at Penheale. Lord Carmarthen (Sir Thomas Osborne†) classed him as a Tory and probable Court supporter, and in December 1690 was listed among those thought likely to defind Carmarthen from parliamentary attack. In April 1691 Robert Harley* classed him as a Country supporter. On 28 Nov. 1691 he was added to the drafting committee on a bill to encourage the manufacture of saltpetre. His absence from a call of the House on 14 Feb. 1695 resulted in his being summoned into custody, a motion to excuse him being defeated. He was put up as a candidate for knight of the shire in 1695, originally with the intention of challenging Hugh Boscawen I, but in the event was returned with Boscawen unopposed. He was forecast as likely to oppose the government in the division of 31 Jan. 1696 over the proposed council of trade, refused the Association, and in March voted against fixing the price of guineas at 22s. He was apparently absent from the division on Sir John Fenwick’s† attainder on 25 Nov. He was returned for both the county and Saltash at the 1698 election, following which he was classed as a member of the Country party. On 4 Jan. 1699 the Speaker received a letter from Speccot, who was indisposed in the country, stating that he intended to sit for the county. He was still absent, ill, on 7 Mar. when a list was compiled of those Members who had not attended during the current session. Despite ‘extreme illness’ at Christmas 1700, he was returned for the county in January 1701, and also for St. Germans on the interest of his uncle Daniel Eliot*. He again chose to sit for the county. In February he was listed as likely to support the Court over the ‘Great Mortgage’. Probably on account of declining health, he withdrew from parliamentary politics.3

Speccot seems to have retired to London as in July 1704 Harley mentioned having a conversation with him apropos an appointment for William Cary*. He died of apoplexy in London on 16 June 1705 and was buried at St. Anne’s, Soho. His will merely stipulated his burial according to the usage of the Church of England, but on 5 July it was reported that Speccot’s body, which was lying in state at his house in St. James’s, was to be taken to Cornwall on the 9th ‘with great pains and magnificence’ to be buried at Egloskerry with his ancestors. According to contemporaries Speccot was worth some £6,000 p.a., and considerable speculation followed concerning his will. In the event, he left the bulk of his estates to his cousin, John Spark*, rather than to his sister and her children. He also left £1,000 to trustees including Sir Jonathan Trelawny, bishop of Winchester, and to Charles Trelawny* to apply to the use of the public. Eventually, this bequest bore fruit in the mathematical school at East Looe to instruct poor children in the science of navigation.4

See also: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7DZFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA489&lpg=PA489&...

From: http://archive.org/stream/parochialhistory01gilbuoft/parochialhisto...

Mr. John Speccot died in August 1703, without issue, and gave a great deal to charitable uses ; but he devised the bulk of his estate to the heirs of his aunt, and, after many lawsuits and disputes, his first cousin, Thomas Long, came into possession of Penhele. He was Sheriff of Cornwall in 1724, and left one son, John Speccot Long, and three daughters. This gentleman died sine prole. He was the last male heir, and the property went among his sisters.

The arms of Speccot are, on a bend Gules, three mill- rinds pierced Argent. Penhele, or Penhale, is the head of the river.

Of the three sisters of Mr. John Speccot Long, one re- mained single. Another married Mr. Charles Phillipps, of Camelford, eldest son of Mr. John Phillipps, attorney- at-law. This gentleman represented Camelford in Parlia- ment, and was Lieutenant- Colonel of the Cornwall Militia. He survived his wife, and acquired through her a third part of the Long property, which, with all his other pos- sessions, he bequeathed in equal portions to his two bro- thers, Mr. Jonathan Phillipps, a Captain with him in the militia, and the Rev. William Phillipps, Rector of Lante- glos, the parish including Camelford. These two brothers carne to some arrangement with the two sisters, by which this share of Penhale at least reverted to them.

The third sister, Margaret Long, first married Mr. Charles Davie, of the family settled at Orleigh, in Devon- shire. He carried on, however, some business in Bristol, and is said to have been in very bad circumstances. He died after a few years, and in her old age the widow was induced to marry Mr. John Bridlake Herring, a Major in the army, who resorted to all possible methods for extort- ing money from the old lady; one that will scarcely be credited, by terrifying her with supposed apparitions. The three sisters are reputed to have excelled in beauty of per- son, but to have been so utterly neglected in their educa- tion, as scarcely to possess the common acquirement of reading.

The Editor remembers to have seen Penhale and the old lady in 1788. Her appearance, then near eighty, justified the report respecting her youth , and the house seemed to rank among the very finest specimens of ancient buildings in Cornwall, as well for size as for architectural decoration. Near the entrance stood a very curious dial, probably placed there by Mr John Speccot, who founded a mathe- matical school.

M.P. for Newport, 1685-95, and Cornwall, 1695-1701.

Married Essex Robartes at Westminster Abbey, April 9, 1689.

Died testate with a will dated August 19, 1703, which was proved November 7, 1705 [P.C.C. Gee 158].

Originally interred in the vault at St Anne's, Soho, he was reinterred at Egloskerry, July 20, 1705.