John Comyns

Who was John Comyns?

Sir John Comyns SL, of Writtle in Essex, was an English judge and Member of Parliament. He was educated at Felsted and Queens' College, Cambridge.

Comyns was a member of Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the bar in 1690. He entered Parliament in 1701 as member for Maldon, and represented that borough for 17 of the next 26 years. On three separate occasions on which he was returned for Maldon his opponents petitioned against his election, alleging bribery or improper conduct by the bailiff; but their only success was in 1715 when they also accused him of having refused to take the Qualification Oath, and his election in that case was declared void on those grounds.

He was made serjeant-at-law in 1705, and was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer and knighted in 1726, a Justice of Common Pleas in 1736 and Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1738.