John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland

John Manners
Monument of John Manners erected at St Mary the Virgin's Church in Bottesford
Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire
In office
14 February 1667 – 7 July 1677
Personal details
Born 10 June 1604
Died 29 September 1679
St Mary the Virgin's Church, Bottesford
Spouse Frances Montagu
Children 7
Alma mater Queen's College
Arms of Manners: Or, two bars azure a chief quarterly azure and gules in the 1st and 4th quarters two fleurs-de-lis and in the 2nd and 3rd a lion passant guardant all or

John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland (10 June 1604 – 29 September 1679), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641 when he inherited the title Earl of Rutland on the death of his second cousin George Manners, 7th Earl of Rutland.

Origins

He was the eldest son and heir of Sir George Manners (1569–1623) of Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, the eldest son and heir of Sir John Manners (bef.1535–1611), the second son of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland of Belvoir Castle. His mother was Grace Pierrepont, a daughter of Sir Henry Pierrepont, MP, of Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire. The 8th Earl was thus the great-grandson of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland.

Career

He was admitted at Queens' College, Cambridge, in spring 1619 and was awarded MA in 1621. He was admitted at the Inner Temple in November 1621. In 1632, he was High Sheriff of Derbyshire. In April 1640 he was elected a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the Short Parliament. In 1641, he inherited the title Earl of Rutland on the death of his second cousin George Manners, 7th Earl of Rutland. He was a moderate Parliamentarian and took the covenant in 1643. In 1646, he was Chief Justice in Eyre, North of Trent. After the Restoration of the Monarchy he was appointed By King Charles II as Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire on 14 February 1667 and held the post until 7 July 1677.

Marriage and children

Arms of Montagu: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, as visible impaled by Manners on his monument in Bottesford Church

In 1628, he married Frances Montagu, a daughter of Sir Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton, by whom he had one son and six daughters as follows:

In 1677, a legal case before the House of Lords ruled on a legal dispute between the Duke and Scrope Howe over the financial settlement made for Lady Anne and her heirs.

Death and burial

He died aged 75 and was buried in St Mary the Virgin's Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire, where survives his monument. He was succeeded in the earldom by his son John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland.