Francis Scobell

Francis Scobell (1664 – 20 September 1740) was an English Tory politician.

He sat as MP for Mitchell from 1690 till 1695, Grampound from 16 January 1699 till 1708, St. Germans from 1708 till 1710, Launceston from 1710 till 1713, and St. Mawes from 1713 till 1715.[1]

Family and education

He was baptised on 24 August 1664. He was the first son of Richard Scobell and Barbara, the daughter of Henry Carlyon. He was educated at the Middle Temple in 1681 and called to the bar in 1688. After 1704, he married Mary, the daughter of Sir Joseph Tredenham and had one son and two daughters.[1]

Political career

In 1690, he was elected MP for Mitchell. On 14 December 1692, he spoke against the Oath of Abjuration against James II.[1]

In October 1694, he prevented Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun from killing a coachman in Pall Mall. Mohun had begun assaulting the coachmen when Scobell intervened to stop him. Mohun reacted furiously to this interference and drew his sword, cutting Scobell on the head. Afterwards, Mohun sent Scobell a formal challenge to a duel but the duel never actually took place.[2][1]

In 1695 and 1698, he did not stand for Parliament.[1]

In January 1699, he was elected MP for Grampound and served in the next four parliaments. On 6 March 1699, he quarrelled with Sir William St Quintin, 3rd Baronet during a committee hearing. On 8 March 1702, he was named to draft the adress to Queen Anne on her accession. On 18 March 1702, he was elected to the commission of accounts with 188 votes. On 13 February 1703, he voted against the Lords' amendments to the adjuration oath bill. On 28 November 1704, he voted for the Occasional Conformity Bill. In 1708, he moved from Grampound to St Germans and was elected the MP for that constituency.[1][3]

On 12 January 1709, he supported Robert Harley on war strategy in Spain. On 17 January 1709, he introduced a bill to prevent electoral bribery. In 1710, he voted against the impeachment of Dr. Henry Sacheverell. In the 1710 election, he switched his seat to Launceston. He was returned to Parliament on 15 March 1712 and returned for St Mawes in the 1713 election. After the ascension of George I, he was removed from office and standed again unsuccessfully for St Mawes.[1]

He died on 20 September 1740 and was buried at St Ewe, Cornwall.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Eveline Cruickshanks; Stuart Handley. "SCOBELL, Francis (1664–1740), of Menegwins and Tregonan, Cornw". History of Parliament Online.
  2. ^ Stephen Banks (2010). "A Polite Exchange of Bullets: The Duel and the English Gentleman 1750–1850" (PDF). Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843835714. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  3. ^ "The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715: Grampound". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 13 March 2026. At the 1698 general election Sir William Scawen, deputy-governor of the Bank of England, was returned with Tanner who, choosing to sit for St. Germans, was replaced by Francis Scobell, a prominent Cornish Tory.
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