Background
Street John was born in 1652, first son of Sir Walter Street John, 3rd Baronet and his wife Johanna.
Street John was born in 1652, first son of Sir Walter Street John, 3rd Baronet and his wife Johanna.
He was educated at Eton College and at Cambridge University where he attended Caius College in 1668-1669 and graduated Master of Arts
In 1685 he was pardoned for a murder. At Street John"s College in 1669. He was awarded a later degree as Doctorate.C.L. at Oxford University in 1702.
He was a Member (Member of Parliament) of the Parliament of England for Wootton Bassett October 1679–March 1681, 1685-1687, 1689-1695 and 1698–1700 and for Wiltshire 1695-1698.
He also served as a Deputy Lieutenant (Doctor of Laws) from 1683 and Justice of the Peace (Justice of the Peace) from 1685 for the county of Wiltshire
In November 1684 he was the principal figure in a singularly disgraceful brawl, which followed the acquittal of Edward Nosworthy. The trial"s jury repaired to the Globe tavern in Fleet Street to celebrate.
While there, an altercation broke out between Street John and Francis Stonehouse, the argument reportedly "a discourse about leaping horses" which terminated in the death of the jury foreman, Sir William Estcourt. Saint John and Edmund Webb, who had both run Estcourt through with their swords, were found guilty of murder, and condemned to death.
Saint John's mother obtained a pardon for him at the reported price of £16,000.
Saint John was expected to go abroad for some time, but publicly entered the next parliamentary election at Wootton Bassett a few weeks after the close of his case, and was duly elected to James II’s first Parliament. Street John was twice married:
1st, on 11 December 1673, Lady Mary Rich (died 30 September 1678), daughter and coheir of Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick, by whom he had one son, Henry, later made Viscount Bolingbroke in 1712. Street John succeeded his father as 4th Baronet on the latter"s death in 1708, then on 2 July 1716 he was created a peer as 1st Viscount Street John, elevating him to the House of Lords.
Viscount Street John died in April 1742, aged 89, and was buried at Street Mary"s Church, Battersea.
Exclusion Bill Parliament. Habeas Corpus Parliament.