John Pettus ca.1613-1685

Sir John PETTUS ca.1613-85

Biographical Note

Of Norfolk and Suffolk; the second son of Sir Augustine Pettus (d.1613). Matriculated at Pembroke College in 1632 and admitted to Lincoln’s Inn in 1635. He entered the service of Charles I in 1639 and was knighted in 1641; he was imprisoned on numerous occasions during and after the Civil War as a result of his royalist loyalties. After the Restoration he became MP for Dunwich in 1670, JP for Suffolk from 1660 until his death, deputy lieutenant from 1671 and was made gentleman of the privy chamber in 1670. Pettus wrote various works on mining, including the Fleta Minor (1683). He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Richard Gurney. They had two children: a son, Richard, who died in 1662 and a daughter, Elizabeth. Pettus died in debt.

Characteristic Markings

Books with his armorial stamp survive.

Sources

• British Armorial Bindings.
• History of Parliament.
• Porter, Stephen. "Pettus, Sir John (c. 1613–1685), natural philosopher and politician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.