Family and Education

6th s. of Edward Montagu I, and bro. of Henry and Edward Montagu II. educ. Christ’s, Camb. 1588; M. Temple 1593, called 1601. m. (1) 1619, Pauline (d.1638), da. of John Pepys of Cottenham, Cambs., 2s. 1da.; (2) Anne (d.1676), da. of Gregory Isham of Barby, Northants., s.p. Kntd. 1616.2

Offices Held

Bencher, M. Temple 1615, reader 1620; master of requests 1618-d.

Biography

Brackley made no difficulty about providing a seat for one of his family in 1593, though ‘the townsmen would be glad if [Montagu] would come among them and bestow some courtesies of them’. When Montagu entered the Middle Temple his brother Henry was already an established lawyer. He soon took over from his brother some of the family legal business, and various letters on this subject survive, one of which describes his kind reception at Lord Burghley’s Wimbledon house, and the affability of Lord and Lady Zouche. A seat in the 1601 Parliament was found for him at Malmesbury, through the influence of Thomas, Lord Howard de Walden. It is not possible to be explicit about any committee activity in 1601 owing to the presence of his brothers in the House and the failure, for the most part, of the journals to distinguish between them. However, on 2 Dec. 1601 the Townshend journals mention ‘Mr. Montague Jr.’ presumably Sidney—as speaking on a legal matter. In 1604 Montagu was hoping for a post at court, and he ultimately became with ‘much ado to get in’, master of requests. He was described by his brother, Charles, as ‘so reserved as none shall be of his counsel’. He lived to sit in the 1640 Parliament, from which he was expelled, and died in 1644.3

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: S. M. Thorpe

Notes

• 1. Did not serve for the full duration of the Parliament.
• 2. Vis. Northants. (Harl. Soc. lxxxvii), 136-8; Christ’s Coll. Biog. Reg. ed. Peile, i. 193.
• 3. HMC Buccleuch, i. 234, 236, 250, 252; iii. 31; HMC Montagu, 27, 28, 29; Townshend, Hist. Colls. 277; HMC Hatfield, xvi. 99.