Sir Sidney MONTAGUE of the Middle Temple, Knight

Died: 1644, Middle Temple, London

Father: Edward MONTAGUE of Boughton Castle (Sir Knight)

Mother: Elizabeth HARRINGTON

Married 1: Paulina PEPYS (d. 1638) (dau. of John Pepys of Cottenham) 1619

Children:

1. Edward MONTAGUE (1º E. Sandwich)

2. Henry MONTAGUE

3. Elizabeth MONTAGUE

Married 2: Anne ISHAM (d. 1676) (dau. of Gregory Isham of Barby)

The details in this biography come from the History of Parliament, a biographical dictionary of Members of the House of Commons.

Sixth son of Sir Edward Montague of Boughton, and bro. of James, Henry and Edward. Educ. Christ's, Camb. 1588; M. Temple 1593, called 1601. Married first, 1619, Pauline, dau. of John Pepys of Cottenham, Cambs.; and second Anne, dau. of Gregory Isham of Barby, Northants., s.p. Kntd. 1616. Bencher, M. Temple 1615, reader 1620; master of requests 1618-d. The Middle Temple was one of the buildings that had at one time belonged to the Knights Templar; after the Order was disbanded it became `the' law school in London.

Brackley made no difficulty about providing a seat for one of his family in 1593, though ‘the townsmen would be glad if [Montague] would come among them and bestow some courtesies of them’. When Montague 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 Montague 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.

to Bios Page	to family Page
to Peerage Page	to Home Page