Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hunt, John (1550?-1615)
HUNT, Sir JOHN (1550?–1615), politician, was second son of John Hunt, esq., of Lyndon in Rutlandshire, and of the ancient family of the Le Hunts (Wright, Rutland, pp. 82-3). His mother was Amy, daughter of Sir Thomas Cave of Stanford, Northamptonshire. He was born at Morcott in Rutlandshire, whence he was sent to Eton, and afterwards to King's College, Cambridge, where he was admitted a scholar 27 Aug. 1565, but left the university without taking a degree. In the parliament which met 2 April 1571 he took his seat as member for Sudbury. He settled during the latter part of his life at Newton in Leicestershire. Although a man of some ability and attainments, he appears to have led a somewhat profligate life, and in July 1611 the Countess of Oxford caused articles to be drawn up against him on account of the evil influence that he exercised over her son, Henry de Vere, eighteenth earl, a youth of eighteen, the companion of Prince Henry. She entreated the interference of the Earls of Salisbury and Northampton. The charge does not seem to have lost him the royal favour, for in the same year (10 Nov.) he was knighted at Whitehall by James. A nephew, William Le Hunt of Gray's Inn, was called to the degree of Serjeant of law in Trinity term 1688. Sir John was author of:
- Latin epigrams in collection presented by the scholars of Eton to Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, 1563.
- Latin verses in commendation of Anne, countess of Oxford, 1588, Lansdowne MS. civ. art. 78.
[State Papers, James I, vol. lxv. No. 49; Nichols's Leicestershire, iii. 349; Nichols's Progresses, James I, ii. 432; Wright's Rutland, pp. 82-3.]