Sir Philip Meadows (died 1718) was an English diplomat and official, an ambassador for

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

Life

He was the fifth son of Daniel Meadowe or Meadows (1571–1651) of

Chattisham Chattisham is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England. Located around two miles west of Ipswich and half a mile south of the A1071, it is part of Babergh district. In 2006 its population was 140, increasing to 167 at the 2011 Census. I ...

, and his wife Elizabeth, and was educated at

Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Elizabeth I. The site on which the college sits was once a priory for Dominican mon ...

, graduating B.A. there in 1646. He took his M.A. in 1649 at

Queens' College Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the oldest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. The college spans the River Cam, colloquially referred to as the "light s ...

, where he was a Fellow. In October 1653 he was appointed, on

John Thurloe John Thurloe (June 1616 – 21 February 1668) was an English politician who served as secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell and held the position of Postmaster General between 1655 and 1660. ...

's recommendation, Latin secretary to Cromwell's Council of State. The appointment was made for the benefit of

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem '' Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and political ...

, who was losing his sight (and who would have preferred

Andrew Marvell Andrew Marvell (; 31 March 1621 – 16 August 1678) was an English metaphysical poet, satirist and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1659 and 1678. During the Commonwealth period he was a colleague and friend ...

. Meadows took on the bulk of the routine work in the department. In March 1656 Meadows was chosen to represent the Lord Protector at

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

, for the ratification of the treaty between England and Portugal. He returned towards the end of November. In February 1657 he was chosen as envoy to

Frederick III of Denmark Frederick III ( da, Frederik; 18 March 1609 – 9 February 1670) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death in 1670. He also governed under the name Frederick II as diocesan administrator (colloquially referred to as prince-bi ...

. He sailed in the ''Assistance'' in August 1657. In March 1658 he gave an account to Thurloe of the

Treaty of Roskilde The Treaty of Roskilde (concluded on 26 February ( OS), or 8 March 1658) ( NS) during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Karl X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde. After a devastating defeat, ...

(8 March) between Denmark and Sweden; Cromwell wanted protect Denmark's interests. Meadows had an interview with

Charles X of Sweden Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav ( sv, Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. Afte ...

after the treaty. Meadows was sent on to take part as a mediator in negotiations between the kings of Sweden and Poland, but shortly gave up the task. He was knighted, and went to the Swedish court in 1658, but on a fruitless mission. After the

English Restoration The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland took place in 1660 when King Charles II returned from exile in continental Europe. The preceding period of the Protectorate and the civil wars came to be ...

of 1660, Meadows retired from public life, but was once more knighted, by Charles II in 1662. The

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

of 1688 brought him back to prominence, and he held official positions from 1692 to 1715.

Works

Meadows published: *''A Narrative of the Principal Actions occurring in the Wars betwixt Sueden and Denmark before and after the Roschild Treaty, with the Counsels and Measures by which those actions were directed, together with a View of the Suedish and other Affairs as they stood in Germany in the year 1675, with relation to England'' (1677), dedicated to the Earl of Bristol. * ''A Brief Enquiry into Leagues and Confederacies made betwixt Princes and Nations, with the Nature of their Obligations'' (1681). * ''Observations concerning the Dominion and Sovereignty of the Seas, being an Abstract of the Marine Affairs of England'' (1689). It accepted the general conclusions of

John Selden John Selden (16 December 1584 – 30 November 1654) was an English jurist, a scholar of England's ancient laws and constitution and scholar of Jewish law. He was known as a polymath; John Milton hailed Selden in 1644 as "the chief of learned ...

's ''Mare Clausum'', but decries a policy of encroachment.

Family

Meadows married, in April 1661, Constance, second daughter and coheiress of Francis Lucy of Westminster. They had a son and three daughters, including Elizabeth who married

Sir Thomas Powys Sir Thomas Powys (1649 – 4 April 1719), of Henley, near Ludlow, Shropshire and Lilford cum Wigsthorpe, Northamptonshire, was an English lawyer, judge and Tory politician, who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1701 and 171 ...

. A second daughter married Richard Dyott, commissioner of stamp duties from 1708 to 1710, convicted of fraud. The son,

Philip Meadowes Sir Philip Meadowes or Meadows (1672–1757) was an English politician and diplomat. Life He was baptised on 21 May 1672, the second son of Sir Philip Meadows of Chattisham, Suffolk and his wife Constance Lucy. He studied at Trinity College, Oxf ...

(died 1757), was a commissioner of excise from 1698 to 1700, was on 2 July 1700 appointed

Knight Marshal The Knight Marshal is a former office in the British Royal Household established by King Henry III in 1236. The position later became a Deputy to the Earl Marshal from the reign of King Henry VIII until the office was abolished in 1846. The Knig ...

of the king's household. He was a diplomat and Member of Parliament.

Notes

External links

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Meadows, Philip Year of birth missing 1718 deaths English diplomats Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge