John Praed

John Praed (c 1657 – 10 October 1717) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1708 and 1713.

Praed was the son of James Praed of Trevethoe, Cornwall and his wife Horor Gifford, daughter of Arthur GIfford of Birghtley, Devon. He was apprenticed to Mr Bonnell, a merchant in London and became a factor in Zant by 1678. In 1680 he entered a business deal which was to cripple his finances for the rest of his life. Two London merchants, Daniel Gates and Wlliam Warre, sent him an order to buy up all the currants at Morea and to draw bills of exchange payable in Venice. Praed delivered the cargo, but the bills were stopped. Praed took legal action in 1690 and was awarded £6404 and costs against Warre. Warre made an unsuccessful appeal and refused to pay, whereupon Praed had him committed to the Fleet Prison and applied to sequester his estates. However Warre had managed to secure his release.

In 1693 Praed was approached by Abraham Anselm who wanted to recruit men for the exiled King James II to whom he replied that although he was a man of misfortune, yet he was a true subject of the government established. Praed petitioned unsuccessfully in the matter of Warre in 1696 and 1699. In 1706 he succeeded his brother James to the family estates at Trevethoe, but found them to be encumbered with debt.

In 1708, Praed was elected Member of Parliament for St Ives after a bitterly contested election. He voted against the impeachment of Sacheverell in 1710 and voted for peace in April 1711. On 10 February he tried unsuccessfully to bring in a bill to sequester Warre's estate. He sat until 1713. In 1715 he entered an agreement with Sir Humphrey Mackworth to make Mackworth's son, William, his heir in return for £3000 and other income from the estate. In addition Praed was to recommend a wife for William Mackworth and recommended Anne Slaney who brought in a portion to pay off Praed's debts. Praed and Mackworth signed the leases with tenants at Trevethoe in 1716 and Praed was allowed to carry on living there until his death in 1717.

Praed was buried on 7 November 1717. His estates passed to William Mackworth who adopted the name William Mackworth Praed.