Egerton, John, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater (1622 -1686)

John Egerton was the third, but only surviving son of John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater, and Frances Stanley, daughter and coheir of Ferdinando, 5th Earl of Derby. During his father's lifetime he was known as Viscount Brackley. A student of Gray's Inn in 1633, he probably took part in the original performance of Milton's Comus, and the first edition of 1637 published anonymously was dedicated to him by Henry Lawes who composed the music. In 1642 he married Elizabeth Holles, daughter of William, Earl of Newcastle (afterwards successively Marquess and Duke), a devout lady of whom he was passionately fond. In 1649 he succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Bridgewater. As a royalist he was imprisoned and examined but was released on giving a bond of £10,000 and finding two sureties `not to do anything prejudicial to the present government'. In May 1663 he was chosen High Steward of Oxford University, and received his M.A. by diploma 24 May 1663. In the following month he was imprisoned to prevent him fighting a duel with the Earl of Middlesex, and being joined in prison by his wife she died there in childbed, to his great distress. He is described as a "Learned man who much delighted in his library." He was succeeded by his second son William.