John Friend

Sir John Friend or Freind (died 1696) was an English Army officer, Tory politician, and Jacobite conspirator. He was executed in 1696 having been found guilty of high treason.

Early life and political career Friend was the eldest son of John Friend, a brewer, who resided in the precinct of St Katharine's by the Tower, London. He followed his father's business and in 1662 he became a member of the Worshipful Company of Brewers. He built the "stately brewhouse" called the Phœnix in the Minories, and amassed considerable wealth. As a member of a syndicate with Samuel Dashwood, he became a tax farmer in 1677. For a while he maintained a fine country residence at Hackney. In 1680, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Tower Hamlets. He protested that the witnesses against him "were Papists, and not to be believed against Protestants". He refused to betray his confederates to a committee of the House of Commons of England.

Together with Sir William Parkyns, Friend was executed at Tyburn 3 April 1696. They received absolution at the scaffold from three nonjuring clergymen. Before his execution, Friend gave a short speech affirming his belief that James II's deposition was unintelligible and that no power could "alienate our allegiance". Friend's remains were barbarously set up at Temple Bar, "a dismal sight", says Evelyn, "which many pitied". Aylmer, the bookseller, for printing Friend's trial, "wherein his lordship (i.e. Holt) is misrepresented," was arrested by order of Holt in May.

Friend was twice married. On his death, his share in the Phœnix brewhouse was sold for £5,500. According to Le Neve, "Mr. Gibbon, John, write a little pamphlet called the whole life & conversation of Sr Jo. friend." The name is spelt either "Freind" or "Friend".