John Dolben (1662 – 29 May 1710), of Epsom, Surrey, was an English barrister and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1707 to 1710. He was deeply involved in the impeachment proceedings against Dr Henry Sacheverell in 1710, and his work on the impeachment is said to have contributed to his early demise.
Early life
Dolben was the younger son of John Dolben, Archbishop of York, and his wife Catherine Sheldon, daughter of Ralph Sheldon of Stanton, Staffordshire, and niece of Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury, and was baptised in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, on 1 July 1662. He was educated at Westminster School where he is listed as a pupil in 1676, and with the encouragement of his uncle Sir William Dolben, Recorder of London, was admitted at Inner Temple in 1677. He also matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford in 1678 but is not recorded as a graduate. From 1682 to 1683, he travelled abroad in France. By December 1683, he married Elizabeth Mulso, second daughter and co-heiress of Tanfield Mulso of Finedon Hall, Northamptonshire and his wife Mary Luther. Her portrait was once attributed to Sir Peter Lely, but is now thought to be the work of John Riley, completed after his death by John Closterman.
Dolben, whose father died in April 1686, squandered his inheritance on gambling. He also squandered his wife's fortune, selling his moiety of the manor of Finedon around this time to his elder brother, Sir Gilbert Dolben, 1st Baronet, who had married John's sister-in-law, Anne Mulso.
Career
In 1692, Dolben moved to the East Indies, where he became judge-advocate for the East India Company in Bengal and was later a friend of Thomas Pitt, the Governor. He was able to profit by the trading opportunities available to repair his fortune. He went on a voyage to China in 1699 with one of Pitt's sons. By July 1701, he returned to England and corresponded with Pitt on the affairs of the East India Companies. In about 1702 he went back to the East Indies until 1706. Back in England, he was trusted by Pitt to conduct his affairs.