# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Payne, John Willett

​PAYNE, JOHN WILLETT (1752–1803), rear-admiral, youngest son of the lieutenant-governor of St. Christopher's, was born there in 1752. He received his early education at a private school at Greenwich, in 1767 entered the Royal Academy at Portsmouth, after two and a half years' study joined the Quebec frigate as an ‘able seaman,’ and went out to the West Indies. There he was moved into the Montagu, flagship of Rear-admiral Man, and continued in her two years and a half. He was then moved into the Falcon sloop; returned to England in 1773; joined the Rainbow with Commodore Thomas Collingwood, and, after some time on the coast of Guinea, again went to the West Indies, returning to England in the beginning of 1775. On 10 May he passed his examination; towards the end of the year was appointed to the Bristol; went out to the coast of North America, took part in the attack on Sullivan's Island, and proceeded to New York [see Parker, Sir Peter, (1721–1871)]. There he was moved by Howe into his flagship the Eagle, and on 9 March 1777 was promoted to be lieutenant of the Brune frigate, with Captain James Ferguson, a man equally distinguished for his gallantry, ability, and eccentricity. Between Ferguson and Payne there arose a warm friendship, which lasted till Ferguson's death in 1786. Early in 1778 Payne was moved into the Phœnix with Sir Hyde Parker (1739–1807) [q. v.], and was present with the squadron under Lord Howe in the defence of Sandy Hook and off Rhode Island in July. He returned to England in the Roebuck, and in April 1779 was appointed to the Romney, one of the Channel fleet under Sir Charles Hardy the younger [q. v.], and afterwards bearing the broad pennant of Commodore George Johnstone [q. v.] Payne was appointed by Johnstone commander of the Cormorant on 6 Nov. 1779, and on 8 July 1780 was posted to the Artois, a magnificent French frigate which was captured by the squadron.
In the following month a complaint was made by the Portuguese government that while lying in the Tagus the Artois had entered a considerable number of Portuguese subjects; that these men were forcibly detained, and that an attempt to release them had been resisted by Payne's orders. Payne showed that the complaint was unfounded, and was probably concocted in the desire to sow dissension between England and Portugal. The Portuguese government admitted the mistake, which they attributed to the interpreter. In August 1781 Payne was appointed to the Enterprise, a 28-gun frigate, which he commanded on the Jamaica station, cruising with marked success against the enemy's trade. In December 1782 he was moved by Admiral Pigot into the 50-gun ship Leander, and in her, near Guadeloupe, on the night of 18 Jan. 1783, fought a severe ​action with a large ship carrying troops. In the evening this ship had showed Spanish colours; but her shot, many of which were afterwards found on board the Leander, were of thirty-six pounds and had the French mark, so that Payne and his officers were convinced that she was a French ship of 74 or 80 guns. At the time it was believed that she was the Couronne of 80 guns; later on she was said to be the Pluton of 74. French writers make no mention of the circumstance; and as the two ships separated, both having sustained heavy loss, but without any definite result, it was never known in England what she was. Very possibly she was really a Spaniard. In recognition of his gallant conduct on this occasion Payne was moved into the 80-gun ship Princess Amelia, which he took to England at the peace.
The restless energy which had won him distinction in war carried him, in time of peace, into reckless dissipation. He attracted the notice of the Prince of Wales, who constituted him his private secretary, comptroller of the household, and personal friend. There is no doubt that he was the associate of the prince in his vices and his supporter in his baser intrigues. In 1788, when the prince claimed the regency during the king's insanity, Payne, then member of parliament for Huntingdon, urged his right in persistent and unscrupulous language; and on one occasion his manner of speaking of the queen is said to have drawn from Jane, duchess of Gordon [q. v.], the retort: ‘You little, insignificant, good-for-nothing, upstart, pert, chattering puppy, how dare you name your royal master's royal mother in that style!’ Towards the end of 1705 he made a tour through France and Italy, in company with Lord Northington. At Rome he received great civilities from the Cardinal York [see Henry Benedict Maria Clement].
In May 1793 Payne was appointed to the Russell of 74 guns, one of the Channel fleet under Lord Howe; and in her had a distinguished part in the battle of 1 June 1794, for which he received the gold medal. In December he was ordered to hoist a broad pennant on board the Jupiter, in command of the squadron appointed to bring over the Princess Caroline. It sailed from the Nore on 2 March 1796; the princess embarked at Cuxhaven on the 28th, and arrived at Gravesend on 4 April. Payne was at this time in bad health, but towards the end of the summer he was appointed to the Impetueux, an 80-gun ship formerly called the Amérique, and captured from the French on 1 June 1794, mainly by the Russell. During the summer of 1797 he was again ordered to hoist a broad pennant in command of a detached squadron, as also in March 1798 for a cruise in the Bay of Biscay. The inclement season and exposure brought on severe illness, which compelled him to resign the command. On 14 Feb. 1799 he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral, and in August he was appointed treasurer of Greenwich Hospital, where he died on 17 Nov. 1803. On the 25th he was buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster. His portrait, by Hoppner, has been engraved.
J. K. L.