John Plunket (Jacobite)

John Plunket (died 1734) was an Irish Jacobite conspirator, primarily known for his involvement in the Atterbury Plot to restore the Stuart dynasty to the throne of Great Britain.

Plunket, of obscure origins but likely from a Catholic family with Jacobite sympathies, acted as a messenger and intermediary between various figures implicated in the plot. He frequently carried letters and intelligence between individuals in England and exiled Jacobites in France and Italy. He used a series of aliases and ciphers to disguise his activities. His knowledge of multiple languages, including English, French, and likely Irish, proved useful in his role.

He was apprehended in 1722 as part of the crackdown on the Atterbury Plot. Crucially, many of his letters and documents were seized. These provided substantial evidence against other conspirators, including Francis Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester.

Plunket was put on trial for high treason in 1723. Despite his attempts to obfuscate and deny the accusations, the evidence against him was compelling. He was convicted and sentenced to death. However, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, likely due to his potential usefulness as a source of information regarding other Jacobite activities.

He spent the remainder of his life imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he died in 1734. His role, although relatively low in rank, proved significant in the exposure of the Atterbury Plot and the subsequent weakening of the Jacobite cause in England. He represents a key figure in understanding the clandestine networks operating to support the Stuart monarchy following the Hanoverian succession.