He was born in Cornwall, the second son of his family. He was educated at Oxford, at first at Broadgates Hall. He proceeded B.C.L. on 30 June 1516, and D.C.L. on 23 June 1522. He became, before he quit Oxford, principal of Vine Hall.
Career
Moving to London, Tregonwell began to practise in the court of admiralty, of which he became before 1535 principal judge or commissary-general. Henry VIII employed him on government affairs; he carried out his master's wishes smoothly and with a careful regard to the forms of law. He was a privy councillor as early as 1532. He was a proctor for the king in the divorce case. He took part in diplomatic negotiations in the Netherlands in May 1532, John Hackett and Dr. W. Knight being his University in 1535; otherwise his work lay mainly in the south and west of England. He was also employed in the proceedings against the prisoners taken in the Pilgrimage of Grace, and he was important enough for Cromwell to talk about him as a possible master of the rolls. He became a master in chancery in 1539, was chancellor of Wells Cathedral from 1541 to January 1543, a commissioner in chancery in 1544, and a commissioner of the great seal in 1550.
Honours and recognition
He was knighted on 2 October 1553, and was favoured by Queen Mary in spite of his history. He was Member of Parliament for Scarborough in the parliament of October 1553, and, though he held a prebend, there was no question of objecting to his return, doubtless because he was a layman. Alexander Nowell was ejected from parliament, and Tregonwell was one of the committee which sat to consider his case. In 1555 he was a commissioner on imprisoned preachers.
Personal life
He had married, first, a wife named Kellaway, by whom he had no children; secondly, Elizabeth Bruce, who was buried on 17 January 1582, by whom he had, with other children, Thomas, who died during his father's lifetime, and who was the father of John Tregonwell, who succeeded to Sir John's property. His daughter Anne married Richard Reade, Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Another daughter Mary married a Mr. Delahyde. He died on 8 or 13 January 1565 at Milton Abbas, Dorset, for which, after the dissolution, he had paid £1,000, and was buried in the north aisle under an altar tomb.
