DOWNING, SIR GEORGE, BART. (c. 1624-1684), English soldier and diplomatist, son of Emmanuel Downing, barrister, and of Lucy, sister of Governor John Winthrop, was born in England. His family joined Winthrop in America in 1638, settling in Salem, Mass., and Downing studied at Harvard. In 1645 he sailed for the West Indies as a preacher and instructor of the seamen, and arrived in England some time afterwards, becoming chaplain to Colonel John Okey's regiment. In 1650 he was scout-master-gen eral of Cromwell's forces in Scotland ; in Cromwell's parliament of 1654 he represented Edinburgh, and Carlisle in those of 1656 and 1659. In 16S5 he was sent to France to remonstrate on the massacre of the Protestant Vaudois. Later in 1657 he was ap pointed resident at The Hague, to effect a union of the Protestant European powers, to mediate between Portugal and Holland and between Sweden and Denmark, to defend the interests of the English traders against the Dutch, and to inform the government concerning exiled royalists.
He was maintained in his post during the interregnum after the fall of Richard Cromwell, and in April 1660 made his peace with Charles II., to whom he communicated Thurloe's despatches, and declared his abandonment of "principles sucked in" in New Eng land, of which he now "saw the error." Downing was knighted in 166o. He showed indecent zeal in arresting in Holland and handing over for execution the regicides Barkstead, Corbet and Okey. In 1663, he was created a baronet. Downing had from the first been hostile to the Dutch as the commercial rivals of England. He had strongly supported the Navigation Act of 166o, and he now delib erately drew on the fatal and disastrous war. During its contin uance he took part in the management of the treasury, introduced the appropriation of supplies, and in May 1667 was made secretary to the commissioners, his appointment being welcomed by Pepys. He sat in parliament for Morpeth from 166o till his death, and spoke with ability on financial and commercial questions. He was appointed a commissioner of the customs in 1671. The same year he was sent to Holland to replace Sir William Temple, to break up the policy of the Triple Alliance and incite another war between Holland and England in furtherance of the French policy. After three months' residence Downing fled to England, in fear of the fury of the mob. For this unauthorized step he was sent to the Tower for some weeks. Downing Street, London, is named after him, while Downing College, Cambridge, derived its name from his grandson, the 3rd baronet. The title became extinct when the 4th baronet, Sir Jacob G. Downing, died in 1764.
Downing's great talents were rarely employed for the advan tage of his country and his character was marked by treachery, servility and ingratitude. "A George Downing" became a pro verbial expression in New England to denote a false man who betrayed his trust. He published many declarations and discourses, mostly in Dutch, enumerated in Sibley's biography, and wrote also "A True Relation of the Progress of the Parliament's Forces in Scotland" (1651), Thomason Tracts, Brit. Mus., E 640 (5).
See J. L. Sibley, Biographical Sketches of Harvard vol. i. (Cam bridge, 1873) ; J. Beresford, The Godfather of Downing Street, Sir G. Downing (1927).