The Hon. John Yates is the son of a peer[1] with a tolerable independence. He is taller than Henry Crawford.[2] He is gentle and ceremonious,[3] well-bred and easy,[4] trifling, confident, idle and expensive.[5]
He meets Tom Bertram at Weymouth, and after spending ten days together, Tom invites to come to Mansfield Park whenever he likes. Yates leaves Weymouth for Ecclesford, but when their amateur production of Lovers' Vows is canceled after Lord Ravenshaw's grandmother dies, he takes Tom up on his invitation.[6] He brings the idea of putting on a play to Mansfield Park, causing confusion among the participants. Yates, however, is interested in Julia Bertram, who refuses to participate. This production, too, is shut down by arrival of Sir Thomas Bertram, and Yates decides to leave.
In London, he becomes reacquainted with the Bertrams and continues to court Julia. She would have refused him, but in her fear of retaliation after Maria runs away with Crawford, she consents to elope with him. Sir Thomas accepts the marriage after discovering Yates's debts are not as bad as he feared and finding him willing to be guided.